Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[bubbles1812]

It is a significant problem, and may not actually be feasible to resolve in the next couple of years. I'm actually thinking their best chance right now is to work with ATT and Verizon to boost their cell network capacity. The number of users who are trying to access the WiFi service on any day remotely busy is exceeding the capabilities of today's wifi. To make matters worse, new emerging WiFi technologies that could support this many users require the very latest client devices, which of course the vast majority of guests will not have.

Sounds like a good recipe for happy guests... This is another reason I see MM+ as being a failure. If the underlying infrastructure simply isn't there, how exactly do they expect all guests to get on board with it? The kiosks can only do so much to offer an alternative to using a phone, but I don't think guests are going to want to wait an hour to access one.

 

[englanddg]

Is there a wrong choice here?

A better question...why do they need to do a survey to figure that out?

 

[BryceM]

I saw on Twitter that Epcot guests are receiving surveys about which Future World attraction needs an update the most. Could this be a possible Imagination/Eo or Soarin' re-do?

And on a side note about surveys, my brother went to DAK two weeks ago and received a similar survey

I was at Epcot yesterday and was asked to participate in a survey.

 

[Computer Magic]

Sounds like a good recipe for happy guests... This is another reason I see MM+ as being a failure. If the underlying infrastructure simply isn't there, how exactly do they expect all guests to get on board with it? The kiosks can only do so much to offer an alternative to using a phone, but I don't think guests are going to want to wait an hour to access one.

Mabye one of the FP+ options will be to use the Kiosks...

 

[Rodan75]

It is a significant problem, and may not actually be feasible to resolve in the next couple of years. I'm actually thinking their best chance right now is to work with ATT and Verizon to boost their cell network capacity. The number of users who are trying to access the WiFi service on any day remotely busy is exceeding the capabilities of today's wifi. To make matters worse, new emerging WiFi technologies that could support this many users require the very latest client devices, which of course the vast majority of guests will not have.

I have a sneaking suspicion that wireless coverage and ports is a fraction of the issue. I suspect that they don't have enough trunk capacity to handed the traffic and they are likely using the same bandwidth for cell and wifi traffic, plus the Cisco gear is so sensitive that if someone tries to open a wifi hotspot with their own device it can wipe out an access point completely.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

A better question...why do they need to do a survey to figure that out?

They need to get guests to take their surveys...you know, the highly skewed Q&A that steers all answers where the survey wants them to be...so the resulting statistical data shows amazing guest satisfaction which, in turn, makes the powers-that-be look like martyrs acting on behalf of the guests even with all their craptastical shenanigans. That's what the surveys are for.

 

[tirian]

One point of contention there on that list... I never experienced the TVs in the Space Mountain queue. I would never want to. The place is loud enough as is sometimes. Adding something to drown out the amazing background music in the line would kill me. This is silly, but... everytime I go to MK I'm hoping that that background music hasn't been replaced, because it's 80s as heck and amazing.

Very rarely, losing something is a plus, in my opinion.

Again, my list isn't a set of opinions, just a tally of what has been removed.

 

[flynnibus]

I have a sneaking suspicion that wireless coverage and ports is a fraction of the issue. I suspect that they don't have enough trunk capacity to handed the traffic and they are likely using the same bandwidth for cell and wifi traffic, plus the Cisco gear is so sensitive that if someone tries to open a wifi hotspot with their own device it can wipe out an access point completely.

Uhh.. mobile traffic by definition goes to the carrier's towers and uplinks.. not Disney. They can't be using the same trunk/uplink bandwidth.

Second.. upstream bandwidth is by far the easiest thing for them to fix. They literally could fix it in a single day if they desired. If they need more fiber capacity, that can usually be had in 30-90 days. But again, DWDM makes most of that unnecessary.

Your comment about sensitivity.. I have no idea what you are talking about beyond traditional wireless interference.. and no that won't wipe out an access point.

If peering bandwidth was their only issue.. they'd solve it in a week. Making 802.11 work in very high density deployments on the other hand... much much more involved.

 

[tirian]

I saw on Twitter that Epcot guests are receiving surveys about which Future World attraction needs an update the most. Could this be a possible Imagination/Eo or Soarin' re-do?

And on a side note about surveys, my brother went to DAK two weeks ago and received a similar survey

That survey has been trotted out several times over the last few years. Imagination consistently receives the lowest scores for Guest satisfaction. Nothing has happened yet.

I listed the small details removed from the MK. Can @marni1971 make a similar list of what we've lost at Epcot?

BTW, greetings from California! I flew in three days ago and must say DLR is absolutely sparkling.

 

[tirian]

It is a significant problem, and may not actually be feasible to resolve in the next couple of years. I'm actually thinking their best chance right now is to work with ATT and Verizon to boost their cell network capacity. The number of users who are trying to access the WiFi service on any day remotely busy is exceeding the capabilities of today's wifi. To make matters worse, new emerging WiFi technologies that could support this many users require the very latest client devices, which of course the vast majority of guests will not have.

Let's not forget that almost all structures in WDW are built to withstand hurricane-force winds. Those buildings block a lot of WiFi signals!

 

[bubbles1812]

Mabye one of the FP+ options will be to use the Kiosks...

Now that's the Spirit!

 

[GLaDOS]

Spirit, just curious, do you know if Universal will be buying any more land to go along with the Wet and Wild purchase?

 

[marni1971]

Spirit, just curious, do you know if Universal will be buying any more land to go along with the Wet and Wild purchase?

Not Sprit, but I believe so.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It is a significant problem, and may not actually be feasible to resolve in the next couple of years. I'm actually thinking their best chance right now is to work with ATT and Verizon to boost their cell network capacity. The number of users who are trying to access the WiFi service on any day remotely busy is exceeding the capabilities of today's wifi. To make matters worse, new emerging WiFi technologies that could support this many users require the very latest client devices, which of course the vast majority of guests will not have.

My thought is still that we're spending $2.2B on technology that is supposed to be primarily accessed or communicated to guests through an application on your smartphone and the networks & infastructure that those smartphones use are woefully inadequate.

Its like buying/driving a sports car down a 2 lane gravel road.

 

[doctornick]

Hey, did you hear the MAGICal news?

Due to Guest Demand, the MSEP has been extended indefinitely. ...where's the damn drum roll @Lee ?

Wasn't that already the plan? I thought they are going to do some upgrades to the parade in the next year or so.

 

[marni1971]

I listed the small details removed from the MK. Can @marni1971 make a similar list of what we've lost at Epcot?

I'll have a go!

Entrance plaza - better or worse its still there.
Spaceship Earth - worthy descent. Spot fx like spinning wheel in Industry, smoke under merchants boats.
Innoventions - so much wasted space. Less than half the buildings are used for exhibit space compared to Communicore now.
Fountain of Nations- various jets and misters inoperative, notwithstanding the air jets blocked by the stage overhang.
View of the sky around the pin store
Lights of Winter
Energy - not going into the dated discussion, theatre twos curtains. Rain and heat in the diorama. Wave machine and teetering rock in the caves. Lava effects substituted. Night lighting of pavilion sides.
Wonders of Life, and everything it encompassed. It's now an $80 million event building. That's what the showplace tent was for. Enough said.
Mission: Space - gravity wheel. Parallax screens in ride capsules ageing.
Test Track - too soon to say.
Odyssey. Enough said.
Imagination - where to start? E Ticket and Imageworks to start with.
Seas with Nemo - storytelling and a journey were removed for various reasons. Better Nemo than a closed facility but it was done on a shoestring budget and it shows. Exterior night lighting still a joke.
Future Corps, Future World Brass
Greenery in the main plaza
Space around Showcase lagoon
Maelstrom smoke effects, Tessla coil. A least recent reports state some of the wave machines are working again.
American Adventures sprocket locked projection system no longer keeps the image rock steady as required.
Canadian stores
Daytime promenade / lagoon entertainment
ALF system in RoE. Lasers continue to age.

Futureworld has also lost its overall cohesive future feel. From lighting to signage to pavilion decor its a mish mash of the good, bad and the ugly.

 

[GLaDOS]

Not Sprit, but I believe so.

That's good news. The area around the water park is less than stellar to say the least, and it would be great for Universal to revitalize it.

 

[George]

I'
Energy - not going into the dated discussion, theatre twos curtains. Rain and heat in the diorama. Wave machine and teetering rock in the caves. Lava effects substituted. Night lighting of pavilion sides.

I know you're talking about the current state of things, but Radok blocks has got to be said. How about making the finale climatic and cool again? Energy really annoys me. Good thing it isn't a grand topic that could be made into a grand attraction worthy of future world in any era. *sigh*

 

[marni1971]

I know you're talking about the current state of things, but Radok blocks has got to be said. How about making the finale climatic and cool again? Energy really annoys me. Good thing it isn't a grand topic that could be made into a grand attraction worthy of future world in any era. *sigh*

Indeed. I've vented enough in the past what a waste of a fantastic facility the current show is.

 

[luv]

Very jazzed about this Uni thing.

What if they put in a castle?

What if they put in a castle you could go into!??

So many ideas, though.