Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[pheneix]

Interesting. As I recall, my cousin wasn't sad to move away after living for a few years in Winter Haven for work. She and her husband are in Seattle now, working for Amazon and Microsoft respectively, and loving the Northwest in general and Seattle in particular.

I have only been to the Netherlands once (for Floriade '92), but I can imagine that going from Amsterdam to Orlando is quite a culture shock. Or, in this case, a non-culture shock?

All the culture shock is totally when I come back here. I've largely felt like Amsterdam has been home for a while now. USA is just my "passport country" lol

I definitely am planning a trip to Seattle once they get their legalization issues squared away. Looking forward to experiencing some Dutch-style freedom on American soil.

 

[ParentsOf4]

So how is your room? What is you view? Will be there in 2 years.

Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL) is really 2 separate large buildings. The main building is called Jambo House. If you are staying at the hotel, this is where you normally stay. Jambo House has 2 floors devoted to Disney Vacation Club (DVC), which also occupies the entire second building, Kidani Village. Collectively, the DVC rooms are known as Animal Kingdom Villas (AKV).

AKL is located on the southwest corner of WDW. To reach it, you drive past Disney's Animal Kingdom (DAK). There is a guard at the entrance to AKL who directs you where to go to check-in. AKL is a sprawling resort, in terms of acreage, probably one of WDW's largest.

The main lobby is a lot like the Wilderness Lodge. It's a long, tall, grand lobby with exotic African art in the middle. Check-in is on the left-hand side of the lobby. The restaurants, food court, and pool are on the first floor (the lobby is on the third floor) and can be reached by elevators on the ride-hand side of the main lobby. (There also are stairs near the elevators.) The layout is rather confusing for someone who has never been there and takes some getting used to.

There are several public areas from which to view the animals.

We are in a 2-bedroom Standard View villa. The room is very nice and well executed; consistent with the theming and with hidden Mickeys. I just can't ever convince myself to spend the extra points for a Savanna View room when we can see the animals from so many locations so we have a view of the main pool instead.

AKV is absolutely beautiful, a "spared no expense" resort with lots of details in the best tradition of Disney. We bought points here (resale, of course; I'd never pay Disney's direct sale prices) because AKV really is one of WDW's best resorts. It gets a bad rap because of location but as the newest Deluxe Resort it represents some of WDW's finest attributes having opened just before they started to "value engineer" everything.

 

[Nemo14]

Fireworks.

new Ipad?

 

[Bolna]

AKV is absolutely beautiful, a "spared no expense" resort with lots of details in the best tradition of Disney. We bought points here (resale, of course; I'd never pay Disney's direct sale prices) because AKV really is one of WDW's best resorts. It gets a bad rap because of location but as the newest Deluxe Resort it represents some of WDW's finest attributes having opened just before they started to "value engineer" everything.

I absolutely agree! I just wish they had not painted the pool blue when they refurbed it, I prefered the old "water hole" look.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Tangled is one of Disney's greatest films ever and 'I See The Light' is its crowning achievement. So very beautiful.


Hunchback.
Completely underrated. I love the dark, more mature tone. Compared to European and Japanese animation all Hollywood animation is kiddie stuff that's too chicken to touch anything worth making a movie about, so its good to see Disney try for once.
The animation was spectacular at moments! I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen, fantastic.

In DLP's Dreams they show segments from both Tangled and Hunchback (well it's set in Paris after all!). Nothing like seeing the castle transformed into the Notre Dame!


Lone Ranger.
Flop! Yay! Good to see it tank, this saves Frontierland (at least DL) from being Deppified like Pirates.
I guess the public only needed to see Depp play the same role once, no market for him playing Sparrow in Monument Valley.

Pocahontas.
Has its moments. The kids hate it though.

You know I see no good reason why people bash adding his likeness to PoTC. The ride is largely the same and it is not by any means an overhaul. It added to the rides popularity for sure. I remember PoTC being the ride I'd jump on when it was sweltering hot and you wanted to jump right on a ride. Now you actually have to wait in line for it.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would be extremely surprised to see it flop... If they really decide to make Ant-Man, that'll be the flop, not the two upcoming Marvel sequels. And Marvel does know how to market as previously discussed.

I don't think anybody at Marvel would try to say that Ant-Man is going to be a huge hit. The problem is/will be The Avengers being the measuring stick used by everybody else when discussing Marvel.

Actually, Marriott does run those hotels, including the Grand Bohemian. I know that, because I get Mariott Rewards points when staying at those hotels. Autograph Collection is one of the 14 divisions of Marriott International, and no different than Courtyard, Springhill Suites, Residence Inn, JWMarriott, Renaissance Hotels, etc., etc. as members of the big Marriott corporate family.

But it's an easy thing to fall for, as it's one of those games the big hotel companies play.

They know their flagship Marriott brand isn't a top-tier brand, so they have to create new brands to cater to different demographics who would be turned off by staying at a Marriott. Their Autograph Collection is their attempt at "stylish upscale" lodging.

Starwood Co. does the same thing with their Luxury Collection hotels. Interestingly, Hilton bucks the trend and doesn't have a faux that's-not-us secret hotel division. The nearest thing for Hilton is their rather fabulous Conrad Hotels in major world capitals, but there they are elevating the brand to their founder Conrad Hilton and not trying to hide the fact that the places are run by the Hilton corporate office.

This reminds me of a local radio station that tried to pull this backa round the turn of the century. On air there was all this talk about how it was the new independent radio station because this guy's rich uncle bought it for him, and so he was running it with his friends and playing just what they wanted. Then if you went to their website it looked just like every other Clear Channel radio station website at the time, complete with the links to other stations and the ©Clear Channel at the bottom. Eventually the format was changed a bit with nary a word from the guys supposedly running it all.

 

[bubbles1812]

You know I see no good reason why people bash adding his likeness to PoTC. The ride is largely the same and it is not by any means an overhaul. It added to the rides popularity for sure. I remember PoTC being the ride I'd jump on when it was sweltering hot and you wanted to jump right on a ride. Now you actually have to wait in line for it.

People wait in line for Pirates?

But I understand your point. I don't mind that they added Sparrow. It made sense from a "getting people in the boats" point of view. And I think the character will remain long in the public conscience, though Im not sure he'll be permanently in the public conscience. That's where I have a bit of an issue. But Sparrow being added is minor in my book compared to the other stuff they've taken out.

 

[Goofyernmost]

People wait in line for Pirates?

But I understand your point. I don't mind that they added Sparrow. It made sense from a "getting people in the boats" point of view. And I think the character will remain long in the public conscience, though Im not sure he'll be permanently in the public conscience. That's where I have a bit of an issue. But Sparrow being added is minor in my book compared to the other stuff they've taken out.

In the 80's and into the 90's you always waited in line for PoTC. The line usually came out pretty close to the line entrance and I even remember seeing and being in lines that utilized the huge area that you first walk into with switchbacks from one end to the other. I have no idea why that changed over time. Glad it did though.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Oh gosh, I don't want New York City, there's only one of those on the planet and it's in New York. I want Portland, Oregon but like Orlando. I want Palm Springs, but like Orlando. I want Seattle, Washington, but like Orlando. In short, I want funky and cool local culture, menus culled daily from the local farmers market and based on traditional local specialties, and old historic buildings oozing with charm and Politically Incorrect backstory but with hipster attractive people inhabiting them and creating new backstories.

In short, I was looking for a hip boutique hotel in Orlando, with a fun restaurant or bar attached. And I couldn't find one. That's all.

And my point is... that's kind of odd considering the tens of millions of people who visit Orlando yearly. But perhaps the Corporate Chain Vacation crowd really is the driving force there. Still, I thought maybe there was a little niche market for Portlandia style lodging that I didn't know about. Guess not.

It's okay though, because the Polynesian is getting old enough and weird enough to be hipster without trying.

If those are the places you're looking for, then my suggestion would be to go there instead of looking for it elsewhere. When I want to buy a TV, I don't look for it at a grocery store. Orlando exists because of the theme parks. People don't come here for the local culture, they come for the rides. The hotels and restaurants cater to these people, and they would be stupid not to. The places that you are looking for are local driven and farther away from the parks, because the tourists aren't looking for it. Orlando is also a transient city if there ever was one. Most people aren't born here, and when they move here it isn't for long. It doesn't help to try and develop one of those "hipster" cultures.

 

[WDWFigment]

I can't help but think a place like WL is a waste for someone who sleeps about one hour and 32 minutes a night when at a Disney resort. What say you @WDWFigment?

I believe @HenryMystic is asking me to shed light on occupancy? We did a split stay at SSR and WL (2 nights at each), and while SSR felt fairly busy, Wilderness Lodge did not. We only booked the trip about 3 weeks in advance, and even at that point, several popular DVC properties were still available for booking (BoardWalk, AKV, VWL, etc.). The only night of our trip that was sold out just about everywhere (besides OKW and SSR) was the 4th itself. This was surprising given that it was shortly before a very popular travel time. Due to the point charts, "popular travel time" for DVC members doesn't always jive with "peak season," but I still expected more difficulty in booking a July 4th trip at the last minute...

WL itself seemed pretty dead at almost all times of the day. On a couple of occasions, we had boats all to ourselves. Roaring Fork was never busy when we went there, either.

We were in the water parks during the day for the 4th and 5th so I can't really speak to crowds those days (besides at the water parks--which were busy but not unbearably so) except at night; DHS was moderately busy on the 4th and MK was very busy on the night of the 5th.

Epcot was dead midday on 6th. Definitely the least crowded we've seen it since February 2012. MK was light the evening of the 6th and crowds were moderate yesterday. If you took the tour groups out of the mix, it would have been light both day. Of course, these experiences are anecdotal, but it sure didn't feel like peak season over the weekend--not even close.

We normally avoid WDW from June until September due to humidity and crowds, but neither were too bad. I was expecting the worst, but it turned out to be quite a pleasant trip.

Oh, and I may only sleep an hour and 32 minutes per night, but that doesn't mean I only spend that amount of time at the resort. My wife needs more sleep than me to function, so I actually spend a good amount of time wandering around the resorts. I'll grant you that the bed at a place like WL is a waste for someone who sleeps as little as me, though.

 

[jensenrick]

have not seen it yet and wont until it comes out on disc...

despicable me 2 was a delight though

I am loving Despicable Me 2 so much- I've seen it twice already! And even though I usually hate 3D, I saw it the second time in 3D. I don't know if it was the 3D or I had just cleaned my glasses, but the second viewing seemed to be much clearer and more detailed.

 

[SMPTE MOUSE]

MK was great all day. It was crowded but the lines weren't crazy by any means. For the 2nd busiest day of the year (compared to Christmas) it wasn't bad. Then 8PM came around and BOOM! Crazyland. We waited at Casey's Corner for 35 minutes to buy a chili dog. It was still worth it! Boy what an amazing firework show! Check out this pic from we snapped during the grand finale!

Help us Fix the Yeti and "LIKE" my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FixTheYeti

 

[MattM]

Actually, Marriott does run those hotels, including the Grand Bohemian. I know that, because I get Mariott Rewards points when staying at those hotels. Autograph Collection is one of the 14 divisions of Marriott International, and no different than Courtyard, Springhill Suites, Residence Inn, JWMarriott, Renaissance Hotels, etc., etc. as members of the big Marriott corporate family.

But it's an easy thing to fall for, as it's one of those games the big hotel companies play.

They know their flagship Marriott brand isn't a top-tier brand, so they have to create new brands to cater to different demographics who would be turned off by staying at a Marriott. Their Autograph Collection is their attempt at "stylish upscale" lodging.

Actually, even though you get Marriott Rewards points for staying there, the hotel itself is not run by Marriott. Marriott lends its Marketing power, booking/reservation system, and most importantly, it's name. In return, Kessler gets a customer base who would otherwise not necessarily feel comfortable staying at a "non-name brand" hotel as well as Marriott's extremely loyal customer base. Marriott gets a cut of your rate, and you still get your points for staying. They are different from Courtyard, Residence Inn, etc because you don't and will never a see a Kimpton or Kessler Courtyard or a Bohemian JW Marriott. Many of the Autograph Collection properties are independent hotels that enter into a mutually beneficial contract with Marriott to increase heads in beds. It's a blurry line.

But let me know if you want any restaurant recommendations in Winter Park. I can help point you in the right direction!

 

[MattM]

Dude, I'm a seasonal resident of Amsterdam who goes into total depression upon return to Orlando. The lack of homegrown culture here is notable and the people that live here make that lack of pride known every single day.

Orlando is a great place to visit. Also fantastic for attending university and pursuing internships and opportunities whilst in school or shortly after graduating. But as a city in which to live long term, it is absolutely horrible. One of the worst cities in the world to call home. I would not recommend living here even to the most hardcore of theme park fans. Just use Priceline and take more vacations.

Curious to know which part of "Orlando" you live in? (general, not specific)

 

[MattM]

I know Kimpton has been looking around in Orlando, so if they eventually bite, there will be another good trendy place to stay. I don't think it's Ace territory - still a little too down-south for Ace, but Bohemian's a nice start. And...there's always the Poly.

Interesting, I've heard this, too. have you heard they're looking more downtown, or the attractions area?

 

[Pentacat]

I got a report of MK around 22 today, not sure yesterday. ... a friend mentioned that DAK couldn't even hit 10K one or two days last week. Not good. No matter how they'll spin things.

Be interesting to know where the Uni parks were during this same time period....anyone have any info?

 

[jensenrick]

Can't say there's a ton, but there are two options that fit the bill for me. I love Kessler's Grand Bohemian, which is probably the best (and only) example of what you're looking for in Orlando. Yes, it's a Marriott (formerly a Westin), but it's only flagged that way, and as soon as you walk in, it doesn't look or feel like a corporate chain in any way. The property itself is owned by Kessler, and he considers this one of his flagship Boutiques. His personal art collection is scattered throughout, as is a one-of-a-kind Bosendorfer piano in the lounge - sometimes the bar is fun, but if it's dead, just walk outside and find a place downtown. Good-to-great service, comfortable luxurious rooms and a great location for exploring downtown, which has a multitude of hip-ish (for Orlando) local spots to explore. Right downtown: Pine 22, Harp & Celt, Hue and a ton of others...then walk over to Thornton Park by way of Lake Eola and check out Dexter's and Graffiti Junktion...Also The Ravenous Pig in Winter Park and a whole bunch of places on Park Avenue, which is one of my favorite walking streets. Baldwin Park is a new neighborhood that's a reuse of the old Naval Base property and is filling in with some great neighborhood trendy places. It's not NYC or Portland, but for Central FL, it's getting there. My other hotel choice for a fun place to stay is Hard Rock at Universal. Feels boutique-y, fun lounge, and right off of CityWalk and the parks. I know Kimpton has been looking around in Orlando, so if they eventually bite, there will be another good trendy place to stay. I don't think it's Ace territory - still a little too down-south for Ace, but Bohemian's a nice start. And...there's always the Poly.

Total agreement on the Grand Bohemian- it's hip, but more than hip- it's classy. I stayed there one weekend when I was skipping the parks for a pride event at Lake Eola, (which is easy walking distance) and it was a revelation. Double agreement on the Harp & Celt, although I also really enjoy the Wall St Plaza, particularly the Monkey Bar and WaiTiki. Wall St Plaza is one of the few places that reminds me of the good ol' days of Pleasure Island.

Also in easy walking distance is O.C. Regional History Center (worth a peek just to see the amazing balcony display, which you can see from the lobby before you decide if you want to go in).

 

[OFTeric]

as far as boutique hotels go, there are actually a number of them here in Orlando. One great little on is the EO Inn on Lake Eola http://www.eoinn.com/

 

[stevehousse]

I think the main reason Lone Ranger is not doing as well is because westerns aren't nearly as popular as they were 30-40 years ago! The negative reviews aren't helping that much either! Personally I do not care for westerns so a neg or pos review for it won't change my mind into wanting to see it! Also like @WDW1974 stated, it isn't the studio tht will see a big negative, it's the director and depp himself who if I believe was the one to really push Disney to make the film after they wanted to bow out several times!

The whole refillable mug RFID chip that is being rolled out is weird to say the least, but with all the "abuse" that mug system has, it's totally understandable. And if you think about it, if you buy 3 bottles of coke its about 12 bucks anyway, so to get a mug is somewhat of a deal.

I am taking the fam to see DM2 this afternoon, which isn't what we initially wanted I take them to see. Working at a movie theater, all our guests seem to be more happy with DM2 than Monsters. Personally, I think Monsters would be a bigger success if they actually went for a sequel rather than a prequel! One of the main reasons the original monsters did so well was the appeal of the Boo character! I would have loved to see her come back a little older and have her help the monsters with some big villain rather than see mike and silly go to college?!?

 

[FigmentJedi]

I am taking the fam to see DM2 this afternoon, which isn't what we initially wanted I take them to see. Working at a movie theater, all our guests seem to be more happy with DM2 than Monsters. Personally, I think Monsters would be a bigger success if they actually went for a sequel rather than a prequel! One of the main reasons the original monsters did so well was the appeal of the Boo character! I would have loved to see her come back a little older and have her help the monsters with some big villain rather than see mike and silly go to college?!?

The way MU ended, I think a Monsters Inc 2 wouldn't even need Boo anymore. MU really shows how culturally important scaring is to the monsters and you could easily get a plot out of how hard the transition to laughter is going to be for Monster society.