Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[Eeyore]

There is a casino in Niagara Falls.

There's also one south of Niagara Falls in Sardinia, NY. They are both owned and operated by the Seneca Nation. In NY casinos are only legal on native land.

Edit- it's Salamanca not Sardinia.

 

[WDW1974]

Disneyland Paris is a shadow of what it once was, DSP is a ghetto and HKDL doesn't impress me at all even with the recent upgrades. Only a tiny bit has been shown of Shanghai but it seems like it will end up going the same route as HKDL.

Only truely great international Disney parks are in Japan but those are operated by a separate company with their own unique slate of attractions so I don't clump them in with the others.

I don't know how you can say they don't affect the US parks when the entire "Disney Decade" fell off the rails all because Eisner had to green light that unnecessary Euro Disneyland and on top of that in the wrong location and then way overbuilt it. We could have had a fully reimagined Tomorrowland at Disneyland, Roger Rabbit rides in TPFKATD-MGMS, and Westcot. It would have been wonderful.

Have you been to Paris? To Hong Kong? To Tokyo? ...I've been to them all multiple times and I am glad they exist. Sure, DLP is a shadow of what it was ... So too is WDW!

You sound above like a typical fanboi who never leaves the USA and, therefore, doesn't care what happens beyond their small prism of reality.

The Disney Decade fell off the rails, as you put it, for many reasons from Frank Wells death to Michael's health scares to the ugly PR battle over Disney's America to the ABC/Cap Cities buyout to dwindling results from the studios and to expanding into bad businesses from sports franchises to regional entertainment ventures to a internet portal.

Euro Disney was just a small factor. And you are living in Fantasyland if you think what you listed above would have happened if not for the magnificent resort Disney built just outside one of the world's great cities. Tomorrowland at DL was a creative and financial mess of its own making. None of those Roger Rabbit projects were going to happen because Eisner and Spielberg despise each other. And Westcot wouldn't't have worked in the DL parking lot no matter how fanbois cry over it. It was massive and didn't fit the area ...but why am I arguing this?

 

[ScoutN]

I too would (and recently did) take DAK Lodge Villas over it.

As I do on a regular basis.

 

[WDW1974]

I'm of the impression that the only reason why that happened was because Mom closed the GAC thread. On accounta peoples was gitten mean. Yes, it is an explosive subject especially with people that do not take the time to understand what is being said and automatically come out swinging when they see one word that they feel threatens them. Oh, well! If good ole Spirit were to be the instigator...wouldn't we all feel that it was a valid discussion topic?

I have no feelings on GAC beyond the fact that it is incredibly abused and if you can,t wait in lines like everyone else, or come back hours later with your FP, then I think your health issues should sadly preclude a WDW visit.

The idea that folks with illness or disability should get automatic back door passes to every attraction, along with six family members or friends, is simply absurd. And it is why the policy has more scammers enjoying waitfree days then the people it was designed to help.

Doctors notes won,t help either. Any scammer worth anything will be able to provide one. Hell, my doctor would prescribe me Pixie Dust if I asked for it.


Everyone should be subject to the same rules. And the 'I or my wife or my son can't wait in lines' as an excuse means you don't get to go. Sorry. Life isn,t fair.

 

[WDW1974]

Disney will never drop opposition to gaming in Florida.

Of course it won't ... But that shouldn't preclude it at all. The problem is the casino companies are doing it all wrong, paying off the wrong people and lobbyists and they don't understand how to bring real gaming resorts to the state.


I could help them drive right on over Mickey.

 

[WDW1974]

Self-serving or not, long may Disney continue to do so!

Gambling invariably brings with it an entire culture of guests, hotels, businesses and a mindset. This will infect Orlando tourism and drag it down into the gutter even more.

For exactly the opposite reason, I wish the Disney Concert Hall or Disney Museum would've been build in Orlando instead of Cali.


Build a casino on I-4, and WDW's guests will demand alcohol and princesses in World Showcase. Build a Concert Hall, and WDW's guest will ask for architecture and fun c/d tickets in WS.

I am not sure you could have a much lower caliber of guests than WDW already attracts.

 

[SirLink]

Have you been to Paris? To Hong Kong? To Tokyo? ...I've been to them all multiple times and I am glad they exist. Sure, DLP is a shadow of what it was ... So too is WDW!

You sound above like a typical fanboi who never leaves the USA and, therefore, doesn't care what happens beyond their small prism of reality.

The Disney Decade fell off the rails, as you put it, for many reasons from Frank Wells death to Michael's health scares to the ugly PR battle over Disney's America to the ABC/Cap Cities buyout to dwindling results from the studios and to expanding into bad businesses from sports franchises to regional entertainment ventures to a internet portal.

Euro Disney was just a small factor. And you are living in Fantasyland if you think what you listed above would have happened if not for the magnificent resort Disney built just outside one of the world's great cities. Tomorrowland at DL was a creative and financial mess of its own making. None of those Roger Rabbit projects were going to happen because Eisner and Spielberg despise each other. And Westcot wouldn't't have worked in the DL parking lot no matter how fanbois cry over it. It was massive and didn't fit the area ...but why am I arguing this?

I don't know, but are you waiting for a phone call and wanted time to kill. Disney fans and Disney decade another spice to Chai Tea Latte of Coffee/Alcohol/Phlebs/International Parks being somehow inferior/Referbs/Avatar....

Hmm I need an Iced Chai Tea Latte NOW!

 

[ChrisM]

BLT was built cheap thinking that rubes would stay there for location no matter what. The fact that it was falling apart as soon as people started using the units, showed that. I too would (and recently did) take DAK Lodge Villas over it.

With young children BLT's location simply can't be beat. Being able to walk to the MK was worth almost any premium to me (but that's largely because I value my time and convenience over money - can you believe I actually paid cash for a room there?).

The layout of the 1 and 2 bedrooms is also fantastic, although that appears to be a cookie-cutter layout used in almost all of the DVC properties. Still, it's a winner.

As a final plus (putting aside my nostalgia for the Contemporary in general) is that the view of Bay Lake is fantastic. If you have a relatively high floor, dead center on the Bay Lake side, you have one of the best views on property.

All of that being said, there are some giant negatives to BLT. To wit:

- Completely bland architecture.

- The MK view is a joke. Hey look! A giant parking lot!

- I was last there about 2 years after it was built and the room was worn. Really worn.

- The elevator locations are flat out stupid. One bank that everyone uses and one that sits almost completely unused.

- No food service I am actually allowed to use in the building. For the rates they charge for cash reservations, particularly in the non-studio room categories, I was galled that I wasn't allowed to visit the top floor lounge.

Since I still have young children, I will probably stay there one more time. But after that I'll likely choose DAK villas or whatever the most highly considered Universal hotel is at the time.

 

[JenniferS]

I have no feelings on GAC beyond the fact that it is incredibly abused and if you can,t wait in lines like everyone else, or come back hours later with your FP, then I think your health issues should sadly preclude a WDW visit.

The idea that folks with illness or disability should get automatic back door passes to every attraction, along with six family members or friends, is simply absurd. And it is why the policy has more scammers enjoying waitfree days then the people it was designed to help.

Doctors notes won,t help either. Any scammer worth anything will be able to provide one. Hell, my doctor would prescribe me Pixie Dust if I asked for it.


Everyone should be subject to the same rules. And the 'I or my wife or my son can't wait in lines' as an excuse means you don't get to go. Sorry. Life isn,t fair.

I agree, with one giant caveat - Make a Wish/Starlight foundation kids should get unlimited front of the line passes (as I mentioned in another thread).
Any and all exceptions should be made for terminally ill kids and their families.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

There is a casino in Niagara Falls.

Canadian side.

 

[JenniferS]

Canadian side.

Two on the Canadian side - Casino Niagara (the original) and Fallsview Casino PLUS one (Seneca) just across the river in Niagara Falls, NY.

 

[BryceM]

I tend to agree with you. I think that UNI/IOA have a lot to offer that goes beyond glitz and does have a lot of substance. Spiderman is impressive and Jurassic Park was almost as impressive. IOA provides a great deal of immersiveness with some excellent theming. It could use a few more attractions but so could some park that has a malfuntioning Yeti. UNI wasn't as good although I'll need to ride Transformers and the new HP ride to offer a better opinion. IOA's detail is very impressive.

Yes, IOA is certainly one of the most impressive parks in terms of attention to detail, theming and attraction roster.

IOA is quite the impressive theme park!

 

[Darth Sidious]

There is a casino in Niagara Falls.

That would be on your side of the border haha. Anyway I'm thinking closer to the metropolitan area.

Well... There is one but I believe it is on Native American land? It must be because gambling is illegal here in NY besides at state run facilities... Makes sense right? Lol

 

[Captain Neo]

Have you been to Paris? To Hong Kong? To Tokyo? ...I've been to them all multiple times and I am glad they exist. Sure, DLP is a shadow of what it was ... So too is WDW!

You sound above like a typical fanboi who never leaves the USA and, therefore, doesn't care what happens beyond their small prism of reality.

The Disney Decade fell off the rails, as you put it, for many reasons from Frank Wells death to Michael's health scares to the ugly PR battle over Disney's America to the ABC/Cap Cities buyout to dwindling results from the studios and to expanding into bad businesses from sports franchises to regional entertainment ventures to a internet portal.

Euro Disney was just a small factor. And you are living in Fantasyland if you think what you listed above would have happened if not for the magnificent resort Disney built just outside one of the world's great cities. Tomorrowland at DL was a creative and financial mess of its own making. None of those Roger Rabbit projects were going to happen because Eisner and Spielberg despise each other. And Westcot wouldn't't have worked in the DL parking lot no matter how fanbois cry over it. It was massive and didn't fit the area ...but why am I arguing this?

I'm not some country bumpkin like some of the other folks 'round these parts

While it is true there were several factors as to why the Disney decade didn't pan out I believe the bust that was EDL played a big factor in Eisner getting cold feet in investing in the parks. Which is why after the Indiana Jones Adventure opened in '95 things went south big time for the American parks.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Isn't UNI like a summer popcorn blockbuster? Very impressive, very flashy, but ultimately lacking in substance?

I've seen your posts before regarding Universal, and it's fine that you aren't the biggest fan, but your last questions are quite... well, it mostly appears you just wanted to get a reaction. And you have one. How does Universal lack substance exactly? Because it isn't associated with heaps of nostalgia the way Disney is? (And which is partially responsible for the degredation of the Disney parks, since people refuse to take off their rose colored glasses and demand changes necessary because of nostalgia?) Universal has many rides and attractions that feature IPs that are deep seated in our culture, and no I'm not just talking about Harry Potter, though that would be one. Their parks often have just as much detail and nuance as Disney, and the areas that don't, they are improving... unlike Disney. You want flashy and lacking substance... Just take a look at NFE. It's the very definition of "pretty" but on a closer look, there isn't a whole lot there.

Did you read the article?

It's not about Disney vs UNI. It is about the loweri...erm..'changing' standards of Hollywood and USF.

​

Dismantling Hitchcock in favor of Mike Myers was very much a sign of the times—for Universal Studios Florida and for all of Hollywood. In fact, if you want to observe the changes that have swept through mainstream American filmmaking in the last quarter century—from analog to digital, from storytelling to salesmanship, toward spectacle and youth and away from mature subjects and audiences—one of the best places to do it is at Universal, where each shift in the wider industry has been replicated with a corresponding shift in the park's attractions. ​

[...]​

Vintage Universal Orlando put a real emphasis on practicality: It was about the business and technique of making movies as well as the art. The park had its share of thrill rides, but most attractions emphasized education as well as entertainment,​

[...]​

As the movies have gotten more like amusement park rides, the amusement park rides at Universal have gotten more like the movies—more digital, more dumb, more intent on delivering pure visceral thrills and nothing else. The park may have moved away from the concept of a miniature movie studio, but it remains a perfect microcosm of modern Hollywood, where family-friendly 3-D escapism and the potential for merchandise sales are the only things that matter. In early 2012, Universal closed the long-running Jaws ride; in its place, it’s constructing a sister Harry Potter area to the one at Islands of Adventure. Expect more butterbeer, more wand shops, more immersion, and less information.​

​

http://thedissolve.com/features/exposition/24-universal-studios-florida-and-the-evolving-art-of-/​

 

[SirLink]

I'm not some country bumpkin like some of the other folks 'round these parts

While it is true there were several factors as to why the Disney decade didn't pan out I believe the bust that was EDL played a big factor in Eisner getting cold feet in investing in the parks. Which is why after the Indiana Jones Adventure opened in '95 things went south big time for the American parks.

DLPR opened in '91 ... IJA opened in '95 ... so why are you fixated on the fact DLPR sunk your ship - HINT it didn't. Another hint around the mid-90s WDI bloat was creeping in.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

DLPR opened in '91 ... IJA opened in '95 ... so why are you fixated on the fact DLPR sunk your ship - HINT it didn't. Another hint around the mid-90s WDI bloat was creeping in.

Or Eisner's strategic planning approved overbuilding of EuroDisney resorts which then turned into value engineering everything down to spinners and M&Gs.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I am not sure you could have a much lower caliber of guests than WDW already attracts.

You haven't been to a Six Flags recently have you?? oh my.

 

[BryceM]

Did you read the article?

It's not about Disney vs UNI. It is about loweri...erm..'changing' standards of Hollywood and USF.

​

Dismantling Hitchcock in favor of Mike Myers was very much a sign of the times—for Universal Studios Florida and for all of Hollywood. In fact, if you want to observe the changes that have swept through mainstream American filmmaking in the last quarter century—from analog to digital, from storytelling to salesmanship, toward spectacle and youth and away from mature subjects and audiences—one of the best places to do it is at Universal, where each shift in the wider industry has been replicated with a corresponding shift in the park's attractions. ​

[...]​

Vintage Universal Orlando put a real emphasis on practicality: It was about the business and technique of making movies as well as the art. The park had its share of thrill rides, but most attractions emphasized education as well as entertainment,​

[...]​

As the movies have gotten more like amusement park rides, the amusement park rides at Universal have gotten more like the movies—more digital, more dumb, more intent on delivering pure visceral thrills and nothing else. The park may have moved away from the concept of a miniature movie studio, but it remains a perfect microcosm of modern Hollywood, where family-friendly 3-D escapism and the potential for merchandise sales are the only things that matter. In early 2012, Universal closed the long-running Jaws ride; in its place, it’s constructing a sister Harry Potter area to the one at Islands of Adventure. Expect more butterbeer, more wand shops, more immersion, and less information.​

​

http://thedissolve.com/features/exposition/24-universal-studios-florida-and-the-evolving-art-of-/​

Okay, but is Disney's Hollywood Studios also not "victim" to this?

Instead of the "wonderful" Backlot Tour which tries to educate and inform on the art of movie making, we could potentially be getting an immersively themed land based around cartoon car film. Or instead of stunt shows (Indiana Jones) which show the cool and intriguing process that goes into film stunts, we could be getting an immersively themed Star Wars Land.

Expect a speciality drink, more Star Wars merchandise shops, more immersion, and less information.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Speaking of Casinos... New York needs to legalize them and also legalize UFC. NY needs the money they will bring in.

There's also one south of Niagara Falls in Sardinia, NY. They are both owned and operated by the Seneca Nation. In NY casinos are only legal on native land.

Edit- it's Salamanca not Sardinia.

There's two in Niagara Falls, Ontario (run by the province?), one in Niagara Falls, NY, one in downtown Buffalo and one in Salamanca. All of the American casinos in NY are run by the Seneca Nation of Indians. Then there are the "racinos": horse tracks with video slots; run by the state, I believe. Judging by all of the jokes about Native Americans running casinos, I'm guessing it is a fairly common circumvention of state constitutions where gambling is illegal, but not on "sovereign" Native American land. Plenty of opportunities to blow your money.