Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[doctornick]

Once again...there is no earthly reason to get rid of an attraction to put new ones in. 43 square miles should not require any need to clear space. Use some of that 43 square miles. Get rid of an Executive parking lot and put in some new attraction. They can expand the perimeter whenever they want.

Yes. Use the expansion pad in Adventureland (Fire Mountain, anyone?). Use the parking space below the CoP (is that the executive parking you are speaking of?) to put a show building for a ride. Build a walkway that is elevated over Magic Kingdom Dr from between LM and the Circus and put a new land (new Toontown? Pixie Hollow? Wonderland?) on the plot of land to the north within the berm (you can even add a train station there). Put a ride outside the berm north of/next to Space Mountain.

Don't get me wrong: there's certain rides I wouldn't mind replacing (Stitch or the Speedway, for example) but I see little reason to spend tons of money to replace one ride with another when increasing capacity by developing previously backstage land would be idea and help to spread out guests.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Yes. Use the expansion pad in Adventureland (Fire Mountain, anyone?). Use the parking space below the CoP (is that the executive parking you are speaking of?) to put a show building for a ride. Build a walkway that is elevated over Magic Kingdom Dr from between LM and the Circus and put a new land (new Toontown? Pixie Hollow? Wonderland?) on the plot of land to the north within the berm (you can even add a train station there). Put a ride outside the berm north of/next to Space Mountain.

Don't get me wrong: there's certain rides I wouldn't mind replacing (Stitch or the Speedway, for example) but I see little reason to spend tons of money to replace one ride with another when increasing capacity by developing previously backstage land would be idea and help to spread out guests.

Space Mountain is a good example of the possibility of putting a ride outside the perimeter with some sort of underground tunnel queue to the show building. I would certainly encourage this over removing pre existing attractions, when possible.

 

[Mr.Skunkape]

Groan Sign by Mr.Skunkape, on Flickr

All you have to do is follow the posted signs.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

....take out my peoplemover and I take out your heart.

 

[englanddg]

....take out my peoplemover and I take out your heart.

This just needed to be said twice.

 

[Darth Sidious]

This just needed to be said twice.

It is a symbol of one of Walt's ideas for EPCOT and it definitely should remain. I wish EPCOT incorporated more ideas like this as homage to Walt's original vision.

 

[englanddg]

It is a symbol of one of Walt's ideas for EPCOT and it definitely should remain. I wish EPCOT incorporated more ideas like this as homage to Walt's original vision.

We should send W.W.W.D. magicbands to all the Imagineers at TDO...

 

[doctornick]

Space Mountain is a good example of the possibility of putting a ride outside the perimeter with some sort of underground tunnel queue to the show building. I would certainly encourage this over removing pre existing attractions, when possible.

Yeah, there is that seldom used path from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland (between the Speedway and Railroad) that could have a ride off of it. You just need to create a walkway from that path under the berm and instantly you have a huge plot that can be used for a large E-ticket.

That being said, I'd rather see TDO focus money and efforts on the other three parks first. Putting another ride in MK would be cool, but not at an opportunity cost of putting stuff in the other three parks.

 

[WDW1974]

How's about some talk of phenominal celebration going on at TDS and TDL. The merch, events, decor, and others to celebrate it. Seeing photos of it sure are impressing. First had stories of people who have attended are that much more impressing.

I dunno. I posted a link to The Weatherman talking about SDL and no one bit on that.

I have heard great things about the 30th Celebration in Tokyo and, having been there, I'm not at all surprised. The OLC recently announced it was spending upwards of two billion dollars in its parks between now and 2020. The OLC has built an amazing legacy of quality off of Disney's own and, unlike Disney, they appear in no hurry to cheapen it. I hope to get back there soon!

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

Yeah, there is that seldom used path from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland (between the Speedway and Railroad) that could have a ride off of it. You just need to create a walkway from that path under the berm and instantly you have a huge plot that can be used for a large E-ticket.

Woah, I had no idea there was a walkway back there

 

[WDW1974]

How do us mortals get invited? Or can we set up a different MG&G somtime?

I will meet almost anyone from MAGIC. I don't hide in the shadows despite being a Spirit.

You can arrange meetings thru a casual PM (if some psycho ex-member doesn't feel a need to plaster one of my five phone numbers on the boards!)

 

[WDW1974]

Commit to buy Spirit's food and drinks.

That's always a good place to start. The way to my heart and my Disney secrets pass thru my stomach, no doubt.

What you must realize is the richer you are, the less you actually have to pay for, the more stuff just gets handed to you ... and I AM a Faux Top One Percent Spirit!

 

[doctornick]

Woah, I had no idea there was a walkway back there

Yep, it's probably WDW's best kept secret . If they put a ride off of that path, it would be interesting to see if people struggle to find the way to it. Certainly would help to spread out crowds a bit given the walkway is lightly used.

 

[Californian Elitist]

That's always a good place to start. The way to my heart and my Disney secrets pass thru my stomach, no doubt.

What you must realize is the richer you are, the less you actually have to pay for, the more stuff just gets handed to you ... and I AM a Faux Top One Percent Spirit!

Again, why spend mine when I can spend yours, right?

If we go out for food/drinks the next time you're in the Southland, I've got you covered. Trader Sam's the next time, for sure.

 

[WDW1974]

TWDC did tone down the "Free Dining" discounts in 2013. However, as you note, WDW rack rates are now so inflated that the "Room Only" discounts are joke. Even at 50% off, TWDC makes a killing.

Rack rate at Grand Floridian for the July 4th week starts at $518/night.

Compare that to Portofino Bay at $349/night. Included with that is the best perk offered by any theme park; unlimited FP.

WDW resorts need 35% discounts just to match Uni's rack rates.

I'm still trying to figure out where these folks (many that look and act like complete trash) get the type of money to afford $518 a night rooms. Then, I hear about the massive net of spying our government is actively doing on us and I realize how many great government jobs have just popped up since 9/11 and it isn't hard to figure at all.

 

[WDW1974]

Spirit, I've finally found something I disagree with you about. Sorta.

Mad Men's been an excellent show until this season when it's been alternately interesting and tiresome. I'm not willing to write the show off just because it's come down from the heights of the previous seasons. Still holding out hope for the final one next year.

But you can tell Matt Weiner he needs to do something with his characters next season instead of recycling what we've already seen before. Draper has become one of the dullest characters on the show. Incredibly enough.

Just so Weiner'll give this opinion credence, tell him the Disney potties expert (who has assembled 15+ hours of HD video of Disney Parks and Resorts toilet stalls and urinals along with the background music that plays in those spaces of magical transcendence) says so.

I have tried to watch Mad Men ... to see what others see in it ... to be transported back to the world of an ad agency in the wild 1960s. I have tried about five or six hours worth. And while the show has the look down, much like ABC's Pan Am last year, it doesn't connect with me on any level. The characters bore me to tears and don't make me care.

I do know that even big fans and writers who cover the business and have loved the show before have said that this year is the worst. I wouldn't know.

But if I talk to Matt again this fall, which is likely, I'll still say something nice.

In honor of Arrested Development's return and your post, I'll simply state that once I stood at urinal at Spago next to Jeffrey Tambor.

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

(if some psycho ex-member doesn't feel a need to plaster one of my five phone numbers on the boards!)

Just watch, someone's going to write your number on the walls of the Tangled Toilets. "For a good time, call Allison Wonderland..."

I have tried to watch Mad Men ... to see what others see in it ... to be transported back to the world of an ad agency in the wild 1960s. I have tried about five or six hours worth. And while the show has the look down, much like ABC's Pan Am last year, it doesn't connect with me on any level. The characters bore me to tears and don't make me care.

I generally agree that Mad Men is overrated (I can't stand the modern trend of "male anti-hero is mostly an but you're supposed to like him" shows) but that carousel scene is one of my favorites in all of television.

 

[WDW1974]

Yeah, Jeffery Epstein (former disney geek, now spokesperson for d23 team) invited George K and Jim Macphee to house of blues for a d23 member mixer event. Basically just talked about future d23 events coming soon like the expo, sip and stroll, and merrily Christmas meetup,etc. Jeffery did say exciting announcements will come out of d23 this year from "movies and parks to television and beyond".

As I've said, a totally friendly audience with no one going to ask about datamining, NGE/MyMAGIC+, price increases or Disco Yeti.

 

[WDW1974]

The President, and China's president are here in Palm Springs right now for meeting.

Yep. One country is being run by Big Business while having a government spy on its citizens and toss out their basic rights at will ... wait for it ... wait for it ... and the other is China!

 

[WDW1974]

To bring up a new topic, you see every once in a while rumors about the Rivers of America in MK getting bulldozed in favor of various new things, and obviously nothing has ever come of that yet, but I recently heard another rumor that a new possible replacement for RoA being proposed at the blue sky stage would include 1. a Be Our Guest-style table service/quick service hybrid restaurant based on the Haunted Mansion and 2. a "Woody's Roundup coaster."

Now obviously I wouldn't expect this to be received very well by fans, nor would I expect this to ever actually happen, but does anyone have any insight into how often ideas like this get brought up at the blue sky level? And does MK have capacity problems that severe that something like this would be considered?

And in the future, how often does everyone think Disney is now going to choose "building a restaurant" over "building a ride," considering that apparently Be Our Guest is a big moneymaker? Adding to that the success of the Cars Land restaurants, and the Harry Potter restaurants at IoA, will Disney ever build rides again that aren't tied to restaurants?

Nothing is happening with the RoA nor should it. MK has loads of expansion areas available and dead zones in the park.

Disney needs to ADD capacity, not shift it around.