Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

[tribbleorlfl]

Oh, and Mythos is still great. Stories of its demise are flat out not true.

I'm assuming you're referring to my comments over in the Cat Cora thread. While it's still the best of the UO-owned or operated restaurants, that's almost by default. The menu has been dumbed down and is not as creative or forward-focused as it once was. There are as many sandwiches as entrees, and those sandwiches are served with the same Production Kitchen potato salad that's served everywhere on property. The deserts come from the Central Bakery and no longer the in-house pastry cook.

 

[pheneix]

I'm assuming you're referring to my comments over in the Cat Cora thread. While it's still the best of the UO-owned or operated restaurants, that's almost by default. The menu has been dumbed down and is not as creative or forward-focused as it once was. There are as many sandwiches as entrees, and those sandwiches are served with the same Production Kitchen potato salad that's served everywhere on property. The deserts come from the Central Bakery and no longer the in-house pastry cook.

Seriously, balsamic chicken is on the frozen food aisle at the grocery store. What's the deal, Mythos?

 

[Figaro928]

Transformers proved to me that you can really do too much of a good thing when it is the same. Yes, I suppose it is better than Disney pumping out Princess meet and greets, but that isn't the point here.

Sorry if it's a dumb question, but how is Transformers too much of a good thing? Never been on the ride so I'm not agreeing or disagreeing.

 

[Stevek]

CBR is a pit! We stayed there a few weeks ago. I will NEVER stay there again. Its is the worst moderate by far and pop by comparison was better.

We where there a couple of weeks ago and while I didn't feel it was a pit, I don't have any desire to stay there again.

 

[bhg469]

We where there a couple of weeks ago and while I didn't feel it was a pit, I don't have any desire to stay there again.

I guess I must have been spoiled by the best western work put me up in but it was a much nicer room for less money and had breakfast. CBR should be a value resort at best.

 

[71jason]

For sale. Magic Band. Never used.

I salute you Sir. Remind me never to take a drink when reading your posts again.

 

[WDW1974]

So, let's see ... apparently, I touched a nerve with every fanboi named Sean today out there.

Apparently, saying slightly critical things about UNI, when they are reasoned and come from the very people doing the building, is 'douchebaggery' ... it would be nice if my critics would speak up here, but (again, apparently) they are banned ex-members.

And you can't help but think some of them are just a little jealous that they don't get the attention (or the important eyes) that I do.

You gotta love the Twitter.

You gotta love the ex-members from here who move on and become Lifestylers of their own (whether its UNI podcasts, Disney blogs or simply Tweeting about these subjects 24/7). I think it's all bad, I almost puked when I heard my 'little buddy' @EPCOT Explorer talking on a podcast about wanting to cry in DL's Tiki Room.

Anyway ...

Sorry, UNI fanbois, but unconditional love and blind faith makes you no better than WDW fanbois who think EPCOT 2014 is EPCOT Center 1990.

I love what UNI is doing. Not just here, but in Hollywood and abroad. BUT ... they have issues too. And one of their big ones is a reliance on screens in every major attraction they are building.

 

[WDW1974]

I think I am going to start the new Disney hipster old cartoon obsession: Alice and Julius. When are they going to be meeting people at the parks?

I LOVE that post!!!

I wonder how many folks will actually get it, though.

Bob Iger didn't make a big deal and trade a sportscaster for the rights, after all.

 

[WDW1974]

I grew up on the Muppets. They are one of the things from my childhood(Star Wars, Batman, Superman, Disney) that have stuck with me to this day. My brother(sixteen years my junior) and sister(even younger) love the Muppets. They may not be as popular as they once were but they are pop culture icons. You don't have to explain who the Muppets are. Yes, there peak is past but they will always be around. We live in a world that when it comes to family fare there are so many choices. Family movies that do business like Frozen are few and far between anymore. We live in a world now where not only is new family fare fighting for a place in the market against each other but the fact you watch classic stuff at the press of a button. The Muppets aren't going anywhere. They will still be there.

Very good point.

Far more Americans know who Kermit and Fozzie and Piggy are, than know who Anna, Elsa and Olaf are. And that's with the film fresh in everyone's memory.

BTW, was WDW whoring DVDs of Frozen. As my beloved Alaskan Ice Princess would say, ''You Betcha!!!''

You couldn't set foot in a shop anywhere and not find the damn things on a counter. You talk about overkill, but really, I just want to know who stops in the confectionery for a candy apple, cotton candy and chocolate covered pretzel and decides ''oh yeah, I'll take three Frozen blu rays too!''

 

[Ignohippo]

It's funny (or actually just typical of people today), but when you criticize what is popular to criticize in the fan community (that would be Disney, at least in Orlando) people egg you on and enjoy it. But when you raise legit issues about a company that some people feel (incorrectly) can now do no wrong (UNI), that they start whining and the claws come out and they take cheap shots in the Twitverse.

It is amusing.

Universal isn't perfect, guys/gals. It hasn't suddenly become the gold standard in theme parks.

What it is is the best run resort in Orlando and it is being managed in a way that adds quality and value to people's visits (largely by building top of the line creative product). It has a vision for the future that doesn't depend on selling timeshares, marketing nostalgia, MAGIC Bands and apps and increasing the amount you spend on every trip to keep its numbers looking good.

But it is not perfect. And it deserves criticism for things.

To not criticize where it deserves criticism would be akin to smoking the Pixie Dust that the Disney BRAND advocates do. I am no BRAND advocate for either company or any company for that matter.

I spoke with a high level UNI Creative last week. Someone who knows both the UNI and Disney products intimately and he told the truth and expressed frustration with some aspects of UNI's current build mindset. Gringotts may be great, but it relies on screens to a great degree. Neither of us think this is the best way of building attractions, especially when your parks are already heavily loaded by screen-based attractions.

Like I said, let's not even talk Kong because why have a JP dark ride (like the one originally planned) when we can shoehorn the monkey back in ... again, largely using screens.

C'mon, a decade ago folks were calling for Tom Fitzgerald's head at WDI for the same thing, but Thierry Coup doesn't even deserve a few little shots?

If some folks (i.e. UNI fanbois) can't take some honest criticism, then they just need to grow up.

What UNI is doing should be lauded, but it also can and should be looked at critically.

Transformers proved to me that you can really do too much of a good thing when it is the same. Yes, I suppose it is better than Disney pumping out Princess meet and greets, but that isn't the point here.

And, to my friends in the Twitverse, thanks for reading and why not drop in here if you have something to say? Steve really needs help keeping the lights on around here, after all!

Ya'know, the screen thing wouldn't be nearly as bad if they used it like it should be used and updated it frequently or used it (like Star Tours) to have randomly generated differentiating scenes. That is the one area where these types of attractions could really excel.

The idea that TSMM has been as insanely popular as it has been and has only had a very small amount of scene changes is somewhat obscene IMO. A rider should be able to go on at any time and not know what scenes they're going to get. Gameplay and scores wouldn't even be effected if the targets are the same but the characters and scenery are changed randomly.

And Star Tours. Why would it be so hard to add new planets every once in a while? I understand the cost of ILM and programming the attraction, but that's nothing compared to keeping it new and exciting. Rotate some in and some out every few months. Keep the attraction fresh.

 

[WDW1974]

Is there a reason they don't sell Marvel merchandise in the MK now? Licensing thing? Or theme thing? Based on the way all the Marvel films continue to clean up, you know that stuff would do well...

No. I recall that right after the buyout, MK had the stuff (at least MSUSA and Tomorrowland did). Over the last 2-3 years, I have looked all over property and the only place I find the stuff is DD.

At DLP in January, they had ONE Marvel item at the resort that I could find: a Spidey comic book iPad cover. One version. One item.

I keep hearing how big Marvel merchandise is, so I am wondering why exactly isn't it available widely at WDW?

 

[Cesar R M]

So, let's see ... apparently, I touched a nerve with every fanboi named Sean today out there.

Apparently, saying slightly critical things about UNI, when they are reasoned and come from the very people doing the building, is 'douchebaggery' ... it would be nice if my critics would speak up here, but (again, apparently) they are banned ex-members.

And you can't help but think some of them are just a little jealous that they don't get the attention (or the important eyes) that I do.

You gotta love the Twitter.

You gotta love the ex-members from here who move on and become Lifestylers of their own (whether its UNI podcasts, Disney blogs or simply Tweeting about these subjects 24/7). I think it's all bad, I almost puked when I heard my 'little buddy' @EPCOT Explorer talking on a podcast about wanting to cry in DL's Tiki Room.

Anyway ...

Sorry, UNI fanbois, but unconditional love and blind faith makes you no better than WDW fanbois who think EPCOT 2014 is EPCOT Center 1990.

I love what UNI is doing. Not just here, but in Hollywood and abroad. BUT ... they have issues too. And one of their big ones is a reliance on screens in every major attraction they are building.

the fact that they were banned from here, says wonders about them. (aka cannot make a civil conversation or discussion)

I LOVE that post!!!

I wonder how many folks will actually get it, though.

Bob Iger didn't make a big deal and trade a sportscaster for the rights, after all.

I will definitively need an explanation on this lol.

 

[WDW1974]

Yeah, the room count is already ridiculous. All the deluxes except yacht club will soon be propped up by DVC maintenance fees though so you just gotta wonder where they go next. The mono rail sells as evidenced by BLT. The question is would Epcot sell. It's a long way from MK.

A resort at the entrance with its own private entryway, absolutely would. Not that I want to see it happen. But Disney is going to add DVCs until they have to turn Cindy's place into one. That is the business model. That is the vision for the future.

But is someone going to tell me what my good friend George Kalogridis told CMs today? A rumor I've heard involves an AP hard ticket event at DAK.

 

[WDW1974]

The more I'm away from the parks, the more I don't miss it.

I missed EPCOT. And I am not happy about it.

But the more time I spend in the Orlando parks, the less I want to. Even UNI, I'm so ready for Diagon Alley because I've just done everything enough. There are parks around the country, around the globe, that I want to spend time in ... but O-Town is more to spend time with friends and family at this point.

 

[Ignohippo]

All of this Oswald vs Muppets talk.

I love the "like" button on these forums but there are times when I really wish there was a "Oh Shut Up!" button too.

Nothing mean-spirited, just a funny little thing to express that you really wish the person would move on from their obvious trolling of every single thread to vocalize their bizarre obsession of hating everything Muppets and anything not originally touched and blessed by the hand of Walt Disney.

 

[doctornick]

I prefer my regular coke to taste like coke and not have a hint of orange or blue poweraid in it, just personal preference lol.

But you can just get "plain" Coke from a Freestyle machine as well. You don't have to add in extra flavors, it's just an option. And if you get just plain Coke (or Sprite, Diet Coke, whatever), it is dispensed exactly the same as any other soda machine where the carbonated water and syrup get mixed.

 

[Stevek]

That's EXACTLY how I feel about the "Social Media" thing too. It's just all fake, made up stuff. And these Bloggers that get wooed and wined and dined and feted are all just preaching to the choir; the same group of 5,000 to 10,000 North American superfans who would all still be vacationing in WDW or renewing their Disneyland Premium AP anyway, regardless of whether or not these amateur bloggers were on the invite list.

As a point of reference, 10,000 people is about the same number of people who ride Pirates of the Caribbean in 3 and a half hours.

There's an entire battalion of cubicle dwellers in TDO and TDA and Burbank who keep the Social Media department going just to keep themselves employed and impressing their middle-aged bosses who are desperate to appear hip and young. But it's all just a sham and a huge waste of Disney's capital and resources.

And then there's this little gem and video proof, which perfectly sums up the lunacy.


From an Orlando lifestyle blogger. And after 8 months on YouTube it's racked up 1,445 views. I rest my case.

I remember when this came out...the fact that they didn't realize they were being openly mocked by "Mya Space" was pretty funny. While I'm sure that the majority of them are perfectly nice people, they often come off as socially inept and you wonder how many of them will survive in the real world, outside of the Disney fantasy bubble they have immersed themselves in. Sadly, these events may end up being the highlights of their lives. And God help the bearded one in green who was clearly drunk after 2 beverages. We all have hobbies but the fact that some have quit their good jobs and moved to Florida so they can be closer to the parks is a bit scary...but maybe that's just me. Not something I would have ever considered doing.

 

[WDW1974]

And then there's this little gem and video proof, which perfectly sums up the lunacy.


From an Orlando lifestyle blogger. And after 8 months on YouTube it's racked up 1,445 views. I rest my case.

Numbers like what you post are why I often make a note of the numbers my threads pull in here because I may not know much about online metrics, but I know a bit ... and I get numbers.

I saw some O-town crowing about her five-year-old YouTube channel hitting two million views and all I could think was I can do that with two threads and six months and not even trying. Yet, numbers like what you show above somehow earn people $65,000 a year jobs (GREAT money in O-Town) at Celebration Place where Disney employs people that give those folks free vacations, meals, swag etc. All for their tiny little piece of social media.

I'd love to see a report (and they exist) showing what Disney believes whales like Mongello and Brigante and even Deb Wills bring to the company's coffers. And how those conclusions are reached.

 

[maxairmike]

So, let's see ... apparently, I touched a nerve with every fanboi named Sean today out there.

Apparently, saying slightly critical things about UNI, when they are reasoned and come from the very people doing the building, is 'douchebaggery' ... it would be nice if my critics would speak up here, but (again, apparently) they are banned ex-members.

And you can't help but think some of them are just a little jealous that they don't get the attention (or the important eyes) that I do.

You gotta love the Twitter.

You gotta love the ex-members from here who move on and become Lifestylers of their own (whether its UNI podcasts, Disney blogs or simply Tweeting about these subjects 24/7). I think it's all bad, I almost puked when I heard my 'little buddy' @EPCOT Explorer talking on a podcast about wanting to cry in DL's Tiki Room.

Anyway ...

Sorry, UNI fanbois, but unconditional love and blind faith makes you no better than WDW fanbois who think EPCOT 2014 is EPCOT Center 1990.

I love what UNI is doing. Not just here, but in Hollywood and abroad. BUT ... they have issues too. And one of their big ones is a reliance on screens in every major attraction they are building.

I totally get where you're coming from on that opinion (the bolded), and to an extent I agree with it as well, but I would also say it is maybe a bit overstated as well. Universal does have a penchant lately for concepts and ideas that seemingly need screen technology to really excel at what they're going for. Transformers just wouldn't be possible using AAs in any similar, fast-paced, action filled attraction, however they could have maybe used a bit more set interaction than they did (things like the dump truck in Spidey), so that's one thing where I would criticize them on that attraction. While no one has ridden Gringotts (though I'm sure Spirits like yourself have seen the ride animation, as I did with Forbidden Journey), from what I understand and know about the show scenes, they need the screen tech in order to really pull them off in the most realistic and amazing way possible, at least for the large cavern section(s) and maybe one other part. There are some scenes where I would say completely physical sets with AAs or Musion tech would be better, but they may be doing just that (I've been horrible at keeping up on what's going on inside, there's probably more out there than what I know by now).

I would love to see them do a more "classic" or traditional attraction utilizing almost (if not entirely) 100% physical sets, and I think that will happen when we get an attraction that is not one involving constant motion, high speed, or other generally thrilling experiences where screens are more well suited to providing a better or more convincing experience (i.e. the next Seuss addition). However, before they do that, I'd really like them to clean up and fix some issues they have with Cat in the Hat. That is one of my "black mark" attractions at Uni that I can't defend in terms of the show scenes and upkeep no matter how much I want to.

As to the rest, I generally agree, except I use and like Twitter. I don't know why at times, but I've been using it the most out of any personal interaction-focused social media site for a while now and generally enjoy my experience on it. However, I believe you also know I'm hardly anyone's brand advocate, Universal has just been providing me a lot more reason for me to want to spend money, so I may be a bit more willing to overlook and forgive things.

 

[WDW1974]

Does your UNI source have any information on halloween horror nights?

I didn't ask.

I am very likely skipping this year's event unless they offer some hugely compelling reason for me not to.
It's too crowded, too hot (usually) and too many people who are drunk or drugged out and looking for trouble.