asianway
Well-Known Member
Holy Jesus. Look at all the parasites in that banquet room. I had no idea it was that bad.
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Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...
- Thread starter WDW1974
- Start date
Holy Jesus. Look at all the parasites in that banquet room. I had no idea it was that bad.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
My wife gets ill in the simulator segments at Forbidden Journey, Simpsons, Spiderman and Transformers? Should we expect more of the same with Escape from Gringotts?
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I'd love to know what Levar Burton was really thinking when he looked out from the stage and saw his audience. Wouldn't you?
EpcoTim
Well-Known Member
"I hate my life"
coolbeans14
Active Member
What better place than this random thread to share Hitler's reaction to FP+
Oh jeez I nearly fell out of my chair at the COP joke!
asianway
Well-Known Member
Good thing he's blind
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
I agree wholeheartedly. Spiderman is still my fave by far at Uni. I can only do FJ once per trip, and Transformers was one and done...just too intense and nauseating. Fast and Furious (I know it's Hollywood) will be screen based and if Orlando's Kong is Hollywood's Kong 360-3D, well...enough with the screens already.
dreamscometrue
Well-Known Member
I didn't 'like' your post because of your wife getting ill, I 'liked' it because that's how I feel (except for Spidey).
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
What practical effects and scenes did FJ lose? As someone who only knows the final product, I'd say the ride is a "judicious mix of video and practical."
It's also, by most accounts, a top-five theme park attraction in the world. It's hard for me to lament what the ride could've been, when it's been so universally acclaimed.
I prefer to reserve the "could've beens" for rides like Dudley Do Right or Expedition Everest. Rides that fail to impress, in other words. I've never not been impressed as I've stepped off FJ.
If Gringotts is as impressive as FJ, then we'll be talking about another attraction on the short list of best theme park attractions. Even if it's "just" a solid E-ticket, it's a success.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
I was a active member at LP.com for over a decade. Sparred many times with jonvn over DCA. But I hardly ever go over there any more. It's hard enough to keep up here and OU.Not that you need the help @WDW1974 since you can certainly hold your own, but I just have to chime in and back you up on that. I was a LP.com active member for 15 years. It was the first real message board I used in '98 after I began reading Al Lutz and others on the alt.disney.disneyland usenet boards a few years earlier. I'm imagining that JT and many others were in grade school in the mid 1990's and don't even know what usenet was and the role it played before private websites like LP came along.
LP.com was truly great for quite a few years. It jumped the shark when Doobie moved out to Orlando, after Cynthia Harris was suddenly fired, so he could presumably be closer to the swag buffet. But for awhile it had sharp conversationalists who really knew their Disney stuff, plus a collection of handy insiders like LeeMac, Galaxie 500, etc. It also helped that it was sort of the anti-Lutz website, so you'd get some Bitter Bettys who would dissect and critique the latest Al Lutz rumor and then huff and puff a few months later when the rumor actually panned out. (Lutz's Pirate's Lair coming to Tom Sawyer Island scoop of '06 was memorable; most anti-Lutz critics claimed Al was totally off his rocker and being fed false info by a double-agent, etc. You can imagine the huffy surprise from the critics a few months later when Disney announced they were closing the Island for six months in '07 to turn it into Pirate's Lair with all the neat toys Al Lutz had said it would have.)
To be honest, I also get a bit creeped out by some website owners who raise their families to only eat, sleep and breathe Disney theme parks, which is alarmingly convenient to do in Orlando. Cripes people, get your kids to an art museum or the symphony or a state park once in awhile! Or even just take the kid to a Design Within Reach store to look at cool Eames and Saarinen furniture. The world can't solely be corporate theme parks.
I just went over and looked at the LP boards. Oh, my. Last one to post turn out the lights, please. But threads like this one remind me of the glory days of LP; witty, smart, informed, opinionated yet urbane discussion about Disney theme parks.
All we're missing is "Marcie" from Mouseinfo to do spin control for Meg Crofton and George K. like she did for Cynthia, and it would be perfect.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
Gringotts will probably have more wind blowing in your face due to the speed of the vehicles, so that might help with the motion sickness part (I think fans were either added or are being planned for FJ too, so there's probably some improvement there too). Don't know for sure but i'd imagine they've made some improvements to Gringotts based on the complaints they had from Forbidden Journey. It also depends on how well synchronized the speed of the ride is compared to the speed of the projected video.
I think one of the tricks to creating a decently sickness free simulator is to better equalize the feeling of the physical movement with what is occurring onscreen. You have to be made to feel like you're moving at the same speed (with the same physical effects on your body) as what is being projected, through the movement of the vehicle as well as the wind hitting your face. The motion sickness in these types of rides I honestly think comes from your brain having expected a different physical effect from what is actually occurring onscreen. It causes disorientation when you look like you're going faster than you actually are.
Even on some of the older omnimovers Disney used to make with projection tunnels (such as the "speedy" segments in World of Motion or Dreamflight), my mom would have to close her eyes to prevent feeling ill. And it wasn't because the projection was that intense, it was because the speed of the vehicles didn't match what was onscreen and caused disorientation.
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TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Another thing about the dying art of physical sets/AAs/practical effects.
When most Disney/theme park fans talk about AAs attractions, what do they think of? Pirates, Mansion, Splash, maybe the dark rides from EPCOT Center.
Honest question: When was the last time Disney or Universal debuted a ride that heavily relied on AAs of human (non-cartoon) figures? Great Movie Ride in 1989? At the very least, it would appear the industry has moved away from these types of figures, either because they're expensive to maintain or for some other reason.
More and more, it looks like Indy at DL was the end of an era. I guess it'd be nice if Gringotts was designed with the same physical-set philosophy, but then again, to convincingly render the cavernous interior, it'd probably have to be the size of a small city. I'm most curious to see how/if 3D adds a lot to the Gringotts ride, since 3D was discussed/rumored for FJ and it seems to work better without it. (It was rumored by HTF that Japan's FJ might be opening with 3D.)
Even Tower of Terror, which has stunning set design in the queue, is somewhat bare in the practical effects department after you get past the first elevator stop. It's still one of the best rides Disney ever designed.
As for nausea, I feel more nauseous on Star Tours (and Body Wars RIP) than I do on any of the Universal rides. Forbidden Journey used to be much worse than it is now. Last half dozen times I've been on it, I haven't felt any negative side effects.
When most Disney/theme park fans talk about AAs attractions, what do they think of? Pirates, Mansion, Splash, maybe the dark rides from EPCOT Center.
Honest question: When was the last time Disney or Universal debuted a ride that heavily relied on AAs of human (non-cartoon) figures? Great Movie Ride in 1989? At the very least, it would appear the industry has moved away from these types of figures, either because they're expensive to maintain or for some other reason.
More and more, it looks like Indy at DL was the end of an era. I guess it'd be nice if Gringotts was designed with the same physical-set philosophy, but then again, to convincingly render the cavernous interior, it'd probably have to be the size of a small city. I'm most curious to see how/if 3D adds a lot to the Gringotts ride, since 3D was discussed/rumored for FJ and it seems to work better without it. (It was rumored by HTF that Japan's FJ might be opening with 3D.)
Even Tower of Terror, which has stunning set design in the queue, is somewhat bare in the practical effects department after you get past the first elevator stop. It's still one of the best rides Disney ever designed.
As for nausea, I feel more nauseous on Star Tours (and Body Wars RIP) than I do on any of the Universal rides. Forbidden Journey used to be much worse than it is now. Last half dozen times I've been on it, I haven't felt any negative side effects.
Spirited Weekend Shots:
(Better tell the UNI fanbois to run and hide under their Transformers sheets for the first one)
The more I think about Cabana Bay, the less impressed I become. Not with the theming, which is top-notch. And not with the amenities, which are plentiful and unexpected at a motel of this level.
No, the issue is value from the actual room. And this is one where I can see a legit argument being made for Disney's AoA over CB. Size and having two bathrooms give AoA a huge advantage in the family suite category. Cabana Bay is more like a Hyatt Place or Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, a larger hotel room/studio. Larger than a budget hotel room, not larger than a real one. For instance, the room I stayed in at Portofino Bay is larger than a Cabana Bay suite (500 vs. 430 square feet). So, I'd view the Cabana Bay product as a 'gap' product, it isn't AoA, but it isn't a value product like at Disney or a full suite. ... I think it is just that, a gap product.
Also, while the theming, ambiance and setting of Cabana Bay are all nailed, I think the designers did a bit of a disservice to guests by being so realistic. The units are on top of parking much like an old style HoJos or Holiday Inn and that likely will mean noise from car alarms, slamming doors etc.
OK, so now that I've got the blood boiling from UNI fans who can't handle criticisms, let's go back to bashing Disney fanbois some.
Am I supposed to be excited by the alleged AA's in the new kiddie coaster? I haven't looked at any video, but if I am correct (and if I am not, I am sure I will be corrected quickly) they will be using Buzz Lightyear type projection technology. And this is somehow viewed as an improvement on Walt Era AAs? Please, explain how. Excuse me, because I'm not feeling it. It feels to me like a step backward.
The biggest problem with Imagineering today may be the fact they believe that everything they do is FABULOUS!!!
Anyone take a gander at those OLC attendance numbers that came out while I was on Spring Break? Sure the MK is the No. 1 theme park in the world. Yep. Totally buy it.
Just in case anyone is wondering, but today (at least from an OPs standpoint) is the start of the two-week Easter Break period. I have the feeling that attendance won't be crazy this year with the holiday coming so late in the year, much like it did it 2011.
I usually like what Robert Niles has to write. Unlike almost everyone else who 'covers' theme parks, the man has an impressive resume as an actual journalist (and his mother was very nice to me, even if she has her disagreements with the boy from time to time), but I thought the following from his column yesterday was a bit of a cheap shot as it likens a totally preventable death at WDW with an unpredictable wild animal incident at SW. But you decide ...
<<It looks like SeaWorld is running out of options in trying to get its trainers back in the water for orca shows at its parks. A three-judge panel denied SeaWorld's latest appeal of an OSHA ruling mandating restrictions on contact between trainers and orcas. We're awaiting an expansion of OSHA's apparent new commitment to theme park employee protection, such as a new rule barring park employees from sitting in the front of Disney monorails, since, after all, Disney's monorails have killed the same number of theme park employees as SeaWorld's orcas have. Right? (sound of crickets)>>
Now, before I check out what's been shaking on this thread, I'll offer you guys/gals a GREAT last-minute travel deal. How does 14 nights at sea for $379 a person sound? Well, RCCL is having trouble filling cabins for its Easter Sunday sailing of the Adventure of the Seas from Miami to Dover (with stops in Nassau, San Juan, St. Martin and the Azores) and you can book that right now if you can travel on a week's notice.
Final thought: Let's keep the linking to Disney's official blog to a bare minimum as they are looking to pump up their numbers anyway they can, and, after all, what does it say when a mere mention on a Spirited thread draws more eyeballs than the sum total of their annual work as represented by this weekend's giant whorefest at the DLH?
(Better tell the UNI fanbois to run and hide under their Transformers sheets for the first one)
The more I think about Cabana Bay, the less impressed I become. Not with the theming, which is top-notch. And not with the amenities, which are plentiful and unexpected at a motel of this level.
No, the issue is value from the actual room. And this is one where I can see a legit argument being made for Disney's AoA over CB. Size and having two bathrooms give AoA a huge advantage in the family suite category. Cabana Bay is more like a Hyatt Place or Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, a larger hotel room/studio. Larger than a budget hotel room, not larger than a real one. For instance, the room I stayed in at Portofino Bay is larger than a Cabana Bay suite (500 vs. 430 square feet). So, I'd view the Cabana Bay product as a 'gap' product, it isn't AoA, but it isn't a value product like at Disney or a full suite. ... I think it is just that, a gap product.
Also, while the theming, ambiance and setting of Cabana Bay are all nailed, I think the designers did a bit of a disservice to guests by being so realistic. The units are on top of parking much like an old style HoJos or Holiday Inn and that likely will mean noise from car alarms, slamming doors etc.
OK, so now that I've got the blood boiling from UNI fans who can't handle criticisms, let's go back to bashing Disney fanbois some.
Am I supposed to be excited by the alleged AA's in the new kiddie coaster? I haven't looked at any video, but if I am correct (and if I am not, I am sure I will be corrected quickly) they will be using Buzz Lightyear type projection technology. And this is somehow viewed as an improvement on Walt Era AAs? Please, explain how. Excuse me, because I'm not feeling it. It feels to me like a step backward.
The biggest problem with Imagineering today may be the fact they believe that everything they do is FABULOUS!!!
Anyone take a gander at those OLC attendance numbers that came out while I was on Spring Break? Sure the MK is the No. 1 theme park in the world. Yep. Totally buy it.
Just in case anyone is wondering, but today (at least from an OPs standpoint) is the start of the two-week Easter Break period. I have the feeling that attendance won't be crazy this year with the holiday coming so late in the year, much like it did it 2011.
I usually like what Robert Niles has to write. Unlike almost everyone else who 'covers' theme parks, the man has an impressive resume as an actual journalist (and his mother was very nice to me, even if she has her disagreements with the boy from time to time), but I thought the following from his column yesterday was a bit of a cheap shot as it likens a totally preventable death at WDW with an unpredictable wild animal incident at SW. But you decide ...
<<It looks like SeaWorld is running out of options in trying to get its trainers back in the water for orca shows at its parks. A three-judge panel denied SeaWorld's latest appeal of an OSHA ruling mandating restrictions on contact between trainers and orcas. We're awaiting an expansion of OSHA's apparent new commitment to theme park employee protection, such as a new rule barring park employees from sitting in the front of Disney monorails, since, after all, Disney's monorails have killed the same number of theme park employees as SeaWorld's orcas have. Right? (sound of crickets)>>
Now, before I check out what's been shaking on this thread, I'll offer you guys/gals a GREAT last-minute travel deal. How does 14 nights at sea for $379 a person sound? Well, RCCL is having trouble filling cabins for its Easter Sunday sailing of the Adventure of the Seas from Miami to Dover (with stops in Nassau, San Juan, St. Martin and the Azores) and you can book that right now if you can travel on a week's notice.
Final thought: Let's keep the linking to Disney's official blog to a bare minimum as they are looking to pump up their numbers anyway they can, and, after all, what does it say when a mere mention on a Spirited thread draws more eyeballs than the sum total of their annual work as represented by this weekend's giant whorefest at the DLH?
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MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
I'm guessing Sinbad doesn't count for non-cartoon AA figures. They are human, and very impressive figures to boot (regardless of whether they're realistic or not), but they are cartoonized heavily.
Is Gringotts using 3D glasses then to add more depth to the projected scenes? I didn't know if so, though I do recall hearing it was considered for FJ once.
Is Gringotts using 3D glasses then to add more depth to the projected scenes? I didn't know if so, though I do recall hearing it was considered for FJ once.
I'm now following a few of the moms blogging from Disneyland this weekend; all of them from the East Coast and all of them more stereotypical looking/acting than you could even make up. And all of them are following hundreds of people or companies on Twitter, but have their own actual followers numbered in the dozens. Or one dozen, singular. The updates on their blogs garner comments of three or less, and even after a year their YouTube videos have less than 50 views (including family members, as @WDW1974 so wisely pointed out).
But there they are this weekend, slurping free champagne at the Disneyland Hotel while their husbands and kids go round and round on Radiator Springs Racers and every other E Ticket in Anaheim with their unlimited Fastpass lanyard.
All because they got a dozen views on their opinion of cheap yoga pants for sale at Target. I just don't get what Disney is doing here with these women. It feels almost like a bad pyramid scheme about to collapse.
It is all a scam, but so many people would lose jobs and livelihoods (much like Wall Street) that it perpetuates itself.
Looking at some of those videos and photos, the women have a look like 'I know I don't belong here, but, God, I am happy that I am. Please, don't let me look like a fraud.'
Hey, we all like VIP treatment. The issue is we all don't deserve it.
Many were Tweeting pics of the MANY swag items they were being given from Disney and the sponsors and a little birdie told me that 'someone from Disney Social Media' put the word out to not tweet about what they were getting because they know people are watching.
It doesn't seem all that long ago that I was paying half of that at the Lodges with an AP or FL RES rate and less with a CM rate. Other than with concierge, I have never paid more than $200 a night for a standard room at WDW. I doubt I ever will.
EpcoTim
Well-Known Member
There's no point in paying any more than that.
Lou's brigade never pays for anything, yet TWDC's position on him is that he is not a paid employee of the company. I love how corps use public relations hacks and lawyers to spin reality so far upside down that truth really doesn't matter at all.
You think that Walt Disney would favor going backwards in building attractions? Kiddie coasters have been done to death. And the AAs on this attraction appear to be static figures with projections (a la Buzz Lightyear). I'm seeing a nice little C-Ticket attraction.
And how much design work do you think Iger and Staggs did on this?
Maybe your fanboi desire to paint me in a bad light is getting the best of you? Iger and Staggs have been awful for WDW ... dreadful ... much worse than say ... Paul Pressler and Michael Eisner.