Rumor Stitch's Great Escape Replacement— Don’t Hold Your Breath

[marni1971]

This. It baffles me how there are so little breakfast options in the park that aren't character dining/Starbucks (all parks too, but especially MK)

You mean how they used to do? Though I believe The Land may be serving early morning food again having stopped it last fall. Maybe my complaint worked....

Seriously it's disgraceful you can't get a cooked breakfast somewhere in the parks unless you pay a fortune. A cynical person would say that's their plan, and let Starbucks pay for the honour of serving a piece of sausage on bread and saying that's good enough. When I was younger we had breakfast at Odyssey. We had it in the Crystal Palace and were eating before rope drop. No reservation. No extortionate pricing. Is this progress?

 

[Time_machine]

They've been trying to dock the boat permanently for years. Thankfully so far they've been unsuccessful.

I'm somewhat surprised that they would consider axing the Steamboats before the Tomorrowland Smogway. Anyhow, do you happen to know if they've ever considered converting the boats to diesel-hydraulic or diesel-electric propulsion to save on fuel and maintenance?

 

[DinoInstitute]

You mean how they used to do? Though I believe The Land may be serving early morning food again having stopped it last fall. Maybe my complaint worked....

Seriously it's disgraceful you can't get a cooked breakfast somewhere in the parks unless you pay a fortune. A cynical person would say that's their plan, and let Starbucks pay for the honour of serving a piece of sausage on bread and saying that's good enough. When I was younger we had breakfast at Odyssey. We had it in the Crystal Palace and were eating before rope drop. No reservation. No extortionate pricing. Is this progress?

The last time I was in Epcot around the end of F&W, Sunshine Seasons was back to serving breakfast (though I must add with noticeably smaller portions....but also at least with tastier potatoes!). But yeah, I completely agree with you.

 

[mikenatcity1]

You mean how they used to do? Though I believe The Land may be serving early morning food again having stopped it last fall. Maybe my complaint worked....

Seriously it's disgraceful you can't get a cooked breakfast somewhere in the parks unless you pay a fortune. A cynical person would say that's their plan, and let Starbucks pay for the honour of serving a piece of sausage on bread and saying that's good enough. When I was younger we had breakfast at Odyssey. We had it in the Crystal Palace and were eating before rope drop. No reservation. No extortionate pricing. Is this progress?

I can say happily The Land is serving breakfast again (at least as of 2 weeks ago). When we were at Epcot, we were going to figure something to eat after Soarin when we noticed it was open again. I might have been a little too happy about it.

You're absolutely right- it's so hard to find breakfast in the parks (except for Starbucks). While Disneyland has more breakfast options, some of those are slowly changing as well. Sometimes I just don't want to pay tons of money for a character meal or just eat a pre-frozen danish from Starbucks, but want something filling to last a couple hours...

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I feel like Tom Sawyer Island is on it's death bed and will be gone in the next 10-15 years. I'm not sure what that says about the steam boat but it's starting to look like wasted space and the bean counters have got to be licking their lips with the potential of that area.

We went out on TSI and rode the steamboat the first of December because I thought it might not be around the next time I visit the MK. TSI is very peaceful and relaxing. It's a good way to escape the crowds for awhile.

 

[James Norrie]

Hopefully when Bob Iger goes, Chapek and WDW management can go too. I wish we could resurrect Card Walker!

Do you mean someone who will cave into Guest Demands and put in a reduced DLR attraction while shelving a Brilliant Multi-Faceted E-Ticket?

 

[rle4lunch]

So, my question, and maybe some of you insiders might know more, is, what are they doing with all that loot they're making from their 3 year string of profitable 1+billion dollar making movies? Besides the money from the movies, the slew of marketing toys and crap that they churn out has to be making even more millions, right? Certainly building the DL and DHS Star Wars lands aren't eating all the money they're making, right? Shanghai can't be draining them that bad, eh?? Avatarland has already been allocated its funding for years, so that can't be the money eater, correct? Frozen ever after costs were redonkulous, but that's just a minor chunk of money.. Maybe they sunk all their money into RoL...

Seriously though, where's the money going? And before you anti-capitalist socialists start typing some crap about stockholders and wall street boogiemen, remember that they're really not cashing their stock in every month for income.

What massive R&D can Disney be doing to warrant the stagnation that we've seen in the parks?

 

[James Norrie]

So, my question, and maybe some of you insiders might know more, is, what are they doing with all that loot they're making from their 3 year string of profitable 1+billion dollar making movies? Besides the money from the movies, the slew of marketing toys and crap that they churn out has to be making even more millions, right? Certainly building the DL and DHS Star Wars lands aren't eating all the money they're making, right? Shanghai can't be draining them that bad, eh?? Avatarland has already been allocated its funding for years, so that can't be the money eater, correct? Frozen ever after costs were redonkulous, but that's just a minor chunk of money.. Maybe they sunk all their money into RoL...

Seriously though, where's the money going? And before you anti-capitalist socialists start typing some crap about stockholders and wall street boogiemen, remember that they're really not cashing their stock in every month for income.

What massive R&D can Disney be doing to warrant the stagnation that we've seen in the parks?

You need to understand that Movies are under a completely different arm of the Disney Company than Parks and Resorts. What you are saying is essentially Well, ESPN Is doing great, so where's the new rides???

 

[rle4lunch]

You need to understand that Movies are under a completely different arm of the Disney Company than Parks and Resorts. What you are saying is essentially Well, ESPN Is doing great, so where's the new rides???

Understood, but budgeting is part of my job somewhat, and if company 'x' wants to pickle off money to another part of the company, they can make it happen. Matter of fact, companies cross pollinate monies all the time to beef up other projects or to other sub-custodied properties they may have stake in.

But, for arguments sake, let's just look at marketing crap being sold INSIDE the parks. Or, how bout the record number of attendance the parks keep doing? Or, the absurd amount of money made off of strict nostalgia attractions. Yes, maintenance upkeep costs to keep rides going through their ever-lengthening lifecycles are costly, but they are budgeted out years, nay, decades in advance to know what's going to break (barring some sort of major malfunction and/or death that may of occurred that caused modifications to be made).

Point is, the parks keep breaking the bank with profits. There's hiccups here and there, but I can't see how a damned magicband could turn a future e-ticket into a c-ticket. If so, Disney financial has to be ran by cowardly 'yes men' or people with a basic BS in economics from DeVry or something. Companies the size of Disney should be factoring in every possible negative scenario and do risk mitigation before deciding on a multi-million or billion dollar concept. I'm sure they do this, right?

I suppose Disney could go on 'the cheap' and create screen driven 3D rides that leave 50% of the people that ride them sick or with headaches, but I don't think anyone really wants that.

where's the money, Disney?

 

[Bocabear]

What is so bothersome about MK to me is not it's lack of attractions compared to DL, but how most of the shared attractions are far worse in MK.

Peter Pan's Flight, Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear SRS are all significantly worse and rotting in MK. Some things are unfixable like Pirates' inferiority, but those three's weaknesses are unforgivable at this point.

And Thunder should have got/needs the DL effects, but I don't think it's as bad as the above mentioned.

ACTUALLY, I think our version of Space Mountain really is the superior version...It just needs the sound upgrade and new show scenes... The ride itself (though a little rougher now) is a much superior attraction.

 

[jt04]

Understood, but budgeting is part of my job somewhat, and if company 'x' wants to pickle off money to another part of the company, they can make it happen. Matter of fact, companies cross pollinate monies all the time to beef up other projects or to other sub-custodied properties they may have stake in.

But, for arguments sake, let's just look at marketing crap being sold INSIDE the parks. Or, how bout the record number of attendance the parks keep doing? Or, the absurd amount of money made off of strict nostalgia attractions. Yes, maintenance upkeep costs to keep rides going through their ever-lengthening lifecycles are costly, but they are budgeted out years, nay, decades in advance to know what's going to break (barring some sort of major malfunction and/or death that may of occurred that caused modifications to be made).

Point is, the parks keep breaking the bank with profits. There's hiccups here and there, but I can't see how a damned magicband could turn a future e-ticket into a c-ticket. If so, Disney financial has to be ran by cowardly 'yes men' or people with a basic BS in economics from DeVry or something. Companies the size of Disney should be factoring in every possible negative scenario and do risk mitigation before deciding on a multi-million or billion dollar concept. I'm sure they do this, right?

I suppose Disney could go on 'the cheap' and create screen driven 3D rides that leave 50% of the people that ride them sick or with headaches, but I don't think anyone really wants that.

where's the money, Disney?

The reason Disney films are doing so well is that Disney has chosen a strategy of quality over quantity. They seem to be more and more applying this strategy to the theme parks starting with Carsland.

Also, Disney is prioritizing quality over quantity. Disney is more like dining at the Grand Floridian rather than Burger King. And while some companies crank out attractions like fast food restaurants, I don't believe Disney will ever choose such a strategy.

The one thing people do not understand is that the "Disney Difference" is only possible because of Disney's unique creative process.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

ACTUALLY, I think our version of Space Mountain really is the superior version...It just needs the sound upgrade and new show scenes... The ride itself (though a little rougher now) is a much superior attraction.

You're going against the wdwmagic consensus with this opinion, but having ridden both fairly recently I definitely agree with you. The MK version is more thrilling, but lacking all of the bells and whistles of DL.

 

[marni1971]

Do you mean someone who will cave into Guest Demands and put in a reduced DLR attraction while shelving a Brilliant Multi-Faceted E-Ticket?

He didn't just shelve WRE. Remember the duel BTM and WRE hybrid?

The oil crisis and a pop culture for Space (and an incomplete Tomorrowland) were as much to blame if not more so.

 

[marni1971]

The one thing people do not understand is that the "Disney Difference" is only possible because of Disney's unique creative process.

 

[Bocabear]

You're going against the wdwmagic consensus with this opinion, but having ridden both fairly recently I definitely agree with you. The MK version is more thrilling, but lacking all of the bells and whistles of DL.

In it's original incarnation with the then new Home Of Future Living, all the exhibits in the queue working properly,properly synced audio tracks, and the brigher more visible star ceiling, it was really groundbreaking.. Why they never gave this ride the love it needs is beyond me...Dual tracked for higher capacity, it is already a bigger version...thye just need to create an all new exit setting... Bring back something as engaging as the Home Of Future Living but updated...and not just a retread of the old RYCA1: Dream Of A New World. Add new digital effects and show scenes thruout the ride and really make it the show piece it once was... And finally... Add show scenes and settings specifically designed to be seen by the Peoplemover... That is the most ridiculous thing of all.

 

[marni1971]

^ @Bocabear - amen.

 

[JustInTime]

Hate to be "that guy" but what is the latest on the stitch/ralph attraction?

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

To add to the breakfast conversation- One of our traditions was a breakfast at The Good Turn as we began our day at Epcot. All very reasonably priced, I might add.

 

[marni1971]

Hate to be "that guy" but what is the latest on the stitch/ralph attraction?

Ralph is out last I heard. No replacement approved yet.

 

[DznyRktekt]

Bocabear, selfishly I wish you were a top level Imagineer. Space would be epic.