Storytime with Belle...That's it?!?

[alissafalco]

I liked this M&G minus the cheap card board cut outs and the painful story you are forced to endure before you can acutally meet Belle. Why can't they just bring you in and then everyone meets Belle in the library? The wait for this would be much quicker and we wouldn't have to suffer through this pre-school play. Also, in the video only a select few people got to actually meet Belle. Is this how it's going to be?? After waiting all that time and watching a terrible skit I better meet Belle after!!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Someone, if they know, confirm this: is it true you only get your picture with Belle if you volunteer to be a prop??? I have read on other sites that this is in fact the case. But what they fail to say is if this is only during testing or if this is something they will fix once this goes live. If they only allow those who volunteer to get pictures with Belle then there are going to be thousands of complaints and crying kids.

 

[Gabe1]

Wait....you have to PAY extra for this "experience"?

You're teasing, right?

 

[COProgressFan]

I liked this M&G minus the cheap card board cut outs and the painful story you are forced to endure before you can acutally meet Belle. Why can't they just bring you in and then everyone meets Belle in the library? The wait for this would be much quicker and we wouldn't have to suffer through this pre-school play. Also, in the video only a select few people got to actually meet Belle. Is this how it's going to be?? After waiting all that time and watching a terrible skit I better meet Belle after!!

I agree, the pre-school play is actually uncomfortable to watch. As someone in another post commented, DISNEY is supposed to entertain us, we (or our small children) are not supposed to entertain ourselves.

As it is right now, it just convoluted and awkward.

 

[danlb_2000]

Someone, if they know, confirm this: is it true you only get your picture with Belle if you volunteer to be a prop??? I have read on other sites that this is in fact the case. But what they fail to say is if this is only during testing or if this is something they will fix once this goes live. If they only allow those who volunteer to get pictures with Belle then there are going to be thousands of complaints and crying kids.

The article over at Touring Plans originally said this, but they corrected it to say that everyone can get a picture with Belle.

 

[FettFan]

I think the OP was hoping for "Beauty and the Beast Baroque Down Whirl."



Speaking of which, where is Cogsworth? Shouldn't he and Mrs. Potts both be with Lumiere on the mantel?

 

[Magenta Panther]

I never expected more. But much like the fools comparing the 7DMTC with BTMRR or saying that Fantasyland is on par with Potter, plenty of people were building this up.

It is a glorified meet and greet with a horrible premise, godawful execution and nothing that any adult without children under 8 or a Pixie Dust addiction could find enjoyable and adding value to a MK day.

That is all ...

I'm impressed with the cottage, the decor and especially the AAs...it's the way it's all used that's so disappointing. And I think the inclusion of little kids as part of the "show" is going to be a disaster. That video spelled it out very clearly. The CM was talking over the Wardrobe and making it seem less life-like and pre-recorded, and tell me, why should Belle be thrilled with little kids acting out her story anyway? What's the appeal?

 

[Magenta Panther]

When I was in my 20s and going to WDW with my girlfriend I would have probably been in your camp too. Of course back then I had PI to go to which was just for adults. I never cared about meet and greets and usually just skipped them along with some other kiddie type rides and shows. Having kids now I have a different perspective on things. My boys would probably not be interested in a straight up meet and greet with Belle, but the story part will interest them.

Just because the video showed only kids in the show doesn't mean it will always be that way. If they don't have enough kids "volunteer" I am sure they will draft adults.

They try to draft ME and I'll run like hell!

 

[FettFan]

They try to draft ME and I'll run like hell!

Draft dodger, eh?

 

[Gabe1]

No.

I think they're trying to say they spent too much money on a M&G. But yet, that's the opposite of the normal "TDO is cheap" mantra.

Exactly what I was trying to say. FLE was an expensive expansion. Storytime with Belle is going to be charming to structurally to look at yet over the decades will it hold its appeal for guests to spend a chunk of time in? Or will it just appeal to young female guests with their Moms and Dads. Even then if there is a young lad in the family likely it will be hit the area and leave in vacation fairness to the young men. My fear is like AK, which is also beautiful, will we bypass much of FLE after the initial time, just like AK? We went down out of curiosity near the grand opening of AK and much of it we have not done again in 15 years. Much like LMA, I saw it twice, they can flatten it now please.

I've seen Circus, it too is very appealing for the very small but seriously it's a newer version of Starland/Toon, just a replacement of what was really there but flattened. How much time did most guests spend back there without small children? So yep, my opinion is they have spent a lot of money on several meet and greets in this expansion and 2 attractions. Sunset at DHS IMO was money better spent on an expansion.
Mermaid in Cali is already leveling off and wait times have dwindled, likely to happen in WDW too. It really isn't a grabbing Dark E attraction but very nice for a family ride. Now the really question is the coaster. Will it be thrilling enough to draw guests and spend time in FLE over the long haul with children that are older than elementary school. If not Disney just spent a lot of money for eye appeal and created a very nice, upscale Princess-Kiddieland expansion.

And ya, add in the few childless adults that are really into Disney Characters. We saw one solo middle aged man repeatedly on our April trip just having too much fun posing with the female face Characters. Creapity.
So you have that demographic too.

 

[Captain Chaos]

The article over at Touring Plans originally said this, but they corrected it to say that everyone can get a picture with Belle.

Thanks, appreciate the answer... I don't read Touring Plans, I saw this elsewhere.. of course they didn't post that everyone does get a picture...

 

[Gabe1]

I don't know the cost; they don't let out that information. It will be up to them to decide if the cost was worth it, is it sucking up enough crowd for how much it costs...only time will tell. It did take up quite a bit of the space of the expansion so they'll also have to weigh in on was it a good use of space when a traditional meet and greet can be squeezed in almost anywhere. I think the jury is still out on if a new type of immersive meet and greet will be worth it.

My opinion is, this is nice. My boys will enjoy it for another year or two. They won't want to repeat it. Other families with little girls will enjoy it more and for more years. Princesses are big money right now. If they built a few more of these would it be worth it, no, in my opinion. They cater to too small of crowd.Still looks really interesting.

Isn't there going to be 4 different and new Meet and Greets when the expansion is completed? That is a lot of touring time to queue up, beautiful themed or not. And I agree, my DS might have tolerated it once, repeat, nope. DD did out grow Princesses when she was out of Primary School and into Elementary at 3rd grade, along with her dolls etc., sports, music and thrill rides took over by that age.

 

[LithiumBill]

That statement was called sarcasm as I am NOT a Disney CM, but my friend is.

And, no, you haven't seen it all as it still is being tweaked. To what degree, I have no clue.

You missed my sarcasm, aimed at your sarcasm...

 

[LithiumBill]

Interesting you compare Belle to Potter. I believe Potter relates better to both boys and girls. My DD was 6 years old and in 2nd grade when the teacher read the classroom the first Potter and they were hooked. MY guess is more guests would be happier to experience Potter than Belle and guest child actors, but hey I could be wrong.
I can speak for my family Belle vs. Potter, it would be Potter hands down.

I've read all the Potter books (my kids are still a bit young for it), and I loved them. But I've not headed over to IOA to see Hogsmeade... My kids are too young to really enjoy IOA (and my son and I are HUGE Marvel fans as well). But I'm not on UNI message boards complaining that the rides there are too intense for my young kids to enjoy...

Point is, love it or hate it, there are things for everyone at MK. It's fairly well balanced. I know My family will enjoy this M&G, but most likely folks with no kids, or older kids, they are gonna skip it.

 

[doctornick]

The fact of the matter is I would not have as much of a problem with this if it did not represent such a large financial investment and hyped up as something significant rather than just another meet & greet with gimmicky BS to try to get it more attention than it deserves.

Huh? Seemed to me it was "hyped up" as a enriched Meet and Greet where you have Belle telling her story. What exactly do you think was the "something significant" it was "hyped" to be beyond what it is?

Personally, given the magic mirror and the high quality AAs, this is far more than I expected from it.

 

[yeti]

Not really. Before I had kids, there were many things I skipped. But, I didn't begrudge them their enjoyment and think everything should be about me.

I'm not envious of anyone, kids might love it (not sure if that's as sure a thing as people seem to purport, but anyway), so good for them. My point is, there's a feeling that resort-wide (but especially the MK), the expenditures aren't only skewed in favor of, but entirely dependent upon the seeable profit from a target age group. It seems very possible, smarter even, to build stuff everyone likes, and accompany it with quality retail and service. There, everyone's happy. Money. But nooooooo, we have to 'like' hyper m&g's and bottom-line cash flow.

Case in point, I think SwB and its superfluous budget are distantly related to the selling point that is the "Princess" franchise. Kids means money. They see Belle, or Pixie Hollow, or whatever and rip a whole in their parents' wallet at the Bibbiti Boutique so they can go home looking like Honey Boo Boo. There's nothing cute about it.

And it sucks for the big kids.

So it's ok to make kids wait in line to see an animatronic version of a character in a ride, but it's not ok to make them wait in line to meet the "real" version of a character?

You're kidding me, right? That's like questioning the ethics of making kids wait in line to see Pirates of the Caribbean as opposed to Ariel's Grotto. Of course! That's pretty much it! They're expensive, more sophisticated, and more realistic than men in tights. Though what you define as "ok" is all relative, but yes, that's exactly what I mean.

(and thanks for replying with words as opposed to another banal puppy)

 

[doctornick]

I liked this M&G minus the cheap card board cut outs and the painful story you are forced to endure before you can acutally meet Belle. Why can't they just bring you in and then everyone meets Belle in the library? The wait for this would be much quicker and we wouldn't have to suffer through this pre-school play. Also, in the video only a select few people got to actually meet Belle. Is this how it's going to be?? After waiting all that time and watching a terrible skit I better meet Belle after!!

If it ends up that the wait times are far too long or that this setup is unpopular with guests, they could easily reconfigure it to a simple M&G in the library without the storytelling (I guess they'd have to change the name of the attraction as well then). But, since the M&G existed in this form for quite some time and Disney presumably has significant feedback on it being a popular format, I'm guessing it will be around for the long haul.

I could be wrong, but didn't they replace the Belle M&G with a Tangled/Rapunzel one? And that one involved Rapunzel dancing with her visitors? I bring that up because I suspect Disney has found that guests are actually very impressed with more interactivity with characters. The Cinderella and Aurora M&Gs in the original FLE were also interactive, so I think we'll see more progression in that direction, not less.

Personal story: when I was just out in DL with my two young sons a few weeks ago, we were the last ones in our group to meet Mickey at his house in Toontown. As a lucky result, we got some extra time with Mickey which involved him playing tag and hide and seek with my sons. I cannot tell you how amazing it was for them and I think they'll cherish that (and I know my wife and I will) for a very long time, more than the standard "pose and smile" that you get. The more interactivity with characters, the better, I think for a lot of people.

 

[Gabe1]

I've read all the Potter books (my kids are still a bit young for it), and I loved them. But I've not headed over to IOA to see Hogsmeade... My kids are too young to really enjoy IOA (and my son and I are HUGE Marvel fans as well). But I'm not on UNI message boards complaining that the rides there are too intense for my young kids to enjoy...

Point is, love it or hate it, there are things for everyone at MK. It's fairly well balanced. I know My family will enjoy this M&G, but most likely folks with no kids, or older kids, they are gonna skip it.

Detour:

I too was in your camp, Being Board of Ed member and score our convention was in Orlando Center, fortunately I was housed at Universals Portofino! Score! I had to pay for airfare and tickets to Universal for family but vendors paid for mine including private evenings in the parks after they closed for family and me. I was in the center by day but my family had a blast, no buses only boat launches 5 minutes to the parks and City. Some rides were too advanced but there was so much for them to do in the parks and unlike attractions of Disney. Zip Line just for kids, example. Their Dr. Seuss area was inviting for younger children too, much better than Fantasyland. My family packed in 5 days of fun between two parks and never bored. Then we went onto Disney for 7 days when my convention was over for my vacation. I had never considered after decades of loyal Disney touring ever leaving the property. If it wasn't for the convention I wonder if I ever would have. Now we start family trips at Universal, staying in the Portofino and jump ship to Disney for our Magic. The CM child often jumps over to Universal, not better, not worse, just variety.
Detour Over

 

[LithiumBill]

Detour:

I too was in your camp, Being Board of Ed member and score our convention was in Orlando Center, fortunately I was housed at Universals Portofino! Score! I had to pay for airfare and tickets to Universal for family but vendors paid for mine including private evenings in the parks after they closed for family and me. I was in the center by day but my family had a blast, no buses only boat launches 5 minutes to the parks and City. Some rides were too advanced but there was so much for them to do in the parks and unlike attractions of Disney. Zip Line just for kids, example. Their Dr. Seuss area was inviting for younger children too, much better than Fantasyland. My family packed in 5 days of fun between two parks and never bored. Then we went onto Disney for 7 days when my convention was over for my vacation. I had never considered after decades of loyal Disney touring ever leaving the property. If it wasn't for the convention I wonder if I ever would have. Now we start family trips at Universal, staying in the Portofino and jump ship to Disney for our Magic. The CM child often jumps over to Universal, not better, not worse, just variety.
Detour Over

We are heading to Orlando for Christmas, and have scheduled a day at US... The wife and I spent 2 days at IOA and US during our honeymoon way back when. I'm not too full of Pixie Dust to ignore everything else, lol!

 

[Flip83]

Holy Moley. Relax. Here's a picture of some puppies

Hahahahaha priceless