The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[waltography]

Do we have any Oogie Boogie veterans here? Going for the first time this Sunday and would like to know how we can maximize our time. When it comes to characters I think we’re ok just seeing the ones that you see on the trick or treat trails (as long as that includes Ernesto De La Cruz as that’s a cool little “meet n greet” with I’m singing and playing the guitar. I hear the trick or treat trails moves quickly and it’s the character meet n greets that take a long time.

What time is the ideal time to wait for Villains Grove. Definitely want to wait til it’s dark but we also have three young ones with us so before 8:30/9 pm would be ideal.

Looking forward to the short lines for the rides and to riding MAD at least twice.

Any good food that’s exclusive to the party?

OBB veteran here! (From last year anyway, haha.)

From what I've read online, Ernesto de la Cruz's treat trail is the longest of the night, averaging 30 minutes to an hour the whole night. If you want to see Ernesto, I'd probably start hanging around that overflow space by Avengers Campus 15-30 minutes before 6 so you can get him out of the way with minimal wait (downside is it might not be super dark yet so the show lighting won't be as good as at night).

Villains Grove has the lowest wait times during the parades (7:45pm and 10pm) and towards the end of the night (though I've heard the line closes at around 10pm). Maybe try watching the 7:45 parade and then rushing over to Villains Grove after it's over?

Can't say much about the food since it was never a priority for us in these parties.

 

[Rich T]

I love the way the guests in Planet Coaster seem to have conversations and sometimes argue with each other. Some players think the game wastes processing power on too much guest AI/animation, but for me it’s one of the many details that make Planco so endearing.

 

[mickEblu]

OBB veteran here! (From last year anyway, haha.)

From what I've read online, Ernesto de la Cruz's treat trail is the longest of the night, averaging 30 minutes to an hour the whole night. If you want to see Ernesto, I'd probably start hanging around that overflow space by Avengers Campus 15-30 minutes before 6 so you can get him out of the way with minimal wait (downside is it might not be super dark yet so the show lighting won't be as good as at night).

Villains Grove has the lowest wait times during the parades (7:45pm and 10pm) and towards the end of the night (though I've heard the line closes at around 10pm). Maybe try watching the 7:45 parade and then rushing over to Villains Grove after it's over?

Can't say much about the food since it was never a priority for us in these parties.

Thanks! Was planning on lining up for Ernesto about 5:45pm so glad to hear that’s the right move. Still debating on what to do about the parade and Villains Grove though. My kids won’t make it to second parade viewing but the first parade viewing sounds like the shortest wait for Villains Grove. Sounds like I’ll just have to bite the bullet on a longer Villains Grove line. Or rush over there after the parade like you said. Maybe pick a strategic spot on the parade route near Mermaid. How early do you think I’ll need to camp out for a good spot?

 

[Disney Analyst]

Thanks! Was planning on lining up for Ernesto about 5:45pm so glad to hear that’s the right move. Still debating on what to do about the parade and Villains Grove though. My kids won’t make it to second parade viewing but the first parade viewing sounds like the shortest wait for Villains Grove. Sounds like I’ll just have to bite the bullet on a longer Villains Grove line. Or rush over there after the parade like you said. Maybe pick a strategic spot on the parade route near Mermaid. How early do you think I’ll need to camp out for a good spot?

From what I’ve seen in videos, the line for VG moves fast, and the wait time is often stated much higher than it actually is.

(Your mileage may vary).

 

[Parteecia]

KABC 7 has been running a lot more infomercials for Disney resorts.

 

[waltography]

Thanks! Was planning on lining up for Ernesto about 5:45pm so glad to hear that’s the right move. Still debating on what to do about the parade and Villains Grove though. My kids won’t make it to second parade viewing but the first parade viewing sounds like the shortest wait for Villains Grove. Sounds like I’ll just have to bite the bullet on a longer Villains Grove line. Or rush over there after the parade like you said. Maybe pick a strategic spot on the parade route near Mermaid. How early do you think I’ll need to camp out for a good spot?

I camped out in Hollywoodland ~15 minutes before the parade started without problems (though it took a long time for the parade to get to Hollywoodland since the first parade started by the Paradise Park gate haha).

From what I’ve seen in videos, the line for VG moves fast, and the wait time is often stated much higher than it actually is.

(Your mileage may vary).

Very true; it can move pretty fast depending on how the CMs pulse guests through.

KABC 7 has been running a lot more infomercials for Disney resorts.

I just saw this on TV! I love Disney infomercials, they're a guilty pleasure because I enjoy looking at all the b-roll footage they scrounge together of all the resorts.

 

[Phroobar]

View attachment 673061
I love the way the guests in Planet Coaster seem to have conversations and sometimes argue with each other. Some players think the game wastes processing power on too much guest AI/animation, but for me it’s one of the many details that make Planco so endearing.

Now I know where Disney gets their character design for Strange World.

 

[wdrive]

Anyone else find it disgraceful that the Hyperion is still sat dark? Much is made over the lack of ride maintenance but I feel this is the bigger travesty.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Anyone else find it disgraceful that the Hyperion is still sat dark? Much is made over the lack of ride maintenance but I feel this is the bigger travesty.

I agree- but also, Disney can't even maintain the attractions/entertainment offerings they currently have- I'm not sure they can properly execute a theatrical production.

Fantasmic continues to embarrass- viewers in '92 saw a more technically sound show because at least then, the fountains worked. Now the projection mapping, fountains, and pyro are shockingly unreliable.

 

[mickEblu]

I agree- but also, Disney can't even maintain the attractions/entertainment offerings they currently have- I'm not sure they can properly execute a theatrical production.

Fantasmic continues to embarrass- viewers in '92 saw a more technically sound show because at least then, the fountains worked. Now the projection mapping, fountains, and pyro are shockingly unreliable.

It should just go down for a lengthy refurb after the holidays. It’s embarrassing. Hopefully that’s the plan since they ll have a brand new WOC, fireworks show and practically a brand new daytime parade. They can afford to lose Fantasmic for an extended period of time.

 

[waltography]

Anyone else find it disgraceful that the Hyperion is still sat dark? Much is made over the lack of ride maintenance but I feel this is the bigger travesty.

The Hyperion was really helpful for crowd flow for the park too; that it staged Broadway-style productions 2-3 times a day and pulled ~2k people out of the walkways for 1-1.5 hours at a time helped keep wait times manageable in an otherwise attraction-light park.

 

[SuddenStorm]

It should just go down for a lengthy refurb after the holidays. It’s embarrassing. Hopefully that’s the plan since they ll have a brand new WOC, fireworks show and practically a brand new daytime parade. They can afford to lose Fantasmic for an extended period of time.

You'd think the long hiatus and all the work they did to get it running was the refurb...

 

[Phroobar]

You'd think the long hiatus and all the work they did to get it running was the refurb...

Exactly! That thing was down for almost a year and wasn't used during Covid. Are they trying to tell us Fantasmic rotted from non-use for a year and it has taken even longer to make it work again? They should have rebuilt it from the ground up. It is total incompetence on the maintenance side.

 

[Rich T]

Now I know where Disney gets their character design for Strange World.

My thoughts watching the Strange World trailer: Please be a good movie please be a good movie please be a good movie

 

[wdrive]

The Hyperion was really helpful for crowd flow for the park too; that it staged Broadway-style productions 2-3 times a day and pulled ~2k people out of the walkways for 1-1.5 hours at a time helped keep wait times manageable in an otherwise attraction-light park.

To be honest they probably see that as a bad thing these days. 2,000 people occupied for 1.5 hours aren’t spending money while waiting for their next lightning lane.

 

[D.Silentu]

Time to open a concession stand?

 

[mickEblu]

This year was the first year at DLR since 2015 that we didn’t get a new ride, land or attraction retheme.

2016 - Grizzly Peak Airfield
Soarin around the World

2017 - Mission Breakout

2018 - Pixar Pier
Incredicoaster

2019 - Galaxies Edge
Smugglers Run

2020 - Rise of the Resistance

2021 - Web-slingers
Avengers Campus

2023 - Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ?
New Toontown ?

 

[SuddenStorm]

This year was the first year at DLR since 2015 that we didn’t get a new ride, land or attraction retheme.

2016 - Grizzly Peak Airfield
Soarin around the World

2017 - Mission Breakout

2018 - Pixar Pier
Incredicoaster

2019 - Galaxies Edge
Smugglers Run

2020 - Rise of the Resistance

2021 - Web-slingers
Avengers Campus

2023 - Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ?
New Toontown ?

And what's sad is none of those additions after the Grizzly Peak Airfield overhaul are actually good.

They range from 'cheap and unnecesary' to 'expensive, technically impressive but completely lacking soul'.

 

[Rich T]

This might be the only time I ever post anything Marvel-related.

You might start seeing ads here and there for “Marvel Snap,” an online free-to-play fantasy card-battling game.

The game’s release is a bit of a big deal (in gaming), because it’s by the guy who co-created “Hearthstone,” one of the greatest and funniest games of all time. Marvel Snap is what he’s been working on ever since leaving Blizzard several years ago to form his own company.

My first impressions: Marvel Snap is a blast, and brings with it much of the humor, artistry and top production values of Hearthstone.

It’s a very *quick* game, with each online round lasting only a couple of minutes consisting of six turns.

And, so far, it seems to skew toward the friendlier side of the Free-To-Play model. I’ve been playing for hours without hitting any barriers or feeling pressured to spend anything (though I did buy the $3.99 “Welcome” bundle just because I do like the game).

I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Marvel, card games and/or strategy games.

 

[CaptinEO]

This year was the first year at DLR since 2015 that we didn’t get a new ride, land or attraction retheme.

2016 - Grizzly Peak Airfield
Soarin around the World

2017 - Mission Breakout

2018 - Pixar Pier
Incredicoaster

2019 - Galaxies Edge
Smugglers Run

2020 - Rise of the Resistance

2021 - Web-slingers
Avengers Campus

2023 - Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ?
New Toontown ?

My opinion on this is that it's a good thing. There has been too much change at Disneyland / California Adventure in the last 7 years.

The rethemes especially are such a waste. What changed from 2000-2015 in Disneyland Park? They rethemed the country bears to Pooh, rethemed Buzz Lightyear from Rocket Rods, and redid Space Mountain. That's 3 changes in 15 years. Now they just go overboard.

I think people now expect Disney to have big new things every single year. I wish they would just refocus their efforts on improving the guest experience instead of adding or retheming rides.

Did anyone really need Pixar Pier, Guardians, or Soarin Over the World? What a waste of money on all 3 of those.

They just changed out popular attractions for attractions that are equally as popular. I don't understand it.