The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

DonaldDoleWhip

DonaldDoleWhip

Well-Known Member
Wanted to follow up on my return visit to the parks on Friday evening. While my morning was pretty seamless, the evening...not so much.
  • The parking lot was a zoo when I made it back around 6 pm - also I got stuck in the only lane with one attendant (the others all had two).
  • Had bought Genie+ earlier in the day, and my first selection was another ride on Soarin'. I could have sworn Genie+ selections still had a 15-minute grace period, but this one disappeared right as my time window ended.
  • Used the app's chat feature to inquire about this, and they gave me an experience redemption on Soarin' to make up for it. Couldn't find it anywhere on the app interface, so the CM at Soarin' told me to scan my ticket.
  • The internet in DCA is so bad that I couldn't actually load my ticket in Grizzly Peak. Spent 5-10 minutes walking around just trying to get my ticket to load. Took a screenshot of my ticket so this won't happen again.
  • Once I scanned into Soarin', it pulled my second LL selection (Mission Breakout), even though the redemption window wasn't close to starting. I didn't notice this while in line for Soarin' (and couldn't book anything else, of course) because the internet there is dead.
  • Normally on Soarin', I like to ask for section B1, but a CM came asking for a single traveler and I decided to press my luck. Ended up in A3, as bottom-right as one can get. First time for everything!
  • After trying to get back into Genie+, the app conveniently forgot who I am and forced me to log in again. Upon logging in, it kept taking me to a blue screen of death with twinkly white stars, but no actual app interface.
  • Eventually, I rebooted my phone and went to Guest Relations (twice) because the whole situation was so frustrating. The first time, they offered me an extra redemption for Soarin' to make up for the internet + app frustrations, and the second time, one for Mission Breakout (this was after I realized my LL redemption got swallowed).
  • After park-hopping and viewing MMM, I got in line for Indy - the line looked like a breeze. Was shaping up to be a 15-minute wait when the ride went down, while I was two cycles away from boarding. Added another ~25 minutes to the wait and meant I wouldn't be able to use both of my DCA redemptions (made it back just in time for MB). This has happened on my last two visits to Indy, and I'm just about ready to skip it.
  • Walked from BTM over to Space Mountain to redeem my last LL selection (around 10:40pm), and the ride went down. Fortunately, it came back in time for one last redemption, but wow.
The biggest frustration of the evening was IT/infrastructure. If we're going to be reliant on our phones to get value out of Genie+, the internet in the park needs to actually work (WiFi wouldn't let me connect either), and the app needs to stop logging everyone out for no reason. Guest Relations helped me get back to square 1, but then my decision to get in line for Indy blew that as well.

Wanted to share these details to balance out my last post–it was not a perfect day in the parks, and I really hope the internet/app situation improves in the near future.

On the bright side, Carthay Circle is looking beautiful at night. 🌸 DCA has certainly come a long way from its Hubcap days!

Screen Shot 2022-03-07 at 7.53.30 PM.png
 
CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
DonaldDoleWhip said:
Wanted to follow up on my return visit to the parks on Friday evening. While my morning was pretty seamless, the evening...not so much.
  • The parking lot was a zoo when I made it back around 6 pm - also I got stuck in the only lane with one attendant (the others all had two).
  • Had bought Genie+ earlier in the day, and my first selection was another ride on Soarin'. I could have sworn Genie+ selections still had a 15-minute grace period, but this one disappeared right as my time window ended.
  • Used the app's chat feature to inquire about this, and they gave me an experience redemption on Soarin' to make up for it. Couldn't find it anywhere on the app interface, so the CM at Soarin' told me to scan my ticket.
  • The internet in DCA is so bad that I couldn't actually load my ticket in Grizzly Peak. Spent 5-10 minutes walking around just trying to get my ticket to load. Took a screenshot of my ticket so this won't happen again.
  • Once I scanned into Soarin', it pulled my second LL selection (Mission Breakout), even though the redemption window wasn't close to starting. I didn't notice this while in line for Soarin' (and couldn't book anything else, of course) because the internet there is dead.
  • Normally on Soarin', I like to ask for section B1, but a CM came asking for a single traveler and I decided to press my luck. Ended up in A3, as bottom-right as one can get. First time for everything!
  • After trying to get back into Genie+, the app conveniently forgot who I am and forced me to log in again. Upon logging in, it kept taking me to a blue screen of death with twinkly white stars, but no actual app interface.
  • Eventually, I rebooted my phone and went to Guest Relations (twice) because the whole situation was so frustrating. The first time, they offered me an extra redemption for Soarin' to make up for the internet + app frustrations, and the second time, one for Mission Breakout (this was after I realized my LL redemption got swallowed).
  • After park-hopping and viewing MMM, I got in line for Indy - the line looked like a breeze. Was shaping up to be a 15-minute wait when the ride went down, while I was two cycles away from boarding. Added another ~25 minutes to the wait and meant I wouldn't be able to use both of my DCA redemptions (made it back just in time for MB). This has happened on my last two visits to Indy, and I'm just about ready to skip it.
  • Walked from BTM over to Space Mountain to redeem my last LL selection (around 10:40pm), and the ride went down. Fortunately, it came back in time for one last redemption, but wow.
The biggest frustration of the evening was IT/infrastructure. If we're going to be reliant on our phones to get value out of Genie+, the internet in the park needs to actually work (WiFi wouldn't let me connect either), and the app needs to stop logging everyone out for no reason. Guest Relations helped me get back to square 1, but then my decision to get in line for Indy blew that as well.

Wanted to share these details to balance out my last post–it was not a perfect day in the parks, and I really hope the internet/app situation improves in the near future.

On the bright side, Carthay Circle is looking beautiful at night. 🌸 DCA has certainly come a long way from its Hubcap days!

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That sounds absolutely terrible. I'd be so angry. You had quite a string of bad luck.

I always tell people that I love technology, but Disney just doesn't implement it right at all. Themeparks shouldnt require you to use technlogy to plan out your day and enter each ride.

It's like Disney invented a solution for a problem that never existed in the first place.
 
DonaldDoleWhip

DonaldDoleWhip

Well-Known Member
CaptinEO said:
That sounds absolutely terrible. I'd be so angry. You had quite a string of bad luck.

I always tell people that I love technology, but Disney just doesn't implement it right at all. Themeparks shouldnt require you to use technlogy to plan out your day and enter each ride.

It's like Disney invented a solution for a problem that never existed in the first place.
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Fortunately I kept my cool with Guest Relations (one of their apps was acting up just as mine was; they’re in the same boat), but it was really a comedy of tech-induced errors, most of which shouldn’t be happening with such regularity in 2022.

It just might be the biggest flaw of the CA parks these days. Otherwise, they pack a stronger collective punch than MK, AK, and the hollow shells of Epcot and DHS (based on my visit last month).
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
DonaldDoleWhip said:
Fortunately I kept my cool with Guest Relations (one of their apps was acting up just as mine was; they’re in the same boat), but it was really a comedy of tech-induced errors, most of which shouldn’t be happening with such regularity in 2022.

It just might be the biggest flaw of the CA parks these days. Otherwise, they pack a stronger collective punch than MK, AK, and the hollow shells of Epcot and DHS (based on my visit last month).
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That is what happens when the entire program is outsourced, rushed and there is no inhouse testing first. I'd hate to be on call for that department. Heck, they probably don't have anyone on call for programming problems outside of Bob's spreadsheets. Priorities.

The app itself should never access an external web site. It should be self contained and simified. There is too much advertising and too little functionality. It's architecture is chaotic. I bet it is really easy to hack.
 
BuzzedPotatoHead89

BuzzedPotatoHead89

Well-Known Member
CaptinEO said:
You know things are bad when even Rat Chat had a huge section of their update calling out Disney on their BS for being fake about "inclusion".

Hope more people see through the fake corporate virtue signalling.
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As I’ve said before I’m not against Corporations doing what benefits shareholders. Whether that’s doing business in China, Florida, wherever.

My argument from the stretch has been that as a confessed “super-fan” of the product and even the company when an organization markets itself as one thing to a very impressionable group of consumers but acts in an entirely different way they open themselves to criticism. As someone that simply wants to preserve the Disney “brand” (and arguably the free market system too), I have to call balls and strikes on this one.

Now with that said, the hyperbole on both sides of this issue has been (predictably) blown to sky high proportions. Which, case in point, is all the more reason why companies like Disney need to run a tighter ship to ensure there’s less of a delta between their attempted public image vs. real world business practices.
 
CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
BuzzedPotatoHead89 said:
As I’ve said before I’m not against Corporations doing what benefits shareholders. Whether that’s doing business in China, Florida, wherever.

My argument from the stretch has been that as a confessed “super-fan” of the product and even the company when an organization markets itself as one thing to a very impressionable group of consumers but acts in an entirely different way they open themselves to criticism. As someone that simply wants to preserve the Disney “brand” (and arguably the free market system too), I have to call balls and strikes on this one.

Now with that said, the hyperbole on both sides of this issue has been (predictably) blown to sky high proportions. Which, case in point, is all the more reason why companies like Disney need to run a tighter ship to ensure there’s less of a delta between their attempted public image vs. real world business practices.
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I agree with you. A corporation has no obligation to have morals. They exist to serve their shareholders with the highest returns.

When you act like youre the good guy and do all these press pieces showing off how diverse and inclusive you are, but in actuality are a giant mega corporation doing the opposite, it's time to reassess your messaging.

As the article points out, Disney backs/funds all the politicians who created a bill targeting gay people while also claiming to be all about LGBTQ rights.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So my uncle saw Galaxies Edge for the first time and it was really interesting hearing his take on the land and rides. He is not a Star Wars fan and hasn’t really seen any of the movies since A New Hope came back to theaters in the 90s when he took me to see it. He enjoys Disneyland every few years but has no idea about the history of the parks or anything. He was viewing the land from the perspective of a designer and just casual fan of Disneyland. He also had zero influence from me as I wanted him to be surprised.

It was amazing hearing almost everything I’ve ever said on these boards come out or my uncles mouth in his own words …
 
Dear Prudence

Dear Prudence

Well-Known Member
CaptinEO said:
You know things are bad when even Rat Chat had a huge section of their update calling out Disney on their BS for being fake about "inclusion".

Hope more people see through the fake corporate virtue signalling.
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Except, like, marginalized people have been saying that it is fake and that it has made us comfortable, but, you know, who is this even for? LOL.
 
Dear Prudence

Dear Prudence

Well-Known Member
The day I make my park reservations for my August birthday trip is the 20th anniversary of my grandfather's death. If you don't believe in 'signs' or anything like that, that's fine. I do.

Here's a photo he took from when the park first opened! He was a Disney superfan, and most of the photos of me as a kid are of me with my grandparents at the park.

1646848661713.png
 
BuzzedPotatoHead89

BuzzedPotatoHead89

Well-Known Member
Ne'er-Do-Well Cad said:
According to the Disneyland subreddit, the hitchhiking ghosts effect is unreliable these days. Can anyone corroborate this?
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When I went a few weeks ago it wasn’t working on both rides and was just a plain reflection/mirror with no pepper’s ghost effect. Very disappointing finale.

Wonder if it’s a sign the “WDW treatment” is on its way.
 
Too Many Hats

Too Many Hats

Well-Known Member
What a bummer. Perhaps the tech behind the effect is just too darn sophisticated for Disney to maintain…

I’m not a fan of the WDW hitchhiking ghosts, and would like to think that ship has sailed and we dodged that bullet. Regarding that concern, I think it’s a good sign that the ghosts at DL are working inconsistently, as opposed to not at all.
 

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