The Spirited 11th Hour ...

[No Name]

Unrelated I'm sure, but I'd just like to comment that I'm so glad that they opened a sunning/sleeping spot at MKs new hub. So nice to see about 30 people sleeping in the grass in front of the castle like some occupy protesters.

People have been laying down or sleeping on the turf in front of that stage thing in Universal Studios for the longest time. It's probably one of the most bizarre and just eye-catching behaviors I have seen. They look so relaxed too, like they're at a beach... except they're in a crowded theme park.

Also interesting because, in my opinion, that is one of the worst and most money-wasting ways to spend your day. Sure, some people like to people-watch or just walk around, but at least that's something you can't do at home. You could close your eyes and lay on your own grass for free, why do it when you paid over $100 for the day? And why do it when someone could totally steal your bags that you aren't watching?

I guess everyone has different tastes and different ideas of how to spend the day, and I do not mind their decision one bit.

 

[WDW1974]

That was not what he was saying. He was saying don't expect much more for the 50th (beyond a new parade and night spectacular) than what we know of now. Star Wars will come roughly a year after DL to WDW (not 2-3).

I'd expect Phase 3 and the official completion of the DHS rebranding to more so coincide with the 50th/2021.

No. I see no way ... no way ... SW opens in the swamps before 2020. Not going to happen.

 

[WDW1974]

I do enjoy a 747... A flight attendant myself they are a sturdy piece if machinery - admittedly they feel old now (and I do when I step off of one!) But they are still great! Admittedly I am a huge fan of the 787 - some of them are fitted with some great kit - despite this age we live in of cutbacks...

Which leads me on to say I really hope the new DCL ships are innovative and worth the wait. I can imagine suites featuring heavily - for the folks who love to collect those castaway club lanyards and then wear all of them like some trophy, then spend the week hogging the big sofa's around serenity bay and rock up to dinner in thier finest shorts and Crocs! I can't help but feel the new ships will be filled to the rafters with money making potential... just a bunch given the current antics of Mickey and the gang.

Seeing the work DLP have put into the entertainment side of thier spring event, it's a shame that the flower and garden and food and wine can't utilise some of the dead spaces in epcot for some kind of mini character parade or street show. It would add a little something more to the events other than the entertainment of drunk fools parading around world showcase like they are at some college campus mixer. But I guess that kind of things costs, and EPCOT doesn't have the budget to keep toilets clean, let alone wheel out a few old floats.

How long until we get an x-wing topiary at mission space? There must be a character shoehorn in there somewhere! That side of world showcase is lacking in the dumbing down of EPCOT. Have you stopped but he 'film festival'.. I'm petty sure that kind of thing was taken out of the main street cinema... maybe we can hope that space is turned into a retail spot too... at least that corner would be getting something other than a bland DVC lounge!

Speaking of DVC, I managed to bag a ticket to the private party at MK.... it was nice to see disney still has a team that can create a good fireworks show... If only they were allowed some creative freedom!

Let's see ... 747s ... at least UAL's are ancient. I haven't been on a 747-800 because very few majors (Lufthansa and Korean are the two I know off-hand) fly them. I haven't been on a Dreamliner yet. I had hoped to fly one sooner, but wind up on A380s (which I thought I would hate, but don't) instead.

DCL is likely to go heavy on what is popular today. In other words, Star Wars and Marvel and Frozen and anything that does well at the box office this year and next will likely find a way on them. Look at SDL's menu for an idea of how far out these design choices get made.

EPCOT Spring Food and Wine Fest (NOW FOR 90 DAYS FOR YOUR DRINKING PLEASURE!) is such a joke compared to spring events in Paris and Tokyo. Oh, look, they moved the Frozen topiaries to a new location! That's progress for ya! Hell, Tokyo has a three month Easter Celebration (@WDWFigment has blogged about it) in a nation where almost no one celebrates the holiday. Look at what WDW gives you.

Star Wars will likely be the focus of the Spring Food and Wine Fest when SWL opens. I actually heard that some folks at TDO thought they could add Marvel topiaries to the event and suggested it (this was either last year or the one before) before someone explained that UNI's rights include trees shaped like Thor.

Congrats on the DVC Party. I was in Europe and wondered what that was about as I am now sorta a DVCer. All I saw were the typical O-Town Lifestylers tweeting from it and some pre-event event at the Top of the World 2.0 that involved Cupcake and a giant Orange Bird (of course). How do these people live in theme parks?

I have the feeling I didn't answer anything you brought up ... sorry!

 

[WDW1974]

Watched Season 1 in December and fell for the show; it's just as good as Breaking Bad (and maybe better), in its own way.

Season 2 hasn't disappointed, either.

Nope. And I haven't watched last week's episode yet (I know who is back, though!)
I think people who are disappointed just expected Breaking Bad 2.0 and this isn't it. This is a different story. A slow burn as opposed to BB's frenetic pace. I just love it. And I even got 'Angie' hooked as well (she never watched BB).

 

[WDW1974]

Disneyland can't afford day parades anymore. Soundsational is moving to weekdays only (summer be darned!) and Pixar Play Parade is going down for at least 5 weeks to accommodate revenue-generating food booths for DCA's resurrected Food & Wine Festival. Good thing Fantasmic! isn't running or it would be getting cut back as well.

Anyone in the fan community other than my pal (that sweet hotheaded brat Andy 'Fidel's Little Bro' Castro) actually complaining about this?

I say this because I wonder whether Micechat might be going soft on Disney since the company at the 11th hour gave $250,000 (like a few pennies to you and me) to the efforts to restore Walt's Birthplace in Chicago. Timing on that deal was so neat. I did see they have a column by my old LP.com sparring partner Jon Nadelberg labeled as 'editorial' on the recent price gouging. Haven't read it yet.

Bottom line is DIS needs to be attacked over these things and I just don't see it at all. And apathy is never good ... it leads to crazy people being favored in Presidential elections.

 

[WDW1974]

I wonder how many "freebies" they get that they never ever ever declare them.

Lots.

Recall that Lou Mongello proudly tells the world that he has never taken a thing from Disney. It's all BS. And it is BS for bigtimers and complete nothings with 4,000 alleged Twitter followers.

 

[Wikkler]

You know, I just spent a few days with friends in VA, and they were actually contemplating a trip to WDW this spring to see "all the new Star wars stuff". When I explained to them what they would actually see at this point, they were shocked. Apparently there's been some pretty deceiving advertising going on up there...

Completely true. Because Ginny and Florida are both in the "South" (using that term extremely liberally, just like the government does) that means that we're one of the places that could probably afford to go every other year if we're high-middle class, so that means advertisements way more often than you'd expect (and by the way Uni commercials air just as often. What's SeaWorld?) Doesn't matter though, look at the Stormtroopers!

Oh, and the DCL has even gotten in on the act.

 

[WDW1974]

At least DCA still has their Pixar parade.... would be nice if DHS still had a daytime one.

Anyone want to make a list of everything closed at WDW since 2010? Just attractions.

 

[asianway]

People have been laying down or sleeping on the turf in front of that stage thing in Universal Studios for the longest time. It's probably one of the most bizarre and just eye-catching behaviors I have seen. They look so relaxed too, like they're at a beach... except they're in a crowded theme park.

Also interesting because, in my opinion, that is one of the worst and most money-wasting ways to spend your day. Sure, some people like to people-watch or just walk around, but at least that's something you can't do at home. You could close your eyes and lay on your own grass for free, why do it when you paid over $100 for the day? And why do it when someone could totally steal your bags that you aren't watching?

I guess everyone has different tastes and different ideas of how to spend the day, and I do not mind their decision one bit.

My old pal Scarlett summed it up best when she said people watching wasn't the only thing you could get a good view of there

 

[WDW1974]

Yeah, amazing that with four parks WDW is down to 1 day parade. Here we're hoping Pixar Play gets replaced - at 8 years old it's too long in the tooth for DLR.

The really in need of replacement is A Christmas Fantasy. That parade has been ancient for over a decade now.

 

[Mike S]

Anyone want to make a list of everything closed at WDW since 2010? Just attractions.

Paging @marni1971.......

 

[WDW1974]

You know, I just spent a few days with friends in VA, and they were actually contemplating a trip to WDW this spring to see "all the new Star wars stuff". When I explained to them what they would actually see at this point, they were shocked. Apparently there's been some pretty deceiving advertising going on up there...

I don't blame them. Like Disney refers to IOA as 'The Harry Potter Park' in Guest Research, if you watched these commercials, you would assume that WDW has opened all sorts of new SW attractions ... a Star Wars Park. The reality is they have opened NOTHING of substance. But that's OK because they are only charging $48 a day to get in that park, right?

 

[Wikkler]

Anyone want to make a list of everything closed at WDW since 2010? Just attractions.

Paging @marni1971.......

Or @Tom Morrow . Or me.

1. Maelstrom
2. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!
3. Captain EO
4. Studio Backlot Tour
5. The Magic of Disney Animation
6. The American Idol Experience (Not that anyone missed it)
7. Sounds Dangerous! (Nobody missed this either)
8. The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow (Hardly an "attraction")
9. The California Soarin' (Yes I'm counting it)
10. The Original Star Tours (I'm also counting this)
11. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience! (Does since 2010 include 2010?)

 

[WDW1974]

*sprinkles pixie dust on you*

Doesn't work on me ...anymore.

 

[WDW1974]

I certainly hope that they don't wait till 2021 for WDW. And I'm not just saying that as a fan, it also doesn't make any financial sense to slow construction. There is a ton of money to be made with Star Wars land, and it would be extremely dumb and... I can't even say short-sighted because it's not, it's just dumb... to spread out construction costs rather than get the land open and making money as soon as possible. Plus, the closer to the release of Episode 9 (scheduled for 2019) the better.

I also do not believe a "phase 3" is coming any time in the nearish future, especially not before WDW's 50th or the rebranding of the park. I really am not buying the phase 3 rumors, I think what they've announced (Star Wars land and Toy Story Land) is all there will be other than maybe some new shows and/or entertainment. I'm keeping my expectations low, so I'd love to be surprised.

No, there really is a Phase III. Whether it ever happens is what I would doubt. Phase I of the makeover is Toy Story. Phase II is SW. Phase III is likely in a future coffee table book.

 

[Bairstow]

... 400 pounders running any of the 64 races Run Disney holds annually...

Not to put 1974 personally on the spot, buy why does this keep popping up as a point of outrage on this forum?

It seems like every other month there's a big dustup where people complain about other people getting commemorative medals like it's a big travesty.

 

[WDW1974]

My old pal Scarlett summed it up best when she said people watching wasn't the only thing you could get a good view of there

Oh gawd, I saw that and loved it. She gives the best Tweets in the O-Town fan community and I am being serious. I think you could market those tweets!

 

[WDW1974]

Or @Tom Morrow . Or me.

1. Maelstrom
2. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!
3. Captain EO
4. Studio Backlot Tour
5. The Magic of Disney Animation
6. The American Idol Experience (Not that anyone missed it)
7. Sounds Dangerous! (Nobody missed this either)
8. The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow (Hardly an "attraction")
9. The California Soarin' (Yes I'm counting it)
10. The Original Star Tours (I'm also counting this)
11. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience! (Does since 2010 include 2010?)

Good start, but doesn't include the parades and stage shows and major entertainment that has been cut since the decade debuted.

 

[WDW1974]

Not to put 1974 personally on the spot, buy why does this keep popping up as a point of outrage on this forum?

It seems like every other month there's a big dustup where people complain about other people getting commemorative medals like it's a big travesty.

I guess it just bothers me. More so as part of the whole fallacy about WDW being about quality and the like ... and Disney could end it very simply by letting the people run (if they somehow qualify) but NOT giving them a medal unless they complete the entire race!

 

[njDizFan]

@WDW1974 Do you think the implementing of this resort fee has a correlation with the slower growth of DVC. They hae been feeding off that teet's revenue stream for decades. With less than 1000 new villas in the last 7 years opposed to the nearly 10000 in the previous 7, I think there is a major deficiency that needs to be filled.