The Spirited Back Nine ...

[WDW1974]

Since Star Tours 2 is apparently easy for Disney to update could we see those Episode VII scenes added to DL and DHS around the same time?

Yes on both counts.

I've heard that OLC has yet to sign off on this (believe it or not, but SW isn't that big a deal in Japan ... or China for that matter). I would guess they eventually will but see no need to update now so soon after redoing the attraction.

 

[WDW1974]

I've seen it work exactly once in probably ten visits to Diagon Alley. Seems a relatively simple effect.

Hmm ... I don't recall whether I saw it working or not in my few days there. Hey, @Lee ... you recall?

 

[wdwmagic]

On the subject of DLP, not good news for their Christmas offerings.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/dlp-has-killed-the-magic-of-christmas.893014/

 

[WDW1974]

I do quite a bit of business travel so these decisions are more frequent for me, Vacations are an exception but I have to be careful even there because of the basic unavoidability of fast food in normal life when stuck in an airport you eat what's THERE and try to make the best choices possible based on available options and if travelling early AM or late PM frequently only the Mickey D's and the coffee joint are open at those times.

I haven't joined in yet another discussion of fatties (and I am at my heaviest weight since my all-time high in 2003 when I went on a MAJOR lifestyle change that sorta lasted for a while but not enough!) and Disney, but I did see someone (maybe @RivieraJenn ?) talk about how Disney can/could offer more healthy choices. For years, it was either Cockerell Fries or grapes, now it seems to largely be the fries and apple slices (a tiny portion, I might add).

Of course, Disney has very little variety in QSR at MK and Studios, while EPCOT and DAK offer far more options for both healthy and unhealthy dining.

I am reasonably certain Disney has struck a big deal with a major broccoli seller because of the new menu items at Columbia Harbor House and the large $4 bags on sale at Property Control.

Fast food can just be something you get in the habit of. I had two healthy meals at home yesterday, but today was busy and I've already been to Dunkin and BK (they have 10 chicken nuggets for $1.49 and they, unlike McD's, actually taste like they have chicken in them) because of time and budget.

There's a reason so many WDW CMs are morbidly obese and that is simply poor diets based on poverty. I recall when front-line friends would tell me about having to eat at Taco Bell because they could get a meal there for $2. Rest assured, George and Andy are the types who I honestly wonder whether they have ever had Taco Bell in their lives.

You can eat healthy when you make $15-20 an hour (not saying you will, just that you can). It is damn near impossible on $8-10 an hour.

 

[WDW1974]

You can only interchange characters in Toy box mode. When you are playing missions it is strict character to land associated with that character. The fact that Disney lets a person use total imagination in Toy Box mode only makes sense. No one should tell a kid how the correct way to play with a toy.

I would never tell a child (even a 33-year-old one) how to play with their toys.

I am commenting on how when Disney owns you they have no problem dropping characters from one world into another where they don't belong.

Even as a kid, I cringed when Scooby Doo and the Gang got help from Batman, The Super Friends or, perhaps worst of all, Sonny & Cher.

Just because Disney owns Marvel now doesn't mean Thor should exist in the same world as Daisy Duck or Merida.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I'm pretty sure they were hoping for a Harry Potter type thing where everyone would adopt one of the houses as their own and buy the associated merch for it.

Yeah, that was actually part of the marketing. That said, I believe the MU stuff sold much better then when Wreck It Ralph did all the Sugar Rush merch. It took them quite a while to get rid of the Snowanna stock.

 

[Matt7187]

I would never tell a child (even a 33-year-old one) how to play with their toys.

I am commenting on how when Disney owns you they have no problem dropping characters from one world into another where they don't belong.

Even as a kid, I cringed when Scooby Doo and the Gang got help from Batman, The Super Friends or, perhaps worst of all, Sonny & Cher.

Just because Disney owns Marvel now doesn't mean Thor should exist in the same world as Daisy Duck or Merida.

So you didn't like Simpsons and Family Guy crossover or Simpsorama I am guessing...

 

[WDW1974]

This was more of a way for disney to take their place in a very popular genre than anything else. Disney just ha the more popular characters and obviously it will be more successful. I don't play any of these style games but sometimes 74 is a tiny bit off on some subjects. This is one instance where I think he doesn't get that the draw of this type of game is something disney, more or less, had to try.

Oh, no. I do get why Disney has done what it has. No surprise because Infinity is aimed at the 20 and 30-something geeks more than kids anyway. These are the folks who will claim Oswald is important because Disney placed him in a video game. I just believe that certain character groups don't belong with others.

The decision making when it comes to the resorts is as misguided as a bunch of clueless executives can be though. In that regard 74 is on the money.

Nah, they are all good people who care about their Guests and Cast, first and foremost!

 

[RivieraJenn]

I am reasonably certain Disney has struck a big deal with a major broccoli seller because of the new menu items at Columbia Harbor House and the large $4 bags on sale at Property Control.

Bring on the broccoli contracts! Say "yes" to Big Broccoli!

 

[WDW1974]

I'm a simple Arkie that's been to tons of themeparks in the USA and my favorite one for Christmas season for what you get for a regular ticket is Silver Dollar City. Is it Disney? No, but it's done very well and they have rights to the Rudolph and Frosty we all know and love now for their Christmas season. It just may feel like Christmas in the Ozarks too.

The park that has impressed me the most in O-Town, as far as Christmas offerings go of late, has been SW. Nothing that Disney or UNI does comes close to the overall effort that SW puts into the holiday season (or did as I haven't seen what they are doing in 2014).

 

[WDW1974]

I'm a nice blend of capitalistic ideals without going all power hungry It comes from my analytical base... short-term results that cripple you long term are just lies. I'm a huge believer in setting objectives and constantly validating your choices against those objectives. If the choices conflict with those objectives, you need to step back and have everyone agree we are in conflict.. and decide if those objectives still are valid or if they should be updated. I'm a big opponent of lying to yourself as an organization.

I do believe in the value of good employees. I do believe in the notion of rewarding good work. I do believe that having employees that WANT to do the work is a huge part of your success. I am a huge believer in empowerment and flat organizations. But that also means I am cutthroat when it comes to bad employees, bad management, and failing to adhere to the principles we set for ourselves. I am against systems that reward mediocrity or protects it. I am against the notion of a 'living wage' in its design (it's flawed). I do believe in paying people well - but in return they need to perform. I am all for pruning dead wood.. and efficiently.

I do believe employee satisfaction is way beyond what their hourly rate is. I do believe how you treat employees and the work environment you create for them is more significant in retaining great people than just straight pay scales.

I view the employer and employee relationship as a symbiotic one - the employer selects candidates and nurtures them to better itself.

It's appalling to me that a company whose's primary 'product' has been customer service and guest satisfaction like Disney Parks does not act like it's front-line CMs are responsible for 'creating' that product and hence should be some of the company's most valuable assets.

And maybe that's what separates me from many readers on this site - I don't believe Disney's main output is POTC, or Splash Mountain or Sleeping Beauty... those are the specific ways Disney has delivered it's product. The real product Disney created were really amazing, wholesome, immersing experiences that brought you happiness and satisfaction. That is why the Disney company could reach out into so many different ways and be successful.. be it film, parks, cruises, whatever. The company is about that 'delight' they delivered.

When the company loses sight of that true objective... that's when they are steering it into the ground. And that is why I'm negative towards many of the company's actions of late... because they miss the bigger objectives in their smaller choices.

Very well said. And I pretty much agree with it all.

Sadly, WDW ... and most large American corps, do not.

 

[Nemo14]

The park that has impressed me the most in O-Town, as far as Christmas offerings go of late, has been SW. Nothing that Disney or UNI does comes close to the overall effort that SW does (or did as I haven't seen what they are doing in 2014).

I totally agree on that one, but you do have to get Lee to show you Dollywood at Christmastime!

 

[FigmentJedi]

I would never tell a child (even a 33-year-old one) how to play with their toys.

I am commenting on how when Disney owns you they have no problem dropping characters from one world into another where they don't belong.

Even as a kid, I cringed when Scooby Doo and the Gang got help from Batman, The Super Friends or, perhaps worst of all, Sonny & Cher.

Just because Disney owns Marvel now doesn't mean Thor should exist in the same world as Daisy Duck or Merida.

Infinity's Toy Box is like the only place where they even go that far with mashups. I mean look at the strict rules they put Kingdom Hearts under, only the Mickeyverse characters and Maleficent are allowed to visit other Disney settings. The convoluted plot focusing on all the anime rejects in the sequels exists entirely to compensate for that lack of freedom with Disney stuff.

Also, if Thor can exist in a universe with Howard the Duck or his own talking frog counterpart (No I'm not kidding), not to mention all the dimension hopping stuff you find in pretty much every cape comic, I don't see why interacting with Disney characters in some non-canon Super Smash Bros-esque "living toys" setting should be a big deal.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

On the subject of DLP, not good news for their Christmas offerings.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/dlp-has-killed-the-magic-of-christmas.893014/

About the only criticisms that make sense to me are the castle and tree lighting ceremonies, and even then one has to remember the stage used for Aurora's Holiday Wish no longer exists.

The cavalcade is longer this year, Dreams of Christmas was already Frozen heavy last year, they decorated the Main Street vehicles this year (unlike the last several), they can't do the show in Frontierland because the venue is being worked on for the new show in the summer etc.

The OP oddly forgot to mention Small World Holiday, the Princess Promenade or the Christmas meet and greets as part of the seasonal offerings. For all the complaints, he or she forget to mention that Sally does not appear to be meeting with Jack like last year.

I agree the parade could be longer, but that is the goal for it in the future for both it and Halloween. It's why they added a new float to each and did costume changes. I'd rather that than just keep running the regular afternoon parade, which is starting to get stale, and some "cavalcade" on the side.

I will confirm one way or the other the quality of the park's offerings later this week, but the writing style in that post sounds awfully hyperbolic.

 

[WDW1974]

I wouldn't say Pixar is in the toilet, at least not in the same way that Disney's own animation studios was when Chicken Little and Home on the Range released. But I would say it came close to skirting the rim and I do think at least one of the three have been truly "bad". I've enjoyed every Pixar movie as an adult up until Cars 2. Cars 2 was an example of a poor movie that was still kind of entertaining in a poor quality way. I guess it's what people would call "so bad it's good", it was kind of entertaining to watch but made me feel dumb afterwards and left a VERY sour taste in my mouth, and I actually legitimately enjoyed the first Cars (which some don't like). I can see its appeal to very young children, but it doesn't make it a good movie (Happy Meals are geared towards kids but I don't think it's good by any measure of age). Brave was just boring to me, I don't even see the appeal as a kids movie as it's just bland and dull as it can be. Monsters U was the best of the bunch but was still just ok. It's an awesome and creative concept for a movie (monsters going to college to learn how to scare people is a hilarious and great idea), but the execution kind of flopped and didn't achieve the height it could have and it's nowhere near the original Monsters Inc. I experienced most of Pixar's movies as a teen and adult, so their child friendliness isn't really something that will turn me off if the movie is good. The past three just haven't done anything for me.

Want to keep this brief as I've said this all before. Pixar is still the gold standard in animation. Disney needs one helluva run to approach what the Emeryville crew have done over the last two decades. I loved Cars. Thought it sold the Route 66 story quite well in a story that also was enjoyed by kids on a different level. Cars 2 was put out as a kids movie to sell toys. It succeeded on those levels whether a lot of us aren't fond of it or not. There seems to even suddenly be a lot of fanboi angst over Cars Land at DCA (just ask my pal Andy 'Fidel's Little Bro' Castro). I don't get it, but everyone is entitled to like or dislike something.

Brave was OK, which was quite an achievement considering when Chapman was pulled from it. Monsters U was the best of the recent bunch, not simply financially but because it appealed to many adults who could appreciate all the college humor.

I'll mention that I enjoyed both Wreck it Ralph and Frozen (the second of which I have major issues with despite really enjoying) more than Pixar's post-TS3 releases. I definitely think Pixar has had several poor efforts. I do not discount that they have every chance to bounce back from this, taking a break this year could be a great thing for quality (and Inside Out has potential). But I can no longer put my faith in them just because they are Pixar. Even the most childish Pixar movies prior to Cars 2 (even Finding Nemo) have appealed just as much to adults as kids. My 60+ year old mother loves Pixar movies (and has no small kids to experience them with, it's something she enjoys on her own). "You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."

I'd agree with the first statement. I will say that Disney FA of late has films that still skew more to children's fare than Pixar or anything Disney put out in the 90s.

I will admit that I enjoy Frozen more than one of the 90's Disney movies. I like it better than Pocahontas. The animation and music of Pocahontas of course is way better than Frozen, but I prefer the characters and story in Frozen. This is saying a lot coming from me as well because I have huge flaws with Frozen and actually dislike a lot of the music in it. I found a lot of Pocahontas very bland though. I saw it as a kid and both myself and my (then early 40's) mother found it very bland and boring, a sharp step down from the quality of previous Disney movies of the decade. Saw it again as an adult hoping to give it another chance and it was still dull and uninspired (though I appreciated the animation and music somewhat more than I did as a kid, particularly since we don't really have hand drawn animation in feature length theatrical Disney movies anymore). Thankfully Disney bounced back from that lapse in quality with Hunchback, Hercules, Mulan and Tarzan.

The animation and music and adult themes of Pocahontas are enough to place it above Frozen to me. I do think it was too short and wasn't edited well. But I agree that it had the most issues of any film Disney put out that decade.

The rest however I entirely agree with, I like all of them considerably more than Frozen. I'll go one step beyond and say that I don't even think the good Disney animated movies stopped with Tarzan (it's the era when quality was mixed but there was still some good mixed in as well). They technically got "worse" sure, but worse in this case is going from constantly amazing 9/10's and 10/10's, and switching instead to some still good and great 8/10's instead (just with some lower rated ones mixed in alongside them). Not quite as high quality as '89-'99, but that 90's era was a standard of animated film that I don't see EVER being topped again (i'd even argue the best of the 90's were some of the best the company had ever produced in ANY era, even Walt's era). Only a small amount of post-90's Studio Ghibli films have compared with those for me. But even a few of the 2000's era Disney animated movies were quite good and IMO better than Frozen to be honest. For instance I love Atlantis, Lilo and Stitch and Treasure Planet. I'd place all of those above Frozen.

Again, mostly agree. Loved Lilo & Stitch, which is FAR superior to Frozen. I finally saw Atlantis last year and was surprised by how good (and adult too -- imagine a character smoking ... others being killed) it was. To this day, I've yet to see Treasure Planet.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

As a side note, I feel like many fans think that because Iger signed a check a few weeks ago, that all of DLP's problems would be fixed overnight.

These are probably the same people who would complain the loudest if half the park was closed and put under tarps for work.

 

[WDW1974]

Star Wars and tacky Christmas stuff has been a thing since the Holiday Special.

Hell, a couple years before the buyout there were snowglobes with Darth Vader building a Death Star out of snow.

That was my point.

George Lucas never treated his characters with respect or his worlds. Hell, Jar Jar and the unwatchable film he was in proved that. The absurd merchandise, much of it Disney-related, only adds to that lack of respect.

My point was that JK Rowling was never going to approve of the ABC Family special 'Harry Potter and the Quest For the Christmas Dragon' ... let alone pins of her characters and worlds mashed up with Mickey and the Gang.

Lucas and Disney deserve each other.

 

[WDW1974]

I still think it could work well in DCA using Winchester House as the setting. I don't believe the average guest out here will even associate it with the DL HM...it never even crossed my mind from watching the videos to be honest.

It doesn't matter at all.

It IS -- to TWDC/WDI -- HKDL's Haunted Mansion. They aren't bringing it stateside (or likely anywhere)

 

[ProfSavage]

Local Disney Store has one tiny corner devoted to BH6 merchandise. Shelves and shelves of Planes ****. Honest to God, when will these people learn? They have now been burned twice in the past year - coming up shorthanded for Frozen and Guardians merch.

Right?! WHERE IS MY DANCING BABY-GROOT FOR MY DASH!?!>!>jfdbdkjfhb/?!`?!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Right?! WHERE IS MY DANCING BABY-GROOT FOR MY DASH!?!>!>jfdbdkjfhb/?!`?!

On Amazon...
Funko POP! Marvel: Dancing Groot Bobble Action Figure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1EJXUU/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_-fwyub17Y67T0