The Spirited Back Nine ...

[lazyboy97o]

What's frustrating about this is that none of it was a surprise. Anyone who's ever read a Marvel comic could have told you Rocket Racoon was going to be popular. Baymax was specifically designed to make great toys and be the must-have Christmas item, Anna and Elsa dolls were obviously going to appeal to little girls just as much, most likely more, than the aisles and aisles of Tinkerbell merch they always ship in.

If the animators and directors are putting this stuff in, but Consumer Products isn't noticing, there's a real broken link somewhere in the chain of command.

Disney let Sony keep Spider-Man in exchange for merchandise rights. The problem is that Walt Disney Consumer Products is now seen a primary focus of the Company, and therefore they are able to push what they have created.

 

[Magenta Panther]

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.

Lucas and Iger deserve each other.

Fixed that for you.

 

[WDW1974]

Jim Hill "subtly" swiping at Disney via HuffPo (emphasis mine)

Hollywood Creatives and Theme Park Fans Appreciate the Universal Difference

Did I really just give him a click for that UNI PR?

I guess it's better than reading about how he gets complimented on his ... um ... ah ... big behind ... on the Twitter.
(No, I really am not making that up. I wish I were!)

BTW, it sure seems like our auto censor has gotten so many new words added to what is too naughty for adults or teens (there are no children here) to use!

 

[BrerJon]

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).

Sea World always wins Christmas, they get the balance right between extra offerings, good taste, not promoting themselves more than the spirit of the season, and not charging a fortune.

But the best Christmas night out in the area has to be the nightly snowfall in Celebration. It's completely free to attend, the snow effect is wonderful, and you feel the spirit of Christmas like nowhere else. Disney could learn a thing or two from their abandoned child.

 

[WDW1974]

Walking by one of the downtown Disney food trucks and seeing prices, I honestly think they're missing the concept.

Food trucks are supposed to be inexpensive and good quality. Like the taco bus in St. Petersburg Florida. But when you're trying to sell me a grass fed slider for $9.50? You're clearly missing the conceptual idea of what a food truck is.

Disney wants its rubes to think they are getting a real food truck experience, which btw they did a few years back in Anaheim during the Glow Fest summer event. All they are getting is WDW QSR food served from Disney decorated trucks.

Please don't tell the rubes that the slider would probably be $6-8 for two or three sliders in any big city.

 

[Funmeister]

WDW and my good friend George Kalogridis treat CMs like a word I can't use here. A word that doesn't exist in Disney's UNIverse, except when execs are talking behind the scenes or Guests are abusing a front-line CM.

WDW CMs can be physically assaulted and have their lives put in danger by crazy guests and if they do anything to protect themselves and stop the attack they are automatically fired. No questions asked. None. You touch a guest, even one trying to end you, and you lose your job. No, even Walmart isn't that bad. Starbucks certainly isn't.

Now, am I sure that many lawsuits based on this have been filed? Sure. Am I sure that many CMs have been paid off and given non-disclosure docs for their silence? Absolutely.

But it is insane. (Of course, so are a large number of people who visit WDW!)

This makes me sick. Mainly because I know CM's personally who were terminated and/or "threatened" to lose thier job if they press charges against guests. CM's have no rights. I do not know for a fact but I am pretty sure it also plays into all CM's taking part in the annual Cast Excellence Survey to a "sample" of CM's taking the survey.

If you snort the pixie dust you have a better chance of getting randomly selected to take the survey.

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

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).

SW has up'ed their game lately in offerings for holiday season the past few years. They seem to be adding more decorations and shows each year. (especially the trees on the lake) It isnt even an up charge event.

BGT have taken christmas town from a up charge event to "included with admission".

 

[WDW1974]

When I left Orlando on November 1st the temperature was in the 60s. I saw a lot of locals in sweaters, jackets and gloves. I would give anything for 68 degrees right now. More like 30 with snow and sleet. Snow IS the other four letter word beginning with "s".

Constant heat, humidity and months of rain and gloom isn't paradise despite what many in northern climes believe.

I'm sure seeing snow in early November isn't fun for the folks in Minnesota or the Dakotas, but that is part of the territory. But as someone who truly can't stand Florida's climate, I wish people would stop making it sound so much better than it is. This isn't San Diego or LA.

This is one of the few usually terrific weather months that we get and yesterday was all rain and gloom as was the first half of today.

 

[WDW1974]

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/

That is a shame, but they have made some cuts in entertainment while adding others. I can't fault them for not running the daily parade to save money when they have the Christmas Calvalcade deal, which is the real X-mas Parade as DLP doesn't have one.

The only sad thing to me is the cutting down to four minutes of the treelighting as the new tree is spectacular and I greatly enjoyed the ceremony in January.

But the resort is bleeding money and will likely do so until they have new and compelling reasons for people to visit as well as pricing that better fits the locals and the current French economy.

They did just open a true E-Ticket and nice FSR and are redoing all the resorts, top to bottom, one at a time.

 

[TP2000]

I'm sure seeing snow in early November isn't fun for the folks in Minnesota or the Dakotas, but that is part of the territory. But as someone who truly can't stand Florida's climate, I wish people would stop making it sound so much better than it is. This isn't San Diego or LA.

You probably don't want to know what kind of weather we're having in SoCal right now.

Have you been reading the barrage of Miceage Updates since summer ended? The Miceage group seems to be on a rumor roll with all sorts of stuff coming out of left field; Frozenland debuting in DCA days before Christmas, Luigi's being rebuilt into a new ride, Mater's cloned for DHS Playland, Fastpass coming to Fantasmic!, an electronic version of DAS, etc., etc.?

A few of those items already seem to be coming true although unannounced (Frozenland), or were just announced by Disney (Fastpass for Fantasmic!). I wonder how much of it all translates over to WDW for this winter, where rumors like that are usually months behind the curve unless you mention them?

 

[WDW1974]

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

I didn't see it. I meant to but forgot.

 

[BrerJon]

SW has up'ed their game lately in offerings for holiday season the past few years. They seem to be adding more decorations and shows each year. (especially the trees on the lake) It isnt even an up charge event.

They do seem to be paying attention to the things people complain about Disney not doing/cutting, and trying to present an alternative.

I imagine Sea World suffers from being the first to take the hit Disney should be taking from Universal getting an extra day - five days Disney, one Universal, one Sea World, is now five Disney, two Universal for many families - but that seems to have pushed them to get extra creative.

Their Christmas event is better than Disney's, their Halloween thing for little kids is great for the audience and the cost of a full day adult park admission ticket, including Halloween trick-or-treating and free candy, is less than Disney charge just for the upcharge party alone.

Anyone with little kids doing Halloween or Christmas should definitely skip the Disney upcharge events and hit Sea World instead, far better nights at far cheaper rates.

 

[FutureWorld1982]

Constant heat, humidity and months of rain and gloom isn't paradise despite what many in northern climes believe.

I'm sure seeing snow in early November isn't fun for the folks in Minnesota or the Dakotas, but that is part of the territory. But as someone who truly can't stand Florida's climate, I wish people would stop making it sound so much better than it is. This isn't San Diego or LA.

This is one of the few usually terrific weather months that we get and yesterday was all rain and gloom as was the first half of today.

Interesting opinion. I personally come from a northern state (live there for almost 20 years). I have been to Florida for years now, and I would never move (no, not even to California. The weather is not perfect there as some say). Is it too humid during the summer months? Absolutely. But if you are looking for a PERFECT place in this world, you are up for disappointment. Just enjoy what you have.

 

[WDW1974]

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

I would love that. Hear that @Lee?

Get that guest suite done. Mrs. Lee misses me already!!!

 

[yoyoflamingo]

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.

I'm usually in the minority on this one, but I adore Treasure Planet. A film that follows the same path everyone knows, but still is oddly compelling to me.

 

[WDW1974]

Sea World always wins Christmas, they get the balance right between extra offerings, good taste, not promoting themselves more than the spirit of the season, and not charging a fortune.

But the best Christmas night out in the area has to be the nightly snowfall in Celebration. It's completely free to attend, the snow effect is wonderful, and you feel the spirit of Christmas like nowhere else. Disney could learn a thing or two from their abandoned child.

Interesting.

What are views/opinions on ICE at Gaylord Palms? I've never done that.

 

[WDW1974]

You probably don't want to know what kind of weather we're having in SoCal right now.

Have you been reading the barrage of Miceage Updates since summer ended? The Miceage group seems to be on a rumor roll with all sorts of stuff coming out of left field; Frozenland debuting in DCA days before Christmas, Luigi's being rebuilt into a new ride, Mater's cloned for DHS Playland, Fastpass coming to Fantasmic!, an electronic version of DAS, etc., etc.?

A few of those items already seem to be coming true although unannounced (Frozenland), or were just announced by Disney (Fastpass for Fantasmic!). I wonder how much of it all translates over to WDW for this winter, where rumors like that are usually months behind the curve unless you mention them?

Yeah, despite it being in fashion to rip Dusty and the gang since Al's retirement, they do seem to nail it still on all the big stuff and most of the little stuff they write about.

I can't say how (or even if) it translates to WDW this winter. I guess we'll see. I've put out all that I care to right now based on Disney's track record. I'm not confident of any major announcements coming soon, meaning TPFKaTD-MGMS will be a mess of construction walls and shuttered facilities well before we officially find out what is happening.

Again, I'm still waiting on an opening date for SDL!!!

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I'm usually in the minority on this one, but I adore Treasure Planet. A film that follows the same path everyone knows, but still is oddly compelling to me.

Is that even a minority opinion? Perhaps not a consensus that it's a masterpiece, but a lot of people seem to like it. I found it quite good and it seemed to have been pretty well received upon release. It does admittedly have its flaws, including some unfinished looking animation and such. I gather it had a very rocky development cycle. But it's still quite good.

Interesting.

What are views/opinions on ICE at Gaylord Palms? I've never done that.

I can't speak from firsthand experience for the Palms as i've never been, but the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville had IMHO absolutely lovely Christmas decorations. From Google, it looks like the Palms has fewer outside trees decorated with lights (mostly due to the lack of trees in general, Opryland has a lot of trees to work with there) but the inside looks similarly well decked out to Opryland.

I'll have to visit the Palms for myself one day. Actually rather miss the Opryland Hotel, it was super gorgeous. And speaking of Disney mismanagement BS (regarding the Polynesian as I love to bring this up), Gaylord still maintains an immense quantity of interior water features INSIDE the fully enclosed building with a glass roof. They even have a boat ride inside (kind of gives me Willie Wonka vibes in fact).

 

[Mike S]

I'm usually in the minority on this one, but I adore Treasure Planet. A film that follows the same path everyone knows, but still is oddly compelling to me.

I've never seen Treasure Planet but ever since joining this board I've had a growing feeling that I have to.

 

[WDW1974]

Interesting opinion. I personally come from a northern state (live there for almost 20 years). I have been to Florida for years now, and I would never move (no, not even to California. The weather is not perfect there as some say). Is it too humid during the summer months? Absolutely. But if you are looking for a PERFECT place in this world, you are up for disappointment. Just enjoy what you have.

I split my time between SoCal and SoFla for eight years last decade and I've also traveled extensively.

I've never been to a place with a more liveable climate than SoCal.

Again, I'm sure if you're in Minnesota then the current temp of 68.8 outside the Spirit Cave must sound great. But we had to deal with six months of largely wretched weather to get here.