The Spirited Back Nine ...

[ParentsOf4]

But that is definitively not the price for normal renters in services like David's.

David's just hiked their DVC point rental price from $14/point to $16/point for 7+ months-in-advanced bookings at BLT, BWV, BCV, VWL, and VGF because demand exceeds supply.

At $16/point, a BLT Lake View Studio on the weekend of December 12-14 costs $304/night.

$304/night is pretty darned expensive but WDW's rate (with tax) for a Lake View room in the Contemporary Tower is $745/night.

Even with 30% off, that's still $522/night.

Those prices made David's $304/night look like a bargain.

It's not really surprising that so many want to rent points, and why DVC rental places like David's are pleading for points at key resorts.

 

[71jason]

Let's not act like Disney is the only corporation who treats their employees bad.

Pick your favorite corporate whipping boy. Wal-Mart, Starbucks, doesn't matter. Go into the nearest store and begin screaming "You suck!" at the first front-line employee you see. Repeatedly. Encourage other customers to do the same. Then please compare that company's response to TWDC's.

 

[71jason]

The giant storefront figure at Weasley's wasn't lifting his hat. I haven't seen that effect in operation since the area opened. Anyone else seen it working? It's a great bit of kinetic action when it works.

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

 

[RSoxNo1]

Little girl… First off. Siri spelled Gino's wrong. I did not. I use voice to text because… It causes some hilarity. Clearly you don't pay attention because everyone who's regular around here knows that and also finds it ridiculously hilarious.

And clearly you have been deprived in your life because no one is taking you to South Street for what a real cheesesteak is. That's Jim's steaks at the corner of fourth and South streets in Philadelphia.

This is what Adam Carolla calls "the great magnet". I hadn't heard of Jim's cheesesteaks until last night when it was mentioned on Bar Rescue... I feel so sheltered.

 

[ford91exploder]

They did make the switch to offering fruits and vegetables with the kids meals. Little packets of grapes or carrot sticks.

It's more of a supply and demand problem. People generally want fries with a burger or chicken nuggets. I know when I'm on vacation I tend to eat more junky than normal life. It's part of the fun of being on vacation.

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.

 

[SJN1279]

That's what Disney does, though.

That's why JK Rowling ultimately wanted no part of Disney. Can't you see the lines of Vinylmation? How about the Potter characters mashed up as Cars? Or in a Marvel toon for Disney's XD channel?

I was in the Home Depot yesterday and saw Christmas decorations everywhere. There was a huge inflatable Darth Vader holding a candy cane. That's tacky and dumb and oh so Disney. George Lucas doesn't care.

Look at Disney Infinity (what every 33-year-old virgin Lifestyler is playing) where you have characters like Donald and Stitch and the Incredibles and MOnsters and the Lone Ranger and Captain Jack and now the Marvel characters all existing in one MAGICal Disney BRANDED UNIverse.

You either think that's great or you think like I do.

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.

 

[ford91exploder]

Caffeine is not a diuretic. That myth has been debunked. But of course water is best...
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/20...ting-cup-of-joe-may-help-hydration-and-memory
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140402-are-coffee-and-tea-dehydrating

No Caffeine is not a diuretic but OTHER chemicals in coffee are, You noticed that I mentioned Coffee specifically, Personally I trust a registered dietitian as their license to practice is on the line, More so than news stories on the internet.

If you drink too much coke there are no diuretic effects even though a can or bottle has far more caffeine than a Venti Park Place.

I have not stopped drinking coffee I just drink a lot less than I used to, Feeling better and have more energy than I used to.

 

[bhg469]

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.

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.

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.

 

[twebber55]

went totally

No Caffeine is not a diuretic but OTHER chemicals in coffee are, You noticed that I mentioned Coffee specifically, Personally I trust a registered dietitian as their license to practice is on the line, More so than news stories on the internet.

If you drink too much coke there are no diuretic effects even though a can or bottle has far more caffeine than a Venti Park Place.

I have not stopped drinking coffee I just drink a lot less than I used to, Feeling better and have more energy than I used to.

all i drink is water and cut all caffeine and i haven't had a head ache in a year let alone zero heart burn in a year

 

[the.dreamfinder]

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.

Point missed.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Spirited Annual Post Ripping WDW/TDO For Extorting Christmas From Guests:


What WDW does for Christmas at the MK truly disgusts me. It has for many years. It doesn't matter, though, as the rubes gladly put their money up to pay for something that used to BE FREE for ALL guests. Time distorts things and the further out we go from those days,the further people forget. If they even knew to begin with ... Much like they forget about Aunt Polly's ... forget about the original Top of the World and its fantastic weekend brunches ... forget about midnight closings at EPCOT (let's not even talk about the park's original purpose/mission) ... forget about higher standards across the board from CMs to cleanliness to show.

So, if I tell folks that the MK used to start MVMCParade and multiple Christmas-themed stage shows (think castle stage, think Tomorrowland exec parking lot, think Diamond Horseshoe) on Thanksgiving weekend and that they included that for all guests, I'm sure I'll get some (how do they put it in that most private of places here?) ... oh yeah, some ****** will try and argue facts or tell me that Disney is a business because no one here knows that.

But, yes, even after Disney started MVMCP (sometime in the 80s as a two-night event), for years they still turned the page and offered the basics to all guests. That stopped in the 90s sometime and every year they have added dates and made it so you have a choice that only an extortionist could love: namely pay an extra admission fee for a party with ever fewer offerings OR wait until around December 20th (some years as late as the 22nd) before the entertainment becomes 'free' for all. All the while you can pay holiday surcharges for meals and pay the highest prices of the year if you are dumb enough to stay at a Disney resort and deal with the absolute worst crowds of the year.

I will point out that this is something that UNI does not do.

I will point out that this is something that Disney in Anaheim, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo does not do.

The Grinch may visit IOA at Christmas, but TDO execs play that role at WDW.

And let's not talk about Halloween. While I feel that MNSSHP is overpriced and tired, Disney never had a Halloween season/events before this hard ticket party began. They are offering something extra (again, I may have issue with starting it on Labor Day ... or not clearing the park like they use to ... or the hard sell they do on families by not clearing the park first, but that's not what we're talking about here.) so they didn't take anything away from regular guests to do so.

And before anyone brings up Anaheim, they offer two Halloween overlays to E-Tix that are available to all guests. They never really did Halloween until about a decade ago when they started Halloween parties at DCA. They moved them over to DL about five years ago and while they had introduced a Halloween pyro show the year before it wasn't a tradition. I don't have any issue with it.

Again, what WDW does is a different animal. And it is disgusting.

And please, let's not talk about what Disney does across the resort because we're talking MK here (and really do you want be bashing them for Lights of Winter disappearing or Holiday Illuminations leaving and then having one section tagged on? Or you want me ripping them for killing the fun Jungle Jingle parade at DAK?)

OK, the Christmas extortion thread is out for 2014 ...

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.

 

[flynnibus]

I hate to inflate your huge ego, but that post may be one of the best you have dropped here. And considering you and I don't always see eye to eye on business matters, that says quite a lot!

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.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Pixar isn't exactly in the toilet, either. No, their last three films haven't been great and coming off TS3 in 2010 I think it would have been very tough to top that. But the last three films still made a ton of money and sold a ton of merchandise. And none of the films (yes, including Cars 2) were awful. I do think they were more aimed at kids, at least Cars 2 and Brave. I really enjoyed Monsters U a lot. So, I don't see any luster off the Pixar BRAND at all.

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.

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."

Of course, my opinions are simply one Spirit's, but there isn't a Disney animated film released in the 1990s (that includes everything up to Tarzan in 99) that I didn't feel was better than Frozen.

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 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.

 

[Ignohippo]

Maybe thats the part where you need to learn.
Because Planes was never made by Pixar. It was done by Disney Toon Studios (usually in charge of doing direct to video sequels).

Maybe you need to learn to read. I never said ANYTHING about Planes being made by Pixar.

 

[Ignohippo]

That turd was from DisneyToon Studios, which is on its last legs and has maybe a movie or two left before they permanently close. As the Hat Building gets the equivalent of the DCA redo, large chunks of Walt Disney Animation are moving into DisneyToons' building next to WDI in Glendale.

Same company though and same people in charge of approving the dreadful script (and concept in general). Terrible. Embarrassing.

Planes: Fire and Rescue should have been rescued and set on fire.

 

[flynnibus]

Philosophically I'm sure many will miss the significance of this.. but I'll post it anyways. These "Viking Rules" reflect a mindset or philosophy that ring so true IMO with successful people and organizations. It's not about the LITERAL implementation of these, but about the mindset in how you operate. I encourage you to read these and think about how they apply or not to organizations or people you find successful or not.

I had a former boss share these with me, and while he was Norwegian and I had been exposed to their way of working and what they valued... reading these really made clear some of the core principles that shaped the way he was raised and shaped. Again, do not take this literally - no I do not think he was a 'viking' or was raised by vikings.. This is about culture, mentality, and what your values.

 

[Ignohippo]

He never said it was.

Thank you Bairstow. Nice to see some people can still read.

 

[Ignohippo]

he did

Isnt Big Hero 6 Pixar-Disney Studios? (aka not the Disney Toons team)

My quote: "Hard to believe the same company that put out Big Hero 6 could put out such garbage"

Last I looked, Walt Disney Animation, Pixar and DisneyToon studios were all part of ONE company. Obviously, all different divisions but Walt Disney Animation is now in charge of all of them and they are most certainly all part of the Walt Disney Company.

Not sure why you keep arguing and highlighting your ignorance and complete lack of reading and comprehending my first statement.

 

[SJN1279]

Point missed.

Point wasn't missed, point wasn't agreed with.

 

[stevehousse]

Same company though and same people in charge of approving the dreadful script (and concept in general). Terrible. Embarrassing.

Planes: Fire and Rescue should have been rescued and set on fire.

I think you forget that these plane movies were never meant for theater release to begin with. These were to be straight to DVD titles like the tink movies. They never were suppose to e on caliber with Pixar or official Disney animated movies to begin with. It was just a way to make extra money. The first planes movie was entertaining, but I do agree that fire and rescue was not very good. But again, I knew going it it wasn't going to be Frozen or finding nemo quality...