The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[Californian Elitist]

The big deal stems from the fact Orlando management has made a conscious decision to fabricate a fake history that ties Walt directly to the planning, design and implementation of Magic Kingdom Park circa 1967 to 1971. Except he was already dead and cremated before then. And his plans for the theme park on the Florida property before his death in 1966 were nothing more than an exact copy of Disneyland circa 1965 (the original cut and paste).

But TDO figures there's some money and good will to be made by attaching the Florida property more to Walt. So they create a fake history, fudge the facts a bit, and stretch the truth. From the WDW official website comes this description of the Keys To The Kingdom guided tour...

An in-depth, 5-hour look at the most iconic theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.
Learn About the Man Behind the Mouse
Hear the intriguing story of Walt Disney and how his vision, innovation and creativity brought the theme park to life. You’ll gain insight on Walt’s thought process as he was designing the park, learn fun trivia and little-known facts, discover hidden Mickeys and other often-overlooked details, and more.

Really?!? He did this in the late 1960's from beyond the grave?

And that's just the official website blurb. When I took this tour almost 10 years ago, the perky tour hostess was throwing out all sorts of Walt-based falsehoods and fabrications and erroneous information. "Walt wanted the view here on Main Street to...." "Walt was always a big fan of Mark Twain's stories, so when he designed the Rivers of America here he...." "It was always Walt's dream for the Magic Kingdom to be..." "Walt wasn't satisfied with the simpler Mr. Lincoln show at Disneyland, so he planned this show in Florida to feature every President in the nation's history and instructed his Imagineers to..."

I didn't want to be "that guy", so I just gritted my teeth and smiled along with the clueless East Coast rubes also on the tour who lapped up every word the hostess said. On about the second hour of the tour I had gotten over being annoyed and was thoroughly entertained by how factually inaccurate or just plain dumb her tour spiel was, and it became hilariously funny!

Here's Walt Disney's plan for Magic Kingdom Park as posted in the Florida Project Room at Imagineering in Glendale, California in October, 1966. This was what was on the wall during Walt's last visit to WDI in Glendale about 45 days before he died at St. Joseph's Hospital on December 15, 1966.

The "park" is a cut and paste copy of Disneyland circa 1965, right down to New Orleans Square and StorybookLand and the Matterhorn and the Flying Saucers. Motor Inns and campgrounds surround the park, and directly in front is a monorail station flanked by what is identified on better screengrabs as an "Ice Rink" and "Rollerdrome". (Uh, okay Walt, if that's really where you want an ice rink...)

But then again, nothing that was approved by Walt in 1966 for the Florida property actually made it into the opening day roster of facilities by late 1971.

Walt in the Florida Project Room, October 1966 - Walt was dead six weeks after this photo was taken. Nothing pictured here existed by 1971.

Sad thing is that there are a lot of WDW CM's, and too many casual fans as customers, who believe Walt Disney had anything to do with the planning, design or implementation of Magic Kingdom Park as it opened five years after his death in 1971. History matters. If you lie about history to gain profit or friends, that's a problem.

Wow, this is sad. No wonder so many people believe Walt Disney helped design Magic Kingdom. Note to self, don't take that tour.

Magic Kingdom, and WDW in General has its own, special history. The company should embrace that, not lie about it.

 

[Mike S]

The big deal stems from the fact Orlando management has made a conscious decision to fabricate a fake history that ties Walt directly to the planning, design and implementation of Magic Kingdom Park circa 1967 to 1971. Except he was already dead and cremated before then. And his plans for the theme park on the Florida property before his death in 1966 were nothing more than an exact copy of Disneyland circa 1965 (the original cut and paste).

But TDO figures there's some money and good will to be made by attaching the Florida property more to Walt. So they create a fake history, fudge the facts a bit, and stretch the truth. From the WDW official website comes this description of the Keys To The Kingdom guided tour...

An in-depth, 5-hour look at the most iconic theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.
Learn About the Man Behind the Mouse
Hear the intriguing story of Walt Disney and how his vision, innovation and creativity brought the theme park to life. You’ll gain insight on Walt’s thought process as he was designing the park, learn fun trivia and little-known facts, discover hidden Mickeys and other often-overlooked details, and more.

Really?!? He did this in the late 1960's from beyond the grave?

And that's just the official website blurb. When I took this tour almost 10 years ago, the tour hostess was throwing out all sorts of Walt-based falsehoods and fabrications and erroneous information. "Walt wanted the view here on Main Street to...." "Walt was always a big fan of Mark Twain's stories, so when he designed the Rivers of America here he...." "It was always Walt's dream for the Magic Kingdom to be..." "Walt wasn't satisfied with the simpler Mr. Lincoln show at Disneyland, so he planned this show in Florida to feature every President in the nation's history and instructed his Imagineers to..."

I didn't want to be "that guy", so I just gritted my teeth and smiled along with the clueless East Coast rubes also on the tour who lapped up every word the hostess said. On about the second hour of the tour I had gotten over being annoyed and was thoroughly entertained by how factually inaccurate or just plain dumb her tour spiel was, and it became hilariously funny!

Here's Walt Disney's plan for Magic Kingdom Park as posted in the Florida Project Room at Imagineering in Glendale, California in October, 1966. This was what was on the wall during Walt's last visit to WDI in Glendale about 45 days before he died on December 15, 1966.

The "park" is a cut and paste copy of Disneyland circa 1965, right down to New Orleans Square and StorybookLand and the Matterhorn and the Flying Saucers. Motor Inns and campgrounds surround the park, and directly in front is a monorail station flanked by what is identified on better screengrabs as an "Ice Rink" and "Rollerdrome". (Uh, okay Walt, if that's really where you want an ice rink...)

But then again, nothing that was approved by Walt in 1966 for the Florida property actually made it into the opening day roster of facilities by late 1971.

Walt in the Florida Project Room, October 1966 - Walt was dead six weeks after this photo was taken. Nothing pictured here existed by 1971.

Sad thing is that there are a lot of WDW CM's, and too many casual fans as customers, who believe Walt Disney had anything to do with the planning, design or implementation of Magic Kingdom Park as it opened five years after his death in 1971. History matters. If you lie about history to gain profit or friends, that's a problem.

Really a shame they don't tell the story of the actual people and Imagineers who brought the resort to life.

 

[dhall]

300m from me is a church that has parts from the 900s over a thousand years old, we have ruins of an abbey in the next town that are 6th century, we have an iron age site about 10 miles away, an English Civil War battlefield nearby, and an hour up the road, the oldest dwelling house in Europe

But you guys enjoy your 'historic monuments and sites'

Hell we have the original Lincoln, Boston and New York in our county

Remember, up to a certain point, your history is our history too...

 

[TP2000]

Really a shame they don't tell the story of the actual people and Imagineers who brought the resort to life.

I agree! It's not like there wasn't great Imagineering happening and brilliant showmanship and talented operational skill poured into the property from 1968 to 1972. But unfortunately, none of those people who actually participated in that process were named Walt Disney, so TDO feels it's not important. And it certainly doesn't fit their 21st century script of a fabricated backstory and fake history for the place.

I'd love to hear how Dick Nunis rolled up his shirtsleeves in '68 and '69 and hammered out the size of walkways and customer facilities for the future park. Who designed the Utilidor system, and what were those meetings like at the dawn of the 1970's? How did Card Walker and Roy Disney secure all that funding from the bankers in 1968? What other work in Burbank was put on hold during the 18 months of actual construction from early 1970 through the fall of 1971?

And you just know that Bob Gurr was all over that property from 1969 to 1972, and Mr. Gurr can tell a real story! Bob Gurr is still alive and appearing at events and I've seen him at Disneyland repeatedly in the last few years; most recently I spotted him in Cars Land just after it opened! He's got lots of great stories involving WDW that he shares in his regular column on another website.

But that perky Keys To The Kingdom tour guide never once mentioned Dick Nunis or Bob Gurr or Marc Davis or Mary Blair or anyone else who actually led WDW from swamp to reality during 1968 to 1972. She only mentioned Roy Disney once or twice, but Walt's name was thrown out every five minutes. And no one else existed in her pre-approved tour script. Just shamefully inaccurate, if not downright rude to tell lies about a dead man that way.

 

[Stevek]

My family chooses WDW/Orlando for or big vacations (for now). We travel all around during the summers. Taking trips to New Hampshire, Maine, DC, Vermont, NYC... lots of places. We do lots of driving trips, and enjoy those places. But our family is not ready for a trip abroad - cannto afford it, and I am sure that my kids would not want to do the same things that the wife and I will - someday the two of us will travel to make up for these places.

Yes we can make memories everywhere else, and we do. I have thousands and thousands of pictures and treasures to prove it.

But when we take a BIG TRIP when we get together we all agree to visit WDW and Orlando.

I don't like to be considered a RUBE or UNEDUCATED HICK for doing so. It feels like Spirits comment on this was, GO FORTH AND DO OTHER THINGS... That we are indoctrinated into some pixie dust mayhem... We are not. We go to UNI, and enjoy it. It's not MAGICal Disney Marketing, it is our families love of the PArks and time together. We are not drenched in Disney merchandise (although my girls are covered in FROZEN at the moment).

Not everyone that goes is a low-minded lemming.

Very true though I will agree that there is so much out there beyond WDW or DL that is IMO, just as if not far more enjoyable and I think there are people (not pointing fingers at you) that fail to realize that and put all their eggs in one basket. Our last 2 real vacations, Hawaii and Atlantis resort really brought that to light. The trip to Atlantis was followed by 3 days at WDW before heading back home to the west coast and I can say without a doubt that I had a far (and by far, I mean really far) more enjoyable time at Atlantis. We are now at the point that WDW isn't even on the short list of places we want to go back to...we've been there 2X.

 

[Mike S]

I agree! It's not like there wasn't great Imagineering happening and brilliant showmanship and talented operational skill poured into the property from 1968 to 1972. But unfortunately, none of those people who actually participated in that process were named Walt Disney, so TDO feels it's not important. And it certainly doesn't fit their 21st century script of a fabricated backstory and fake history for the place.

I'd love to hear how Dick Nunis rolled up his shirtsleeves in '68 and '69 and hammered out the size of walkways and customer facilities for the future park. Who designed the Utilidor system, and what were those meetings like at the dawn of the 1970's? How did Card Walker and Roy Disney secure all that funding from the bankers in 1968? What other work in Burbank was put on hold during the 18 months of actual construction from early 1970 through the fall of 1971?

And you just know that Bob Gurr was all over that property from 1969 to 1972, and Mr. Gurr can tell a real story! Bob Gurr is still alive and appearing at events and I've seen him at Disneyland repeatedly in the last few years; most recently I spotted him in Cars Land just after it opened! He's got lots of great stories involving WDW that he shares in his regular column on another website.

But that perky Keys To The Kingdom tour guide never once mentioned Dick Nunis or Bob Gurr or Marc Davis or anyone else who actually led WDW from swamp to reality during 1968 to 1972. She only mentioned Roy Disney once or twice, but Walt's name was thrown out every five minutes. And no one else existed in her pre-approved tour script. Just shamefully inaccurate, if not downright rude to tell lies about a dead man that way.

At least the Modern Marvels special on WDW doesn't try to say Walt designed the park.

 

[tirian]

I once took that tour with some family members who wanted to see the Utilidoors, and spent the whole time quietly correcting the hostess's errors.

At least the MK is located where Walt wanted it. I've heard the Seven Seas Lagoon was also legitimately his idea from his deathbed (but cannot be proven). I guess it's possible that parts of the HM were approved too, but long before the ride was actually constructed. (I'm sure you already know the HM is technically the oldest ride at WDW since the parts for DL and WDW were built simultaneously.)

Is it any different from the merchandise with Walt photoshopped into the MK Main Street?

The big deal stems from the fact Orlando management has made a conscious decision to fabricate a fake history that ties Walt directly to the planning, design and implementation of Magic Kingdom Park circa 1967 to 1971. Except he was already dead and cremated before then. And his plans for the theme park on the Florida property before his death in 1966 were nothing more than an exact copy of Disneyland circa 1965 (the original cut and paste).

But TDO figures there's some money and good will to be made by attaching the Florida property more to Walt. So they create a fake history, fudge the facts a bit, and stretch the truth. From the WDW official website comes this description of the Keys To The Kingdom guided tour...

An in-depth, 5-hour look at the most iconic theme park at Walt Disney World Resort.
Learn About the Man Behind the Mouse
Hear the intriguing story of Walt Disney and how his vision, innovation and creativity brought the theme park to life. You’ll gain insight on Walt’s thought process as he was designing the park, learn fun trivia and little-known facts, discover hidden Mickeys and other often-overlooked details, and more.

Really?!? He did this in the late 1960's from beyond the grave?

And that's just the official website blurb. When I took this tour almost 10 years ago, the perky tour hostess was throwing out all sorts of Walt-based falsehoods and fabrications and erroneous information. "Walt wanted the view here on Main Street to...." "Walt was always a big fan of Mark Twain's stories, so when he designed the Rivers of America here he...." "It was always Walt's dream for the Magic Kingdom to be..." "Walt wasn't satisfied with the simpler Mr. Lincoln show at Disneyland, so he planned this show in Florida to feature every President in the nation's history and instructed his Imagineers to..."

I didn't want to be "that guy", so I just gritted my teeth and smiled along with the clueless East Coast rubes also on the tour who lapped up every word the hostess said. On about the second hour of the tour I had gotten over being annoyed and was thoroughly entertained by how factually inaccurate or just plain dumb her tour spiel was, and it became hilariously funny! I've considered taking the tour again, just for the comedy of errors.

Here's Walt Disney's plan for Magic Kingdom Park as posted in the Florida Project Room at Imagineering in Glendale, California in October, 1966. This was what was on the wall during Walt's last visit to WDI in Glendale about 45 days before he died at St. Joseph's Hospital on December 15, 1966.

The "park" is a cut and paste copy of Disneyland circa 1966, right down to New Orleans Square and StorybookLand and the Matterhorn and the Flying Saucers. Motor Inns and campgrounds surround the park, and directly in front is a monorail station flanked by what is identified on better screengrabs as an "Ice Rink" and "Rollerdrome". (Uh, okay Walt, if that's really where you want an ice rink...)

But then again, nothing that was approved by Walt in 1966 for the Florida property actually made it into the opening day roster of facilities by late 1971. That ice rink never had a chance.

Walt in the Florida Project Room, October 1966 - Walt was dead six weeks after this photo was taken. Nothing pictured here existed by 1971.

Sad thing is that there are a lot of WDW CM's, and too many casual fans as customers, who believe Walt Disney had anything to do with the planning, design or implementation of Magic Kingdom Park as it opened five years after his death in 1971. History matters. If you lie about history to gain profit or friends, that's a problem.

 

[Omnispace]

At least the Modern Marvels special on WDW doesn't try to say Walt designed the park.

Most stories I have read indicate that Walt was mostly interested in E.P.C.O.T. The theme park and resorts were secondary to that main focus.

 

[Mike S]

Most stories I have read indicate that Walt was mostly interested in E.P.C.O.T. The theme park and resorts were secondary to that main focus.

I kind of wonder if Walt would have liked the direction the imagineers went with the original EPCOT Center.

 

[tirian]

Most stories I have read indicate that Walt was mostly interested in E.P.C.O.T. The theme park and resorts were secondary to that main focus.

It's true; however, it doesn't negate the talented team that built the MK after working on DL with Walt. The same people that created DL or fixed its shortcomings (e.g. Marc Davis) gave us the MK. Upon its opening and through the mid 90s, Florida was significantly better than the older, but still charming, park in California.

The WDW resort experience didn't drop until TDO began treating it like a cash cow for a guaranteed crowd of marks—I mean, guests. Similarly, DL and DCA weren't rescued until Lasseter doted on his childhood playground...by shoving his company's IP into places it didn't technically fit.

I enjoy WDW as a vacation destination, and spend more time at the golf courses and water parks than the theme parks.

 

[tirian]

I kind of wonder if Walt would have liked the direction the imagineers went with the original EPCOT Center.

Society changed too much after Walt's original plan. I don't think his apple-pie/Americana/trust-the-big-corporations mentality would've worked after the upheavals of the 60s and 70s.

 

[SoupBone]

I kind of wonder if Walt would have liked the direction the imagineers went with the original EPCOT Center.

There are maybe only a handful of people on the planet that could give their opinion about this with any real authority, but I think in my opinion he wouldn't have liked it. EPCOT is nothing like the original plans for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow like you see in the model/mockup of EPCOT on the TTA or Disneyland. From my reviewing of that model several times, it looks like Walt wanted an actual city that was setup much like his theme parks with a central hub, and everything expanding out from that center. The current EPCOT doesn't really have any of those original components except for the fact that the countries in the world showcase are centered around a water area.

 

[TP2000]

I once took that tour with some family members who wanted to see the Utilidoors, and spent the whole time quietly correcting the hostess's errors.

You have to wonder who approves these WDW tour scripts? Or who supervises their implementation and presentation to paying customers?

It was obvious to me that the Keys To The Kingdom Tour script writer and department supervisor have no Internet access and no ability to telephone the Disney Company archives in Burbank, nor any access to archival Imagineering documents in Glendale. And yet they sell this product to people who do have Internet access?

It was like the tour script was pieced together by a perky and energetic group of summer camp counselors with a troubling Walt fetish, and cut off from all communication with the outside world.

 

[dadddio]

There are maybe only a handful of people on the planet that could give their opinion about this with any real authority, but I think in my opinion he wouldn't have liked it. EPCOT is nothing like the original plans for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow like you see in the model/mockup of EPCOT on the TTA or Disneyland. From my reviewing of that model several times, it looks like Walt wanted an actual city that was setup much like his theme parks with a central hub, and everything expanding out from that center. The current EPCOT doesn't really have any of those original components except for the fact that the countries in the world showcase are centered around a water area.

I think that you gave an easy, technically correct, answer.

Perhaps a better question would be: Had that park been named anything other that EPCOT, would Disney have liked it? Would he still like it?

 

[SoupBone]

I think that you gave an easy, technically correct, answer.

Perhaps a better question would be: Had that park been named anything other that EPCOT, would Disney have liked it? Would he still like it?

Yeah that's a whole different question that I don't think anyone can answer. I'd like to think that he would have enjoyed the concept of bringing the best of different regional areas (food, shopping, architecture, etc.) that would give people a very small glimpse into other cultures. I know that it's sort of a skewed touristy view of those countries, but I've always enjoyed my time at the world showcase. I really love Morocco.

 

[JenniferS]

I don't know if there is a way of saying this without seeming to be bragging, but maybe I am; I definitely am not ashamed of what I've done.

Me and the SO have been to all 50 US states, all seven continents, 9 of the Canadian provinces, and 76 different countries (without doing a Caribbean cruise). We've been to all 11 Disney parks worldwide (just happened to be in Shanghai the day Disney announced they were building the park there, and by happenstance drove past the site.) But we still go to WDW every weekend, at least once and generally twice. Why? Because it gives us pleasure.

Yes, we are APs, and live about 30 minutes from the farthest park from us. That was the result of job relocation, not precisely a plan. But it was a positive factor in the decision to accept the move. We're former DVC owners, but sold when we moved so close, since the positives were completely overwhelmed by the yearly maintenance fees.

We enjoy the parks. Period, no question. But it isn't because of anything WDW has done recently, it's because people who go seem to be enjoying themselves, and we like seeing that. We do more people watching than anything else. We always do at least one attraction per visit (my rule), but that isn't the driving force in going. Of course, our scheduling may seem strange - get up in the morning, decide where we want to eat, make a lunch reservation, eat, then visit whatever park we happen to be in. The only difference is when something special is going on - just had to see John Ratzenberg last weekend, and Mark Hamill today - but we could do that and nothing else at the park and consider it a good day. So is this the justification for dropping a couple of thousand dollars to do Disney? Obviously not, since we don't spend near that much at one time. But we will spend that over a year, and have no regrets doing so.

Of course, we bought APs to USO earlier this year (before the prices went up), because we want to see the additions to Potter that are upcoming. (We bought APs when the original Potterland opened too.) So while the atmosphere at USO is not as welcoming to us, the adds that Universal is doing are paying off, at least as it relates to us.

Are you looking to adopt a polite, well-behaved, middle aged Disney enthusiast?

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Sunday Musings:

I neglected to comment on @TP2000 's statements about LAX. Now, to be fair until very recently the airport was largely third world. But the international terminal has seen MAJOR upgrades. And Terminal 5, which I just flew out of, also has some huge infrastructure improvements going on. Sure, it's crowded and old and, still, dirty in parts. But they are rebuilding the place and it was my 'home' airport for years. I get why folks going to DLR might prefer John Wayne/OC. BUT ... naturally, I have some negatives about it.

It's small and compact. That's great for in and out, but not so much for great number of flights. Also, due to noise laws, don't take a night flight that may be delayed because you might wind up at LAX anyway. Look, as a Faux Top One Percenter, I love flying with the OC monied elite. They are always fun to chat up about current events/politics/economics. But flights are usually MUCH pricier than LAX. And forget about First Class upgrades if you have status with an airline because you are likely going to be fighting with 80-90 people over 12-16 seats upfront on smaller aircraft.

BTW, this could lead me into a Southwest rant about who wants to convince me they are the low-cost alternative airline, but I'd rather not.

Suffice to say, when I fly to and from SoCal, 90% of the time it is thru LAX (BTW, SoCal is also home to international airports in Long Beach, Burbank and Ontario ... I've only used the latter and it has seen about 65% of flights cut back from about 2000 to now.)

While talking about third world, I had a friend getting on my case because he has had a few nice business/leisure trips to Dubai in very pricey hotels. What he (and many UAE defenders in the west) painfully miss out on is the fact that while westerners can act (only to some extent as well) a certain way (like drinking alcohol in those pricey hotels or women wearing bathing suits at pools with men around), it is ONLY for those privileged/monied western elites that are there for business. Locals could be imprisoned or die for some of those things. And even those western elites, can only behave 'freely' to a certain point inside that bubble. ... Very hard for some who live in a bubble to see what life is like beyond it and look upon it with unbiased eyes.

I am truly glad that all those Lifestylers were able to come up with an extra $119 plus per person(did they not comp folks like Ricky and the Mongello?) to enjoy highlights of the Lion King film, the show they could see during the day and a buffet that most who went are saying was mediocre at best.

I see folks discussing WDW tours and how they ... um ... ah ... ahm ... STRETCH the truth regarding Walt Disney and what his impact really was on the creation of the MK and most of WDW. Those tours are WONDERful IF you like to coat your world view in outright distortion and lies with a healthy dose of PR spin tossed on top. I like dealing with facts. Walt had nothing to do with the creation of the MK. ... Give the credit to Roy ... to Marty ... to John Hench ... to Card ... to old Joe Potter ... to literally dozens of Disney 'names' ... but Walt had no input beyond buying the land and saying 'copy DL there' ...

So, when I hear folks spitting out platitudes about Avatar or saying it has the same staying power as such theme park IP as Harry Potter, Star Wars or Cars, I just think to myself (all sorts of things I won't bother posting here).

Back to the upcharge events, I am somewhat surprised that they didn't go ahead with the premium July 4th pyro packages that were on the table for MK and EPCOT. ... That is if they don't announce them this week!

Yes, of course, I am excited about everything happening in O-Town this summer. How can you not be excited by the remodeling of the Intermission Food Court at ASMu? Or the opportunity to buy a mix of DL and WDW merchandise for the home that is not for use in microwaves or dishwashers at the new 'Village Co-Op'?

I hope @Lee is having a truly MAGICal time despite the rain.

One week and counting until TPFKaTD-MGMS returns to being a 3-4 hour diversion.

Five straight French Opens for Nadal is pretty damn impressive, but I don't think this crowd largely has a clue what I am talking about.

 

[WDW1974]

I've stayed at Dolphin before, and would again, but not for $279/night + resort fee + tax.

I never have paid more than $200 to stay at Swan or Dolphin. I have paid as little as $45 a night.
A decade ago this week I was there for 11 nights for $69 a night.

I think people who pay $300-plus for regular hotel rooms IN ORLANDO are crazy, have no appreciation for the value of money or just have too much. And, yeah, I could pay that. I'm just not going to.

 

[The Mom]

Spirited Sunday Musings:



Five straight French Opens for Nadal is pretty damn impressive, but I don't think this crowd largely has a clue what I am talking about.

And you might be mistaken. I also watched the Belmont yesterday. But you did say "largely."

 

[twebber55]

Spirited Sunday Musings:

I neglected to comment on @TP2000 's statements about LAX. Now, to be fair until very recently the airport was largely third world. But the international terminal has seen MAJOR upgrades. And Terminal 5, which I just flew out of, also has some huge infrastructure improvements going on. Sure, it's crowded and old and, still, dirty in parts. But they are rebuilding the place and it was my 'home' airport for years. I get why folks going to DLR might prefer John Wayne/OC. BUT ... naturally, I have some negatives about it.

It's small and compact. That's great for in and out, but not so much for great number of flights. Also, due to noise laws, don't take a night flight that may be delayed because you might wind up at LAX anyway. Look, as a Faux Top One Percenter, I love flying with the OC monied elite. They are always fun to chat up about current events/politics/economics. But flights are usually MUCH pricier than LAX. And forget about First Class upgrades if you have status with an airline because you are likely going to be fighting with 80-90 people over 12-16 seats upfront on smaller aircraft.

BTW, this could lead me into a Southwest rant about who wants to convince me they are the low-cost alternative airline, but I'd rather not.

Suffice to say, when I fly to and from SoCal, 90% of the time it is thru LAX (BTW, SoCal is also home to international airports in Long Beach, Burbank and Ontario ... I've only used the latter and it has seen about 65% of flights cut back from about 2000 to now.)

While talking about third world, I had a friend getting on my case because he has had a few nice business/leisure trips to Dubai in very pricey hotels. What he (and many UAE defenders in the west) painfully miss out on is the fact that while westerners can act (only to some extent as well) a certain way (like drinking alcohol in those pricey hotels or women wearing bathing suits at pools with men around), it is ONLY for those privileged/monied western elites that are there for business. Locals could be imprisoned or die for some of those things. And even those western elites, can only behave 'freely' to a certain point inside that bubble. ... Very hard for some who live in a bubble to see what life is like beyond it and look upon it with unbiased eyes.

I am truly glad that all those Lifestylers were able to come up with an extra $119 plus per person(did they not comp folks like Ricky and the Mongello?) to enjoy highlights of the Lion King film, the show they could see during the day and a buffet that most who went are saying was mediocre at best.

I see folks discussing WDW tours and how they ... um ... ah ... ahm ... STRETCH the truth regarding Walt Disney and what his impact really was on the creation of the MK and most of WDW. Those tours are WONDERful IF you like to coat your world view in outright distortion and lies with a healthy dose of PR spin tossed on top. I like dealing with facts. Walt had nothing to do with the creation of the MK. ... Give the credit to Roy ... to Marty ... to John Hench ... to Card ... to old Joe Potter ... to literally dozens of Disney 'names' ... but Walt had no input beyond buying the land and saying 'copy DL there' ...

So, when I hear folks spitting out platitudes about Avatar or saying it has the same staying power as such theme park IP as Harry Potter, Star Wars or Cars, I just think to myself (all sorts of things I won't bother posting here).

Back to the upcharge events, I am somewhat surprised that they didn't go ahead with the premium July 4th pyro packages that were on the table for MK and EPCOT. ... That is if they don't announce them this week!

Yes, of course, I am excited about everything happening in O-Town this summer. How can you not be excited by the remodeling of the Intermission Food Court at ASMu? Or the opportunity to buy a mix of DL and WDW merchandise for the home that is not for use in microwaves or dishwashers at the new 'Village Co-Op'?

I hope @Lee is having a truly MAGICal time despite the rain.

One week and counting until TPFKaTD-MGMS returns to being a 3-4 hour diversion.

Five straight French Opens for Nadal is pretty damn impressive, but I don't think this crowd largely has a clue what I am talking about.

Nadal or Federer who s better all time?