The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[WildcatDen]

Maybe I've been watching too much Orange is the New Black but something just isn't sitting right with that total cost.

Now, I am not a construction worker or a wannabee for that matter, but I assume the rockwork and detail added to the BOG area, Mermaid area, and SDMT would tend to take more time and be more expensive than aluminum frame, drywall and plaster. I actually cannot wait until our next trip to Orlando to check out Diagon Alley. That said, I think the New Fantasy Land area is beautiful to look at and amazingly well done.

 

[WildcatDen]

They probably offer the plastic cup and let it be your responsibility rather than all the wasted $$ in paper cups being used once and chucked, essentially not being paid for if using a refill program. It wouldn't be very cost effective.

If you want a water, don't they give you a paper cup? This past trip, all we did was water and brought our own little flavor things (Crystal Lite and Kool Aid) and they even gave us waters in the larger cups. FREE mind you.

In the quantities they purchase, I am pretty sure we are talking pennies. The catch would be the perceived benefit of having unlimited drinks without having to buy some bulky cup that will just sit in a corner of your garage when you get home, collecting dust and some strange looking bugs. . .

 

[Nmoody1]

Did I miss any results of the Compass Rose goings on?!?!

 

[tirian]

It's more like legal embezzlement: the money goes to loads of red-tape employees and managers who have little, if anything, to do with the final product.

I just don't get Disney's bloated construction prices. Has anyone thrown the word embezzlement out there yet, and if not, can I be the first to wave that flag? I understand WDI is like the bully of building, but come on, it's like they're holding themselves and their parent company hostage. There's absolutely no reason why NFL ran over the 500m mark. Are they paying the construction crews extremely well? Solid overtime pay? I highly doubt they are using the best of the best construction materials.

Does anyone know the breakdown of that 500m dollars? How much WDI got, what the total construction materials were, the crews? I'd be very interested in seeing this divvied up.

Maybe I've been watching too much Orange is the New Black but something just isn't sitting right with that total cost.

 

[Funmeister]

It will always be no contest between Disney Magic and the depth of their properties vs. Uni providing mostly dark themed attractions like Harry Potter and Transformers.
View attachment 56673

Yeah but as you point out with your picture...Disney mismanages their IP to the point they feel they have to go out and buy other IP. Out of all of the characters shown in that picture it is sad they have only really utilized a handful of them for attractions/shows/themed areas. Shame on Disney for not using these characters more. Thanks for bringing this to everyones attention. Shame on Disney!

 

[tirian]

I thought you loved the quick cuts, canned cheering, and frantic pacing of the Christmas parade!

Don't knock the Disney Babes. They give fanbois wet dreams without Pay-Per-View.

The difference between Disney's smarmy fakeness of creating 'memories' versus UNI's just delivering them was just showcased to the world on The Tonight Show in a segment where Jimmy and guest Kevin Hart rode the one coaster at UNI that I have even stayed off of.

Genuine emotion. Nothing faked. This isn't Stacy Aswad faking emotion on resort TV.

I hope UNI uses that segment in the future. Classic TV.

 

[Kman101]

Boy how dare anyone say anything remotely negative about Universal ... lol

And I don't really hate the band. Necessary? No. I don't mind using it. I guess I'm in the minority that it's easier to have it on my arm and not dig out my card. Only problem IS remembering to have the band but it's easier to have the card already in the wallet. So, either way, I'm easy, doesn't matter to me what they do. And for anyone who thinks they NEED to book a FP 60 days out, that just isn't accurate or necessary, at least from what I've experienced. I've booked day of FP for a spontaneous day trip, several times (at different parks), and have yet to experience issues (and you can also change the time, you couldn't do that with the legacy FP), though I could be just lucky that everything was available to choose from. Not totally defending the entire debacle, but it's just the experience I have, which has thankfully not been one of hassle.

 

[Funmeister]

NBC is knocking it out of the park with Fallon. It is reminiscent of the theme park opening specials Disney did with EPCOT Center and Disney MGM Studios. (For some reason I remember Disney doing one for EURO Disney or maybe it was just a clip?)

As someone mentioned before the greatest thing about it is the sincere emotion from Fallon and his guests. It is also great in that Universal/Comcast has a sense of humor and realize it is about having fun and not worrying about the proper nomenclature. Yes...I have personally witnessed Disney Guest Relations hosts and hostesses correct guests on the proper nomenclature of parks and resorts. Sad.

 

[71jason]

The irony of that joke is one day at Disney is the same price as one day at Universal. Actually, it's less to go to Epcot, DHS or DAK ($94 vs. $96 at MK, IOA and USF).

Of course, Uni's pricing strategy makes it so you'd be a fool to buy a 1 day-1 park pass. They blow Disney away in pricing for the rest of their tickets.

Fanbois debating a joke? Bringing up real facts to dispute that a 1-day ticket at WDW does not cost $2 million?

As always, explaining a joke is like dissecting gossamer, but what makes this one funny is the nationwide perception that WDW is insanely overpriced. That's part of their brand now. That's the rap on them out among the general population.

[ETA: @Next Big Thing nothing personal by quoting you, yours is one of at least 5 posts I saw.]

 

[Animaniac93-98]

It scares me honestly.. the commercial makes it feel like body wars :/ i know you move around some sets, but sure seems like content that screams 'projection everywhere'

And how would that be different from Spider-Man? There's plently of physical sets and props to go along with the 3-D imagery. What we've seen before suggests a split 50/50:

 

[Funmeister]

Official opening of Diagon Alley is July 8th.

 

[flynnibus]

And how would that be different from Spider-Man? There's plently of physical sets and props to go along with the 3-D imagery.

Spiderman is well known as a mobile motion base+screens. The Rat ride teasers have all been about things that are NOT-Screens. I think that's a bit disingenuous from the type of visuals stressed now... the vibe projected now feels like the BTTF ride.

 

[Wrangler-Rick]

Apparently, most APers don't like MAGIC Bands and Disney is working on another place for them to carry their tracking device according to a friend. What a shock that folks don't want plastic crap on their wrists. Who could have seen that one coming?

Surgically implanted microchips?

 

[Witchy Chick]

Here it is from my (our) perspective. We are the type of people that a Disney trip, whether it be east or west coast, is a special infrequent thing. We live in Texas and going multiple times a year is just not an option for us. When we do end up going to say WDW I believe it will be a 5 or 6 day trip. I think MK 2 days, Epcot 1 maybe a day and a half, DHS a day, and DAK a day. That is going to pretty much fill up the time that we have. I would like to go to Universal and see the Harry Potter stuff but my kids who right now are 5 and 3 1/2 probably won't care. The would probably be interested in the Dr Seuss stuff. So, I just don't see the point in rushing through our time at Disney just to make sure we hit everything in the Orlando area.

Yes, right now it seems like we live Disney. I carry Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, Jungle Book in the truck and my wife has Nemo in her car. At home its Doc McStuffins, Jake, Sophia, Sheriff Callie, and if I am lucky they will ask to see Peter Rabbit on NikJr. So if they are watching a movie or watching TV there is a pretty good chance its Disney around here.

Same here. DD5, DS4.5. I am laying the groundwork with the boy (and my hubs) for going to DLR next summer before the boy "outgrows" McQueen. And I've already told the kids when they are say 6 and 8, I'm going to start reading Harry Potter books to them. Thus laying the groundwork for a Universal trip maybe 2017 or 2018. My blasphemous DH told me last night he just doesn't get my HP/Uni glee as HP means nothing to him.

 

[twebber55]

Same here. DD5, DS4.5. I am laying the groundwork with the boy (and my hubs) for going to DLR next summer before the boy "outgrows" McQueen. And I've already told the kids when they are say 6 and 8, I'm going to start reading Harry Potter books to them. Thus laying the groundwork for a Universal trip maybe 2017 or 2018. My blasphemous DH told me last night he just doesn't get my HP/Uni glee as HP means nothing to him.

that's what I call good parenting

 

[Lord_Vader]

I just don't get Disney's bloated construction prices. Has anyone thrown the word embezzlement out there yet, and if not, can I be the first to wave that flag? I understand WDI is like the bully of building, but come on, it's like they're holding themselves and their parent company hostage. There's absolutely no reason why NFL ran over the 500m mark. Are they paying the construction crews extremely well? Solid overtime pay? I highly doubt they are using the best of the best construction materials.

Does anyone know the breakdown of that 500m dollars? How much WDI got, what the total construction materials were, the crews? I'd be very interested in seeing this divvied up.

Maybe I've been watching too much Orange is the New Black but something just isn't sitting right with that total cost.

Construction costs may be elevated at company A over company B partially because of the way they account for costs to a project. Company A may have each individual employee "charge" their time to a specific project while company B may simply "allocate" charges or simply expense them.

For example, on company I worked for had me charge all my time to individual projects that I worked on no matter how minor the amount of time. The time was then capitalized as part of the project but the project "cost" was much higher because it included my time as well as others. Now, my current employer does not allocate time the same way, Engineering is an expense item that is not capitalized against individual projects but we add 4% loadings to all projects to cover some of the Engineering time. At the first employer, planning, engineering, installation/construction all cost a lot more because all our time was included in the overall scope of the project and charged accordingly while my current employer does not do this making individual projects look much cheaper to complete.

Now, I have NO INSIGHT into how either Disney or Comcast account for their project costs but I am trying to provide a little accounting insight into why TDO/TDA might have their costs seem so much higher than Comcast's. If every Imagineer that had any part of the design/engineering of FL charged their time to the project it would greatly elevate the budget especially if you are comparing it to a company/project that used different accounting methods.

 

[lebeau]

Apparently, most APers don't like MAGIC Bands and Disney is working on another place for them to carry their tracking device according to a friend. What a shock that folks don't want plastic crap on their wrists. Who could have seen that one coming?

The big surprise to me was how easily the darn things come off. I had a sleeping kid kick mine off my wrist. Fortunately, I noticed in time to reclaim it. But we were finding lost bands all over. The bus, the pool, the parks. You brush against something the wrong way and they just unsnap.

And of course the kids wouldn't wear them. So instead of keeping track of tickets, I have a pocket full of linked bracelets to deal with.

 

[Kman101]

I never got that impression on Ratatouille. To me it would seem the opposite and it would be all sets, and no screens, but I know better than that. Either way, the promo for it is far better than that awful Dwarf Mine one. Which I see constantly on WFTV. CONSTANTLY. I even heard it on the radio.

It is funny to see it a bit knocked when Universal (which I love, just saying ...) likes to use screens too ...

 

[bhg469]

To bounce off that quickly, I just went to see 22 Jump Street recently and was astounded by the price of sodas at movie theaters these days. $4.50 at the cheapest, $6 for the largest. We can jump all over WDW and Uni for these things, and yes, they are overpriced, but they haven't come close to ridiculous prices like those yet.

The triple A baseball team I do some work for charges 3.50 for a bottle of cherry coke. Disney is actually not that bad for drink prices...

 

[Mickey_777]

Wow, hate Universal much? Believe it or not, Universal's food and beverage prices are actually lower than that of Disney's. I actually compared the cost of a fountain drink in both parks on a recent visit. Plus, Universal even offers a cup that gives you unlimited free refills for the rest of the day. Disney has nothing like that in the parks.

The majority of Disney's "standard form" coffee mugs are $14.95. Universal's comparable "standard form" coffee mugs are $12.95. It's total BS that you think they start at $16. Disney's and Universal's offerings are pretty competitively priced.

And as far as Vinylmation goes... aren't Disney's dollar-store-looking too? lol Universal has very little in the way of vinyl figurines. They prefer to sell lots of detailed collectable magic wands instead. (Granted, they're just resin, but still.)

To be fair, I'm not saying one company is better than the other here. I just think your reasoning is very flawed and you have no reason for hating on Universal.

I was at IOA cause I like it there. Whether you like Vinylmation or not, they're manufactured at a pretty high standard if you have an eye for that sort of thing. I do cause I collect lots of stuff. Every mug I saw started at $16. And I don't know why you brought up food and beverage when I'm talking merch specifically. It is possible to like Uni and think think the merch situation is "sub par" to say it nicely. Potter scarves and magic wands aren't my bag. I'd also like to see more ride specific stuff for Marvel Island that you won't find at your local comic book shop (99% of their offerings).