The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
thehowiet said:
Agreed! Sounds like @BrianLo had a great trip to HKDL. I'd love to see and hear more! How many days did you spend at the park?
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I guess I did two 3/4 days on Tuesday (Open - 4) and Thursday (2 - Close). In the past it was just single day visits. I think the park struggles to really be a full multi-day destination, but at the same time doing a single open to close would be a bit exhausting with jet leg. Since it's so cheap to grab a two day ticket (and easy to get to the parks from wherever) and the days don't have to be consecutive, seemed to be a good way of approaching it. Get in the early morning visit when you want to be awake at 4am, and come back later in the week when you can actually be awake for the fireworks.

I'll give you guys some more pics in a few days since there seems to be a demand.
 
BryceM

BryceM

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
A quick phone aside, but what is the deal with girls from 12-29 sticking iPhones in their right back butt pocket? Who sits on their phones? Who doesn't get that this causes screens to break, even from tender young tushes?

I see it all the time and just wonder W-T-F!!!
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It's because their front pockets of their skinny jeans are too small, or not real.
 
George

George

Liker of Things
Premium Member
WildcatDen said:
Has Maiden got enough responses not to be counted as one of the many thread drifts? On a related note, I think one reason you do not see local bands trying to cover Maiden songs is becuase they do not have a bass player like Steve Harris.
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When I was in HS (I went to Armwood, class of 88, so at the time I was a relative WDW local) it was rumored that Disney built the Eddie for the Somewhere in Time tour (complete fantasy, of course, but the rumor was rampant). I saw that tour in the Lakeland Civic Center I believe. Great tour. I think Maiden isn't covered more because 1) they have a large cult following of very adamant fans, of which I am one, however, the majority of population is unfamiliar with them, since they never got a lot of radio play, 2) Steve Harris as you alluded too, 3) the occasional need for 3 good guitarists, and 4) the fact the Nicko McBrain's drum set is so big no one has any idea of what, if anything, he is doing back there.
 
George

George

Liker of Things
Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
BTW, I recall mentioning a few weeks back that the fact that chains like Olive Garden and Red Lobster are largely in their death throes due to the death of the American middle class and it was met with either a sigh or folks telling me it was the chains and nothing at all to do with the economy (my house just went up another $100,000 in value for NO reason at all ... sure this isn't 2007-2008 all over again!)

Well, there was a story recently on the HuffPo talking about how the Olive Garden's issues were a serious warning about our economy.

And it isn't simply on the low end. High end chains, once just for the expense account crowd are also desperate to raise revenue quickly. Thursday members of the Landry's Rewards Club received an email from Morton's offering a $29.99 two-pound Maine Lobster dinner if people reserved for dinner tonight. A few weeks ago I got a similar offer for $40 off dinner at Fleming's and there isn't even one close.

Back to the middle, Macaroni Grill sends me daily emails with discounts for that day only. Usually, I don't pay attention, but they have gone from $5 off to $7 off to $10 off a $25 purchase to 20% off the check to $20 off a $40 purchase (would have easily used that one, but saw it at 10 p.m.)

Anyone who doesn't see these as desperate moves because folks aren't dining out and our economy is ready to crash again likely isn't seeing reality. These restaurants need people in their locations YESTERDAY and will offer anything to get them in.

Also, look at the increases in prices at McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco bell and Starbucks. The percentage change of former Dollar Menu items is telling you the companies are desperate to increase the bottom line at all costs.

Yep. I'd feel real good about the economy now.

OK, were we talking about Quiet Riot or Poison?
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I did an O-town family reunion the first week of June. Even with the increases in price of regular real world eateries, my family was making fun of WDW food prices. This wasn't the case 5 years ago when we last had a family reunion.

I'm under the impression that of the restaurants listed, RL is in the most trouble since, besides leading to a ton of reality shows (Crab People, Tuna Hunters, Filet o' Fish barons, Cod conundrum, Halibut Battles, Lobster Guys etc.) low fish populations has caused seafood prices to go way up. No matter the broader state of the economy, there may not be a place for a mid-priced seafood chain. However, Long John Silver's with it's immersive nautical ambiance will exist for forever.

Another trend is that people are more into nutrition and health now than even five years ago. I'm sure eateries have taken a hit because of that. I'm not saying the economy is not in the crapper (I really don't know), but I think eateries have other factors working against them.
 
George

George

Liker of Things
Premium Member
lazyboy97o said:
I'd say there is enough cultural context to suggest restaurant chains would be having trouble now even if the economy was booming. Probably the biggest is that people tend to maintain adaptions to economic downturns. For chain restaurants this is bad news because coinciding with people not eating out as much was a rise in concerns regarding what people are eating. The dominance of placelessness is also being challenged a a meaningful, and chains are a defining characteristic of the placeless. If the economy were doing better the chain restaurants would probably be even worse off as people would have the money to buy more expensive food at more unique establishments.
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I would recommend you to any company that was trying to build a unique, immersive, and pretty themed area. Seriously.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
BrianLo said:
I actually have a very small list of legitimate criticism. The castle is sun-bleeched something fierce...

14524802634_3463ff9fe9_c.jpg
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That is actually rather faithful to the original paint scheme from Anaheim.
 
scpergj

scpergj

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Weather here is typical summer misery (folks don't get that this generally starts in May and used to last until early October and now generally lasts until around Halloween or later). ... Went out tonight at 9:30 for some froyo (my town is so upscale we don't do ice cream anymore, seriously ... and it es me off) and it was 84 and sticky and buggy and all I could think was how did my beloved Mrs. Lee take @Lee to Alaska with her instead of her ''other husband''!!! ... I think I could spend the next two months up there and actually feel alive!

I still think folks who take summer vacations to Florida are insane, although I will likely visit the theme parks at some point out of sheer boredom.
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Left on a bike ride on Thursday morning at 7:45 - it was 78 degrees. When I got home at 9:00 (yes, long ride. Yes, I'm probably in better shape than the average starter at a Run Disney event), it was already 85 and oppressively humid. I guess the good news is that as long as I get started before 8 I can get a decent workout in before the worst of the heat!
 
GoofGoof

GoofGoof

Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
BTW, I recall mentioning a few weeks back that the fact that chains like Olive Garden and Red Lobster are largely in their death throes due to the death of the American middle class and it was met with either a sigh or folks telling me it was the chains and nothing at all to do with the economy (my house just went up another $100,000 in value for NO reason at all ... sure this isn't 2007-2008 all over again!)

Well, there was a story recently on the HuffPo talking about how the Olive Garden's issues were a serious warning about our economy.

And it isn't simply on the low end. High end chains, once just for the expense account crowd are also desperate to raise revenue quickly. Thursday members of the Landry's Rewards Club received an email from Morton's offering a $29.99 two-pound Maine Lobster dinner if people reserved for dinner tonight. A few weeks ago I got a similar offer for $40 off dinner at Fleming's and there isn't even one close.

Back to the middle, Macaroni Grill sends me daily emails with discounts for that day only. Usually, I don't pay attention, but they have gone from $5 off to $7 off to $10 off a $25 purchase to 20% off the check to $20 off a $40 purchase (would have easily used that one, but saw it at 10 p.m.)

Anyone who doesn't see these as desperate moves because folks aren't dining out and our economy is ready to crash again likely isn't seeing reality. These restaurants need people in their locations YESTERDAY and will offer anything to get them in.

Also, look at the increases in prices at McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco bell and Starbucks. The percentage change of former Dollar Menu items is telling you the companies are desperate to increase the bottom line at all costs.

Yep. I'd feel real good about the economy now.

OK, were we talking about Quiet Riot or Poison?
Click to expand...

I blame Chipotle. It's just so good. Why go anywhere else.

Seriously, I think you are dead on with this. With the price of movies anymore dinner and a movie is hardly a cheap date or an affordable family night out. People can't afford it anymore and just stay home and watch movies on Netflicks and I guess eat frozen pizza. It may also be partially due to over build in certain areas. I'm 30 minutes from like 5 Applebee's. We don't go out for lunch nearly as much anymore either which is a big part of the bottom line for a lot of chains.

Quiet Riot hands down over Poison. Quality, not quantity.
 

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