The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[sshindel]

I understand and, again, I have no problem with folks talking about what I post there. I'd rather it be here, but whatever.

I do sense a double-standard when something like Fun With Tweets becomes a problem at the same time people are discussing other members down below and not what they are posting.

I won't pay $5 for a membership because I damn well know I am a major driver of traffic to this site. I contribute far more than that and, no, I have never asked (nor has Steve offered) a free premium membership.

But I do view folks who comment below and not up here ... nah, just gonna leave it there. BTW, I wouldn't have commented on this further but you did, so it's all your fault!

Yeah, I promise, I'm done. It really isn't a big deal. I need to get back to writing massive posts about EPCOT, or unfunny jokes.
Thank you for the civil discussion on it though, truthfully, I wouldn't expect anything else.

 

[WDW1974]

If you have never seen Star Trek before Abrams, I don't blame you. It's made for people unfamiliar with Star Trek.

But if you are familiar with Star Trek, you see Abrams' Trek for what it is. A dumbed-down, sped-up, over-produced cartoon-caricature of the original series.

Disagree. Loved the first one. Liked most of the second.

Still, not close to the quality of the best of the original crew. And I feel the NextGen characters really got screwed because PAR went very cheap with most of their films, which largely played as extended TV episodes.

Star Trek needs a big budget. That's one reason why JJ's reboot was so successful. It didn't look or feel cheap.

 

[WDW1974]

I find all Disney news fascinating- particularly the stuff you don't find on their official blog. So thank you, Spirit, for what you contribute.

Thanks for reading and appreciating.

 

[WDW1974]

So I'm surprised that no one has brought up the insane amount of bad press Comcast is getting on their customer service and the legs that the story seems to have in light of the Comcast-TWC merger evaluation. If this customer service issue happened anywhere within TWDC these boards would be lit up.

Comcast has done a great job re-energizing NBCUni and the Uni Theme Parks...but are they neglecting their core revenue business, you know the revenue that allows them to spend lavishly in the parks the last couple of years?

To hear UNI fanbois tell it, Comcast is the second coming. I've never thought that. And you bring up a great point.

 

[Trauma]

For a newbie you sure got some strong thoughts. I wouldn't come into someone's home and all over it because it isn't polite. You don't like the place ... why not head over to ...? They once had some great discussion boards, but decided making Disney happy was more important than keeping a top community together. The site is all but dead and no one looks to them for anything.

That can happen quickly when you decide what legitimate topics can't be discussed because they make Disney or too many fans uncomfortable.

I find strong thoughts to be more usefull than weak ones.

I wasn't aware this was your "house" or that I was ..... in it.

I was trying to point out in a nice way, that your insistence to carry on this tirade about pervs existing to the surprise of no one, is damaging, at least in my eyes, your reputation.

Normally your posts are well thought out criticisms of the goings in within the wdw infrastructure.

However this particular line you are currently taking is coming across as a poor attempt to drum up some false sense of outrage over something that is a societal issue and not a Disney one.

I only comment on it because I think it's damaging your brand, and as you are an important catalyst for change I prefer your brand remains undamaged.

 

[WDW1974]

Yeah, here as well. I once had issues so bad with them that I wrote Brian Roberts and explained all of the things they did wrong and how they could have fixed them, they had me fixed up in less than a day and a week later a Comcast recruiter called and asked for my resume. I sent them my info but I declined the opportunity as I had just started a new job.

My respect for you just went up a few points. I ALWAYS go right to the top when I have an issue to get away from all the levels that exist to prevent me(us) from getting satisfaction. ... But I might have taken them up on the job offer. They are at least investing in their businesses today!

 

[Funmeister]

<------ Still thinks there should be a screening process in order to participate/read @WDW1974 posts.

 

[WDW1974]

I find strong thoughts to be more usefull than weak ones.

I wasn't aware this was your "house" or that I was ****ting in it.

I was trying to point out in a nice way, that your insistence to carry on this tirade about pervs existing to the surprise of no one, is damaging, at least in my eyes, your reputation.

Normally your posts are well thought out criticisms of the goings in within the wdw infrastructure.

However this particular line you are currently taking is coming across as a poor attempt to drum up some false sense of outrage over something that is a societal issue and not a Disney one.

I only comment on it because I think it's damaging your brand, and as you are an important catalyst for change I prefer your brand remains undamaged.

And right on cue ...

So, standing up for children is damaging my BRAND? Well, if so, then at least I am damaging it over something important and not whether Frozen in EPCOT is cheap, right?

Oh, and my 'outrage' isn't false.

Now, do I know you?

 

[lazyboy97o]

People crossing lines that we, as as society, have deemed inappropriate and illegal.

But, really, you did know that before I typed this as you are a fairly intelligent individual.

Vague generalities are easy to think up. Where my knowledge does not extend is to specifics.

 

[Jennifer66]

I'm also a newbie here, but I think this topic is incredibly important. Of course WDW and and other entities that cater to or have access to children have a huge responsibility to be more than extra careful in their vetting of new hires. I've been a public school teacher for almost 20 years, and I'm still fingerprinted fairly regularly. I also realize there's a line that employers cannot and should not cross.
I also agree that parents need to be vigilant, but I believe all of us have a responsiblility to try to do what we can end these crimes against children. Without getting too "it takes a village," we all need to stop looking the other way and get out of the mindset that it's none of our business. I do not mean we call the authorities every time someone seems odd to us. It's been well established that odd does not equal creeper. But I do think that if we are in a situation that is uncomfortable, then we cannot simply walk away. A not-so-contrived example might be being in a locker room and feeling uncomfortable about another guest and a child. While there's very little chance anything would actually happen, how hard is it to hang out a few extra minutes until one of them leaves? Maybe I'm nuts, but I think this would help. We all, Disney included, need to stop sweeping things that are ugly under the rug.

 

[WDW1974]

<------ Still thinks there should be a screening process in order to participate/read @WDW1974 posts.

I wonder how much $$$ @wdwmagic could bring in with a pay wall for my threads? Perhaps, he should think about it?

 

[Nemo14]

And right on cue ...

So, standing up for children is damaging my BRAND? Well, if so, then at least I am damaging it over something important and not whether Frozen in EPCOT is cheap, right?

Oh, and my 'outrage' isn't false.

Now, do I know you?

No, he's new, remember?

 

[WDW1974]

Vague generalities are easy to think up. Where my knowledge does not extend is to specifics.

Yes. And I am not about to put anything damaging to any individual out here unless the mainstream media does first.

But you knew that too.

 

[Trauma]

And right on cue ...

So, standing up for children is damaging my BRAND? Well, if so, then at least I am damaging it over something important and not whether Frozen in EPCOT is cheap, right?

Oh, and my 'outrage' isn't false.

Now, do I know you?

Well if you truly believe that Disney is enabling child rape and fostering a culture that encourages it then I am completely wrong and you are doing the work of a hero and I commend you for it.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'm also a newbie here, but I think this topic is incredibly important.

Which is why it has its own thread:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/disney-emplyees-arrested-in-under-age-sex-stings.886879/

 

[xdan0920]

Simple. Don't discuss it then. I can only suspect that folks want to censor others when they make a statement like that.

I don't come to MAGIC to discuss what character breakfast is best or why New Fantasyland is the best thing ever built at the MK. But I don't jump into those forums and say ''I don't know why this needs to be discussed.''

It's very simple. Don't like the channel, then change it. There are hundreds and hundreds of threads or start one of your own.

Done!

For what it's worth I think it generally is a topic worth discussing. It just shouldn't be limited to Disney, and this probably isn't the right spot for it.

But if folks want to continue on with the discussion, I'll simply skim past those posts. Easy peasy.

Have you ever heard about the 'casting couch' in Hollywood? Women being asked to for sexual favors to get into the business? Have you heard how it sometimes involves underage girls? ... Now, in an industry like this one, what would ever make you think the same thing doesn't happen to boys/young men regularly? And what would ever make one think that Disney, of all companies, would be immune to this type of behavior.

Just felt like you had some pretty specific examples you knew about. If it's more of a we all *think* this goes on type of thing, then that's a different can of worms.


A quick point on Pumbas post, and why it got so many likes. It's simple really. It was,

A. Funny, as most of his posts are.
B. It was honest.

Even if you don't agree with his opinion of you, and I assume you don't agree, you can "like" the honesty and humor.

 

[Funmeister]

I wonder how much $$$ @wdwmagic could bring in with a pay wall for my threads? Perhaps, he should think about it?

Hell, I am willing to buy a domain and start an exclusive Spirited blog! I would even treat you to a sundae at Perkins!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Disagree. Loved the first one. Liked most of the second.

Still, not close to the quality of the best of the original crew. And I feel the NextGen characters really got screwed because PAR went very cheap with most of their films, which largely played as extended TV episodes.

Star Trek needs a big budget. That's one reason why JJ's reboot was so successful. It didn't look or feel cheap.

Nemesis got goofy, but I thought Insurrection was great... that's the one that everyone complains most is "just a long TV episode". I find that ironic, because many complaints about the other movies are that they're just big action movies and there's no character development like in the TV show. The TV show is what the fans like... shouldn't the movie aspire to be like the TV show?

 

[RivieraJenn]

As a parent of a young child myself, I find this idea that parents let their guard down at a place like WDW to be utterly bizarre. In a crowded place full of strangers? That's when I'm more likely to be hyper-vigilant.

I absolutely agree that theme parks should take all appropriate measures to screen out individuals that may pose a danger to guests, especially the youngest and most vulnerable ones, and to create an atmosphere in which inappropriate behavior is not tolerated. That's a given. That said, after reflecting on the information reported, I don't feel that my child is less safe at WDW than he is elsewhere, even considering the issues exposed. Not because I think Disney has a magic no-crime bubble, but because 1) I am more likely to have my guard up in a crowded place like a theme park and 2) there is zero opportunity for a child molester to "groom" my son as a potential victim in that setting. Very, very few "random" acts of child molestation occur--this is not a crime that typically happens when some disgusting human being just grabs a child off the street. No, the disgusting human being spends weeks and months earning the child's trust, giving gifts, creating an atmosphere of secrets. That's not going to happen as my family filters past the guy manning the Dumbo queue.

Again, I'm not saying I want the guy manning the Dumbo queue to be hired if he has a record for trafficking in kiddie nor that I want him to keep his job if he's been found meeting underage girls off the internet at the local Motel 6. All employers have a duty to prevent these situations, particularly in positions that involve frequent contact with kids. But as a society we have decided that children are in danger always, everywhere, and mostly from "strangers." This mindset not only leads us to behaviors that prevent our children from growing into independent, confident adults but also lulls us into a false sense of security in places where it truly may not be warranted, while our attention is focused on the incredibly minuscule chance of abduction by a pervert at a theme park.

 

[wdwmagic]

I wonder how much $$$ @wdwmagic could bring in with a pay wall for my threads? Perhaps, he should think about it?

Probably $0, because everything has to be free on the internet, didn't you get the memo? There must be no ads, no subscription fees, perfect moderation 24x7x365 that satisfies both sides of an argument, and 100% uptime.