The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[CDavid]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/events/inte...ng-to-this-year's-epcot-food-and-festival.htm -

So $79 for that. Are they freaking kidding me. But I am sure it will sell out. Ugh.

Honestly, if they would let you into the park a few hours earlier (say, 6 p.m.), similar to the policy for the Halloween and Christmas parties over at the Magic Kingdom, I'd think the price more reasonable. But for what you're getting, no, it's not worth it. Not even close.

I'm reading on other websites that are DVC heavy, that the Return Cards are backfiring in a big way, as is FP+ planning. I find that surprising, as these sites I read are very pro Disney/Pixie Dust. Perhaps a blip on the radar? I'm looking forward to see how the comments settle out.

I don't find that terribly surprising, the real question, however, is to what extent these opinions also reflect the viewpoints of the general public. I just can't imagine either FP+ or return cards (what is their official name, anyway?) being very popular with the average guest who isn't a member of any Disney website, and simply shows up every year (some in WDW resorts, many off-site) for their vacation with little or no planning (aside from maybe a hotel reservation). These are the guests Disney needs to be very concerned about too; It is much easier to drive their business away if you complicate things too much and frustrate the vacationing guest.

Gee, being told you can't wait in a line, like people have always done in theme parks, coupled with an overly complex ride-reservation system wouldn't frustrate anyone, now would it?

 

[BrianLo]

It really makes me wonder what exactly it is! I will find out tomorrow when I'm at work and it plays...I hope it is actually very spoiler heavy if they aren't tagging it on for the press...

I think they've done this with all Marvel movies, or at least the recent ones. Leaves some magic left for opening night, I like the move

Saw a preview of GotG tonight.

Where did you see it by the way? You are Toronto based right?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Where did you see it by the way? You are Toronto based right?

Yes, saw it in Toronto. There's a "selfie" of Mr. Batista and the audience I was in, but I'm sure I'm just a blotch behind a sea of hands in that photo.

 

[Cesar R M]

No, and everyone waited for one too. Was an awkward moment.

I'm actually thankful.
There are many people who just feel "important" by forcefully spoil it to everyone who hasn't see it (just look at the harry potter problems after some books were stolen)

 

[the.dreamfinder]

How a film that makes $500-600 million can end up as a failure.
http://hollywoodreporter.com/entry/view/id/403952

 

[jlsHouston]

@WDW1974 do u know why WDW seems to be trying to revert back to A bogus version of Legacy FP with the te A and E meet n greet and now Soarin???

What do you mean?

 

[jlsHouston]

I believe WDW is experimenting with these changes because they are listening to guest feedback and are trying to take steps to improve the situation.

Stating the obvious, when something new is tried, X number of people will like it and Y number of people won't.

It's possible to survey and postulate to the nth degree, but you can't really know whether X or Y will be larger until you just try it.

I commend WDW for trying to make things better for the greatest number of guests.

(Even if they do so only when it involves minimal cost. )

What are they doing????

 

[jlsHouston]

I don't know where I saw this before, but I swear somewhere in this thread someone was asking for Yosemite tips. Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendation to stay in one of the lodges inside Yosemite National Park. The gateway towns in Mariposa are all like an hour away from the main loop of the park, which is fairly common in US NPs, but still a pain with which I wouldn't want to deal. Lodging can be expensive--especially The Ahwahnee--but it's well worth it. The art and detail in that lodge is striking. If that's too pricey, camping is really cheap, and there's something to be said for looking through the top of your tent on a clear night and actually seeing stars.

Tunnel View (see below) is the most iconic view in the park, and is gorgeous to watch at sunrise, but it can be really crowded, even in the middle of the night. I recommend hiking up to Artist Point (http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/artist-point/artist-point.htm), which actually offers a superior view, but is never crowded because Americans are too lazy to hike.

Milky Way Over Tunnel View at Yosemite National Park by Tom.Bricker, on Flickr

I wish I had this as a painting hanging on my wall...I wish I was standing there right now and this was the view above my head. Wow I don''t even have the words to express how wondrous this is. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Hi Tom - I was the one who originally mentioned going to Yosemite. We're planning to go next fall for probably a week. I'm just in the planning stages of it now, and I'm having a blast just checking out the possibilities.Camping is a possibility, but at this point we're weighing all our options. PBS did a whole series about the National Park lodges, and the Ahwahnee looked really awesome, but it's way over our budget right now. I'll probably have a ton of questions for you soon if you don't mind.

Don't wear anything that smells like bear food!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I think they've done this with all Marvel movies, or at least the recent ones. Leaves some magic left for opening night, I like the move

It's leaked online and I've seen it... shocking! Don't spoil it for yourself; see it in the theaters!

 

[cw1982]

Shockingly we actually made it to Page 2--and it was the Disney lifestylers, not the Uni fanbois!

But yeah, now all discussion has been shut down to a shouting match of "y u hate Disney???".

Sigh... the pixie dust is strong with some of them.

 

[stevehousse]

What are they doing????

First it started with Anna and Elsa. Now they have been testing Soarin.

Once the stand by que is full, they cut off access to te stand by line and give u a paper FP type ticket to return to the stand by line at a certain time. Once the stand by passes are gone for the day, you are not allowed to enter the stand by line! U can only access it with a timed pass... how asinine...

 

[Cesar R M]

First it started with Anna and Elsa. Now they have been testing Soarin.

Once the stand by que is full, they cut off access to te stand by line and give u a paper FP type ticket to return to the stand by line at a certain time. Once the stand by passes are gone for the day, you are not allowed to enter the stand by line! U can only access it with a timed pass... how asinine...

all that seems more cosmetic than a real solution.
"look, our standby is only 30 minutes!" when the virtual paper line is actually all day long.

 

[jlsHouston]

First it started with Anna and Elsa. Now they have been testing Soarin.

Once the stand by que is full, they cut off access to te stand by line and give u a paper FP type ticket to return to the stand by line at a certain time. Once the stand by passes are gone for the day, you are not allowed to enter the stand by line! U can only access it with a timed pass... how asinine...

I don't even know what to think about this........

 

[TinkerBelle8878]

I wonder if someone comes into the park later in the day and all the stand by passes are gone..if this for whatever reason spreads to every ride...could one technically get their money back for the day's park admission? If they can't ride anything, that would be a big issue for guests paying for admission. Usually at theme parks if over half the rides are closed and/or down, I'd imagine they have to refund something. I can't see a way for Guest Services to do anything but refund the day and perhaps give them FPs for the next day for all the rides they were closed out of.

This is all just a silly idea. For years there were no fast passes at all. If there was a line, you waited. If you didn't like all the lines, you went another time of year when it was less crowded. And yes some of the lines were insane.

The first version of Fast Pass changed this a bit for the 'headliners'. It made other rides worse that never needed FP. But for something like Soarin, it worked. FP+ seems to complicate it further. And with this new standby line pass idea...Disney is going to drive people away in droves.

If like other posters, I'm reading it correctly, if you arrive at 5 and all the passes have been given out, you can't wait in line to ride? Who's genius idea is this? Whoever it is, they should be there front and center when guests are irate at being told there are no more available rides and you can't wait on line, hours before park closing.

 

[WDW1974]

I am sitting in an airport trying to figure out why there are so many posts going up at 4am. Then, like an idiot, I remember I am 7 hours ahead of most of you right now.

How did things go? You safely out of Ukraine with child?

 

[WDW1974]

Not much to cover here that isn't a bunch of "I agrees..." but I'll try to hit on some things...

Sounds like a great price for a good hotel. On our last trip we stayed off-site and it's something I'll never do again unless the off-site hotel has convenient access to the JR. Ours required taking a city bus, which was very unpleasant. Not nearly as efficient as the rail (although still far better than the US) and very time-consuming. I still think the Sheraton and Hilton are going to be the best options for most people there, if the prices are right. WDW Deluxe quality for a fraction of the price, and a view of either Mt. Prometheus and Cinderella Castle or the ocean. Can't go wrong there.

I am going to disagree with my favorite Lifestyler (sorry, I haven't been back to your wonderful site much of late ... just not enough time in a day!) WITH a caveat (how is that pronounced @Lee?)

I wouldn't stay away from TDR EXCEPT at the TDR Good Neighbor Hotels. All of them provide transport in wonderful air conditioned motor coaches that are worlds better than WDW buses (everyone sits to start!) And while you often can get great rates at the Sheraton and Hilton Tokyo Bay, you won't score $61 a night rooms like we did at the Sunroute Plaza Ariake in nearby Odaiba, which is a great area to stay in with numerous shopping, dining and entertainment options that can be walked to easily.

But I agree with @WDWFigment in that I wouldn't want to have to use city buses to get back and forth.

Unless you're a vegetarian or like burgers, we've found the food at TDR to pretty much be awesome across the board. Pan Galactic Pizza Port had some AWESOME pizza our first visit, so we were actually disappointed by the calzone. We meant to go to Hook's later for pizza, but ended up going to Hungry Bear Restaurant for curry instead...also awesome.

Eating, be it snacks or full meals, is such an incredible part of the experience at TDR. It doesn't hurt that the food is head and shoulders above most of what is served at WDW (and I generally like a good amount of WDW food).

Yep. Made the mistake of having a burger after my traveling companion and I had difficulty deciding where to eat and wound up at Tomorrowland Terrace. Worst Disney burger anywhere and tiny (think McD's regular burger). Wanted to eat at Pan Galactic Pizza Port (it was built as part of the Star Tours expansion and is connected), but both times we went it was packed.

Now, I certainly agree with Tom again about dining at TDR. It really is a huge part of the fun and adventure of visiting the place. But we aren't all lawyers when we aren't taking trips and the food can add up. Of course, the exchange rate has improved greatly since we were there in late 2010.

I would add that Ikspiari ( the Tokyo version of DD) has lots of wonderful dining options that are much better values than TDR and still provide tasty and exciting food that most Americans will not have had or had in quite the same way.

Merchandise is the one really, really weak spot at TDR, but I think that's probably a cultural thing--kawaii Disney-branded stuff that appeals to the Japanese isn't what appeals to the types of American fans who go to TDR. I'd love to see every shop filled with Mystic Manor-caliber merchandise, but it's probably for the good of my wallet that that's not the case. Instead I just stock up on CDs and Blu-ray. Perhaps to @WDW1974's dismay, but I do not own a Gelatoni, Duffy, or Chandu plush.

Look forward to reading more about your visit to TDR. I cannot wait to go back!

Merchandise is very weak. As much as it pains me to say this when you take DAK and WS into account, and even Art of Disney locations, WDW has much more interesting stuff.

And I am shocked that he doesn't have a Gelatoni yet ... I do know what I'll be buying him before we finally meet!

 

[WDW1974]

I don't know where I saw this before, but I swear somewhere in this thread someone was asking for Yosemite tips. Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with the recommendation to stay in one of the lodges inside Yosemite National Park. The gateway towns in Mariposa are all like an hour away from the main loop of the park, which is fairly common in US NPs, but still a pain with which I wouldn't want to deal. Lodging can be expensive--especially The Ahwahnee--but it's well worth it. The art and detail in that lodge is striking. If that's too pricey, camping is really cheap, and there's something to be said for looking through the top of your tent on a clear night and actually seeing stars.

Tunnel View (see below) is the most iconic view in the park, and is gorgeous to watch at sunrise, but it can be really crowded, even in the middle of the night. I recommend hiking up to Artist Point (http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/artist-point/artist-point.htm), which actually offers a superior view, but is never crowded because Americans are too lazy to hike.

Milky Way Over Tunnel View at Yosemite National Park by Tom.Bricker, on Flickr

I have stayed in Oakhurst at a Best Western that puts many WDW 'resorts' to shame. It has become sort of a resort/gateway town to Yosemite in the last 15-20 years. But it is about an hour and 15 minutes from the town to the Yosemite Valley.

The Ahwahnee would be my perfect place to stay. But it is very pricey. And you are trapped dining there all the time ... and it books up (for summer anyway) faster than I can plan trips. I'd love to stay some time.

I can't tell you how much I love the park. I'd be there right now if I could. It is amazing. ... Anyone who goes to WDW 31 times and never visits this place is insane. Yes, I do believe it!

It's just an awe-inspiring place. No theme park will ever come close to what nature has created here.

 

[WDW1974]

I agree with everything you said. My father is gay.

I also said I'm not ready to start judging fanboys yet, because it's not on their radar. I guarantee it. Their concern is the quality of the product, and like my example about the typewriter, it's something that fans just aren't talking about. It's not hypocrisy, it's ignorance.

I can say most are hypocritical about clothes, food, etc. . . I am too. But people can't be called out as hypocritical if they don't know about it. Now I know about it.

I am extremely interested in taking action, but I am still digesting this. I hope you are serious about it too. You've got the ear of powerful people that I don't, and your voice carries further.

I am VERY serious about it. That's why I brought it up to begin with before it died. But I am going to use @the.dreamfinder 's post as a jumping off point to -- hopefully -- dig into it a bit more.

And I do have lots of ears, thanks. Sometimes, I think it might be better to take a few fingers and wear them around my neck, but you deal!

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974 do u know why WDW seems to be trying to revert back to A bogus version of Legacy FP with the te A and E meet n greet and now Soarin???

Testing to reduce standby lines from what I have been told.

I don't get it. I'd be plenty PO'd if I went to get in line at 8:20 at night and be told that I couldn't. I don't know what the solution is (oh yeah,I do ... build more attractions!), but this ain't it.