The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[flynnibus]

At the company I work for it's a PITA to order paper in the office even because that costs too much money. We have one of the best CEOs in the world according to publications but cost cutting and sucking money out of everything can actually have an effect on productivity.

I liked it when our company said the office admin can't order paper anymore... but each department needed to do it themselves.

Great move geniuses... make it so the people you are paying $30-$40/hr spend time doing trivial tasks, duplicating each other's efforts, instead of assigning the task to the person you pay $9/hr and do it once.

That's what happens when people look so hard at imaginary boundaries they can't step back and just do what makes SENSE but will accept things that are far worse.. as long as they stayed within the lines. Process over sense.

 

[Skyway]

Mizers--the only lounge in the signature WDW resort--stopped serving complimentary bowls of mixed nuts this weekend as a cost-cutting measure.

So, are you saying those cheap Mizers at Disney finally cut off their nuts?

 

[TalkingHead]

Random thought: Since Disney brought back Captain EO when Michael Jackson died, do you think there's any way we could convince them to bring back Timekeeper?

We can dream, can't we? Timekeeper was such a quality attraction. And unheralded, too.

Let's face it. The only reason EO came back was because it was a cheap way to cash in on Jackson's death -- oops, I mean it way a cheap way to "memorialize" Jackson's life.

We should be so lucky as to have either of Robin Williams' attractions return to WDW.

 

[wdisney9000]

We should be so lucky as to have either of Robin Williams' attractions return to WDW.

Ya, they were good places to hang out.

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Tuesday Musings:

No, I didn't wake up all gloomy and doomy because Robin Williams killed himself, as tragic as that might be. Besides, I wake up that way EVERY (OK, almost every) day anyway. I think while the outpouring of support is nice, it might be better if folks took mental healthcare in this country a bit more serious and worked to make sure it was available to all individuals regardless of income (yeah, I can be a socialist when it comes to medical care and the basics of life!)

The only Robin Williams story I will link to right now:
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/08/12/robin-williams-aladdin-eric-goldberg/

Oh, and it goes without saying that I find O-Town ( and its Lifestyler culture) to be one of the most depressing places in the nation. If your dose of self worth is attached to Cindy's Castle, SSE or Diagon Alley, then you need to seek help even if it means committing yourself.

Speaking of Lifestylers, that king of whores, that champion of all that comes out of Celebration Place, Lou Mongello is having his WDWRadio cruise as I type this. How many pennies is it costing him versus his flock?

Don't know if you caught this gem in the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/b...-build-a-tsum-tsum-collecting-craze.html?_r=0

Now, I KNOW Brooks doesn't travel in the same circles as Scarlett does. So, the natural question is who at CP knows she loves these new cutey toys and when planting the story with Brooks told him to phone her up and was the go-between. ... No matter, the story was designed to help push a Beanie Baby like mania for Disney ... because that is what Brooksey does.

A better story in the Times was on the A380 (placed for Boeing?) and how it will never make money for Airbus as they grossly overestimated demand. All true, but even in the back, it is one sweet ride.

To try the tux on now or not, that is the question ...

Yes, so this REALLY appeared in the Tampa Trib:
http://tbo.com/news/opinion/mackinn...rtainment-and-leave-politics-behind-20140811/

Maybe he's not wrong, I do feel so happy and gay when prancing down the middle of Main Street USA with my fanboi minions in formation protecting me from EVCers paying more attention to their turkey legs than their driving!

Is there a thread here about Jim Hill trying to be relevant in 2014?

Yes, Disney is working on more upcharge events for Christmas ... but only in Florida.

Anyone in the mood for some HoJo's ice cream, maybe after a hot dog or some fried clams ? Ask the folks running Burger King ...

It sure sounds like UNI is going to be raising the bar on water parks in the next few years and considering that O-Town has three great ones already, I'll be sure to be there on opening day wearing my Ariel two-piece.

Brad Penny is pitching for the Marlins and Brady Quinn is wearing Fins colors. Did I step into a SoFla sports fan's time warp?

Troubles in Shanghai? As my beloved Sarah would say, 'You Bectcha!'

 

[WDW1974]

No ships are currently under construction. Two are in the pipeline and are rumored to be a mid size between the present two newer ones and two classic ones. Info from a highly placed DCL folk I know.

And absolutely correct on all counts.

Someone tell Jim Hill that ...

 

[WDW1974]

I do like Screamin'. It's a roller coaster so people would be quick to call it an E, but it would be a weak one at that. Personally, I think it would be a better ride, both from a thematic standpoint and an actual ride standpoint if the loop was removed.

It is an E and has been very popular since its debut. It's a nice, long, fun ride that is actually tamer than the Matterhorn in terms of what it does to your body. DCA still has issues (Iger forgetting that DCA's Extreme Makeover had a Phase II planned is part of that), but the coaster and its loop wouldn't be one.

 

[Quinnmac000]

Disney always tried to push itself as an innovator when it comes to things based on equality, from Walt personally ensuring and fighting for James Bassket got an academy award as a black man for his role as Uncle Remus to now their promotion of LGBT rights in shows etc. I would be more surprised if they didn't.

Even if you agree with homosexuality or not, it was pretty clear and obvious that push left wing agenda more so than just remain stagnant.

 

[WDW1974]

But...but I don't like DVC. I don't like ESPN. I don't like theme parks as shopping malls. I don't like poor maintenance. I don't like WDW as a real estate project.

The WDW that I fell in love with was build before Eisner. The MK, EPCOT, Seven Seas area, River Country / Discovery Island, Lake Buena Vista. Despite Eisner mismanaging all of those they are still better than anything he build, from TPFKaDMGMS (what, suddenly instead of a half day park it is the greatest park ever?) to DAK (which might finally be a good park after Iger's repaired it), to All-Big Props Motels and sports complexes (seriously?) and racetracks (seriously?).

Eisner didn't build WDW. He vandalised it. And developed the other half no longer as America's most promising urban/vacation kingdom experiment but as a mediocre resort.

Pre-Eisner MK:

Eisner MK:

Iger MK:

Walker EPCOT:

Eisner EPCOT:

And I shall not bore you with what Eisner did to a once stately and elegant riverboat. Although that is one of the most potent symbols of Eisner's lack of respect and abyssmal treatment of WDW.

You can pick and choose examples left and right that illustrate (or appear to) your PoV on this. The WDW I fell in love with certainly started before Eisner, but he improved it and gave me so many things that I loved from Typhoon Lagoon to the WL to the ToT to DAK.

You say you don't like DVC. Fair enough. Look at how much of a footprint DVC had when Michael ran Disney than it does today. Indeed, Michael built amazing themed deluxe resorts. Bob wants to convert them to timeshare.

You don't like ESPN? Again, fair enough. Take a look at the role it played in Eisner's entire tenure versus the role it plays under Iger.

You don't like theme parks as shopping malls? Fair enough, although shopping has been a major component of Disney parks dating to Walt's time. ... And look at Bob's WDC: the same exact crap at every shop, most of it cheap (just take some clip art characters and toss the year 2014 on it and voila! you have 30% of WDW merchandise today!)

You don't like poor maintenance? Who does? I had issues with Disney neglecting things going back to the late 90s. But I see things no better overall and much worse in some ways (monorails that are held together with duct tape and pixie dust!)

You don't like WDW as a real estate project? Have you paid attention to what Bob has done? Missed out on all the timeshare projects? How about Golden Oak and the Four Seasons? What about developing all of the virgin Flamingo Crossing land? Or selling off swaths of land so that the MK literally has urban sprawl sprouting up right behind the MK? ALL ON IGER!

Look, I loved the WDW of 1974 and 1984. But the WDW of 1994 was pretty spectacular itself (and if you're going to praise that as the work of Frank Wells, then I'll head you off at the pass and say then you have to blame Iger completely for the WDW of 2004 -- he was the No. 2 -- as well as the WDW of 2014!)

Like I said, it's all picking and choosing. I'll take the WDW of Michael Eisner in its entirety over the WDW of Bob Iger in its entirety.

Michael did far more right than wrong for WDW. Bob took the wrong that Michael did and made it all the worse.

 

[TalkingHead]

Don't know if you caught this gem in the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/b...-build-a-tsum-tsum-collecting-craze.html?_r=0

Now, I KNOW Brooks doesn't travel in the same circles as Scarlett does. So, the natural question is who at CP knows she loves these new cutey toys and when planting the story with Brooks told him to phone her up and was the go-between. ... No matter, the story was designed to help push a Beanie Baby like mania for Disney ... because that is what Brooksey does.

I noticed that being discussed on Twitter and wondered how/why she was chosen for a quote -- her contribution to the article was nothing more than "Boy, these new plush things are cute -- I collect them!"

Hard-hitting journalism.

 

[WDW1974]

That I'm afraid whitewashes history. Let us not pretend Save Disney didn't happen. That Re-Imagineering didn't happen. That Al Lutz didn't happen. Eisner's second half was a bitter destruction of everything we hold dear about Disney and WDW.

Entertaining hyperbole, Empress. I expect that from you.

I don't white wash anything. Eisner's second decade was no way the everything gets done right deal that the first decade was. ... The bitter destruction of WDW has been alive and well under Iger, from selling off land for mini mansions to destroying deluxe resorts to put in ever cheaper built timeshares (only their cost goes straight up) to making it impossible for me to dine at former beloved restaurants to seeing shops, shops that UNDER EISNER sold themed merchandise turned into FP+ kiosks etc.

I won't begrudge you your feelings on Eisner's latter years. Some points I absolutely agree with. But Iger is nothing more than a typical Wall Street manager. He has no regard to anything beyond the next few years and his legacy as an acquirer.

Eisner got EPCOT and ripped out Horizons and Motion and Energy and CommuniCore. Eisner took Imagination and gave us Abomination. Eisner got the MK and gave us Toonville. Eisner took away the canoes and the keelboats and the second paddlewheel and the skyway and 20k and the cinema and the Penny Arcade and the flower market and the antique shop and the magic shop and West Street etc etc.

What has Iger taken away? What part of WDW is worse now than in 2005? Iger restored the MK, from building a Fantasyland again to the Tiki room and tackled the MK's longstanding infrastructure problems, all at tremendous expense. Headliners are actually maintained again, from Mansion to Thunder. DAK is being fixed too, at tremendous expense. As is Lake Buena Vista. Iger may lack true vision, or the vision any one of us wants, but at least he restored pride in Disney again. From the animation department (Frozen instead of Home on The Range), to DL, where fans fell on their knees and thanked the heavens when the Eisner-Pressler attack on their resort was finally over (no more people dying on rides!), to DLP, slowly.

Please, Fantasyland had its budget chopped by more than half and wound up getting done without one MAJOR attraction. One of the 'highlights' of the land is embarrassing for 21st century creativity. ... Thunder is being maintained again? How often have you ridden it? DAK is being fixed? Really? Sure seems like so much is broken, things that worked when Eisner was running the company. Lake Buena Vista doesn't exist. DD has been left in decay until recently and, when completed, will still simply take what was unique and special and make it into another lifestyle center (albeit one with shops that sell lots of Disney crap).

Amazing to think that in thirty years time America's most exciting urban project had become known in urban explorer circles as some kind of Detroit. A place of ruinination, of former glory. Walt's Florida Project as the laughing stock of the internet.

Really ... well, WDW as Detroit ...
Pics galore.

Spoiler: That Phillisteisner!:

What that PhillistEisner did to WDW:

Thankfully Iger turned this last eyesore, the largest ruin of them all, into this:

[/QUOTE]

 

[WDW1974]

I wonder if they will fast track it in Disneyland compared to WDW and we actually see something in the 2018-2019 range?

No, at least it doesn't look like that. Not with the 60th Anniversary starting next year ...

 

[Nemo14]

No, at least it doesn't look like that. Not with the 60th Anniversary starting next year ...

So they actually have plans for the 60th?

 

[WDW1974]

I was on Twitter and noticed that Jim Hill posted a new podcast so I decided to listen for some humor.

1. Steve Davison is working on a new show for Epcot to replace Illuminations, possibly as soon as 18 months from now.
2. DHS is getting a makeover, Star Wars is the first component.
3. Great Christmas light fight the new special ABC started doing last year will start to tie into the Osbourne lights.
4. Maelstrom is getting frozen
5. DHS will get a ratatouille type ride but its not ratatouille
6. Great Movie ride will be leaving
7. Star Wars construction could begins soon as January.
8. Universal is building a new 250 million dollar water park that is supposed to be better than Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
9. Floating Mountains will be some of the best immersive work disney has ever done. That land will be one of the best Disney has ever done.
10. DHS will be getting a mix of A, B, C, and D tickets to make it a full park.
11. Tangled might replace Beauty and the Beast
12. Maelstrom redo starts Oct. 1st.
13. Echo Lake becomes Star Wars, Star Wars X- Wing spinner
14. Hollywood & Vine stay because of Disney Junior, Indiana Jones stays
15. Wilderness lodge is getting more DVC just like Spirit said only difference was Jim said the over water rooms would be cottages not Teepees.

That was it...

So, Jim Hill reads this forum and others ... what a non-surprise. Even dead people (see: Card Walker) read this stuff.

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974 Speaking of DLR infrastructure and a "plan"... are they finally going to do something substantive with the resort infrastructure? New parking structure?

Yes to both.

 

[WDW1974]

I can imagine the photo of Spirit's face in the front.. and in the back of the ship... A Walt disney figure punching Iger and Rasulo.

Nah, I have heard Karl Holz (in his last act before blessing us all with his retirement) will make me godmother of the Disney Spirit!

 

[Darth Sidious]

I liked it when our company said the office admin can't order paper anymore... but each department needed to do it themselves.

Great move geniuses... make it so the people you are paying $30-$40/hr spend time doing trivial tasks, duplicating each other's efforts, instead of assigning the task to the person you pay $9/hr and do it once.

That's what happens when people look so hard at imaginary boundaries they can't step back and just do what makes SENSE but will accept things that are far worse.. as long as they stayed within the lines. Process over sense.

The latest counter-productive initiative is to prepare memos and recieve various levels of "sign-off" about issues rather than doing the normal (what you pay me for work). If they want to document everything they can't tack it onto already over extended employees but that would cost too much. Oh an the culture is to do more work to not help anyone because you don't want to be responsible. Such corporate BS...

 

[WDW1974]

I think the most interesting thing that was left out in the post that detailed the conversation was that Avatar may only open with one ride and the other will open up 18 months later.

I mentioned that here months ago.

 

[WDW1974]

I believe he was only told to stop touring groups of people around the park. I believe he offered them for free on days when he was in town, but it was still seen as him competing with Disney's own tour offerings. Lou Mongello however has apparently not been told to stop offering his tours, for which he gets paid.

Lou Mongello is WDW's top BRAND advocate and gets paid, even if it's just having a $400 bar tab wiped away or a free cruise or six, and will never utter a negative word about the company.

Jim, for my many criticisms of him, has been critical in the past (very critical in the very distant past) and Disney has had issues with him for that and other things.

If I decided to hang out with six fanbois in front of Mission Space and start talking about Horizons, you can bet Disney security would suddenly notice me (unlike say everyone who is stealing from the shops on MSUSA right now!) and be on me faster than Gary Buchanan on a dragon (see, I didn't go where you expected there!)

 

[WDW1974]

Will there even BE a WDW Star Wars attraction worthy of note besides a restaurant and meet-n-grope?

Yes.