The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[phillip sugarman]

According to Jeff Elliott on Theme Park Insider he says that the imagineers are waiting for J.J Abrams to give them information on new places, characters, and plot elements of the new movies before they start the creative process.
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201408/4163/

 

[WDW1974]

At the prices they charge for drinks, let's hope Disney hasn't stooped to counting peanuts.

Please. You are the ultimate MAGICal numbers guru ... you must know how corporations now account for FRACTIONS OF PENNIES.

That is what our bastardized version of capitalism has come to. Worry about money so tiny that it really doesn't exist in any sense ... but do so as those $100 Ben Franklins sail overhead.

So absurd it almost defies how anyone at any business school could be teaching this (blank) yet they must be.

Anyone going to complain to someone like the Citricos area manager?

 

[AEfx]

I have little doubt that this is true. I just don't think SWW are all that relevant in evaluating the strength of the brand and popularity among the masses. The people who make it a special point to attend are likely the most obsessed of fans, but doesn't describe the mass of people who enjoy and get excited by Star Wars and would be drawn in by a WWOHP level land for the franchise.

I'm a pretty "massive" Star Wars fan, and I've only been once just because of Star Tours 2.0 and "winning" the Twitter contest. It does what it does well for Disney, which is pull in the "whales" of the Star Wars collectors who come and drop three or five grand on a vacation and then spend another thousand or two on merchandise. Also, much like SDCC, the culture (or vulture, take your pick) of resellers who buy enormous amounts of merchandise to resell adds to the bottom line, as well.

There is very little else aside from that than added meet and greets and music playing/general atmosphere - which is great and all, but certainly not a "land" of exciting theme park attractions/theming that will pull folks in.

Doesn't surprise me at all. The target audience for Frozen is basically the same people who already make up the bulk of WDW's guests. Having the Frozen events at DHS means (to me) that the people who already were going to WDW are spending an extra day at DHS and/or spending an extra night there in order see the Frozen stuff. Maybe spending two extra days there to see it twice.

I don't think I'm saying anything groundbreaking in pointing out that (a) princess stuff is already kinda huge among WDW guests and (b) Frozen is ridiculously popular among that crowd. I don't think this is (by and large) people making specific plans to go to WDW this summer to see the Frozen offerings, but people who were already going anyway.

I don't even think it's that profound. If you say to your kids do you want to go to Epcot tonight to see RotE or go see the "Frozen" fireworks at the Studios?

Nothing they are announcing on a month or two notice with little fanfare is attracting guests to the resort, who book months/years ahead, it is simply pulling them when they are already on property.

I definitely agree with this. I know people who are not Potter fanatics who never read the books and maybe saw part of a movie or 2 that loved WWOHP. They probably didn't get some of the details or nuances from the books/movies that fans pick up on, but the area is well done. I have some hope that AvatarLand can be similar. I've seen the movie, but wouldn't call myself a fan. If the land is well done I'm not sure it matters.

The people inside Disney are way off base with the StarWarsLand theory. I disagree with the notion that StarWarsLand would only attract the same SW fanboys that SWW attracts. IMHO SWW is more like a Comicon or a Star Trek Convention. People want to see or potentially meet actors from the movies and buy merchandise. I am a fan of the StarWars movies but I never had any interest in going to a SWW event. I would be very excited to visit a fully immersive SW Land. Yes, you will draw some sketchy fanboys dressed as BobbaFet of Darth Vader, but the majority of people who would be booking a trip to visit a SW Land would be the same demographic they are targeting.

Fully agreed.

Potter was so well done, it has stopped shocking me when folks I come across who have been say "Oh, no, we didn't go on that ride in the castle, we weren't going to wait a couple of hours to ride we just had such a blast walking around Diagon Alley! It was amazing!" At least half the folks I have talked to who have been (and these aren't parks people, just those on a regular family vacation) didn't actually go on the ride. But Potter was the big highlight of their trip and you have to pry out everything else out of them (it's all they immediately recall).

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yes, I am aware of -- and angry -- about DLP's wholesale destruction of the wonderful Eddie Sotto-designed Photo shop on MSUSA. I get that most people take pics on iPhones now (not me and not @@WDWFigment ... but most). I get that maybe you aren't going to have a photography/film shop forever that actually exists to sell merchandise.But for design and sense of time and place, how do you rip out such a magnificent work of art and place a generic, vaguely Victorian shop that sells largely Parisian crap (clearly not for the locals because why would a Parisian want a Minnie tee with the Eiffel Tower on it?)

These types of design decisions are why the change needs to happen within Walt Disney Imagineering as well as within management. It is more themed decor. The entire design process remains backward. They start with a contemporary facility and then apply some theme.

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974 You always struck me as a chocolate chip kind of spirit.

While @Lee was a Pecan Brittle sort of guy.

I am,however, a Butterscotch sort of fanboi.

Howard Johnson's 28 Flavors of Ice Cream

Banana
Black Raspberry
Burgundy Cherry
Butter Pecan
Buttercrunch
Butterscotch
Caramel Fudge
Chocolate
Chocolate Chip
Coconut
Coffee
Frozen Pudding
Fruit Salad
Fudge Ripple
Lemon Stick
Macaroon
Maple Walnut
Mocha Chip
Orange-Pineapple
Peach
Peanut Brittle
Pecan Brittle
Peppermint Stick
Pineapple
Pistachio
Strawberry
Strawberry Ripple
Vanilla

Nah.

Three scoops. One each of Buttercrunch, Peanut Brittle and Mocha Chip ... followed by:
three scoops: one each of banana, burgundy cherry and pistachio (does any REAL Disney fan KNOW what that makes?)

 

[WDW1974]

How 'bout them Sea World earnings?

Looks like the excuses the past few conference calls caught up with them.

#thebrain

Sad, but not unexpected ... they have been doing quite poorly. Such a shame because they put out a quality product and do far more good for the study and health of sea life than anyone else.

They let a small group of crazies steal the narrative. And SEAS didn't handle it right at all. They should have gone on the offensive ... I would have. I still have a social media campaign that might help turn the tide (Call me SEAS!), but I don't give it for free (I am not a Disney fanboi!)

 

[AEfx]

He was kicked out of Disneyland, but he does not have a lifetime ban. After the D23 Expo last year, he was one of many people at a touring plans get together at Flo's.

Ah, got ya.

I dunno if I could do that myself - not that I can even imagine ever being thrown out of a Disney park to begin with, but beyond that I would be too embarrassed to, particularly in a "showy" way.

But then again, this is Hill, LOL - the man has no shame. "Donate via PayPal to my laptop fund and I'll finish some stories I have left hanging..." that he never followed through with, or after the above referenced incident, "So to heck with Disney, I'm going to record my pontifications on CD for you all to be able to enjoy without that pesky mouse interfering! Place your PayPal preorders now!" that never materialized.

I think Yee is a complete and utter finger-sniffer, but at least the guy actually follows through/produces something. It may be utter dreck that anyone could crib off of a few websites and send off to the self-printers in a few hours, but at least he does it.

 

[WDW1974]

currently I'm having to debate doing
discovery cove+aquatica+sw
or
just universal

for my upcoming orlando stopover for 2-3 days... haven't been to SW since the 80s.

If you only have 2-3 days total, then you have to make a choice or you'll do a disservice to yourself and fam. ... SW+DC+Aquatica is worth your time as is UNI ... but you need a few days for both. Hell, I'd say three days to do service to each ... and you don't have six.

Diagon Alley is a strong draw. But I'd do whatever you are looking for ... they are different products, much like Disney and UNI.

 

[PhotoDave219]

i have read on line on some possible SW plot spoilers (pretty cool if true) and id be happy to post the site...

sidenote:i got my shinebox out and have at it the ready @PhotoDave219

 

[Mike S]

Fully agreed.

Potter was so well done, it has stopped shocking me when folks I come across who have been say "Oh, no, we didn't go on that ride in the castle, we weren't going to wait a couple of hours to ride we just had such a blast walking around Diagon Alley! It was amazing!" At least half the folks I have talked to who have been (and these aren't parks people, just those on a regular family vacation) didn't actually go on the ride. But Potter was the big highlight of their trip and you have to pry out everything else out of them (it's all they immediately recall).

Sounds a lot like me with my first experience in Diagon Alley during soft openings and Gringotts wasn't open. The land was so well done it didn't bother me at all (well, maybe it did a little).

 

[WDW1974]

I did too because 20% off of insanely high prices still results in insanely high prices. We rent a car and eat mostly offsite. The food cost savings MORE than pays for the rental car and also having a car makes it easier to get to Universal and other non-Disney attractions if we want to go somewhere other than Disney.

The food prices are insane and the 'Tables in DizzyWorld' Card doesn't make any sense and hasn't for a very long time unless you are an addict and are going to simply give Disney your money no matter what.

I had the card when it started in 1995 for Florida residents only (under MDE's leadership, they actually cared about locals!) and was only $25 a year for TWO cards and for meals that were so much cheaper than today.

20% off now is such a joke (when you are paying what ... $90-100 for membership!) when menus on average are 35-50% too high vs. real world O-Town prices. And the gouging now ... and blackout dates.

For decades, prices were the same year round. You didn't pay to eat more because you came at Christmas time. And if you had a discount, then it was applied.

Oh, yeah, that was all under the Eisner years.

 

[WDW1974]

Well this is something for someone far more educated than I, but from what I read about the building most of the Chinese Olympic projects, you were looking at migrant workers making the equivalent of $200 a month. Certainly, I can see why they can get this done faster, if this is the case, as they can employ 10-50 times the manpower.
Again, I'm only basing this on what took place to construct the stadiums and villages of for the Olympics a few years back, it may be nothing like this at SDL.

As someone who was part of putting on the Beijing Olympics (yeah, really ... can't wait to hear what my fanboi Twits have to say about that!), that's a very simplistic way of looking at it.

Things get done faster over there for many reasons (some good, some not so good ... I joked a few times about buildings that went up overnight that no one should lean up against a wall) ... SDL is having some issues, but I would still expect an 'early' opening next fall (no way does this park open in November or December).

 

[WDW1974]

So AK has a new vice president, a former resort manager,(how is a resort/hotel ops person right for being part of running a themepark.)

I commented on that thread, but this is endemic of Disney's P&R problems.

You don't simply stick a square into a triangle just because you have to have one of 'your' guys in the position, yet this is why they never have new blood and things keep on keeping on.

I'm not sure Dijuan knows one end of Big Red from the other.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Some Spirited Musings:

To Jason's comments over Mizner's taking away the complimentary nuts, all I can say is ''Do they even think these things through?'' Insanity ... and I recall having drinks there twice in April (the latter simply multiple gallons of Ginger Ale after Typhoon Lagoon gave me a nasty case, is there any other kind?, of norovirus) and watching the lovely bartender get the 'snacks' from a giant/tacky Costco/Sam's Club type plastic tub. Do these execs not realize that bars that don't have $800 hotel rooms or ANY hotel rooms offer still offer bar snacks that are quality and don't come from warehouse clubs?

Yes, I am aware of -- and angry -- about DLP's wholesale destruction of the wonderful Eddie Sotto-designed Photo shop on MSUSA. I get that most people take pics on iPhones now (not me and not @WDWFigment ... but most). I get that maybe you aren't going to have a photography/film shop forever that actually exists to sell merchandise.But for design and sense of time and place, how do you rip out such a magnificent work of art and place a generic, vaguely Victorian shop that sells largely Parisian crap (clearly not for the locals because why would a Parisian want a Minnie tee with the Eiffel Tower on it?)

Haven't heard anything about @marni1971 's news of new lasers and upgrades to RoE. But anything would be welcome. I just hope those lasers are mounted to the heads of sharks like mine are.

Oh, and for anyone who misses those 'screamer' pyro in the show, please place the blame directly where it belongs -- namely at the feet of Bob Iger. The Weatherman wants 'green' pyro and I don't mean the color.

How do you know you are succeeding in ing off folks with tremendous wealth and power? They have their trained monkeys hit a few keystrokes and mess with your life. Too bad that kind of thing simply encourages me to push further and get meaner.

I'm sorry to all those Halloween fanbois, but I am not interested in the holiday in August. Just not at all. Maybe after Labor Day.

The one thing that sticks with me when about Disney today is the most powerful statement: Walt Disney would be canned by the company today IF he was ever hired to start with. Yes, a company led by the likes of Bob Iger, Tom Staggs and Jay Rasulo ... a company that can hire the likes of Bruce Vaughn and Phil Holmes ... a company that twists reality with folks from Zenia Mucha down to Dr. Blondie ... a company that has Lou Mongello as a de facto spokeman and BRAND advocate ... a company that employs so many troubles spirits ... that company wouldn't want Walt and what he stood for today. Just smoke on that ... and then come back and defend today's WDC and its management team.

Yeah. I hate it when people photoshop photos to death.....

 

[WDW1974]

yes, but will it stand the test of time the way Snow White, Cinderella, and all the other classics have?

That's why we call it the 'test of time' ... I have my doubts. But who knows?

I thought it was presumptuous, as much as I loved them, for Disney to be anointing its 90s films as 'classics' when it was still ... well, the 90s. But those did feel like instant classics. Frozen? Who knows?

 

[Nemo14]

That's why we call it the 'test of time' ... I have my doubts. But who knows?

I thought it was presumptuous, as much as I loved them, for Disney to be anointing its 90s films as 'classics' when it was still ... well, the 90s. But those did feel like instant classics. Frozen? Who knows?

I just don't understand the draw. To me it was just OK - nothing that would make me run out and buy it the way Beauty and the Beast, Little mermaid, or Lion King did.

 

[twebber55]

I just don't understand the draw. To me it was just OK - nothing that would make me run out and buy it the way Beauty and the Beast, Little mermaid, or Lion King did.

I thought it was ok as well...but none the less it made a ton of money and this summer at both MK and DHS shows its still got some legs

 

[WDW1974]

I'm assuming we all heard about the DTD parking garage construction delays?

No, I try and avoid those topics. But what's going on?

 

[WDW1974]

According to Jeff Elliott on Theme Park Insider he says that the imagineers are waiting for J.J Abrams to give them information on new places, characters, and plot elements of the new movies before they start the creative process.
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201408/4163/

I don't know who Jeff is. ... But the creative process started as soon as the script was completed. Actually, it started way before that with concepts that have since been thrown away.

 

[flynnibus]

If you only have 2-3 days total, then you have to make a choice or you'll do a disservice to yourself and fam. ... SW+DC+Aquatica is worth your time as is UNI ... but you need a few days for both. Hell, I'd say three days to do service to each ... and you don't have six.

Diagon Alley is a strong draw. But I'd do whatever you are looking for ... they are different products, much like Disney and UNI.

It's the tail end of the cruise.. and in school season so days are limited. We really only had 1 day, but since both options (Uni and Discovery Cove) are so expensive for 1 day tickets... we think stretching to 2-3 days is justified.

We've never done DiscoveryCove or Aquatica and haven't been to SW in decades. So that's 'new'.. and the one ticket price for Discovery Cove for all of them makes it attractive $$ wise. We will likely have 2 days, 3 tops. Discovery cove means 1 ticket plus much cheaper hotels.

Uni we just did recently.. but of course diagon alley is new. Buying 1 day at UNI wastes money and isn't cost effective for the Uni hotel (only use 1 of two days of Express Pass). So 2 days at Uni with ExpressPass + ParkHopper is ok.. but 3 days is better. But the traveling group includes seniors.. so UNI isn't necessarily as attractive as Discovery Cove might be on its own. Uni means paying $300/night hotel and cheaper tickets.

But it's mid november.. so water park weather can be marginal. It's a tough call.. not sure which way I want to lead the group yet. UNI is the safer bet, but its also the 'we never do anything new' bet