The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Watched the Oogie Boogie vid. If that's risque, I'd hate to see what WDW guests would think of Mad T Party.

 

[baymenxpac]

First, what is the point in criticizing (or labeling) people who have fun taking a photo with Disney characters and who collect photos with characters the way other people collect magnets, stamps, or anything else?
It seems to me the normality of any of us is subject to being questioned by others with different interests

i don't want to speak for spirit here, but i believe he's simply saying that there are those adults who knowingly suspend disbelief and "take a picture with anna and elsa" for the family scrapbook, and then there are -- for lack of a better term -- oddballs, who make the thing a religious experience.

furthermore, i think he's saying that he's fine with that, but when disney exploits the latter of that equation to skimp on adequate parks and resorts spending and upkeep, and uses a five-hour line at an overcrowded, low-capacity park as evidence that "the product has never been better," it becomes dangerous.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Watched the Oogie Boogie vid. If that's risque, I'd hate to see what WDW guests would think of Mad T Party.

Ive been told that i need to go to DL just for the Mad T Party. I've seen photos. My cup of tea.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Ive been told that i need to go to DL just for the Mad T Party. I've seen photos. My cup of tea.

Mad T Party is FANTASTIC, and super adult oriented. No one seems to care. It's almost PI-esque - booze everywhere, a great band, DJ, aerialists and dancers all rotating through each hour on multiple stages, and I've never heard anyone complain about their snowflake being damaged by the proceedings.

 

[marni1971]

PI used to be fantastic too.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Mad T Party is FANTASTIC, and super adult oriented. No one seems to care. It's almost PI-esque - booze everywhere, a great band, DJ, aerialists and dancers all rotating through each hour on multiple stages, and I've never heard anyone complain about their snowflake being damaged by the proceedings.

Imagine if it had a permanent venue in DtD....

 

[TP2000]

Here's the thing - DLR face character casting now oversees WDW face character casting, and DLR's casting directors have the authority in the equation. A few years ago when this change occurred, DLR's casting director flew to Florida and "disapproved" countless performers from various roles because he/she didn't feel they were correct for their parts - operational needs be damned.

A lot of WDWers were upset, obviously, but they've never been known for their spot-on face character casting, so the move was considered necessary from DLR's end when it comes to maintaining the brand.

I don't know the particulars of this situation, but it could have just been that the DLR casting directors found no one to approve for the role in WDW, so they ordered the expense as necessary. I'm not totally sure, but it looks like one of the Maleficents for this event was flown out from DLR as well based on some pics I've seen.

Fascinating! I've always loved this "backstage" information, and the differences between how WDW works and Disneyland works.

This is a great example of WDW finally being forced to do things the right way. The differences in the princesses and other major face characters in Orlando compared to Anaheim have been glaring for at least the last 15 years. Sometimes at WDW I've felt so badly for the kids playing the characters because they clearly weren't right for the part,they were trying so hard, but were just not set up for success.

I remember in particular a Magic Kingdom Park visit several years ago, there was an "Aladdin" in Adventureland who simply looked like a chubby 29 year old Italian guy from Jersey dressed up as Aladdin. I wanted to buy the dude another cheesesteak and tell him to go take a break.

Then you go to Disneyland and Aladdin is 19 to 21 years old, lithe and slim and athletic, with actual Arabian facial features and skin coloring that matches the Aladdin character. And we won't even get started on the ladies.

So now that we have this additional info thanks to @GiveMeTheMusic and his wonderful insight, I think WDW should keep having to do this. If the Anaheim bosses in charge of face characters for both coasts don't approve of the staffing choices the TDO managers make, pull those characters out of the park until they can re-cast better ones or fly in the good ones from Anaheim.

The Disney "brand" will be better off for it.

 

[TP2000]

Woah, this is the post of the decade. Pure Gold, should go in the WDW magic post hall of fame. Almost as if it were written by someone at Disney...oh, wait.

I'm really surprised that someone from Disney would actually come here, post this AND expect peeps to not see right through it lol : DDDDDDD XDDD ;DD : D whatever all that carp means. I think I'll need to have my 13 year old daughter come read this and translate for me.

I agree that post is very suspicious and obviously written by someone on Disney's payroll.

But I have a hard time believing it's written by a pro writer from the Disney Parks Blog or Social Media team in a clumsy and useless attempt at steering public perception online. They just aren't that stupid in TDO's Social Media department, or at least they shouldn't be.

But what I could easily believe is that the post was written by someone who works in DHS or in the WDW Entertainment department. Likely someone who has worked there for a few years, is an hourly supervisor or perhaps a low level salaried manager in the park. He/she was trying to boost the event after they witnessed first hand it didn't go off well, because they take pride in their workplace and the online criticism was bugging them.

It was a clumsy and fabricated Trip Report that was simply Cast Member boosterism. But it couldn't have come from the legit Disney Social Media team, or anyone in management above a level that doesn't have to wear a radio and tacky pin lanyard every day at work.

 

[Jennifer66]

Spirited Weekend Musings:

These are the adults that want to have pics with Anna and Elsa etc. This is what it has come down to for the Disney of today. We all suffer when the masses decide that they want crap from WDW, much like we all suffer when the masses decide to shop at Walmart and put Americans out of work or on welfare.

Disney now believes, because in large part these crazy fans, that character meet-greet-and-gropes and dance parties equals entertainment and perhaps that is true for some children and some arrested development adults, but some of us know what it is.

Yes, "The High Cost of Low Quality" affects us all. I'm looking forward to my adult-only trip down this weekend even with all the things that drive me crazy though because my husband and I will have a great time. No characters, long lines, etc. Just slow touring and lots of lounge time!

 

[Nemo14]

I agree that post is very suspicious and obviously written by someone on Disney's payroll.

But I have a hard time believing it's written by a pro writer from the Disney Parks Blog or Social Media team in a clumsy and useless attempt at steering public perception online. They just aren't that stupid in TDO's Social Media department, or at least they shouldn't be.

But what I could easily believe is that the post was written by someone who works in DHS or in the WDW Entertainment department. Likely someone who has worked there for a few years, is an hourly supervisor or perhaps a low level salaried manager in the park. He/she was trying to boost the event after they witnessed first hand it didn't go off well, because they take pride in their workplace and the online criticism was bugging them.

It was a clumsy and fabricated Trip Report that was simply Cast Member boosterism. But it couldn't have come from the legit Disney Social Media team, or anyone in management above a level that doesn't have to wear a radio and tacky pin lanyard every day at work.

I have no problem believing it came directly from the Social Media department. They're not known for their MENSA memberships over there.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

So I just read on two different disney facebook groups that Disney is mailing out flyers that feature the children's school calendars....

I'm sorry but is Disney truly so desperate to get people back that they've started researching people's school districts and recommending when they should go... That's overkill!

 

[TalkingHead]

I'm sorry but is Disney truly so desperate to get people back that they've started researching people's school districts and recommending when they should go... That's overkill!

No, that's creepy.

 

[Nemo14]

No, that's creepy.

So, is that what they're doing with all that info they gather from Magic Bands?

 

[MKCP 1985]

Can you imagine? "I see your fall semester schedule has no classes on Fridays. Now is a great time to get a 3 day pass with park hopping at a special discount available only to Florida residents like yourself. Would you like to pay for that with your Disney Visa? Since making timely payments for the past six months, your credit limit has just been increased by $1,000."

 

[Nemo14]

Can you imagine? "I see your fall semester schedule has no classes on Fridays. Now is a great time to get a 3 day pass with park hopping at a special discount available only to Florida residents like yourself. Would you like to pay for that with your Disney Visa? Since making timely payments for the past six months, your credit limit has just been increased by $1,000."

Scary stuff!!!!

 

[PhotoDave219]

So I just read on two different disney facebook groups that Disney is mailing out flyers that feature the children's school calendars....

I'm sorry but is Disney truly so desperate to get people back that they've started researching people's school districts and recommending when they should go... That's overkill!

Maybe. Maybe not.

Every time a major school district is out (boston, Philly, nude york, etc) it has a definitive impact on attendance.

Knowing exactly when these breaks are helps with forecasting attendance.

And what's wrong with marketing to the youth of America? I see no desperation there, I see smart marketing.

 

[GoofGoof]

So, is that what they're doing with all that info they gather from Magic Bands?

Who needs a magic band for that? All they needed was the address of the family and the ages of the kids which they had from check-in. I could have saved them a billion dollars if they just asked

 

[Bolna]

Ok, I watched some of the Oogie Boogie Show. Thought it looked like a good show. What were the issues people had with it? I could not see anything out of the ordinary with it besides it being Villains themed???

 

[culturenthrills]

More $$$ special events? You betcha. Disney just announced a hard ticket event within a hard ticket event. ($99 dessert party at MNSSHP).

Yes because it is so hard to find good seating for Hallowishes and Boo to You and hey gotta find another way to monetize all those CM's who are dressed as villains can't have them taking too many breaks.

 

[Cesar R M]

Errr..... You had to be at Mizner's last night.

care to tell us? cause I'm definitively too far from that. lol

Ive been told that i need to go to DL just for the Mad T Party. I've seen photos. My cup of tea.

love your puns!