The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[FigmentFreak]

We continue to get it in the tukus.

Maybe they'll sprinkle some pixie dust on your tukus to help make it feel better.

 

[ford91exploder]

We already have price decreases... we only got 1 price increase this year instead of two

To paraphrase Jack Palance as Curly, "The year ain't over yet..."

 

[Sue_Vongello]

We continue to get it in the tukus.

 

[Next Big Thing]

A sad story on Bloomberg today:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...r-orlando-workers-as-poverty-nears-20-percent

Question: Does anyone know what percentage of WDW employees are at the minimum wage level? In other words, how many have gotten raises over the years? How long does it take to work there to make a reasonable wage, or does someone have to move to management to make the needle move?

All WDW employees are getting raises to $9.00/hr now under the new agreement and you earn a .50 bonus for every year you work for the company now. So things are getting better.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I'll purposely try spending less than I already do.

Well considering I can't afford a vacation anytime soon, done.

And since they no longer stock adult merch worthy of buying at the mall disney stores, done.

Now if I keep out of Target, I'll be ok....unfortunately I love that stupid store.

A sad story on Bloomberg today:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...r-orlando-workers-as-poverty-nears-20-percent

Question: Does anyone know what percentage of WDW employees are at the minimum wage level? In other words, how many have gotten raises over the years? How long does it take to work there to make a reasonable wage, or does someone have to move to management to make the needle move?

Probably 98% of wdw workers. I could see the managers and obviously presidents and such making a "livable wage" but not many more than that.

Heck, I live in the "most affordable city in the country" (several years running) and you cannot live here on $10 an hr unless you live with your parents and own a used car.$10 an hour makes taking the bus unaffordable. You couldn't have your own apartment, unless you had five roomies. I don't know how people in Orlando are doing it.

Edit for clarification.

Bus = 2.50 each way per bus, or $100 bus pass a month
Rent- depends on neighborhood, but generally 750-1300 I'd say are about right. You could live in the hood for 600/month but then you have to factor in personal protection accessories and a good alarm system, plus renters insurance.

$10/hr x 37.5 hrs a week (good luck finding a 40 hr work week anywhere!) minus taxes you're looking at about 250 a week, give or take, depending on w9 claims and such. 250x4= 1000, minus $100 bus pass per month, $900, utilities (winter is the worst, gas bills can claim to 500 for a small apartment ) figure roughly. $300 a month ....you're at. $600... Now there's food. If you're on the cheap, $150-200, if you actually like healthy food, $300-400. And if you do have a car, (+100) there's gas ($30-60 a tank, insurance, hopefully no maintanence) and tire wear and tear because these streets are terrible! A brand new set lasts about two years here, tops.

And of course, don't forget not to get sick. (Doctors bills) have a pet (food, vet care, flea treatments,etc) or children (same ) and think about buying anything like clothing, winter boots, something fun, seeing a movie, going out to dinner, lunch with friends, birthday presents, Christmas gifts, dessert, those shiny new slippers you've been eying up, new glasses, a box of contacts, hair care, a new razor, or brakes for the car because it's not gonna happen.

 

[GoofGoof]

All WDW employees are getting raises to $9.00/hr now under the new agreement and you earn a .50 bonus for every year you work for the company now. So things are getting better.

Is the $0.50 a per hour increase or a 1 time bonus? I assume that you mean someone with 10 years in would earn an extra $5 per hour. That seems pretty good for the long time workers.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Is the $0.50 a per hour increase or a 1 time bonus? I assume that you mean someone with 10 years in would earn an extra $5 per hour. That seems pretty good for the long time workers.

For every year, you work there now, you earn a .50 bonus. And $9.00/hour is considered minimum wage now through the new agreement.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

All WDW employees are getting raises to $9.00/hr now under the new agreement and you earn a .50 bonus for every year you work for the company now. So things are getting better.

Their biggest problem is the college program. One of the tactics employer use is to prevent workers from getting 40 hours a week. CPers are cheaper than CMs, room and board is deducted from their pay cheques, and keep available hours for CMs, where they can concievably get 40 hours or overtime, hard to come by. The Unions who represent WDW CMs have fought for years to either reduce or kill the College Program. It's great that young people want to work for Disney in college, I have two friends who did it and another one who will be going down next Spring, but working predominately crappy jobs for little take home pay is not what I would consider a worthwhile investment in your time. It's even worse when you think about the impact on folks who need those hours.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Their biggest problem is the college program. One of the tactics employer use is to prevent workers from getting 40 hours a week. CPers are cheaper than CMs, room and board is deducted from their pay cheques, and keep available hours for CMs, where they can concievably get 40 hours or overtime, hard to come by. The Unions who represent WDW CMs have fought for years to either reduce or kill the College Program. It's great that young people want to work for Disney in college, I have two friends who did it and another one who will be going down next Spring, but working predominately crappy jobs for little take home pay is not what I would consider a worthwhile investment in your time. It's even worse when you think about the impact on folks who need those hours.

CPs aren't much cheaper anymore, once again, because of the new deal. Disney minimum wage is strict at $9.00/hour for ALL employees, including CPs (I know a lot of CPs and they've confirmed it).

 

[FigmentJedi]

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/10/...is-a-man-out-of-time-in-disneys-tomorrowland/

Finally have some details on the Tomorrowland movie. This concept looks Horizons as hell.

 

[WDW1974]

OK, no chance of catching up, so anything I missed before page 900 (yes, no one reads or comments on threads I start, it's all my gigantic ego!) is just going to get left behind ... no 'ohana here.

Before I take my DD coffee break and try and read some, I did see Gone Girl last night and it is a GREAT film (even if I didn't see Ben Affleck's as advertised ... not that I was looking, it was all for my fanboi minions, of course!) although much like the Sixth Sense, I saw the HUGE SHOCK coming in the first 15 minutes. I do think it's the kind of film that all my married friends who are miserable will use to show why getting hitched isn't a good thing because the film certainly makes you wonder exactly who it is that you put a ring on and do you really know them at all and what does marriage do to you. It's sorta akin to a supposedly mild-mannered school teacher getting cancer and becoming a meth kingpin.

That's all I wish to say on that beyond please post no spoilers at all.

Speaking of which, do I have ANY interest in three movies about Obi Wan Kanoodle? Um ... nope.

While we're talking about Hollywood product, amazing how quickly I decided Gotham wasn't worth my time (faster than SHIELD if you can believe it).

Much sadder that Tuner pulled the plug on the new Dallas after three years. It actually turned into something quite good and bad programming/scheduling decisions were behind the drop in audience from the great numbers it first pulled in.

 

[WDW1974]

HKDL musing: I know @WDWFigment (he's holding court in Japan again for those keeping track at home) said he wasn't that enamored with Paint the Night, which is very similar to what will debut in Anaheim in May, but a friend in the business who saw it recently said it was wonderful.

 

[WDW1974]

Few things to note-

- The popularity and positive reception of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train probably indicates people are still very much interested in seeing animatronics. The figures in particular have been extremely well received, not just because of the facial expressions.

I think those figures look great and fit a Fantasyland type atmosphere with toon characters (although again I wonder how great it will be when Doc suddenly loses his face and they don't immediately shut the ride down, and in O-Town they won't ... lots of traumatized kids, I'd guess!)

- Same can be said about the AA's used in Radiator Springs Racers, very well received and i feel entirely comfortable saying that the ride wouldn't have been as well reviewed had it just included video screens for the scenes and characters.

Absolutely. RSRs works on all levels because it has it all. ... I do worry if the value-engineered version I told y'all about last year winds up coming to FL after all.

- Whylightbulb and WDW1974 have both stated that there are a substantial number of Universal Creative members who aren't happy that higher ups are mandating a decline in AA figures in favor of video.

Screens are a problem at UNI and many who work there get this, but upper management is sold on them. You can't have all attractions feeling so similar, no matter how well executed they are. There's a reason why MiB, The Mummy and ET are still 'must dos' for me everytime. Transformers may well be kewl and all, but if I miss it ... I don't really care so long as I've done Spidey.

What the UNI fanbois, most Disney fanbois not happy with WDW's staleness (rightfully so), don't get is that no matter how kewl screens are you can only do so many before it's too many. UNI is at that tipping point right now ... and Kong sounds like it will be mostly screens.

- Universal fans have been extremely positive about the Gringotts goblin animatronics in the queue. On the flipside, one of the common criticisms of the attraction has been a lack of animatronics in the actual ride, being too screen heavy.

They look great in pics. ...too bad they didn't include some in the ride!

- One of the the major things James Cameron was most excited and eager to talk about in his recent teases for Avatar Land was regarding the animatronics they were working on for the Na'vi characters. He said the following about them-

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/james-cameron-outlines-avatar-as-disney-world-attraction.884995/

I could provide more examples of positive feedback regarding modern impressive AA's, but it's pretty much complete BS to say that the interest in AA's has passed or that they're looked upon as little more than historical curiosity. If anything i'd say people are more interested in them than ever. It's not entirely unlike the creators of the new Star Wars movie insisting on using more practical effects because both they themselves AND fans are burned out on overused CGI (it's one of a great number of reasons i and many others are actually pretty excited for Episode 7).

Very good analogy.

I'd use another film one. The James Bond films.

By the time Brosnan's last 007 outing came out, they were ridiculous because you knew (that unlike Bond of the 60s, 70s and 80s) that it was all computers, all fake.

When Craig came in and they rebooted, they went back to what worked originally ... real stuntmen doing real staging ... and it made a huge difference.

Quality AAs are not passe whether Bruce Vaughan or Thierry Coup think they are ...

 

[WDW1974]

Disney and More has an article on the meeting and current state of DLP and my response is this:

DLP needs fixing, and when I say "fixing" I mean to just about everything. Hotels, Parks, Village, additions etc, it all needs to be done. However, the resort clearly has a plan and commitment to move forward. Refurb everything, expand seasonal promotions, build new rides etc. it's all there, but what they need (and have needed for a long time) is funding and a greater push on the part of Staggs and crew to get things to move faster.

The cost of fixing DCA & HKDL, pushing MM+, building Shanghai, has basically come at the expense of DLP. Now Disney wants to fix DHS in Florida (which is great), but I'm worried that DLP could use that money more. In an ideal world everything would get done, but this is today's Disney and frankly I'd rather save DLP from falling beyond repair than have another track of TSMM and a cantina restaurant.

DLP has been at the bottom of parks and resort's list of priorities for a long time. That needs to change.

The fact is Disney can invest BILLIONS in ALL its resorts worldwide at the SAME TIME.

I don't want another @ParentsOf4 post about stock buybacks or lack of spending because if you don't get it yet, then you never will (NOT YOU, the general you!)

Disney having to wait to invest in WDW is ''JT logic'' ... it would be akin to Disney not being able to make Frozen because John Carter and Lone Ranger were massive failures.

There is enough $$$ to fix DLP AND invest in WDW (and build SDL etc etc). It's all about choice. TWDC has been allowing things to get worse at DLP (while investing) so they could move in for the kill. They want ownership because they'll then strong arm lenders as their rehabbing picks up and as they add more reasons for people to come. It's as simple as that.

Folks that think DLP is in any real danger of closure are smoking some bad Pixie Dust. DLP is the largest employer in France (sound familiar?) ... do you really think it's going to become Asterix's Seasonal MAGICal Journeys Theme Park and Outlet Mall?

 

[hopemax]

Screens are a problem at UNI and many who work there get this, but upper management is sold on them. You can't have all attractions feeling so similar, no matter how well executed they are. There's a reason why MiB, The Mummy and ET are still 'must dos' for me everytime. Transformers may well be kewl and all, but if I miss it ... I don't really care so long as I've done Spidey.

What the UNI fanbois, most Disney fanbois not happy with WDW's staleness (rightfully so), don't get is that no matter how kewl screens are you can only do so many before it's too many. UNI is at that tipping point right now ... and Kong sounds like it will be mostly screens.

So what's the best way to get this across to upper management? My husband and I just had our first on-property stay at USO (2 nights at the Royal Pacific). And it was my husband's 2nd visit to the resort ever. As much as he enjoyed FJ, Gringott's, Despicable Me, Transformers and Simpsons he just kept repeating "there is too much 3-D here, too many screens, etc." Hearing Kong is mostly screens, will be a disappointment to him and it is to me.

 

[WDW1974]

Disney itself has proven... it's not HOW you do it.. it's that you do it in a way that the guest gets the impression or feeling you want them too.

The fire effects in POTC are simple... yet they do the job. It's not about something being physical or not.. it's about being convincing in the setting. AA's all constrained to be behind a window in a wall you just sat and watched would be less interesting than a world you ride through. These AA vs whatever arguments always forget it's not the tech that makes the attraction work or not.

True, but I was expecting REAL fire in the Pirate Mountain attraction that was proposed by Tim Delaney for HKDL ... and I wonder whether they'll use real fire at all (I know your post wasn't about fire per se, but I want to talk about fire so ...) in SDL's very projection reliant PoTC attraction.

Real fire can be very kewl (SEE: The Mummy at UNI).

 

[WDW1974]

So what's the best way to get this across to upper management? My husband and I just had our first on-property stay at USO (2 nights at the Royal Pacific). And it was my husband's 2nd visit to the resort ever. As much as he enjoyed FJ, Gringott's, Despicable Me, Transformers and Simpsons he just kept repeating "there is too much 3-D here, too many screens, etc." Hearing Kong is mostly screens, will be a disappointment to him and it is to me.

That's a good question. I always believe in sending any real feedback to the decision-makers and powerbrokers at a given corporation. Believe it or not, but about 90% of the time you wind up speaking to people (or conversing via email) at those levels. Most folks don't have the desire to actually engage people. (As an aside, calling directly to Georgie K or the EPCOT VP of the Day etc to complain about Malestrom or entertainment cuts or anything isn't going to get your AP revoked or you banned from property for life or a visit by the FBI unless you threaten the people).

If you have concerns with UNI, then I'd reach out to the people who run the resort and their overlords at Comcast.

I don't need another screen-based thrill ride at UNI. I wish they were doing the original JP jeep ride on that expansion pad instead of Kong. I doubt very much that I'll enjoy it as much as the original, but hoping they surprise me.

 

[Absimilliard]

True, but I was expecting REAL fire in the Pirate Mountain attraction that was proposed by Tim Delaney for HKDL ... and I wonder whether they'll use real fire at all (I know your post wasn't about fire per se, but I want to talk about fire so ...) in SDL's very projection reliant PoTC attraction.

Real fire can be very kewl (SEE: The Mummy at UNI).

Pyrotechnics/Fire are my favorite effect on a ride, but also the rarest. What's the last ride Disney built that use fire? Jungle Cruise at HKDL in 2005. Since then, like Universal, they replaced them with a directed heat generator sometime combined with a projection on a nitrogen cloud (see Transformers).

Edit: Some shows still feature fire, but as for rides, that's it.

USH and USF used to be known as the parks with the most fire effects, but at both parks, the number has dwindled down to a handful of rides or experiences.

Using fire on rides is difficult, expensive and hard to maintain. I was looking at Catastrophe Canyon when it opened in 1989 and even then they could not keep up with it. In the first year, when you pulled up, there was a torch near the left oil tank that was actually intact. The fire would be set off by the sparks from the power pole for the truck, but in the case of the left hand tank, the torch would shake and then set off the tank, causing it to physically split apart and spewing a HUGE fireball. Same for the truck, which had huge flames covering the section above the tanker wheels. The explosion on the top reservoir was huge and loud. After a year or two, the torch was removed, the splitting oil tank stuck in an open position and everything in contact with the tanks completely charred and covered in soot. The explosions were eventually toned down as well to save on the propane bill.

The following video is from testing on the 2002 Catastrophe Canyon at Walt Disney Studios. At around a minute, you can see the swinging torch and the intended size of the fire effects.

 

[doctornick]

So what's the best way to get this across to upper management? My husband and I just had our first on-property stay at USO (2 nights at the Royal Pacific). And it was my husband's 2nd visit to the resort ever. As much as he enjoyed FJ, Gringott's, Despicable Me, Transformers and Simpsons he just kept repeating "there is too much 3-D here, too many screens, etc." Hearing Kong is mostly screens, will be a disappointment to him and it is to me.

That was my wife's complaint during our recent trip as well. She liked the attractions but complained that all the best ones seemed similar.

 

[flynnibus]

True, but I was expecting REAL fire in the Pirate Mountain attraction that was proposed by Tim Delaney for HKDL ... and I wonder whether they'll use real fire at all (I know your post wasn't about fire per se, but I want to talk about fire so ...) in SDL's very projection reliant PoTC attraction.

Real fire can be very kewl (SEE: The Mummy at UNI).

Know what I prefer over AAs? Real actors!