The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[ford91exploder]

Me too. The Toy Story thing seems to have been dismissed as fine because it's just a test, but switching BOG to essentially reservation only all the time seems to have really annoyed even the most hardcore pixie-dusters.

Just wait for the screams when TSMM does a BoG, I'll get out the popcorn to watch the pixie-dusters heads' explode - it should be a much better show than Wishes

 

[ford91exploder]

Not only was MM+ probably touted as cheaper than adding new attractions, I'm sure it was also touted as a way to generate revenue (through data mining, personalized marketing, merchandising, etc.). That revenue part often gets forgotten, namely because I'm not sure the data portions ever got off the ground with all the glitches and bugs (@WDW1974 ? @marni1971 ?@Lee ?) but you can bet it was there in the planning stages.

To the execs and bean counters, here's a project whose costs are less than expansions for every park AND has the ability to directly generate revenue? They were probably tripping over each other to sign on.

I would not be surprised if the data mining was actually the first thing completed in NGE it's relatively simple compared to interfacing to the real world and is relatively cheap to extend as it has no customer facing interfaces.

 

[BrerJon]

I would not be surprised if the data mining was actually the first thing completed in NGE it's relatively simple compared to interfacing to the real world and is relatively cheap to extend as it has no customer facing interfaces.

if you go to a Fastpass+ kiosk with a MYW ticket, the first time you use it you *have* to enter some personal information before it lets you book a ride, so there's no doubt the data mining is in full operation.

In the old days you could buy a ticket, hand over your dollars, and get your Fastpasses, without so much as showing an ID card let alone having to give Disney's computers your personal information.

 

[PirateFrank]

While reading this article (http://theweek.com/article/index/26...-the-biggest-problem-with-american-capitalism), I couldn't help but see several key parallels between the theory presented in the article and Disney's current business strategies.....

I'm curious to hear what some of the brain trust here thinks about the points made in the article as it relates to TWDC. Part of me thinks a long-term strategist (i.e. not Bob Iger) would never survive as CEO of TWDC, for some of the reasons stated in the article.....could some of TWDC's problems simply be the financial environment out there today?

 

[ford91exploder]

While reading this article (http://theweek.com/article/index/26...-the-biggest-problem-with-american-capitalism), I couldn't help but see several key parallels between the theory presented in the article and Disney's current business strategies.....

I'm curious to hear what some of the brain trust here thinks about the points made in the article as it relates to TWDC. Part of me thinks a long-term strategist (i.e. not Bob Iger) would never survive as CEO of TWDC, for some of the reasons stated in the article.....could some of TWDC's problems simply be the financial environment out there today?

Undoubtedly - the constant yammering for GROWTH in profits at all costs, Rather than in the old days when it was OK just to have a steady profit margin and a steady GPM within a reasonable band was a good thing. Now the 'Street wants the CEO's head if the company's GPM does not grow 10% year over year. Many bad decisions are made to satisfy the constant drumbeat from the 'Street.

 

[Goofyernmost]

if you go to a Fastpass+ kiosk with a MYW ticket, the first time you use it you *have* to enter some personal information before it lets you book a ride, so there's no doubt the data mining is in full operation.

In the old days you could buy a ticket, hand over your dollars, and get your Fastpasses, without so much as showing an ID card let alone having to give Disney's computers your personal information.

Except for the fact that the MYW ticket was registered to your name, you are correct. If you paid cash, that might have skipped a step, but, so few pay cash that I don't think that they were overly concerned. They have been data mining as long as electronics allowed it. They just can go a little deeper now and know what other rides you are taking, what shows you see, what stores you walk into, how long you stayed there and what you are buying. But, don't kid yourself, they have always been watching what people do. It's just easier now to identify the individuals.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Undoubtedly - the constant yammering for GROWTH in profits at all costs, Rather than in the old days when it was OK just to have a steady profit margin and a steady GPM within a reasonable band was a good thing. Now the 'Street wants the CEO's head if the company's GPM does not grow 10% year over year. Many bad decisions are made to satisfy the constant drumbeat from the 'Street.

And there have been companies who damn near grew themselves out of business...Domino's Pizza, for instance...

 

[ford91exploder]

And there have been companies who **** near grew themselves out of business...Domino's Pizza, for instance...

The pizza which used to use ketchup for sauce!. We need a Chicago/NYC pizza war on here again!

 

[BrerJon]

Except for the fact that the MYW ticket was registered to your name, you are correct.

That's not my recent experience. My MYW ticket, purchased at a park window with a credit card, had no name registered to the ticket until the Fastpass terminal asked for one (along with other information - birthdate, address, how many people I was visiting with etc.). It's different if you're a hotel guest, or passholder, but day tickets are still sold anonymously, with data capture only kicking in at a kiosk.

 

[truecoat]

I had AFV on earlier (don't judge me, it was background noise) and a commercial for disneylands 60th anniversary came on.

Midway through, a couple that looked hauntingly much like our Bricker family were shown. It was like, a second, two maybe, and that's it. The commercial started with DL then moved onto DCA.

I can't find the commercial on line yet (though I did find a clip from the show, it's not the one im talking about) but did anyone else happen to catch it?

It's AFV's 25 anniversary and they are partnering with Disney for the 60th. One winner on AFV will win a trip to Disneyland and be able to invite 60 people.

http://afv.com/about/about-grand-prize/

 

[WildcatDen]

The pizza which used to use ketchup for sauce!. We need a Chicago/NYC pizza war on here again!

I vote Chicago. Lou Malnati's or Giordano's would be my top two choices. And that is from a guy in Cincinnati, home to Montgomery Inn Ribs, Graeter's Ice Cream, Skyline Chili, and LaRosa's Pizza. And here is the interesting thing, all four of those "Cincinnati Brands" have a home at King's Island. How many Orlando Brands have a home at WDW?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I vote Chicago. Lou Malnati's or Giordano's would be my top two choices. And that is from a guy in Cincinnati, home to Montgomery Inn Ribs, Graeter's Ice Cream, Skyline Chili, and LaRosa's Pizza. And here is the interesting thing, all four of those "Cincinnati Brands" have a home at King's Island. How many Orlando Brands have a home at WDW?

Orlando brands? Like what?

 

[ParentsOf4]

I vote Chicago. Lou Malnati's or Giordano's would be my top two choices. And that is from a guy in Cincinnati, home to Montgomery Inn Ribs, Graeter's Ice Cream, Skyline Chili, and LaRosa's Pizza. And here is the interesting thing, all four of those "Cincinnati Brands" have a home at King's Island. How many Orlando Brands have a home at WDW?

I grew up with "Greek Style" pizza. For those of you unfamiliar with this, I'll quote from Wiki:

This style is baked in a pan, instead of directly on the bricks of the pizza oven, (as is more traditional for Italian pizza). The pan used is a shallow pan, in-contrast to the deep pans used in Chicago-style deep dish pizza. The pan is heavily oiled with olive oil. It has a crust that is usually chewy and puffy, almost like focaccia bread but not as thick. The crust is also rather oily, due to the heavily oiled pan used for the cooking process. The sauce is typical zesty, with a strong taste of basil. The sauce amounts are greater, relative to the light amounts of cheese placed on the pizza.​

I did my undergrad years in New Haven and was a complete convert to the brick oven style pizza found at Pepe's and Sally's.

I then spent over a decade in Chicago and was a complete convert to Chicago stuffed pizza.

As a world traveler and pizza aficionado, I've had pizza from all over.

There are many great pizza joints. However, for an individual pizza joint, Sally's (in New Haven) is still the best.

As an overall style of pizza, nothing beats a great stuffed pizza.

Heck, nowadays, I take my family to Orlando just so we can have a couple of pies at Giordano's.

I know, I know, I just lost all the respect of you New York Style aficionados.

Lots of places do NY style but they don't do it particularly well. For every great NY style pizza joint you can name, there are 10 more that are mediocre. It's an easy pizza to copy.

However, most places stay away from Chicago style unless they know what they are doing.

Let the battle begin.

 

[BrerJon]

Heck, nowadays, I take my family to Orlando just so we can have a couple of pies at Giordano's.

I know, I know, I just lost all the respect of you New York Style aficionados.

Lots of places do NY style but they don't do it particularly well. For every great NY style pizza joint you can name, there are 10 more that are mediocre. It's an easy pizza to copy.

However, most places stay away from Chicago style unless they know what they are doing.

Let the battle begin.

Not a fan of Pizza Planet then? <ducks>

 

[the.dreamfinder]

High res Tomorrowland art.

 

[Stevek]

High res Tomorrowland art.

Looks like something you'd see in Dubai.

 

[Stevek]

I vote Chicago. Lou Malnati's or Giordano's would be my top two choices. And that is from a guy in Cincinnati, home to Montgomery Inn Ribs, Graeter's Ice Cream, Skyline Chili, and LaRosa's Pizza. And here is the interesting thing, all four of those "Cincinnati Brands" have a home at King's Island. How many Orlando Brands have a home at WDW?

When the LA Kings played the Blackhawks in the NHL playoffs last year, I made a bet with one of my Chicago co-workers and when the Kings won, she sent me 4 Giordano's deep dish pizzas. Amazing. Can't go wrong giving it a shot.

 

[truecoat]

When the LA Kings played the Blackhawks in the NHL playoffs last year, I made a bet with one of my Chicago co-workers and when the Kings won, she sent me 4 Giordano's deep dish pizzas. Amazing. Can't go wrong giving it a shot.

Finally building a location outside of Chicago or Florida that I can get to from time to time. Can't wait!

Forgot to put this, it's in Minneapolis.

 

[Bairstow]

Looks like something you'd see in Dubai.

I was thinking the same thing.
A lot of those buildings resemble the Burj Al Arab.

 

[dhall]

That's not my recent experience. My MYW ticket, purchased at a park window with a credit card, had no name registered to the ticket until the Fastpass terminal asked for one (along with other information - birthdate, address, how many people I was visiting with etc.). It's different if you're a hotel guest, or passholder, but day tickets are still sold anonymously, with data capture only kicking in at a kiosk.

They knew the ticket numbers and the name on your credit card when the purchase went through, so they've always been able to track fast pass usage by 'BrerJon, party of 4' or whatever. They couldn't tie any particular ticket to an identifiable member of your party, though.