The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[erider]

Loaded question. And I have been accused of having blinders on here.

I'll gladly admit that getting a great 40% off deal for SL at value season rates and getting to see the truly wonderful new Christmas entertainment (their new Christmas tree is a thing of beauty and makes MK's look Walmart/ghetto by comparison) certainly pushed up my enjoyment factor.

Getting to reconnect with a friend who I hadn't seen since 2008 also added something ... as did the wonderful weather (touring DLP when the temps are in the 40s and 50s is blissful for someone used to the wretched heat and humidity of O-Town) ... and the largely very good food.

But I am a Spirit who notices all ... good, bad, and ugly.

The overall state is a mess, but with signs of improvement all around. The thing that made me almost ill on my last visit in spring of 2012 was the overall condition of the E Tix. It was UNIversally awful. This time? Better across the board. Indeed, some attractions like Pirates looked very, very good with effects that hadn't been seen by me in years working, working. Only did one ride on Space Mountain because we sat in the front, didn't have any brain damage, had music and saw most effects (notable exception is the smoke in the launch cannon) working. Was shocked at how good it was and wasn't sure we wanted to tempt fate. Small World, which looked ghetto in 2012 with a filthy channel and about 85% of the popcorn lights dead, had a clean queue and had all of the bulbs replaced and I had trouble seeing any that weren't working. Phantom Manor, a fave of mine, looked very good in multiple rides across multiple days (counted two effects not working that I feel were semi-significant).

The E-Ticket with the most issues was sadly BTMRR. I'd say a good half of the effects were either shut off or not working right. But it is up for a big rehab this spring, so hopefully issues will be addressed.

Stuff like that ... well, that is an improvement.

Indeed, Snow White (remember when MK had that ride?) was so perfect, we rode a second time (no wait helped) just to MARVEL at how WONDERful it all was. Literally every effect that was supposed to be working, well, was.

Stuff like that ... well, that is an improvement.

Seeing places where pavement that was potholed and a mess (to the right of the castle) replaced with nice looking brick work ... seeing facades on MSUSA that had been repainted/refreshed ... all with the holiday decor still up showed concrete improvement.

One issue that DLP suffers from is that its toilets all reek of urine. It is like a Paris subway in most. It isn't because they are dirty. There wasn't one unacceptable facility in my entire visit. It's because many of them date back to the early 90s and have never been renovated, something that routinely happens at WDW and DLR. The facilities need to simply be torn down to concrete and piping and rebuilt. Guess what? They finally are doing that and the Autopia restrooms opposite Space Mountain were the first and just completed before our visit. Clean, bright, new, modern facilities that were very much needed.They are supposed to do the ones near Pizzeria Bella Note next. These may not be as exciting as new attractions, but when your infrastructure is falling apart you need to start with it.

I'll try and come back to the topic to discuss the resorts, DSP, merchandise and food in a later post.

I definitely want to talk about how nice it is to not have to deal with FP+ and all it entails in a comparison as well.

Thanks for the elaborate reply. Good to see you stayed at the SL. It's my second favorite resort at DLP, I think I like it even more than the WL. Glad to hear they have improved their maintenance on the e-tickets, and I hope they will continue doing that. At DLP they can sometimes leave a broken animatronic in a ride (like Pirates) for a couple of weeks before fixing it. And the last couple of years I have ridden RNRC more without music on it, than with music. I think maintenance should be their main priority for the short term. DLP can be a gem and one of the most beautiful Disney parks if maintained properly.

Good to see you also enjoyed the new christmas tree and it's lighting show. I also enjoyed Dreams of Christmas, although the opinions on that show vary.

Also look forward to Rat. At least it's a unique ride and not a clone. I hope it proves to be very succesfull for the DLP resort, so they have some more room for more investments. I also hope the Star Tours update will happen soon. It needs it.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Yet people are willing to wait much longer for it in dca than most of the park... Right on par with tower, soarin, grr, and ca screamin... Not bad company.

I think you earlier post pegged you. You don't like tsmm because of what it isn't.... Instead of judging by what it is

Don't get me wrong, I think TSMM is a solid D-Ticket. But I was stunned at the lack of effort put into the theming along the ride path. Specifically, at the ends of the screens at the turn arounds. Apparently, Andy does a great job of cleaning under his bed.

 

[KYWDW]

Does anybody know what @WDW1974 's profile pic is? Longtime lurker and always been curious

I believe that's taken on the exit of Star Tours.

 

[articos]

Miceage reported a date where Disney has put in paperwork to do flyover filming at DLR... filming they claim is for the long rumored Soarin' update. But this date is in March12. So the fact they are still filming means any finished product is a long long ways away. The uncertainty has been around 'who gets the new film?' along with what other changes would be made. their rumor is



Miceage posts that DCA will get it... but have not been as certain if ECPOT would.

At this point in the game, the stuff is so far down the line I imagine any and every plan will change still. The attractions are clones as they are.. so it's not like knowing if WDW is in or not would change the film production much besides $$$$.

Just think how far out we are talking here... unfinished film (months..).. many month downtime to rebuild the theaters, etc. This is likely a year+ away I'd wager. So who is in and out I'm sure could swing back and forth. And EPCOT could always do it 'after', etc.

The Soarin' film updates remind me of Star Tours - it will happen one day, just a question of when. Soarin' was being rumored to have its film changed just a few years after its opening. We are almost 10 years on and nothing. If we keep the speculation going, one day we will eventually be right.

EPCOT will get it.

 

[articos]

Okay couple of thoughts/questions....

Would any delays in 7DMTC be construction related or budget related?

Any chance that Michael Eisner be positioning himself to take Iger's place?

Mike can position himself all he wants, but would never happen with the current board in place.

 

[The Duck]

Not that I disagree but to play the Devi's advocate for a moment, TSMM draws terribly long lines at Disney Sea and that is not because that park is lacking. TSMM does good lines too at DCA whereas something like Mermaid with 5 minutes waits better illustrates the disparity with the Mermaid at Magic Kingdom.

It's a decently fun D-ticket that the average guest (especially Japanese guest apparently) really likes to re-ride. But... it has a mediocre capacity. Lack of rides at DHS is certainly part of the equation, but it's not the whole reason TSMM draws long waits.

Edit: I clearly was beaten out by @flynnibus and @danjen2331

I have a Facebook friend who works at TDS. About a year or so ago, she posted that TSMM had an EIGHT HOUR WAIT and a short time later, she posted a photo of the line stretching down the street. How could anyone in their right mind try to justify blowing an entire day waiting for one ride?

 

[Marc Gil]

The only attractions at Hollywood I'd rate lower than TSMM are Disney Jr, the Mushu show, and LMA. I would also rate the citizens higher. There's much better things to do at DHS than pull your...gun

I actually like the Mushu show... lol

 

[asianway]

I actually like the Mushu show... lol

I've got a vendetta due to being a Walter Cronkite fan

 

[MOXOMUMD]

I actually like the Mushu show... lol

Me too.

 

[FrankLapidus]

Or you can pair him with a Frank Wells equivalent. A passing of the torch for a few years.

Steve Jobs became paranoid during his final days at Apple the first time around too. He went as far as to stage a failed coup to oust Scully which back-fired, making him yet more paranoid.

Again, he could have done that the first time around. Instead he gave his best buddy Michael Ovitz a job, decided he'd made a mistake pretty much straight away and then conspired with his cronies to oust Ovitz a little more than a year later at the cost of millions to the company.

Eisner would never contemplate a "passing of the torch" which is why the company found itself in the precarious situation it did. Not only did he not want to share power, he didn't want to put a succession plan in place. He eventually bowed to pressure and agreed to promote his loyal lieutenant Bob Iger who had the good sense to distance himself from Eisner at the right time to position himself for the top job.

There are very few Frank Well equivalents in the sense that he and Eisner were lightning in a bottle, the years they were in charge were just incredible and full of exciting, almost limitless possibilities. The day Wells died was the day that everything began to go wrong for both Eisner and the company and there is simply no way back from where it ended.

And yet while the Ovitz debacle was playing out, Eisner had an ideal candidate to replace Wells under his nose. But Steve Burke was ignored and left Disney in 1998 for Comcast where he has been doing a pretty good job ever since.

Eisner ain't coming back to Disney, its just not going to happen.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yes, except this is a bit different.

Soarin Over the Horizon is on the Opening Day menu for Shanghai and that means the film has to be complete by summer to fall of 2015. Once it is done, well, nothing is preventing it from coming to the states. And it will. I certainly see it being part of DL's 60th Celebration and, despite the fact you can't close anything at any WDW park without immediately running into lack of capacity issues, it won't take years (or likely even months) to debut it at EPCOT.

Are we still looking at film or have they been able to transition to digital?

 

[jme]

Love this comment. Oswald was nothing more than a TINY footnote in the fan community (about on par with the Orange Bird) until the past five years. I have no clue why beyond selling merchandise with 'Walt's first creation' ... let's forget that he wasn't too fond of the 'wabbit or what surrounded his being appropriated by others ... he is simply little more than a footnote in history.

But fanbois just grasp on to things whether they are of consequence or not ... (says the Spirit who 'might' own an Oswald tee!) ...

Oswald saw a major resurgence with the release of the Epic Mickey video game (and its sequel) which released in 2010, but had some buzz going on back in 2009. That game was Oswald's first appearance since 1943. So, going on that momentum, Disney decided to start marketing the character. And why not? A new crop of 'fans' emerged, even people that never touched the video game. Because the game led to news stories, and people googling the footnote and fans can grab onto what used to be a footnote and feel superior, like they are more in-the-know than someone who just likes Mickey Mouse. It's hipster culture.
That said, Oswalds shorts are pretty great, and yes I've actually seen them.

 

[marni1971]

I can't tell if you are being serious or sarcastic. Why where there be any set design at all when you are looking at a screen with 3D glasses?

Because of the huge space between screens and aisles?

 

[marni1971]

"Rumored since 2006(tm)"

Far more that a rumour!

 

[marni1971]

I am sure Disney is thinking the same thing everyday while looking at the 2 hour wait times for TSMM. What a flop.

You must have missed the discussions about why TSMM has wait times.

 

[tissandtully]

I believe that's taken on the exit of Star Tours.

Yup.

 

[tissandtully]

The only attractions at Hollywood I'd rate lower than TSMM are Disney Jr, the Mushu show, and LMA. I would also rate the citizens higher. There's much better things to do at DHS than pull your...gun

Aww, the Disney Jr. show is fun especially with kids, the only part I hate is that the floor they make you sit on is super hard concrete. I'll be happy to see LMA go.

 

[Lord_Vader]

Frozen-land at AK?

They are going to retheme Blizzard Beach, it is already "Frozen."

 

[JimboJones123]

Yet people are willing to wait much longer for it in dca than most of the park... Right on par with tower, soarin, grr, and ca screamin... Not bad company.

I think you earlier post pegged you. You don't like tsmm because of what it isn't.... Instead of judging by what it is

Nailed it.

 

[JimboJones123]

I loved the movie but I am simply amazed with how much Frozen has struck a nerve with people. It is looking like it will cross the 1 billion dollar mark. I don't know if Spirit has heard this but there has been some talk of a Frozen show coming soon. But I have also heard that the cutting of the Ziti Sisters show may just be the beginning of entertainment changes coming to World Showcase.

3D Frozen show at Imagination.