The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[ford91exploder]

I know, but, it is a little overboard to say that everyone notices a string of light out at the GF. For one thing, how many of us have a wiring schematic telling us where lights are supposed to be in the first place. And even then, it would be of primary concern to the people staying at the GF. The average park visitor wouldn't be aware of it. Again, it's those of us that are regular visitors that would have a chance in a tornado of 1) noticing and/or 2) caring. What they notice is that there aren't any lights in a particular place, not if they should be there and even then their degree of concern would be almost none.

Anyone with a sense of design more developed than a 6 year old sees the huge blank areas in the GF accent lighting.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Anyone with a sense of design more developed than a 6 year old sees the huge blank areas in the GF accent lighting.

OK, if you say so... but do they care? That's what you're battling. Me, it's not an attraction, it's a hotel that I would never spend the money to stay at so not a problem for me. It's apparently not an issue for Disney, so it remains the way it is.

 

[ford91exploder]

What strikes me about this are the rubber tires. The appeal of monorail is that it's silent versus the loud squeal of steel on steel. If trains were made like that, they would be more pleasant to ride and we won't need monorail. Maybe a hybrid of that and light rail could be a future solution...

This is what is known as a Hi-Railer, The steel railroad wheels guide the truck and the rubber tires provide power. The front wheels are locked in place when the rail wheels are down. They replaced the speeders an example of which is shown here

 

[spacemt354]

Most executives want as much green as possible. It's a never ending pursuit.
They have invested greatly in the park (some quote $2 to 2.5 billion, a figure that after hundreds of posts and tweets is now seen as fact despite no source).

Unfortunately, as we all know, how they are investing is under a lot of scrutiny on these forums.
I'm still reserving judgement since as an AP I haven't been given a magic band yet. We haven't even used the kiosks yet, just been picking and choosing the best standby lines to wait in.

Once I experience first hand, then I'll offer my opinion on the investment.

I'll concede on the 2.5 billion number. I haven't seen a source cited on that either. When it first rolled out it was 1 billion then 1.5 then recently 2 and now 2.5 billion. Either it's an exaggeration or someone in upper management did not take budgeting 101.

Where I disagree though is the notion that the technology is an investment into the parks. That's how Disney is trying to spin it, but from experience first hand, I don't see how this adds any more to my experience in the parks. Can it make the trip smoother for families who enjoy planning? Sure. And can it facilitate all of the guests resources into one wristband. Of course. I understand you will wait to judge first hand, but as a loyal family to Disney we didn't find any of these new features to enhance our experience in the park.

If anything, we felt like MM+ was a resort investment not a park investment.

 

[ford91exploder]

It's been a long time since I was up there and ridden them, but, just from memory it is a trackless concrete guide-way. Again, we are relying on a 65 year old memory here and it's been a good dozen years since I was there.

Trackless concrete guideway and they go like a bat out of h--l

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Where is everyone getting these "Abbey Road" avatars from? There are now 4 different versions in this thread. I got mine from Disney wallpapers.

A secret corner of the internet where threads are called thraeds and people are not sane

 

[WDW1974]

So, a late Saturday price increase on tickets for tomorrow.

Disney promised its Board an 11 percent increase on revenues for NGE by third quarter of 2013. No impact on financials. Disney expects no net gain for any of 2014. Disney keeps insisting it is still in testing, even though that makes every guest an unwilling guinea pig. Bob Iger gets angry and can't answer analyst questions regarding when the $2 billion-plus boondoggle will pay off (or how).

Yes, sometimes 2+2=4.

 

[ford91exploder]

OK, if you say so... but do they care? That's what you're battling. Me, it's not an attraction, it's a hotel that I would never spend the money to stay at so not a problem for me. It's apparently not an issue for Disney, so it remains the way it is.

Then why does Disney photoshop in the burned out lights when showing advertising pictures, And I find I need to do the same thing if I have a nightime shot of the GF across the bay because the huge strings of dead bulbs are so damn ugly.

I'm a photographer and the dead bulbs and other ugliness offend my sense of design long before any WDW issues do. Either FIX THEM or turn the whole damn thing off.

Strangely enough the PROTOTYPE for the GF - The Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego seems to be able to maintain IT's lights and a Standard room is 439 right now compared to 800 something at the GF...

 

[spacemt354]

OK, if you say so... but do they care? That's what you're battling. Me, it's not an attraction, it's a hotel that I would never spend the money to stay at so not a problem for me. It's apparently not an issue for Disney, so it remains the way it is.

The holiday inn has lights out too. This is the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. The flagship resort of WDW, and that's how you want to present it aesthetically?

It doesn't matter if you don't stay there. We don't either. But it's another example that Disney just doesn't care about the little things anymore.

 

[WDW1974]

BTW, usually I give Robert Niles kudos for his analytical and thoughtful approach to themed entertainment (likely in part because he was a journalist at a high level in the real world), but his 'prices go up due to demand' is very weak and doesn't look at the subject beyond the surface of the water.

 

[WDW1974]

And fans are still arguing about whether it's OK to hold WDW to its own high standards ... seriously, are some people ... many people just that dense?

 

[WDW1974]

Good point. Not everyone cares about the trains themselves. I imagine the new engines will look good and the ride scenery will be the same. For many the change will be seamless. It will still be a relaxing way to get from point A to point B.

No. Not a good point. Missing the point is more like it.

 

[englanddg]

Then why does Disney photoshop in the burned out lights when showing advertising pictures, And I find I need to do the same thing if I have a nightime shot of the GF across the bay because the huge strings of dead bulbs are so damn ugly.

Stop complaining. Those are not light bulbs that are out. They are hidden magic to make the resort seem more authentic!

 

[WDW1974]

When you bring old typewriters and washing machines into the discussion it's plainly obvious you have zero comprehension of why people are enamored with the idea of these machines as living machines

I owe you a drink of your choice at WDW for this post ... I swear the Disney fan community is going to drive me insane.

 

[WDW1974]

I'd love to hear more of what happened with MM+ at DHS. It would be a hoot if losing MM+ didn't disrupt anything, and no one noticed.

They had issues again today.

But hey, tomorrow you can pay $94 to get into that park and wait in a huge line for a newly hired CM with an iPad to scan you in and give you an anything goes FP ticket (yep, one for the day).

 

[rudyjr13]

Stop complaining. Those are not light bulbs that are out. They are hidden magic to make the resort seem more authentic!

View attachment 46813

Are the lights supposed to be on all the buildings or just Narcoosees and the main building? There last week and I swear they were all on Narcoosees
And main building and seemed like newer LEDs

 

[Clamman73]

Stop complaining. Those are not light bulbs that are out. They are hidden magic to make the resort seem more authentic!

View attachment 46813

Yeah..I don't know what they think about all the popcorn lights being out, but I can see GF might get some attention after whatever Poly has in-store for it this year - has to be time for a LED conversion in '15.

 

[englanddg]

Yeah..I don't know what they think about all the popcorn lights being out, but I can see GF might get some attention after whatever Poly has in-store for it this year - has to be time for a LED conversion in '15.

That would be wonderful...but, for the time being, to allow them to get into that state is just bad operations.

I'm sure hotel management would blame maintenance, and then maintenance would complain about budgetary and manpower concerns...and while they are all fingerpointing, more bulbs blow out and they raise ticket prices.

See the ladders in that picture? That's to allow easy access for a maintenance person to all the levels of the roof. A light check once a week, or even once a month (though once a week would be better) is really all that is required.

Instead...it's just ignored. One or two lights, not a big deal, but that picture shows intentional ignorance or at best, laziness on their part.

 

[ford91exploder]

And fans are still arguing about whether it's OK to hold WDW to its own high standards ... seriously, are some people ... many people just that dense?

Unfortunately it seems they are that dense, Neutron stars are not as dense as some Disney fans...

 

[ford91exploder]

That would be wonderful...but, for the time being, to allow them to get into that state is just bad operations.

I'm sure hotel management would blame maintenance, and then maintenance would complain about budgetary and manpower concerns...and while they are all fingerpointing, more bulbs blow out and they raise ticket prices.

See the ladders in that picture? That's to allow easy access for a maintenance person to all the levels of the roof. A light check once a week, or even once a month (though once a week would be better) is really all that is required.

Instead...it's just ignored. One or two lights, not a big deal, but that picture shows intentional ignorance or at best, laziness on their part.

Exactly one or two bulbs happened even at the peak of Disney maintenance that being said the same bulb would not be dead for TWO days in a row, But what we have now where entire strings of hundreds of bulbs are out or just have one or two stragglers lit for years on end is simply inexcusable.