The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[Rodan75]

One thing I just don't understand about the Marvel discussion, besides why it keeps coming up...why would Disney build a Marvel land/park when Marvel hasn't proven to be a significant draw in Orlando?

I love Marvel, but despite two excellent rides it was never a driver for me to go to IoA. Plus it is hard to create merch that is truly unique and not avail at your local Target.

I would also imagine that Ike would want a lot of control over a Marvel Land/Park and that would probably rub folks the wrong way.

 

[WDW1974]

I can only speak for myself, but I am not remotely a potter fan - I have not seen one single movie. However, I can't wait to see this new land. It looks to be spectacular. I wish Disney were about to open something on this scale in 2014.

I am sorta like you. I never read a book. I never saw a film in a theater. I've caught them all either on flights or, thanks to Disney, on ABC Family. Unlike the Star Wars series, which has two unwatchable films and another two that are mediocre, Potter has a few that are just OK and the rest range from very good to great. ... But I was never a fan. When kids were standing in lines at bookstores at midnight in the late 90s, I had very little clue what I was witnessing or what it would become.

And the theme park work has been nothing less than spectacular. I want to see more. I'll be back to owning a UNI AP this year (can't wait for freebies!) ... I wish Disney would build things of this magnitude at WDW, but the reality is we get a kiddie coaster that takes as long as EPCOT took to be built. Just not impressed with the bar Disney is aiming for these days in Florida.

 

[Californian Elitist]

One thing I just don't understand about the Marvel discussion, besides why it keeps coming up...why would Disney build a Marvel land/park when Marvel hasn't proven to be a significant draw in Orlando?

I love Marvel, but despite two excellent rides it was never a driver for me to go to IoA. Plus it is hard to create merch that is truly unique and not avail at your local Target.

I would also imagine that Ike would want a lot of control over a Marvel Land/Park and that would probably rub folks the wrong way.

I don't think a park with a few Marvel-themed rides compares tons full-blown Marvel theme park. If a well-done Marvel theme park were to be built, I bet all the Marvel nerds, myself included, would flock to it.

 

[WDW1974]

What I think Universal really needs to improve upon are their stage shows. All of them are weak, especially Shrek and Beetlejuice. Even though some of Disney's stage shows are getting old, they are still timeless, such as BatB

Timeless? No.

Old and needing to be replaced? Oh yeah!

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don't think a park with a few Marvel-themed rides compares tons full-blown Marvel theme park. If a well-done Marvel theme park were to be built, I bet all the Marvel nerds, myself included, would flock to it.

But why didn't the Marvel nerds flock to Islands of Adventure? The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man was the marquee attraction of the park for a decade.

 

[Gabe1]

No, but 'we don't like you' is all you need from a company to get blacklisted or even banned. That's another tale ... I did enjoy leaving two CEOs (of companies here people would recognize) hanging for two days, though. You don't bother me while I'm still celebrating when John Quincy Adams was Prez.

Oh too funny. Now that is Moxie, love it.

 

[WDW1974]

The cruise was amazing, the service was impeccable as always. We did the St Maartin, St Thomas Eastern Caribbean cruise. The Disney Fantasy has become a very smooth operation over its first 100 cruises. I do have a random concern that they will become afraid to change out the shows on the ships because of fear of WDW style 'all change is bad' backlash.

Another happy customer ... gee, what a non-surprise. Funny what quality can do ...

As to the shows ... Nah. They have changed the shows before. They will continue to. ... Most of the replacements have been very good. Toy Story The Musical? ... a disaster. Thankfully, they decided to not bring it to DCA as was the original plan.

We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge for only a single night, but the service at the Lodge has IME always been great.

Rooms all were recently rehabbed. And Villas have been started (I think they are finished with a few floors).
I've never had a bad room there, though, in about 150 nights (from my Pixie Dust addict days!) I have had lousy service there, though ... and great service too ... like when I had a $99 AP standard room and was upgraded to courtyard with concierge for free without saying a word!

After hitting DAK, Epcot and MK...I was very much wishing for lower attendance. WDW can't be a 'magical experience' when it is so crowded. You can't keep Main Street clean when it is shoulder to shoulder people all day.

You can't? Trust me, you can. They do it at TDL almost daily! They just staff a whole lot more and truly are committed to keeping the park as pristine as possible. They also do a much better job at DL, although not to Tokyo standards.

 

[WDW1974]

It's been a while since I've read it, and I know I promised the world that I'd read it and explain it after the Bar Exam (oops!)

I think people would be surprised by what Universal *could* do with Marvel if they wanted to. Unfortunately (well not really), Universal already has so much going on and planned that they don't need to use/expand Marvel. It wouldn't be worth the legal headache (I guess the Mouse would put up some sort of fight) right now when they already have a successful Marvel Island and plans for other areas in IoA and USF with even more exciting IP on the way.

Universal holds all the cards. It's really mind-blowing for someone who became a Universal fan in 2007. The dynamic has shifted.

Just wanted to bold the important part. Disney fanbois just won't give this up ... it's like the Orange Bird or the WRE.

 

[stevehousse]

You think I even have time for this thread? Seriously. I am 10 pages behind and not sure whether I'll read through all of them.

I miss the old Disney-MGM Studios. Loved that place from day 1. The first time I ever met Michael Eisner or got blown off (not the good way) by Jeff Katzenberg was at the park's grand opening!

I am amazed that there are ignorant people who will still justify that hat ...

I got to meet Eisner at MGM when I was 7 and got a personalized tour of the park with him! I wish the good old days of the studios was still alive!

 

[WDW1974]

No significant work underway yet on the Avatar site.

Any idea on a start?

One wonders if they did the breaking ground just to get some publicity ... they've had enough time and then some!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I got to meet Eisner at MGM when I was 7 and got a personalized tour of the park with him! I wish the good old days of the studios was still alive!

It's so funny now that in the era when states are successfully luring productions away from Hollywood with tax credits that a facility like Disney-MGM couldn't thrive.

 

[SJN1279]

He is telling you a fact. Work like Diagon Alley isn't being done anywhere else in O-Town ... or in the USA for that matter right now.

This area should compare favorably with some of the best work on the planet.

And Disney has a kiddie coaster and a $2 billion stalking and trip planning app. Again, those are the pure facts.

Pandora may well be wonderful. Let's check back in four long years to see who cares by then.

What you call a "kiddie coaster" actually looks to be the best themed family coaster on the planet. Pandora will open around the same time Avatar 2 opens, I think it will all work out fine.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

What you call a "kiddie coaster" actually looks to be the best themed family coaster on the planet.

@marni1971 already said it, but I'll say it agian: Big Thunder Mountain at DLP is better.

 

[WDW1974]

The hat is great. It's the location of the hat that sucks.

Seriously?

You really want that discussion?

'Cause I'll just dead end it by saying it is in one place and that and Tom Corless or Ricky Brigante's bedrooms are the only places it will wind up (in pieces, those boys don't have castles! but they wish they did, I am sure!) when it gets ripped apart. ... So there is no ''Well, it would look great (location of choice)'' because that isn't an option that has ever gotten serious traction with TDO.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Unrelated but related.
I just heard Jim Gardner, 6ABC's long time lead anchor, for the trailer premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy that will be on Jimmy tonight.

Synergy...

 

[lazyboy97o]

@marni1971 already said it, but I'll say it agian: Big Thunder Mountain at DLP is better.

I'll say it for a third time.

 

[Californian Elitist]

But why didn't the Marvel nerds flock to Islands of Adventure? The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man was the marquee attraction of the park for a decade.

Maybe the nerds don't want to spend a lot of money for just a few Marvel attractions.

 

[tirian]

How do you argue facts with people who are in love with a BRAND? People who have a psychological bond with a BRAND that defies logic? Feelings aren't wrong , right? You have to respect them, right?

I don't. I can't. I won't.

I think this is a fundamental point in the fan community. This divergence between fans who love Disney creative products, but can still think logically and critically and compare Disney to its competitors ... and the others who can't (they aren't all lifestylers and bloggers and fanbois). ... After being part of the online fan community for more years than I care to admit, I realize it simply comes down to those groups. I can talk, debate and disagree with the former, but I can't do more than simply shake my head (and curse silently) at the latter.

It's also fun to watch a pin trade, and silently marvel at the adults who go crazy over 5¢ pieces of tin.

 

[tirian]

Oh come on, they would never do that. Just look at the amazing place we have now (and have enjoyed for the past 5 years) where Pleasure Island used to be. Just think about how fantastic the submarines will be at DL when they reopen from their refurb! And I was just thinking how awesome it would be to enjoy everything Odyssee has to offer at EPCOT the next time my family is there. Maybe we could even visit it at Christmastime after taking a stroll under the Lights Of Winter.

PI in its early days.

 

[WDW1974]

One thing I just don't understand about the Marvel discussion, besides why it keeps coming up...why would Disney build a Marvel land/park when Marvel hasn't proven to be a significant draw in Orlando?

I love Marvel, but despite two excellent rides it was never a driver for me to go to IoA. Plus it is hard to create merch that is truly unique and not avail at your local Target.

I would also imagine that Ike would want a lot of control over a Marvel Land/Park and that would probably rub folks the wrong way.

Disney, and specifically Bob Iger, is champing at the bit to increase Marvel's presence across all of Disney's lines of business and, naturally, distribution platforms.

He has almost single-handedly pushed WDI for concepts, which today's crop of kiss ups are only too happy to provide. Anaheim and Paris have both got third gate proposals for Marvel parks. Paris will likely never get it due to their messy finances and Anaheim will hopefully move into a smarter direction once Bob is gone.

I don't totally agree with your point about Marvel not being a draw at IOA. I know, for me, Spidey and the Hulk are two of my top O-Town attractions (less with Hulk as it has gotten rougher). Recall that Marvel was a company and a BRAND in trouble when IOA opened in 1999. The characters were simply comic fodder and the company's future wasn't a sure bet. Indeed, until the Spidey franchise with Tobey McGuire came out, Marvel was just on life support. By the time Marvel had started putting out hit films, the attractions were no longer new (although Spidey is still 15 years later one of the top attractions in O-Town). ... But I don't think Iger/Disney cares much about what UNI did beyond wanting to exploit the IP themselves.