Uni's New Plan For Potter Could Make Significant Dent To WDW

[WDW1974]

Quote:
Originally Posted by WDW1974
I just completely disagree, Steve.

I've stated this before, but none of what Disney has done (or is in the process of doing with the whole NEXT GEN project) is improving the day to day experience of visiting WDW.

A sentiment with which many, MANY within the halls of Disney and WDI wholeheartedly agree...

Oh, I know ... and that's why I get so frustrated when fans defend it.

That is an incredible amount of money to spend on many things that simply will never positively impact a guest's day at a WDW park.

We're already over a year (has it been two?) into the program and the biggest thing done BY FAR has been RFID tags in costumes. That has absolutely no impact on guests and never will.

Interactive queues? Can anyone say they've added great value to a day at the MK?

A way to stop soda thievery at the A-S-S?

I think this is akin to a government boondoggle. It would be if WDW was in perfect shape and had been getting regular additions, upkeep and improvements, but after a decade (plus) of decline?

All to better 'know' its guests (and how to wring every last penny out of them)?

I like the UNI and SW models better. They are actually improving their products with actual attractions. :xmas:

 

[WDW1974]

Neither Disney or WDI is a monolithic organization, remember. There are factions just like any other big entity. And NGE has become kind of its own "thing", separate from the conventional Imagineering pathways. It's almost like one of these national defense agencies that have no oversight and a "black box" budget. But they get all this power because at a certain level of management there's a great enthusiasm for buzzword-driven projects like that. I've been shocked to discover just how many within Disney sincerely hope that NGE and Avatar never happen.

Ah, Michael, what an interesting way to phrase it. I view NEXT GEN as akin to Homeland Security and the TSA ... organizations created very quickly with huge sums of money and sweeping powers with almost no oversight. Designed to 'protect us from evildoers' by making us afraid all the time and subjecting us to assaults in order to board aircraft

NEXT GEN is just Disney's own little version (except it just wants to sp... I mean help, yeah ... help its guests) of a project that exists more to justify its existence than anything else. I'm sure there are parts that will certainly be worthy of investment, but I've got the feeling far more will be wasted on things that have no value or purpose in improving the guest experience and probably won't be the windfall for the bottom line, either.

NEXT GEN just has, as a 'friend' at P&R told me, ''taken on a life of its own, like an entity'' ... I don't find that entity to be a friendly one. (when I picture it, it is a giant blob with Jay Rasulo's head on it!)

 

[WDW1974]

The world is coming to expect to be able to do everything via their iPhone.

I removed the rest of your post because I think that one sentence says it all ... and it's late here in paradise and I'm talking to myself right now!

But I think what you wrote is exactly how Disney (or the folks pushing NEXT GEN) is viewing everything.

And it is absolutely and fundamentally misguided.

Disney's parks are an active and visceral experience. They are not virtual. You may as well stay in your family room near the entertainment center for so much of these improvements. The parks exist and you are an active participant -- and, no, you don't need a Pirate asking your son Bryan if he knows 'Wherebe Jack Sparrow be hiding ...rrrrr ... would you fancy a swim with Davy Jones, young Bryan?' because his smart phone triggered something.

The parks are all about escaping the real world (how many times do I have to read fans here and elsewhere talk about the escape they get by staying on WDW property for 12 days and never leaving ... letting the MAGIC envelop them etc?) ... Making the parks a giant game with people (who are rude enough when playing on their phones as is) walking with their heads down and glued to a tiny screen is absolutely NOT the way to experience the parks.

I don't know how Disney's BoD was cuckolded into believing they should invest billions in this (even with the data-mining aspect and the getting private info to better 'target' and place a value on their guests) ... I don't doubt that Steve Jobs may have been a part since his devices are excellent at tracking you as if you had a chip implanted ... and Iger may not be a Disney geek, but he is definitely a tech geek.

But if the point of Disney is to escape, this flies in the opposite direction. And it also says ''we know our parks aren't up to date and exciting as they should be, so hey, you can go on a scavenger hunt with your iPhone while you wait for your Space Mountain FP window and your appointment with Donald and Daisy and your dinner at LTT'' ...

OK, I think I'd like to be up for Kathy Lee and Hoda (they are actually running yesterday's Today, right now!) :lol: so that's all for tonight. But this sure is one interesting topic. Reminds me of another about social media ... but that was a different time in a different Place. :xmas:

 

[RSoxNo1]

Ah, Michael, what an interesting way to phrase it. I view NEXT GEN as akin to Homeland Security and the TSA ... organizations created very quickly with huge sums of money and sweeping powers with almost no oversight. Designed to 'protect us from evildoers' by making us afraid all the time and subjecting us to assaults in order to board aircraft

NEXT GEN is just Disney's own little version (except it just wants to sp... I mean help, yeah ... help its guests) of a project that exists more to justify its existence than anything else. I'm sure there are parts that will certainly be worthy of investment, but I've got the feeling far more will be wasted on things that have no value or purpose in improving the guest experience and probably won't be the windfall for the bottom line, either.

NEXT GEN just has, as a 'friend' at P&R told me, ''taken on a life of its own, like an entity'' ... I don't find that entity to be a friendly one. (when I picture it, it is a giant blob with Jay Rasulo's head on it!)

Well at the very least if it has Jay Rasulo behind it we know that there's a decent chance it will be changed or cancelled mid stream.

 

[devoy1701]

I removed the rest of your post because I think that one sentence says it all ... and it's late here in paradise and I'm talking to myself right now!

But I think what you wrote is exactly how Disney (or the folks pushing NEXT GEN) is viewing everything.

And it is absolutely and fundamentally misguided.

Disney's parks are an active and visceral experience. They are not virtual. You may as well stay in your family room near the entertainment center for so much of these improvements. The parks exist and you are an active participant -- and, no, you don't need a Pirate asking your son Bryan if he knows 'Wherebe Jack Sparrow be hiding ...rrrrr ... would you fancy a swim with Davy Jones, young Bryan?' because his smart phone triggered something.

The parks are all about escaping the real world (how many times do I have to read fans here and elsewhere talk about the escape they get by staying on WDW property for 12 days and never leaving ... letting the MAGIC envelop them etc?) ... Making the parks a giant game with people (who are rude enough when playing on their phones as is) walking with their heads down and glued to a tiny screen is absolutely NOT the way to experience the parks.

I don't know how Disney's BoD was cuckolded into believing they should invest billions in this (even with the data-mining aspect and the getting private info to better 'target' and place a value on their guests) ... I don't doubt that Steve Jobs may have been a part since his devices are excellent at tracking you as if you had a chip implanted ... and Iger may not be a Disney geek, but he is definitely a tech geek.

But if the point of Disney is to escape, this flies in the opposite direction. And it also says ''we know our parks aren't up to date and exciting as they should be, so hey, you can go on a scavenger hunt with your iPhone while you wait for your Space Mountain FP window and your appointment with Donald and Daisy and your dinner at LTT'' ...

OK, I think I'd like to be up for Kathy Lee and Hoda (they are actually running yesterday's Today, right now!) :lol: so that's all for tonight. But this sure is one interesting topic. Reminds me of another about social media ... but that was a different time in a different Place. :xmas:

This post hits home with me (as I think it should with everyone) Spirit. I get the "trend" that society is heading towards with their iPhones (OMG THEY'RE THE GREATEST THING EVER HOW COULD I EVER LIVE WITHOUT IT AND HOW CAN YOU NOT STAND IN LINE WITH ME FOR THE NEXT VERSION OF THE iPHONE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ONE I CURRENTLY OWN! ). /slavetotechnology

I only own a smart phone for necessity so my office can keep in touch with me when I'm out and about. And when I visit places like WDW, I want to experience the place in the physical state...not virtually through my 4" screen on my DroidX. I don't care if I can get quick little "did you knows" when I'm standing in queue or text a message to Mickey while waiting to take a picture. I want to experience the parks live. I want to feel/touch/see the attractions and environments in front of me.

If I wanted a virtual experience I would (as you said) stay home and watch those History Channel specials or play Kinect Disneyland instead.

Interacting with your iPhone/iPad in the parks is worse than those families who spend the whole trip with their faces glued to their Camcorder screen and will end up having to watch the video when they come back from their trips to see if they've had fun or not. And they certainly can't help to make the trip a more memorable family experience since everyone cannot look at those 4" screens together.

Heck, I don't even like taking a still camera sometimes as I feel I end up becoming a slave to that instead of just enjoying everything around me!

Society is heading the wrong way (and so is Disney unfortunately). My opinion anyway. But then again I get just as much (maybe more) enjoyment hiking out to Charlies Bunion in the Great Smoky Mountains than I do hanging around in the Magic Kingdom. I would much rather enjoy my experiences first hand.

Great to see you so active here Spirit.

 

[wdwmagic]

I removed the rest of your post because I think that one sentence says it all ... and it's late here in paradise and I'm talking to myself right now!

But I think what you wrote is exactly how Disney (or the folks pushing NEXT GEN) is viewing everything.

And it is absolutely and fundamentally misguided.

Disney's parks are an active and visceral experience. They are not virtual. You may as well stay in your family room near the entertainment center for so much of these improvements. The parks exist and you are an active participant -- and, no, you don't need a Pirate asking your son Bryan if he knows 'Wherebe Jack Sparrow be hiding ...rrrrr ... would you fancy a swim with Davy Jones, young Bryan?' because his smart phone triggered something.

This is the view that a lot of people took at the dawn of the personal computer, and look at where we are now. You can't sit back and do nothing when the rest of the world is racing to bring technology to every part of life.

There has to be a balance with how much the tech is used, and I'm sure they will get it about right. Either way, the changes will position Disney with an important capability.

 

[DougK]

I'll take you up on that, but you can do better than Coral Reef. Let's make it Jiko or Boma.

Make it Red Lobster and I will buy.

 

[c-one]

I hope that WDW gets a Remember Dreams Come True style fireworks show for the 50th. A show that honors the history and current attractions in the MK.

But I really can't wait for an updated Illuminations show. ROE is a good show, but it's way past time for a change, IMO.

Agreed on the MK fireworks show. Leave the character-driven narrative night show to Fantasmic -- a tribute to Magic Kingdom itself would be wonderful.

I'm not bored of Reflections of Earth, but if we were to get a new Illuminations, I'd like to see it follow a similar path. The 90s version of Illuminations paid tribute to the nations of World Showcase and to Future World, I'd love to see that theme brought back. Given TDO's slight recent bend towards nostalgic Epcot, I could see it happening.

 

[dxwwf3]

The 90s version of Illuminations paid tribute to the nations of World Showcase and to Future World, I'd love to see that theme brought back.

Absolutely

 

[c-one]

This post hits home with me (as I think it should with everyone) Spirit. I get the "trend" that society is heading towards with their iPhones (OMG THEY'RE THE GREATEST THING EVER HOW COULD I EVER LIVE WITHOUT IT AND HOW CAN YOU NOT STAND IN LINE WITH ME FOR THE NEXT VERSION OF THE iPHONE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ONE I CURRENTLY OWN! ). /slavetotechnology

I only own a smart phone for necessity so my office can keep in touch with me when I'm out and about. And when I visit places like WDW, I want to experience the place in the physical state...not virtually through my 4" screen on my DroidX. I don't care if I can get quick little "did you knows" when I'm standing in queue or text a message to Mickey while waiting to take a picture. I want to experience the parks live. I want to feel/touch/see the attractions and environments in front of me.

If I wanted a virtual experience I would (as you said) stay home and watch those History Channel specials or play Kinect Disneyland instead.

Interacting with your iPhone/iPad in the parks is worse than those families who spend the whole trip with their faces glued to their Camcorder screen and will end up having to watch the video when they come back from their trips to see if they've had fun or not. And they certainly can't help to make the trip a more memorable family experience since everyone cannot look at those 4" screens together.

Heck, I don't even like taking a still camera sometimes as I feel I end up becoming a slave to that instead of just enjoying everything around me!

Society is heading the wrong way (and so is Disney unfortunately). My opinion anyway. But then again I get just as much (maybe more) enjoyment hiking out to Charlies Bunion in the Great Smoky Mountains than I do hanging around in the Magic Kingdom. I would much rather enjoy my experiences first hand.

Great to see you so active here Spirit.

Ay. Do they make tinfoil Mickey ears yet?

I actually do love the idea of the parks implementing more interactive technologies... but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. Spending a billion dollars to make characters talk to you instead of investing in new attractions is a big mistake, IMO. That's what makes me think it's got a lot more to do with Disney mining your data than improving the park experience. It's tough to make a true judgement since we still know so little, but so far I'm not impressed.

I think this is something they can work on WHILE ALSO investing in new and improved attractions and experiences. When your competitors are building groundbreaking new rides, a groundbreaking new Mickey head isn't quite keeping up.

(And to be fair to Disney, I don't expect that the Next-Gen initiative is an attempt to have us all staring at our smartphones all day long. There IS a balance to be achieved. It amazes me how some people are so terrified of iPhones.)

 

[Alektronic]

I'm not bored of Reflections of Earth, but if we were to get a new Illuminations, I'd like to see it follow a similar path. The 90s version of Illuminations paid tribute to the nations of World Showcase and to Future World, I'd love to see that theme brought back. Given TDO's slight recent bend towards nostalgic Epcot, I could see it happening.

I agree. I would love to see some of the original aspects of IllumiNATIONS brought back like introducing each country and playing some their music.

 

[devoy1701]

Ay. Do they make tinfoil Mickey ears yet?

I actually do love the idea of the parks implementing more interactive technologies... but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. Spending a billion dollars to make characters talk to you instead of investing in new attractions is a big mistake, IMO. That's what makes me think it's got a lot more to do with Disney mining your data than improving the park experience. It's tough to make a true judgement since we still know so little, but so far I'm not impressed.

I think this is something they can work on WHILE ALSO investing in new and improved attractions and experiences. When your competitors are building groundbreaking new rides, a groundbreaking new Mickey head isn't quite keeping up.

(And to be fair to Disney, I don't expect that the Next-Gen initiative is an attempt to have us all staring at our smartphones all day long. There IS a balance to be achieved. It amazes me how some people are so terrified of iPhones.)

I agree with everything you said (i think). What bothers me isn't so much that they are investing in this NextGen stuff...it's that they are emphasizing it while the competition is coming out with groundbreaking new attractions. Yes, we're getting new attractions too, but TLM isn't anything earth shattering.

I don't know how many people are actually "afraid" of the iPhone and the likes...I personally have a problem with the devotion to the iPhone and everything Apple. They're not the greatest thing on the planet. They're just very easy to use, look real nice, and are marketing in a way that makes you think you can't survive without it. What does worry me is that Disney and others are requiring you to use this technology all the time if you want to engage in the "full experience".

Should it be available as an add on? Sure, why not. Should you need it to be able to fully appreciate your day at the Magic Kingdom? Absolutely not. Should Disney be investing in it? Absolutely? Should they be pouring $1.5B+ into it while "Potter" still has gone relatively unanswered? That's a NO for me.

Can't wait til the National Park service develops some apps for when I'm hiking to tell me I'm having fun and when the appropriate time I need to scavenge for a bear or other form of wildlife is.

 

[wdwmagic]

I agree with everything you said (i think). What bothers me isn't so much that they are investing in this NextGen stuff...it's that they are emphasizing it while the competition is coming out with groundbreaking new attractions. Yes, we're getting new attractions too, but TLM isn't anything earth shattering.

I don't know how many people are actually "afraid" of the iPhone and the likes...I personally have a problem with the devotion to the iPhone and everything Apple. They're not the greatest thing on the planet. They're just very easy to use, look real nice, and are marketing in a way that makes you think you can't survive without it. What does worry me is that Disney and others are requiring you to use this technology all the time if you want to engage in the "full experience".

Should it be available as an add on? Sure, why not. Should you need it to be able to fully appreciate your day at the Magic Kingdom? Absolutely not. Should Disney be investing in it? Absolutely? Should they be pouring $1.5B+ into it while "Potter" still has gone relatively unanswered? That's a NO for me.

Can't wait til the National Park service develops some apps for when I'm hiking to tell me I'm having fun and when the appropriate time I need to scavenge for a bear or other form of wildlife is.

Just interested, since you consider Universal to offer ground-breaking attractions, how often do you visit Universal vs WDW? Potter has an amazing queue, an interesting ride system, but is not ground-breaking. It lacks animatronics, it lacks realistic transitions from physical sets to the film sections, and Soarin' provides a much greater sensation of flight.

You talk about new attractions coming to WDW, but don't mention the obvious land that can incorporate something groundbreaking - Avatarland.

Disney's next-gen program will not require an iPhone to fully appreciate your day at MK - not sure where you got that from.

 

[devoy1701]

Just interested, since you consider Universal to offer ground-breaking attractions, how often do you visit Universal vs WDW? Potter has an amazing queue, an interesting ride system, but is not ground-breaking. It lacks animatronics, it lacks realistic transitions from physical sets to the film sections, and Soarin' provides a much greater sensation of flight.

You talk about new attractions coming to WDW, but don't mention the obvious land that can incorporate something groundbreaking - Avatarland.

Disney's next-gen program will not require an iPhone to fully appreciate your day at MK - not sure where you got that from.

Hey Steve, I haven't been to Uni or SeaWorld or BG in about 4 years...It's hard to invest in APs to WDW and take time away from using the passes to head to one of the other theme parks. Infact visiting Dollywood 2 weeks ago was the first time I had been in a park other than a Disney Park in that same time frame :lookaroun

But since we're not APers anymore, we're going to be checking out all of those in 2012.

When it comes to Avatarland...it's hard to get excited about something that they're saying won't open until 2017 (I find it completely ridiculous actually). I am hoping that some upcoming announcements will include greatly accelerating the timetable for Avatarland (like phased openings starting late 2013/early 2014 as I stated in an earlier post. I am looking forward to this regardless as I did enjoy the movie and I think they could do a lot with Pandora, but 6 years??? HP has already opened and an expansion in the works and TDO is telling us "BUT IN 6 YEARS WE'LL HAVE AVATAR???" What about the 5 years between when FLE is finished and Avatar is supposed to open?

The iPhone comments are again more of a generalization to society and how we're loosing the notion that you don't need smart phone technology to have fun and that LCD screens and CGIs are not a 1 for 1 replacement for AAs or physical sets and props to please the senses. I realize that there is more to it, but from what I understand there will be integration with personal smartphones or when it comes to the scavenger hunt like Kim Possible you can borrow one.

 

[ChrisFL]

Just interested, since you consider Universal to offer ground-breaking attractions, how often do you visit Universal vs WDW? Potter has an amazing queue, an interesting ride system, but is not ground-breaking. It lacks animatronics, it lacks realistic transitions from physical sets to the film sections, and Soarin' provides a much greater sensation of flight.

Sorry, I'm not buying that argument, FJ definitely IS groundbreaking, and no animatronics?

It has a massive dragon that actually works and isn't in disco mode!

 

[wdwmagic]

Sorry, I'm not buying that argument, FJ definitely IS groundbreaking, and no animatronics?

It has a massive dragon that actually works and isn't in disco mode!

It is an animated figure, not a proper AA. Universal have never managed a Disney calibre Animatronic, but I was hoping Potter would.

Sorry, it just didn't come across as ground-breaking. It was good, but not that special.

 

[headhoncho34]

It is an animated figure, not a proper AA. Universal have never managed a Disney calibre Animatronic, but I was hoping Potter would.

Sorry, it just didn't come across as ground-breaking. It was good, but not that special.

While the animatronics might not be up to Disney caliber, the technology used is what makes the attraction groundbreaking. WDW still hasn't built anything on the level of Spiderman and the system used in FJ shows who is at the top of making cutting edge attractions.

 

[wdwmagic]

While the animatronics might not be up to Disney caliber, the technology used is what makes the attraction groundbreaking. WDW still hasn't built anything on the level of Spiderman and the system used in FJ shows who is at the top of making cutting edge attractions.

Potter's Kuka arms are interesting, but like Mission Space, brand new ride system do not always equate to the best experience.

Spiderman basically took the EMV from Indy and added 3D screens. It's good, but the storyline and other factors make it far less impressive for me than Indy.

 

[wdwmagic]

Hey Steve, I haven't been to Uni or SeaWorld or BG in about 4 years...It's hard to invest in APs to WDW and take time away from using the passes to head to one of the other theme parks. Infact visiting Dollywood 2 weeks ago was the first time I had been in a park other than a Disney Park in that same time frame :lookaroun

I understand wanting to max out your investment in your existing APs. You mention Potter quite a bit, and how Disney has not answered it, and yet you have not actually been on it. You really need to see it for yourself and see what you think. You may well not be as impressed as you think you are.

 

[bullsforthewin]

Potter's Kuka arms are interesting, but like Mission Space, brand new ride system do not always equate to the best experience.

Spiderman basically took the EMV from Indy and added 3D screens. It's good, but the storyline and other factors make it far less impressive for me than Indy.

Thats how i feel...everyone acts like Spiderman is this amazing new ride that was completely original when it was not. I used to like Spiderman now i am just disappointed in how far it has fallen....