Video - Splash Mtn finale Jan 22 (all animatronics broken)

[WDW1974]

Instead they buy Marvel in hopes that will make the adult male demographic think Disney is cool? You're probably right in that Star Tours as a single attraction in a relatively unthemed area of DHS is not enough to sell most individuals on a Disney vacation. But rolling in the likes of Expedition Everest, Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Dinosaur, Mission: SPACE, Test Track and Star Tours into a single advertisement would be helpful to sell the parks to that demographic that views Disney as childish and/or feminine.

I took marketing classes too, but that doesn't make me a marketing expert. What I can see though is that Universal's advertising is working, and it's not even good advertising. It doesn't tell you what park Harry Potter is in; it doesn't even mention Islands of Adventure. But people are going to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter from all over the world. You're telling me that Disney shouldn't have targeted advertising in New England is silly.

I don't count anyone working at high levels of Disney marketing as an expert at all. I think their product speaks for itself.

That said, I don't disagree with the concept of marketing the entire package on the national level. I'm not saying I might not test some specific stuff be it ToT ... or EE (although that would be laughable now) ... or even just park specific like an EPCOT campaign. But I don't feel it is needed if the package you present is of sufficient quality to get folks excited enough to visit.

~We should ask Shell Holtz~

 

[RSoxNo1]

Let's be real...Universal could probably take a black background with white letters that say HARRY POTTER NOW AT UNIVERSAL ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE and it wouldn't have mattered. A lot of people knew it was coming and the franchise was powerful enough with or without advertising to get people into the park. Comparing marketing strategies of anything to that specific world/attraction aren't really going to ever be fair to the other side.

(wow...this thread is very off topic :ROFLOL

Harry Potter is a very rare franchise. Your point is well taken considering that Universal hasn't been perfect with it's execution (capacity, not learning from the Universal Escape mistakes) but they have certainly made people aware.

I had to go out of my way (although admittedly not too far because I visit sites like this daily) to find any promotion for Star Tours. I look at a website like mine that has Google Ads - I see more ads for Harry Potter on my own site than I do for anything Disney related.

The Disney ads I see are usually for Wild Africa Trek.

Having said all that, Disney's execution with their "thrill" offerings hasn't been great. I do remember national ads for Everest, and the result was a 1 million guest increase at DAK. Now as WDW1974 admitted, it would be silly and hypocritical to advertise things like Everest and Splash Mountain in their current state, but Disney is their own worst enemy in their advertising. As they try to dispel the misconception that the parks aren't for teens and young adults their advertising does nothing to disrupt this.

After all these criticisms, I will level some praise. I had heard that to boost sales at John Carter, they may include an extended scene from The Avengers to potentially draw in that crowd. Even with that though, they're terrified of how John Carter will do in theaters and fear it could be a bigger flop than Mars Needs Moms. I also haven't seen much in the way of ads for this either.

I doubt that. More likely someone in Phil's offices or simply the Celebration Place Social Media Cabal noticed what was being discussed and that folks were largely 9-to-1 ripping Disney online and feared another Lights of Winter explosion and ordered folks to get in with chewing gum and duct tape and 'make it look OK for a little while to shut them the (blank) up' ...

I venture to say the attraction hasn't run at even 85% quality this century (and that includes times like last January right after opening after a one-month refurb ... I was on it about 36 hours after it reopened and it still had many issues).

Now, to be fair and balanced, DL's SM also had some issues when I rode in December (didn't ride when there in January). They also are not excuseable. But they also don't come close to the issues on display in O-Town.

~Election Day~

The Splash Mountain maintenance issues really hit home for me. The attraction has so many moving parts in it, I find myself looking for broken effects when I'm in the attraction. It really takes me out of what was once my favorite attraction.

I can tell you in both California and Florida there was/has been/is plenty of advertising for the new ride. From TV and radio spots to billboards and print ads, you would be hard-pressed to not know something is up with the attraction in both states.

But the extra capacity in FLA has to have some impact on the 'appearance' of popularity.

It's like how many times I've heard how so many of the great EPCOT Center attractions like Journey, Horizons and WoM weren't popular because you never had to wait to get on them ... popularity had nothing to do with that, it was their amazing efficiency. That's why I criticize things like TSMM. It does very little to improve the value one gets from a day at TPFKaTD-MGMS when the 'new' (not anymore as it is 2012) ride is very inefficient and has the longest most frustrating lines at the park.

Anyway, I guess they could use the Body Wars sims for something other than a NEXTGEN playground.:drevil:

~Does Tom Cruise pay for his steaks?~

Local ads are one thing, but considering these two locations are worldwide destinations, they need widespread global ads to actually get people to the states.

Disney World can be sold as a Spring Break vacation spot, a honeymoon location, a couples retreat, or anything else you young kids do. I know that many people that fit into this categories are aware of this, but there is a much larger percentage where this doesn't register with them at all.

 

[WDW1974]

Because some people just follow the leader with the loudest voice and don't have a genuine opinion of their own.

Not disagreeing, but always perplexed by it. There are certainly many things I don't have opinions on such as say advances in piping because I simply have no knowledge or perspective on them.

But everyone here (one would assume) likes WDW and visits it. How do you not have opinions about it, yet hang out in a forum like MAGIC?:shrug:

No doubt there are problems at WDW, and no doubt there are people who know first hand what is going on at all the parks. What really bugs me, is when people just jump on the bandwagon of what is cool at the moment. And something that is very "in" at the moment is complaining about every aspect of WDW, and how every other Disney park is superior. Some people think they are somehow in the know if they can say "TDO" and "Meg Crofton" as many times as possible in a post.

I don't know if its 'in' so much as people love WDW and are frustrated with what they see. It angers me tremendously to see Disney put so much money into things like NEXT GEN and Social Media instead of simply making its parks the best they can be. And I don't like excuses for it ... like the economy ... that's not gonna fly when the company is making RECORD profits.

I myself can only be honest when talking about the parks. If given a choice of an MK park to visit tomorrow my order would be: 1.) TDL; 2.) DLP (only because I have been to the #3 in September, December and this month); 3.) DL; 4.) HKDL ... and 5.) MK. That's just me being true to myself and everyone who reads what I post.

As to TDO and Meg ... I can only say at this point next year you won't have one of them to kick around anymore.

I'd rather kick around the idiots who have valued Facebook at being worth between $75-100 billion for the IPO. Amazing how if you have the power and connections politically (and, more importantly, on Wall Street) how you can make things up as you go and people will just accept them like sheep ... which come to think of it is largely what WDW fans have done during a Decade Plus of Decline.

I would also say that there are people who post here and elsewhere who are just hell bent on being anti-WDW. Not saying they are not Disney park fans, but much like sports teams, the like to play the east coast vs west coast game, the rivalry of DL vs WDW is a big thing for some people.

Again to repeat, I am not saying everything is perfect at WDW. I am also not saying everyone fits into the above.

I think that's true to some point and has been going on since I first discovered Disney fan sites online in the 90s (why couldn't I have picked something healthier like ?)

I'd rather be in Anaheim flatout because I'd rather be in SoCal than Central Fla. I prefer the climate, the food, the people, the general diversity in almost everything ... and I'm sure that plays a role in my DL love. BUT ... it also in no way negates any/all criticism I have for WDW (and yeah TDO and Inoverherheadmeg). I just need to be honest because I realize that while I may love needing to put on my Tink hoodie (just kidding on the Tink part!) on a summer night in Anaheim, I realize that some dude from NJ or Ohio or SC or the UK etc would much rather be soaked to the skin in sweat because of the humidity and heat at the same time.

But regardless of any/all of the above, I'll notice whether Splash Mountain is in top show condition at either park no matter.

~Hottest January on Record? Global Warming: A Giant Lie!~

 

[WDW1974]

Agreed, for the most part.
I don't believe in jumping on a bandwagon, and certainly don't put myself in that category.

I thought coming from where you hail from that you owned your own bandwagon and used it to deliver your very special homemade moonshine ... Leungaloosh!:ROFLOL:

Its up to every individual to make up their own mind about such things, and not to blindly accept the word or viewpoint of anyone. I assume most posters here are able to tell who is posting from actual knowledge and who is just spouting popular opinion.

I will shut my eyes and follow you anywhere, my friend ... :wave:

~Super Bowl in Indy?!?! ... Really???!?!~

 

[WDW1974]

As a minion of the great evil Spirit '74, I am only allowed to spew and reiterate whatever he tells me is true.

I really wish this were the truth. If I had an army of minions, then I'd be using them in all sorts of ways :drevil:

Oh and also the facts, research and personal experience play a smaller roll.

In this age of people getting 'news' via Twitter and FB and the like, I've come to realize that one of the biggest problems we face is a society is we can't even agree on basic FACTS. When you are debating things that are akin to 'is the world round or flat?' you realize what an uphill fight you have to win a rational, intellectual discussion.

~Plotting Uses For His Army of Darkness!~

 

[Disneydreamer23]

Things break that is what happens for this running 7 days a week for 15 or more hours a day it will break , im sure it will be fixed soon

 

[COProgressFan]

The Great Divide...

If I think the parks are suffering, and I do, am I just a follower of our spirited spirit? Does it matter that I have first hand knowledge, that I am in WDW year after year, noticing the decline in quality with each trip? I come from a family of WDW lovers. In fact I am the 3rd generation of my family to buy into DVC. First my grandmother bought in during the initial offering at OKW, then my parents, then my wife and I. We LOVE Disney parks. We were engaged in a Disney park, we honeymooned in a Disney park. We have spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in Disney parks. Our first choice vacation has always been WDW...

And now...

We have only been twice in 3 years. Both for F&W festival, which btw, is fantastic. Both trips were of the shorter variety, 4 days. The reason for the shorter trips? We are redistributing our vacation dollars. The desire to spend a week in WDW has all but evaporated.

This is not because some evil spirit is spouting off about declining by degrees. It is because in our eyes, wdw IS declining. And it has gone past degrees now. It is declining by factors. The last time we were there, Nov 11, we noticed so much wrong that we decided that WDW was coming off our vacation rotation for a time. We don't know how long, but I can promise we will not be back in 2012 for a start.

The popcorn lights at the GF, the marquee at ToT, the sad state of PI, the depressing state of BTMRR and Splash, the lights in front of the Boardwalk were 25% out, the absolute rip off that MVMCP has become, the list goes on and on. These are first hand observations, not the regurgitation of others spirited comments.

It is not popular to criticize WDW. It is easy. They are doing so much wrong, the critiques are accurate.

And yes, DL is offering a better product right now. And that divide is set to widen with the opening of CarsLand later this year. This is sad to me, I take no joy in feeling this way. I love WDW, all of my best memories take place inside of those gates. I like being told "welcome home" and "have a magical day". I enjoy the character interactions, even the meals (not the outrageous prices). What I don't like is the appalling lack of maintenance, the equally appalling lack of updating, or new experiences.

WDW could be so much more. And it does not make me happy to say that.

Wow, well said. I take no joy in feeling the same way. It saddens me to tell my family that I (the Disney lover in the family) no longer wish to visit as much as I once did, or how the parks have become neglected in so many ways. I wish it were easier to just blindly ignore the problems, but it's not something I can do, whether at Disney or elsewhere. And it doesn't take a Spirit or any other online poster to convince me of what I have been experience first hand.

 

[wdisney9000]

The beer at Epcot World Showcase never breaks down or needs a refurb. Just drink around the world, then go ride Splash Mountain. The flaws may not be so noticeable then. ( Does anyone else miss Franziskaner heffeweizen in Germany?)

 

[HMF]

The Splash finale was working fine, as seen from the train, this past Sunday.

Apparently the thing was broken Saturday, Sunday, Monday two weeks ago (my video was taken on the middle day).

It has been fighting issues with these animatronics for several weeks. I posted a video in September that showed a few birds broken, but not the whole boat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaqibSSlQZY

I hope they can keep it working well now full-time!

Progress, depending on how long it remains that way.

 

[HMF]

They constantly fight the negative misconceptions that young adult males have with the Disney brand.

They are fighting them? Can't tell by their advertising.

 

[HMF]

Because some people just follow the leader with the loudest voice and don't have a genuine opinion of their own.

No doubt there are problems at WDW, and no doubt there are people who know first hand what is going on at all the parks. What really bugs me, is when people just jump on the bandwagon of what is cool at the moment. And something that is very "in" at the moment is complaining about every aspect of WDW, and how every other Disney park is superior. Some people think they are somehow in the know if they can say "TDO" and "Meg Crofton" as many times as possible in a post.

I would also say that there are people who post here and elsewhere who are just hell bent on being anti-WDW. Not saying they are not Disney park fans, but much like sports teams, the like to play the east coast vs west coast game, the rivalry of DL vs WDW is a big thing for some people.

Again to repeat, I am not saying everything is perfect at WDW. I am also not saying everyone fits into the above.

These things need to be said though. The reason Disneyland is so successful right now is because of the Fans passionate criticism of their management and the falling standards at the resort 10 years ago and look what happened The incompetent Resort President was replaced with a man insistent on quality (Matt Ouimet), Disneyland shined for her 50th birthday with refurbished and upgraded attractions and then the company greenlit a 1.2 Billion Dollar re-imagining of the built-on-the-cheap and Embarrassing Disney California Adventure. I believe that this could happen for WDW as well but it can not happen if our passionate criticisms of the state of WDW are stifled. I believe we can be a powerful force for positive change at WDW if we can speak our minds.

 

[HMF]

I don't count anyone working at high levels of Disney marketing as an expert at all. I think their product speaks for itself.

I personally think Disney has one of the dumbest Marketing Departments on the planet. (See Re-naming Rapunzel to Tangled, Removing Walt's name and 'S from their movies plus over-hyping the Princess, Fairy, HSM,Jonas, For little Girls image

 

[TarzanRocked99-]

I believe we can be a powerful force for positive change at WDW if we can speak our minds.

Very well said

 

[Captain Chaos]

I believe we can be a powerful force for positive change at WDW if we can speak our minds.

Very well said

And, in a small way, I think the voices are being heard... But, the voices cannot rest... When there is a decline, the voices have to say so... The voices have to be loud and not let the Brigade drown them out with the defending of mediocrity... Praise what deserves praise, but speak loudly when the Disney standard is not held... We will hold Disney to their own standard, the standard they set for themselves... We will not settle for good enough... Settling for good enough is what causes declines... Good enough is for Six Flags... Disney is supposed to be above that.. Well, let's hold them to it!!!

And no, we won't shut up until the Yeti is fixed!!! (Off topic but you get the idea!!!)

 

[RSoxNo1]

They are fighting them? Can't tell by their advertising.

That's part of the problem - we know they fight it but then they make stupid decisions when it comes to marketing. Things like naming their station for boys, "Disney XD" or buying Marvel because they can't create their own original content that caters to that demographic.

 

[Mike730]

And, in a small way, I think the voices are being heard... But, the voices cannot rest... When there is a decline, the voices have to say so... The voices have to be loud and not let the Brigade drown them out with the defending of mediocrity... Praise what deserves praise, but speak loudly when the Disney standard is not held... We will hold Disney to their own standard, the standard they set for themselves... We will not settle for good enough... Settling for good enough is what causes declines... Good enough is for Six Flags... Disney is supposed to be above that.. Well, let's hold them to it!!!

And no, we won't shut up until the Yeti is fixed!!! (Off topic but you get the idea!!!)

^I think this oughtta be the title of the forum or something. It is the reason for the majority of the threads in the News and Rumors forum and needs to be taken more seriously. I think theres a lot to be said about Joe (and Flo) schmos like us be able to influence the company. Theres a great amount of power in numbers.

 

[HMF]

That's part of the problem - we know they fight it but then they make stupid decisions when it comes to marketing. Things like naming their station for boys, "Disney XD" or buying Marvel because they can't create their own original content that caters to that demographic.

Or of course re-naming "Rapunzel" to "Tangled"

 

[PlaneJane]

I think the problem with grouping people into this category is that honestly would we waste our time on this forum if we didn't love WDW? If you love something you don't ignore it/he/she when it does something wrong. I would think the best thing to do is to give some criticism when the problems arise, otherwise you are going to live with something that doesn't meet the standard that was once used. Eventually the situation will get to a breaking point. This applies for a lot of things in life I find.

 

[acr123]

The Splash finale was working fine, as seen from the train, this past Sunday.

Apparently the thing was broken Saturday, Sunday, Monday two weeks ago (my video was taken on the middle day).

It has been fighting issues with these animatronics for several weeks. I posted a video in September that showed a few birds broken, but not the whole boat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaqibSSlQZY

I hope they can keep it working well now full-time!

Yes, thank you very much Kevin. Good to hear!

 

[spectromagic04]

Hear is a video of splash mountain taken Feb 3! Looks like every animatronic is working in the finale scene!
http://youtu.be/7YmLiymNlGQ