WDW Spirited Quickees

[alissafalco]

I actually am missing your point here... I feel like you have just stated a bunch of assumptions and half-baked ideas. Maybe just state what you would like to say...

I think notfrostyjosh is half baked as he's writing these posts.

 

[WDW1974]

If you feel the distance and anonymity of a discussion forum gives you carte blanche to treat people differently then I suggest you revisit the golden rule. And Lou M is not just some 'public figure' - he's part of the Disney community, just like you. So yes, it is just the same as calling out your coworker or neighbor. If you think just because he doesn't post here, he is somehow now someone not worthy of the same respect and now fair game.. then you are far less the man than I gave you credit for. If you wouldn't say it to someone's face - you shouldn't post it.

You know, I can usually stomach the holier than thou 'tude you often express here (because I'm a self-professed elitist who often doesn't care what others think), but I think your righteous indignation over how poor old Lou Mongello is being 'abused' is really a bit over the top. Drama queen material, which is fine for some of my younger fanboi friends but I have the feeling you haven't glimpsed your 20s since the 1970s or 80s.

Lou isn't the same as a co-worker or neighbor. He has reveled in his role as PUBLIC online Disney celebrity and makes his living as such. He isn't some anonymous Joe Smith posting here like the rest of us. His behavior and ethics and whether or not he is paid by Disney (or just gets freebies left and right) is fair game.

He can always come over and post here ... or send a minion ... ... but he never will. Much like you'll never see any posts from Roseboom, Brigante, Lange etc. The only one with the balls to do so is Kevin Yee. And Disney won't touch him with a ten-foot pole (despite the fact he is quite fair with them ... to an extreme IMHO). Just like Blondie and Tommy and the Too Many Jasons from the Disney Parks Blog will never come over here, even as they get paid to read this crap. ... They won't come here because they're all part of a game that has given them lifestyles that they're desperate to hold on to. And who wouldn't be? The economy is just as bad (if not worse, stock market aside) as it was in 2008 and it's much better to spend hours at the MK taking pics of new Fantasyland restrooms than to try and get a real job.

Kuhio is a pretty damn standup guy. And I am sure that much like myself, he wouldn't say anything about anyone online that he wouldn't say to their face. ... I just hope for his sake that he never has to run into one of these parasites (is that better than whores?) at WDW!

 

[bubbles1812]

You know, I can usually stomach the holier than thou 'tude you often express here (because I'm a self-professed elitist who often doesn't care what others think), but I think your righteous indignation over how poor old Lou Mongello is being 'abused' is really a bit over the top. Drama queen material, which is fine for some of my younger fanboi friends but I have the feeling you haven't glimpsed your 20s since the 1970s or 80s.

Lou isn't the same as a co-worker or neighbor. He has reveled in his role as PUBLIC online Disney celebrity and makes his living as such. He isn't some anonymous Joe Smith posting here like the rest of us. His behavior and ethics and whether or not he is paid by Disney (or just gets freebies left and right) is fair game.

He can always come over and post here ... or send a minion ... ... but he never will. Much like you'll never see any posts from Roseboom, Brigante, Lange etc. The only one with the balls to do so is Kevin Yee. And Disney won't touch him with a ten-foot pole (despite the fact he is quite fair with them ... to an extreme IMHO). Just like Blondie and Tommy and the Too Many Jasons from the Disney Parks Blog will never come over here, even as they get paid to read this crap. ... They won't come here because they're all part of a game that has given them lifestyles that they're desperate to hold on to. And who wouldn't be? The economy is just as bad (if not worse, stock market aside) as it was in 2008 and it's much better to spend hours at the MK taking pics of new Fantasyland restrooms than to try and get a real job.

Kuhio is a pretty damn standup guy. And I am sure that much like myself, he wouldn't say anything about anyone online that he wouldn't say to their face. ... I just hope for his sake that he never has to run into one of these parasites (is that better than whores?) at WDW!

Couldn't have said it better myself... Mongello is about as public a figure as it gets in the online community and I haven't seen him complaining about it. He certainly isn't my coworker neighbor or friend nor do I consider him to be. Nor would I expect anyone on these boards to consider him to be. Seems ridiculous to the nth degree. Now if someone said he ate babies for breakfast or worse, Mickey for breakfast complete with Donald Duck kabob...ok, that's going a little far...but little of what I've seen posted is something I would consider "personal attacks." I think it is fine to discuss the ethics of the Disney blogger/lifestyler's life style and the way they interact with Disney

 

[notfrostyjosh]

I think I speak for all lifestylers in saying that yes, we prefer parasite.

 

[bubbles1812]

I think I speak for all lifestylers in saying that yes, we prefer parasite.

Well...at least you admit it...and that's the first step on the road to recovery

 

[tirian]

It's almost 3am, and I'm having so much fun reading this thread!

 

[flynnibus]

You know, I can usually stomach the holier than thou 'tude you often express here (because I'm a self-professed elitist who often doesn't care what others think), but I think your righteous indignation over how poor old Lou Mongello is being 'abused' is really a bit over the top.

You are confused - this discussion would be the same no matter who it is. I'm not defending Lou M.

Lou isn't the same as a co-worker or neighbor. He has reveled in his role as PUBLIC online Disney celebrity and makes his living as such. He isn't some anonymous Joe Smith posting here like the rest of us. His behavior and ethics and whether or not he is paid by Disney (or just gets freebies left and right) is fair game.

Their actions are fair game - but that was never in question. The point is don't say something to someone you wouldn't say to their face, and don't tread into defamation especially when you admit you don't know anything about the topic.

 

[M.rudolf]

Ummmm yeah, probably not 10mb. For example, this one:

http://cdn.wdwmagic.com/imgstore/El...llsize/Be-Our-Guest-Restaurant_Full_17354.jpg

is 388kb full size. Unless there is a super secret full size version I'm unaware of. I would guess the bandwidth bill is around $200/month. A site with this much traffic easily makes that I would think daily. As far as Steve's last name, it took me five seconds to look up his last name and address on Google and then another 15 seconds to be looking directly at his house on Google Maps.

I have one question who gives a fat rat's but? I'd love to know why you had the audacity to do that. Steve runs a clean site never shills for membership and usually let's people post without incident. Just because you have the power and tools to do something doesn't mean you should. Whatever rock you crawled out from under I'm sure it's still there waiting for you to crawl back.

 

[WDW1974]

Pay attention to it more.. and you'll see it. '74 verbalizes it quite often. The stereotypical put downs of people who are in the parks so often they obviously have no life outside of Disney.. the creep types that will stalk people for Sorcerers cards.. the ones that move to Otown to make this their life.. the truly obsessive ones. Reality is, to get the type of coverage fans expect out of Disney sites and details.. sites need people like that as their feet on the street. Now maybe some sites get the young ones and exploit their eagerness and move on before they fall into the true trap. But there are plenty in that gutter and they are generally looked down upon like an out of control addict the word has given up on trying to support.

Please. You're over the top as usual and since you've killed the UNI 1.5billion thread, I guess it's time to do likewise here?

The stereotypes exist because they are true in large part. I know a little bit about many of these folks and that is cringe-worthy, I'm afraid to even ponder what they're hiding away and praying that Disney or no one else finds out.

I think you can run a Disney site without being at WDW every day or having someone there every day. Yes, you might miss when some walls around a planter are moved or a soft opening of the Canada food and wine booth, but you won't miss the big stuff if you're important and connected enough.

I have often had disagreements with Steve here (and Mom over moderating and why we can't just put anyone named JT out of our misery!), but the shots I see taken here make me ill. This is by far the best WDW-centric site on the web and it is largely because of mostly fair and balanced news coverage, some before anyone else gets it, and boards like this where we can debate whether Mongello and Co are parasites, whores or just smart guys who saw an opportunity to leech off of Disney with the company's blessing. This site is NOTHING like the others, NOTHING. From Lou's sickening podcasts to Brigante tweeting proudly that he ignores negative stories to Preskitt OCDing and taking 875 pics of the same thing to Lange selling Disney IP for his own profit to Corless, well, I don't even know what he does other than make fun of other fans like he's an expert on Disney as a snot-nosed 20-something (hey, Blondie -- do you read his Tweets before deciding to spend the company's money on him? Seriously!)

No, that isn't what MAGIC is all about. If it were, believe me, I'd be somewhere else ripping it. Other than some of the typical fanboi drivel and fifth theme park threads and people who have only been to WDW four times and all in the last seven years claiming it's never been better ... oh and folks named JT ... I think this is one MAGICal place to hang out and talk with (mostly) friends about Disney and themed entertainment and media!

To those who don't, why don't you leave? There are plenty of dead and dying sites I can point you to.

 

[notfrostyjosh]

I will admit Mongello sucks. But Brigante is basically harmless and I don't think he shills merely for benefits. He does decent camera work and has a large audience. It makes sense Disney sends him around to document various openings because of that. And he covers all of the parks in Florida and occassionally California, so it isn't like he's on Disney's pay roll. He's fair if not looking for the positives, which I believe he admitted to.

If you look up jefflangedvd.com on Alexa, the site has a rating of like 13+ million, which is terrible and basically means you have zero visitors. Not sure they're a big enough deal to even talk about. And any such discussion would probably just bring noteriety. Martinsvids.net (while I'm LASHing out) would come in around 3 million which still basically means you have zero visitors, but it's obviously 10 million better than Lange.

I'm not sure who else has been mentioned in this thread as being a parasite. There really aren't that many and most of them have pretty small footprints.

 

[M.rudolf]

I'd say this to Lou or whoever a face Disney is a privately owned company, if you don't like the decisions made the exit is right next to the entrance you came in.

 

[notfrostyjosh]

I have one question who gives a fat rat's but? I'd love to know why you had the audacity to do that. Steve runs a clean site never shills for membership and usually let's people post without incident. Just because you have the power and tools to do something doesn't mean you should. Whatever rock you crawled out from under I'm sure it's still there waiting for you to crawl back.

Chill. I just did a website WHOIS and there was the name and address. Didn't expect to see it and something that should probably be kept private as there are a lot of CRAZY people on the Internet these days.

And didn't post it for that matter.

 

[WDW1974]

You're not just asking questions; you're stopping just short of wild accusations of... something without a shred of proof. No, no, you're not accusing anyone of doing anything illegal or unethical, because just accusing them of doing something is much better; let everyone's minds fill in the blanks. What are you accusing Lou of, exactly, that he "may still be conducting [himself] in a way that's not befitting an implicit affiliation with the Disney company"? I have not seen anything to even suggest that there is anything underhanded going on with Tricat and the law firm that you brought up so damningly. Any wrongdoing, major or minor, seems to result solely from your imagination and a misunderstanding of his LinkedIn profile.

Don't you have anything better to do than to try and defend Mongello? Really?

No one is accusing him of anything. We can't because he hides everything so well ... like most of the Disney Lifestylers ...do you know one of them was in a DUI accident that injured a child (I do ... and it's public record and no, I have no intention of placing it here so someone can try and sue my for stating legal facts that will harm their business. Does Disney knows? Likely. Does Disney care? Not enough to not invite them to events where free alcohol is poured by the bottle ... NO, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT LOU!)

I really don't get why people are so doggedly trying to protect him and his ilk. But I thank you, my work day was gonna start at 11 a.m. and I've just pushed it off to 2 p.m. Seriously. (wonder if I can bill Lou or Steve or both for the hours?)

 

[M.rudolf]

Chill. I just did a website WHOIS and there was the name and address. Didn't expect to see it and something that should probably be kept private as there are a lot of CRAZY people on the Internet these days.

Exactly and it sounds like you are actually one of them.
1. You did a whois, no biggie.
2. After you find out the individuals identity,personal info and whereabouts you googlemap it
3. Like a third rate criminal you brag about on the net.
I don't know what you think but that's a little disturbing. Please don't tell me to chill,I'm an adult I speak like one and usually post like one. Doing what you did is one thing bragging about it is repugnant. Has anyone ever accused you of stalking?

 

[flynnibus]

But would you agree that unlike a lot of Disney sites, mainly the ones in question, tend to skew more towards the glorification of a site owner or "personality", which you do not see happening here?

I think you see both... I think the echo chamber is working a bit here tho.. people obsessing over personalities in the 'sphere. For many of those sites readers, I doubt they even know who Ricky or Lou are.. they just know 'the lines app' or 'inside the magic', etc.

I don't question at all the lack of impartiality on lots of sites in the Disney 'sphere. But that wasn't what I was jumping into.

I won't bother to quote him, but our genius friend has also not discovered that you do not need to reload the page in the photo gallery to go to the next one unless you are accessing the super-high quality versions, and I don't think a page reload is too much to ask "just to reload the ads" when those pics are probably 5-10MB each, and they are not watermarked to all heck like most other sites do.

I think he is referring to the gallery format used on the news pages. Clicking on the next photo requires the entire page to redraw instead of just loading the image itself. I find it annoying myself because on my monitor's resolution, I can't see the entire photo at once.. I need to scroll down. Then clicking on a thumbnail to load the next photo causes the page to redraw.. and moves my scroll back up. So moving photo to photo is click, scroll down, then repeat over and over. It's very annoying compared to other gallery options out there.

 

[M.rudolf]

Chill. I just did a website WHOIS and there was the name and address. Didn't expect to see it and something that should probably be kept private as there are a lot of CRAZY people on the Internet these days.

And didn't post it for that matter.

And if your so smart figure out who I am. It might just surprise you.

 

[WDW1974]

Know what I did the other night, WDW1974? I came here and followed you all around the forums, reading the comments you'd just posted. Fact. I think many of us here appreciate your insider info and observations. Bet on it. And this site is pretty darned nice; ditto the forum. I don't see a lot of unpleasantness here. As for the bummer side of fan communities, well, I used to get into flamewars while on the 'net, but not anymore. I figure, I'll have my say, and the other guy can have his say, and whatever, leave it at that. It's not worth burning any mouse ears over.

Oh you're right, and I'm ignoring the one person who most wants to engage me ... I am such a high value 'target' in the fan community. I know too much, I'm too well-connected and I tend to be a bit ... um ... blunt.

But I am extremely huggable!

 

[M.rudolf]

Oh you're right, and I'm ignoring the one person who most wants to engage me ... I am such a high value 'target' in the fan community. I know too much, I'm too well-connected and I tend to be a bit ... um ... blunt.

But I am extremely huggable!

Ignore him please I'm having fun

 

[WDW1974]

Ask em. I get no perks from my hobby and my work is used internally.

No, and the talent and quality is also nice to see.

But others such as Jeff Lange (I know a tough subject for you) are doing things that I feel are unseemly, whether or not Disney Legal opts to crack down or not.

You shouldn't be able to sell Disney IP like that for you own personal gain. Period. End of story.

If Jeff feels he has a talent, then he should try and get a job where he can use that talent.

 

[flynnibus]

The stereotyes exist because they are true in large part. I know a little bit about many of these folks and that is cringe-worthy, I'm afraid to even ponder what they're hiding away and praying that Disney or no one else finds out.

Again - it wasn't about being false or not - its the fact the topic does come up and is a 'popular' opinion. The troll's post was in effect 'you rely on them too, even here'. Its true, if you want to be a breaking news site (like WDWMagic is) you need people who can be in the park any day of the week, covering minuta week after week. People were saying you don't see that type of classification going on here. Your name came up just because it was an easy reference that there should be plenty of posts to illustrate with I don't disagree with most of the descriptions - but I'm also not in denial that they exist and are used.

I think you can run a Disney site without being at WDW every day or having someone there every day. Yes, you might miss when some walls around a planter are moved or a soft opening of the Canada food and wine booth, but you won't miss the big stuff if you're important and connected enough.

Sure, you can be a site like BlueSkyDisney, AllEars, reimagineering, etc and lots of other types of content that are about Disney without being a 'daily source of news' - but that's what sites like WDWMagic and others have hung their hat on being.. cutting edge news and info backed with supporting info. You can't be on top of that without minions willing to operate on those obsessive levels.

This is by far the best WDW-centric site on the web and it is largely because of mostly fair and balanced news coverage, some before anyone else gets it, and boards like this where we can debate whether Mongello and Co are parasites, whores or just smart guys who saw an opportunity to leech off of Disney with the company's blessing. This site is NOTHING like the others, NOTHING

I don't disagree.. but I don't think you'll find anything from me in this thread stating otherwise either