What's the deal with Ariel?

[MerlinTheGoat]

So odd about Mermaid, it's DCA counterpart seems to not have many problems but they're exactly the same ride and audio-anamatronics.

That isn't odd at all really. Maintenance at WDW is notoriously bad, attractions at Disneyland are usually kept in much better shape than those at WDW. That has been the case for about 10 years now, though it used to be the other way around. Disneyland was once the one suffering from atrocious maintenance, until the tragic deaths of several park guests were found to be caused by such practices. A huge PR scandal for Disney as a result, they were basically forced to change their ways at CA. They cleaned the parks up for the 50th anniversary and got rid of the previous two idiots running the CA parks. Though WDW did not get the same love. Nowadays it's well known that the California parks are much better cared for than the Florida ones. Perhaps partially due to WDW not having a PR scandal like Disneyland did (yet anyways, there have been some close calls with falling rockwork on several attractions), there's no incentive to get the place back into shape. As a result, even new rides can have issues like this.

Mind you this may end up changing for the CA parks. They inherited Animal Kingdom's old president Michael Colglazier last year, and I probably don't have to tell you about the Yeti, the multitude of problems on Dinosaur and falling concrete on the Tree of Life. If the condition of DL's Splash Mountain recently is anything to go on, he's already doing a horrible job at Disneyland. Hopefully the maintenance issues don't spread from there.

 

[yeti]

Mind you this may end up changing for the CA parks. They inherited Animal Kingdom's old president Michael Colglazier last year, and I probably don't have to tell you about the Yeti, the multitude of problems on Dinosaur and falling concrete on the Tree of Life. If the condition of DL's Splash Mountain recently is anything to go on, he's already doing a horrible job at Disneyland. Hopefully the maintenance issues don't spread from there.

DL will always host a more attuned and keen-eyed population of guests than WDW, I think they can let things slide only so far (only tell that to Pressler). Part of the advantage of being in the swamps I guess.

 

[pumpkin7]

Sad to hear, but I also would like to add that I waited almost 2 hours for this ride last trip. 2 hours for an omnimover? 2 hours when the wait time actually said 30 minutes?! All because of the FP queue!! So, y'know, cone head Ariel is getting her comeuppance!
I would also like to add that Scuttle in the queue, wow, they did a bad job on the lighting on that guy. If you looked behind his crows nest, the lighting cast a shadow on the little pole / turn tabley thing he is 'sat' on, and you could see it clear as day! Come on Disney, we all know how much you love plants, stick some more around the base of the crows nest!

 

[lazyboy97o]

Just out of curiosity, why would they need to increase daily capacity on a ride that is no longer popular. All they do is increase the number of shows, not the numbers of people that want to see it. Wouldn't it help with popular show capacities to keep those people occupied longer, not less?

A shorter show, as previously mentioned, gets people out sooner so they can get to another attraction. It also creates more opportunities for people to enter, so the wait is going to be slightly less in most cases. I would imagine most people in the queue are the because of opportunity and not due to planning.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

The attraction has....issues with certain things that is worrying for something so new.

Is that putting it mildly?

 

[BrightImagine]

I can't help but think that FP+ is going to make the refurb situation worse. Already it seems like WDW's favorite guests to attract are first-time or once-in-a-lifetime guests. If The Little Mermaid is down during the window of time that you had booked months in advance, on your first or only trip to WDW, it's going to feel like a bigger slight or disappointment than if you were making spontaneous decisions that day. That seems like it would make WDW CMs even more reluctant to stop and fix something, for fear of upsetting FP+ holders who booked that window of time long before. I dearly hope my logic is wrong.

 

[wdisney9000]

I can't help but think that FP+ is going to make the refurb situation worse. Already it seems like WDW's favorite guests to attract are first-time or once-in-a-lifetime guests. If The Little Mermaid is down during the window of time that you had booked months in advance, on your first or only trip to WDW, it's going to feel like a bigger slight or disappointment than if you were making spontaneous decisions that day. That seems like it would make WDW CMs even more reluctant to stop and fix something, for fear of upsetting FP+ holders who booked that window of time long before. I dearly hope my logic is wrong.

Your logic seems right. The scenario could be what I saw a lot of in the last 7 days. I heard (and talked with) guests that were not pleased with FP+. It mostly happened when a FP+ entrance got jammed or when an attraction went down for 5-10 minutes and they had to wait more than 10 minutes. First time, or once in a life time guests assume that FP+ means they are going to get right on the attraction with no wait... and you cant blame them for thinking for that way due to the way Disney is advertising it. When it doesnt go the way they thought it would (or the way Disney advertised it) they feel somewhat slighted. Those of use here understand the system and why attractions shut down or why the FP+ entrance jams up, but the average guest does not.

This results in average or first time guests not giving FP+ the glowing review that DIsney would want. If Disney doesnt get a handle on it, it will only take 6-12 months before word of mouth and online reviews take FP+ down a peg from the high status Disney has placed it. asDisney can only control a certain amount of the online reviews or other non affiliated websites. The problem I see is what many (@ParentsOf4 mostly) have brought up. Attraction capacity! In all the parks, except MK, if a ride or two goes down it causes a rush at the other few attractions that are open and the parks simply dont have a way to smoothly adjust and eat up all the people trying to ride the few attractions that are open. There is no polishing that turd! I saw it happen a few times last week. the parks arent that busy in January. Just wait until Spring break time or Summer. There arent any attractions slated to open at DHS, AK, or EPCOT in the foreseeable future that could help. I think the next 6 months are going to be a roller coaster for execs and guests alike. Its Disneys fault for overselling the capabilities of MM+. The vanity of the wristbands for door locks and charging will wear off quickly if a guest has to wait 30+ minutes for an attraction they booked with FP+ (Just my opinion)

 

[Cesar R M]

Your logic seems right. The scenario could be what I saw a lot of in the last 7 days. I heard (and talked with) guests that were not pleased with FP+. It mostly happened when a FP+ entrance got jammed or when an attraction went down for 5-10 minutes and they had to wait more than 10 minutes. First time, or once in a life time guests assume that FP+ means they are going to get right on the attraction with no wait... and you cant blame them for thinking for that way due to the way Disney is advertising it. When it doesnt go the way they thought it would (or the way Disney advertised it) they feel somewhat slighted. Those of use here understand the system and why attractions shut down or why the FP+ entrance jams up, but the average guest does not.

This results in average or first time guests not giving FP+ the glowing review that DIsney would want. If Disney doesnt get a handle on it, it will only take 6-12 months before word of mouth and online reviews take FP+ down a peg from the high status Disney has placed it. asDisney can only control a certain amount of the online reviews or other non affiliated websites. The problem I see is what many (@ParentsOf4 mostly) have brought up. Attraction capacity! In all the parks, except MK, if a ride or two goes down it causes a rush at the other few attractions that are open and the parks simply dont have a way to smoothly adjust and eat up all the people trying to ride the few attractions that are open. There is no polishing that turd! I saw it happen a few times last week. the parks arent that busy in January. Just wait until Spring break time or Summer. There arent any attractions slated to open at DHS, AK, or EPCOT in the foreseeable future that could help. I think the next 6 months are going to be a roller coaster for execs and guests alike. Its Disneys fault for overselling the capabilities of MM+. The vanity of the wristbands for door locks and charging will wear off quickly if a guest has to wait 30+ minutes for an attraction they booked with FP+ (Just my opinion)

can you imagine if they started a "street party" or some kind of quick show in the castle or main streets ONLY to suck up the people who were swarming after a ride goes down?

 

[MaryJaneP]

...There is no polishing that turd!

... if a guest has to wait 30+ minutes for an attraction they booked with FP+ (Just my opinion)

Reminds me of a great episode of a show where they busted the myth that you can't polish a turd.

Also, such a first world problem. It seems that Disney guests are so impatient that any waiting is an unacceptable imposition. Is this Disney's fault or the guest's?

Finally, I am unsure if you are advocating any one of the four possible solutions I see to your complaint. The first would be to not have any FP or FP+ of any kind. The second would be to never have a ride shut down during the day, even if non-functioning. The third would be to prohibit refubs. The fourth would be to have so many rides that the impact of one closing is minimal. I think all four are unlikely but I would support the fourth option.

 

[Cesar R M]

Reminds me of a great episode of a show where they busted the myth that you can't polish a turd.

Also, such a first world problem. It seems that Disney guests are so impatient that any waiting is an unacceptable imposition. Is this Disney's fault or the guest's?

Finally, I am unsure if you are advocating any one of the four possible solutions I see to your complaint. The first would be to not have any FP or FP+ of any kind. The second would be to never have a ride shut down during the day, even if non-functioning. The third would be to prohibit refubs. The fourth would be to have so many rides that the impact of one closing is minimal. I think all four are unlikely but I would support the fourth option.

so; according to you, waiting at least 30 minutes for any attraction should be "normal" ?

 

[MaryJaneP]

so; according to you, waiting at least 30 minutes for any attraction should be "normal" ?

Yep. If it were only 30 minutes in standby, that would be awesome. If it is 30 minutes in FP+, I can deal, can you? Also, one of the four or do you have a fifth? Maybe we need a fifth?

 

[Cesar R M]

Yep. If it were only 30 minutes in standby, that would be awesome. If it is 30 minutes in FP+, I can deal, can you? Also, one of the four or do you have a fifth? Maybe we need a fifth?

one of the what?

 

[wdisney9000]

Reminds me of a great episode of a show where they busted the myth that you can't polish a turd.

Also, such a first world problem. It seems that Disney guests are so impatient that any waiting is an unacceptable imposition. Is this Disney's fault or the guest's?

Finally, I am unsure if you are advocating any one of the four possible solutions I see to your complaint. The first would be to not have any FP or FP+ of any kind. The second would be to never have a ride shut down during the day, even if non-functioning. The third would be to prohibit refubs. The fourth would be to have so many rides that the impact of one closing is minimal. I think all four are unlikely but I would support the fourth option.

I am not trying to act like I have an answer to any of the scenarios I mentioned. Just what I saw. And I agree that Disney guests can be impatient. I would put more blame on Disney. They make it seem like if you book a FP+ that you will get right on the attraction. In the end though, the consumer should be wise enough to understand that its never as perfect as advertised. Does your Mcdonalds Big Mac ever look like the picture of it? Most people are just too caught up in themselves to take a moment to learn something.

 

[George]

What is Ariel's deal? She turns the cold shoulder even when I crank the charm up to a Spinal Tappish 11.

 

[ford91exploder]

What is Ariel's deal? She turns the cold shoulder even when I crank the charm up to a Spinal Tappish 11.

Fish even half-fish are cold blooded creatures...

 

[ford91exploder]

I am not trying to act like I have an answer to any of the scenarios I mentioned. Just what I saw. And I agree that Disney guests can be impatient. I would put more blame on Disney. They make it seem like if you book a FP+ that you will get right on the attraction. In the end though, the consumer should be wise enough to understand that its never as perfect as advertised. Does your Mcdonalds Big Mac ever look like the picture of it? Most people are just too caught up in themselves to take a moment to learn something.

Disney did this to itself, They USED to be the gold standard they are marketing as though they still ARE and people are unhappy with DMV service levels. No mystery there

 

[Matt_Black]

Fish even half-fish are cold blooded creatures...

Dolphins are warm-blooded, though. Just because her bottom half looks ichthyan doesn't mean mermaids are literally "half-fish". Certainly, the torsos of merpeople imply mammalian characteristics, such as nursing the young.

 

[Wikkler]

 

[Matt_Black]

Hey, you think this is bad, one message board I go to had a very long, VERY in-depth discussion about the reproductive cycle of centaurs.

 

[ford91exploder]

Dolphins are warm-blooded, though. Just because her bottom half looks ichthyan doesn't mean mermaids are literally "half-fish". Certainly, the torsos of merpeople imply mammalian characteristics, such as nursing the young.

That's true but the lower halves of merpeople have scales not skin so lower half definitely not mammalian, Perhaps Ariel only likes blonds and gingers for hair color, @George has dark hair I think.