World Cup Nonsense

[FettFan]

Just saw on the newsfeed that they are putting TVs in Restaurantosaurus so that guests can watch the World Cup.

What the hell kind of **** is THAT?

Seriously bad show people. Keep the World Cup at any World Showcase countries that are participating and at All Star Sports. We don't need that crap splashed everywhere else in the parks.

What next, streaming NASCAR races at Electric Umbrella? Ooh I know! WWF wrestling over at Pecos Bill!

Stay Classy, TDO. You jerks.

 

[Matt_Black]

To be fair, it does kind of fit with the theme of Restaurantosaurus. It's a mess hall for grad students who, presumably, would watch sports or something while eating lunch.

 

[FettFan]

To be fair, it does kind of fit with the theme of Restaurantosaurus. It's a mess hall for grad students who, presumably, would watch sports or something while eating lunch.

That's a bit of a stretch.

Given how this batch of grad students is so dinosaur-crazy, I'd rather think they'd be watching old kitschy dinosaur b-movies.

 

[EpcoTim]

To be fair, it does kind of fit with the theme of Restaurantosaurus. It's a mess hall for grad students who, presumably, would watch sports or something while eating lunch.

Yeah, you know how crazy those paleontologist grad students can get when they're on remote location. Watching all their 60" Sonys in the middle of nowhere. Those crazy Fratty McDudebros.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I'm against any connection to the outside world at WDW.

 

[dreamfinder]

Seriously bad show people. Keep the World Cup at any World Showcase countries that are participating and at All Star Sports.

So we have Brazil, Netherlands, Argentina and Germany still playing games. So lets see, out of those 4, only 1 has a pavillion.

What next, streaming NASCAR races at Electric Umbrella? Ooh I know! WWF wrestling over at Pecos Bill!

Even though you may not like futbol, the rest of the world disagrees with you. And comparing the World Cup to NASCAR, or the WWE (as much as I would love to watch streaming footage of Pandas, the WWF has nothing to do with wrestling) is a travesty.

• The average in-home viewership around the globe for each of the 64 matches in 2010 World Cup was 188.4 million. Compare that to the US-record-setting 111.5 million viewers who tuned in to the 2014 Super Bowl.
• About 909.6 million home viewers watched some of the 2010 World Cup final between the Netherlands and Spain—more than 14 times the total population of both nations, and about three times of the population of the United States.
• Out-of-home watchers of the 2010 final “likely pushed the total audience reach to more than 1 billion,” making it the most-watched event in the history of broadcast.

And FIFA is predicting higher numbers for this tournament than in 2010.
Putting TVs in a location that is separate from the rest of the park, and can easily be ignored helps to keep bodies in the park, buying food and drinks. The pictures of the crowds during match play show decent demand for viewing, and should be blown away by the crowds for semi finals and finals games.

 

[Allym146]

The World Cup is kind of a big deal. I think there should be a place to view it in each of the parks. If my H and I were in Disney right now, you bet we'd be watching. Classy!!!!

 

[mickey2008.1]

It is called Walt Disney World, meaning the whole world. Soccer is huge in many countries, especially Brasil, and all the tour groups that come to WDW. It is only every four years, not every weekend in US NASCAR or WWE.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

That's a pretty classless comment to make, OP. Lots of people like soccer and just because you don't doesn't make it "nonsense". Soccer is a HUGE sport, worldwide. If you don't want to see it, here's an idea... don't watch it! Seems pretty simple to me!

 

[Matt_Black]

That's a pretty classless comment to make, OP. Lots of people like soccer and just because you don't doesn't make it "nonsense". Soccer is a HUGE sport, worldwide. If you don't want to see it, here's an idea... don't watch it! Seems pretty simple to me!

Yup. Besides, even Mickey's excited for it!

 

[rob0519]

I think the OP could have stated his case in a slightly less offensive way, but after thinking about this for a while, I have to agree with him. I understand Soccer is a much bigger deal in the rest of the world than it is in the United States and just because it does not interest me doesn't mean I have the right to bash people who follow the sport. BUT That doesn't mean that TVs should be installed, and ruin the theme of a restaurant so that Soccer hooligans can get their fix. I and other non-soccer loving people paid thousands of dollars for a vacation to one of the few places on earth where you can get away from the outside world. Why ruin that for us? Here's a simple idea, let the soccer fans stay at their hotel or find a bar outside the parks. I don't remember TVs being installed for the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup Final, etc.

 

[wdwmagic]

Some of you seem to be forgetting we are at the height of South American tourist season at WDW, and in the final week of the world cup being held in Brazil.

Restaurantosaurus is the primary quick service restaurant at DAK for the tour groups.

 

[wdwmagic]

I think the OP could have stated his case in a slightly less offensive way, but after thinking about this for a while, I have to agree with him. I understand Soccer is a much bigger deal in the rest of the world than it is in the United States and just because it does not interest me doesn't mean I have the right to bash people who follow the sport. BUT That doesn't mean that TVs should be installed, and ruin the theme of a restaurant so that Soccer hooligans can get their fix. I and other non-soccer loving people paid thousands of dollars for a vacation to one of the few places on earth where you can get away from the outside world. Why ruin that for us? Here's a simple idea, let the soccer fans stay at their hotel or find a bar outside the parks. I don't remember TVs being installed for the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup Final, etc.

I'm a soccer fan, that does not make me a hooligan. I also don't consider a few TVs in place for a week at that quick service restaurant ruining the restaurant. It is more a case of meeting the needs of a large number of guests this week. The demand at Odyssey has been huge - hence the additional viewing areas.

 

[rob0519]

Sorry, but I still disagree. What about meeting the needs of a large number of guests this week that don't want to watch soccer? I didn't say it was ruining the restaurant, the theme yes. The food quality is still the food quality. Epcot has the World Showcase. Sports fit in much better with the bars and restaurants than in the Animal Kingdom. What next, in four years watching the World Cup at the Crystal Palace or the Royal Table? No thanks.

 

[rob0519]

I'm a soccer fan, that does not make me a hooligan. I also don't consider a few TVs in place for a week at that quick service restaurant ruining the restaurant. It is more a case of meeting the needs of a large number of guests this week. The demand at Odyssey has been huge - hence the additional viewing areas.

Ok, I'll apologize for the hooligan remark. That was uncalled for. I should have said something like exuberant soccer fans because we all know that the tour groups are just young people having fun at a very loud volume.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

. Soccer is huge in many countries, .

Every where except the former colony and colony lite.

Its the sort of thing where a world cup is played for by teams from more than one country. Thats probably the root of the confusion.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Speaking as a hooligan, I can only say Id rather that option than a pretentious xenophobic bell end.

 

[brifraz]

I'm a soccer fan, that does not make me a hooligan. I also don't consider a few TVs in place for a week at that quick service restaurant ruining the restaurant. It is more a case of meeting the needs of a large number of guests this week. The demand at Odyssey has been huge - hence the additional viewing areas.

Spot on. We went by Odyssey during one of the Knockout stage (round of 16) and it was packed with a weave line that then extended around the building. I can only imagine what it was like yesterday. In term of safety and security it only makes sense to having viewing in more locations in multiple park.

BTW - lots of sad Brazilians in DHS last night, and we are still debating keeping our Trail's End reservation for tonight or watching the match somewhere.

 

[jakeman]

Sorry, but I still disagree. What about meeting the needs of a large number of guests this week that don't want to watch soccer? I didn't say it was ruining the restaurant, the theme yes. The food quality is still the food quality. Epcot has the World Showcase. Sports fit in much better with the bars and restaurants than in the Animal Kingdom. What next, in four years watching the World Cup at the Crystal Palace or the Royal Table? No thanks.

If only there was another place at WDW to get a hamburger...

 

[Uncle Remus]

I don't remember TVs being installed for the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup Final

You have a point in regards to The Super Bowl. Its the only thing numbers wise that compares to the World Cup. If the Super Bowl was only played once every four years and all 32 teams participated imagine the ferver. I doubt many would mind. The World Series and The Stanley Cup finals get terrible ratings in comparison. Soccer has already surpassed hockey in the U.S. and baseball is on its way to being next. This year there have been World cup matches that surpassed this years NBA Finals numbers in the ratings. The Stanley Cup and the World Series consistently get out drawn by the NBA.

Ok, I'll apologize for the hooligan remark. That was uncalled for. I should have said something like exuberant soccer fans because we all know that the tour groups are just young people having fun at a very loud volume.

Very classy of you. In future context hooligan refers to soccer fans from the UK countries. None of which are currently in the World Cup.

It's not like Disney is showing Premier League matches and Championship Sunday. It's airing a World Event. Not league finals. Also, I think the biggest point being missed here is the one that was pointed out to me by a fellow poster in another thread. ABC and ESPN have the rights to the World Cup. When Fox starts carrying it the next time around I doubt Disney will be promoting it. I think this sudden accommodation to soccer fans is nothing more than a big giant promotion for the product they currently carry.