I have heard anecdotal accounts that the crowds have gotten worse at Disney World in general, and/or that crowd management has gotten worse?
― on entre O.K. on sort K.O. (man alive), Tuesday, December 15, 2015 12:00 PM
Well, stuff like Food & Wine festival, designed to boost attendance during what was for thirty years the slowest time of year, keeps the parks hopping year around. AK and Epcot didn't seem particularly crowded (the bartender at the Rose & Crown, on whose bar I leaned uninterrupted and unshoved for 30 mins, said it was unusually quiet). But the real crazy time is Dec. 15 through Jan. 1.
Customer service was as good as ever.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 December 2015 17:26 (eight years ago) link
if you're a resort guest who buys passes, you can also reserve Fastpasses many weeks in advance.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 December 2015 17:27 (eight years ago) link
Returning to Rich's piece from a few months ago, I reread this bit:
What I encountered during my first solo trip to Disney World wasn’t exactly meditative solitude. Mere minutes into my most recent journey through the enchanted fiefdom a suspicion was confirmed: There’s so much stimulation in every cubic square foot that you simply do not need a companion to have an enriching experience. Without another person to consider, I was free to enjoy the park exactly as I wanted. I could move as quickly as humanly possible through the Magic Kingdom, and then on a whim slow down to ponder the attractions, treating them as the works of art that they are.
This is OTM. My trip was essentially solo (I met my parents on the second day). At restaurants I could order dinner at the bar and talk to the bartenders. I wasn't condescended to either.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 15 December 2015 17:34 (eight years ago) link
Huh. I like Disney a lot, but my enjoyment has largely been communal/vicarious. That is, I love watching other people have fun there, and love having others have fun with me. But alone? It would never occur to me to pay to do that.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 15 December 2015 17:38 (eight years ago) link
Should say, I love watching other people I know have fun there. But I suppose the Happiest Place on Earth would be no less enjoyable if I was solo.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 15 December 2015 17:43 (eight years ago) link
I went solo once. It was pretty awesome. It's so great to take exactly as much time as you want to do whatever you want. I just sat around in a bunch of the Epcot countries and appreciated the vibe. While drinking, natch.
― Some Pizza Grudge From Twenty Years Ago (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 15 December 2015 17:51 (eight years ago) link
long time listener, first time caller-- I got back from WDW a couple weeks ago and Hollywood Studios is dismal. a good half of the park is empty at any given time because all the stores and restaurants have shuttered in preparation for Star Wars and Frozen absorbing their spots. on the plus side I'm an annual passholder now until January 2017 so maybe I'll get to see some of it (I definitely want to go to the Halloween party regardless)
― Andrew Kornfan, Sunday, 7 February 2016 19:23 (eight years ago) link
December visit.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 17:58 (eight years ago) link
nice!
I really want to try out the Snow White mine carts and see the re-vamped Hollywood Studios, don't know when I'll be back though.
Will be in L.A. this August. Definitely going to Universal Studios for a day, considering if I can fit Disneyland in there too.
― Al Moon Faced Poon (Moodles), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:26 (eight years ago) link
i recently saw the gay romantic short film that was surreptitiously shot in D'land in the late '60s
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:38 (eight years ago) link
so did i
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:42 (eight years ago) link
i was the projectionist at its director's 90th birthday celebration
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:43 (eight years ago) link
what's it called?
― Al Moon Faced Poon (Moodles), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:43 (eight years ago) link
Country Bear Jamboree, iirc?
― What's Your Definition of a Dirty Baby? (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:45 (eight years ago) link
in his opening remarks he called it discovery; the title card read disneyland discovery; its release title i believe was ron and chuck in disneyland discovery
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:45 (eight years ago) link
yes
the director phoned into the Lincoln Center screening, and gave out his number in Hawaii. "call anytime"
Disney's lawyers threatened him w/ prosecution, but to avoid publicity instead banned him from the parks for life.
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:50 (eight years ago) link
it was sweet and iirc featured good ecstatic use of "when you wish upon a star"
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:50 (eight years ago) link
i hope lincoln center had better turnout
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:52 (eight years ago) link
wow I would love to see that!
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:59 (eight years ago) link
a few dozen in a smallish theater; sound was fuct up tho
xp
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 19:59 (eight years ago) link
now Disney makes a mint on Gay Days.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 20:18 (eight years ago) link
while I'm here, might as well show off these sweet Star Wars glasses done in the style of classic Disneyland posters that my sister-in-law brought back from Orlando
https://dl.dropbox.com/s/a8t03c5q2s8l9ua/20160608_153553.jpg?dl=0
― Al Moon Faced Poon (Moodles), Wednesday, 8 June 2016 20:43 (eight years ago) link
wow those are super cool
― Mordy, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 20:44 (eight years ago) link
Last I read there is a lot afoot at the parks, including longer hours for Animal Kingdom, which now lights up on cool ways and gives safaris in the dark.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 8 June 2016 20:45 (eight years ago) link
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Wednesday, June 8, 2016 9:43 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
this post crossed my mind for no reason while i was driving and i realized it's ridiculous; it was not his 90th birthday. sorry. i forget how old he is but i was confusing him with a venerable member of the local japanese chamber of commerce. the program was extremely long -- don't know what context you saw the film in morbz but i am p much a major scholar of his now. there was a sort of hitchcock pastiche, or maybe it was a blow up pastiche -- a lot of prolonged stops at parties. disneyland discovery was the highlight i thought, tho there was Hotter stuff. up in the booth shutting everything down afterwards i missed the chance to claim a t-shirt with his face on it.
― le Histoire du Edgy Miley (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 9 June 2016 23:12 (eight years ago) link
while i was driving
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 9 June 2016 23:19 (eight years ago) link
As if Orlando couldn't handle more bad news.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 15 June 2016 13:10 (eight years ago) link
Heard that first thing this morning, that story is insane.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 15 June 2016 13:15 (eight years ago) link
Your fun read of the day
http://gizmodo.com/how-i-let-disney-track-my-every-move-1792875386
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 28 March 2017 15:43 (seven years ago) link
what a jerk-off, the Magic Bands are great
― SSN Lucci (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:06 (seven years ago) link
Like the whole "wau so crepey disney knows where i am at all times" is some serious whogivesashit.jpg. I cannot think of one negative to Disney knowing that I'm waiting in line for the Jungle Cruise after I gave them hundreds of dollars to ride the Jungle Cruise.
― SSN Lucci (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:09 (seven years ago) link
WHERE IS MY **PRIVACY** WHEN I EXPLORE YOUR PARK WITH 20,000 OTHER PEOPLE
― SSN Lucci (Whiney G. Weingarten), Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:10 (seven years ago) link
I like imagining your all caps is the manifesto when you hole up in Spaceship Earth and hack the sound systems to just play BOADRUM 77 on infinite loop.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:15 (seven years ago) link
Certain 21st century indignities I'll endure for the sake of swiping a lock or charging a purchase
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:38 (seven years ago) link
speaking of, Whiney, I'll be at Ft. Wilderness over the Thanksgiving holiday.
My sister worked at WDW and can confirm that you're constantly under their watchful eye anyway unless you're like in a bathroom stall or something (and even then, who knows for sure, and maybe the true purpose of the Magic Bands is so they can finally gather important data on visitor BMs).
― Ambling Shambling Man (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:42 (seven years ago) link
a sensible comment:
I went to Atlantis in Dubai, after it first opened. I noticed that all the kids had a wrist band. The hotel/park had every kid tracked and parents could check in with staff to see where their kid was.
I remember thinking, man that’s creepy as hell. Because, maybe child abduction was such a real problem that tracking bracelets were needed.But then I realized just how convenient and cool it was. Parents can track their kids, without having to be right beside them the entire time. Plus, for a water park, they place was like Fort Knox.
The reality is that many parks and resorts are going cashless, as is the rest of society. Sure, they want to track you to see what you like and don’t like. Makes deciding on the next improvement easier. Second, going cashless is a lot faster, meaning more transactions and shorter wait times. The last thing someone wants to do is wait in a line on their vacation. Have you ever been stuck behind a mother with three exhausted, hungry, and sensory overloaded kids? She’s trying to fish a wallet out of a purse to buy lunch, only to find she doesn’t have enough cash and then needs to decide which card to use. All while two of the kids are melting down like Chernoble. You only wanted to buy a bottle of water and in doing so, burned 20 minutes and then had to buy a drink, just to calm down. I’ve been there and it’s not a happy place.
My last two vacations were to places that only took room charge. So, you had to have your key every where you went. Judging from the bill, they were tracking the hell out of me. So, these tracking bracelets are just the next logical step. You won’t forget it, like you do your room key and it’s a heck of a lot more convenient.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 28 March 2017 16:48 (seven years ago) link
redbox proves that people will generally still make you wait in line while they decide what to swipe their bracelet on
― Sufjan Grafton, Tuesday, 28 March 2017 19:49 (seven years ago) link
Oh dear
The main thing you notice when entering Pandora is that it feels like you’re leaving one theme park to go to another. Pandora feels separate from everything else in Animal Kingdom and, while you’re inside, the flora—even the land itself—differs to create the illusion. Every single employee working in Pandora is in character. They greet you in the native language; they swear you are on another planet, not in a theme park, and they refer to James Cameron’s Avatar as a documentary and tell you detailed stories about the animal life, plant life, and mostly, how the wars that raged on Pandora finally gave way to peace and understanding.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 17:18 (seven years ago) link
Even before you get on the ride, the narrative explains everything else going on in Pandora. How humans link with Avatars, what happened in the past, and why the Avatar program was restarted in the first place by its founder, played by Sigourney Weaver, in a nice nod to the film.Like in the movies, before the ride can start, everyone has to be matched to an avatar in order to ride the banshee. A good chunk of time is spent creating that illusion and setting you up for the experience, which I won’t spoil. Then, in the attached gift shop called Windtraders, for $74.99 you can have your face scanned and actually have an Avatar of yourself made. This may sound weird and random, but it actually links back to the ride and everything else in Pandora.As the employee scans you (an employee who, again, is totally committed to the idea you’re all on another planet) they explain that these scans help collect data that’ll improve link connections on the ride, making them stronger and faster. Obviously, this isn’t true, but the fact Disney has linked a little experience to the bigger one just enriches the whole thing.
Like in the movies, before the ride can start, everyone has to be matched to an avatar in order to ride the banshee. A good chunk of time is spent creating that illusion and setting you up for the experience, which I won’t spoil. Then, in the attached gift shop called Windtraders, for $74.99 you can have your face scanned and actually have an Avatar of yourself made. This may sound weird and random, but it actually links back to the ride and everything else in Pandora.
As the employee scans you (an employee who, again, is totally committed to the idea you’re all on another planet) they explain that these scans help collect data that’ll improve link connections on the ride, making them stronger and faster. Obviously, this isn’t true, but the fact Disney has linked a little experience to the bigger one just enriches the whole thing.
Alfred can you go get your face scanned so we can see your avatar with a cocktail
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 17:19 (seven years ago) link
It's too big a ship to turn around quickly once they come to their senses, so I'll give it maybe four years before they've changed that entire section of the park into something less stupid.
― human/hutt hybrid (Old Lunch), Friday, 26 May 2017 17:21 (seven years ago) link
"And what's this?"
"The Groovy Rave Forest. We have smartdrinks!"
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 17:23 (seven years ago) link
Either I have completely misjudged how the world sees Avatar, but I really don't understand why they are spending all this money to build an immersive land for a movie no one likes.
― Jay Elettronica Viva (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 26 May 2017 17:38 (seven years ago) link
I love the detail about how it's a generation after the film(s). "Yeah there are a bunch of new films coming out." "Okay so will there be any tension as to whether the whole place survives?" "Well, um, no..."
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 May 2017 17:42 (seven years ago) link
Like people write multiple thinkpieces like this
http://screencrush.com/back-to-pandora-why-is-avatar-forgotten/http://www.avclub.com/article/read-how-avatar-made-27-billion-and-garnered-almos-230327
Is that all just ELITE MEDIA BUBBLE BIAS nonsense?
― Jay Elettronica Viva (Whiney G. Weingarten), Friday, 26 May 2017 17:46 (seven years ago) link
There are four sequels coming. Avatar will be popular and remembered forever. I guarantee it. Nothing could possibly go wrong. This will be a success on every conceivable level. Cross my heart.
― human/hutt hybrid (Old Lunch), Friday, 26 May 2017 17:50 (seven years ago) link
cmon whiney get yr blue on! dont be avatardy for the party!
― Yoni Loves Chocha (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 26 May 2017 18:01 (seven years ago) link
sorry
Planning a DW trip for next year. Now I feel like I have to go to animal kingdom just to check out this nonsense
― Moodles, Friday, 26 May 2017 18:19 (seven years ago) link
This will be a great addition to the Disney Parks...for me to poop and/or apply other bodily wastes on.
― human/hutt hybrid (Old Lunch), Friday, 26 May 2017 18:26 (seven years ago) link