wdw comment

[SharonKurland]

Since age 35 or so, I can NO LONGER do Body Wars, Star Tours or Bach To The Future...simulators like that make me nauseous. Rock & Roller Coaster is "iffy" for me...depends on whether or not I'm having a good vestibular day. I CAN still do Spiderman and you can spin me as much as you like and I have no problem (I still LOVE Teacups).

I had NO problems with Mission: Space, which is essentially a spinner and a simulator at the same time. Only thing I noticed was after "lift off" and we're just floating in space for a few seconds, I could feel my eyes going back and forth (nystagmus...it's what your eyes do until you regain your balance after spinning a lot). But I had no nausea at all.

Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the ride. Don't get me wrong...it was done well and you can tell they spent a LOT of money on it. But space flight was never my cup of tea. My husband, OTOH, who is an astronomy fan, thought it was VERY cool.

It has no decent music to tap my toes to. All you do is see a movie and feel the G's. I'm with Dr. Know...give me AA any day...but I think those days are long gone.

-Sharon-

 

[Michael Zielski]

Everyone--I certainly love audioanimatronics as well, it's always what has set Walt Disney attractions apart; but here we're trying to simulate a journey to Mars, so that technology wouldn't necessarily have a role here. Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and Splash Mountain will always be my favorites--when I'm not blasting off. Dr. Know did make reference to the queue music in another thread, but unfortunately I was so taken up in experiencing the attraction itself, I didn't focus on the music(I was also preoccupied with trying to identify the music at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which I will go into in another thread).

Mike

 

[SFMike]

In regard to what Sharon had to say:

"I think the deterioration we've seen at Disney parks is the same thing we've seen at other companies throughout the decades. What's the difference between:

--Unfriendly CM's at WDW and unfriendly service people at at Sear's?
--Staying on hold for 60 minutes with 407-WDISNEY and staying on hold for 60 minutes with AOL?
--Attractions at DL needing repair work and your local park needing repair work?"

I think she is quite right and the reasons for all the changes in customer service is due to the various previously individually owned businesses being bought up by huge corporations whose goals are low cost product/high profit with the customer service aspect being the first thing to be cut. (Maintence appears to be next.) And for the most part the consumers have gone along with these changes due to the appeal of low prices. The changes have been incremental and over time have added up to the sad state we find ourselves in today. Heck, people in their 20's don't know what we are even talking about. The same way Walt looked back at the "good old days" of Marceline Kansas when he devised Main Street USA. I doubt anyone is still alive who remembers the quite graces of rural america from the turn of the century.

The only way to get corporate suits to make changes is by "voting with your pocket book." Unfortunately the United States is devolving into a third world knock-off at this time and I doubt we will ever see the levels of Euro-American customer service we saw in the past. So give your business to those who innovate and give you best service. May I suggest Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Hollywood.

It?s truly shocking that the Imagineers have not been given the budget to compete with the technical superiority of "Spiderman" at Universal. But let?s face it Disney is a mess. They have pretty much gotten rid of feature animation. Pixar and Jerry Bruckheimer make their biggest hits. All they seem to care about in Burbank is ABC and ESPN. Two networks I could live without. When Roy Disney starts selling stock ( http://money.cnn.com/2003/08/21/news/compa...oy_disney.reut/ ) it tells you something. :'(

 

[Michael Zielski]

......ESPN......actually, I don't even know what the hell the letters stand for. My wife came across that disturbing news about Roy Disney's "bail-out" yesterday. It looks like, squeeze what's left of Walt's vision before it gets forever banished to the Twilight Zone....some 100 year birthday tribute.

Never been to Universal--is it time?(clouds darkening......thunder rumbling, lightning flashing....)

Mike

 

[dreamfinder]

Ask and thou shall receive. Within reason of course.

WHAT DOES ESPN STAND FOR?
It doesn't stand for anything ... but the story is this:
When ESPN started in 1979, we were the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (thus, ESPN). However, the full name was dropped in February 1985 when the company adopted a new corporate name -- ESPN, Inc. -- and a new logo. Based in Bristol, CT., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds the remaining 20 percent interest in ESPN.

(Taken from http://www.international.espn.com/intltv/faq.html)

 

[SFMike]

That?s why you find a big ESPN ZONE in Downtown Disney. Eisner likes sports..not theme parks. I'm still pissed that we got ESPN Zone instead of "Disney Quest" in Downtown Disney here in California as originally promised. I'm sure a noisy overgrown sports bar makes more money than an overgrown video arcade but I still love that "Disney Quest!" I'm sure the booze sales alone are staggering. Anyway as I have said before Eisner would much rather attend a sporting event and hang out with jocks than mingle with the unwashed masses in a (gulp) "theme park." It was his idea to spend millions on a sports complex and race track at WDW rather than more "E" ticket attractions. Do you go to these on your WDW visits? Maybe.....I don't.

I truly believe that is part of the "Disney" problem. The head guy not having a clue about the companies? products. So, the theme parks and animation departments are just treated as something to be seen as a problem rather than a challenge to maintain at their past high level. It takes someone like John Lasseter, or Walt, who have in interest in creating entertainment to make art and profits. I mean what is the product of the Disney Company now? Bad network TV programming, cheap knockoffs of past Disney animation efforts, budget theme park management, a chain of "Disney" stores they have totally lost interest in, cable channels which mainly reruns programs and show new low budget shows, and a cable sports channel (ESPN) which is one thing they are really interested in. No wonder they are in financial trouble. They didn't make "Finding Nemo", there are no "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie toys, they let Hillary Duff go because she wants a raise, and they pretty much shut down the animation department in Burbank. DUH!! Oh don't forget the underwhelming plans for Disneyland's 50th anniversary.

As for Universal, it?s not Disney but they seem to be trying harder. Check out this information on the new "Mummy's Revenge" attraction.
http://www.usf.i8.com/The_MUMMY.htm
It seems Universal isn't afraid to spend some money on animatronics on their latest coaster ride. Supposed to be a ceiling of fire too. Sounds cool! I really believe it is this attraction that pushed through the new Everest coaster at Animal Kingdom. We'll see who wins this round. My prediction Disney wins the art direction award on the outside appearance of the attraction. (They always do.) Universal will win on the thrills and technology used during the ride. Why? They will spend the extra money and have picked up the designers Disney has laid off. I wish it all made sense but its really all "down the rabbit hole" at Disney.

 

[gcundari]

Sorry to break the news to everyone.....Disney is a business. The sole purpose of a business is to earn money for those who own and or control it. The one and only reason companies even strive to achieve good customer service is to keep from losing a customer. Disney doesn't create rides/attractions because they believe they are 'magical,' they create them to bring in guests, who in turn supply Disney with money.
Look back at the early days of Disneyland, corporate sponsorship was everywhere to be seen. I know it is upsetting to see something that has meant so much to us turn out to be nothing more than a money making machine, but that's the way it is.
I personally have not been to a Disney park in over 10 years. My parents are Disney Vacation Club members who travel to WDW several times a year. They even purchased Vacation Club 'points' for myself and my siblings. I am proud (however, saddened) to say that I have never used a single 'point,' and I turn down all offers of a trip to WDW. However, I love the nostalgia of the Disney World that I used to know. I love listening to music from Disney rides & attractions, and watching old home videos of our trips to Disney World.
I have read other messages on this board that have said that Disney's deterioration is no different than that of any other company. This is true. However, it hurts much more to see this lack of quality coming from Disney. We've all grown up with Disney as children and it has always been something magical and perfect. I know that's how I want to think of it. Unfortunately I think that a trip to WDW would tarnish that image.

 

[Disney Bean Counte]

Yes...I loved Buzz Lightyear

until I experinced MIB. I have been on Spiderman a dozen times...and each time I see something that I didn't notice on a previous trip.

Yes we will be at The Boardwalk for 2 days in February and March. (I have no problems using my vacation points). One thing that Disney has done well is to make me feel like I have finally come home every time I go there. Unfortunately...my wife wants to use our points for the 7 day cruise this year. I think that she will enjoy it. However, I suspect that I am not the cruise kind of guy. When we talk to the DVC cruise castmembers they assured us that a cruise is the only way to go. I must confess that I don't understand their reasoning. Anyway...we will be staying at the Boardwalk the night before and the night after. I was thinking that we could go to EPCOT on the return day as we would return around noon. My wants are pretty scaled back for this trip. I plan on having dinner at The Flying Fish..and thats about it.

Yes Sharon age can do funny things when it comes to thrill rides. I used to love Space Mountain "back in the day." One time back in 94 I turned green after riding and never felt comfortable on Space Mountain again. I loved Rock in Rollercoaster. Then I went on it two years ago...got ill, and now I don't seem to tolerate it at all.

I think that with Back to the Future and Star Tours a person becomes so familiar with the storyline after a while that all he really notices is being shook up.

Enjoy this stuff while you can. lol

 

[Michael Zielski]

One final(probably) comment, before work, back to school, further erase vacation thoughts......

h-m-m-m-m........MIB over Buzz??!?!

.......and no Pirates of the Caribbean movie toys....SFMike, your words popped into my head as I watched Pirates for the third time this past Sunday(a musical aside--I really love the soundtrack!)--man, if that isn't a symptom of a disoriented company! What kid(or myself, for that matter) couldn't have gone for an Aztec gold coin medallion of their own?!?

I'm sorry to stray so far off the musical path, but without a Walt Disney Company, there would be no Walt Dsney music; come to think of it, without Walt Disney, there seems to be no real Walt Disney Company--or more specifically, without some true artistic leadership, there seems to be a frightening lack of imagination in a company founded on magical visions--not financial profits......a rather desparate state of affairs.

No, I'm certainly not ready to stop visiting WDW, not as long as skeletal pirates, hitchhiking ghosts, and Brer Rabbit and friends continue to entertain. As I've said in the past, it's like an abusive relationship--you always return for more, thinking that things will, one day, be like they were in a happier past. Maybe if the letters keep going out....and the voices are heeded.......and the right mix of artists come along to take control of the reins, then the Walt Disney Company will rise like a phoenix out of the ashes.....or is it just my imagination getting the best of me?

Mike

P. S. Thanks for the Mummy's Revenge link, SF--I love the classic Universal horror films! I didn't realize the technological depth at Universal......maybe it'll be time, next trip to Florida......

 

[Disney Bean Counte]

MIB over Buzz

If we are talking attractions...definitely.

MIB has a great story line....it takes place in a large show building...and the MIB trainee shoots at three dimensional aliens...not day glow painted flats.

Whats not to prefer? ;-)