BWV Carny Games

[Dano1182]

We just returned from BWV and i wanted to share an observation .
The boardwalk was desserted this year.Not many bikes .No performers.
I was annoyed at the games.Let me explain.
We went to the game where you have to send the frog into a bucket.It was only me and my 6yo ds and 3 yo dd.
I think it was $2.00 a try.Needless to say they could barely get the frogs to fly.
My 3 yo sent the frog flying all of 6 inches the girl grabbed the frog and told her nice try (a rude CM?)
I felt like a stooge being hustled at shady carnival.
Prior to arriving at BWV.We were at Universal city walk.
The games there are much more family and small child friendly.
Some one always wins.
At some games my kids were the only ones playing and they got a small prize.
They loved it.
As my 6 yo said "Dad those Disney games are a big rip".

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"As my 6 yo said "Dad those Disney games are a big rip"."***

Yes, they are. But so are the ones at USF and all carny games across the country. As far as "winning" a trinket everytime: Virtually all carny games - even Disney's - where you can compete against others,ie water guns inflate balloons,first to pop wins, offer a "winner every time". If only one player, the prize is worth about 25 cents. Full house, the prize is worth about a buck. Keep winning, trade up for bigger. By the time you get the Grand Prize you've spent about 50 bucks for a cheesey $10.00 plush.

All carny games are rip-offs.

 

[jimh13432]

and this post belongs on the Disney Vacation Club Board?

 

[txdznydude]

Allow me to add my two cents...

"Dad those Disney games are a big rip"

Yes they are! And the ones in AK should be ripped out along with the rest of Dyno-rama!

There, I feel better now. Thank you for allowing me to vent!

 

[Dano1182]

The reason i posted this on DVC was that .When we bought into the Boardwalk .These games and the entertainers were highly advertised as being a part of the bwv experience.They were to be part of the unique Boardwalk experience.
It seems that over the years that has gone by the wayside.
And I agree that all games are to some extent a rip off but my 3yo was thrilled to have won a trinket.
It just seems to me that the people working in and around the boardwalk have lost some off thier magic.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"It just seems to me that the people working in and around the boardwalk have lost some off thier magic."***

Hopefully you were just unlucky and caught a CM on a bad day. Usually they would have let your little guy bang away on all the frogs he'd wanted to because there was no way he was going to win the prize. Maybe her nerves were just shot.

 

[BWVDee]

I am sorry you had a bad experience but I have to agree with Viking. Usually the CMs working the games are very child friendly. An excellent game to play so that the little ones can win is the water game. It is usually very easy to get this game when no one else is playing but your family, so you are guaranteed a prize. Even the smallest plush animal usually makes the little ones very happy. I have watched many families play this game just enough times so that all the kids have a prize and the kids are thrilled. I agree all carny games are expensive but for some reason the kids love them.
The boardwalk entertainers are out performing on a schedule, the schedule varies according to the day of the week, season, etc. You can get the boardwalk entertainment schedule at the guest services desk in the BWV/BWI lobby.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by jimh13432
and this post belongs on the Disney Vacation Club Board?

Considering the "Boardwalk atmosphere" is such a big part of the resort, I think it is a relevant topic.

The focus of the performers and the games at the boardwalk should be entertainment and fun for all guests. When we walked past all games in March the attendants were just standing there, and the guest were just passing by. Why??? My guess would be the cost...I'm sorry but $5.00 for three tosses of a basketball seems to have a way to much focus on the money making aspect for my liking. How about 10 shots for $4.00 with the same odds of winning?

Games and activities of the boardwalk should be priced to encourage participation and create the "boardwalk buzz" that many DVCers rave about.

The pricing for so many of the non-park activities seem to be geared for the "once-in-a-lifetime vacationers" who are taking their kids on their obligatory single trip to WDW.

 

[5infam]

We were there less than a month ago and we thought that there was a lot of activity on the Boardwalk. We saw a lot of bikes, and lot of comedy players and especially liked the piano player on the bike!! Fortunately, I steered my kids far away from the Carny games - as they are always a rip off. The only ones I like are at Disney's California Adventure. They have a fishing game where every kid wins a small stuffed fish (they look like Nemo) and if you are lucky, you can win a big one. My kid wins everytime...I Love This Game

 

[BigTigger]

We had a second floor two bedroom unit overlooking the game area at BWV last August and I seldom saw many "extra" tries being awarded. Every now and then someone would win big on the basketball game, but I never saw the frog or the lobster yield big winners. It does seem like the boardwalk activity has diminished over the last few years. We seldom saw the roving performers and the funnel cake shack was closed almost the whole time we were there (eight days in the middle of August).

The best "carny" games we've found are at SeaWorld, behind the Shamu Stadium. The kids always win the little prizes on the first or second try (meaning a dollar or two out of pocket). The basketball game is pretty easy by carny standards. I have won giant Scooby Doo's on our last two visits with only the minimum number of shots ($5 worth). In a lot of ways, I think SeaWorld has most maintained the "fun for the family" feeling of all of the Orlando parks.

 

[lenshanem]

and this post belongs on the Disney Vacation Club Board?

Yes, it does.

 

[palmtreegirl]

The focus of the performers and the games at the boardwalk should be entertainment and fun for all guests. When we walked past all games in March the attendants were just standing there, and the guest were just passing by. Why??? My guess would be the cost...I'm sorry but $5.00 for three tosses of a basketball seems to have a way to much focus on the money making aspect for my liking. How about 10 shots for $4.00 with the same odds of winning?

I love the BWV but I hate those games way too expensive. I bet if they lowered the cost, the increase in traffic would make up the difference and then some.

 

[gopherit]

Yes this does belong on this board because I am interested in that whole resort area, not just my room and view. While I even OWN at BWV, we have yet to stay there -- and amazingly enough we have never seen the carny games in operation! We have always visited the BW area when we go to WDW, however, even though we aren't staying there. Seems like whenever we visited, the games were never operating, and to be honest, we rarely ever saw performers either -- seems like there was a magician out one night, but that's all I recall. And quite honestly I'm not sad! That is the one aspect I really hate in AK -- that cheesy carny section. Granted, I realize the carny atmosphere is as much a part of that whole BW ambiance as our Pennyworth child-regurgitating slide, but still... yuck.

I do agree with the post about lowering the prices -- they would probably find they lure in MORE participants and reap GREATER profits than with the extortionist pricing. $5 for 3 shots at a basketball hoop? They have GOT to be kidding! Even kids have enough logic to know that their $5 will get them far more in the store. They should get a co-op student to run a simple DOE on it and see for themselves. After all, it hardly lends to ambiance at all if no one plays. And there is a certain amount of me-tooism out there that, if a moderate price attacts a few folks, others will follow because they see "others" doing it, even if they think the price is high.

But what really made me post was the remark about the funnel cakes -- again, clueless BWV-wonder here -- we had no idea there was a funnel cake vendor, either! I really hope it is open this August! Now THAT appeals to me! Boy do we have a LOT to learn about "home"... our August trip is going to be one big exploration!

 

[lenshanem]

They have a funnel cake operation on the BW?!? where is it at? Is this where the corn dog stand is?

I wonder what kind of oil they fry that stuff up in?

Think it is safe for a peanut allergy?

YUM!

 

[pirateeast]

Originally posted by txdznydude
Allow me to add my two cents...



Yes they are! And the ones in AK should be ripped out along with the rest of Dyno-rama!

There, I feel better now. Thank you for allowing me to vent!

I can't say anything about the games at the BW never done them, but last year did do the ones at Dyno-rama, both my DD's (5 & 7) played and both got prizes one CM gave both of them a prize even though they didn't win. I found the CM's at those games very nice and very helpful to my kids.