First of all I want to say that
every single word JeffJewell has written was in my heart if not my head. He has, once again, hit the proverbial nail on the head. I try to shy away from a 'ditto' type thing, but I really feel I have to make an exception this time.
Jeff: Thanks for articulating, so well, what I have been feeling for quite some time now.
(to be read with an English accent) And now, for something completely different!!
No one definition of magic or the show. I wish I had the wisdom to draft a statement with which we could all agree---but, Planogirl loves the marketplace, I don't. So, for Planogirl the world seems to be just fine at marketplace. Conversely, I love blizzard beach and fantasia gardens, she may not, but I'm sure another poster does.....It all just defies a single definition.....
A very interesting paragraph. But also very indicative that we are still not on the same subject. Read it again. You'll find there's a lot of talk about likes and dislikes. Individual opinions. And you invoke the often elusive term of 'magic'. But you make it way too subjective. We are NOT talking about personal taste. We are NOT talking about subjective 'magical' moments. We are talking about standards!! Disney either has them, or they don't!! Any it goes to everything they do. In this case WDW.
And the example you use is perfect. I, personally, don't like to shop. If I want something (which I often do) I find the item as quickly as possible, buy it, and get out, again, as quickly as possible. My lovely wife, on the other hand, isn't satisfied until she, at the very least, touches every single item in the store!! So our take on 'magic' within the Marketplace is vastly different.
Now maybe it's because I remember the good old days (before Ei$ner had his way), and you didn't experience it. But I clearly remember NOT wanting to spend much time at Marketplace. It was a long, tiresome and tedious day. Yet, every time I went there, I was pleasantly surprised. It was different, somehow, than a normal trip to the shopping mall. There was pleasant scenery. Shops were 'out-of-the-ordinary'. Restaurants were uniquely Disney yet, understated in an odd way. Oh-oh!! Time for a story!!
Preface - My wife had never been to Disney before, in her entire life (a form of child abuse if you ask me!!
). I was eagerly anticipating her first experience with Dinsey. She also couldn't wait, as I had talked it up ever since I met her.
My first trip was in 1972. Approximately every other year (actually a little more) I went to Disney. In 1972 I visited Marketplace. YUCK!! For a seventeen year old
well
let's just say I was a little young to fully appreciate the subtleties of a Disney shopping experience! I never visited the hotel strip leading to Crossroads and knew very little about it. I never returned until
The year - 1979
The occasion - Honeymoon
The Place - Just outside WDW.
We took a small cruise first and then booked three days in a Best Western (to see some Orlando sights) and then five days in Disney (the Poly). The hotel we stayed at was right at the edge of Disney Property. I don't recall exactly where (and it has since been leveled), maybe someone else will know, but it had a feel as though it was near Crossroads somewhere. Anyway, we had visited Cypress Gardens in the morning and by afternoon, fighting 100+ degree temperatures, we had our first fight. It didn't last long. A little air conditioning and the setting sun found us a loving couple again.
We decided to go for a walk. We walked in the street for several blocks as there was no sidewalk. The grass on the side of the road was sparse and brown. Suddenly, a clear delineation in landscaping was readily apparent. And a sidewalk appeared, with very stylish, low lights along the path. We passed some hotels, noting the names at the time (now long forgotten) and remarked how nice they kept their property. It was getting a little late and the sprinklers came on. Further we walked.
We happened upon a small group of buildings. Towards the center there was a restaurant. We stopped for bite. The Hostess was one of the smiling-est people you'd have the pleasure of meeting. She ushered us to a quite table for two and gave us menus. Instantly someone else appeared filling our water glasses. At about the same time a waiter arrived to see if we would like some drinks. Very nice.
We studied the menu a bit and as I looked around I noticed the overall feel of the place. The architecture, the design and well, the ambiance. Very well done. I also noticed that I was about a foot away from what looked like a tree. Not some little potted plant, but a big, honking, out in the backyard, tree! What a concept for design, I thought. I wondered what it was made of, it looked so real. I touched it. Hmmm. It even felt real. I reached a bit and felt a leaf. Still feeling real. "Well, what the heck!" I thought. And I pulled on the leaf. It felt real, because it was real!! Inside a restaurant. A full grown tree. All of a sudden all the little clues came rushing to me. I turned to my wife and blurted out, 'WE'RE IN DISNEY!!!" I was disappointed. I did not want her first taste of Disney to be like this!! I wanted her to see the Ploy first, look across the lagoon to the castle. Not this! But as it turned out it couldn't be more perfect. For in a quick couple second she came to appreciate the subtitles of the Disney experience and how that can translate into a magical experience. You don't need a giant Mickey hand, in primary colors, to know you are in Disney. The Disney 'touch', experience, magic, pixie dust (call it what you will) is enough. Anyway
I explained about the Marketplace and that I had forgotten about it. We came into it on an angle so we missed the signage. She asked how I could be sure. I said it's the Disney 'touch' (what I used to call it). I pointed out the theming (although I didn't call it that at the time). I showed her how everything fit together so nicely. How detailed everything was, even down to the print on the menu. Those wonderful, friendly, smiling people who were taking care of us so well. The nametags everyone was wearing. And the topper was the tree. Who would have a full grown, big, live tree in a restaurant that had a ceiling!! No one!! Except Disney, that is!!
END OF STORY
I still don't like shopping. I still don't like the Marketplace (even more now that the Disney 'touch' is missing). But I can appreciate the effort that Disney put into the original plan. How different it was from the Best Western, Cypress Gardens and even a luxury cruise ship. They had standards that did not waiver. Some things were better (or more elegant) on the ship, some were not. But Disney was consistent in the application of their product. It proudly carried that famous Disney "Touch"!! Ahhhh! The good old days!
Sorry about the story. I hope it makes sense!!!
and of nice quality. But, part of me agrees with the Landbaron "Disney standards or nothing at all" theory.
