So Tropical, am I to understand that the soft opening has actually happened and is not in Nov. but actually now? As in, when we are there in two weeks, it will still be in soft opening? Or are they planning to close it back up?
Thanks!
VP
This is a "dress rehearsal," so parts of the new FLE may go up or down depending on a variety of factors, including staffing, filming/promotional considerations, special events, or troubleshooting. Various features around the land may or may not be working and construction work/equipment will likely be visible to varying degrees during the opening time. Because of this, it's not being called a "soft opening," but more of a test run for the staff before the busiest time of the season hits. While nobody anticipates it shuttering back up, the ball is certainly in Disney's court on this and because it falls short of a soft opening, while it's not expected, it could still happen.
*edited for length* I doubt they'd ever extend me any behind the scenes invites for those comments if I put them on a website.
Disney knows what people think. They would prefer to have websites give less direct criticisms, though. Disney would much prefer tempered criticism, like yours...going on and on and beating around the bush instead of just saying, "I don't know what they were thinking, ruining a perfectly good ride, but this ride sucks. Put it last on your list." They want you to be kind in your criticism, which is pretty much what you quoted there. And there is nothing wrong with them wanting it or you doing it, regardless of your motivation.
I don't think there is anything wrong with you or your website...I don't even know which one it is. But if you're getting cool invites or free stuff from Disney, you're helping them out. There's nothing wrong with it or admitting it, KWIM?
If I wanted that stuff badly enough, I'd start a site, too! And I wouldn't be ashamed of it or of telling people about the cool stuff I got. Heck, I'd talk about that like crazy. Lots of people would love to hear about it. I'm surprised more people DON'T talk about cool stuff they get from Disney.
On the contrary, a commentary about a special event at Disney, paired with healthy website traffic, an online presence, and an interest in an upcoming event, would certainly be enough to get an invitation extended to you. Joe with a blog who posts that, probably not, but if you're a website that has a ton to offer on the Disney World product, gets a robust and steady amount of traffic and interest, and is known quantity in varying degrees to the Disney community, then Disney notices you and remembers you when stuff comes down the line.
That said, Disney tends to reward information, not opinion. So if you go on and on and on about how terrible Stitch is, unless you provide a solid amount of information within the article, or elsewhere on the site, Disney will probably not tap you for anything. But that's a street that goes both ways... If you have a site that says "Haunted Mansion is the best ride at Disney. I love it, it's my favorite. I go there as soon as the park opens and I ride it 10 times before noon. I have everything in every scene memorized, I just love it so much. I even have it as my ringtone and listen to the soundtrack in the car on the way to work. I love it!" Disney isn't going to reward the site with a whole lot of anything either... It's just a gushing opinion. If all Disney was trying to cultivate was a web community of raving fanboys, the sites with that kind of content would be there... But they're not. Sites like Doombuggies.com, who give reasoned reviews and critiques (and they have some pretty negative things on their site too) will always get picked over gushers, because they are comprehensive and thoughtful and highly informative, not just a stream of positive or negative opinions.
I have no issue, when I'm allowed, stating that I was offered a Disney perk. Sometimes people don't broadcast it for just that reason... They're not able to. None of us were able to until the 12th, or when Disney opened FLE, (or for those who were there to tour BOG, our dates haven't come yet) whichever came last. Afterwards, we're allowed to say how we knew, where we got the pictures, but even then, the details of the study we're not allowed to talk about.
With all that in mind, I just want to say that I started my website as an outlet for a hobby, something I enjoyed and wanted to share. I never wrote anything with the goal of being invited to anything. I just wanted to turn what was a personal project into something public on the off chance others cared. I never, in my wildest dreams, thought Disney's external research company would reach out to me, that Disney would contact me for press events, or anything remotely similar. I wrote (and write) what I write without expectations of anything and have been pleasantly rewarded otherwise based on their approval of what my content is, despite my not setting myself up for that kind of approval at all.
I don't read any Disney blogs or websites except for this one (and Disney's official one, of course), but I think you're misinterpreting what Tropical Wilds is saying. I believe he/she is saying that for reviewers, Disney prefers people who can express constructive criticism. And I can see why. Simply saying "Stitch is terrible," while a valid opinion, doesn't tell me anything. The paragraph that Tropical Wilds wrote about why they don't like Stitch is much more informative. I can read it and make a judgment as to whether I might like or dislike the ride. I believe that's what Tropical Wilds is trying to express.
And BTW, I am totally on board the "Stitch sucks" train. But I can give reasons why, such as the lame plot of the ride, the horrible restraints, and the weird fx that make it hard to understand what's going on around you. If you can't form an opinion without supporting data, you are not thinking critically, and Disney probably doesn't want to waste their time with people like that.
To quote Adam Sandler: "Billy Idol gets it..." LoL!
