Fiber Optic Effect for WDW Castle?

[txdznydude]

Has anyone else seen the Walt Disney World Behind the scenes show on the Travel Channel? If so... did you happen to notice that when Marty Sklar was talking about what was in the future for Walt Disney World there was a model of cinderella's castle
behind him. If you looked closely you also saw the fiber optic lighting effect sparkling. Is that not the most amazing thing! Do you think that will ever come to fruition? I love the strobe light that they currently use to make the castle sparkle, but this new fiber optic effect would be breathtaking! I know imagineering wants to use this effect somewhere. There was a rumor sometime back that they wanted to use it on the facade of Small World at Disneyland. I also heard that they may use it on
Sleeping Beauty Castle as part of Disneyland's 50th anniversary to make it sparkle gold.

What's your thoughts and opinions?

 

[Sarangel]

They've been kicking this around for several years... I think the stumbling block has been money & prying it out of the cold dead hands of the accountanteers.


Sarangel

 

[KNWVIKING]

But would this effect be similar to the fiber optic ground panels over in EPCOT ? If they could do the castle exterior like that,the possibilities are endless.

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

What?!?! Something done for the pure pleasure and enjoyment of the guests with absolutely no spreadsheet showing a revenue stream behind it? Say it ain't so!

It's kind of like the sparkling sidewalk at Epcot, which do you choose: normal sidewalk or sparkling fiber-optic light sidewalk; normal Cinderella Castle or sparkling fiber-optic light Cinderella Castle. The fiber-optic lights win every time.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I think the stumbling block has been money & prying it out of the cold dead hands of the accountanteers.

Too bad the accountanteers didn't have a death grip on the greenbacks back when they turned the Castle into a @#$%^ing birthday cake. Boy was that a sight to cause sore eyes.

The fiber optic thing sounds cool. I love watching the Castle change colors at night now and fiber optics would only enhance the effect.

 

[Another Voice]

"What?!?! Something done for the pure pleasure and enjoyment of the guests with absolutely no spreadsheet showing a revenue stream behind it? Say it ain't so!"

It is so - it's going to be installed at Tokyo Disneyland.

You know, the place still run by people that care about the guest experience rather than playing politics about it...

 

[raidermatt]

Danged it you do. Danged it you don't, I guess.

Nah... More like "Danged if you only do a little, and more danged if you do nothing."

Regardless, when the highlight is a nice little touch like this (while another little touch is being removed), you can't really expect someone to do cartwheels, can you?

Of course, in this case, the point is moot until they actually do it...

 

[mjstaceyuofm]

But, to act like WDW management hasn't been adding non-revenue extras (as I took Mr. Wolverine's post to suggest, but I could be wrong), is simply factually inaccurate.

You are, but I'll forgive you. I was trying to purvey a slight bit of sarcasm which doesn't come through all that well on discussion boards. My bad. I'm all for it and have noticed the past "pluses" you've referred to in your various posts. I equate the castle thing (if it happens, given AV's post it seems it may not...) to the addition of the headstone outside of the HM a few years back that had eyes that opened. While the castle would be on a much larger scale, it would seemingly be for the pure enjoyment of the guests with no ulterior motives. I don't know if that can be said about added shows or characters. Those are also for the guests, but with the idea of drawing MORE guests into the park, thus increasing revenues. It's simplistic, but it's my analysis.

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

to act like WDW management hasn't been adding non-revenue extras (as I took Mr. Wolverine's post to suggest, but I could be wrong), is simply factually inaccurate.

Because we don't think non-revenue extras can do any good for the real immediate problems.

Your friends at WDW are the band playing while the Titanic sinks. Sure, it's a nice enough touch, assuming you're stuck on the boat. But "Play 'Identifying Wooden Hearts as opposed to Hearts of Oak' while you plunge to your freezing doom!" isn't likely to generate any future bookings....

-WFH

 

[OnWithTheShow]

I also have the strong believe that MOST WDW managers still care about the guest and have many many great ideas. The problem is finding the money for them. The capital stream for improvements has been cut to a trickle and dont give me "if they were truly creative they could do it with the money they have" thats a total load. Things cost money, especially great things. Give me an example of an idea that would improve a guests experience and cost nothing.

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

Give me an example of an idea that would improve a guests experience and cost nothing.

I don't think anyone suggested that was what was required, and I don't think anyone has suggested WDW managers in general or particular are not looking out for the guest's experience with meagre resources.

Right now WDW has to put heads in beds and FastPasses in backpockets. It's really not important that I know personally how much OnWithTheShow cares about his job, it's about whether the culture at Disney is such that he'll get to keep that job, and that it will continue to be a job he cares about.

The condition with the hours is a disincentive for several groups of WDW vacationers when it comes to booking Disney vacations... and I have yet to hear from the spokesperson of any sizable group for whom the hours situation was an incentive to book... only folks whose previously booked vacations happened to have rolled around will get any benefit from these Magics.

Ultimately, getting more people through turnstiles is the most important thing WDW can do in the near-future to begin to turn things around. The decisions concerning the hours represent a fairly large chunk of the limited resource, with abyssmal payout in the area that most needs immediate attention.

I'm glad there are good people at WDW, and I'm sure that each of our WDW acquaintances is the most madly Magical Mousekateer 'maginable, but this use of those precious dollar signs will not take them, or us, where we have to go.

-WFH

 

[raidermatt]

Yes. These type of things don't signal the "turning of the tide" or "a new dawn" or whatever metaphor you might want to use. But, to act like WDW management hasn't been adding non-revenue extras (as I took Mr. Wolverine's post to suggest, but I could be wrong), is simply factually inaccurate.

Ok, fair enough. I think the Michigan Man's comment that you referred to was just a bit of hyperbole, but certainly when it comes from the other direction it can get under my skin too... I feel your pain.

That said, for the record, I doubt any of us really think NOTHING like this ever gets done. But, in the big picture, the few things that do get done are most definitely over-shadowed by potential positives that don't get done (like the fiber optic castle), as well as the negatives that do get done.

 

[Safari Steve]

The facades on Main St. at Disneyland got this treatment years ago for the quickly retired "Light Magic" Parade.

(this post was instigated by a search for my name in posts... even though I no longer visit this board, I want to make sure my name is being used in a manner I approve of. Mr. Scoop, I approve.)

Now, you may return to your same-old argument that yet another post has been hijacked into becoming.

Until we meet again.

-Steve

 

[KNWVIKING]

Where do you post your WDW news at ? I miss not seeing it here.

 

[Another Voice]

"I want to make sure my name is being used in a manner I approve of."

Do we put the ®, the © or the TM after your name?

I get so confused...

 

[HorizonsFan]

Do we put the ®, the © or the TM after your name?

That's a bit like calling anti-war protesters un-American, isn't it?
Bad show...

 

[Planogirl]

I believe that Safari Steve still visits other boards on the DIS. I SUSPECT that he doesn't like the negativity on this board but please Steve, correct me if I'm wrong. That is, when you do your next search.

 

[airlarry!]

For the record, I think it would be cool to upgrade the castle's light show, and fiber optics are that 'wow' thing many of us look for when we got to WDW.

I'm not sure I understand the argument, M. Scoop. When you and Safari Steve put out the list of enhancements to WDW, who was it that booed?

Yes, I agree that many of us gave raspberry salutes to the recent additions in AK...and many of us wonder and gossip about whether or not ExE and M:S will be whiz bang innovative and immersive ride experiences or a RNR v.2 and a spinner.

But how is that 'danged if you do?' or 'too small to matter?' In fact, this very thread is filled with responses from the 'naysayers' who would love to see this done.

What is ironic is that the very people complaining about the addition of this effect (or to be fair to Cou$in Mike, the rumored addition of this effect) are the car number one drivers.

 

[Cricket2]

Originally posted by Planogirl
I believe that Safari Steve still visits other boards on the DIS. I SUSPECT that he doesn't like the negativity on this board but please Steve, correct me if I'm wrong. That is, when you do your next search.

I can't speak for Steve (he doesn't pay me enough ) but I can say that there has been at least 1 case of "the horses mouth" being literaly chased away. I can't say who it was, but if you guys only knew who was here, you would have kicked yourself twice and then grounded yourself to your room for a month.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I can't say who it was, but if you guys only knew who was here, you would have kicked yourself twice and then grounded yourself to your room for a month.

Awww, now that isn't fair . At least give us some hints, maybe turn it into a game. Even send me a PM with some clues - but you can't just do this .