Just back: gripes and opinions

[rrsafety]

I'm the original poster, so I thought I'd chime back in...

I had a great time, but I consider Disney to be a premium park experience so I guess I do expect things to be well above average and they usually are. I also enjoy making sure I provide to feedback to the Disney management (they get a letter from me each time I return) to let them know what a wonderful time I had and the things I noticed that could be improved. Disney, like any other organization, always has room for improvement.

Let me clarify my Figment comment. The idea of a character called "Figment" hosting an attraction about imagination is a great idea... no problem so far. The "hook" on this, however, is then tied into the five senses and how we experience the physical world. If anything, the experience of the physical world as it actually is, is the opposite of using one's imagination to experience the non-physical world. It seems they were trying to push together to things that don't go together well...
-- spoiler--
One suggestion, for instance, instead of in the "smell" room us seeing a picture of a skunk and then smelling the skunk, how about it generating a random non identified smelll (pine trees, apple pies) and have the kids try to imagine what they are smelling....

That is what I was getting at.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I have to say, I could really do without that awful smell during the Figment ride. I would love an unspecified (yet pleasant!) smell.

 

[BTown]

I suppose I'll chime in on this. Just came back from a 7 day trip to WDW, and had probably the best vacation ever. Only problem I had the whole time was when I came back home. I paid for my room, tickets, dinning plan all in one lump sum. Yet, going back over it now, I cant figure out how they charged me for what. Every calculation I come up with, seems I have been overcharged, yet no one at Disney can give me an itemized breakdown of what I purchased, give me a clear figure on what my room rate was, or even tell me if they charge tax on the meal plan, or how much tax they charge. It's a bit frustrating, but not enough to stop me from planning my next trip all ready.

BT

 

[dbm20th]

Here are some thoughts about your thoughts.

Trams- True enough, but that would be a massive expense and I can't imagine Disney making that kind of comittment to a parking lot. I think they believe there might be bigger fish to fry

Figment- Many people on these boards were slamming Imagination after the various "improvements". It is not bad as it is, but this is perhaps the worst "re-do" WDW has had.

CM's- I have always found them to be the top notch in the industry. Are they slipping a bit? Maybe, but still the best. I never heard that Donald Duck CM, however. I was annoyed just reading that!

Stitch's Great Escape- I thought this was just plain bad. So I'm with you.

Chester and Hester- We agree here as well. Not the best of WDW

Tough to be a Bug- this is terriffic no matter how you cut it. The kids got scared? Sorry about that, but now you know not to take them there.

Kilimanjaro- The poacher isn't great, but that attraction is unparrelled anywhere in the theme park world. Simply the best. I don't care about the narration, that's not what makes the ride

Ellen's Energy- could be in the top 5 for the most tediously boring things they have at WDW, right after...

It's a Small World-

You didn't like the Festival of the Lion King but give props to the tuna sandwich?

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Figment is my BF's favorite character and I love the ride, its nice and relaxing. I could do without the skunk smell but its still nice.

I happen to love Soarin' as well. The pics and trivia on line are great. As far as the flight theme, its disney so it has to have some theme and most of us probably can't imagine easily a handglider theme so flight in general works.

We stoud on line for Pooh and the fast pass people didn't seem to have any problem getting on quickly. Strange, I am 25 and I waited in the longest line of the trip to go on Pooh ...

I had a slightly unpleasant CM at SSR bell services, she just wasn't 'disney' but another CM there Mike made up for it. They were getting backed up and I am sure people were complaining but the first CM just didn't handle herself or the situation very well. All in all the CM's at WDW are a whole lot nicer than anyone you can kind working just about anywhere around home.

I love disney and couldn't imagine not being happy with most all of the services there. I hope I never lose the disney magic

 

[lisabarr]

How about if everyone that is riding in an ECV or w/c for convenience would wait in lines for buses and rides like the rest of us.

This makes me soooo angry Perhaps you should have a vacation schelping a wheelchair around while ignorant people think you look "healthy" enough before you judge others.
My DS4 is in a wheelchair and he looks perfectly healthy. Except that his femoral head (top of the hip bone) could fall out of its socket. But I gues if we passed you at WDW, you would probably think he was faking it.

 

[rrsafety]

Here are some thoughts about your thoughts.

Trams- True enough, but that would be a massive expense and I can't imagine Disney making that kind of comittment to a parking lot. I think they believe there might be bigger fish to fry

Figment- Many people on these boards were slamming Imagination after the various "improvements". It is not bad as it is, but this is perhaps the worst "re-do" WDW has had.

CM's- I have always found them to be the top notch in the industry. Are they slipping a bit? Maybe, but still the best. I never heard that Donald Duck CM, however. I was annoyed just reading that!

Stitch's Great Escape- I thought this was just plain bad. So I'm with you.

Chester and Hester- We agree here as well. Not the best of WDW

Tough to be a Bug- this is terriffic no matter how you cut it. The kids got scared? Sorry about that, but now you know not to take them there.

Kilimanjaro- The poacher isn't great, but that attraction is unparrelled anywhere in the theme park world. Simply the best. I don't care about the narration, that's not what makes the ride

Ellen's Energy- could be in the top 5 for the most tediously boring things they have at WDW, right after...

It's a Small World-

You didn't like the Festival of the Lion King but give props to the tuna sandwich?

The above is pretty good example of folks mis-reading a post.... you claim I didn't like the Festival of the Lion King, but I actually said that it was "good".

As for Tough to be A Bug, another attraction I liked, I simply mentioned that the decision of Disney to make it so intense still surprises me.

It's a Small World is an example of what Disney does very well. It is easy to criticize it, but for what it is (a kiddy ride) it is very good.

And it seems that you agree with me on the Safari (although it is hard to tell).....

 

[kelleigh1]

I forgot to add that I also enjoyed my tuna sandwich.

 

[GC&S]

After loving the original Figment, the redo was just awful. That was the only ride our dd was afraid of. If I hadn't seen the original, I may not hate it so much, but it's just sad what they did to it. And even sadder that they took out all the great stuff to play with after you got off the ride.

IASW - as much as I hate to admit it, it really is a bright, clean ride. Our dd loved it so we basically lived on it last year. I am amazed by all the details within that ride (as annoying as the song is).

 

[doxdogy]

DD and I just returned from our trip. We found all the cast members to be pleasant and did not run across any that could be considered surly or unhappy. I personally enjoyed Primeval Whirl.

 

[rrsafety]

I might add that I had no problems with ECVs or strollers during my visit.... seems like everyone were on their best behavior....

 

[grimley1968]

I guess I agree with some of your gripes (remember, you called them that), but I probably disagree with more of them.

- The trams are definitely smelly, and loud, and should probably be replaced someday. But as a previous poster mentioned, the price tag would be steep for this, and there are certainly other things they could work on more. Besides, if they can keep improving the inter-park transportation options, the need for trams will grow less and less.

- I actually enjoy Figment. I'm glad they at least brought him back.

- What's wrong with the CM shouting "Donald Duck", or whatever he was doing? One problem most people have with CM's is not being in the Disney spirit, but that guy apparently had it in spades. Maybe it was obnoxious, but I think in a situation like that you should let it roll off your back. I'd rather they be TOO into Disney stuff than not enough.

- I simply don't see much of a drop off in CM friendliness. In fact, your comment in this seems almost in direct contrast to your previous complaint about the "Donald Duck" CM.

- I love the Soarin' theme. Why not have a flight theme for a ride about flight? Hang gliding, Cessnas, Boeings, etc. - it's all still flight. I can't imagine what a theme about strictly hang gliding would be. Pictures of hang gliders?

- I've never had a problem with Fastpass, period, except that of course that they run out of it early on some things like Soarin', and probably EE pretty soon. I don't get the complaints about FP on Pooh or Peter Pan.

- I've never seen Stitch, nor do I wish to. I do agree that CoP needs a lot of work, although not in its theme. That needs to stay. However, CoP is in desperate need of a physical refurbishment.

- I agree on the Dinorama theming. Terrible waste of valuable space.

- I LOVE Primieval Whirl! It's one of my favorite rides. How can a ride like that not be herky jerky? You can't stop on a dime, turn 180 degrees while on a downward slope, and not be jerked around.

- ITTBAB is certainly very intense. My 6 YO hates it, but I can't imagine that most 10 YO's would find it too intense.

- Agreed on the poacher storyline in Safari. The ecological awareness criteria of the ride is met by simply pointing out the animals and hearing the guide talk about them and their habitats. The poacher storyline is rather tedious and unnecessary, not to mention pretty jerky for a ride with no seatbelts. Safari is one ride that needs no external theme. Let the animals provide their own theme.

- I think FotLK is by far the best show at WDW, period. All of it. It's just awesome. Please don't change a thing here, WDW.

- Longer singing program at American Pavilion? I guess I'd like that, too, but jeez, those singers already have to do that probably once every couple of hours or so, in those scorching hot costumes. I view the singing at American Pavilion as a great added bonus, not something I expect to see every time. One of the most moving moments I've ever had at WDW was shortly after 9-11 (like a week after it), and those singers came out and sang several patriotic songs in the hot outdoor part of American Pavilion. Many of the singers were visibly choking up, but kept their voices strong somehow. Those of us listening to it weren't so composed, or at least I wasn't. I could never fault those CM's.

- I pretty much agree with all the positives you list, although they seem to merit so little of your original post's attention compared to the negatives. I'm not trying to be critical; just an observation.

- To each his/her own, I guess.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

\Ellen's Energy- could be in the top 5 for the most tediously boring things they have at WDW

To each their own, indeed. DH and I LOVE Ellen's Universe of Energy and never miss it.

 

[RWF]

Have to agree about the Figment ride. I love Figment, and still have the stuffed one I bought 20 years ago. But puh-lease, the redo is the least imaginative ride about imagination you could make.

 

[jann1033]

J


they can't stick a real elephant in the truck all day. That would cause many problems for Disney.

not to mention problems for the poor elephant...

no offense op but i think i'm opinionated but you win this round .

you probably didn't really mean it to sound like it can read . everyone likes or dis likes something but i guess most of the things you mention can be handled by not going on that attraction , use the wdw transp. then you don't go near the trams etc. so maybe next time just skip the stuff you disliked and you'll have more fun

 

[byoung]

To each his own. But it's a good thread.

 

[AU Tigger]

After loving the original Figment, the redo was just awful. That was the only ride our dd was afraid of. If I hadn't seen the original, I may not hate it so much, but it's just sad what they did to it. And even sadder that they took out all the great stuff to play with after you got off the ride.

I COMPLETELY agree about the original Figment. And I do miss Dreamfinder! The whole thing was very much about imagination and where it could take you. And then you got off in a room full of wonderfully imaginative things to explore. THAT was Disney magic!

 

[Markstudy]

After loving the original Figment, the redo was just awful.

I hear that the first redo had no Figment at all. People hated it!
So on the second re-do they just tossed Figment back in.

It's like "Coke" they really need to put it back to the way it was!

 

[keypooh90]

*No flames please* Basicallly everything on that list I totally disagree with you on...but to each his own.

 

[rrsafety]

not to mention problems for the poor elephant...

no offense op but i think i'm opinionated but you win this round .

you probably didn't really mean it to sound like it can read . everyone likes or dis likes something but i guess most of the things you mention can be handled by not going on that attraction , use the wdw transp. then you don't go near the trams etc. so maybe next time just skip the stuff you disliked and you'll have more fun

I agree that everyone likes or dislikes something, but the main point of most of what I mentioned were things I think could be improved upon, especially with an extra dose of effort from Disney... I am definately not one to say, "ooh, Disney did it so it must be wonderful." That is definately NOT me.

The Tram is a good example. Stinky diesel engines operating in FRONT of open air passenger conveyors is just a really bad idea. Its not really an "opinion" per se, its kind of a fact. The level to which it might bother someone is a matter of personal preferance, I suppose, but from an engineering standpoint and a customer health standpoint, the Trams are decades and decades behind what is generally acceptable. If we want Disney to remain great, suggesting that folks should "use WDW transp and don't get near the trams" is beside the point.

Also, as I said before, Figment is a great character with alot of promise. I hear folks say they love the song, love Figment, love Eric Idle (and I agree with all that). What I don't hear - for good reason - is folks suggesting that the attraction does a great job in immersing one in "what imagination is all about". In fact, it fails to do so. To suggest I just "avoid" that attraction is also beside the point (as well as counter productive).

One last comment of Lion King. My feeling is that it starts out wonderfully. The strong presence of four wonderful African American entertainers is particularly appealing. The rich ethnic dress of all the entertainers and the presentation of the animals is also a ceremonial highlight. The introduction of Timon for short comic relief would have been nice, but once he begins to control the the pacing of the show (rather than the first four ethnic singers) the show loses its gravitas and becomes more shtick than anything else. The extended use of The Lion Sleeps Tonight does nothing to re-establish the promise the show held when those first four singers presented themselves.

None of these opinions ruin my general enjoyment of these shows and Disney, nor does it demonstrate - as one poster put it - that I wasn't in a "Disney frame of mind" or something. On my way home on the plane I always put a lot of thought into what I'm going to write to Disney when I get home and I try to identify areas for improvement.

It sometimes appears on this board that mentioning potential improvement opportunities is seen as disloyalty to the corporate entity of Disney. I disagree, I think identifying areas of improvement are loyal duties.