NEWS ITEM!! - LandBaron's rumored trip confirmed!!

[DVC-Landbaron]

I once again ask for the indulgence of our kind moderators. This board is my only home. Thanks.

Where to start?

It has been three weeks since I've touched a keyboard. I brought along a laptop and didn't touch it at all!! I just couldn't. First, I really didn't have the time and second, I just plain-old didn't feel like it!! I could see no benefit, whatsoever, in spoiling the wonderful effect that WDW was having on me by thinking of the 'big-picture' and the life sucking (and magic sucking) men (and some women) at the top of the Disney food chain. I found that I was very content to deal the all the extraordinary CMs and soak up the pixie dust which is still fills the air, with almost every breath you take!! It is truly intoxicating!!

So! A paragraph written and I still don't know where to start!

I know! We'll do it like the movies!! The GOOD - the BAD - and the UGLY!! And let me try to keep it brief and as succinct as possible (very hard for me to do).

The GOOD:
First, WDW is in fine shape. The very few (and I stress 'very few') maintenance issues I observed were fairly minor in nature or were being addressed within my two week stay. The only exception to this was the banister leading up to the castle in MK. HORRIBLE!! It needs immediate attention!!! But, with that aside, the place sparkled!! Streets were clean (nearly immaculate) and a fresh feeling was evident almost everywhere you looked. Very nice indeed!!!

Next, I think I've finally figured out what sets Disney apart from every other place I vacation. Personnel. The CMs were wonderful!! They are polite, courteous, and for the most part efficient. But you generally will find that everywhere else. What sets them apart is their enthusiasm!! WOW!! Their love for the place and their jobs is clearly apparent in their attitude and demeanor. Oh sure, you may run into an occasional CM who misplaced his or her Disney smile for a moment. Or perhaps one or two that seem to be going through the motions only. But overall, 99.9% of them are wonderful!! And that excitement and enthusiasm carries over to the guest experience much more so than ten E-Ticket rides in a row!

Believe it or not, a dinner in France and Italy with a wait staff that is funny, efficient and personable, and waiting for the parade, chatting with several CMs doing crowd control, were really some of the highlights of the trip! Everywhere I turned CMs were spreading pixie dust and performing magic with their smiles, personalities and antics. Simply remarkable!!

Next, Fort Wilderness was phenomenal!! Every little detail is in keeping with the theme. And again everything was clean. No, not clean. It was immaculate!!! I really don't know how they do it! That is truly MAGIC!!!

And they have so much to offer!!! The pools were great and opened 24 hours a day. They have a campfire (FREE) and an honest-to-God, old-fashioned movie and a couple of Disney cartoons playing each night!!! You can actually hear (very faintly) the whir of the projector. We spent several nights there with the kids roasting marshmallows, eating popcorn and ice cream and watching Peter Pan and Jungle Book on the big screen. Very nice indeed. And all for NO COST!!! Talk about magic!!! (pssst! Don't tell Ei$ner. I'll bet he doesn't know! )

Also, Fort Wilderness transportation is an absolute delight!!! We waited no more than fifteen minutes for a bus and most of the time less than that! And the boat to the MK always seemed to be waiting at the dock for our arrival. Again it was a magical experience. Old Key West management personnel really needs to get together with Fort Wilderness officials. I've never received that kind of service from Old Key West!!!

Finally, a word about positive new things (since 1999) that I noticed. Illuminations!! WOW!! What a vast improvement over those two rotten shows of recent years. I'm not sure, but I think I liked the first one the best, but the current version is a very, very close second! It blew me away! Tapestry of Nations is nice, but not great. Blast was GREAT!!! And the Millionaire show was marvelous. I don't care if it uses a warehouse and is cheap in concept and implementation. And I don't care if they backed into the idea through a hit TV show. The plain truth is - IT IS GREAT!! E-Ticket caliber in entertainment!!! And right where it belongs. In the Studios!! A very, very good time was had by my entire family, several times. Disney did it right this time. Congratulations!!!!

The BAD:
The hours of operation (mainly for the Magic Kingdom) - - - SUCK!!!!!!!!
(many tirades and long winded diatribes will follow in the coming weeks. - stay tuned!!)

The UGLY
Only three:

1- It is the first time I've seen the EPCOT Graveyard close up and personal!! And all I have to say is - - - OH MY GOD!!! What were they thinking!!!! In the immortal words of Pink Floyd - "TEAR DOWN THE WALL(s)!!!!"
2- That hand and wand above that perfect, distinct, pristine and untarnished symbol of EPCOT has got to go!!!! Enough said!!
3- The HAT is a joke!!!! It also - has got to go!!!!

Why is it that the current thinking in Disney always centers around primary colors and "bigger is better"!!! There isn't one huge icon or a touch of cartoon colors anywhere in Fort Wilderness. Yet the theme is wonderful and the Disney 'TOUCH" still comes across. In fact it really couldn't be any stronger! We don't need a BAH at the end of that wonderfully themed street! And we certainly don't need a giant Mickey hand to spell out EPCOT!!! We know where we are!!! Stop knocking us over the head like some poorly written made-for-TV-movie!!! How about a little subtlety. A little elegance. A little restraint. You may find that it could equal a little distinctive style. Hey!! That sounds like old fashioned Disney theming to me!!

My daughter summed it up when she said that the hand and wand reminded her of something a kindergarten kid would come up with as a sign for EPCOT. In other words something that would pass through almost everyone's mind at one time or another if they were trying to find an icon for EPCOT. But hardly anyone in the world would have thought of the design of spaceship Earth as a stand alone symbol! Like it or not, it is unique! And they've turned it into something rather pedestrian. WHY??

Anyway - It's great to be back on the DIS!! And two weeks is still too short!! So next year it's three weeks in Old Key West!!! (I can't wait!)

Yours truly,

DVC - LandBaron

 

[toefungus]

Thanks for the report! It sounds like you had a great time. I really like the new Epcot sign and the new sorcerers hat. They look good, and it's somthing new to see. Especailly the sorcerers hat!

 

[DisDuck]

Good to have you back. JJ and Johare have beating me up pretty good but scoop has been a good defender. We have disagreed most of time but still find points to agree so at least with you there is balance.

Are you now in car#1 or #2 with the afterglow of your visit?

 

[JeffJewell]

...LandBaron, glad you enjoyed your vacation. Perhaps some of the novels you'll undoubtedly write in the near future will finally help people understand that someone can love Disney yet still be able to see the places where the shine is getting dingy. You make a great point (one that I've tried to make, and apparently failed, on several occasions) contrasting the subtly themed Fort Wilderness versus certain other places where huge icons have been substituted for "theme."

And DisDuck, I hope you're tongue's in your cheek about my beating you up. I know I disagree with you on a regular basis, but I never intended to attack you. I apologize if it seemed I was taking a swipe at you; I was actually trying to make a point about something specific that you posted. I hope that came through.

Jeff

 

[Bob O]

Glad you had a good vaction landbaron. Have you read jim Hill's recent article about walt disney, you should enjoy it as im sure you didnt read it while gone.

 

[Lesley]

Thank you for your comments regarding the primary colors and "bigger is better" approach to themeing (if one can even call it that). As I suppose you can guess...I heartily agree!

You know, I didn't mind the hand and wand during the 2000 celebration, but that look is going to get really old really fast.

I'm glad to hear you had a wonderful trip and that there are so many things still being done right! We're going to have to check out the movies and campfire at FW sometime.

 

[Testtrack321]

I just left Disney when you came. But when I heard of the new "Epcot" sign, I thought "Tapestry and Illuminations is enough of a leftover, no more wand!". I betcha it was cheeper to change it than tear it down...

But I agree on your conclusion on ToN. If you saw the old show, it was A LOT BETTER. No it was, GIGLILIONS TIMES BETTER!

Plus I got in the Hot Seat on Millionare. I saw it 15 times on my 12 day visit! Awsome show (my favorite host was Kevin, if you get him, you will have fun!) Plus my friends cousin won a million and I got to see all the cool stuff they get (and my friend also got in the hot seat, but only to 1,000).

The thing that relly annoyed me was that Disney turned off all the foutains in MK, but had all the other ones in the other parks on and it rained every day! How much does it have to rain before they turn them on again.

 

[airlarry!]

So nice to see you enjoyed the parks. Your State of the Parks Address 2001 was well-thought out. I agreed with everything, except my wife and I disagree on the EPCOT icon. I like the wand, she hates the wand. I think Scoop's right...they are shooting to 'kid-ify" the park a little bit...but if they want to do that, add a couple more Maelstrom type adventure rides (not necessarily roller coasters) and beef up the Imagination pavililan (which was a highlight when I was a kid, but not now...)

We've been debating AK very strenously here. I am curious to know what your take is on it...we have heard conflicting rumors about your view on AK.

 

[Testtrack321]

After all, I've seen one "rough poll" from Disney which showed more kids under 13 liked their resort pool more than Epcot ...

I beleve that is true. I read in the Unofficial guide that most kids 5 and uder like the pool more than anything else durring the whole trip.

But for my vote, I would like to tear down the wand, like a big implosion like Horizions was goin to be like. They should do it for closure of the Millennium Celebration, like Tina and Colby (I still can't beleave that I'm going to put in a Survivor sceane as an example) burned down the shelter. The end has come for the celebration and should be removed. But on a different note, the hat is DEFINATLEY going to stay.

 

[toefungus]

I really like the wand. If they were to tear it down, Spaceship earth would look boring and naked. I think the wand adds a little somting to it. Hate it or not, it's staying there for a little while!

 

[mzzbuzzlightyear]

LandBaron,

I am so glad you spoke about the Epcot Graveyard. I think it is truly awful.
Just a money-making proposition. It used to be so beautiful to walk into Epcot
and see the flowers and the Huge World! Now we have to be careful to walk
around all of those tons of granite!

I had never heard it described as a graveyard, but you hit the nail on the head.
It is at that.

June