News Round Up 2016

[AngelinaVP]

I am primarily interested in swimming after dark, and certainly after park times. There isn't much value for me with the pool sitting there in the heat of the sun (personally).

I agree. I'm allergic to the sun and have to use a ton of sunscreen while out in the parks so I don't end up as one big rash. When we stay at a hotel...anywhere...I enjoy using the pool after dark because I don't have to worry about burning. I also enjoy relaxing in the pool after a long day at the parks and after dinner. Sometimes we don't have dinner until 8-9pm. Closing the pools at 9pm is just silly. I do hope this decision is readdressed.

 

[AngelinaVP]

I'm right here with both of you on the 9 o'clock closing of the pool areas - I missed that part. Part of me wonders if that's a seasonal thing? It's been rather chilly down here - like 50's or even lower. They've got to have a different plan for when it starts staying hot at night though - we HAVE to have the option for a dip in the pool after a day in that sweltering heat and humidity! I can't imagine that getting taken away.

I hope you are right.

 

[rteetz]

News

One day closure of TSMM for track expansion work.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...-refurbishment-as-part-of-track-expansion.htm

 

[wareagle57]

Ok...ill try to be fair here...but it's hard too.

They have been pretty spectacularly lazy with fireworks. Parades too - but not the same extent.

I will always love illumination 2000. It has an important place for me.

But it's old enough to drive now. It is really stale. Fantasmic is too. The magic kingdom is just as bad.

The reality is that they have so taken the repeat customer for granted in Orlando that then haven't been bothered to fund the developement of new shows - let alone keep them to the same standards by noticeably cutting down the bursts...ever since Iger took over. All those things were Eisner approved.

The constant swapping of Main Street electrical and Spectro has gotten pretty bad too.

I'm not a big parade/fireworks guy. If they wanted to stop them - I'd be near the last to complain. I honestly don't think it's worth the money for what is done in near every town 2x a year.

But if you are gonna make it a featured thing...then have some pride with it.

Hopefully they will bother to change some things. The reality is fantasy and sorcery in the sky - combined with illuminations was actually better in their simplicity and ability to watch over again. They were just really big, eye opening fireworks shows...less cheap off Broadway style corny acting about the power of dreams and wishes...blah blah blah.



I know...I'm negative. But am I really that wrong? Be honest.

Yes, I do think you're that wrong. At least about most of it.

People like different things. Believe it or not, a large percentage of people LOVE Wishes. I myself do not like Illuminations, as in, I don't see the appeal of it at all and scratch my head when people say it's their favorite. To me, nothing ever happens. You stare there looking at a ball 1,000 feet away that you can barely see anything projected on it, and every once and a while some flairs shoot up from the ground near where you stand, which is cool. I love the huge burst of fireworks from the holiday tag, but I feel like I'm just waiting through 10 minutes of boring narration to get to it. And that's only a small part of the year. But different people like different things, I get it.

It also confuses me to hear people who like Disney being dismissive/mocking of the idea of dreams/wishes/magic. Isn't that kind of the entire essence of WDW?

But I do agree, and I've said this before, that the fireworks in Wishes are lacking. I'd like to see a much more impressive show, hopefully up to Disneyland standards, in both the fireworks and the parade. (I've never cared for MSEP, I'll admit, but I wish I could see Spectro.) That doesn't mean I won't hate to see it go, or that it would be a bad thing to incorporate parts of it into a new show.

 

[wareagle57]

News

One day closure of TSMM for track expansion work.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...-refurbishment-as-part-of-track-expansion.htm

I didn't realize this has been pushed back as late as "summer" too. It's a real shame so much of this stuff they were going to be able to stagger openings of, now look like they all be added at once. Not that a 3rd track at TSMM is something to get excited about, but I'm interested to see how much it will help with the lines.

 

[rteetz]

eople like different things. Believe it or not, a large percentage of people LOVE Wishes. I myself do not like Illuminations, as in, I don't see the appeal of it at all and scratch my head when people say it's their favorite. To me, nothing ever happens. You stare there looking at a ball 1,000 feet away that you can barely see anything projected on it, and every once and a while some flairs shoot up from the ground near where you stand, which is cool. I love the huge burst of fireworks from the holiday tag, but I feel like I'm just waiting through 10 minutes of boring narration to get to it. And that's only a small part of the year. But different people like different things, I get it.

Question: have you seen since the new lasers were added?

 

[rteetz]

I didn't realize this has been pushed back as late as "summer" too. It's a real shame so much of this stuff they were going to be able to stagger openings of, now look like they all be added at once. Not that a 3rd track at TSMM is something to get excited about, but I'm interested to see how much it will help with the lines.

I really can't see why it's summer. I've got to think it's earlier than that maybe late spring.

 

[wareagle57]

Question: have you seen since the new lasers were added?

I've seen it twice (that I have a memory of. I'm sure I saw it as a kid a few times). December 2013 and December 2014. I don't remember many lasers and wouldn't have known they were new. Nothing stood out to me. When were they added? I only saw it this past year because I thought it deserved another shot and maybe it just wasn't what I was expecting the year before. Oh, and I wanted to see the holiday tag. We call them the "end of the world" fireworks, because we literally thought something had gone wrong and we were all about to be devoured in a ball of fire. That part is awesome. If they did it all year, I'd go just for that.

 

[Eoghann]

Yes, I do think you're that wrong. At least about most of it.

People like different things. Believe it or not, a large percentage of people LOVE Wishes. I myself do not like Illuminations, as in, I don't see the appeal of it at all and scratch my head when people say it's their favorite. To me, nothing ever happens. You stare there looking at a ball 1,000 feet away that you can barely see anything projected on it, and every once and a while some flairs shoot up from the ground near where you stand, which is cool. I love the huge burst of fireworks from the holiday tag, but I feel like I'm just waiting through 10 minutes of boring narration to get to it. And that's only a small part of the year. But different people like different things, I get it.

I'm not sure your liking it negates the point though. The show is now over 10 years old and by all accounts it is lacking compared to newer shows at other parks. To keep the same show for so long is quite telling about Disney's attitude towards visitors to Disney World. Basically far too often it is:

"We don't have to spend money improving things, they like what's there already"

And the visitors to Disney World are to a large extent complicit in this. When I see people actually complaining about the end of Dream Along With Mickey as though replacing a ten year old show could in any way be bad thing, I have to think there's a real problem with the way people are looking at the park. This stuff was never supposed to be static in that fashion. Shows and musical acts ought to be changing every 2-3 years, parades and fireworks every 5-7 (with smaller incremental changes every couple of years) so that there's a constant flow of new experiences when people visit the parks.

 

[rteetz]

I've seen it twice (that I have a memory of. I'm sure I saw it as a kid a few times). December 2013 and December 2014. I don't remember many lasers and wouldn't have known they were new. Nothing stood out to me. When were they added? I only saw it this past year because I thought it deserved another shot and maybe it just wasn't what I was expecting the year before. Oh, and I wanted to see the holiday tag. We call them the "end of the world" fireworks, because we literally thought something had gone wrong and we were all about to be devoured in a ball of fire. That part is awesome. If they did it all year, I'd go just for that.

The lasers were added in 2015. You can see photos of them in my trip report. Personally I love illuminations nothing beats the sound track.

Also illuminations still wins awards for being a one of a kind show.

 

[Budshark]

Illuminations is fine until you go to California Adventure. Then you look at the water and what could be and you despise illuminations.

 

[rteetz]

Illuminations is fine until you go to California Adventure. Then you look at the water and what could be and you despise illuminations.

WDW is getting a animal version of world of color in rivers of light.

 

[Budshark]

WDW is getting a animal version of world of color in rivers of light.

Which should be nice. At a minimum Illuminations needs to be updated. A new Globe, some projections, and updated fireworks/features. As it stands now, it's fairly weak.

The problem comes with the increased use of technology. The globe is the focal point and it's based on 20+ year old tech. Imagine what new technology would bring? Even the refurbishment (which was just updated display boards) is almost 10 years ago.

It's the same problem they will have going forward. A firework show is great and classic. Mix in new tech (projection, led display, drones) and you risk making things look dated. You have to be ready to update to keep the quality and feeling of new vs dated. Illuminations has reached dated.

 

[rteetz]

Which should be nice. At a minimum Illuminations needs to be updated. A new Globe, some projections, and updated fireworks/features. As it stands now, it's fairly weak.

The problem comes with the increased use of technology. The globe is the focal point and it's based on 20+ year old tech. Imagine what new technology would bring? Even the refurbishment (which was just updated display boards) is almost 10 years ago.

It's the same problem they will have going forward. A firework show is great and classic. Mix in new tech (projection, led display, drones) and you risk making things look dated. You have to be ready to update to keep the quality and feeling of new vs dated. Illuminations has reached dated.

Well they did upgrade the lasers for
Illuminations which are much better. I'd agree on an upgraded globe. I still like the show but would also like to see more upgrades I don't think it's reached its dated point as it still wins awards.

 

[luisov]

I'm a big fan of Illuminations mostly due to nostalgia and my emotional connection to the show. The soundtrack is just so iconic, so identifiable with Disney, but as a whole, the show does look a little bit dated. There's so many technological developments they could implement to improve it. The same happens with Wishes and MSEP. Compare that to the more modern shows like Disneyland Forever or Paint the Night and I get the feeling that WDW got stuck in the last decade. The new Star Wars fireworks and Rivers of Light seem like a great step in that direction and I personally can't wait to see them.

Hopefully the MK shows will get updated as well as the park approaches its 50th. Festival of Fantasy should be a good indicator of the quality they have to aim for.

 

[closetmickey]

You're all wrong...I know what it is...infact I submitted the name:

"Elsa's golden Kingdom of wishes and dreams - featuring chewbacca"

It's all about corporate synergy

I don't want to see the demolition of Circle D. Probably be able to see some goats fleeing the bulldozers with their possessions on their backs in little hobo bags.


I'd be someone who would be very sad to see MSEP go, but I don't think I'd throw up a fuss about it. To be honest the best part for me is the retro, old school video game type music and I can hear that on the soundtrack.

Paint the Night at DL soundtrack incorporates some of the well known MSEP soundtrack. It's great.

 

[wareagle57]

I'm not sure your liking it negates the point though. The show is now over 10 years old and by all accounts it is lacking compared to newer shows at other parks. To keep the same show for so long is quite telling about Disney's attitude towards visitors to Disney World. Basically far too often it is:

"We don't have to spend money improving things, they like what's there already"

And the visitors to Disney World are to a large extent complicit in this. When I see people actually complaining about the end of Dream Along With Mickey as though replacing a ten year old show could in any way be bad thing, I have to think there's a real problem with the way people are looking at the park. This stuff was never supposed to be static in that fashion. Shows and musical acts ought to be changing every 2-3 years, parades and fireworks every 5-7 (with smaller incremental changes every couple of years) so that there's a constant flow of new experiences when people visit the parks.

I'm not saying it shouldn't be replaced. I don't think I did a very good job of making my point.

I agree completely with the fact that Disney does the bare minimum to get by, and I wish that would stop. 15 years is too long for the same show. I was mainly responding to the last part of lockeout's post which was questioning Wishes quality.

I do think a large part of repeat customers want to treat Disney as too much a museum. I can be guilty of that at times. And that gives Disney even more reason to be lazy.

 

[Eoghann]

Which should be nice. At a minimum Illuminations needs to be updated. A new Globe, some projections, and updated fireworks/features. As it stands now, it's fairly weak.

The problem comes with the increased use of technology. The globe is the focal point and it's based on 20+ year old tech. Imagine what new technology would bring? Even the refurbishment (which was just updated display boards) is almost 10 years ago.

It's the same problem they will have going forward. A firework show is great and classic. Mix in new tech (projection, led display, drones) and you risk making things look dated. You have to be ready to update to keep the quality and feeling of new vs dated. Illuminations has reached dated.

It's another case of Disney coasting because people seem to be satisfied. From what I understand they've actually cut back on the fireworks compared to the original show. I forget who said that so I could be mistaken. Now, if they go ahead with that drone plan it could give Illuminations a major shot in the arm

 

[rteetz]

I can only imagine how hard these would be to get if they came to WDW.

http://tdrexplorer.com/video-r2-d2-popcorn-bucket-from-tokyo-disneyland/

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It's another case of Disney coasting because people seem to be satisfied. From what I understand they've actually cut back on the fireworks compared to the original show. I forget who said that so I could be mistaken. Now, if they go ahead with that drone plan it could give Illuminations a major shot in the arm

You'll find those that swear this is not the case.

There's a term to describe them..."wrong"

It's honestly not even close. Not the show lengths...the amount of pyro. Both mk and Epcot are significantly less than the originals.

And yes...that represents a difference "post Eisner"

If there are good, long distance videos of both shows from the original year or two to today...the contrast is stark. I just don't know if they're out there.