News Round Up 2016

[rteetz]

Another interesting article on why Disney isn't pursuing Twitter anymore

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ave-dropped-twitter-pursuit-partly-over-image

 

[Travis B]

Wanda has hired HK Disneyland's former managing director

http://www.marketing-interactive.com/wanda-poaches-former-disneyland-md-to-run-theme-parks/

This guy is seriously gunning for Disney. He always sounds just a little bit crazy in his quotes as well, IMO. He really wants Disney gone. I'm rather fascinated by these stories - as I wonder about his motivations, etc.

I don't think he will ever deliver a Disney-quality experience - but I don't think he really cares about high quality. He just needs his parks to be good enough to keep people from the time and expense of travel to Shanghai. Good enough to distract with an easier, cheaper option. This seems to be his strategy. Rather than his own success his focus seems to be solely on the failure of Shanghai Disney.

 

[mikepizzo]

News

The Great Movie Ride has added the ark from Indian Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark.

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/10/photo...iders-lost-ark-now-disneys-hollywood-studios/

How can it be in the ride and the line at the same time?

 

[thepops]

First Fraggle Rock, now potentially this. I'm excited at the prospect of watching this show with my nephew.

I find it interesting that there has been a big Muppets push. Thinking back to when their latest show aired, a lot of us here were thinking the fate of the Muppets would be decided based on how the show did. I remember thinking, "well, if it does well they will probably give Muppets a greater presence since people actually will watch/like it, and if it tanks then they can remove it from the park because it shows people don't care for it as much anymore". I can't remember the order of events. Did they announce PizzaRizzo first before they cancelled the show? The did start putting the "stage" show in Magic Kingdom before they cancelled the television show? Was all this stuff in the works banking on the fact that the TV show would be a hit...now they've spent too much money to not go forward on anything?

It's just interesting to me. Cancelling a TV show (which makes sense if the ratings suck), but then, seemingly, do an all out blitz to get them more face time?

I'm not complaining, as long as what they do to them doesn't suck.

Wait.... Fraggle rock is coming back! I missed that. YES!!! that was the best!

 

[mikepizzo]

Wait.... Fraggle rock is coming back! I missed that. YES!!! that was the best!

Excuse me...I misspoke a bit. Seems like I misread the article I read a few days ago. The series will be re-mastered and re-air in HD on HBO. I'll still take this though!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

First Fraggle Rock, now potentially this. I'm excited at the prospect of watching this show with my nephew.

I find it interesting that there has been a big Muppets push. Thinking back to when their latest show aired, a lot of us here were thinking the fate of the Muppets would be decided based on how the show did. I remember thinking, "well, if it does well they will probably give Muppets a greater presence since people actually will watch/like it, and if it tanks then they can remove it from the park because it shows people don't care for it as much anymore". I can't remember the order of events. Did they announce PizzaRizzo first before they cancelled the show? The did start putting the "stage" show in Magic Kingdom before they cancelled the television show? Was all this stuff in the works banking on the fact that the TV show would be a hit...now they've spent too much money to not go forward on anything?

It's just interesting to me. Cancelling a TV show (which makes sense if the ratings suck), but then, seemingly, do an all out blitz to get them more face time?

I'm not complaining, as long as what they do to them doesn't suck.

I found that interesting as well - just seems funny to add all this stuff after the show was cancelled

I think they are just throwing a bunch of Muppet stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks given they have the licensing and looking to profit form anything they can

 

[MommaBerd]

News

The Great Movie Ride has added the ark from Indian Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark.

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2016/10/photo...iders-lost-ark-now-disneys-hollywood-studios/

This is so cool! We just watched this movie a couple of weeks ago with our boys - first time for them...so, I'm excited for them to see this!

 

[rteetz]

News

Honors from Condé Nast for Disney resorts

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...16-conde-nast-traveler-readers-choice-awards/

 

[rteetz]

News

New Star Wars products coming to Disney parks

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...products-coming-to-disney-parks-in-fall-2016/

 

[Redcon1]

How can it be in the ride and the line at the same time?

There were actually two...it held the 11th-15th commandments until that mishap.

 

[rteetz]

News

Disney's Animal Kingdom EMH attraction line up changes

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ed-from-morning-extra-magic-hours-line-up.htm

 

[Budshark]

News

Disney's Animal Kingdom EMH attraction line up changes

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ed-from-morning-extra-magic-hours-line-up.htm

Good change. Do they do this every winter?

 

[rteetz]

Good change. Do they do this every winter?

I think so. Kali usually goes down for a long refurb in the winter too.

 

[luisov]

This guy is seriously gunning for Disney. He always sounds just a little bit crazy in his quotes as well, IMO. He really wants Disney gone. I'm rather fascinated by these stories - as I wonder about his motivations, etc.

I don't think he will ever deliver a Disney-quality experience - but I don't think he really cares about high quality. He just needs his parks to be good enough to keep people from the time and expense of travel to Shanghai. Good enough to distract with an easier, cheaper option. This seems to be his strategy. Rather than his own success his focus seems to be solely on the failure of Shanghai Disney.

He is a little bit obsessed, yes. I suppose the Wanda group is some sort of theme park monopoly in China. He didn't like another strong player walking on his turf. Plus, he copies a lot of his attractions from Disney parks, and one of the reasons behind Shanghai Disneyland was to fight directly all the fake Chinese Disneylands.

 

[DDLand]

Magic kingdom wasn't designed to hold 22 million people without long waits...there isn't THAT Much more in there than there was when they opened to 3-5 mil...

MK achieved 10 Million from Oct. 1971 to Oct. 1972. Disney has since added major anchors like Pirates, Big Thunder, Space Mountain, Splash, and next generation Tomorrowland, etc.

Disneyland is the one that's going to be hurting as it takes its place as the number one theme park on the planet.

Well it's not totally done...so it may get a little better.

But from what I've seen the town center is just poorly designed.

Confusing network of paths and dead ends...the bridges and paths are woefully inadequate (can't imagine what it would be like in November)..the "springs" are an afterthought and really add nothing...the look Is "sterile" during the day...poorly lit at night. No shade...which is inexcusable.

It just didn't come together well...really didn't...doesn't integrate the marketplace and west side at all...

And they didn't even flatten pleasure island!!! How could you not correct that?!

Had to preserve paradisio 37?

After all that time...it shouldn't be so disjointed.

The town center is pretty bad. I don't go to Disney World for stuff like that. Not very warm or inviting either.

The biggest problem I suspect they're running into is drawing people out to the extremities of Disney Springs. Honestly when get to the bus depot, it is a really really long walk to get to Marketplace. Some of the paths to get to the former Pleasure Island are rather convoluted. It's pretty, but I'm not convinced this is a slam dunk.

 

[rteetz]

News

Face-Painting is for Everyone at Disney Springs Marketplace

 

[Q-man]

yes! how many times have you not gone to DTD because you didnt want to deal with parking? me, certainly a few times

We don't go because all it is a shopping mall with better food.

We did go to PI however.

 

[skier_pete]

So a couple comments. Saw the ark on Saturday but didn't know it was new. It was very cool.

Muppets: watched the liberty square show today, the Paul Revere one. Very funny. Pretty good size crowd gathered. I'd like to catch another one.

We were back in MK for the end of the day/start of the party. Haven't done it since 2010. Crowds seem crazy big. People were sitting on curb for parade spot at 7:15. All that money to have to spend half your night waiting on the parade.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

MK achieved 10 Million from Oct. 1971 to Oct. 1972. Disney has since added major anchors like Pirates, Big Thunder, Space Mountain, Splash, and next generation Tomorrowland, etc.

Ahhh...you're quoting the historical numbers for "visitors to walt Disney world"...which was a rather ambiguous number with no clear cut definition. And there was no electronic tracking at that time. Data collection was rather medieval.

After about five years those numbers "disappear"...so who knows what it means. You also had 5-6 months ayear when it was DEAD.

My point...if there is one...is that the property is heavily skewed towards magic kingdom right now and adding 3-4 main attractions over 40
Years cannot account for larger, year round attendance. The numbers done work. So mine train is gonna be crowded.

Back to regular programming.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

So a couple comments. Saw the ark on Saturday but didn't know it was new. It was very cool.

Muppets: watched the liberty square show today, the Paul Revere one. Very funny. Pretty good size crowd gathered. I'd like to catch another one.

We were back in MK for the end of the day/start of the party. Haven't done it since 2010. Crowds seem crazy big. People were sitting on curb for parade spot at 7:15. All that money to have to spend half your night waiting on the parade.

...Barnum had a saying about that.