News Round Up

[Simba07]

I don't think this has been posted: http://m.wftv.com/news/news/local/man-tries-bring-gun-disney-world-deputies-say/nphf5/

 

[Eoghann]

as previously said, no official attendance numbers are ever reports. I am just going with facts I have. Everybody I talk to love it, and last week (and my last visit in May) the park was always more crowded than either of the other parks. Obviiously nothing anybody says in support of Animal Kingdom will you believe, so it is pointless having any sort of conversation with you about it. But even on this board you seem greatly outnumbered by how many love the park.

But seriously, wish you would give it a rest sometimes.

But you don't have facts, you have anecdotal evidence. That's an entirely different thing and at most what it tells us is "a good number of people you've spoken to tend to like the park", it tells us nothing about the park's actual popularity. I could for example counter by saying that my experience amongst friends and relatives is that I'm the only one who likes the park. But we'd still no nothing more than we did before. You can't extrapolate from anecdotal evidence.

There are, however, attendance estimates and they support the notion that the Animal Kingdom is not a particularly popular park by Disney standards.

Personally I love the park, but then I like animals. I imagine those going to theme parks looking for rides aren't nearly as enamored with it.

 

[Eoghann]

They have been interviewing people asking the exact same question...

For most...the answer is "to experience it"

They're having mobile Star Wars conventions in public...that is a reflection of just what Star Wars is to many.

Remember: Star Wars (jaws...but that was more suspense than fantasy) started big movies...as in they didn't exist before...

I don't think we'll see this for avatar 2

Some people think that queuing is part of the fun. People do it for Apple products or Black Friday or other things. Some people are weird. ;D

 

[Eoghann]

Ugh, I know. DS9 was just like "That's it?". I hated waiting in that long line for it. I find if I get a butterbeer or alcohol, then the wait is much easier to handle. Maybe if they had lengthened the ride any. I know they were trying to have a ride that more people could enjoy, since FB is pretty harsh. FB is so totally amazing, except for the lack of 3D, that it would be hard to follow its act. At least the rest of Diagon Alley is amazing.

Hmm... maybe I would like Gringotts after all then. Being tossed from side to side or tipped upside down isn't my idea of fun.

 

[Eoghann]

OK here's a link, for what it's worth.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/a-spirited-perfect-ten.894588/page-1470#post-7008563

Something about fraud involving shoplifting and/or making fraudulent claims for refunds.

The questions that people raised are things such as, should he brought into D23, should they use his endorsements on DVD blurbs, etc.

It was twenty years ago and these appear to be relatively minor crimes. Last I checked after serving their court mandated punishment people are allowed to move on with their lives? Or now in the age of Twitter should we all just rake through everyone's past to find things to sling at them?

 

[Teamubr]

But you don't have facts, you have anecdotal evidence.

I could for example counter by saying that my experience amongst friends and relatives is that I'm the only one who likes the park.

You can't extrapolate from anecdotal evidence.

Actually you can, and we do, extrapolate from anecdotal evidence if that is the best evidence, or data, you have. It makes for a weaker argument though.

But the conversation above about asking your friends is actually factual data. You conducted a poll and reported the results. The poll may not have been conducted or designed well, but it's as factual as reporting that Donald Trump is the leading Republican candidate according to XYZ poll (which still blows my mind). The main problem with the above statements is not that it is anecdotal, but that it suffers from small sample bias.

There are, however, attendance estimates and they support the notion that the Animal Kingdom is not a particularly popular park

Using attendance apperas to imply popularity, but maybe not. There have been a number of people here say they don't like AK, but go because their DS/DW likes it. Here's the pitfall with using attendance as a measure of popularity. I cracked a tooth this year. I have been to my dentist 8 times since February for 2 root canals and a crown. I have been to Disney 0 times this year, but simply by observing my attendance, you could imply I like my dentist considerably more than Disney World.

Personally I love the park, but then I like animals. I imagine those going to theme parks looking for rides aren't nearly as enamored with it.

It sounds like we are in the minority (with rteetz) that like AK.

j

 

[rteetz]

It was twenty years ago and these appear to be relatively minor crimes. Last I checked after serving their court mandated punishment people are allowed to move on with their lives? Or now in the age of Twitter should we all just rake through everyone's past to find things to sling at them?

Yes it's interesting. Obviously who ever dug these up has something against him.

 

[Eoghann]

Actually you can, and we do, extrapolate from anecdotal evidence if that is the best evidence, or data, you have. It makes for a weaker argument though.

But the conversation above about asking your friends is actually factual data. You conducted a poll and reported the results. The poll may not have been conducted or designed well, but it's as factual as reporting that Donald Trump is the leading Republican candidate according to XYZ poll (which still blows my mind). The main problem with the above statements is not that it is anecdotal, but that it suffers from small sample bias.

That's not how properly conducted polls work. You don't use a purely random sample (unless you have a huge sample size) nor do you let people self-select (because that creates an inherent bias). For a poll to be extrapolated you have to come up with a sample that is representative of the entire population (in this case people who visit Disney World). So yes, it's worthless and can't be extrapolated from.

 

[Eoghann]

Yes it's interesting. Obviously who ever dug these up has something against him.

Well it turns out from that WDWMagic thread some CM with a grudge wanted to make sure the information was shared to bring him down a peg, so keep that in mind.

As to whether it matters? Well the only facts we have are about the conviction. It's being used to imply (conveniently without actually saying it because that would be libel) that there must be some "wrongdoing" going on between the man and Disney but no one has a single shred of evidence for that. And the defense is, well we're just asking questions. But the questions are of the "When did you stop hitting your wife?" variety.

 

[rteetz]

Well it turns out from that WDWMagic thread some CM with a grudge wanted to make sure the information was shared to bring him down a peg, so keep that in mind.

As to whether it matters? Well the only facts we have are about the conviction. It's being used to imply (conveniently without actually saying it because that would be libel) that there must be some "wrongdoing" going on between the man and Disney but no one has a single shred of evidence for that. And the defense is, well we're just asking questions. But the questions are of the "When did you stop hitting your wife?" variety.

Yeah it's quite interesting to see something like this over on wdwmagic. Some are like who cares it was 20 years ago and others like Lee who broke the info are why isn't this a bigger issue.

 

[Eoghann]

Yeah it's quite interesting to see something like this over on wdwmagic. Some are like who cares it was 20 years ago and others like Lee who broke the info are why isn't this a bigger issue.

If they had anything solid I might take a different tone, but they literally just have innuendo. How can it be a big deal if they don't even seem to know what this terrible thing is that's maybe/possibly/perhaps happening? What he gets some advance tours of stuff so Disney gets PR? He maybe appears on a convention panel or something?

 

[Josh Hendy]

Yes it's interesting. Obviously who ever dug these up has something against him.

There's a hint in the thread on the other site that one of his CM "contacts" started to find him insufferable and thought it was time to hit the reset switch on his ego.

This is one of the occupational hazards of being an obsessive, 24/7 superfan. He pursues fandom to the point of having a personal train wreck, then he gets back on the train and whoo-whoos louder than ever, until someone decides to derail him again ...

It's easy to see why the fan community, guidebook authors and even Disney want to hitch up to the manic/obsessive train whenever its chugging along ... it's a good source of energy.

I have a theory. It's that many of the traits that we call "mental conditions" are beneficial to the human community, if harnessed and kept from getting out of control. Which is why they persist in generation after generation as a kind of recessive trait, instead of being weeded out through natural selection.

 

[jade1]

Edit: I also 100% agree it took far too long to fix then it should've. I see why writing off Epcot is alright, but DAK is a concept with so much potential. Also many of the fixes created new problems too. Just a total failure for nearly two decades.

Choose one:

1) Leave the current AK history as is.

2) AK has yet to open, but will finally in 2017 as it currently will become (avoiding 2 decades of total failure).

 

[Eoghann]

Okay this one is firmly in the rumors category, but over at WDW Magic someones dropping hints that maybe, just maybe there are a few potential plans for Epcot?

Again I stress rumors, all subject to change, might come to nothing. Still it would be nice to think that they might at least be talking about updating the park.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...cots-future-world.907522/page-29#post-7007339

 

[adam.adbe]

It was twenty years ago and these appear to be relatively minor crimes. Last I checked after serving their court mandated punishment people are allowed to move on with their lives? Or now in the age of Twitter should we all just rake through everyone's past to find things to sling at them?

Can I like this twice?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It was twenty years ago and these appear to be relatively minor crimes. Last I checked after serving their court mandated punishment people are allowed to move on with their lives? Or now in the age of Twitter should we all just rake through everyone's past to find things to sling at them?

Nice thought...but you know that crimes alter those convicted forever. There's nothing secret anymore...

Which is why Jim hill's minor transgressions are being discussed here.

He also struck me as a scammer who was trying to avoid a real job anyway...

I'm sorry...but that's where I'm at.

 

[luisov]

Okay this one is firmly in the rumors category, but over at WDW Magic someones dropping hints that maybe, just maybe there are a few potential plans for Epcot?

Again I stress rumors, all subject to change, might come to nothing. Still it would be nice to think that they might at least be talking about updating the park.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...cots-future-world.907522/page-29#post-7007339

I'm sure there are plans to improve Epcot. The real question is when. They must be aware that by 2020 Epcot might become WDWS's least attended park, so there must be something being planned to make it a more attractive option. As the rumors of Universal opening a third gate grow stronger and stronger, they need to find new ways to encourage guests to stay on property and keep coming back.

In its current state, I don't think Epcot will be able to compete with a heavily improved AK or DHS, or even with any of the Uni theme parks.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I Think the huge operational cost of Epcot will make them have to go back and make it more attractive.

You can't have one of your largest and most complex operations be the least attended

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

Disney revealed yesterday that Star Wars will be on 3,900 screens for opening.

That is a relative small number by today's standards...avengers opened on 4,300.

However, most of the theaters around me that are showing it have added many showtimes, some running late into the night, early morning, and even a couple around the clock. I wonder if that offsets the screen count some?

Mine train is a joke with a 2 hour wait.

Ouch! I gotta stick up for Mine Train a little bit because it gets a lot of hate. I actually enjoy it a lot. Keeping in mind it's necessarily a smaller coaster because of the footprint, I think it's very fun to ride -- there's lots of good swing and motion. The effects in the middle and the end are not complex, but enjoyable nonetheless.

The ride is a victim of expectations, surely. It's a step down from the other mountain rides in many ways, but it also sits in NFL where the audience is likely to be a little younger. If you understand that going in, then it's much easier to enjoy what you have.

I confess a little bias in that, as a child, I was completely terrorized by Snow White's Scary Adventures, so I also find some small joy in a replacement ride that leans a lot less heavily on that ugly hag.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Ouch! I gotta stick up for Mine Train a little bit because it gets a lot of hate. I actually enjoy it a lot. Keeping in mind it's necessarily a smaller coaster because of the footprint, I think it's very fun to ride -- there's lots of good swing and motion. The effects in the middle and the end are not complex, but enjoyable nonetheless.

The ride is a victim of expectations, surely. It's a step down from the other mountain rides in many ways, but it also sits in NFL where the audience is likely to be a little younger. If you understand that going in, then it's much easier to enjoy what you have.

I confess a little bias in that, as a child, I was completely terrorized by Snow White's Scary Adventures, so I also find some small joy in a replacement ride that leans a lot less heavily on that ugly hag.

Mine train is fine for what it is...

It should NOT be presented as a feature ride with an insane wait. That's not what it is and it's kinda embarassing for Disney and the customers.

Here's what I see as a pattern:

MGM:
Tower 1994, rockinroller 1999, nothing since.

Epcot:
Test track 99, mission space 2003, soarin 2006, nothing since

Ak:
Open 98, Everest 05, nothing since

MK:
Splash 92, tomorrow land redo 96, mine train 13.


Draw your own conclusions...but the "Disney's not about that" excuse is too convenient.
Very hard to fight stale in a themepark...no Matter how many character breakfasts you have and how many cupcake parties