September/Oct 1 2021 DISmeet WDW 50th

[tigger92662]

Good morning from the Magic Kingdom

 

[bama_ed]

I’ve learned if you want to get to/from the Fort to MK quickly, use the bus. We were the first ones in line for the bus and it arrived within a few minutes.
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Honestly, I think it's a little disingenuous for the signboard on the bus in the photo above to be celebrating 50 years of "campfire-sing-a-longs" since there hasn't been one for a year and a half. And no known plans of when/if it's returning.

I'm sure the claim is lack of CM staffing.

I'm sure the claim is it's a non-revenue producing activity.

So to be honest, let's celebrate several decades of Chip & Dale Sing-a-longs at Fort Wilderness (which I don't know for certain if/where it was held at opening since I didn't visit the Fort 50 years ago and the Meadow complex [present location] was not built until the first major of Fort expansion of 1976-77).

Actually, I'd like to see some Disney documentation (they have the photo archives, original plans and schedules) to see just how far back the Chip & Dale Campfire Sing-along actually goes. You know.... Facts. Data. Verified info. It would be a very positive story if it were actually presented. Just sayin'.

I still consider the Fort an original WDW resort even though they pulled workers away to get MK, CR, and Poly done for opening and the Fort (orginal loops 100-600) opened a few weeks later. It must have been awesome back then in fall 1971.

Bama Ed

 

[tigger92662]

Well, this morning was a little anticlimactic. Not a whole lot of pomp and circumstance. Characters on a rolling platform and small fireworks.

Beautiful sunrise on the castle

@Bishoparc, got us into the virtual for today only 50th merch, pics to come.
Met up with some friends and did couple rides. Lines for the newly released popcorn buckets were longer some ride lines.
And then, of coarse, a Dole Whip

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

A couple things I want to mention… I’ve read so much in this past month about Disney “losing its magic” and the cast members not being friendly or happy- I’m really happy to say I feel that’s completely not true. From the moment we checked in, I have witnessed nothing but amazing cast members who have gone above and beyond to be friendly and helpful. There is truly magic everywhere here at the Fort- heck, they even have a pool table at the pool you can play for FREE! ( how many things can you ever do for free anymore!?)

Nice that the magic is there. I think on our trip, the staffing was so low. We saw a lot of college interns getting trained and not near the armada of CMs we were used to on a normal trip. I'm sure Disney HR worked it's ears off to get all the folks rehired in time for the 50th and that's good to hear.

Honestly, I think it's a little disingenuous for the signboard on the bus in the photo above to be celebrating 50 years of "campfire-sing-a-longs" since there hasn't been one for a year and a half. And no known plans of when/if it's returning.

Maybe they aren't taking it as literally as you are? They aren't just counting when C&D are dancing through the Meadow, but also when you are all cozy in your snuggie by the fire in the 100 loop watching the Tide and you belt out a little "Yea, Alabama! Drown ’em Tide!" they are counting that as well. But your investigation on when the Sing A-long started, would be interesting.

@Bishoparc, got us into the virtual for today only 50th merch, pics to come.
Met up with some friends and did couple rides. Lines for the newly released popcorn buckets were longer some ride lines.
And then, of coarse, a Dole Whip

A virtual queue to shop is bonkers. Dole Whip looking pretty good right now, though.

 

[tigger92662]

Well, I can't say this enough. The CM's are back in full force as far as their attitude towards guests. When we were here last October everything seemed very standoffish.
Not this trip, all CM's have been super friendly and polite.
Seems like the magic is back as far as staffing

 

[bama_ed]

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I like that 2nd picture, Joe, of the castle in the sunlight. You captured it very nicely. Ed

 

[Bishoparc]

Day 6 Epcot

Epcot was virtually a ghost town. Walked on to most everything, including Soarin’.



We tried a little bit of food. Got the griddled (not grilled) cheese from Switzerland and then a teriyaki chicken bun from Japan.


We have not watched Harmonious yet. We will catch it on another trip.


@bama_ed, we watched Voices of Liberty. Very short show.


We visited the new Creations store. They had quite a bit of unique merch I hadn’t seen other places.



When we got back last night we caught the water pageant from the beach. There is a special message in it that you will def want to see/hear if you are here.

 

[Bishoparc]

Day 7 MK 50th Part 1

Our morning started at 5:20AM when we got to the dock for the boat. 2 boats were sitting there ready to go. We had heard boats would start at 6:30 then we heard 5:30 so we went with the earlier guess. We were not the first people in line


They received the all clear to board at about 5:45AM. We sat up front.


It was an absolutely beautiful ride over. They have added colored lights under the monorails to maych



There was a boat stuck at our dock broken down so we ended up having to pull into one of the docks on the left after about 15 minutes.


The lines weren’t horrible. We were let into Mk about 6:20AM. They had the fingerprint readers disabled so it moved quickly.


CM’s were cheering folks walking down Main Street.


They were filing Good Morning America live this morning.


Rolling to the next post.

 

[tigger92662]

Dinner with DW, DD & @Bishoparc & DW. Bison burger at Copper Canyon

Teriyaki chicken wings

Shrimp on a wire

 

[Bishoparc]

Day 7 MK 50th Part 2

We all staged behind a rope in front of MK not knowing if anything would or wouldn’t happen. It was a beautiful morning.





Eventually the gang came out and staged for Good Morning America. Nothing was ever announced. No words were ever spoken. Randomly they would shoot off castle fireworks bursts and the characters were even shook because they didn’t know what was happening either.



At 8:00AM they did the new rope drop show, and that was it. No greeting from anyone special, no nothing. No pomp and circumstance, just another day at MK. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t deeply disappointed. They had a private media event last night to re-dedicate Mk and that was it. They will blame COVID but this mass of people were already there and the execs were there. Zero reason they couldn’t at least say something. (ps, the new drop show was nothing special


They had the CEO of Disney, Bob Chapek, and Chairman of WD Parkd and resorts, Josh D’Amaro, there giving TV interviews but not a word to the guests. We got a special park map and print.



We accidentally ended up following them down Main Street and into the Confectionery.


All in all, we have had a great trip but today was utter disappointment and proof that Disney has become as cheap as they possibly can with anything anymore. The 50th was supposed to be special and it wasn’t. A bunch of people standing in long lines trying to buy popcorn buckets (that will be here the rest of the 18 months.) There was one special store that we had to sign up for a virtual queue for for merch for just today but other than that, the rest of it has been available all week. People that had gotten there early like us were so upset. It makes sense now why nothing was announced for this morning, because there was nothing going on to announce.

We left around noon because I was hot and exhausted. We didn’t end up going back in for the fireworks because I didn’t feel like being in that mass of people again and trying to get back when we leave tomorrow. I haven’t seen the new projections for the new fireworks show but we watched from the Lodge tonight. The song, IMO, doesn’t tug on the heart strings like Wishes or HEA. I’ll be curious to see what others think when they see it.

Headed home in the morning. Thanks to @tigger92662 for sharing the trip with us.

 

[bama_ed]

@bama_ed, we watched Voices of Liberty. Very short show.
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VoL rocks under the dome of the American Pavilion when they sing a capella without microphones or amplification. With a mic and amp, you and I could sing like Michael Buble' with all the voice tuning and electronic enhancements. That's why close-up, in-person, no electronics, performing without a net is the cat's meow.

But they gotta do what they can do and still work. Of course.

Ed

 

[bama_ed]

I love being in MK and watching the sun come up.

In early January of past years I have gone over to the MK during Daylight STANDARD time around 5am to watch runners for the WDW Marathon Weekend (Half runners on Saturday, Full runners on Sunday, whichever day I wasn't running) and it's dark still on Main Street USA.

@garneska, @hgarnes, and myself have been runners up Main Street in early January and I've also been in the crowd to watch. The dark morning sky starts to give way to wave after wave of runners (a continuous stream by the time they get to MK) and it's magic to have the sun come up during the excitement and Christmas decorations.

It's almost like seeing the full experience of MK to see it wake up in the morning and also close it when they let us in after 5am in the dark for the Marathon and I've closed MK at 230am in the morning on Extra Magic hours (back in the day). The morning/daylight experience is less familiar so your (and Joe's earlier) pics look familiar and fantastic, Arc.

Thanks, Ed

 

[garneska]

I agree @bama_ed love running through the castle as the sun comes up. It is a lot harder now since the race starts so early and you hit MK much earlier in the morning.

 

[bama_ed]

I agree @bama_ed love running through the castle as the sun comes up. It is a lot harder now since the race starts so early and you hit MK much earlier in the morning.

Yes, they moved the start back about 30 minutes didn't they?

So for Joe and Arc, over on the Theme Park board there were many comments about yesterday. They said wait times on attractions weren't bad. Lines for 50th anniv popcorn bucket and 50th merch in the Emporium/stores were long. (bet there's a bunch on eBay this morning). Crowds were bad for the new castle show and fireworks. And getting food was long lines (mobile booking sounds like it got loaded up early in the morning).

Have a safe trip home, Arc.

Ed

 

[Bishoparc]

Crowds were bad for the new castle show

From everyone that was around us, they weren’t there for the new welcome show. We all thought some sort of ceremony was going to occur and were all sadly let down. Many people camped out in front of the castle most of the day thinking something would eventually happen. We stayed there for about 30 more minutes after the welcome show but once they started rolling the stage markers up we knew it was done. Oh well, had high hopes for at least a short speech.

Disney Enchanted, the new fireworks show, had no heart at all. The song was just meh. Definitely didn’t have the pull of Wishes or HEA. I couldn’t make it through either of those without crying.

I’m sure Disney will blame COVID for not doing a ceremony yesterday but they knew we were all going to be packed in there anyway so the could’ve done something.

 

[tiggerdad]

Hate to hear the 50th was so bland. Sad really.

I always felt Wishes was best show. The one I really miss is the Move It Shake It parade. I would get goosebumps when standing in front of the castle and that music suddenly began blasting around you ss it came up Main Street. My kids would start going nuts! They loved that interaction.

I watched the 2 hour 50th special on ABC last night. Was actually pretty good in my opinion. I was scared it would be 75% advertisements like the Christmas Parades but it wasnt.

I too am a fan of the castle at sunrise. Have several good pics of it over the years.

 

[PaHunter]

From everyone that was around us, they weren’t there for the new welcome show. We all thought some sort of ceremony was going to occur and were all sadly let down. Many people camped out in front of the castle most of the day thinking something would eventually happen. We stayed there for about 30 more minutes after the welcome show but once they started rolling the stage markers up we knew it was done. Oh well, had high hopes for at least a short speech.

Disney Enchanted, the new fireworks show, had no heart at all. The song was just meh. Definitely didn’t have the pull of Wishes or HEA. I couldn’t make it through either of those without crying.

I’m sure Disney will blame COVID for not doing a ceremony yesterday but they knew we were all going to be packed in there anyway so the could’ve done something.

I watched Enchanted the other night, Sep 30th and felt the same way. I was extremely disappointed, it was very flat, had no feeling to it. Yes, Wishes and HEA made the onion ninja's come out. It also to me seem to lack a lot of color.

 

[Bishoparc]

We made it home just now. While I was dropping off the golf cart this morning, saw a whole family of deer. So crazy that we see more wild life at the Fort than when we visit TN.



Had a wonderful trip aside from yesterday’s letdown. So glad we got to share a lot of time with our good friend @tigger92662 and his family. Can’t wait to do it again. Camping with friends, especially at Disney, is always so mugh more fun. Ps, DW was crying on our way out. She hates goodbyes.

 

[tigger92662]

Today was a whirlwind day. Bummed that @Bishoparc and DW had to leave today. We went to Epcot to meet up with friends who just happened to be here same time as us. 1st stop, Spaceship Earth, walked right on.
Then to Soarin, 20 minute wait. After we got out of Soarin DW ran into a friend who had moved down here, crazy to think with all these people and wearing a mask.
Then on to the food. DD selected spicy shrimp and curry with noodles

DW selected braised beef with mashed potatoes

1pm arrived and we snagged a slot in virtual queue for Ratatouille. The group of 10 of us spent the afternoon wandering World Showcase.
DW found the Remy shoulder plush she wanted

I got a brat and beer flight in Germany

Then it was off to Ratatouille.
It could have been longer, but overall, we found it to be very fun. The trackless ride system and the 3D visuals and pretty dang spectacular

 

[tigger92662]