Raulandpinboy
<font color=blue>Table-dancing auctioneer<br><font
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2001
- Messages
- 1,705
So okay I finally did it and went to Disneyland (were bigger but youre the original yadda yadda yadda) that was the first thing I noticed when people find out youre from Disney World they strike that defensive pose hands on their hips lock their knees shake their head while saying in high argumentative voice Well were the original I mean its not like I went around with my hands on my hips screaming Were bigger have more room and our pins are nicer bwaaaahahahaha well I did at first, but I stopped after I had a few cast members hit me.
Actually I have heard everything from the park was smaller, not as clean, the rides are not that great, and they dont have any pins, so when I got there I expected the worst but heres what I found.
The park was smaller, but had such a warm Disney feeling that I was expecting Walt himself to come around the corner and shake my hand, and it was a wonderful step back in time, its almost like its been preserved to keep the authentic 1955 feeling. Here is my analysis.
First the rides, them versus us.
First let me say when the sign says 20 minute wait from this point or 50 minute wait from this point they are talking Florida time, so add 3 hours to it. The line I was in at the Materhorn and behind 3000 people when I found a sign that read 20 minute wait, 1.5 hours later we rode.
The castle was smaller but I understand why you see if it was as big as ours there would be no tomorrow land, I was told the castle was built kid sized after all it was built for kids, and Walt did not want the Castle to scare the little kids.
I was surprised to see so many rides gone like the skyway, the people mover, I mean I knew they were gone but it really didnt hit until I saw it for myself. I was glad to see some of the tracks and foundations in place to at least remind me that they were there at one time, but the engineer in me was constantly analyzing how much more room they would have if they removed it all.
I got to sit on the foundation of one of my favorite attractions Monsantos house of tomorrow. I dug around and found some of the original piping and devices used on it so that was way cool.
Pirates of the Caribbeans totally rocks, its ten times better than ours, I was stunned to ride it, and it was nothing like I expected. At first it was like taking a ride through Epcots Mexico, then I could not explain what uncle toms cabin what doing in the beginning of the ride, but after a bit I could see some familiar things and the ride got better and better.
The surrounding New Orleans city was awesome and we found Club 33 and learned what it was all about, I found out that members can invite guests and you can have a corporate membership, that inviting guest idea got to me so Im using my corporate powers for good, and youll all be happy to know that I have sent away for information on becoming a corporate member, but I will most likely be put on a waiting list thats a minimum of 5 years so if your that hungry get a snack.
The Indiana Jones ride was spectacular, it was worth the 23 mile walk to actually get to the ride, we did have one incident when I lost my fast pass and I so generously decided to let the others go ahead, but Donna explained to the nice cast person that I was and I quote A stupid stupid man that lost his fast pass and could I please go anyway and I was allowed to go. The best part was in the 23-mile walk when I decided to try out my patented haunted mansion scream, and sent Heather flying to the ceiling and gave her a few white hairs. (Sorry Heather) hee hee.
Haunted Mansion was just like ours, with the exception of the fact that when you see it from the outside it looks like it belongs on the cover of Home and Gardens as the top winner for home beatification project of the year. I thought haunted mansions were supposed to be old abandoned houses that looked spooky and scary, and what was up with those I do guys in the attic?
Its a small world night and day, Disneylands was much different, and I liked it better than ours, the one here is jammed in the middle of fantasyland, while theirs is out in the open and makes its own presence known like a central point of the park.
The other rides were similar to the rides at Disney World, there were some small differences here and there, but mostly they were the same.
As for DCA it was like our Universal studios, it was loud and I only found two rides I liked, the rollercoaster, and soaring over California, the rest were so so, but that Ferris wheel!!! Never again pull the pins and let it roll away.
I did get in some trouble at the roller coaster, you see it was super soap weekend and all those crazy soap-aholics were there in large numbers, well while standing in line there were these 3 girls wearing Monica shirts; now I know they meant Monica from General Hospital, but I could not resist and I looked at them with my Im just a stupid stupid man look and asked So okay youre all Monica Lewinskis or what? well to my surprise the ringleader looked at me and said not yet I did not now what to say but came back with . Oh never mind it will just get edited anyway email me and Ill tell what I said. Then to get in even hotter water, Donna and June decided not to ride the rollercoaster something about throwing up large chunks of food or something like that, so it was me, Bob, Jimmy, and Heather. Well as we got up to the ride I noticed that there were three girls very tall very cute ladies in front of me, and I noticed the ride holds 4 so I did the math, looked back at Bob said sorry man I like ya but I gotta go. So off I went with the ladies leaving a shocked Bob behind saying over and over I cant believe he did that. Then my friend did the most horrible thing imaginable he called Donna on the cell phone and ratted me out, so as I went around the corner there on the bridge just before we shoot off into bliss, there was Donna looking not at all too happy I guess I didnt have permission for this one hee hee, but it was worth it it was worth it indeed My good friend once told me it is easier to be forgiven than to ask permission Words I will live and die with.
The Park and Disney Guest Relations.
I loved Disneyland the only problem I had is they kept moving the exits to leave the park, you see it all the way to the left so you run to it, then just as you get there they close it and open one up the one all the way to the right, just to do the same thing on the other end once you get there, I figure its securities way of getting even with me for bringing all my pins.
I got this feeling that Disneyland, Downtown town Disney, and DCA dont want to acknowledge that they are all part of Disney, its an us versus them feeling, one is traditional Disney, the other is more like Coney Island, the other wants to be hip and modern.
DTD played rock music not like ours that plays Disney classics, DCA played California 1960s music in MIDI format that after awhile gets to you, and makes you want to run naked through the park yelling Im a little tea pot dude!!! Especially after you heard the same song again and again.
Disneyland Guest relations is top notch.. they have a no questions asked policy I learned about .its theIm special pass, you can ask for it, and get special passes onto any ride .and if you have a problem its resolved or its comp this, and comp that.
I loved security they have these guys dressed in panama jack gear that look more like tourist than security, even as you enter the park you have security not in police gear, but in nice cast member attire, at our park they dress like security and they are everywhere you get more a feeling you are in a police state than a family park, dont get me wrong I have more security friends than anything else (when your me you have too) but I really like the casual look of security at Disneyland. They have some cool ideas like see through merchandise bag, its hard to shoplift when you can see through the bag now isnt it? A very smart move Disneyland, but the security sensors at DTD on the pins, a waste of money as far Im concerned they rip right off.
Every cast member was super nice and very helpful, I met some super nice cast members and learned some nice tricks like the special pass (but come on kids these passes are there for people that actually need them, if you dont need it dont get it) How to get fast passes, it was easy and it worked this one Im okay with.
) How to get comp for this and that
me myself I dont think I would try it, no way Im tipping a canoe over.
I have come to the conclusion that the park in general is not fat friendly, it gave new meaning to the old joke Confucius say man who goes sideways in airport turnstile going to Bangkok I got stuck a few times and no it was not pretty. While taking the walk in Walts footsteps tour, I had to detour in the Tiki room and take the walk in Walts bathroom tour, well two of us just plain did not fit in there. (Side note my favorite bathroom was the one next to soaring over California) Actually they are now refitting Disneyland to be handicapped accessible its was not built for wheelchairs in 1955 and its taken them this long to get it done, I made a few people uneasy with my asking all these questions, I had to assure them that I was not an undercover agent for OSHA. But its getting done so at least thats cool.
Now lets talk about pin trading or the lack there of.
I met some really cool pin people, some old friends. It was great to meet some of the people on the boards and it was nice to put a face with the name, I got to see some people that I have not seen since a few events ago, and especially my thanks to Joette for letting me use the boards as my own where Ill be at message service. I met one pin hottie girl and you know who you are Am I dead yet? No! well just wait till Donna reads this. And I even met a shark or two or three. I was offered everything for my Scoop and Flubber pin from rack pins to some fantasy pins, but okay lets be honest here most of you have seen my lanyard I dont think a person smart enough to have a flubber pin would be dumb enough or actually be stupid enough to want to trade it for those 100 pictures of Mickey for sale at Company D for 75% off pins, even if as Donna put it Im a stupid stupid man, I may loose my fast pass, but Im smart enough to k now my pins.
I noticed some traders there would jump from every new pintrader to other new pintraders quickly scanning their pin books and bags looking for new and hard items, but not offering any of their pins for trade or letting you look at their books unless they found something of interest, then they would walk around scanning every trade making sure they didnt miss anything. To those I say go to Scoops pin trading seminar you need some lessons on pin trading, and manners.
I just want to say I love Judy the Supertrader she rocks and has become my favorite Supertrader of them all sorry Hardey, shes way cuter than you. She goes out of her way to teach trade and make your pin trading experience the best. Dont get me wrong Hardey is too but Judy is cuter and hey Hardey have some female pin traders write about you dude.
But Ed what about pin trading you say my honest opinion, and I hope I dont offend anybody I really dont mean to, nor do I want to turn this thread into an oh Ed you are so wrong let me tell you why!!! If you feel that Im wrong just email me and tell me your views, but I personally got the opinion that Disneyland could care less about the pin traders, and some feel they would be better off if they all just went away.
Why do I say this, they gave me the worst time with my pin bag, dont roll it! Carry it! Leave it in the locker; its a nuisance to all the park guests. Well If I lived here I would not drag all my pins with me all the time, but Im visiting and I wanted all my traders with me so I had no choice. The pin trading area or lack there of is 4 tables in tomorrow land, and every time we showed up, so did the trashcan band with the banging and screaming it was nutty, the resorts have pin trading nights but twice a month, and there is no pin rhyme or reason the pins are scattered all over the parks there are sets here and there but not in one place at least we have DTD and a central place for pins and pin trading. And we have trading at the resorts once a week, I mean come on the resorts at Disney World have figured it out, you see when we gather, we eat, we buy pins, profits go up a good time is had by all.
I felt as if Disneyland did not want to go out of their way to make it a better pin trading experience for us . And after all we the pin traders, buy pins we are the only ones that buy these pins in such large quantities not like I was told by a non pin trading cast member and I quote if you people went away the park guest would still buy pins yes you would get a person here or there that would buy a pin or two to help remember their vacation, but I dont think 500 or more vacationing tourist would line up to buy a Cheshire cat pin that sold out I might add in one day!!!
So I think Disney needs to do a bit more for pintrading, and for the pin traders in general. There Im off my soapbox now.
In general I had a great time, I met some great folks, the teens I met were cool yes including you Mike, there are some sharks but I think you guys can take care of yourselves pretty good you are pin people after all.
I dont know when Ill get a chance to return, but I hope its soon, in the meantime you all are welcomed to visit me in Orlando. My overall report, Disneyland was everything I had hoped for just plain awesome!!! I really really liked it.
We may be bigger, but you guys were the original. But that makes you older.
Actually I have heard everything from the park was smaller, not as clean, the rides are not that great, and they dont have any pins, so when I got there I expected the worst but heres what I found.
The park was smaller, but had such a warm Disney feeling that I was expecting Walt himself to come around the corner and shake my hand, and it was a wonderful step back in time, its almost like its been preserved to keep the authentic 1955 feeling. Here is my analysis.
First the rides, them versus us.
First let me say when the sign says 20 minute wait from this point or 50 minute wait from this point they are talking Florida time, so add 3 hours to it. The line I was in at the Materhorn and behind 3000 people when I found a sign that read 20 minute wait, 1.5 hours later we rode.
The castle was smaller but I understand why you see if it was as big as ours there would be no tomorrow land, I was told the castle was built kid sized after all it was built for kids, and Walt did not want the Castle to scare the little kids.
I was surprised to see so many rides gone like the skyway, the people mover, I mean I knew they were gone but it really didnt hit until I saw it for myself. I was glad to see some of the tracks and foundations in place to at least remind me that they were there at one time, but the engineer in me was constantly analyzing how much more room they would have if they removed it all.
I got to sit on the foundation of one of my favorite attractions Monsantos house of tomorrow. I dug around and found some of the original piping and devices used on it so that was way cool.
Pirates of the Caribbeans totally rocks, its ten times better than ours, I was stunned to ride it, and it was nothing like I expected. At first it was like taking a ride through Epcots Mexico, then I could not explain what uncle toms cabin what doing in the beginning of the ride, but after a bit I could see some familiar things and the ride got better and better.
The surrounding New Orleans city was awesome and we found Club 33 and learned what it was all about, I found out that members can invite guests and you can have a corporate membership, that inviting guest idea got to me so Im using my corporate powers for good, and youll all be happy to know that I have sent away for information on becoming a corporate member, but I will most likely be put on a waiting list thats a minimum of 5 years so if your that hungry get a snack.
The Indiana Jones ride was spectacular, it was worth the 23 mile walk to actually get to the ride, we did have one incident when I lost my fast pass and I so generously decided to let the others go ahead, but Donna explained to the nice cast person that I was and I quote A stupid stupid man that lost his fast pass and could I please go anyway and I was allowed to go. The best part was in the 23-mile walk when I decided to try out my patented haunted mansion scream, and sent Heather flying to the ceiling and gave her a few white hairs. (Sorry Heather) hee hee.
Haunted Mansion was just like ours, with the exception of the fact that when you see it from the outside it looks like it belongs on the cover of Home and Gardens as the top winner for home beatification project of the year. I thought haunted mansions were supposed to be old abandoned houses that looked spooky and scary, and what was up with those I do guys in the attic?
Its a small world night and day, Disneylands was much different, and I liked it better than ours, the one here is jammed in the middle of fantasyland, while theirs is out in the open and makes its own presence known like a central point of the park.
The other rides were similar to the rides at Disney World, there were some small differences here and there, but mostly they were the same.
As for DCA it was like our Universal studios, it was loud and I only found two rides I liked, the rollercoaster, and soaring over California, the rest were so so, but that Ferris wheel!!! Never again pull the pins and let it roll away.
I did get in some trouble at the roller coaster, you see it was super soap weekend and all those crazy soap-aholics were there in large numbers, well while standing in line there were these 3 girls wearing Monica shirts; now I know they meant Monica from General Hospital, but I could not resist and I looked at them with my Im just a stupid stupid man look and asked So okay youre all Monica Lewinskis or what? well to my surprise the ringleader looked at me and said not yet I did not now what to say but came back with . Oh never mind it will just get edited anyway email me and Ill tell what I said. Then to get in even hotter water, Donna and June decided not to ride the rollercoaster something about throwing up large chunks of food or something like that, so it was me, Bob, Jimmy, and Heather. Well as we got up to the ride I noticed that there were three girls very tall very cute ladies in front of me, and I noticed the ride holds 4 so I did the math, looked back at Bob said sorry man I like ya but I gotta go. So off I went with the ladies leaving a shocked Bob behind saying over and over I cant believe he did that. Then my friend did the most horrible thing imaginable he called Donna on the cell phone and ratted me out, so as I went around the corner there on the bridge just before we shoot off into bliss, there was Donna looking not at all too happy I guess I didnt have permission for this one hee hee, but it was worth it it was worth it indeed My good friend once told me it is easier to be forgiven than to ask permission Words I will live and die with.
The Park and Disney Guest Relations.
I loved Disneyland the only problem I had is they kept moving the exits to leave the park, you see it all the way to the left so you run to it, then just as you get there they close it and open one up the one all the way to the right, just to do the same thing on the other end once you get there, I figure its securities way of getting even with me for bringing all my pins.
I got this feeling that Disneyland, Downtown town Disney, and DCA dont want to acknowledge that they are all part of Disney, its an us versus them feeling, one is traditional Disney, the other is more like Coney Island, the other wants to be hip and modern.
DTD played rock music not like ours that plays Disney classics, DCA played California 1960s music in MIDI format that after awhile gets to you, and makes you want to run naked through the park yelling Im a little tea pot dude!!! Especially after you heard the same song again and again.
Disneyland Guest relations is top notch.. they have a no questions asked policy I learned about .its theIm special pass, you can ask for it, and get special passes onto any ride .and if you have a problem its resolved or its comp this, and comp that.
I loved security they have these guys dressed in panama jack gear that look more like tourist than security, even as you enter the park you have security not in police gear, but in nice cast member attire, at our park they dress like security and they are everywhere you get more a feeling you are in a police state than a family park, dont get me wrong I have more security friends than anything else (when your me you have too) but I really like the casual look of security at Disneyland. They have some cool ideas like see through merchandise bag, its hard to shoplift when you can see through the bag now isnt it? A very smart move Disneyland, but the security sensors at DTD on the pins, a waste of money as far Im concerned they rip right off.
Every cast member was super nice and very helpful, I met some super nice cast members and learned some nice tricks like the special pass (but come on kids these passes are there for people that actually need them, if you dont need it dont get it) How to get fast passes, it was easy and it worked this one Im okay with.
) How to get comp for this and that
me myself I dont think I would try it, no way Im tipping a canoe over. I have come to the conclusion that the park in general is not fat friendly, it gave new meaning to the old joke Confucius say man who goes sideways in airport turnstile going to Bangkok I got stuck a few times and no it was not pretty. While taking the walk in Walts footsteps tour, I had to detour in the Tiki room and take the walk in Walts bathroom tour, well two of us just plain did not fit in there. (Side note my favorite bathroom was the one next to soaring over California) Actually they are now refitting Disneyland to be handicapped accessible its was not built for wheelchairs in 1955 and its taken them this long to get it done, I made a few people uneasy with my asking all these questions, I had to assure them that I was not an undercover agent for OSHA. But its getting done so at least thats cool.
Now lets talk about pin trading or the lack there of.
I met some really cool pin people, some old friends. It was great to meet some of the people on the boards and it was nice to put a face with the name, I got to see some people that I have not seen since a few events ago, and especially my thanks to Joette for letting me use the boards as my own where Ill be at message service. I met one pin hottie girl and you know who you are Am I dead yet? No! well just wait till Donna reads this. And I even met a shark or two or three. I was offered everything for my Scoop and Flubber pin from rack pins to some fantasy pins, but okay lets be honest here most of you have seen my lanyard I dont think a person smart enough to have a flubber pin would be dumb enough or actually be stupid enough to want to trade it for those 100 pictures of Mickey for sale at Company D for 75% off pins, even if as Donna put it Im a stupid stupid man, I may loose my fast pass, but Im smart enough to k now my pins.
I noticed some traders there would jump from every new pintrader to other new pintraders quickly scanning their pin books and bags looking for new and hard items, but not offering any of their pins for trade or letting you look at their books unless they found something of interest, then they would walk around scanning every trade making sure they didnt miss anything. To those I say go to Scoops pin trading seminar you need some lessons on pin trading, and manners.
I just want to say I love Judy the Supertrader she rocks and has become my favorite Supertrader of them all sorry Hardey, shes way cuter than you. She goes out of her way to teach trade and make your pin trading experience the best. Dont get me wrong Hardey is too but Judy is cuter and hey Hardey have some female pin traders write about you dude.
But Ed what about pin trading you say my honest opinion, and I hope I dont offend anybody I really dont mean to, nor do I want to turn this thread into an oh Ed you are so wrong let me tell you why!!! If you feel that Im wrong just email me and tell me your views, but I personally got the opinion that Disneyland could care less about the pin traders, and some feel they would be better off if they all just went away.
Why do I say this, they gave me the worst time with my pin bag, dont roll it! Carry it! Leave it in the locker; its a nuisance to all the park guests. Well If I lived here I would not drag all my pins with me all the time, but Im visiting and I wanted all my traders with me so I had no choice. The pin trading area or lack there of is 4 tables in tomorrow land, and every time we showed up, so did the trashcan band with the banging and screaming it was nutty, the resorts have pin trading nights but twice a month, and there is no pin rhyme or reason the pins are scattered all over the parks there are sets here and there but not in one place at least we have DTD and a central place for pins and pin trading. And we have trading at the resorts once a week, I mean come on the resorts at Disney World have figured it out, you see when we gather, we eat, we buy pins, profits go up a good time is had by all.
I felt as if Disneyland did not want to go out of their way to make it a better pin trading experience for us . And after all we the pin traders, buy pins we are the only ones that buy these pins in such large quantities not like I was told by a non pin trading cast member and I quote if you people went away the park guest would still buy pins yes you would get a person here or there that would buy a pin or two to help remember their vacation, but I dont think 500 or more vacationing tourist would line up to buy a Cheshire cat pin that sold out I might add in one day!!!
So I think Disney needs to do a bit more for pintrading, and for the pin traders in general. There Im off my soapbox now.
In general I had a great time, I met some great folks, the teens I met were cool yes including you Mike, there are some sharks but I think you guys can take care of yourselves pretty good you are pin people after all.
I dont know when Ill get a chance to return, but I hope its soon, in the meantime you all are welcomed to visit me in Orlando. My overall report, Disneyland was everything I had hoped for just plain awesome!!! I really really liked it.
We may be bigger, but you guys were the original. But that makes you older.
! Thanks for the in depth comparison of CA & FL Disney parks.
