Luv2Roam
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2000
- Messages
- 15,479
Overall a Thumbs Up.
Rarely is there not The Good , Bad, and the Ugly at a Disney pin event.
The ugly was the usual too long of pin board lines with not much at the end.
I did three and wondered why I wasted my time. Which is generally what happens.
Guests can visit and trade better and more freely on the floor. And I think many people do just this. The pin lines were lonnnnnng.
One I could not figure out at all. There were THREE boards at one location that could have handled obviously three traders at one time. Instead they did one trader at a time.
I can only come to the conclusion Disney WANTS long pin trades to discourage trading on the pin boards. I think they rather have guests elsewhere, hopefully spending $. (Imagine that!) Standing in a line like that, guests just feel like they are missing fun somewhere. Cause it ain't there. 
I told someone it is like watching a bad movie and you "have to" see the end. I started standing in line, then realized I would be there an hour or more. I wanted to leave, but figured I had already wasted 20 minutes of my time. Might as well play it out.
I have said it I think after every pin event -- I did not get off a trade board what I could probably not find on a cast lanayard in a park. Rarely do I get anything other than that.
Often I am putting on the boards better than I take off.
On the floor, I was finally able to meet Joette AND I our own Tennisnut.
(Who now will be working on me for us to go to DL first race September 2006. I did not know it was DL's FIRST! Now THAT may be interesting! 
)
Another minor annoyance was the initial check in and merchandise pick up. It did not seem organized. And new check ins were playing second fiddle to those buying additional merchandise.There were two lines going to one area, and the buyers were the FP line.
This year's pins were outstanding, I think. They all looked much better in person. And some are WONDERFUL. I LOVE my Pin 42376: WDW - Spectacle of Pins 2005 - (A Day on the Ice) 2 Pin Set (Jumbos) and Pin 42374: WDW - Spectacle of Pins 2005 - Jumbo Pin (Mickey & the Gang Card). Now #42374 is a PIN!
A big thumbs up to the way they had the artist's signing. They were tucked away in a corner, almost like they were hiding them. But NO line there at all. The artist had also signed items the day before. And most people had apparently already done that.
I LOVE getting the meal vouchers too. We save them for another day. I think they are only good through the end of this year. But that is still good.
Anyone disappointed with the 2005 Osbourne Lights should NOT be disappointed again. I even overheard other guests saying how much better they are this year than last.
No glasses again this year. I guess Osbourbe is now a Bring Your Own Effects Glasses.
With the 2005 SoP event, event attendees had the SoL to themselves, with desserts under a canopy of lights.
This year, the lights were open to the public. No special enertainment at the lights. Nothing but crowds. The crowds were not too bad. But last year was Magical. This year, just the usual Disney magic.
The PLUS side to that was not waiting around killing time until they let us in. There was a trade off. And it was not nearly as crowded as it soon will be. That would be like comparing mid January crowds to New Years Eve crowds.
Disney was concerned about rain, so our dessert buffet was on the Indiana Jones stage, under a metal canopy.
Again, a trade off. We had places to sit and visit. Where last year if we wanted to sit, it was on a curb.
Even with the trade offs, last year was a MEMORY. This year something we may remember.
In one area was Mickey and Minnie for a typical meet and greet. Last year Mickey, Minnie, Stitch and MGM face characters mingled with guests. Much more fun that way.
The worse were the long lines at the lackluster pin boards. But that seems to be expected any more.
SoP has become my favorite Disney pin event. DH still likes the AK 498 pin event from this year the best.
Just forget the pin boards, which rate an "F".
Rarely is there not The Good , Bad, and the Ugly at a Disney pin event.
The ugly was the usual too long of pin board lines with not much at the end.
I did three and wondered why I wasted my time. Which is generally what happens.Guests can visit and trade better and more freely on the floor. And I think many people do just this. The pin lines were lonnnnnng.
One I could not figure out at all. There were THREE boards at one location that could have handled obviously three traders at one time. Instead they did one trader at a time.
I can only come to the conclusion Disney WANTS long pin trades to discourage trading on the pin boards. I think they rather have guests elsewhere, hopefully spending $.
(Imagine that!) Standing in a line like that, guests just feel like they are missing fun somewhere. Cause it ain't there. I told someone it is like watching a bad movie and you "have to" see the end. I started standing in line, then realized I would be there an hour or more. I wanted to leave, but figured I had already wasted 20 minutes of my time. Might as well play it out.
I have said it I think after every pin event -- I did not get off a trade board what I could probably not find on a cast lanayard in a park. Rarely do I get anything other than that.
Often I am putting on the boards better than I take off. On the floor, I was finally able to meet Joette AND I our own Tennisnut.
(Who now will be working on me for us to go to DL first race September 2006. I did not know it was DL's FIRST! Now THAT may be interesting! )Another minor annoyance was the initial check in and merchandise pick up. It did not seem organized. And new check ins were playing second fiddle to those buying additional merchandise.There were two lines going to one area, and the buyers were the FP line.
This year's pins were outstanding, I think. They all looked much better in person. And some are WONDERFUL. I LOVE my Pin 42376: WDW - Spectacle of Pins 2005 - (A Day on the Ice) 2 Pin Set (Jumbos) and Pin 42374: WDW - Spectacle of Pins 2005 - Jumbo Pin (Mickey & the Gang Card). Now #42374 is a PIN!
A big thumbs up to the way they had the artist's signing. They were tucked away in a corner, almost like they were hiding them. But NO line there at all. The artist had also signed items the day before. And most people had apparently already done that.
I LOVE getting the meal vouchers too. We save them for another day. I think they are only good through the end of this year. But that is still good.
Anyone disappointed with the 2005 Osbourne Lights should NOT be disappointed again. I even overheard other guests saying how much better they are this year than last.
No glasses again this year. I guess Osbourbe is now a Bring Your Own Effects Glasses.
With the 2005 SoP event, event attendees had the SoL to themselves, with desserts under a canopy of lights.
This year, the lights were open to the public. No special enertainment at the lights. Nothing but crowds. The crowds were not too bad. But last year was Magical. This year, just the usual Disney magic.
The PLUS side to that was not waiting around killing time until they let us in. There was a trade off. And it was not nearly as crowded as it soon will be. That would be like comparing mid January crowds to New Years Eve crowds.
Disney was concerned about rain, so our dessert buffet was on the Indiana Jones stage, under a metal canopy.
Again, a trade off. We had places to sit and visit. Where last year if we wanted to sit, it was on a curb.
Even with the trade offs, last year was a MEMORY. This year something we may remember.
In one area was Mickey and Minnie for a typical meet and greet. Last year Mickey, Minnie, Stitch and MGM face characters mingled with guests. Much more fun that way.
The worse were the long lines at the lackluster pin boards. But that seems to be expected any more.
SoP has become my favorite Disney pin event. DH still likes the AK 498 pin event from this year the best.
Just forget the pin boards, which rate an "F".
?
Hurry up and sign up 
is running out!
.
aw: 
