It was announced this morning that Disney bought Marvel for an estimated 4 billion dollars.
As a Disney fan I have mixed emotions about this. Does this mean Spiderman and the X-Men are going to start showing up in the parks? I hope not. I should mention that I hate the fact that the Power Rangers and TMNT have appeared in the parks from time to time. I guess Spiderman would be better than them. If they do appear it better be restricted to DHS or the California Adventure.
That being said one thing that would be me excited about this deal is the possibility of a new theme park. If you could take the world of Marvel and give it to the Imagineers and tell them to build a new park just imagine what you could get. That could be impressive. If you don’t know much about marvel keep this in mind – Marvel has 5000 characters. Yes 5000. In fact the only major characters they don’t own that I can think of are Super Man and Batman.
It should be interesting to see what transpires in the next few weeks or what additional announcements are made.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Mexico’s Tequila Bar Has Disastrous Opening
The new tequila bar in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion experienced a disastrous opening earlier this week.
Everything was going well; guests were sampling numerous tequilas and enjoying their day in Epcot. The bar was well supplied with tequila, salt, and limes and there was no fear of running out of supplies.
Around 12:30pm things changed. Everyone’s favorite alien, Len Testa (see Len Testa – Tequila – the Shocking Connection) arrived on the scene.
When Len caught the scent of tequila he went nuts. He charged the bar, knocking numerous guests out of his way. He jumped over bar itself and started to grab the tequila bottles. The cast member working the bar tried to restrain him but was rendered unconscious when Len burped his chilidog breath in his face. Donald Duck, in his Mexican outfit, ran over and tackled Len from behind. Len, using his alien strength, tossed Donald about 50 feet into river.
Len proceeded to guzzle all 70+ bottles of tequila before calming down. He then apologized to everyone, helped Donald to his feet, and left a generous tip for the still unconscious cast member.
A park representative announced that an armed guard will now be stationed at the bar to prevent tequila guzzling aliens from causing any future problems.
Everything was going well; guests were sampling numerous tequilas and enjoying their day in Epcot. The bar was well supplied with tequila, salt, and limes and there was no fear of running out of supplies.
Around 12:30pm things changed. Everyone’s favorite alien, Len Testa (see Len Testa – Tequila – the Shocking Connection) arrived on the scene.
When Len caught the scent of tequila he went nuts. He charged the bar, knocking numerous guests out of his way. He jumped over bar itself and started to grab the tequila bottles. The cast member working the bar tried to restrain him but was rendered unconscious when Len burped his chilidog breath in his face. Donald Duck, in his Mexican outfit, ran over and tackled Len from behind. Len, using his alien strength, tossed Donald about 50 feet into river.
Len proceeded to guzzle all 70+ bottles of tequila before calming down. He then apologized to everyone, helped Donald to his feet, and left a generous tip for the still unconscious cast member.
A park representative announced that an armed guard will now be stationed at the bar to prevent tequila guzzling aliens from causing any future problems.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Disney Considers Re-release of Snow White with Missing Dwarves
Disney is considering releasing Snow White in its original state. Snow White originally had fourteen dwarves. The extra dwarves were considered inappropriate and cut from the final version of the film.
“You have to remember Snow White came out in the late 30’s. Standards have changed a lot. Back then people took offense to things we don’t think twice about today,” stated Doc Dwarf in an interview.
An additional thirty minutes of film will be added back into the movie including the following scenes:
Gassy dwarf gives a grenade to Snow White while the other dwarves laugh
Touchy dwarf gets slapped senseless by Snow White for being himself
Boozy dwarf finishes off the moonshine and forgets to put his pants on before leaving the house
Stinky dwarf enters a room and Snow White gets sick
Dirty dwarf is diagnosed with scabies and has to sleep in the shed
Ugly dwarf takes the bag off his head and Snow White faints
Wimpy dwarf gets beat up by a group of small woodland animals
The original version is being restored and formatted into 3D so Disney can make as much money off of it as possible. It is expected to be ready for a release during the holiday season.
“You have to remember Snow White came out in the late 30’s. Standards have changed a lot. Back then people took offense to things we don’t think twice about today,” stated Doc Dwarf in an interview.
An additional thirty minutes of film will be added back into the movie including the following scenes:
Gassy dwarf gives a grenade to Snow White while the other dwarves laugh
Touchy dwarf gets slapped senseless by Snow White for being himself
Boozy dwarf finishes off the moonshine and forgets to put his pants on before leaving the house
Stinky dwarf enters a room and Snow White gets sick
Dirty dwarf is diagnosed with scabies and has to sleep in the shed
Ugly dwarf takes the bag off his head and Snow White faints
Wimpy dwarf gets beat up by a group of small woodland animals
The original version is being restored and formatted into 3D so Disney can make as much money off of it as possible. It is expected to be ready for a release during the holiday season.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Disney Taps Wasted Energy Source
Disney World will begin tapping into a renewable energy source beginning next year.
“This energy source has always been there we’ve just been wasting it,” stated a magical dingo named Dom who works in logistics.
The plan is simple. Disney will install low powered vacuums in all bathroom stalls to capture “methane.” The methane will be used to as fuel for giant generators which will produce enough power to run the Monorail system.
The project falls under what is described as “Super Green” energy. That is when something that is harming the environment is not just removed from the environment but converted into energy.
There is also a plan in place to incorporate beans and other gas producing foods into every food product in Disney World. One of the ideas being kicked around is replacing all ice cream with soy ice cream which causes massive gas in some people. This goes in line with the plan to no longer sell Beno, GasX, or any other similar digestive aide in Disney World.
“Our guests will now have a more enjoyable visit to the restrooms. The unpleasant smells are expected to be completely eliminated. Unfortunately we can’t do much about the sounds and we can’t prevent people who are trying to eat around the world from trying to induce a protein spill,” Dom the Magical Dingo stated.
The plan is expected to save millions over the next few years.
“This energy source has always been there we’ve just been wasting it,” stated a magical dingo named Dom who works in logistics.
The plan is simple. Disney will install low powered vacuums in all bathroom stalls to capture “methane.” The methane will be used to as fuel for giant generators which will produce enough power to run the Monorail system.
The project falls under what is described as “Super Green” energy. That is when something that is harming the environment is not just removed from the environment but converted into energy.
There is also a plan in place to incorporate beans and other gas producing foods into every food product in Disney World. One of the ideas being kicked around is replacing all ice cream with soy ice cream which causes massive gas in some people. This goes in line with the plan to no longer sell Beno, GasX, or any other similar digestive aide in Disney World.
“Our guests will now have a more enjoyable visit to the restrooms. The unpleasant smells are expected to be completely eliminated. Unfortunately we can’t do much about the sounds and we can’t prevent people who are trying to eat around the world from trying to induce a protein spill,” Dom the Magical Dingo stated.
The plan is expected to save millions over the next few years.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Swiss Family Tree House
There have been rumors for years about the Swiss Family Tree House getting closed done for a major overhaul / replacement. I can see why. Anyone under the age of twenty probably has no idea who the Swiss Family Robinson is. Some of the hardcore Disney kids would know and would have seen the movie but all the other kids most likely have no idea why the giant tree house is in Disney World.
Before I get hate mail I have to say this; I hope the tree house does not close. It’s an original. It’s classic Disney. It has a charm that can’t be reproduced. It’s just like Tom Sawyers Island. It could never be built again (for legal reasons).
I can’t see a reason to shut down the tree house. I always see people going through it. It seems fairly popular. There is also the fact that there is nothing like it. I can’t think of another attraction that is similar. You can also consider that people who know nothing about the movie can enjoy the tree house. Sure they might enjoy it more if they saw the movie but it is still an interesting attraction even without the back story.
In a day when we’ve lost classics like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Horizons, The World of Motion, Body Wars, Alien Encounter (yes I consider it a classic), and Journey Into Imagination is a joke, it’s nice to know we there are still some timeless classics left in the “World.”
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
No Godfather Lives Forever
As many of you know Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Godfather of the WDW Mafia (see The DIS – the WDW Mafia’s Legal Front), is getting old. You have to remember he is older than Mickey Mouse. Every god father has to turn the over the power or groom someone to replace him when he’s gone. Oswald did that. Knowing that any mafia needs a good defense, Oswald chose wisely.
Who would know enough about legal matters, Disney, and what it takes to get the job done?
For a long time I didn’t know. Whoever it was kept their identity hidden but like all Disney mysteries, I looked into it (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
Quite a while ago Samantha Brown was on the WDW Radio show. That surprised me, but I thought Lou got lucky and maybe Samantha was doing Disney stuff at the time so it worked out.
My jaw dropped when Julie Andrews was on the WDW Radio show. That really aroused my suspicion. Why would Julie Andrews do the WDW Radio show? No offense to Samantha but Julie Andrews is a thousand times bigger. I thought about it and figured people win the lottery and get hit by lightening so maybe Lou was just in the right place at the right time.
It became evident that Lou was hiding something when Iron Chef Cat Cora was on the WDW Radio show. The only kind of person who is not a celebrity (sorry Lou) with connections like that is a mobster. Most senators don’t have connections like that.
There is not doubt that Mr. Hard Drive in the Head (see What About Lou), Louis Mongello, is the successor to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
My advice, stay on Lou’s good side. Even more so if you own a horse.
Who would know enough about legal matters, Disney, and what it takes to get the job done?
For a long time I didn’t know. Whoever it was kept their identity hidden but like all Disney mysteries, I looked into it (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
Quite a while ago Samantha Brown was on the WDW Radio show. That surprised me, but I thought Lou got lucky and maybe Samantha was doing Disney stuff at the time so it worked out.
My jaw dropped when Julie Andrews was on the WDW Radio show. That really aroused my suspicion. Why would Julie Andrews do the WDW Radio show? No offense to Samantha but Julie Andrews is a thousand times bigger. I thought about it and figured people win the lottery and get hit by lightening so maybe Lou was just in the right place at the right time.
It became evident that Lou was hiding something when Iron Chef Cat Cora was on the WDW Radio show. The only kind of person who is not a celebrity (sorry Lou) with connections like that is a mobster. Most senators don’t have connections like that.
There is not doubt that Mr. Hard Drive in the Head (see What About Lou), Louis Mongello, is the successor to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
My advice, stay on Lou’s good side. Even more so if you own a horse.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Disney Accidents
Some people have criticized Disney recently because of the deaths of three cast members. I normally don’t take Disney’s side on most subjects. I often poke fun at them for not thinking things through or just being stupid. This is one area where I will defend them.
1 – The Monorail Accident: How long has the Monorail been in operation? How many people have ridden the Monorail over that period of time? I’m just going to guess at the number but I’d say it’s at least 500 million. So that means for every 500 million people who ride the Monorail, one person dies. There is nothing wrong with your safety policies if you have the ratio on mass transit. So what happened? It looks like it was gross human error. The safety procedures were not followed. What could Disney have done about that?
2 – The Jack Sparrow Accident: First let me say that I’ve seen this show. This is not an extreme show. It’s just a nice funny show. What can you do to prevent someone from slipping? He was on tarmac. The shoes the actors wear are not crazy. Accidents happen. What are the odds someone is going to slip and strike their head so hard they break a vertebra? It was a fluke accident.
3 – The Indiana Jones Accident: During a rehearsal a cast member blotches a roll and breaks his neck. This one is beyond a fluke. Take into consideration that he was a stunt man in a stunt show. Also remember he was doing a minor stunt that I did all the time when I was a kid. He was just doing a rolling summersault. He wasn’t jumping off a building or anything wild. How can you blame Disney for that? If anything he was doing something that promotes safety. He was practicing.
In the past Disney has made some big mistakes and they have had some loose safety policies that have led to injury and death. In all cases they made changes to try and prevent any future accidents.
Disney has to be one of the safest parks in the world. I’ve never felt unsafe while in a Disney Park or resort. If you want to feel like you are in danger, go check out your local fair. The fairs are starting up in New England this time of year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see duct tape holding some of those rides together. It is the only place you can go and have the merry go round be considered a thrill ride because you don’t know if it’s going to give way seriously injury you.
If you want to criticize Disney do it where they deserve it. Need some ideas? How about: D23, ticket prices, hotel prices, food prices, cut backs, layoffs, poor quality merchandise, ride closures, shameless self promotion, and stuffing Stich down our throats.
1 – The Monorail Accident: How long has the Monorail been in operation? How many people have ridden the Monorail over that period of time? I’m just going to guess at the number but I’d say it’s at least 500 million. So that means for every 500 million people who ride the Monorail, one person dies. There is nothing wrong with your safety policies if you have the ratio on mass transit. So what happened? It looks like it was gross human error. The safety procedures were not followed. What could Disney have done about that?
2 – The Jack Sparrow Accident: First let me say that I’ve seen this show. This is not an extreme show. It’s just a nice funny show. What can you do to prevent someone from slipping? He was on tarmac. The shoes the actors wear are not crazy. Accidents happen. What are the odds someone is going to slip and strike their head so hard they break a vertebra? It was a fluke accident.
3 – The Indiana Jones Accident: During a rehearsal a cast member blotches a roll and breaks his neck. This one is beyond a fluke. Take into consideration that he was a stunt man in a stunt show. Also remember he was doing a minor stunt that I did all the time when I was a kid. He was just doing a rolling summersault. He wasn’t jumping off a building or anything wild. How can you blame Disney for that? If anything he was doing something that promotes safety. He was practicing.
In the past Disney has made some big mistakes and they have had some loose safety policies that have led to injury and death. In all cases they made changes to try and prevent any future accidents.
Disney has to be one of the safest parks in the world. I’ve never felt unsafe while in a Disney Park or resort. If you want to feel like you are in danger, go check out your local fair. The fairs are starting up in New England this time of year. I wouldn’t be surprised to see duct tape holding some of those rides together. It is the only place you can go and have the merry go round be considered a thrill ride because you don’t know if it’s going to give way seriously injury you.
If you want to criticize Disney do it where they deserve it. Need some ideas? How about: D23, ticket prices, hotel prices, food prices, cut backs, layoffs, poor quality merchandise, ride closures, shameless self promotion, and stuffing Stich down our throats.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Upcoming Restaurant Reviews
I really don’t fit in when it comes to planning a Disney vacation. Most people book a vacation, and then figure out where they are going to be, then plan the dining. I plan where I’m going to eat before the vacation is even booked. It’s fun. Try it sometime.
Here are some of the locations I’ll be hitting up on my next trip. I’ve somewhat ignored other reviews and feedback so don’t complain that some of the places have a bad rap.
1 – Mexico – Repeat visit – You’ll get to see if the San Angel Inn maintains, gets better, or gets worse.
2 – Garden Grill – First Visit in nearly 20 years. I’ve eaten here before but I remember next to nothing about it. I hope Chip and Dale pick on my wife. She doesn’t understand the whole character thing.
3 – Momma Melrose’s – I like Italian. I’ve worked at three different Italian restaurants and I’ve never eaten here. This should be interesting.
4 – Brown Derby – I think they only reason we are going to the Derby is for the salad and the grapefruit cake.
5 – Crystal Palace – I ate there once over ten years ago. It wasn’t impressive. Let’s see if that changed. Maybe I can tip Pooh and the gang to annoy my wife.
6 – Tusker House – All I can say is, it has to be better than Yak and Yeti.
7 – Tapan Edo (or whatever it’s called) – My wife watches that food network show about this so we might as well go here.
8 – Le Cellier – The last time I ate here you could walk in whenever you wanted. If we get in here you will get a review.
9 – The Norway Breakfast – If Scopa can do it, so can I!
10 – California Grill – Return visit – Can the Grill possibly match its last performance and keep in the top spot in WDW?
11 – Hoop Dee Doo – Return visit – Will the Hoop Dee Doo stand up against multiple visits or is it a one hit wonder?
12 – Kazunna – My wife loves Iron Chef so I don’t have much of a say in this one. At least she’s my favorite Iron Chef.
There you have it. These are subject to change but they shouldn’t change a whole lot. You might see some additions too if we end up on the dining plan. Right now we are not using the dining plan.
Also please keep in mind – it could be years before I get a chance to do these. It all depends on what kind of promo Disney runs.
Here are some of the locations I’ll be hitting up on my next trip. I’ve somewhat ignored other reviews and feedback so don’t complain that some of the places have a bad rap.
1 – Mexico – Repeat visit – You’ll get to see if the San Angel Inn maintains, gets better, or gets worse.
2 – Garden Grill – First Visit in nearly 20 years. I’ve eaten here before but I remember next to nothing about it. I hope Chip and Dale pick on my wife. She doesn’t understand the whole character thing.
3 – Momma Melrose’s – I like Italian. I’ve worked at three different Italian restaurants and I’ve never eaten here. This should be interesting.
4 – Brown Derby – I think they only reason we are going to the Derby is for the salad and the grapefruit cake.
5 – Crystal Palace – I ate there once over ten years ago. It wasn’t impressive. Let’s see if that changed. Maybe I can tip Pooh and the gang to annoy my wife.
6 – Tusker House – All I can say is, it has to be better than Yak and Yeti.
7 – Tapan Edo (or whatever it’s called) – My wife watches that food network show about this so we might as well go here.
8 – Le Cellier – The last time I ate here you could walk in whenever you wanted. If we get in here you will get a review.
9 – The Norway Breakfast – If Scopa can do it, so can I!
10 – California Grill – Return visit – Can the Grill possibly match its last performance and keep in the top spot in WDW?
11 – Hoop Dee Doo – Return visit – Will the Hoop Dee Doo stand up against multiple visits or is it a one hit wonder?
12 – Kazunna – My wife loves Iron Chef so I don’t have much of a say in this one. At least she’s my favorite Iron Chef.
There you have it. These are subject to change but they shouldn’t change a whole lot. You might see some additions too if we end up on the dining plan. Right now we are not using the dining plan.
Also please keep in mind – it could be years before I get a chance to do these. It all depends on what kind of promo Disney runs.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Sims 3 + Disney World = MEGA MONEY!
The Sims has to be the most addictive game in the history of mankind. It’s a game you keep playing even though you have no idea why. It’s been a huge money maker for EA Games.
One thing EA has always done to keep the money rolling in is by releasing expansion packs. There were a ridiculous number of expansion packs for the Sims and the Sims 2. The first expansion has already been announced for the Sims 3.
Disney has done everything you can imagine to generate revenue. If they think they can make a buck, they’ll do it. So why not team up with EA and make a “Disney Vacation” expansion pack?
How cool would it be to let your sims run wild in Disney World. They could go in the shops, ride the rides, join a parade, stay at the hotels, have their pictures taken with characters, and so on. You could also add a new career track. You could be a cast member and work your way up in two different areas. How do these career tracks sound?
Career Start
Imagineer Test Subject
Protein Spill Crew
Bathroom Crew
Laundry
Monorail Cleaner
Service Track Support Track
Food Cart Operator Maid
Character Disney Bus Driver
Face-Character Monorail Operator
Park Manager (pick one) Resort Manager (pick one)
Master of the Mouse Imagineer
Do you know how many people would buy that? Even better – double your profits by releasing “Disney World Vacation” and “Disney Land Vacation.” I hate to say it but I’d buy both.
Of course you could throw some fun Easter eggs in. For instance: Have people randomly die after riding Mission Space, people randomly toss their cookies after riding the Teacups, people get upset after going on Stich’s Great Escape, and best yet – people go insane if they ride “It’s a Small World” too many times in a row.
I don’t know if this idea would ever be considered but I know for a fact it would be a success. People who like Disney would buy the Sims just to play it. People who play the Sims would buy it because it would be the best expansion pack ever!
One thing EA has always done to keep the money rolling in is by releasing expansion packs. There were a ridiculous number of expansion packs for the Sims and the Sims 2. The first expansion has already been announced for the Sims 3.
Disney has done everything you can imagine to generate revenue. If they think they can make a buck, they’ll do it. So why not team up with EA and make a “Disney Vacation” expansion pack?
How cool would it be to let your sims run wild in Disney World. They could go in the shops, ride the rides, join a parade, stay at the hotels, have their pictures taken with characters, and so on. You could also add a new career track. You could be a cast member and work your way up in two different areas. How do these career tracks sound?
Career Start
Imagineer Test Subject
Protein Spill Crew
Bathroom Crew
Laundry
Monorail Cleaner
Service Track Support Track
Food Cart Operator Maid
Character Disney Bus Driver
Face-Character Monorail Operator
Park Manager (pick one) Resort Manager (pick one)
Master of the Mouse Imagineer
Do you know how many people would buy that? Even better – double your profits by releasing “Disney World Vacation” and “Disney Land Vacation.” I hate to say it but I’d buy both.
Of course you could throw some fun Easter eggs in. For instance: Have people randomly die after riding Mission Space, people randomly toss their cookies after riding the Teacups, people get upset after going on Stich’s Great Escape, and best yet – people go insane if they ride “It’s a Small World” too many times in a row.
I don’t know if this idea would ever be considered but I know for a fact it would be a success. People who like Disney would buy the Sims just to play it. People who play the Sims would buy it because it would be the best expansion pack ever!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Disney to Install Giant Magnets
Late last week a cast member leaked information regarding a new sinister plan to boost profits. The plan involves installing giant magnets in strategic locations through out the parks. The theory behind the magnets is to nab the loose change in peoples’ pockets.
A magnet will be installed about drop in the Tower of Terror. When the ride drops the magnet kicks on. The combination of the negative g forces and magnet will extract any metallic objects in a person’s pockets.
The Rockin’ Roller Coaster will have multiple magnets. Each inversion will have a magnet located under it and will kick on when the train goes overhead.
Most benches and bathrooms will also have magnets located at specific angles to extract change from people sitting down or out of pants on the floor.
The magnets are expected to “draw” in about two million in annual profits from pocket change and the stray watch or other valuable.
“They’ve tried everything else to squeeze the last nickel out of people so this doesn’t really surprise me. I personally thought they’d have bandits in Frontier Land rob people and pass it off as a show,” stated an independent Disney analyst.
Look for the magnets to be in place by the end of the month.
A magnet will be installed about drop in the Tower of Terror. When the ride drops the magnet kicks on. The combination of the negative g forces and magnet will extract any metallic objects in a person’s pockets.
The Rockin’ Roller Coaster will have multiple magnets. Each inversion will have a magnet located under it and will kick on when the train goes overhead.
Most benches and bathrooms will also have magnets located at specific angles to extract change from people sitting down or out of pants on the floor.
The magnets are expected to “draw” in about two million in annual profits from pocket change and the stray watch or other valuable.
“They’ve tried everything else to squeeze the last nickel out of people so this doesn’t really surprise me. I personally thought they’d have bandits in Frontier Land rob people and pass it off as a show,” stated an independent Disney analyst.
Look for the magnets to be in place by the end of the month.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Man Seriously Injured on “It’s A Small World”
Last week a guest was seriously injured while riding “It’s A Small World” in Disney’s Magic Kingdom.
Harry Palms, 41, of Orlando Florida boarded the ride around 1pm last Tuesday. He proceeded to make fun of the dolls, call them obscene names, make rude gestures at them, and finally spit at one of them.
“The doll he spit at lost it. He jumped into the boat and started punching the guy in the face. Next thing you knew dolls from all over the ride swarmed the guy and beat him senseless,” stated an eye witness to the event.
It took three dozen security officers to break up the fight which lasted about twenty minutes and spilled into three other boats.
Palms suffered numerous lacerations, multiple broken bones, and a ruptured spleen. He was airlifted to the hospital where he remains in critical condition. No other park guests were injured.
Disney has started an investigation to determine if any disciplinary action is warranted.
Harry Palms, 41, of Orlando Florida boarded the ride around 1pm last Tuesday. He proceeded to make fun of the dolls, call them obscene names, make rude gestures at them, and finally spit at one of them.
“The doll he spit at lost it. He jumped into the boat and started punching the guy in the face. Next thing you knew dolls from all over the ride swarmed the guy and beat him senseless,” stated an eye witness to the event.
It took three dozen security officers to break up the fight which lasted about twenty minutes and spilled into three other boats.
Palms suffered numerous lacerations, multiple broken bones, and a ruptured spleen. He was airlifted to the hospital where he remains in critical condition. No other park guests were injured.
Disney has started an investigation to determine if any disciplinary action is warranted.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Disney Announces Nationwide Rehab Centers
Disney is getting into the rehab business but not in the way you might expect. While other rehab centers focus on substance abuse, Disney is focusing on “World” withdrawal.
“We’ve found that a lot of people have a very difficult time adapting back to their normal lives after a Disney vacation. There have been reports of depression, destructive behavior, and volatile mood swings in guests whose vacation has just ended,” stated Doc Dwarf – a medical professional.
A mother of two from Arizona explained why treatment for this addiction is so important, “I couldn’t function after my vacation. I couldn’t stop crying. My sister tried to cheer me up. I went nuts and beat her senseless. I only got worse until my husband shot me with a tranquilizer dart. When I woke up I was in rehab. Within a week I was back to normal.”
Disney plans to open fifty centers across the country. Treatment will involve slowly reducing the amount of Disney exposure each day until the guest is able to function again. Early trials have shown that after one week of treatment most guests are able to return to their normal lives. In rare cases it takes up to four weeks of intense treatment to get results.
The average cost per week is expected to run about $3000 but Disney will be offering a more advanced treatment that starts $5000 per week.
“We’ve found that a lot of people have a very difficult time adapting back to their normal lives after a Disney vacation. There have been reports of depression, destructive behavior, and volatile mood swings in guests whose vacation has just ended,” stated Doc Dwarf – a medical professional.
A mother of two from Arizona explained why treatment for this addiction is so important, “I couldn’t function after my vacation. I couldn’t stop crying. My sister tried to cheer me up. I went nuts and beat her senseless. I only got worse until my husband shot me with a tranquilizer dart. When I woke up I was in rehab. Within a week I was back to normal.”
Disney plans to open fifty centers across the country. Treatment will involve slowly reducing the amount of Disney exposure each day until the guest is able to function again. Early trials have shown that after one week of treatment most guests are able to return to their normal lives. In rare cases it takes up to four weeks of intense treatment to get results.
The average cost per week is expected to run about $3000 but Disney will be offering a more advanced treatment that starts $5000 per week.
Friday, August 14, 2009
I Want Number Two!
About 15 years ago Disney released on of the greatest computer programs I’ve ever purchased. I wasted more time then I care to even think about using the Walt Disney World Explorer. That program was amazing.
For those of you who don’t know what the WDWE was, let me give you an overview. Imagine if Disney had a website that worked, was informative, and fun to use. Now take that, put it into a program, make is very reliable and user friendly and shazam! You have the WDWE.
It had great overviews of every ride in Disney World with in depth descriptions, tons of photos, and good voiceover work. The maps were colorful; there were some videos, and even a hidden Mickey Game.
There were other small side games too but I’m going to get into those.
This program let me go back to Disney at anytime. Now that I think of it, it made me want to go back to Disney every time played around on the thing.
Here we are years later and for some reason Disney never released a new version. Sure they did an update version but that was a real punch in the face. You paid full price for almost nothing extra.
I’m not sure why there was never a new version released. Maybe the original was a total flop. Maybe the website was supposed to replace it. Whatever the case I think a new version could be released and a profit easily made on it.
I’ve been waiting for more than a decade so I’m not holding my breath. I wonder if anyone else misses this thing.
For those of you who don’t know what the WDWE was, let me give you an overview. Imagine if Disney had a website that worked, was informative, and fun to use. Now take that, put it into a program, make is very reliable and user friendly and shazam! You have the WDWE.
It had great overviews of every ride in Disney World with in depth descriptions, tons of photos, and good voiceover work. The maps were colorful; there were some videos, and even a hidden Mickey Game.
There were other small side games too but I’m going to get into those.
This program let me go back to Disney at anytime. Now that I think of it, it made me want to go back to Disney every time played around on the thing.
Here we are years later and for some reason Disney never released a new version. Sure they did an update version but that was a real punch in the face. You paid full price for almost nothing extra.
I’m not sure why there was never a new version released. Maybe the original was a total flop. Maybe the website was supposed to replace it. Whatever the case I think a new version could be released and a profit easily made on it.
I’ve been waiting for more than a decade so I’m not holding my breath. I wonder if anyone else misses this thing.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Facebook is Evil…..but Everyone’s On It
I never wanted to join Facebook. Not once did I have any desire to put a bunch of random information about me out there for everyone to see. I never understood what the big deal was.
After being harassed by friends and seeing that everyone on Earth was on there I caved and opened an account. I still don’t see what the big deal is. However, it does help to get my blog out there. Don’t get me wrong I’m not doing this blog for any kind of monetary gain. I do it for laughs. I like to crack people up.
So to get up and running on Facebook you need some friends. I went through the list of other Disney community members and searched them all. Everyone I looked for was on there. I went and applied for friendship with all of them. The first person to respond surprised me. I guess it shouldn’t have. After all he was the first one to find this blog. Yes I’m talking about the one and the only, Matt Hochberg. I’m not sure if I should congratulate him for being on the ball or make fun of him for not having a life.
Number two was Mr. Magical Mountain himself – Nathan Rose. Matt only beat him by an hour at the most.
In third place was the Food Loving, Trivia Master, and overall Disney addict, Mr. Lou Mongello. Argh! Mongello!
Honorable mentions go to the Evil Mastermind Mike Newell and Disney Historian Jim Hill.
Now that I’m on Facebook I will come out and say, I AM NEVER JOINING TWITTER! If Facebook repulsed me Twitter makes be projectile vomit. Don’t even ask, I am not going to join.
Look for a post sometime next year announcing my new Twitter account :P
After being harassed by friends and seeing that everyone on Earth was on there I caved and opened an account. I still don’t see what the big deal is. However, it does help to get my blog out there. Don’t get me wrong I’m not doing this blog for any kind of monetary gain. I do it for laughs. I like to crack people up.
So to get up and running on Facebook you need some friends. I went through the list of other Disney community members and searched them all. Everyone I looked for was on there. I went and applied for friendship with all of them. The first person to respond surprised me. I guess it shouldn’t have. After all he was the first one to find this blog. Yes I’m talking about the one and the only, Matt Hochberg. I’m not sure if I should congratulate him for being on the ball or make fun of him for not having a life.
Number two was Mr. Magical Mountain himself – Nathan Rose. Matt only beat him by an hour at the most.
In third place was the Food Loving, Trivia Master, and overall Disney addict, Mr. Lou Mongello. Argh! Mongello!
Honorable mentions go to the Evil Mastermind Mike Newell and Disney Historian Jim Hill.
Now that I’m on Facebook I will come out and say, I AM NEVER JOINING TWITTER! If Facebook repulsed me Twitter makes be projectile vomit. Don’t even ask, I am not going to join.
Look for a post sometime next year announcing my new Twitter account :P
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
New Servers at Yak and Yeti
Yak and Yeti, a restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom know for its awful food, is trying to implement a new serving policy. Starting in late 2009, monkeys will be serving the food to guests. A human server will still take the orders and check in with the guests but monkeys in tuxedos will deliver the food, the bill, and bus tables.
“We really had to do something to spice the place up. The food is so bad we knew we had to change something to keep people coming in. Logically we choose monkey waiters,” a company spokesman said.
There are some issues that are being worked through before the monkeys can be released into the restaurant. Testing revealed the following issues:
- Monkeys have been eating the food while bringing it to the guests
- Some monkeys have been flinging poo when a bad tip is left
- Monkeys haven’t figured out how to use the restroom yet and have been “going” everywhere.
- Monkey fights have broken out
- Two monkeys have become alcoholics from drinking the guest’s drinks
- A rather hairy man was mistaken for a gorilla. All the monkeys started following him around.
- The monkeys thought a morbidly obese lady was a hippo and tried to ride on her back.
- Bananas can no longer be served as they never make it to the tables.
Despite the problems the project is still on track. Expect the prices at Yak and Yeti to increase greatly once the changes have been made.
“We really had to do something to spice the place up. The food is so bad we knew we had to change something to keep people coming in. Logically we choose monkey waiters,” a company spokesman said.
There are some issues that are being worked through before the monkeys can be released into the restaurant. Testing revealed the following issues:
- Monkeys have been eating the food while bringing it to the guests
- Some monkeys have been flinging poo when a bad tip is left
- Monkeys haven’t figured out how to use the restroom yet and have been “going” everywhere.
- Monkey fights have broken out
- Two monkeys have become alcoholics from drinking the guest’s drinks
- A rather hairy man was mistaken for a gorilla. All the monkeys started following him around.
- The monkeys thought a morbidly obese lady was a hippo and tried to ride on her back.
- Bananas can no longer be served as they never make it to the tables.
Despite the problems the project is still on track. Expect the prices at Yak and Yeti to increase greatly once the changes have been made.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
One of the Best Dining Deals in Disney
How do you find a great dining deal in Disney World? It’s not easy. The prices are high, the food quality varies, and the service can be all over the place.
For this overview I’m aiming for the overall package. For the money what gives you the best combination of food, atmosphere, entertainment, value, and service?
First of all most “Signature Dining” locations are eliminated. The price point is too high to really fall into the value category. I’m not saying some of them are not worth the money. They are just don’t fit the bill for what I’m looking for.
What about buffets? You can stuff yourself silly at an ok price.
Buffets don’t fit the bill either. The service isn’t that great, the atmosphere at most buffets isn’t good either. Then there is the food. Buffet food has never been top notch.
One of the best values in all of Disney World might surprise you. It’s the Hoop Dee Doo.
You might balk at that right away and say that’s too expensive. Consider this:
Atmosphere – Pioneer hall is great. It’s a nicely themed building and is very rustic inside.
Show – It is arguably the best show in all of Disney World.
Food – The ribs are the best I’ve had in Disney World. The corn bread is great. The salad is fantastic. The chicken is decent. Even the beans are good. The strawberry shortcake is awesome. Plus it’s all you can eat.
Service – The servers are very good. They even take part in the show.
Wild Card – Yes the Hoop Dee Doo has a wild card. It’s the wild card that makes it the best value. It’s all you can drink. Last time I was there, I put away four beers. At Disney prices that’s about $30 worth of booze. Considering that, I paid about $25 to stuff myself with great food, watch a great show, and get great service. Plus the tip was included.
For this overview I’m aiming for the overall package. For the money what gives you the best combination of food, atmosphere, entertainment, value, and service?
First of all most “Signature Dining” locations are eliminated. The price point is too high to really fall into the value category. I’m not saying some of them are not worth the money. They are just don’t fit the bill for what I’m looking for.
What about buffets? You can stuff yourself silly at an ok price.
Buffets don’t fit the bill either. The service isn’t that great, the atmosphere at most buffets isn’t good either. Then there is the food. Buffet food has never been top notch.
One of the best values in all of Disney World might surprise you. It’s the Hoop Dee Doo.
You might balk at that right away and say that’s too expensive. Consider this:
Atmosphere – Pioneer hall is great. It’s a nicely themed building and is very rustic inside.
Show – It is arguably the best show in all of Disney World.
Food – The ribs are the best I’ve had in Disney World. The corn bread is great. The salad is fantastic. The chicken is decent. Even the beans are good. The strawberry shortcake is awesome. Plus it’s all you can eat.
Service – The servers are very good. They even take part in the show.
Wild Card – Yes the Hoop Dee Doo has a wild card. It’s the wild card that makes it the best value. It’s all you can drink. Last time I was there, I put away four beers. At Disney prices that’s about $30 worth of booze. Considering that, I paid about $25 to stuff myself with great food, watch a great show, and get great service. Plus the tip was included.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Yeti Sues Disney over Breach of Contract
Last week Jose, a giant furry yeti, filed suit against the Walt Disney Company for breach of contract.
In the suit it is claimed that Jose was under contract to appear in the Expedition Everest attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for which he would be housed, fed, and groomed. The suit claims that Jose was relieved from his duties because he ate an estimated three thousand dollars of food a day and was too frightening for some of the guests.
Disney responded and said the suit is frivolous and replacing Jose with a lame stuffed animal with a crummy strobe light on it was done for liability reasons. Disney also stated that Jose was offered a job in food services which he turned down.
When asked to comment Jose stated that he turned the position down because he would have been required to wear a body sized hair net which restricted his movement and was very uncomfortable. He also stated that Disney knew this and only offered the job in an effort to back out of their original contract and force him out of the company.
Opening statements for the case are currently scheduled in November.
In the suit it is claimed that Jose was under contract to appear in the Expedition Everest attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for which he would be housed, fed, and groomed. The suit claims that Jose was relieved from his duties because he ate an estimated three thousand dollars of food a day and was too frightening for some of the guests.
Disney responded and said the suit is frivolous and replacing Jose with a lame stuffed animal with a crummy strobe light on it was done for liability reasons. Disney also stated that Jose was offered a job in food services which he turned down.
When asked to comment Jose stated that he turned the position down because he would have been required to wear a body sized hair net which restricted his movement and was very uncomfortable. He also stated that Disney knew this and only offered the job in an effort to back out of their original contract and force him out of the company.
Opening statements for the case are currently scheduled in November.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Getting a Memorable Ride Photo
I love ride photos. Or maybe I should say I love good ride photos. Some rides have good ride photos and some of them have awful ride photos. Here is a list of photo / interaction on different rides:
Ride Quality
Splash Mountain Great
Buzz Lightyear Bad
Expedition Everest Good
Dinosaur Good
Test Track Awful
Tower of Terror Great
Rocking Roller Coaster Good
Spaceship Earth (interaction) Great
Why is Test Track awful? It’s at the end of the ride. The exciting part is done and nothing is happening. It’s also very hard to time. I’ve never seen a good photo from this ride. Everyone looks like a doofus in these photos.
There are some rules to follow when doing a ride photo. It has to be predictable or during thrilling part. That’s why Splash Mountain and Spaceship Earth are great. On Splash Mountain you know it is coming and it’s during a thrill. On Spaceship Earth it’s predicable.
Spaceship Earth is a double edged sword. I knew the face capture was coming and I knew it was going to be used in the ending. However, I didn’t know it was going to be posted up on a massive screen at the end of the ride. Why is that an issue? Because I made a funny face. Lets just say I got my butt out of the after ride section as fast as I could.
I have a demented goal when it comes to ride photos. I’ve always wanted to get a ride photo taken when I’m wearing my gas mask. I got a cheap gas mask on eBay a while back. It’s a great gag prop. I think it would be really funny to sit in the back of the log on Splash Mountain and put it on right before the drop. There are some problems with that idea. One I don’t think I could get it through airport security. Two there is a chance Disney would block it at security. Maybe some day if I drive down I’ll give it a shot.
Ride Quality
Splash Mountain Great
Buzz Lightyear Bad
Expedition Everest Good
Dinosaur Good
Test Track Awful
Tower of Terror Great
Rocking Roller Coaster Good
Spaceship Earth (interaction) Great
Why is Test Track awful? It’s at the end of the ride. The exciting part is done and nothing is happening. It’s also very hard to time. I’ve never seen a good photo from this ride. Everyone looks like a doofus in these photos.
There are some rules to follow when doing a ride photo. It has to be predictable or during thrilling part. That’s why Splash Mountain and Spaceship Earth are great. On Splash Mountain you know it is coming and it’s during a thrill. On Spaceship Earth it’s predicable.
Spaceship Earth is a double edged sword. I knew the face capture was coming and I knew it was going to be used in the ending. However, I didn’t know it was going to be posted up on a massive screen at the end of the ride. Why is that an issue? Because I made a funny face. Lets just say I got my butt out of the after ride section as fast as I could.
I have a demented goal when it comes to ride photos. I’ve always wanted to get a ride photo taken when I’m wearing my gas mask. I got a cheap gas mask on eBay a while back. It’s a great gag prop. I think it would be really funny to sit in the back of the log on Splash Mountain and put it on right before the drop. There are some problems with that idea. One I don’t think I could get it through airport security. Two there is a chance Disney would block it at security. Maybe some day if I drive down I’ll give it a shot.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Imagination Pavilion Rehab – How Not to do a Rehab
The Imagination Pavilion hit its zenith back in the late 80’s. Journey into Imagination was a bright, colorful, much beloved ride. In the other part of the pavilion Captain EO, staring the biggest star of the last 30 years, was playing. Outside you had a building with amazing architecture, jumping fountains, and backwards waterfall. How could things get better?
In time Captain EO had to be replaced. That was understandable. Not many movie based rides can stand the test of time. To replace it Disney placed Honey I Shrunk the Audience into that theater. That was an odd choice. Those movies were good but not classics. Despite that fact it was a good attraction. It wasn’t as good as Captain EO when it was at its peak but it was good.
The real trouble started when the original Journey into Imagination was closed for a major overhaul. When I heard that I was shocked. That attraction was the attraction in Epcot. No other attraction had the impact it had. The biggest reason for this was the characters in that ride. Figment and the Dreamfinder were huge hits. Beyond that the ride was stunning. From an artistic standpoint it was one of the best rides Disney had every made. I’m not a fan of art but that ride even wowed me with it’s colors, animatronics, and special effects.
The new Imagination ride opened in 2000. It was one of the biggest mistakes, if not the biggest, in Disney’s history. I really wonder what the people who designed this ride were on. Whatever it is, I want some. If they have someone that makes a torture seem good I think we all need some. Sometimes I think there was a contest among the imagineers to see who could ruin the ride the most. I honestly believe that someone sat down and thought “What works? People love figment. People love Dreamfinder. The song is a classic Sherman brothers song. There are lots of bright colors. There is a fantastic mural in the queue. This is a well lighted ride. It’s happy and it’s upbeat, leaving you feeling good after. How can I ruin every single one of those things?”
The new ride was dark, insulting, boring, and actually found a way to KILL you imagination. Figment, Dreamfinder, and the beloved song were all gone. Not only that the ride actually found a way to leave you drained and depressed. It seemed to last forever even though it was dramatically shorter.
To say there was outrage is an understatement. According to a number of sources, the overhauled ride garnered more complaints than any other ride in the history of Disney World. In fact so many complaints were received something unprecedented happened. After only two years the ride was closed down and overhauled again. The new version of the ride had Figment and the Sherman Brother’s song loaded back into it. It was a much better version but still a sad shadow of what it once was.
Where are we now? The ride is still there. It needs help. You can’t replace a classic unless you’re replacing it with something that is at least equal to the original. Therefore, without a complete overhaul this ride will always be a failure. The Honey show is still there. Remember what I said about movie attractions? Honey is so antiquated and outdated that you now have teenagers who were not alive when the movie the attraction was based on was in theaters. Add that to the fact a lot of people have never even seen the movie. It’s not what I would call a Disney classic.
It’s sad. This pavilion has suffered so much and fallen so far. It was once the top dog at Epcot. Now it’s competing with the Universe of Energy for next to last. Last of course is the Wonders of Life Pavilion. If you didn’t know, the Wonders of Life was euthanized a few years back.
In time Captain EO had to be replaced. That was understandable. Not many movie based rides can stand the test of time. To replace it Disney placed Honey I Shrunk the Audience into that theater. That was an odd choice. Those movies were good but not classics. Despite that fact it was a good attraction. It wasn’t as good as Captain EO when it was at its peak but it was good.
The real trouble started when the original Journey into Imagination was closed for a major overhaul. When I heard that I was shocked. That attraction was the attraction in Epcot. No other attraction had the impact it had. The biggest reason for this was the characters in that ride. Figment and the Dreamfinder were huge hits. Beyond that the ride was stunning. From an artistic standpoint it was one of the best rides Disney had every made. I’m not a fan of art but that ride even wowed me with it’s colors, animatronics, and special effects.
The new Imagination ride opened in 2000. It was one of the biggest mistakes, if not the biggest, in Disney’s history. I really wonder what the people who designed this ride were on. Whatever it is, I want some. If they have someone that makes a torture seem good I think we all need some. Sometimes I think there was a contest among the imagineers to see who could ruin the ride the most. I honestly believe that someone sat down and thought “What works? People love figment. People love Dreamfinder. The song is a classic Sherman brothers song. There are lots of bright colors. There is a fantastic mural in the queue. This is a well lighted ride. It’s happy and it’s upbeat, leaving you feeling good after. How can I ruin every single one of those things?”
The new ride was dark, insulting, boring, and actually found a way to KILL you imagination. Figment, Dreamfinder, and the beloved song were all gone. Not only that the ride actually found a way to leave you drained and depressed. It seemed to last forever even though it was dramatically shorter.
To say there was outrage is an understatement. According to a number of sources, the overhauled ride garnered more complaints than any other ride in the history of Disney World. In fact so many complaints were received something unprecedented happened. After only two years the ride was closed down and overhauled again. The new version of the ride had Figment and the Sherman Brother’s song loaded back into it. It was a much better version but still a sad shadow of what it once was.
Where are we now? The ride is still there. It needs help. You can’t replace a classic unless you’re replacing it with something that is at least equal to the original. Therefore, without a complete overhaul this ride will always be a failure. The Honey show is still there. Remember what I said about movie attractions? Honey is so antiquated and outdated that you now have teenagers who were not alive when the movie the attraction was based on was in theaters. Add that to the fact a lot of people have never even seen the movie. It’s not what I would call a Disney classic.
It’s sad. This pavilion has suffered so much and fallen so far. It was once the top dog at Epcot. Now it’s competing with the Universe of Energy for next to last. Last of course is the Wonders of Life Pavilion. If you didn’t know, the Wonders of Life was euthanized a few years back.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
New Exhibit for Down Town Disney Announced
A new exhibit is coming to Downtown Disney later this year. “They Left What?!?” is an exhibit composed of all the fun, bizarre, or down right scary items guests have lost / left behind in the parks in Disney World.
“We feel the entertainment value of this new exhibit is substantial,” stated a company spokesman. “The mix of artifacts on display here is second to none. No one can match the collection we’ve created here.”
Here are just a few of the many artifacts that will be on display when the exhibit opens:
A titanium prosthesis leg
A full gas mask
A child who has proven to be the most annoying child on Earth
A pacemaker
A preserved monkey brain
An unloaded bazooka
A Yosemite Sam Costume
A life sized mouse trap
A body bag
A Seeing Eye dog name George
Pauley Shore
An “I Grock Spock” T-Shirt
A real shrunken head
A couch
How one smuggles a couch or an unloaded bazooka through security is unknown. Other mysteries include - how do you misplace your See and Eye dog? Where does one purchase a life sized mouse trap? Was the monkey brain going to be a midday snack? How do you walk without your leg? Possibly the most disturbing of all – Why would go anywhere with Pauley Shore?
“Some of the mysteries will never be answered. Others we know. If you spend five minutes with the kid who got left behind, you know why his parents left him behind. We know why Pauley Shore was left behind we have no idea why someone was with him in the first place,” Stated a talking donkey who works in the Utilidoors underneath the Magic Kingdom.
Entry into the exhibit is expected to cost ten dollars. The cost will be waved for annual pass holders, D23 members, and guests who have the “Water Parks and More” option on their tickets.
“We feel the entertainment value of this new exhibit is substantial,” stated a company spokesman. “The mix of artifacts on display here is second to none. No one can match the collection we’ve created here.”
Here are just a few of the many artifacts that will be on display when the exhibit opens:
A titanium prosthesis leg
A full gas mask
A child who has proven to be the most annoying child on Earth
A pacemaker
A preserved monkey brain
An unloaded bazooka
A Yosemite Sam Costume
A life sized mouse trap
A body bag
A Seeing Eye dog name George
Pauley Shore
An “I Grock Spock” T-Shirt
A real shrunken head
A couch
How one smuggles a couch or an unloaded bazooka through security is unknown. Other mysteries include - how do you misplace your See and Eye dog? Where does one purchase a life sized mouse trap? Was the monkey brain going to be a midday snack? How do you walk without your leg? Possibly the most disturbing of all – Why would go anywhere with Pauley Shore?
“Some of the mysteries will never be answered. Others we know. If you spend five minutes with the kid who got left behind, you know why his parents left him behind. We know why Pauley Shore was left behind we have no idea why someone was with him in the first place,” Stated a talking donkey who works in the Utilidoors underneath the Magic Kingdom.
Entry into the exhibit is expected to cost ten dollars. The cost will be waved for annual pass holders, D23 members, and guests who have the “Water Parks and More” option on their tickets.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Another Year Announced – Nothing Like Being Consistent
So Disney announced some information about next year and big surprise, ticket prices are going up. At this point I’d be surprised if Disney didn’t raise ticket prices. It almost feels like a running cliché. To be honest, if Disney didn’t raise ticket prices I’d stop dead in my tracks and ask “What’s wrong?”
On the down side there wasn’t anything that really surprised me about their announcements. Couldn’t they mix it up for once? Maybe announce a new kind of ticket or option to add a little spice.
One thing I think could really mix things up is to add bonuses to plans and tickets. For example: If you buy a 10 day pass you get a Disney pin that you can’t buy anywhere. I think doing something like that would take the sting out of a ticket price increase.
The dining plan also went up in cost – big shocker there. I did the dining plan once. It was ok. I can honestly say I won’t be doing it again. I ate way too much on the dining plan because I had to get my money’s worth.
Next I’m expecting that Disney will announce a promotion soon. What will replace “What Will You Celebrate?” Maybe “Come Be Broke With Us!” I think that would be fitting. They could dress all of the characters like hobos and make them panhandle from guests.
I’m also expecting an announcement in regards to a discount for the 1st quarter. This could be the wild card. I could see Disney doing nothing but that’s unlikely. I don’t think they’ll extend the free dining. It will have been going on for three months with limited success. I’m not sure if they will do the buy four get three free either. That was a great promotion but it cost them.
On the down side there wasn’t anything that really surprised me about their announcements. Couldn’t they mix it up for once? Maybe announce a new kind of ticket or option to add a little spice.
One thing I think could really mix things up is to add bonuses to plans and tickets. For example: If you buy a 10 day pass you get a Disney pin that you can’t buy anywhere. I think doing something like that would take the sting out of a ticket price increase.
The dining plan also went up in cost – big shocker there. I did the dining plan once. It was ok. I can honestly say I won’t be doing it again. I ate way too much on the dining plan because I had to get my money’s worth.
Next I’m expecting that Disney will announce a promotion soon. What will replace “What Will You Celebrate?” Maybe “Come Be Broke With Us!” I think that would be fitting. They could dress all of the characters like hobos and make them panhandle from guests.
I’m also expecting an announcement in regards to a discount for the 1st quarter. This could be the wild card. I could see Disney doing nothing but that’s unlikely. I don’t think they’ll extend the free dining. It will have been going on for three months with limited success. I’m not sure if they will do the buy four get three free either. That was a great promotion but it cost them.
Monday, August 3, 2009
WDW Today Goes to Oregon
What would happen if the gang from the WDW Today podcast attempted to travel the Oregon Trail? Good question. I decided to find out. I plugged everyone in and sent them down the trail to see what would happen.
They got off to a bad start thanks to Scopa’s uncanny ability to lose the trail. With Scopa Leading, on April 12th, he los the trail and it took three days to find it again. Unfortunately he did it again on April 19th but only lost one day this time.
The first member to get seriously ill was Len. He contracted dysentery on May 5th and it took him four days to recover.
The first member to break something was Newel. He busted his leg on May 14th and it took him four days to recover.
Having to be the center of attention, Len went ahead and caught measles on May 22nd and it took him two days to get better.
Annette didn’t want to be showed up by the boys so she went ahead and contracted typhoid on June 16th, costing the team four days of travel time.
Apparently Matt had enough and ran off getting himself lost on June 27th. It took three days to find him. His little adventure left him weak which resulted in a nice case of dysentery on July 4th costing the team three days.
Len climbed a maple tree in search of syrup, fell out, and broke his arm on July 15th. It was four days before he could travel again.
Scopa’s brilliant navigation skills made a comeback on July 21st when the team lost the trail again. Only a day was lost this time.
Matt, still weak from the dysentery, caught a nice case of the measles on July 28th. The team lost three days.
Newell, who had been healthy since his injury, had two bouts of Cholera on August 1st and August 12th costing the team a total of seven days.
On August 13th Len though it would be fun to play with a snake on the side of the trail. The snake bit him. Len got sick and delayed the team for three days. The bit left him weak and he contracted typhoid on August 31st costing the team another three days.
Len tripped Matt resulting in a broken leg on September 5th. It took five days for Matt to recover.
On September 11th Scopa got excited when thought he smelled the ocean but it turned out to be Newell. Len ratted him out.
On September 17th a fight broke out when Scopa told Annette that she needed a bath.
On September 21st, with the destination in sight, Matt decided it was a good time to catch Dysentery. Instead of waiting for him to recover, a doctor was paid $28 in gold to help. That’s roughly $2800 when adjusted for inflation.
On September 23rd Matt tried to trip Len. Len dodged out of the way and Newell tripped instead, breaking his arm in the process. Their shenanigans cost the team another $14 in doctor bills.
On September 25th Scopa had the brilliant idea of trying to float down the river to their goal. He crashed the raft in process. Everyone survived but it caused a 20 day delay while the wagon was rebuilt.
On October 24th the WDW Today team reached finally reached Oregon.
What did we learn by doing this? A number of things:
- Never let Scopa drive!
- It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Then it’s hilarious.
- If Matt isn’t sick, Len will be.
- Newell likes to break things.
- Annette is nearly invincible and knows how to travel. I guess there is a reason she is a travel agent.
- Never, EVER let Scopa drive one of the rafts that go to Tom Sawyers Island. It won’t end well.
They got off to a bad start thanks to Scopa’s uncanny ability to lose the trail. With Scopa Leading, on April 12th, he los the trail and it took three days to find it again. Unfortunately he did it again on April 19th but only lost one day this time.
The first member to get seriously ill was Len. He contracted dysentery on May 5th and it took him four days to recover.
The first member to break something was Newel. He busted his leg on May 14th and it took him four days to recover.
Having to be the center of attention, Len went ahead and caught measles on May 22nd and it took him two days to get better.
Annette didn’t want to be showed up by the boys so she went ahead and contracted typhoid on June 16th, costing the team four days of travel time.
Apparently Matt had enough and ran off getting himself lost on June 27th. It took three days to find him. His little adventure left him weak which resulted in a nice case of dysentery on July 4th costing the team three days.
Len climbed a maple tree in search of syrup, fell out, and broke his arm on July 15th. It was four days before he could travel again.
Scopa’s brilliant navigation skills made a comeback on July 21st when the team lost the trail again. Only a day was lost this time.
Matt, still weak from the dysentery, caught a nice case of the measles on July 28th. The team lost three days.
Newell, who had been healthy since his injury, had two bouts of Cholera on August 1st and August 12th costing the team a total of seven days.
On August 13th Len though it would be fun to play with a snake on the side of the trail. The snake bit him. Len got sick and delayed the team for three days. The bit left him weak and he contracted typhoid on August 31st costing the team another three days.
Len tripped Matt resulting in a broken leg on September 5th. It took five days for Matt to recover.
On September 11th Scopa got excited when thought he smelled the ocean but it turned out to be Newell. Len ratted him out.
On September 17th a fight broke out when Scopa told Annette that she needed a bath.
On September 21st, with the destination in sight, Matt decided it was a good time to catch Dysentery. Instead of waiting for him to recover, a doctor was paid $28 in gold to help. That’s roughly $2800 when adjusted for inflation.
On September 23rd Matt tried to trip Len. Len dodged out of the way and Newell tripped instead, breaking his arm in the process. Their shenanigans cost the team another $14 in doctor bills.
On September 25th Scopa had the brilliant idea of trying to float down the river to their goal. He crashed the raft in process. Everyone survived but it caused a 20 day delay while the wagon was rebuilt.
On October 24th the WDW Today team reached finally reached Oregon.
What did we learn by doing this? A number of things:
- Never let Scopa drive!
- It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Then it’s hilarious.
- If Matt isn’t sick, Len will be.
- Newell likes to break things.
- Annette is nearly invincible and knows how to travel. I guess there is a reason she is a travel agent.
- Never, EVER let Scopa drive one of the rafts that go to Tom Sawyers Island. It won’t end well.
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