Originally Posted By barboy I was on this fairly small island(maybe smaller than EPCOT-- but hard to say) in the Bahamas just outside Nassau and there were a handful of locals who looked like they had never been off the island and definitely never outside of the the Bahamas(I don't know because I did not ask). It was the most beautiful Island one can imagine.....you know the rules......the finest white sand, crystal clear water, vast vegetation on the island with a mini mountain which offered breathtaking views of the open water. The few locals there didn't seem to fully appreciate what they have. People all over the world save for years, travel great distances just to get a piece of paradise like that and here this clan gets it daily, for "free" even. Do the Japanese fully understand and appreciate that they have easy access to the best of Disney? Or do the Japanese Disney fans think that thier resort is just another link in the Disney chain-- not necessarily stronger and certainly not weaker? Or do they take the "grass is greener in Orlando's backyard" approach or see WDW as the "promised land"?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Given how rabid some of the Japanses fans get, I would say that they have a pretty good idea that they know what they have. The pushing and shoving an hour before the park opens, every single day, says that those folks know that they have something special. A lot of them make people like us in the US just look like casual visitors in comparison.
Originally Posted By Malin Interesting topic, but I think this topic should be aimed at all the Annual Passholders that visit both Disneyland and Walt Disney World who clearly don't seem to apreciate just how lucky there are to be able to jump in the car and within 30 minutes be inside one of the parks. As for the Japanese I don't think they hold OLC or the TDR Resort in quite as high regard that many Westerners do. During my recent trip to Paris I spotted many Japanese guest from Japan enjoying the parks. I think this proves that while most do love the Resort, they also are not ignorant to its many faults either. And certainly don't visit the other Disney park complaining about how the standards are much higher back home.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***And certainly don't visit the other Disney park complaining about how the standards are much higher back home.*** Exactly. I think most Japanese would prefer going to DisneyWorld (who wouldn't!?), and see the Tokyo resort as just "the local parks". After all, unlike in vast America, Japan is small enough that virtually anyone can visit Disney at least once pretty easily, and most have. It's more like your local amusement park (and feels like it too, with the mad pushing and shoving and weird customs), whereas DisneyWorld is truly the "dream vacation". Many Japanese people dream of honeymooning at WDW, by the way, and often do so following a Disney themed wedding. By the way, Barboy, that island sounds awesome. I can understand how locals wouldn't care so much. It's just "there", and the economy is probably not so hot and they're likely all stuck in crappy jobs serving the tourists...so while for us it's "getting away from it all", for them it's just "away from it all".
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Well, to be fair, that could said of ANYONE who has the oppurtunity (that is interested anyway) of visiting a Disney theme park. For all the AP nerds slamming WDW, DLR and etc because they spend waaaay too much time there, there are people all around the world who dream they could just one day there, a trip-of-a-lifetime if possible and would probably pop their eyes out the second they see that sphere in Epcot, marvel at Soarin at DCA or delight in taking a dip in Splash Moutain. Again, this stuff is ALL subjective! Yes, I believe TDR is great (and been there too many times to count now), but hell, I been to them all minus one park (WDSP), but I think on average entering a Disney park is a very special thing, regardless which one it is, to most. I think people question *how* special it by the price/number of attractions/upkeep etc, but overall, most would love to just experience ONE of them in their lifetime. The problem is Disney *KNOWS* this and think they can dumb down the experience and water it down so badly, ala DCA, WDSP, HKDL, etc and they mistake high interest for nieve interest and that people would just be happy to have one regardless how bad it really is. Sure, people might be willing to see it ONCE to see what the hype is all about, but its really the second, third, fourth and etc that's a true marker and fortunatly for resorts like TDR, it fits that bill over and over again.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris "Do the Japanese fully understand and appreciate that they have easy access to the best of Disney?" I remember reading about some TDR execs who flew to California and were VERY excited about finally being about to visit the original, "Walt's park". Now, bear in mind this was back before the 50th, about three new coats of paint and certainly tens of millions of dollars of maintenance ago - we're talking the dark days of the Pressler era here. Apparently they came in, all a-buzz but as they were toured arounf the park their demeanor grew more sombre and their disappointment more palpable. I just hope those particular execs flew back to Tokyo and shouted from the rooftop of Worl Bazaar exactly what they have there!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss ^^That could be true... or it could be one of those urban legends. When I was on the plane coming back from my trip to the grand opening of TDS, I met a Japanese couple on their way to WDW. I hope they liked it, because they had to stay there awhile, because the events of 9/11 prevented them from leaving.
Originally Posted By Mr X Sounds rather urbanlegend-ish, fwiw. Most TDR executives have been to Anaheim and Orlando many times. Those that haven't have surely had conversations about the resorts, including probably a lot more detail about conditions/situations/updates than any of us would ever have. For them to show up (all excited, like kids!) and feel disappointed or something...well, yeah. That sounds like urban legend territory to me. I'd bet that Japanese couple was in heaven, actually...I'm sure they were well treated, and I assume they enjoyed their extra few days assuming they had enough money to cover things (if not...yikes).
Originally Posted By trekkeruss There is no denying that WDW has all that S P A C E, making TDR seem very un-resort like.
Originally Posted By Mr X Sure. Actually a TDR guy said just that when he returned from his first trip to Florida. Specifically he said "well, we call this place a "resort", but in Florida is really IS a resort".
Originally Posted By barboy "Given how rabid some of the Japanses fans get, I would say that they have a pretty good idea that they know what they have. The pushing and shoving an hour before the park opens, every single day, says that those folks know that they have something special." Well yes, the monstous annual attendance figures coupled with the utter morning madness says TDR most definitely has a serious following but that doesn't necessarily mean that the Japanese feel that their parks are special in the Disney park lineup.
Originally Posted By barboy "By the way, Barboy, that island sounds awesome. I can understand how locals wouldn't care so much. It's just "there", and the economy is probably not so hot and they're likely all stuck in crappy jobs serving the tourists...so while for us it's "getting away from it all", for them it's just "away from it all". " The locals(which had to be less than 15, lived a subsistence type of life, no electricity, telephones, cars) seemed quite amused and happy to see the daily tourist boat arrive as, perhaps, it gave them something to do. It must get pretty lonely living on that island so I'm sure their whole day's excitement centered around tourists snorkeling and eating fresh seafood and fruits. But without a comparison/contrast to life outside of their paradise I just don't think they could fully appreciate what they have. I remember growing up in Sausalito, Ca(a semi world famous spot just across the Golden Gate Bridge) and to me it was just a town--- that's it, nothing too noteworthy. It wasn't until I became older and moved away from there that I started to really understand how special Sausalito is.
Originally Posted By barboy "Apparently they came in, all a-buzz but as they were toured arounf the park their demeanor grew more sombre and their disappointment more palpable." That account most definitely sounds plausible but like others have said it just might be an urban myth.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris Growing up, the only thing I knew about Sausalito was that it was mentioned by Uhura and Chekov in STAR TREK IV. My friends and I used to make fun of it because it sounded like sausage. Other than that, I have no idea why it would be "semi world famous".
Originally Posted By barboy Sausalito is a very small, affluent community--- much like Carmel on the California coast --- and is a huge tourist stop for those who come to San Fran. The community is on the immediate northern side of the Golden Gate Bridge and offers steller bay views. Many visit the community for shops, eating, bike riding, sailing and even non chain type hotels overlooking the bay.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Both Carmel and Sausalito tend to be places Americans go to visit. Just like a lot of Brits go to Cornwall and the Lake District, but I do not know many foreign tourists that bother with those.
Originally Posted By barboy "but I do not know many foreign tourists that bother with those(Carmel and Sausalito)". Oh they do now---boy do they do! Europeans are all over nothern Calif. tapping the wine country of Sonoma and Napa counties, going up to Yosemite and Tahoe, crossing the Golden Gate for Sausalito and heading slightly south to Monterey and Carmel. I have never seen so many European people around Nothern Calif. like these past several months. Just last Monday I went to Yosemite for a day visit and it seemed as if every third person was from Europe. And I would say Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran. is the epicenter of the northern Calif. invasion. ---- which brings me to ask you dave: during you California tour you must have noticed all of the Europeans up and down the state from Pier 39 in SF to Sea World in San Diego, right?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo We noticed a few. No more than we normally encounter. At Sea World in SD though, one cast member noted how my wife seemed to be the 1st english person they have seen smiling!
Originally Posted By Bob Paris "Both Carmel and Sausalito tend to be places Americans go to visit. Just like a lot of Brits go to Cornwall and the Lake District, but I do not know many foreign tourists that bother with those." Indeed. I have been to the US twice and both times to San Francisco. To my knowledge, I never took a deliberate trip to Sausalito. I DID get to visit a world famous ranch in Marin County and also went to some famous boarwalk/amusement place where they filmed the opening scenes from "The Lost Boys". That was pretty cool!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Hey Bob, would that be Skywalker or Neverland ;-) Santa Cruz is pretty cool, but again, not many foreign tourists tend to go there. To most Brits - California is probably - LA, San Francisco, Disneyland, Yosemite, and San Diego (in that order). Much of the rest being left out. Same thing when Americans come here, they concentrate on London and Edinburgh maybe, but miss out on all the other really cool places.
