Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara It's hard to imagine half of Main Street entirely closed in any park ... so what's happening on the left side of World Bazaar? it looks like the entire building is shut tight? For how long? Anyone know?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Well, didn't they just have the entire other side (top right) closed for a while to redo the shops and add some new ones? Maybe they are doing something similar, or completely refurbishing the entire land, but because of its placement they have to do it in sections.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara They closed only a small portion of the other side while they turned the toy store and book store into clothing shops (I think), and moved the toy store (expanding it) around the corner. They really ruined the first section of the left side because of the size of the damn confectionary shop: they took over three stores for it: one has merchandise (cookies and so one in gift tins), the second shop consists entirely of an enormous switchback queue, and third store consists entirely of row upon row of cashiers. So, instead of three shops, now you have one shop. A shame, because the loss of each individual shop robs the are of a vital part of its character. Eventually you end up with the strip-mall horror that Main Street in Orlando has become.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>They closed only a small portion of the other side while they turned the toy store and book store into clothing shops (I think), and moved the toy store (expanding it) around the corner.<< Actually, you are not correct. When the right side of World Bazaar went down, the ENTIRE block closed for some time, but some venues were opened one by one before the Toy shop and the Clothiers areas opened. As for the left side now being closed, I am glad they are doing changes and stuff. Makes TDL interesting to me. I don't think the shops have suffered due to the mega-store concepts they are adopting there. Plus, given the amount of traffic they get at these shops... it only makes sense. I also agree that the MK's Main Street is a horrific mess, but surprisingly so.. at TDL, most areas of the right side of World Bazaar still retain a uniqueness to each section. Can't comment on what's going on on the left side yet, but we'll see...
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara I didn't realize they had closed the entire right side at one point. They did a very nice job with its new configuration, though the fact that there is longer a central book, CD, and DVD buying location is pretty pathetic! Last time I had to go all the way to Maruzen in Ikspiari to get the latest Tokyo Disney Resort guide books as well as Disney Fan magazine. One of the things that makes the street seem like a real shopping street in a small town is keeping the identities of the stores distinct even though you can walk from one through to another. They are doing a pretty good job of this at Disneyland in Anaheim--even the Main Street Cinema is still showing Disney cartoons. When all the stores are merged, as they've done with the Confectionary in TDL, and with so much of Orlando's Main Street, there's little to actually make you stop and walk into the shops--you already know what's in them. There's no point in even entering two of the previously three shops that make up the Confectionary--they have simply been converted into a human conveyer belt to take your money. Where's the "show" in that? It degenerates the experience that the street was created for. (This is the type of thing that Kevin Yee, so anxious to write a book about how to visit Tokyo Disneyland after ONE trip, was oblivious to in his Al-Lutz inspired bias.)
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan World Bazaar never really felt like a real town to me. I would say that the atmosphere is more reminiscent of a Victorian era shopping center than a small town in the turn of the century.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara There were no "shopping centers" per se in Victorian times, unless you mean shopping arcades (and perhaps the glass roof is what invokes this feeling). World Bazaar, unlike any other "main street" in the other Magic Kingdoms, successfully creates a more realistic shopping street because it has two real streets which intersect--and the East Side and West Side streets actually go somewhere other than to lockers or a fruit stand.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris I really liked that element when I visited TDL. Just another unique thing to the TDR that added to it! Oh and what's this about the CD/DVD store gone? That was SO handy on my last night there. I just ducked in and grabbed armfuls of CDs before leaving. No fuss and easily done. Now I gotta troop all the way to some unknown shop in th dark back recesses of Ikspiari? Sorry but the only time I went in there was about 11pm one night. Half the lights were off, the damned place was deserted and the cinema there was showing foreign films so we couldn't even plan to go see a movie. I have a VERY low opinion of that place.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<There were no "shopping centers" per se in Victorian times, unless you mean shopping arcades (and perhaps the glass roof is what invokes this feeling). World Bazaar, unlike any other "main street" in the other Magic Kingdoms, successfully creates a more realistic shopping street because it has two real streets which intersect--and the East Side and West Side streets actually go somewhere other than to lockers or a fruit stand.>> Yes, a shopping arcade is perhaps the best term. And I agree with your assessment. I always hate it when people (especially those that have not been) bash World Bazaar repeatedly for being, in their words, ugly and unrealistc. Their reasoning being that the huge roof destroys any semblance of realism and scale, particularly making the facades look too flat. <<I have a VERY low opinion of that place.>> I personally think Ikspiari is better than Downtown Disney and especially the tacky Disney Village in Paris.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara Bob, Ikspiari is really a lot of fun. There are some superb restaurants (Imahan is a very famous branch of a restaurant from Tokyo and does excellent Shabu-Shabu, and there's a great Yakiniku, i.e., Korean Barbeque, restaurant there as well. There's also a decent Italian restaurant on the top floor). Maruzen is on the lower level ... I think it's at the end of Ikspiari nearest the Ambassador Hotel. The place is indeed a bit of a maze!
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara I would agree with TDR_Fan; the only two Downtown Disney type of areas I really enjoy and spend time in are Ikspiari and Downtown Disney in Anaheim. If I'm in Orlando, The Adventurer's Club is pretty much the only reason to go to Downtown Disney there. The rest is a pit (but the food at Portobello Yacht Club is excellent, and I always eat there before heading to the Adventurer's Club).
Originally Posted By Bob Paris I must admit, I didn't really like DDO. Like the rest of WDW it felt too sprawling. It didn't seem to have much charm. Plus, it was one of the few places in WDW I didn't quite feel "safe" in. I am not sure why but at times it just felt like a different crowd there. Couple that with the TDR where I just ALWAYS felt completely safe!
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<Couple that with the TDR where I just ALWAYS felt completely safe!>> I agree. I have absolutely no worries about theft, rudeness, or any kind of concern when I'm at TDR.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris I was watching an old ride video on Youtube last night and it brought back memories of how the CMs act at TDR. As the ride vehicles take off, all you see is CMs waving you off and their cries of whatever it is they are saying, which I guess is "Have a nice trip" or whatever. Compare that to the surly, fat, facially-haired imbued cretins at WDW who can barely muster a smile and are checking their watch until break time.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<As the ride vehicles take off, all you see is CMs waving you off and their cries of whatever it is they are saying, which I guess is "Have a nice trip" or whatever.>> I distinctly remember one CM from my last trip who would pretend to cast magic to release the lap bars on Snow White. It was very neat to watch as he gestured his hand exactly to the moment the bars released. All the children (and some adults) were delighted at his little trick. It made everyone in our group smile at the dedication of the CMs at TDR.
Originally Posted By Mr X **Sorry but the only time I went in there was about 11pm one night. Half the lights were off, the damned place was deserted and the cinema there was showing foreign films so we couldn't even plan to go see a movie. I have a VERY low opinion of that place.** Considering that Ikspiari officially closes at 9/9:30, your low opinion isn't all that fair. Of COURSE it was all dark and deserted, it was CLOSED! They only leave the passageways open for late night movie goers and restaurant patrons.
Originally Posted By Mr X **Compare that to the surly, fat, facially-haired imbued cretins at WDW who can barely muster a smile and are checking their watch until break time.** Ridiculous. It's really funny how much hyperbole is used here in the laughingplace (bitchingplace? ).
Originally Posted By FerretAfros "Plus, it was one of the few places in WDW I didn't quite feel "safe" in." I totally know that feeling. I was in WDW a few years ago with a group, and we had breakfast at the Planet Hollywood in DTD, and we walked through the main area from where we had parked the busses. I don't know why, but i also had the exact same feeling. The place was deserted (it was just us and a couple CM's getting ready, cleaning sidewalks, and general security) and it still felt a little unsafe compared to the rest of the visit. I don't know if it's because it so open (the lake on one side makes it feel a lot more exposed) than everything else, but it just creeped me out. And there wasn't even anybody there to be acting creepy!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Maybe a trip to Universal Orlando's CityWalk after dark, may make all of you change your opinions about DTD or Ikspiari being unsafe... Wanna talk about Ghetto Paradise?
