Originally Posted By TDLFAN I went to see the Lights with G-Fan Friday evening... It was a HORRENDOUS experience!! While the light show has always been pretty, and huge.. Huge to the point of almost pushing the envelope of becoming cheesy and tacky, the dancing aspect of the lights this year is nicely done, even if the music they play is way too loud for what it is: a light show. Yet, my complaint stems from the horrible lack of crowd control and traffic planning. Add to that the HUGE size of strollers, electric carts and similar Teamsters-approved vehicles being utilized by guests in the park. LA traffic at rush hour is a cakewalk compared to this mess! Can you spell Gridlock? There were so many people standing in one place, it was virtual gridlock. If you had to leave in an emergency from that area, may as well confess your sins and die, because you won't be moving anywhere. This gets especially trying when the light dance begins. 99.6% of the guests in the area come to a stand still and you simply can't move. I also witnessed several guests covering their ears since the music was blasting so loud from the speakers. I will give the show a B- overall, but the cast gets a big fat F for lack of trying to make it more enjoyable and less trying to enjoy the entire NYC area. I don't plan to return to MGM for this display again this year unless crowd control issues are improved. But don't take it from me... hopefully some of you will get to visit on a day when there won't be too many guests in the park for this display.
Originally Posted By demderedoseguys >hopefully some of you will get to visit on a day when there won't be too many guests in the park for this display< Glad I was there for a preview show in early November. Virtually no crowds, strollers. It was a pleasure!!
Originally Posted By mrichmondj So, what sort of crowd control measures do you recommend to alleviate these problems?
Originally Posted By demderedoseguys ^^ Well, it sounds as if at least ONE less person will be there for future shows this year. that's gotta help.)
Originally Posted By Mr X MRich, I'm sure there is plenty they could do. TDLFAN is accustomed to the crowd control methods at Tokyo Disneyland (as am I), which can handle pretty much anything. And I mean ANYTHING (no crowds in the world of theme parks could possibly compare to New Years Eve at the Tokyo resort...and crowd control is handled impeccably). So, I believe that he's pointing it out not only to "bitch" about it, but because he knows it is certainly possible to handle stuff like that if they wanted to. One very important aspect at TDR is the fact that they designate certain places where you can just sit (or stand) and watch, first come first served, and if you are not in one of those places it's "move along please" every 5 feet by a polite but firm cast member. Just one example.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> that they designate certain places where you can just sit (or stand) and watch, first come first served, and if you are not in one of those places it's "move along please" every 5 feet by a polite but firm cast member. << This is what is done over at MK on Main Street during crowded parade times. Why they don't do the same thing at Studios for this display I don't understand. Maybe things are busier than they ever expected them to be at the Studio's lights. Especially this notion of all the wheeled vehicles pretty much having free run. It's really dangerous when things are crowded. They don't let guests rent Segways for private use in the parks because they worry about accidents. But motorized, wheeled vehicles seem to be "laissez faire." Those motorized chairs are a menace in a crowded situation, especially when it's dark. When they run they depend on the reflexes and visual accuity of the operator. Which can be a challenge.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>So, what sort of crowd control measures do you recommend to alleviate these problems?<< I recommend they do what they did the first year the lights were installed in the NYC street area: divide the street in half and have people go down one way to the end and then come back in the opposite way the other way. It made for an orginized viewing of the display. >>Well, it sounds as if at least ONE less person will be there for future shows this year. that's gotta help.<< Don't count on it. One person missing from this display is spece replaced by one huge stroller/electric chair which, unlike me, will be run into your ankles mercilessly by some fearless driver. Besides... I am NOT ranting on the display. I however *know* there are better ways to handle crowd control, and for a resort that has been in business for 35 yrs, and with previous experience from CA on top of that, I expect better. Is that so difficult to understand dodoguys?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<So, what sort of crowd control measures do you recommend to alleviate these problems?>> They could bring in some of the light-wand Nazis that used to work the tapestry of Dreams parade at Epcot. More than a little snotty at times but they got the job done.
Originally Posted By mrichmondj <<< I recommend they do what they did the first year the lights were installed in the NYC street area: divide the street in half and have people go down one way to the end and then come back in the opposite way the other way. It made for an orginized viewing of the display. >>> That makes sense.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> light-wand Nazis << Light-wand Nazis ?? For such a busy night time location I found the lack of some sense of crowd control awkward. Now that I think of it I can't recall even a small attempt at it this year.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Light-wand Nazis ??>> I thought the CM handling crowd control for the Tapestry of Dreams parade got pretty aggressive at times. Of course the 'Nazi' thing was tongue in cheek. They are at worst like Neocons. ;-)
Originally Posted By mrichmondj I can imagine working crowd control isn't an easy position to fill. During my last visit to the evening Fantasmic show at DMGM, I was seated one row in front of the handicapped section. The section was clearly marked so that only a complete moron wouldn't understand that it was designated for persons with disabilities. There were 3 cast members assigned to patrol this section and ensure that it wasn't occupied by non-handicapped patrons until 5 minutes before showtime. However, every 30 seconds, a group of non-handicapped people would walk right up and plant themselves in the handicapped row. The cast member would politely tell them to move and would then get angry responses, obscene hand gestures, and completely uncivilized attitudes from the people being asked nicely to move. I can't imagine a worse job in the world to be asked to perform. It was painful just to sit there for 15 minutes and listen to the cast members get abused for doing their job. Maybe that's why there isn't so much enthusiasm for crowd control at these sort of special events? As for the convoy of scooters that clog the walkways everywhere, I can't say that I know any solutions for that problem. When you have a growing population of people that have eaten themselves into a diabetic coma and can no longer walk on their rotting feet, you pretty much end up with this scooter traffic as a consequence. My biggest fear with all the extremely obese and unhealthy people roaming the walkways of WDW these days is that I'll be caught off guard and forget my CPR procedures when one of them bites the dust and has a heart attack. I found myself mentally going over my CPR procedures several times a day and always noting the locations of the nearest AEDs during my last visit because I was certain that I would need to come to the aid of a heart attack victim at some point during each day. It was really depressing.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I usually get a lot of flak here when I say this, but I think you should have to present a Doctor's statement of medical necessity to rent an ECV (scooter). Yes, I know all about hidden handicaps and know that some people who look able bodied truly are not. There are people like my Mom who has heart trouble and a pacemaker. She looks fine and can walk short distances, but would be in real trouble trying to walk a park all day in the Florida heat. Because of that I always rent a wheelchair and push her. I've offered to rent an ECV but she doesn't want one. She's afraid she'd run in to people with it (yes, that is actually what she said!). But I think a pretty fair percentage of people in the ECV's are using them out of sheer laziness. Yes, it is tough to walk a Disney park all day. At the end of the day even a young person's legs and feet ache and perhaps have blisters forming. That is the price of fun at WDW. But to inconvenience those around you with scooter just so you don't have to walk is extremely selfish in my book. If they get to rent scooters I want to be able to rent a Segway. Not for one of those 90 minute tours when Epcot is closed. I want to rent and ride the sucker all day in any park I choose. Why not? They take up less space than an ECV!!
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> Light want Neocons? << I did figure your "Light Wand Nazis" for tongue-in-cheek. Pretty good, actually. I also understand that these folks can be a little direct at times. It can be a tough job, when things are extra busy and shoulder-to-shoulder.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> I can't imagine a worse job in the world to be asked to perform. << Not in my case. As long as I'm doing my job as instructed and I know I'll be backed up on it, I even enjoy a little bit going toe-to-toe with the rule abusers. I go out of my way to be extra smiley and syrupy nice to them as I instruct them to move the heck elsewhere. >> Maybe that's why there isn't so much enthusiasm for crowd control at these sort of special events? << Probably true. >> a growing population of people that have eaten themselves into a diabetic coma and can no longer walk on their rotting feet, you pretty much end up with this scooter traffic as a consequence. << True. I just wish they wouldn't go out of their way to give so much EXTRA deference to these folks. I wish it was just equal with everyone else, as it should be. >> I think you should have to present a Doctor's statement of medical necessity to rent an ECV (scooter). << I fully agree with this. But the lawyers these days are very aggressive about "abusing people's rights" and most corporations try to avoid confrontation. >> If they get to rent scooters I want to be able to rent a Segway. I want to rent and ride the sucker all day in any park I choose. Why not? They take up less space than an ECV!! << Bingo. I agree.
Originally Posted By demderedoseguys > I expect better. Is that so difficult to understand dodoguys?< Is it so difficult for you to understand that I was making a funny?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN So was I but you didn't get it either. Anyways... speaking of bad crowd control.. the truth is I have seen a very remarkable improvement in crowd control at the MK and MGM during the parades. I have noticed better organization, more directives and safety spiels by CMs.. and just yesterday, I even saw a CM telling a frumpy man sitting on top of a trash can to get the heck down! Now.. *THAT* is how I like Disney to run their parks! But the lack of crowd control during the Osborne lights took the proverbial cake to a higher degree of tragedy.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I usually get a lot of flak here when I say this, but I think you should have to present a Doctor's statement of medical necessity to rent an ECV (scooter).>> OK ... after hearing that I promise to go a week without taking a shot at Trippy. I couldn't agree more and get pummeled everytime I bring up morbidly obese and just plain fat and lazy folks renting these things that run you over and clog the walkways ... the proliferation in the past decade has been amazing. In Sept, I saw a company pulling up to drop some ECVs off at Pop Century ... I said something to the fact that obesity and laziness are making some people very rich ... the guy unloading said 'Yeah, my boss. He just bought a $3 million home' (which in Central Florida is pretty much a mansion unless it's in Celebration!) Hail Trippy!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: After having experienced the Osborne Dancing Light Spectacular for ourselves this past Saturday evening, my sisters and I have to agree with TDLFAN's assessment of the situation. Absolutely not crowd control in sight. ORWEN: And we had our hands full just trying to keep a certain nasty old biddy from using her feeble powers against everybody else. If she had HER way, those crowds would have been turned into hordes of frogs! ORGOCH: Got that right! Best way I knows ta deal with a crowd like that! ORDDU: We also felt the electric guitar 'music' took away from the spirit of Christmas. Somehow electric guitars don't lend themselves to the diginity of the season. Keep the loud rock music away from the area, PLEASE!!!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN And the badly dressed UK tourists too please! Anyways... greetings from Tokyo. Look for TDLFAN at TDL tomorrow morning as ALL guests entering that park will receive a free memento commemorating Walt's birthday. Now... how many managers at WDW remember tomorrow is Walt's birthday and what are they going to do about it???
