Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ***In the example that you gave the executive producer and delivery executive (in this case Barry Braverman and Timur Galen) were responsible for outlining the design brief based on the mission statement and objective of the park itself*** <<I must say though, I think I finally understand exactly why DCA sucks so very, very badly. Not to mention why so very many Disney projects these days suck as well. Take that particular paragraph (I'm more than certain it's a typical sort of paragraph within the company) and ask yourself a very simple question. What would Walt Disney say, if he read such a paragraph?>> I doubt he'd understand it on the first go around. And I'd bet he'd toss a few f-bombs the next. But Disney is just like any other large American corporation in the 21st century. That's the corp-speak that goes on all the time. They think it's needed. Kinda like the PR/marketing spin with magic used at least every fourth word in anything the public or media is going to read. It was so refreshing to read the OLC's annual report and NEVER see the word magic used ... anyway ...
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<but then middle class America has never been a concern for either party of politicians -other than as a cash cow.>> And that's why pretty soon, middle class America will exist in history books and delusions of the working class and poor only. When the top one percent of Americans have more wealth than 95% of Americans combined, something is severly out of whack. This isn't 'let's attack the rich and steal all their kewl stuff and give it to lazy crackwhore welfare moms' ... this is just simple common sense. YOUR money and MY money is going to the wealthiest directly and indirectly and our leaders (BOTH parties) seem cool with it. Capitalism (uncontrolled and unregulated 21st century American version) is the antithesis of democracy. And it hurts us in everything from the important stuff (healthcare, off-shoring of jobs, no manufacturing base, bailouts to companies, foreclosure madness) to the trivial (Disney parks cutting quality and homogenizing/Walmarting while raising prices!) BTW, thanks for all the posts on politics -- that I haven't even been around for -- to pump up my thread's post count. Can we get to 500 by Friday?
Originally Posted By Mr X ***But Disney is just like any other large American corporation in the 21st century. That's the corp-speak that goes on all the time.*** I'd say Disney takes it to a whole different level with their bizarre blend of corporate-speak-meets-theater-lingo.
Originally Posted By Mr X ^---I might have told this story before but I thought it worth a repeat speaking of Disney-speak. Back in my Florida days I was talking to a WDW employee about wanting to get in touch with my friend who was a cast member in Broadway's The Lion King (name drop opportunity here, her name is Tsidi LeLoka. I went to college with her and we performed together, she was the original Rafiki and she is a freakin AMAZING singer<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XuqTnz5Uxw&feature=related" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...=related</a> ). Anyway, the hilarious response was "I'm not sure if we call them "cast members" up there in New York".
Originally Posted By mousermerf Spirit, your defense of DLP just pains me. The Nautilus is a joke. You walk down a dark hallway for a good time, walk past some pipes, and then voila - squid! Which doesn't really work, the iris doesn't close properly, and the show runs like every 20 seconds so there is absolutely no realism achieved. then you walk back out down the dark hallway. Online personalities, such as yourself, create this mystique of the foreign parks and lord it over all the folks who don't travel abroad as a sort of "look at me, i went to the fancy ball, let me tell you all about it." Well evil-stepsister, I went to the ball too and I got to really hobnob with the prince. You can pull the wool over other people's eyes but I've seen the truth.
Originally Posted By u k fan DLP is my home park and I largely agree with Spirit on what he's saying. Park maintenance and customer service have come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of years. I also agree with Spirit's assessment of the Nautilus. I'm confused though because I thought we were judging Disney on what they do today "One day you're in..." and we're discussing the finer points of an attraction from the mid-nineties? If we're dissing DLP's walk-through attractions why are we heaping on Nautilus anyway when Aladdin is such an easy target in adventureland?!!!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>I'm a Republican. Anything you'd like to say to me?<<< Oh man, where do I start?.... ;-) But I like and respect you too much signed the neohippy pinko
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Hmmm, this week in social medicine land (the UK), my son had an excellent speech therapy session. I had my glucose tolerance test, I picked up my blood pressure meds, this afternoon I am having my mouth worked on by the dentist, my parents and brothers are in for physicals and flu jabs, Sarah made an appointment to go in re contraception, and my brothers' have their appointment dates to see the Geneticist on the 3rd December. Cost is a small amount of tax, our time. Value, not worrying about losing our homes because we are unwell. Priceless. I wish my fellow Americans had it so good.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Lol agreed, the Nautilus in Paris is excellent, as is Adventure Isle and the Labrynth. These are real special touches designed for people who enjoy a sense of place, something Disney used to be fantastic at doing it. Now I am convinced the morons of fandom are not happy unless it's toons or thrill. that is why I am a former Disney fan and Disney historian.
Originally Posted By Spyderman >>Your latest disappearing act cost me 20 minutes of my life that I'll never get back as I had responded to your proudly proclaiming you wouldn't set foot in DCA and ripping it. Needless to say, I think that's a foolish 'tude and the park is a very nice place to spend a day. But you can read the response on that other site.<< I already read your response and will respond to it when I have some time. I want to make sure you get your twenty minutes worth!
Originally Posted By Spyderman >>Hmmm, this week in social medicine land (the UK), my son had an excellent speech therapy session. I had my glucose tolerance test, I picked up my blood pressure meds, this afternoon I am having my mouth worked on by the dentist, my parents and brothers are in for physicals and flu jabs, Sarah made an appointment to go in re contraception, and my brothers' have their appointment dates to see the Geneticist on the 3rd December. Cost is a small amount of tax, our time. Value, not worrying about losing our homes because we are unwell. Priceless. I wish my fellow Americans had it so good.<<< bu...bu...but obama wants to take away my munnies!!!
Originally Posted By mousermerf What?! The Labyrinth?!?! I was enamoured by that from the pictures advertised of it - but the reality was sad sad sad. The paint is coming off of nearly everything in there. The "animated figures" barely move and many don't work. The little castle is 50% closed and roped off and it utter disrepair otherwise. It's a wonderful concept, but it is not maintained and looks like crap. The plants aren't even healthy.
Originally Posted By mousermerf I officially wish I'd taken more pictures of DLP. Then i could show the blatantly missing paint (we're not talkign chips like in the WDW Blues days) and broken pieces of scenery and such. Know what though? I showed up, camera in hand, and said "hmm, not so pretty.." and took very few pictures. The railings in the Casey Jr. queue are so badly neglected that they are worn down to the base metal.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer ^^^ When was that Merf? Does it occur to you that things change over time? For all you know, it could be fixed by now. Look at MK...Half that place is under construction. I guess you haven't taken the Merfmobile out to WDW in a while.
Originally Posted By mousermerf I own a DLP annual pass. I went multiple times over a 2-month period. Things did not improve while I was there, though the Skull rock thingy did go behind tarps and get new concrete flooring.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo The Labrynth has been fuly refurbed after 4 years of abuse. I'll take your 2 months, and raise you 52 visits over the last 17 years. DLP is FAR from perfect, but I would rather go to DLP than the MK any day.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>>I own a DLP annual pass. I went multiple times over a 2-month period. Things did not improve while I was there, though the Skull rock thingy did go behind tarps and get new concrete flooring. <<<< So you only went regularly for two months? I hardly call that experience. You know that these trends take time. Just look at EPCOT.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 now companies would be competing with a cheaper insurance plan that doesn't have CEO pay and administrtative/advertising/lobbying costs that keep the prices so high so that means they'll run as efficiently as say the SSA - no thanks research a list of your retired state government workers with $100,000+ per month pensions ( this is available info)- then tell me again how efficient they are and not costly..you'll be mighty stunned. The fed gvt workers list is much longer but harder info to FOIA
Originally Posted By Spyderman So Merf you are saying Walt Disney World is better maintained than Disneyland Paris?
Originally Posted By Spyderman >>now companies would be competing with a cheaper insurance plan that doesn't have CEO pay and administrtative/advertising/lobbying costs that keep the prices so high so that means they'll run as efficiently as say the SSA - no thanks research a list of your retired state government workers with $100,000+ per month pensions ( this is available info)- then tell me again how efficient they are and not costly..you'll be mighty stunned. The fed gvt workers list is much longer but harder info to FOIA<< Why are you bringing the ssa into this. That is a seperate issue. The point is a large group of people (both rich and poor) are uninsured right now, insurance companies are totally abusing customers by with high costs/poor treatments/and denying them access because of "preexisting conditions".
