Originally Posted By ChiMike Can you see the mansion from the river side of the queue, or does the fence block it?
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>I know the two lines were separated by a metal partition when I was there. But that doesn't explain why the new queue is optional.<< I know.. It makes no sense to spend money on queue improvements and then make it optional. Let's just say this is the third queue 'improvement' that seem extremely poorly thought out for MK. >>When I was there they had a CM stationed at the point where the queue split into the "scenic" route and the holding area for the stretch room. The CM was encouraging people to take the new queue. Wonder if they plan on having a CM stationed there from now on. WDW seems to be very stingy about staffing positions that aren't essential to the operation of attractions.<< No kidding. They can staff this Rube Goldberg queue, but they can't staff enough hosts in the foyer to run the stretching rooms as designed. >>I can't believe they built this new queue area with the understanding that they'd have to position someone there to tell people why the line was splitting.<< Just like when they paid a CM to stand by the poachers with a gun.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Can you see the mansion from the river side of the queue, or does the fence block it?<<< It's not ALL the way down the queue, so yes. Just where it separates, thank goodness.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Unfortunately there's terrible audio bleed into the "direct route".
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 OK, first, thanks for the report, Hokie. Sounds like you enjoyed yourself. Did you stay at a WDW resort? I have to comment on the following, though: <<Now...to my rant. Something needs to be done about the South American tour groups. They were consistently ruining the experience for the people around me, and they were out in force this week. Left and right I saw their rude, obnoxious behavior ticking people off around me, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. I doubt Disney would ever do anything about it, but their numbers need to be controlled and restricted.>> I have seen these groups for decades now. And, yes, sometimes I've seen them get a bit out of control. But no worse than groups from anywhere else ... including nice little white bread American church groups and youth athletic/cheerleading groups as well. When I see comments online they often tend to come off as borderline racist. I don't care where a group comes from, what language they speak, or what they look like. If there's boorish behavior that's infringing on others, then people should complain and CMs should take action. But just being different ... or a bit loud isn't that. ~GFC~
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>It's not ALL the way down the queue, so yes. Just where it separates, thank goodness<< Thanks EE.. A short, limited metal partition, what a waste of money.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I have seen these groups for decades now. And, yes, sometimes I've seen them get a bit out of control. But no worse than groups from anywhere else ... including nice little white bread American church groups and youth athletic/cheerleading groups as well.>> Coming from a person who has worked in the park and from someone who dealt with them during times like this, I can tell you that absolutely nothing in there comes from me disliking them due to race, and everything to do with how they act. I've ran into rowdy groups before, and have often times asked them to quiet down or stop whatever they're doing, and most of the time they listen. The SA groups merely laugh at you and continue, and when it's brought up to management we're told that they pay so much to get here nothing can be done about it unless they're threatening the safety of other guests.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Thanks EE.. A short, limited metal partition, what a waste of money.<<< Looks terrible, too.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<And I'm totally in agreement about Star Tours. It's still just Star Tours. The 3D -- why? It's barely used. The character mishmash disrupts the pacing of the experience. Not saying it's bad, but how would you feel if you were working for WDW PR and you had to promote Star Tours 2 versus Harry Potter? I'd feel like a friggin' snake oil salesman. Star Tours 2 is marginally better than the 1987 version. Still waiting on Disney to one-up Spider-Man and Harry Potter... Maybe the Snow White mine train will.>> It won't, but Disney will just have the Social Media whores telling their Pixie Dusted 'followers' that it's much better. I'm sure Winnie the Pooh is fine little film (have actually heard some great things about it), but it isn't Harry Potter and when I hear online 'personalities' talk about Potter being a flash in the pan, it shows how they have absolutely no credibility at all. As to Star Tours 2.0. It was supposed to be the first part of Disney's phased answer to WWoHP, right? And, yet, something that opened Memorial Day weekend hasn't exactly kept the excitement and interest of the fan community now has it? I haven't ridden it yet (will in Anaheim shortly), but I look at like an early summer popcorn flick like Thor ... there was some interest, but it sure died down in a hurry (compare ST with openings of Indy and ToT and how the lines stayed as did the interest). Again, I think it speaks to simulator attractions having very little repeatability even when you have all these random 'voyages'. ~GFC~
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Coming from a person who has worked in the park and from someone who dealt with them during times like this, I can tell you that absolutely nothing in there comes from me disliking them due to race, and everything to do with how they act. >> I wasn't referring to you in particular, but the comments in general. I don't like boorish behavior whether it comes from a South American tour group or an American podcaster. They should all be held to a standard of behavior. <<I've ran into rowdy groups before, and have often times asked them to quiet down or stop whatever they're doing, and most of the time they listen. The SA groups merely laugh at you and continue, and when it's brought up to management we're told that they pay so much to get here nothing can be done about it unless they're threatening the safety of other guests.>> Gee, that sounds like another instance of piss poor management putting money over show (and efficiency too) ... why am I not surprised? ~GFC~
Originally Posted By leobloom >> The SA groups merely laugh at you and continue, and when it's brought up to management we're told that they pay so much to get here nothing can be done about it unless they're threatening the safety of other guests << It was always a joy to do a trip on the Land boat ride with a group that didn't speak a lot of English. You could skip half of the spiel and take it easy.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<It was always a joy to do a trip on the Land boat ride with a group that didn't speak a lot of English. You could skip half of the spiel and take it easy.>> I didn't even bother spieling for them. They would yell over me anyway.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> Maybe the Snow White mine train will.>> << It won't, but Disney will just have the Social Media whores telling their Pixie Dusted 'followers' that it's much better. >> I knew it wouldn't. Just thought it was funny that this is the type of thing they're building to remind us how irrelevant WDW is when it comes to specializing in exciting, cutting-edge entertainment.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I knew it wouldn't. Just thought it was funny that this is the type of thing they're building to remind us how irrelevant WDW is when it comes to specializing in exciting, cutting-edge entertainment.>> The thing is that this is nothing at all new, Leo. UNI started being the leader with Spidey back in 1999 and Disney hasn't reached that bar, let alone surpassed it. I have the feeling Disney may never do so again in Florida, although maybe if they were to get new ownership ... ~GFC~
Originally Posted By HMButler79 Mansion will always look fantastic because the Mansion is Phil Holme's de facto love child. The man started off in MK Attractions West and that IS his baby, which i guess is a blessing to maintence and the HM Cast. The 2007 Re-Haunting was $50 Million. What E-Ticket re-do in recent memory did park management allow WDI to spend that much money on?? It's because he LOVES Mansion as much as the fans. And the reason Small World still looks like it opened from it's 2005 rehab is because it shares the same maint. crew as Mansion. They care a lot and do thier best to fix things. Too bad Phil didn't axe the interactive queue.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 Sad to hear CoP still looks awful. What exactly is wrong with it? I'm afraid to go on it lest i become enraged by it's show quality. All the other AA Shows look terrific (even Bears despite it's audio problems), but CoP seems to get NO touch ups. They really must hate it.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Mansion will always look fantastic because the Mansion is Phil Holme's de facto love child. The man started off in MK Attractions West and that IS his baby, which i guess is a blessing to maintence and the HM Cast. The 2007 Re-Haunting was $50 Million. What E-Ticket re-do in recent memory did park management allow WDI to spend that much money on?? It's because he LOVES Mansion as much as the fans. And the reason Small World still looks like it opened from it's 2005 rehab is because it shares the same maint. crew as Mansion. They care a lot and do thier best to fix things. Too bad Phil didn't axe the interactive queue.<<< He should feel this way about the entire MK...
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Sad to hear CoP still looks awful. What exactly is wrong with it? I'm afraid to go on it lest i become enraged by it's show quality. All the other AA Shows look terrific (even Bears despite it's audio problems), but CoP seems to get NO touch ups. They really must hate it.<<< When I was there? AA problems, and huge ones. Both father and son were slumped over, but still taking. That and we got stuck, twice. Everything else looked and sounded OK, though...
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Oh, and the Bears looked flawless, I might add. They've been keeping them up.
