Originally Posted By TP2000 I can say from recent first hand experience that DisneySea is an amazingly well thought out Disney park, and it's clearly in a whole different league than DCA. It's currently getting more than DOUBLE the yearly attendance that DCA does, and DisneySea has never offered discount tickets or trashy "Kids are FREE!" marketing gimmicks like DCA has. I paid full fare to get in to DisneySea just like everyone else, and I did it gladly with a huge crowd of other Japanese folks even though it was pouring rain. I'm already planning a return trip to Tokyo Disney instead of a visit to WDW. I have no doubt that WDI is tweaking signage and area development in a Placemaking project for DisneySea, as no place is perfect. But to this Disney fan and armchair Imagineer, DisneySea was jaw droppingly beautiful and extremely impressive. I haven't been that impressed with a non-Disneyland type of Disney Park since my first trip to Epcot in the mid 80's. The term "work in progress" may be applied to DisneySea, but you would have to apply it in the same way Walt himself considered Disneyland a work in progress up to the day he died. The "work" that needs to be done at DCA, and that is rumored to begin soon, is a completely different type of job than whatever they may decide to add or change at DisneySea. Sorry, but this thread has reminded me again just how much a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort can ruin you for the current state of Disney Parks in North America. Just like they unfortunately did with the auto industry, the Japanese have taken our home grown concept of Disney theme parks and perfected and polished it to such a degree that they have clearly beaten us at our own game.
Originally Posted By bean woody i agree that the main straight in HPB could use a little more detail on the outside of the buildings but not necessaryly the insides. rember they are stages. When i said that the mains treet was much more detailed, i was comparing it to the back corner of the land. As for where i get my information. I do work with Disney and know a few of the imagineers that are dealing with the parks placemaking and upgrades. i have had discussion with one of them regarding TDS and Toky Disneyland. He is actually involved heavily in TDS show presentation. Some of the discussion also include some very interesting stories regarding Hong Kong Disneyland. This small park will have some very interesting changes and growth in the next several years
Originally Posted By Mr X >>> the Japanese have taken our home grown concept of Disney theme parks and perfected and polished it to such a degree that they have clearly beaten us at our own game.<<< yeah, but...our own illustrious immagineers did this job. had NOTHING to do with the Japanese. They had NO hand in it whatsoever!
Originally Posted By Mr X Let's be clear on this issue, the Japanese have NO concept of how to make a Disney park special. No concept whatsoever. They might be good at making small things smaller (aka sony, etc...) BUT they are CLUELESS when it comes to entertainment, and Disney is NO exception. They cling to AMERICAN help every step of the way, and when they try to make their OWN version of "entertainment" they fail miserably. IMO.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<and Japanese food...>> their gardening skills aren't half bad eitner .....
Originally Posted By knoxvelour Any culture that has perfected the art of ripping someon'es heart out of their chest and showing it to them while it's still beating before they die automatically gets my respect.
Originally Posted By idleHands Somebody has seen 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' one too many times!
Originally Posted By TP2000 Yes, everyone in Japan was thinner. EVERYONE. But the CM's at Tokyo Disneyland were very thin and petite. It was like how Disneyland used to be until about 10 years ago, where the CM's were almost uniformly attractive and slender. (I've seen some truly huge CM's in Anaheim lately, lumbering around their store or Park location.) And don't even get me started on some of the GUESTS I've seen at Disneyland recently. But no one in Japan was fat, except for the Sumo wrestlers we saw one night at a Sumo stadium. Americans have really gotten very, very fat in the last 10 years. A trip overseas will make even the most patriotic person like me rather embarassed at how far we've let ourselves go in this country in the last 10 years. But the CM's at Tokyo Disneyland were all cute, slender, petite and good looking. Layer on their intensely gracious customer service skills that were polished to a level far above anything currently being offered in Anaheim, and the couple days I spent at Tokyo Disney Resort were heaven!
Originally Posted By oc_dean We got to lay off all the McDonalds, Krispy Kremes, HomeTown Buffets, etc., etc, etc., ........ and tonight I blew it on bag of peanut M&Ms at Costco!!
Originally Posted By SuperDry There's plenty of McD's in Japan. Except that their regular meals look like our Happy Meals as far as portion size. And that's before we Super Size them.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<and tonight I blew it on bag of peanut M&Ms at Costco!!>> Let's see, Costco carries 15# bags of Peanut M&Ms. Uhm, watch that blood sugar.
Originally Posted By smeeeko 15lb bags of M&Ms?? omg I'm going to have to look for those next Halloween.. LOL (5lb might be more like it.. but yeah, that's still a LOT o' M&Ms!) SeanYoda figured out for me that about 10 M&Ms (plain) are one point.. so I'm thinking it'll be next Christmas before I finish the green & red ones I got from november last year. I wonder what it will take before the food places stop making such large portions?! It's not enough to avoid places like what is it.. Marie Calendars (we ate there once.. never again!) or Claim Jumper? If people want to be healthy they need to DEMAND smaller portions and politely request them when they are at DLR (no one wants to be yelled at when working the happiest place on earth you know?) I think that the slimness might have to do with genetics you know.. and eating style. Not all American girls are meant to be 'big boned' or 'big girls' you know? same with the men.. I agree it's gotten out of hand when the obesity rate in America is so bad. I used to think New Orleans was supposed to be the obesity capital but honestly, most folks that live there walk way more than folks in the suburbs do.. back on topic though kiddies, I like the new changes to the backlot. I like WDW better too.. (like my profile says) I think that Walt believed Disneyland was never complete.. so it should be with DCA and the other parks. I really really want to see Disney Seas though one day. I love the idea of 1800s jules verne style area of park where you can do grown up theming like say Atlantas or 20k or maybe evan a Treasure Planet area which has a lot of folks dressed in that sort of late 1800s/ early 1900s garb and stuff. works for me, also will help bring some quality theming to parks. Whatever Pixar does I'm sure if they hear that pixar stuff doesn't work all over they are clever, more clever-er (ohh a Kim Possible attraction! that'd be nice.. Draconia! or Shego land!) to figure it out and actually do something about it unlike certain people who don't run the company anymore. =) Personally I like BUGSLAND even if I can't ride any of the stuff.. it's very well themed! (I also like the Monsters Inc ride although I don't know what to think of the "same old raccoon bar" they got in the candy machine there.. grumble. worse than those plush raccoontail hats they sell in Frontierland! ..and people wonder why I don't bring my stuffed meeko into the park anymore! *grin*) =P
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> Even now, it remains a work in progress << Those words are generous and easygoing compared with some of the truly harsh comments I've seen about DCA in other travel books or literature.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> I think Matt and company understand the problem and the day Route 66 is demolished.... << ...along with Paradise Pier, the entry plaza, the still ad-hoc aspects of the Hollywood backlot area... >> If DCA is now being called a "work in progress" 5 years after it opened, then what was all that DCA hype from Disney back in 2000 and 2001?!? Was it lies? Or just a huge mistake? << I think one reason it's good for people to watch "American Idol" on TV, certainly during its current opening round, is to observe how a variety of folks out there really do judge things as though they're in an alternative universe. When I see tone-deal people who really, sincerely, honestly believe they have a lot of talent become very *indignant* when told otherwise, I can't help but think of DCA and its planners and creators.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> Americans have really gotten very, very fat in the last 10 years. << I read recently that the run-up in excess poundage is starting to affect parts of Europe too, including Britain and France. And I bet the screening process for castmembers in Disneyland has been gradually loosened not only because of a shortage of qualified applicants in general but because of a concern that a very nitpicky approach to many employees' appearance will invite possible lawsuits over unfair restrictions and discrimination.
