Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<<DAK, while lush, was weak when it opened and 10 years later is very little better.>> ding ding ding ding ding!! That wins the award for one of the more bizarre statements I’ve ever read on these boards.
Originally Posted By dshyates "That wins the award for one of the more bizarre statements I’ve ever read on these boards." That's the second time today someone has said thet to me. To exound upon my DAK statement. I feel the DAK is a beautiful park, but it is lacking in sveral departments. 1. Lack of attractions 2. the lack of any way to keep the place open past dark. Its a slightly more than a half day experience. We were done with the park by parade time and no one had any desire to return later in the vacation.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 FWIW, I've read many places that Walt himself could be a right "illegitimate child" of a boss at times also, and not very nice to some of his employees. That Eisner may have been so also takes him down a notch in my personal estimation (I always feel there's no good excuse for nastiness, including in boss/employee situations) but not in my estimation of what he did for the company. Which is decidedly mixed.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<To exound upon my DAK statement. I feel the DAK is a beautiful park, but it is lacking in sveral departments. 1. Lack of attractions 2. the lack of any way to keep the place open past dark. Its a slightly more than a half day experience. We were done with the park by parade time and no one had any desire to return later in the vacation.>> That is rather like criticizing Epcot because the World Showcase doesn't interest you. It is not that the AK is lacking; you just aren't interested in what it offers, and that is fine. I've never had any problem spending two full days at the AK, and that was before Expedition Everest. The Animal Kingdom is one of the finest zoological gardens in the United States. It also has a few great attractions and shows in addition to that. If you can't spend a lot of time on the zoo component it will be a half day park for you. That doesn't mean it is a poor park. It just means it is a park that isn’t meant for you. As Disney's advertising said when they first opened the AK: "Animal Kingdom... a different kind of theme park".
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes From post 13: >>>Eisner, although seeming a little "possessed" toward the end basically save Disney from a huge takeover attempt.<<< That was actually Roy Disney Jr.'s work. He's the one who more or less took over Disney and installed Eisner and Wells, with a promise from Eisner that if Roy Jr. ever asked him to step down, he'd do so immediately. Eisner was great, but he got power mad. "Hey, look! Change only four letters and my name in Japanese is Disney!!"
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes On the balance, Eisner did much, much more good for Disney co. and all the parks than bad. Yeah, he did a lot of bad stuff after his ego got out of control, but he really did a lot of good. But if you think he 'saved Disney', you need to read some books. He did a lot to 'save Disney', but so did Wells, Roy Jr., the Bass brothers and many other players. I don't know this for a fact, but I belive Pressler came to him seeking to kill the Indy ride at DL and Eisner made sure it went through. I'd be happy to accept any correction or clarification on that.
Originally Posted By dshyates "That is rather like criticizing Epcot because the World Showcase doesn't interest you. It is not that the AK is lacking; you just aren't interested in what it offers, and that is fine." No, its not at all like that. We didn't feel like repeating things. We saw all it had to offer, with the exception of Tarzan Rocks/Nemo as the theater was transitioning shows, and were still done with the place by 3pm. It DOES NOT have a lot to do. Unless you consider a park bench an attraction. If you aproach DAk like any other Disney park with an organized game plan you really have to slow yourself down not to slam through the place by 1:00pm. I can't possibly imagine what you would do in the park for 2 full truncated days. A lot of bench riding and vibe soaking. "If you can't spend a lot of time on the zoo component it will be a half day park for you." Half of the animals you get a fly by from a truck. There aren't really all that many actual animal exhibits. No I can't spend a full day on the paltry number of animal exhibits. "Animal Kingdom... a different kind of theme park". Yeah, one with few attractions that CAN'T stay up past dark.
Originally Posted By dshyates I should add, I really like DAK. The themeing is spectacular. And the attractions are really well done (C&Hs excluding). KS is the best, most naturalistic African exhibit I have ever seen. Very cool. The themeing in the Pangini Jungle Trek is also superb. I think the only things we pass on because of lack of appeal is C&Hs. And sometimes ITTBAB, 3D films don't really seem to have as much return appeal as an attraction like KS or EE. But DAK felt slight whan it opened, and the additions in the Asia area are well done but don't really fluff the place with the attraction count. I always felt the promised beastly kingdom was needed. Not to fulfill the mythological beasts hinted at in the sign out front, but to add an attraction intensive area which will be needed to carry it into the night. Along with some sort of nightime something. Parade, flotilla parade, nightime spectacular theater. Something. I think the big problem was they told me when it opened they were adding BK and would soon be open into the night. So I percieved it as slight, they promised more, and 10 years later we are close to where we were 10 years ago. I know it rained and 9/11, the intranets, and we don't get it, but it still feels slight to me.
Originally Posted By mstaft "Yeah, one with few attractions that CAN'T stay up past dark." HILARIOUS!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<If you aproach DAk like any other Disney park with an organized game plan you really have to slow yourself down not to slam through the place by 1:00pm>> And that was your mistake right there. I guess since you are a theme park junkie looking for rides, DAK is not for you. <<Half of the animals you get a fly by from a truck. There aren't really all that many actual animal exhibits.>> The park is best enjoyed, as you say, by "bench riding," and just watching the animals. It's not about looking at an animal for a minute before racing off to the next ride or show.
Originally Posted By dshyates "I guess since you are a theme park junkie looking for rides, DAK is not for you." Yes, theme park junkie. Rides maybe. Attractions definitely. I consider Pangini Jungle trek an attraction, So we do it and enjoy it. But i really won't spend more than about 10 mins watching the tigers. We do it all, we just don't do a lot of sitting unless its at a show. At one of the most expensive theme parks in the world it is asking a lot of the guest to sit on a bench and watch the exotic botanicals grow then leave at dark.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<At one of the most expensive theme parks in the world it is asking a lot of the guest to sit on a bench and watch the exotic botanicals grow then leave at dark.>> You always have the cute little quip, don't you, as if to say that everyone whoois not you must be an idiot. I have heard dozens if not hundreds of times over that people think Disney theming is so good that they can enjoy the parks and never step on a ride. I think DAK is like that, and I am not talking about watching the grass grow. <<i really won't spend more than about 10 mins watching the tigers.>> Then you've missed just about the whole point of the park.
Originally Posted By dshyates "I have heard dozens if not hundreds of times over that people think Disney theming is so good that they can enjoy the parks and never step on a ride." I can to, I just won't pay $72 a day. "You always have the cute little quip, don't you, as if to say that everyone whoois not you must be an idiot." Well when I say, "DAK, while lush, was weak when it opened and 10 years later is very little better." And the response is, "ding ding ding ding ding!! That wins the award for one of the more bizarre statements I’ve ever read on these boards." I may get a little defensive. As I thought my statement was reasoned and non-quippy. And I am not the first person to feel DAK light on attractions. And I was the one who was/is an idiot for not getting how fab the place is. And not everyone who thinks DAK is light on attractions runs from coaster to coaster. Most Disney parks are multi-faceted so that while some things don't appeal to my folks in their 70s, and somethings don't appeal to small childeren there is plenty for everyone to do. DAK you have to like everything to fill up a day. And the stuff I do skip repeating are usually the shows, not the animal attractions. You know I don't feel like sitting through Pocahantas everytime we go. We have never skiped the festival of the Lion King though. You would have to pay me to sit through Tarzan Suck! again. But I am interested in seeing Nemo. I like Flights of Wonder. The last time I was there I skipped Dinosaur. Its not about thrills, its about there not be a whole lot there to do.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Interesting dsyates, but the funny thing is for me, DAK is one of my fav parks on the planet. And after spending 2 days there last vacation, we still did not get everything done! Then again we spend about an hour in each main animal attraction, and feel watching the live performers are as big attraction as say EE! I do happily pay the fees for the parks and sit, because I do not know of any other lushly themed places you can go for one day. I also am ok with early closure because we just hop to my other fav park, Epcot. Would I like more in the park - absolutely, if quality. WOuld I like it to be open at night? Definitely. But I also do not find it slight. Then again, I have been known to spend a day at DLP simply soaking in the vibe, having a shave and a haircut and a three course meal! It is for these reasons I get het up when disney cut corners or rely on stupid cartoon characters. I have no desire to go then. To me these days, the attractions are good, but in some ways they have become secondary. I love the settings and the live entertainment, offered in a safe family friendly environment.
Originally Posted By dshyates "and feel watching the live performers are as big attraction as say EE!" If you are referig to show like lk and nemo. If you are refering to streetmoshere. I would disagree. Dapper Dans does not equal Pirates of the Carribean nd I would venture mosttheme park purchasing public would agree. That doen't mean I knock them over rushing past them to get to the coasters. We stop we stand there and listen for a couple of songs, laugh, take a few pictures and move on. We don't pull up a piece of sidewalk and sit down with a snack. And when you say yo spend an hour at each animal exhibit. Do you mean yo spend an hour in the Pangini Jungle Trek, or you spend an hour at the tigers then another hour at the bats, and another hour at the apes? Because, even though we have never time ourselves, I would guess we spend just at an hour in Pangini. That and Rafki's is where we spend the most time with the animals. How much time can one spend watching a tiger sleep against a wall. I would love to spend the evening there having a fine dinner and drinks. But RfC doesn't fit that bill. I haven't been sinc Y&Y opened, but it was definitely needed. And YOU don't have a problem with being kicked out at dusk because ou have an AP or parkhopper and CAN hop over to one of the other parks. It is hard to excuse the parks weaknesses to the single day/single park admission media buyer who already paid the $72., by saying Just hop over to Epcot to fill out the remainder of the day. The fact you do that reinforces my point that the park is slight. I said it was slight. I didn't say it is a steaming pile like DCA is. Sorry Dave, I know you love DCA. I personally feel DCA is so bad it did lasting damage to the Disney Brand.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo ist of all - Yes, I find the Dapper Dans or the African Dance Group or the Percussion Groups to be as important as PotC and if we are talking WDW, even more so as the MK version depresses me. To me at Epcot Mo'Rockin, the Chinese Acrobats and the other performers of World Showcase are e-tickets. Also, I would never pay $1000's of dollars in airfare for a 1 day ticket. I treat them as resorts, and make sure I have tickets where I can do what I want when I want e.g. hoppers. That's why I hate these upsell parties so much in the MK. So no, different hours don't bother me. Animal exhibits, I meant the whole trail, though if the animals are active, we have been known to spend an hour just with the tigers (when they were playing). And I would rather go the DCA than the MK or DHS, or any and all non Disney parks.
Originally Posted By dshyates And i also believe that how often you visit has a lot to do with how willing you are to just sit and soak. You guys obviously go to the parks WAY more often than I do. You are far more likely at DL to see an AP holder sitting and soaking than a family that will be there for 2 days this decade. Its like asking a kid to take a nap at the Circus. If you've been at the Circus long enough it might be possible.
Originally Posted By dshyates "Also, I would never pay $1000's of dollars in airfare for a 1 day ticket." So, are so saying its not worth the $72/day? When I went the first time, I lived 23 miles from the park and paid the full one day admission price. Which at that point was, I believe, $54. Didn't have a parkhopper, and ate dinner at home and spent the evening watching cable.
