Originally Posted By avromark Getting this back on track, I would just have to say that the decline in quality probably applies to many things. What I hope is that this is a cycle, and they start adding value again. And off track: <<<Now, to get this back on topic ... what kind of car does Kevin Yee drive? I picture him in a 2002 Camry, myself.>> I found my 2002 LE V6 the worst vehicle I ever owned, my engine sludged, it chocked on mid-grade, woudln't start once the temperature got below 0, struggled when towing a trailer. What works for one may not work for another. The Camry is a fine car for tooting around town, but ask it to "work" a bit and it doesn't hold up. I'd love an Acura MDX, but my budget got a Trailblazer. It has an inline 6, I don't know why more manufacturers (yes I know your inline 6 is nicer on a BMW) make inlines (save 4 cyl.) anymore. It tows, it does well off road (I do light off roading), besides it has a 160k warranty standard. If Toyota is so good why do they offer the shortest warranty in Canada?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<You are right. Never. I will only ever stay on property. I see no point in having a five star spa resort next to WDW if you are spending the time in the parks. And if you are there to relax rather than park-hop I'd have to question your jusgement on choosing Orlando in the first place!>> I understand that 'logic' yet at the same time it confuses me. But I don't go to WDW strictly for the parks ... I love the resorts (someof them anyway) ... the restaurants ... the pools ... the spas. I find it amazing that people would spend $400 a night to stay at the Poly and never relax by the pool ... only use the room for six hours to sleep in ... to me that is utter stupidity. In that case, people should stay value or off-property. When I stay at the WL or DAK Lodge, I can go two days without setting foot in a park. The resorts are destinations themselves. <<I rarely leave the resort when I'm there. Soulless and culturally barren city.>> Well, many Orlando residents would disagree with you ... but many would agree. I'll just say that a byproduct of the Mouse devouring Central Florida has been a loss of identity and massive urban sprawl. I can tell you the area in the 1970s and 80s was much more friendly, Southern and country ... WDW's massive growth pumped a lot of money into the economy, but longtime residents will tell you that Orange and Osceola (and now Polk and Lake) counties sold their souls to do so. <<No comment on the pizza. >> I hope it was good. I ordered the veggie special ... it sounded yummy!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I can't remember where you said it Spirit but I recall you mentioning that you switched from WDW to elsewhere at some stage. Beyond work I've had the same thoughts for a while although it has never been about quality of service.>> Post 34, paragraph 4. And it wasn't just quality of service, frankly. It was boredom as there just wasn't enough fresh at the time. In the past few years, WDW has added more so I have incentive to visit more again ... and I do. <<We have gone through cycles. The mid-nineties saw us visiting WDW a lot. Lengthy trips during the year. We switched to Disneyland for the 40th but then reverted right back to WDW through the Millennium. We didn't flip back to DL until '01 and I think we were out there like 6 times in 18 months. WDW went on the back burner. We have been a lot more balanced recently but I'm starting to get bored with DL. Was there for work on Sunday just wandering around on my own and I just didn't feel any buzz at all. I miss WDW though and can't wait for the events at the end of January. TDR and DLRP come and go in my mind but I don't have the same emotional attachment to them. For some reason I do with HKDL and miss it immensely. >> I think we all go through phases with vacation locales. Or even in WDW's case with individual parks ... I now spend more and more time at DAK and far less time at the MK ... and almost no time at the Studios because of the FRESH/STALE deal. Right now, I'm looking forward to visiting Disney's Asian parks just because I never have. But the strongest pull I have is my plan to spend three weeks in Alaska next summer. That place is in my blood. I can't wait for Disney Cruises there. I will be one of the first in line! <<Not sure if that made any sense (I am half-way through a lovely bottle of Washington State Syrah!). )>> Actually, you made perfect sense ... so pass a glass ;-)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<The wealthiest people I have ever known, including my next door neighbor who is worth in excess of $100M, wouldn't be caught dead driving a luxury car or living in a McMansion-style subdivision. They don't stay in the 5-star hotels. That's why they have so much money in the bank.>> Another words, you have an eccentric kook living next door. If I were worth in excess of $100 million, I would live in a very nice home and drive very nice cars (of course compared to the average American, I do now). But I wouldn't squander it by acting like I wasn't wealthy ... I would spend it on myself, my family and friends ... put some away to never touch ... and then I'd donate to worthy charities. But I wouldn't drive an Impala or LeSabre, live in small house and stay at Ramada. Nope. <<I honest don't know how WDW will continue to survive as a viable business when the housing market collapses and the U.S. debt bubble bursts. I suspect a hefty percentage of WDW vacationers are paying for their resort stays via mortgage equity withdrawal and not cash in the bank.>> I want to nominate mrichmondj as the Official President of the LP.com Doom & Gloom Society (Motto: The end of the world is coming, but don't worry ... you'll be dead long before that ... and you'll leave your family owing $345,321.98 to creditors because you lived above your means!)
Originally Posted By fkurucz >> If Toyota is so good why do they offer the shortest warranty in Canada?<< Curiously our European cousins do not think as highly of Toyotas and Hondas as we Americans do. Complaints that I have heard from across the pond include "tinny" and "poor handling".
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Holy crap!! Quite the argument I started!! Cool! <Ok- we'll get this back on topic and just blame Trippy for getting us of the path --LOL! >> As for my statement that there was little quality difference between Toyota and U.S. makes, that is true. The brands have come closer to where the difference in quality is only a few percentage points one way or the other. Now is that reflected in resale values? No it is not at the present time, but that will change. If you are going strictly off quality reports both Toyota and Honda beat the crap out of Mercedes and BMW; so obviously quality ratings aren't the end all and be all. <<The wealthiest people I have ever known, including my next door neighbor who is worth in excess of $100M, wouldn't be caught dead driving a luxury car or living in a McMansion-style subdivision. They don't stay in the 5-star hotels. That's why they have so much money in the bank.>> Not sure I want to go too far with this but... Do I have more bucks stashed in the bank and investments than vbdad? I doubt it. Do I have more bucks stashed in the bank and investments than most folks with vbdad's income? I'm sure I do. By all measures I've seen; our home and autos cost about 60% of what people in our income bracket generally buy. Oh well. We have done extremely well on High School educations and jobs in the Public sector, and I'm sure that is why. We save a bunch of money rather than spending it. Frankly, we are also uncomfortable around the "la-di-da" types. Our present house payment is within $100 of our prior house payment. But now we are living with less pretentious people with money in the bank rather than debt on charge cards and we fit in much better. As for Von Mauer vbdad... have you ever really shopped there? That store has done extremely well in the suburb we preciously lived in (Eden Prairie) which probably has the top demographic in the state. Not a whole bunch of little old ladies shopping there. Perhaps you should take a look before passing judgment.
Originally Posted By leemac <<When I stay at the WL or DAK Lodge, I can go two days without setting foot in a park. >> Don't take this the wrong way but could it be an age thing? I still struggle to sit still at any opportunity so the thought of not doing something park (whether one of the four or the water parks) is a real struggle for me. But then so much of what I do now is just wander around and make notes. Take the place in. The days of running from attraction-to-attraction are long gone. Unless it is DL's Space! <<I now spend more and more time at DAK and far less time at the MK ... and almost no time at the Studios because of the FRESH/STALE deal.>> I couldn't guess accurately but I would guess that DAK is vying with Epcot for the most visited in my time but then that is more a testamony to its development. It is probably pretty close though (especially over the past 10 years). DAK is the real gem. I hope when you get to see HKDL that you get a DAK vibe from it. D-MGm would be next but then I'm a monster fan of the streetmosphere. Can stand there for hours just watching them do their stuff. MK is rock-bottom. Just not my thing at all.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I'll just say that a byproduct of the Mouse devouring Central Florida has been a loss of identity and massive urban sprawl. I can tell you the area in the 1970s and 80s was much more friendly, Southern and country ... WDW's massive growth pumped a lot of money into the economy, but longtime residents will tell you that Orange and Osceola (and now Polk and Lake) counties sold their souls to do so.>> Neither period sounds appealing to me but that is just my opinion. Block after block of characterless condos is not my idea of home. The lack of a decent cultural identity is the real problem. I think the entire city sold its soul. It just doesn't work for me but then the dependence on low-wage jobs is a real problem for any city.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Well, that never stopped you^^ from coming to Orlando from the Olde Jolly World of England to make business at the expense of your love for anything Disney, did it?
Originally Posted By mrichmondj << I want to nominate mrichmondj as the Official President of the LP.com Doom & Gloom Society >> Gee, thanks! Every community has to have it's Eeyore! ;-)
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I am convinced that if Disney spent a billion dollars creating a wind and solar farm on property so that 50% of their energy needs were coming from renewable sources. Half of this board would say that this would be a sign that Disney is declining. Come on people. Disney is spending a lot of money improving things behind the scenes. They are a company. The parks don't always get first priority. Especially when other things are much more pressing. Like their antiquated phone and resevation system.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Well, that never stopped you^^ from coming to Orlando from the Olde Jolly World of England to make business at the expense of your love for anything Disney, did it? >> And your point is what? I have to like a place to do business there? Please. Orlando is a Stepford town in architecture only. One of the most barren cities I've ever seen. You live there and must like it. Good for you. There are a multitude of places I would rather live. It takes all sorts to make the world go around.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-disneyunion0806dec08" target="_blank">http://www.orlandosentinel.com /news/local/orange/orl-disneyunion0806dec08</a>,0,2764340.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-orange >>Disney officials say the moves, which began in late 2005, have been relatively small and don't necessarily signal any trends. Spokeswoman Jacquee Polak said Disney World has long outsourced some jobs and will pursue any creative, smart and efficient business moves that make sense. While Disney may not have issued official answers, Polak replied that its contractors are required to follow Disney standards for employees, though wages and benefits are up to the contractors. "We are only going to work with partners that will maintain our very high standard of business service," she said. "It's the hallmark of what we do. It's the hallmark of the Disney experience. Guest service at Walt Disney World will not be compromised."<<
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< <<Well, that never stopped you^^ from coming to Orlando from the Olde Jolly World of England to make business at the expense of your love for anything Disney, did it? >> And your point is what? I have to like a place to do business there? Please. Orlando is a Stepford town in architecture only. One of the most barren cities I've ever seen. You live there and must like it. Good for you. There are a multitude of places I would rather live. It takes all sorts to make the world go around. >>> It's interesting to see how outsiders view our communities. This somehow reminds me of a couple from the UK that I was sitting next to on a flight from Texas to Las Vegas a few years ago. For them, it was a connecting flight from London, and they were on their first trip to Vegas. As we were about to land, they pointed out the window excitedly, saying something like "look at all the, uh, square houses!" What they meant was that all of the neighborhoods were arranged in grids, looking very orderly from above. They had never seen anything like it, and thought it was very interesting. But it's not something I would ever think twice about.
Originally Posted By leemac <<It's interesting to see how outsiders view our communities.>> True although I'm not sure about the term "outsiders"! It is more the construction methods that I find so alien. But the boxyness (for lack of a better word) is kinda strange to a degree. I guess that comes from living in a house that is 80 years old and that is termed new for my neighborhood! That said Orlando just hasn't controlled its development properly. My uncle lives in Reston, VA and it is a similar thing. His house is actually beautiful as he is in an older neighborhood but every time I'm there I'm amazed at the sheer level of additional units being added. I guess that is the fallback of being a feeder community for a big city like DC.
Originally Posted By fkurucz ^^As long as the population of the US continues to boom (projected to approach 500 million by 2050) we will continue to see the cookie cutter neighborhoods appear like mushrooms. After all, those 150-200 million extra people are going to need a place to live. >>As we were about to land, they pointed out the window excitedly, saying something like "look at all the, uh, square houses!" What they meant was that all of the neighborhoods were arranged in grids, looking very orderly from above. << AAnd most of those neighborhoods probably didn't exist 20 years ago.
Originally Posted By danyoung >I picture him in a 2002 Camry, myself.< Hey, don't be dissin' the 2002 Camry's. My aught-two RAV4 is a great little SUV, and is about to take me on my Christmas Dan Across America Tour, to L.A. (Disneyland!!!), Idaho and back to Dallas. And kennect, if you're still here, I can see how some of this discussion puts you off. I begin to lose interest when people start comparing their Mercedes and Westin experiences. I don't think they were being snooty about it, but I can sure see how it might get to you!
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< True although I'm not sure about the term "outsiders"! >>> I'm glad you didn't take offense (offence?)! I struggled with which word to use, trying to come up with one that conveyed "people not from the area and not familiar with it." BTW, are you happy now that you're greeted upon arrival to the US as a "visitor" instead of an "alien"? - that was a definite improvement.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ It takes a lot for me to take offense I can assure you. I'm pretty thick-skinned. It doesn't really bother me what term Border Control use. I had a nightmare coming into LAX last week. The worst interogation I have ever had at Immigration. He really didn't want to let it go. I'm in the US about twice a month and he was like "you are going to stay this time" even though I've departed every time! Then he couldn't get his head around the fact that I was an employee of a UK firm that offered advice to US companies. He was convinced I was illegally working for a US company. He then asked for my return ticket and I told him my return was flexible and open like most international business tickets are so I never carry my itinerary. It is all handled by our travel provider. In the end he took my business card which had all of my UK contact details and that seemed to appease him somewhat. I appreciate you need to protect your borders but you would have thought that evidence that I have returned home on every single trip to the US over the past few years (and it must be 25+ trips annually) would have been sufficient. Have always hated that Bradley Terminal at LAX and hate it even more now! Flying United into T6/7 is much easier.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I didn't have to go through Customs, but I was treated pretty much the same way by TSA personnel at LAX. I think they get their jollies by trying to intimidate people.
