Originally Posted By Goofyernmost TP2000...I know that was totally amusing, it was also totally dangerous and just watching that for the short time I did I spotted at least 3 major safety violation that the driver performed during his standup (sit-down) monolog. It is probably my training but when Disney encouraged that behavior with the drivers it also placed all those seemingly happy riders in harms way. I like humor as well as the next guy and I'm not saying that it wasn't fun to ride with them but without the proper head gear that would have allowed hands free communication it was dangerous. Almost like texting. The brain is capable of multitasking but not when the only thing that driver should have been concentrating on was the road ahead. Personally, when it comes to my safety, I will get my entertainment somewhere besides from an active bus driver. His job is to get me to my destination safely, not laughing all the way to the ER. There was a time when WDW was small enough to do that with relative safety, not anymore.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I still believe Disney would have developed WDW with additional hotels. Probably not in the hodge-podge manner that actually occurred, but it would have happened. Back in 1971 Walt Disney's 5-year plan for WDW included three MORE hotels than actually existed at WDW when it opened: <<Another topic discussed was Disney’s Five Year Plan for the property and the three hotels that would soon follow the Polynesian and Contemporary. These were the Asian and Venetian resorts which would sit on the Seven Seas Lagoon and the Persian that would be located on Bay Lake.>> Source: <a href="http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2009/07/hotels_that_never_were_at_walt_1.html" target="_blank">http://land.allears.net/blogs/...t_1.html</a> In reality, the three additional hotels that Walt planned for 1976 were not actually opened until 1988-90 when the Grand Floridian (88), Caribbean Beach (88) and Swan (90) hotels were opened.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I don't think Walt Disney would have created this WDW. Yes, he would have built more hotels. But, every Disney hotel built since the begining have been monsterous hotels. Dixie Landings was the largest hotel in the world at the time when it was built. Many of the the WDW Disney owned hotels and resorts remain some of the largest non-casino hotels in the world. Now add in the DVCs. Do you honestly think Walt for saw two decades of non-stop construction solely on DVCs? And then there are the parks. Walt would have built a number of parks. I have no idea what Walt would have built. But I can tell you this, they wouldn't be in the current rundown and stagnant state they are in now. And there would have been an additional monorail line streching to DTD. Ultimately I have no idea what WDW would have looked like under Walt Disney's supervision and judiance. But I do think the parks would have be in better condition than they are now. You need to be at WDW during a half/ full marathon when the most important on property roads are shut down to appreciate just how reliant the vast majority of transportation on WDW property is to those roads.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Ultimately I have no idea what WDW would have looked like under Walt Disney's supervision and judiance. But I do think the parks would have be in better condition than they are now.>> That is something we certainly agree on. As for what (if any) additional parks her would have developed, who knows? I don't find parks like the Studios and Animal Kingdom outside the realm of possibilities though. Disney clearly had an interest in movies and movie-making. With his "True Life Adventure Series" of films during the 50's, I think it is fair to say he was interested in the world of animals and conservation.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I've watched the 'Walt introduces EPCOT' movie many times. If I wanted to be really cynical, I'd say it was just a beautifully crafted sales pitch to keep the residents and political figures in Florida from panicking and thinking he was just going to build a bunch of theme parks and hotels. SURPRISE!
Originally Posted By TP2000 Of course the Tokyo buses need to be sized up a few notches. The modern Japanese, while quite tall actually, are still slim and healthy and don't need extra wide seats. Each bus has 40 seats, plus storage room for some strollers at the front, and standing room for another dozen or so. Here's the very snazzy and jazzy interior... <a href="http://www.tdrfan.com/around_the_resort/disney_resort_cruiser/gallery002.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.tdrfan.com/around_t...y002.jpg</a> The point is not that these EXACT buses should be brought to Florida. The point is that custom, themed, unique bus systems can be designed for Disney Resort properties. And carry thousands of people per day. And staffed by courteous, professional, highly trained drivers who can smile and safely drive a bus at the same time. As for the horrific stand-up comedy routines of the WDW bus drivers, this isn't a thing from the past. This is actively happening every day at WDW, on most buses, as I type this. There are plenty of new YouTube videos of WDW bus drivers in 2012-13 constantly blabbing on like amateur night at the Laff Factory... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-09UHEpL_O8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...UHEpL_O8</a>
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< but without the proper head gear that would have allowed hands free communication it was dangerous. >>> You can't see it very well in the linked picture above, but the TDR bus drivers have a wireless boom mic that they wear underneath their hats. When on the bus, they can make announcements inside. While outside the bus when it's loading, it automatically switches over to outside speakers built into the bus stop so that announcements can be made as to the bus's destination, estimated departure time, etc. The TDR bus routes are short when compared to those at WDW, but I have been on one where the driver was telling jokes more or less constantly. And a Japanese CM would never ad-lib something like that unless it was sanctioned by management. He even joked that with all his jokes, he hoped to work at Jungle Cruise one day.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>>Can you even imagine a WDW bus driver looking this sharp, and having this level of professionalism? I can't.<<< Neither do I and have been saying so for over a decade on these boards. But to be fair, the same level of professionalism can be found across the board from ALL CMs on stage, inside the park and outside, at hotels.. etc etc. >>>Tokyo has definitely the best themed busses, but they seem rather small. I think WDW needs bigger ones, like articulated busses.<<< This is something even OLC realized and bigger Disney Cruisers are now in service, in addition to the smaller ones.
Originally Posted By TP2000 SuperDry and TDLFAN, thank you very much for your follow up information and insight! I'm amazed that so many Americans think the crummy service they get at WDW is acceptable, in this case the bad standup comedy routines and schleppy presentation of the average WDW bus driver. Two days at Tokyo Disneyland would open these folks eyes up wide, and they'd no longer accept the lowered standards and lack of professionalism from the WDW CM's and their dumbed own facilities. That people think a basic city bus, with a cheesy shrink wrap on it that says DISNEY TRANSPORT is acceptable for the "Vacation Kingdom of the World" speaks volumes to how low Disney management has allowed their customers expectations to sink to. And no one bats an eye, and thinks it's just good enough for tubby tourists. It's so very sad, for both Disney World and for American society overall. At least we still have Tokyo. They still have standards they live up to every day, even on humid summer days (Tokyo weather can be brutal!).
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>This is something even OLC realized and bigger Disney Cruisers are now in service, in addition to the smaller ones.<<< That's great. I really love the design of the Disney Cruisers, especially the Mickey shaped backlights. Unfortunately I can't find any pictures of the bigger busses. Do they look like the Disney Cruisers? DLP also has bad looking busses, but at least they use articulated busses, so there is enough room. However usually we walk from the hotels to the parks. I would like to see electric trams, or a cable liner, like the one in Las Vegas that connects the City Centre with Mandalay Bay, at WDW, but I guess that's way too expensive.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper My answer would be yes. I'd say the breaking point was Animal Kingdom, and after. Whether you like Animal Kingdom or not, it was after it was built that the resort started its true downward trend with maintenance and staffing issues. Everything after that has been the straws that have been piled on the camel's already broken back.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Two days at Tokyo Disneyland would open these folks eyes up wide, and they'd no longer accept the lowered standards and lack of professionalism from the WDW CM's and their dumbed own facilities.>> I also wonder if they would notice what a higher standard the Tokyo guests hold THEMSELVES to. Americans accept a reduced standard both for themselves and the places they do business with. Why would WDW be any different? Not saying that is good... just the way it is...
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Oh you^^^ will notice right away. >>>Unfortunately I can't find any pictures of the bigger busses. Do they look like the Disney Cruisers?<<< Curiously, I don't have any pictures of them either, but they are like a 15-20% stretch on the size of the smaller ones and yes, they are fully decorated with the Disney Cruiser look, inside and out, complete with Mickey spiel pa's and video tv info screens. They have been in service for over 2 years now.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Found this video of one of the bigger Disney Cruiser bus, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA8Pf8yiGXc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Pf8yiGXc</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert Thank you for the video. I didn't know that the first Disney Cruisers were that small, because the one in the video looks like a regular sized bus. I expected them to be more like the bigger busses found in cities, just with the Disney Cruiser theme. I wish all Disney resorts would use these busses. Doesn't the Metro Line in Hong Kong use Disney touches? What kind of busses does HKDL use?
Originally Posted By SuperDry << Doesn't the Metro Line in Hong Kong use Disney touches? >> Yes. They are very similar to the Resort Line in Tokyo: they are full-sized urban subway cars with Disney design touches (but HK is on conventional steel rails, whereas Tokyo is a true monorail on a concrete beam). The line in HK is just one of several lines operated by the regular subway company, with design elements under license from Disney. In Tokyo, it's run by a dedicated company that is basically a subsidiary of the resort itself and runs only that line, although it is considered part of the greater Tokyo public transport system. << What kind of busses does HKDL use? >> For the most part, none. The only way to get from the metro station or guest day parking to the park entrance is on foot. Also, the quickest way from HKDL Hotel to the park is on foot. The only routes where a bus makes sense are from either hotel to the metro station (this can also be used from Hollywood Hotel to the park, getting off at the metro station and walking the rest of the way). They are conventional full-size motor coaches with Disney paint jobs.
Originally Posted By TP2000 >>"I also wonder if they would notice what a higher standard the Tokyo guests hold THEMSELVES to. Americans accept a reduced standard both for themselves and the places they do business with. Why would WDW be any different?"<< So true. It's probably just wishful thinking to assume the average WDW guest, who has never even been to Disneyland and SoCal let alone Japan, would ever be able to understand how low their own standards have slipped. If you have very low standards for yourself, it's hard to hold others to higher standards. And the standards at WDW are now very, very low.
Originally Posted By barboy 'You have living in a dreamworld, Neo' ///I also wonder if they(WDW guests) would notice what a higher standard the Tokyo guests hold THEMSELVES to(upon visiting TDR)./// Too many WDW goers have been slaves to Disney's USA "Matrix".......going along and just accepting what is before them. Once they take the red pill and free their minds they will very quickly(even before entering the parks) understand the difference between the **perceived** excellence of WDW and the very real excellence found in Urayasu. I'm still trying to get some stubborn family members who have been jacked into the WDW matrix since the 80's to take the red pill by flying out to Narita. But they have to choose to free their minds as I can only offer it to them.
Originally Posted By barboy ///And the standards at WDW are now very, very low/// You mean like gum stuck to queue railings, tired parades, the ubiquitous double wide stroller, INANIMATE AA's, and noisy, unsightly Disney buses? Ya, I'm sure that's it.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Dagobert, you have to understand that *everything* in Japan is done on a smaller scale. Even the real public busses in the city are on average 1/4th smaller scale that those we are used to seeing in Europe or the USA. And yes, the Disney Cruiser busses are smaller than the big ghetto albatrosses at WDW, DLP and HKDL, but they still have capacity for over 45 guests and up to 60 if I recall...
