Originally Posted By TDR_Fan I do find it weird that people are always counting the wide pathways as a flaw of the park. It seems that the major complaint is that as a result, the park lacks charm and intimacy. I've never felt they detracted from the experience. Like you said, it's a blessing in a park that is often filled to capacity. What a nightmare it would have been if it had been built using Disneyland's scale, as not even the wide pathways are enough sometimes.
Originally Posted By barboy "Does he mention any of the genuine faults of the parks?" Like what? I have just 3 complaints and none of them are monumental or serious. For a night show spectacular BraveSeamo is lackluster when I compare it to Fantazmic(Dl Anaheim) and Illuminations There are no single or two day hoppers Tomorrowland's architecture looks dated.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara Genuine faults ... Well, BraviSeamo is a crazy crazy show, but it is an undeniable spectacle that is unique. My friend turned to me in October after watching it and said, "Wow, but what the hell was that?" My feelings exactly. Definitely a "wow," and perhaps it appeals more to the Japanese. A real fault is the fireworks show--it's short and isn't nearly in the class of what we regularly see in Orlando, Anaheim, or Hong Kong. The fireworks in Hong Kong were unbelievably terrific. Another fault is one of the continuing problems for DisneySea--it doesn't have enough attractions to bring in and hold the crowds. This is why DisneySea is often not crowded with rides that are walk-ons while Tokyo Disneyland is packed like a can of sardines. The merchandise in Tokyo has also undergone dramatic changes. Whereas there used to be a lot of attraction-specific merchandise, there is now almost none. When DisneySea opened almost every ride had multiple pieces of merchandise to purchase--now, except for Tower of Terror, there is almost nothing. And you're seeing the same thing you see here--EXACTLY the same merchandise in many of the shops throughout the park. Main Street in Orlando is slowly being turned into a strip mall, with the various shop facades no longer connected to what is actually inside the shops. This is in contrast to Main Street in Anaheim, where the watch shop has watches and jewelery, the music shop has music and books, the magic shop has magic tricks, the Main Street Cinema is still showing movies, etc. Well, the same thing that happened in Orlando is slowly happening in World Bazaar in Tokyo. An entire "street" (the near left side as you enter, from the front until the intersection, used to be many different shops, but it is all now one enormous shop that sells gift boxes of cookies, rice crackers, and chocolates (all of which you can buy at other locations in the park). One of the gutted shops, in the center, is now simply a switchback to the cash registers (which used to be another shop). I think the Tokyo Disney Resort is the best Disney Resort on the planet--I can't wait to go there each year. That, however, doesn't mean it's without faults.
Originally Posted By mstaft I LOVE those "Disney Orgasms"- wish I had one when I visited DCA. You can bet it would reach its desired attendance if its mix of attractions, shows, dining, and shops produced THAT experience in folks!
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<The merchandise in Tokyo has also undergone dramatic changes. Whereas there used to be a lot of attraction-specific merchandise, there is now almost none. When DisneySea opened almost every ride had multiple pieces of merchandise to purchase--now, except for Tower of Terror, there is almost nothing. And you're seeing the same thing you see here--EXACTLY the same merchandise in many of the shops throughout the park>> I believe it's because character merchandise sells much better than attraction specific merchandise. That being said, I still found unique and attraction-themed items in several shops my last visit. Nautilus Gifts, Discovery Gifts, and this open bazaar type shop in Lost River Delta all sold attraction-specific merchandise in addition to the Tower of Terror shop. Couldn't find much in Tokyo Disneyland though, which was a shame. There was a small shop that sold Splash Mountain items, but that was about it. Still, I'm thankful that the shops still sell area specific merchandise unlike the Magic Kingdom, where Disney plushes, Princess and Pirates, plus other "hip" items dominate every shelf.
Originally Posted By Malin I too must be as biased as Kevin Yee and Al Lutz than as I never notice all this neglect when I last visited. Now Disneyland Paris on the other hand...
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan I wouldn't call it neglect, as it's few and far between when compared with the other Disney resorts- especially Disneyland Resort Paris. But it's not completely perfectly maintained, as I did noticed cracking pavement and peeling paint in some places (but very few). Generally speaking, the resort was spotless and sparkling.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara I don't know what TDR_FAN saw, but there aside from the $399 Nautilus, there is no longer any merchandise for 20,000 Leagues or Journey to the Center of the Earth at the gift shop. There is nothing for Storm Rider or Aquatopia other than a single candy tin. There is no ride-specific Indy merchandise aside from the picture frames and some crap with Mickey on it--all other Indy merchandise is generic or film based.
Originally Posted By danyoung >...presumptuous? - that Kevin's decided to write an English-language guide to TDR based on the pre-planning research and experiences from one visit?< I think if he was touting his new book as the be-all end-all of TDL touring, then there would be a problem. But in the total vacuum that is TDL tour guides written in English, I for one would be very happy to learn from his one-time experience. >Kevin Yee is just as blind and biased as his boss Al Lutz.< So Kevin, as a first time visitor, didn't see all of the problems that you, obviously a multiple visitor, have seen, and that makes him blind and biased? He has an opinion, and you have an opinion. It's nice to read from all viewpoints. But your experience doesn't negate Kevin's. Seems you have an ongoing bias coming into play here.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<I don't know what TDR_FAN saw, but there aside from the $399 Nautilus, there is no longer any merchandise for 20,000 Leagues or Journey to the Center of the Earth at the gift shop. There is nothing for Storm Rider or Aquatopia other than a single candy tin. There is no ride-specific Indy merchandise aside from the picture frames and some crap with Mickey on it--all other Indy merchandise is generic or film based.>> I did see some attraction themed merchandise, but nearly all of them had Mickey on it . I suppose I don't have an eye as sharp as your's since this problem never really stood up to me until you mentioned it. That being said, I do have a hard time finding attraction themed merchandise in all the Disney parks I've visited. Here at Disneyland, the Indiana Jones Outpost doesn't sell anything related to the attraction. There used to be these awesome fold out maps that showed the entire Temple of the Forbidden Eye in great detail, but it was discontinued shortly after. I've been trying to get my hands on one for quite a while to no avail. Last time they checked, all they had were these lame little beads that they advertised as gems from the Chamber of Earthly Riches. DCA used to sell more attraction based stuff as well, but the Tower of Terror shop is just about the only place left. I remember buying a Grizzly River Run shirt, but that's no longer sold.
Originally Posted By leemac <<DCA used to sell more attraction based stuff as well, but the Tower of Terror shop is just about the only place left. I remember buying a Grizzly River Run shirt, but that's no longer sold. >> TDR-Fan: you seem more observant about your a park 5000 miles away than the one down the road. Outfitters still has GRR merchandise (several tees for starters) and there is some Soarin' merch in Fly 'n' Buy when I last checked recently. There is also still Space Mountain product, Subs, HM, POTC etc. I'd wager there is more attraction-specific merch at DL than either TDR parks these days.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<TDR-Fan: you seem more observant about your a park 5000 miles away than the one down the road. Outfitters still has GRR merchandise (several tees for starters) and there is some Soarin' merch in Fly 'n' Buy when I last checked recently. There is also still Space Mountain product, Subs, HM, POTC etc. I'd wager there is more attraction-specific merch at DL than either TDR parks these days.>> Maybe so. I certainly do try to take everything in when I'm at foreign parks than I do back here. Guess I'll be checking Le Bat en Rouge in the next week or so for any new merchandise. Last I checked, Jack Sparrow merchandise was the most dominant.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I, having yet to visit TDL and TDS (CHANGING SPRING '08!!!!!), can't really comment on what merchandise has been there vs. what it is now. But just judging from the seasonal/special event postcards a certain TDLFAN brings back for me, it would seem they still do a far better job on merchandising than the other parks do. At WDW, they have been selling some of the same postcards for 25 years now ... others just changing wording. Nothing seasonal. Nothing new. The lands basically have no meaning anymore. Try and find ONE Frontierland themed item in either the MK or DL, I dare you (OK, two, since if you look real hard you'll find some coonskin caps!) DCA when it opened had amazing merchandise. Every attraction from SuperStar Limo to Triton's Carousel had loads of unique stuff. Now? The absolute same crap as every other Disney shop ... Hannah Montana CDs, High School Musical DVDs, princess costumes, Pirate action figures ... let the theme be damned. There are still a few parks where you can find unqiue items. The World Showcase at EPCOT, some of DAK's shops. But that's about it. DL, which had a great merchandise mix under Pressler, really has become almost as bad as the MK. Not quite because there still -- as pointed out above -- some uniqueness on Main Street (and a bit in NoS as well). I even noticed the difference at DLP from 2006 to 2007. This WalMarting effect is clearly the way Disney Merchandise wants to run its operations. And it isn't because they can't make a profit with unique shops ... it's because they can make a BIGGER profit by selling the same cheap crap in virtually every shop. In one respect, it's made things much better for me. I could easily rack up four figures on a trip at shops ... now, there are often times I don't buy a single item on a visit. I still bet I find things worth buying when I visit TDR next spring. Don't know if I'll buy anything at DL next week. And I'm almost positive I won't buy a thing at WDW next month!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<DCA used to sell more attraction based stuff as well, but the Tower of Terror shop is just about the only place left.>> Not really. That shop now is a mess with lots of NBC merchandise ... probably Pirates too. They had some amazing items in 2004. One of them -- a bacchanalia dancer sculpture is on the coffee table in my family room. It was originally around $600-700 at DCA. I 'found' it at the Character Warehouse in Fullerton for $150 (plus I had another 10% off coupon). Those items are long gone. <<I remember buying a Grizzly River Run shirt, but that's no longer sold. >> I've seen those at the same outlet store. I almost bought one.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Outfitters still has GRR merchandise (several tees for starters)>> That shop was terrific in 2001. They had all kinds of outdoor goods AND stuff themed to GRR and the california wilderness. <<and there is some Soarin' merch in Fly 'n' Buy when I last checked recently.>> I'll check it out next week and report back! <<There is also still Space Mountain product, Subs, HM, POTC etc.>> I haven't seen anything Space Mtn specific except for tees. Pirates obviously does, but it's hard to see where the attraction stuff ends and the movie-themed stuff begins. I didn't notice any subs specific stuff, but I have yet to set foot in that small shop they opened in the former Radio Disney booth. <<I'd wager there is more attraction-specific merch at DL than either TDR parks these days.>> I can't wait to find out!
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ I'm not saying there is a tremendous amount of attraction-specific stuff (mainly tees, pins, posters etc.) - no more than a handful for each but it still more than I have found of late in TDR. And TDS has absolutely nothing worth getting - largely generic. I'm just not fond of the Marc Delle-driven images (those hugely complex mass character images) - in much the same way I don't like that stuff that Mark Seppala turns out for WDW. TDR merchandise is great if you want little things - postcards, stickers, stationery sets (they love stationery), pin bags, beanies to pin on your bag, loads of sweet/biscuit tins - but the problem is that there usually isn't anything spectacularly different from a product mix POV from event to event (although they do know how to make some incredibly cute stuff for Halloween). The little things sell and that is their focus. You do end up craving something more tangible and luxurious as a souvenir - even the watches have got hugely generic which is a terrible shame. Lindsay has a beautiful bronze Mickey that was available as a LE piece for the 25th and that was literally all there was. Also the clothing is terrible - very little selection and awful quality. Remarkable for a nation that has used China as its factory for years.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<And TDS has absolutely nothing worth getting - largely generic>> Interesting, as I bought more merchandise at TDS than I did at TDL, which contained mostly plush dolls and other run of the mill items. I actually found more unique items at TDS. MickeyAngelo Gifts has some great hotel-themed gifts. Bought some lovely mugs and cups there. <<even the watches have got hugely generic which is a terrible shame>> Hmm...perhaps the term generic means different things to you than me because I found some neat clocks and watches at Romeo's Watches & Jewelry. None were attraction themed, but they were interesting nonetheless. They also had some expensive brand name ones that were much too pricey for me.
Originally Posted By leemac <<MickeyAngelo Gifts has some great hotel-themed gifts. Bought some lovely mugs and cups there. >> Again - depends if you like that stuff. The overly feminine faux Renaissance look doesn't appeal to me at all. I've always found the MiraCosta merch too prissy. Ultimately the merch is skewed firmly towards women - always has done and that is just a function of the guest mix. I'm just disappointed that OLC doesn't use the muscle they have (and a great captive audience that MUST take gifts home to family and friends) to be more creative. <<Hmm...perhaps the term generic means different things to you than me because I found some neat clocks and watches at Romeo's Watches & Jewelry.>> Again I'm glad someone appreciates it. Very feminine watches and cheap jewelry isn't my thing. I didn't see any that has ever grabbed me. Even the LE stuff from the opening (which hung around for YEARS) was dull - that Admiral Mickey image was overused.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan Guesss I have a bigger feminine side than I thought then . I would gladly take these items over the Pirates & Princess crap found at DLR or WDW. Not a fan of High School Musical either. Bleh. I entered a store in Ikspiari, took one look, and promptly left. Cannot stand it at all. I certainly don't have a big problem with the merchandise right now, but it couldn't hurt to add even more unique merchandising to the shops.
Originally Posted By danyoung >And it isn't because they can't make a profit with unique shops ... it's because they can make a BIGGER profit by selling the same cheap crap in virtually every shop.< I know you say this as if the marketeers are gigantically evil people bent on world destruction. But when you think about it, their sole job is to maximize profits. If they can do it by selling plush and pins in every freakin' store, then they're very successful at their jobs and will rise in the ranks. This trend won't stop unless some outside influence with enough authority to effect change steps in and imposes a sense of uniqueness to the shops again. In other words, someone like Walt who looked at guest happiness before he looked at pure profit. >That shop {Rushin River Outfitters) was terrific in 2001. They had all kinds of outdoor goods AND stuff themed to GRR and the california wilderness...I'll check it out next week and report back!< Please say hi to my brother Dave - a lead in all of those stores since they opened. He's most often in Outfitters, but roams around supervising the others as well. Tell him you know this crazy Dallas Disney nut who says he's related!
