Originally Posted By FerretAfros I doubt they're sommeliers, if for no other reason than that they serve you wine in plastic 'glasses'. I feel like that should be grounds for getting your sommelier-hood (sommelier-ship? sommelier-ness?) revoked! When pouring from an open bottle, they don't have you taste it first (unless you're really not sure what kind you want), but they do have the tasting for new bottles that they just opened. I've been there when they did it themselves (hey! no drinking on the job!), and others when they've let guests do it. The CMs are knowledgable about wine, and specifically what they're serving, but they don't seem to be true experts on the matter. They're among the friendliest bunch in the entire resort, and seem like they would go out of their way to get you an answer if they don't know, so I guess there's something to be said for that. It seems like they have a fairly small staff, since I usually recognize their faces when I'm there (or maybe I just go there too often!), which adds a lot to the experience. But at the end of the day, the atmosphere they create feels more like doing a wine tasting at a friend's house than in a fancy restuarant, so I would guess that they're not certified sommeliers.
Originally Posted By yamabuki >>DCA of today is not as interesting to us.<< I understand that, seeing as major areas of the park are under heavy construction. Is it too much to ask to let them finish off construction and see what the end result is? Adding a billion dollars worth to a theme park is never a bad thing, especially when it involves brand-new rides and shows as well as upgrades to what is already there. I was a fan of some of the original attractions as well(Seasons of the Vine, Golden Dreams, Etc.) But let's face it - they were very poorly-attended shows that were taking up valuable space. No matter how you spin it, the park is doing amazingly well with all the new additions.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I never claimed the new additions were overall failures, I just said they were less interesting to us. Toon themed stuff (even if it cost a trillion) does not interest me much. I have finally come to terms I think that Disney is not the company I fell in love with and may not be what I am looking for any longer.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<Is it too much to ask to let them finish off construction and see what the end result is?>> Apparently. <<I have finally come to terms I think that Disney is not the company I fell in love with and may not be what I am looking for any longer.>> Or could it be that you are having a mid-life crisis and are still angry over losing the Pirate's Arcade. (I know that I am.) Not everything that Disney does is going to satisfy everyone. So what? Frankly, I can't stand Toontown, never could. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Talk about your Toons. But I simply avoid it most trips to DL. And at the same time, I am willing to give the whole Radiator Springs theme a try without pre-judging. Okay, it's centered around those dreaded "toons". Recall, Walt Disney had one hell of a time getting "toons" inside Disneyland. The legal issues were amazing. You all need to read up on that fight. Then you need to wonder if he would have preferred more "toons" in the beginning than he actually ended up with.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I have finally come to terms I think that Disney is not the company I fell in love with and may not be what I am looking for any longer." Coming from you I bet that was a difficult realization to face. It's fine Dave. Life goes on and things change. The things that you once loved about Disney and its parks are still there, just a little harder to find. If there isn't enough to satisfy you and your family there are plenty of other similar type activities that you can engage in. In fact, I think you've mentioned several well designed European theme parks that you are fond of.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt “You all need to read up on that fight. Then you need to wonder if he would have preferred more "toons" in the beginning than he actually ended up with.” It’s one thing to fight to have the characters YOU have created and own in YOUR theme park because YOUR visitors have an emotional connection to them. It’s another thing to build entire subsections and major attractions based on billion dollar movie franchises because you’re a multi-media corporate giant competing in the marketplace. While there is nothing wrong with either, too often what Disney is doing now feels like the latter.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<. . ., too often what Disney is doing now feels like the latter.>> And I will be the first to agree with your point. Perhaps the toonification is a knee-jerk reaction to what was precieved as missing in DCA. But I really feel that the overall trend for DCA is opposite of the typical "dumbing down" scenario that we have all seen before.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I don't mind toons as long as there's balance. The trouble with the DCA additions, as spectacular as some have been (or promise to be next year) is that they've pretty much all been toon-based. BVS will change that a bit (which is one reason I really look forward to it). But they could have added the toons AND kept some of the more unique early DCA elements that there was nothing wrong with and a great deal right with (Eureka, the street entertainment, the wine tastings, etc.) Maybe that will be the next step. (I hope.) I don't imagine we'll see anything TOO big right away after 2012, especially since TL and FrL across the way are calling out for something major and new. But the wine tastings (and Seasons of the Vine) could easily come back to the winery, and the streets can support any type of entertainment. Here's hoping they realize they have enough toons and the entertainment doesn't have to be that as well - it can be more like the interesting more adult-oriented things they had early on.
Originally Posted By Jenn31 SOOO...Anyone used the new entry yet? How is it? Is it semi themed is it not? Or does it really look like the backside of buildings?
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes >>>Last time I bought wine there, I was not given the opportunity to taste before they poured out the glass<<< That and a few following posts gave me my answer which is no.
