Originally Posted By plpeters70 "Maybe I should flip the question around on you? I can't see why people (not naming anyone) can get so emotional and adamant about a theme park." What a silly question - just the fact that you post here all the time tells me that you have some sort of emotional interest in the theme parks - especially when I see how much you defend DCA to the other posters here. Why accuse others of doing the same thing you yourself do all the time? "Hey, how did Animal Kingdom improve?" You know, I ask myself this same question everytime I happen to park hop over there. And I still for the life of me can't figure out why they've just let this park basically sit there. How long are they going to wait on this? Isn't it about time they added something to bring in the crowds???
Originally Posted By teri Santa Monica... the boat ride at AK was a dog anyway. Too bad they didn't replace it with something interesting. Animal Kingdom is more like a zoo/cultural/art/atmosphere experience... our family has enjoyed the last 5 trips to that park for about 1-5 hour day each time. There are only 3 very rough E-ticket rides and some shows, but lots of animal habitats and crafts. They have a really nice parade now - very artful and intimate. The Lion King show is incredible. If you wear earplugs/have a high tolerance for noise, the Tarzan show is awesome for kids who like to see people doing thrill stunts on rollerblades and ropes, better than any of the non-water shows I have seen at places like Sea World or USF. The carnival thing is on the same concept as Paradise Pier, and I haven't yet gained an appreciation of either of those, plus my kids have already outgrown the rides they put in. I can see how it would appeal to families with little kids. Asia was planned when we first went but not even under construction yet, they always planned to add that, and now that it is in place I see another tract of land beyond and wonder what may go there. It is SO darn hot there, that is the place that really needs a cool dark ride. Anumal Kingdom has nice theming and food, could use more attracions for adults that don't get you soaked to the skin or cause you to need a massage or neck brace afterwards. I still haven't seen a parade at DCA - it was raining each time we went.
Originally Posted By driftwood714 plpeters70: "What a silly question - just the fact that you post here all the time tells me that you have some sort of emotional interest in the theme parks - especially when I see how much you defend DCA to the other posters here. Why accuse others of doing the same thing you yourself do all the time?" I wouldn't say I post here all the time. I come here once or two a day, depending on work or school hours and go through the recent posts and reply. I'm tired of listening to certain posters spread misinformation and others on the same drum beating it (I admit, I am one of them. i think DCA is a great park). The sole fact that everyone is here (you included) also means that they have an emotional interest in the parks. So don't exclude yourself, buddy. I think the "answer a question with a question" game has lost it's meaning and the original point is lost now. Thanks for the discussion.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "So don't exclude yourself, buddy." I wasn't - I'm probably more emotional than most! ;-) But your right, let's just let this thread get back on topic and leave it there.
Originally Posted By mrdduck >>Imagine our dismay when we went to the park in February 2001... no AP upgrade. Broken rides. Not much there for a family to do for a whole day, for $160, in the rain. I WANTED to like it, << - So it seems that you are disappointment is that you felt dissed on the AP, the rain and the rides were broke. I don't think that means that the park is bad. True there's not much for toddler's to do (hopefully the bug thing will help) but it appeals to an older group of kids. My 11 year old son prefers it over DL and so does his friends.
Originally Posted By teri The point was, analysts think there will be a dip in second-year attendance. I say, that isn't necessarily the case, since the first year was so rough, they made some *awful* PR blunders, the pre-opening hype was bigger than the substance - the euphoria had flashed and burned out by the time we got there. HOWEVER, many of us who love Disney will be giving it another chance, knowing that they are working to smooth things out. Hard to imagine that it could be less crowded than the days we were there in February and April last year, so if the analysts are right... eek. I don't think so, because it sounds like they are really trying to turn it around.
Originally Posted By damon63 "Feel free to say more about your feelings on DTD in FL. I'd like to know why?" It's laid out very poorly, for one thing. Secondly the theme, which was supposed to be this old warehouse district that was reclaimed as an entertainment district, never worked and has apparently been abandoned leaving us with the hodge-podge of mismatched buildings and rat-maze layout that we see today. I suppose Disney learned from their mistakes in Florida, because the downtown districts in France and California are far better.
Originally Posted By jonvn First time around for most of these things isn't as good as the second incarnation. I can think of only one real instance where this is not true...
Originally Posted By plpeters70 "It's laid out very poorly, for one thing." You know what could really help this area - a peoplemover or something. They really need a transportation system from the WestSide to the MarketPlace -- it's just too far a walk otherwise.
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA With Pleasure Island sandwiched in between the East and West sections -- that was the beginning of the end. Once upon a time, you could simply walk through Pleasure Island -- you didn't have to go in to the various clubs. By blocking it off and charging an admission, plus drinks -- fuhgetaboutit! Prior to that, they had simply the Walt Disney World Village -- which featured interesting resort-type shops, with merchandise you couldn't find anywhere else, and eateries which were nice -- the whole place was very low-key and enjoyable. A break from all the theme park action. Of course, you wouldn't want to keep that kind of environment at Disney World, where today's adage is: THIS IS YOUR VACATION -- YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By teri There is only one club at Pleasure Island that I like, that is the Jazz Club, and they allow smoking in there so I can't stay. Adventurer's Club is entertaining, but not a place to hang and socialize. The walk around is long and not at all appealing, and long... they blew it. The atmosphere at Pleasure Island is anything but low-key and inviting. Certainly not my idea of fun, but the place sure is hopping on Thursday nights. Cirque du Soleil is very cool, though. DisneyQuest is nice. All of Westside is appealing. It is just that there is this big, ugly, uncomfortable lump in between Downtown Disney and Westside in Orlando, it is too much. The Downtown Disney in Anaheim feels comfortable and integrated into the resort and parks. I think they have done a nice job so far.
Originally Posted By Disneybrad "With Pleasure Island sandwiched in between the East and West sections -- that was the beginning of the end." When built, Pleasure Island was the en., it wasn't sandwiched between the East and West ends, since PI opened about almost years before the West Side. "Once upon a time, you could simply walk through Pleasure Island -- you didn't have to go in to the various clubs." Thats right, and you still Can prior to 7pm. (Although it is currently 9pm". "By blocking it off and charging an admission, plus drinks -- fuhgetaboutit!" You are making it sound like this is something new, it isn't they have been chargoing addmission to Pleasure Island from Day one more than 10 years ago.
Originally Posted By teri Well, Disneybrad, think of it this way.. if you are a family with 2 adults and 2 kids who just flew in from California and are looking for a good place to eat after 9PM EST, and you go to Downtown Disney in Orlando tonight, you cannot get from Downtown Disney to Westside without making a long walk around the dark backside of Pleasure Island. Even if it is open, there is an artificial hill that you have to climb and descend to get through to the other side. It is a hassle - a pain. It isn't a pleasant, enjoyable walk, except for the good company of your family and friends, of course. If you already know exactly where you want to eat and can target your group toward arriving on the right side of the lagoon, it works... but most newcomers arrive not knowing which place will have the longest waits, or be most appealing -- they want to explore and see what the options are. We did that, dragging 2 tired kids around, having to walk all the way back to the car again.. it wasn't fun.
Originally Posted By Disneybrad Yes, but to complain about the design saying they stuck PI there in the middle of the East and West Sides, when it was built 10 years before the West Side is just plain wrong and not fair. Then again, you can always tke the Boats Accross the Lake from the Marektplace to the West Side or Vice Versa. Plus you can also board any bus from the Maketplace Station, and they stop at the other 2 Downtown Disney Stops, if you don't want to walk.
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA To clarify Disneybrad -- I know the progression of construction over there. And sure, you can go to Pleasure Island at 11:00 in the morning without a cover charge, but who wants to? I'm suggesting that in its' current design form -- and at night, when most people are visiting DownTown Disney -- the notion of having Pleasure Island in the center of this entertainment zone, which is blocked off with a cover charge, and then forcing people to walk around is terribly inconvenient. Regardless of how it was originally designed, Pleasure Island is now (in my words) 'stuck' in the middle of this complex and cuts the other two sections off from what would otherwise be, a very nice walk from one end to the other. Perhaps they could build a neater walkthrough pathway that takes you 'through' Pleasure Island, but doesn't force you to practically walk through the parking lot.
Originally Posted By Disneybrad I guess this a differnce in an area being built from scratch, ie. DLR-DD, and WDW-DD, which was built in 3-phases over a 20 year period. There is only so much you can do. Disney did attempt for a while to keep the PI section open with only the cover chases getting you into the clubs for a while last year, and it was a mess.
