Originally Posted By ADMIN <font color="#FF0000">Message removed by an administrator. <a href="MsgBoard-Rules.asp" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the LaughingPlace.com Community Standards.</font>
Originally Posted By ADMIN <font color="#FF0000">Message removed by an administrator. <a href="MsgBoard-Rules.asp" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the LaughingPlace.com Community Standards.</font>
Originally Posted By ParrotHead "With no room for expansion or significant change, TDS is stuck as it is. At least WDSP and DCA have room to grow and change." I've never been to TDS, but to me it looks like it doesn't NEED grow and change much. WDSP and DCA, on the other hand...
Originally Posted By TDLFAN leemac, I very much know how important the press is to spreding the word to consumers about the product, so i can understand why they do what they are doing. But is it us the fans, or geeks, as you like to refer to us, who keep the place going with our long term support and interest. That should be enough reason for them to consider allowing guests who care about the product to be able to enjoy a historic moment in time, such as a grand opening celebration. And about the WDW 25th anniversary celebration, that morning those of us who stayed in Main Street long enough after they sent people behind Main Street (ugly CM area BTW), got treated to being able to enjoy the parade of celebrities from the sidelines as they made their way to the castle. I stoo in the corner of Flower St., where the recently expanded Emporium now is. I saw the 1st lady pass by me no more than 8 feet away or so, and i did get to see and hear from not too far away the ceremony they held at the castle. Lucky for me and unlucky for the VIP's there, that lovely thunderstorm brought the event to a hault, as of being Walt's way of disapproving the rape of the castle in pink. So HELLO back to you, leemac. As for TDS is concerned, i agree that the japanese can be very pushy, but so are people from other races too. How many times have i waited for a parade at WDW just to have some american push thier way to the front and block everyone's view? If i was to attend a grand opening in Tokyo, i would expect this from people because that is the way it is over there. But for those who got to see the TDS event, that will be a monumental event they will never forget and will cherish for a lifetime. I applaud OLC for caring about their audience, something Eisner has forgotten. I you much rather enjoy an event like this from the confort of your vip reserved chair then i suggest you keep doing what you are doing and take a sit in the front. As long as you pass yourself as "press", why would you care if those of us the little people can or can't stand at the back and enjoy the show? Finally, leemac, is it really necessary for you to insult your fellow Disney fans by calling us geeks? So i guess you are calling Doobie a geek and everybody here a geek. Please be aware that many of us are from different backgrounds, with educational degrees and very much professionals in our own endeavors, and who are decent menbers in our respective communities, who happen to enjoy one single thing: Disney. While i am not offended by you refering to us here as geeks (God knows i have been called worst! I am a minority AND gay, God forbid!), i feel your comment is unnecessary. Of course i know it's human nature to attack like that when other do the same but, thuthfully, your "geek" comment causes me to loose the respect i have of you and the work you have done as a contributor in this webpage. No wonder you feel we geeks don't deserve a little VIP treatment, since you yourself can't be respectful of other's feeling here. Very sad. Very disappointing.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct <With no room for expansion or significant change> I thought there was 40% more land available for development.
Originally Posted By leemac There are Disney fans and then Disney geeks. "Geeks" (in my definition) are particularly obsessive and tend to have negative views about Disney management. Not everyone on this site is a "geek", but there are a particularly vocal minority who have strong viewpoints that they try and impose on other people. I would not class Doobie as a "geek". As someone who knows Doobie, he does not fall into that category. He has only "recently" fallen into Disney and I decided to contribute to his website for its level-headedness and impartiality, unlike most other fan sites. I had other offers, but felt most at home at LP, and I hope that the relationship will continue. I am not particularly bothered if you "lose respect" for me. I did not expect any in the first place and as I rarely impose opinion on my articles, i leave that for the message boards.
Originally Posted By leemac <<<With no room for expansion or significant change> I thought there was 40% more land available for development.>> No, there is very little land for expansion at TDS. The only significant area is to the left of Indy on the top left corner of the park and the area touted (wrongly) for Tower of Terror next to the Sailing Day Buffet. There is 32% "non-utilised" land that is currently being assessed for the possible third park, but that is the current parking lot opposite TDL. TDS is land-locked on virtually all-sides with no major projects on the horizon.
Originally Posted By leemac <<That should be enough reason for them to consider allowing guests who care about the product to be able to enjoy a historic moment in time, such as a grand opening celebration.>> So, you expect the Company to differentiate between guests and you? So, you want V.I.P. status because "you care about the product"? How would that work? From a practical POV that is not possible. Why allow some guests access and not others? Better to say "no" to all guests rather than offer preferential treatment to some. Press and V.I.P. are important parts of the marketing machinery, and cheap at that.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I applaud OLC for caring about their audience, something Eisner has forgotten>> Your facts are wrong here too. OLC had nothing whatsoever to do with the Grand Opening ceremony as it was entirely conceived in Anaheim. A small team from Disneyland and Burbank handled the entire event for the OLC. The OLC have little or no experience of these events and so called in the experts. At the DCA Grand Opening, we sat with about twenty OLC executives who explained why they were there. The same happened at WDSP. A contingent of TDA CMs came out to Paris to run the event.
Originally Posted By leemac I would like to conclude by saying that I do not feel that I am abusive, dictatorial or rude about other posters at LP.com. If any of my posts caused you to take offence, I apologise sincerely as it was never my intention.
Originally Posted By x-TDL-character >>>I guess there is a reason why you are an X then? No comment.<<< Well, allow me to repsond to your snide "no comment" insinuation. I`d be happy to comment. My GIRLFRIEND is an X-TDL-character because she worked there for 8+ years with a FLAWLESS record and a well earned leadership position before moving on to a higher paying job which was much less stressful physically (doing characters hurts). So I suggest you keep your insinuations to yourself. As for me, I suppose I was just a bit miffed by the condecending tone of your post. I think if you re-read it you might feel the same way. And believe me, I`m certainly not jealous. I`ve been to more than enough openings and special events myself.
Originally Posted By x-TDL-character One more note on your "jealousy" comment. IMO, that sounds like more of the same "I`m so important, don`t you people wish you could be in my shoes" attitude that has put off some people here, hence the negative response to your comments in the first place. If you look again at this thread, you`ll note that I asked Euroiswe about attending a lot of opening ceremonies, Euroiswe told me about being there, I thought that was cool, and my reply was "Wow, cool!". Does that sound me being a jealous person?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I don't consider myself a VIP per se, however if i pay to go into a theme park, and this kind of events do happen, then i (as a consumer) expect to be able to enjoy and anticipate. If management do not see it that way, then by all means, conduct this kind of events during non-operating hours. And moreover, what is a VIP really? Just because Disney needs promotion for their undercooked parks and they slap a "Press" badge on someone, doesn't mean you are God's gift to the rest of the world. You are more like a VPI, very priviledged individual. Be thankful you have been chosen to participate. But please, don't let that VIP status go to your head, because when the clock hits midnight and the party is over, you'll be back in your simple little life as you knew it. I remember back in 1981 during WDW traditions training day when we were told that every guest was to be considered a VIP, becuase they are the ones who keep the company going, NOT the press, NOT the invited feebie-loading few, THE GUESTS! I learned my lesson well then, and as a Disney consumer, i still expect the same kind of respect.
Originally Posted By irishfan Back to topic for the minute...great article, and fantastic pictures! Looking forward to my visit in September.
Originally Posted By ParrotHead I do understand the logic behind wanting to please the press. But I think we may overestimate their influence, and underestimate word-of-mouth. The latter is, by far, the best advertising there is - and it doesn't cost a dime. So if I had to choose, I'd rather please the ordinary guests than the press. PH
Originally Posted By x-TDL-character Perhaps there is a good reason they`d rather win the favor of the press corps in this case rather than rely on word of mouth, which can be a double edged sword.
Originally Posted By ParrotHead Indeed. I can remember a time when Disney didn't advertise its parks at all - word-of-mouth was all it took to fill them up. Those days are gone. The question is, why? One argument is that there are more parks to fill, and word-of-mouth just can't bring in that many bodies. I don't... Maybe that's so, maybe not. Or maybe the average guest is having a good time, but not quite good enough to become a raving fan who spreads the word to lots of people around him...
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Hi PH - this is Denise (Tinybeetle). I have friends who are members of the press who attended the events at WDW recently. I would have gotten to go too, but everything got mixed up and we didn't end up getting together for it (oh, well!). I have to say that considering that such a large portion of the guests are RETURN guests, THEY are who Disney needs to be courting. Not the media. My media friends would hate that - and it's not that what they do isn't helpful to Disney, but what makes Disney is the guests. A number of us are on a large Disney newsgroup and there is a lot of discontent with the way Disney does things nowadays - as far as the resorts, the parks, everything. Disney NEEDS to keep its core audience. If they are so desperate to court the media, that means they aren't doing a good enough job encouraging those who love Disney to stay onsite (many I know no longer do) and to visit the parks regularly. Denise
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Yup, PH - we are. I was rubbed the wrong way a bit seeing Disney go all out for the press (better fireworks, cleaner parks, etc.) and then go back to the norm once they left. Disney should show them what it's like EVERY day, not only on a few special days. And I'd rather have seen Disney spend the money on a new attraction then on the media, but that is just me. Denise
