Originally Posted By davewasbaloo We had a great time this trip and MGM was better than I remember. But the Tram Tour was a joke compared to the one in Paris - unbelievable. And the Yeti wasn't even in Disco mode, it was just a dark cave ;-(
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom We didn't even make it to DAK this trip. And the only time we spent at MGM was the meet. Which was not a problem with me. This past trip was all about meeting fellow LPers. Hope your trip was a success davewasbaloo.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Indeed it was a success Tom - we got to meet you and all the other cool LPers. We managed about 80 attractions and shows, but missed 44 others of interest. Oh well. Overall we had a fantastic time. I hope to get our trip report up over the coming weeks.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I hope to post my pictures this weekend. I have been working everyday since I have gotten home. So no chance to post yet.
Originally Posted By pitapan16 Why would you need to replace the Great Movie Ride when all it really needs is a re-do with spectacular new additions to replace the most aging ones. The ride's core need not be demolished. Just give us a new updated Great Movie Ride. It's always been one of my fav's at MGM. And as far as additions to MGM...The place need's many spectacular new additions. Used to battle Epcot for my #1 my favorite park at WDW as a little kid, now it's dead last. Last 6 trips to WDW I have visited twice for a half day. The most recent half day visit being last week where I just felt I would rather spend my time repeting things elsewhere over staying at MGM for the full day. Even though I missed my beloved Fantasmic, I just ran out of things that interested me enough to keep me when I had everything else at my finger tips. MGM has definitley fallen rank. But I am optomistic for its future...Hope the place gets revived.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct <<Why would you need to replace the Great Movie Ride when all it really needs is a re-do with spectacular new additions to replace the most aging ones>> Agreed - I needs attention << just ran out of things that interested me enough to keep me >>> I feel this is a good general statement that applys to the whole WDW resort. Currently, I find little excitement or freshness to inspire a trip. When I see some decent investment and care, I will get excited again. Let's start with a parade lasting for *too* many years. What happened to those beautiful arches in EPCOT for Christmas?! They set the mood and made it *feel* like magic. I loved how they surrounded and moved me. It seems each Christmas, they took away more and more Christmas decorations. For example, 1999 the Gingerbread villages at the hotels, Toon Town decorations, the beautiful Main-stree style windows in EPCOT with the Disney characters, and the brass band in Tomorrowland used to whip it up into a frenzy! .... and more ... It just feels like WDW steadly chips away at the offerings. I mean? Who is gonna know? Well ... me. And I am the "out of town" non-local who *is* the tageted audience from the North East. In conclusion, I would comment that ALL of WDW needs help. Not just MGM. Although I would say that MGM is PAINFULLY obvious that it needs the MOST help at the moment. EPCOT is second.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct << Agreed - I needs attention >>> LOL ... *IT* needs attention (I am doing just fine, thank you
Originally Posted By danyoung >What happened to those beautiful arches in EPCOT for Christmas?! They set the mood and made it *feel* like magic. I loved how they surrounded and moved me.< If you're referring to the Lights of Winter, the arches over the walkway from Futureworld to the World Showcase, I'm pretty sure they're there, just like always.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Agreed - I needs attention<< The honeynoon can't possibly be over so soon!!!!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>If you're referring to the Lights of Winter, the arches over the walkway from Futureworld to the World Showcase, I'm pretty sure they're there, just like always.<< Yes, they are there again this year, and they look so outdated, especially now that Pairs ditched theirs for a more spectacular Xmas display. >>I feel this is a good general statement that applys to the whole WDW resort. Currently, I find little excitement or freshness to inspire a trip. << *sighs* Oh dennis dear... you need a trip to the far east like right now!
Originally Posted By danyoung >Yes, they are there again this year, and they look so outdated...< If the Lights of Winter look exactly like they did last year, then they will never be outdated for me!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN If you saw what DLP replaced the same display with, you would see where my point of view comes from.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Hmmm....I'd certainly be glad to give you whatever attention you may need, Dennis, duckling. Just let me know if you would prefer your place--or Morva...
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct <<<If the Lights of Winter look exactly like they did last year, then they will never be outdated for me!>> Oh thank god ... glad to hear they are there .. *I* like them <<,I'd certainly be glad to give you whatever attention you may need, Dennis>> lol .. me .. more ME .. everybody LOVE ME And how does that make you feel? ABOUT ME!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<And the Yeti wasn't even in Disco mode, it was just a dark cave ;-(>> That is just pathetic. And sorry to any Disney management apologists, but without the Yeti, the attraction isn't show quality and should be CLOSED until they can make the damn thing work.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 << just ran out of things that interested me enough to keep me >>> <<I feel this is a good general statement that applys to the whole WDW resort. Currently, I find little excitement or freshness to inspire a trip. >> That's because much of WDW with the exception of DAK, parts of Epcot and the recently renovated deluxe resorts is as stale as six-month old bread. <<When I see some decent investment and care, I will get excited again. Let's start with a parade lasting for *too* many years.>> C'mon ... they removed the snowglobes, borrowed some music from TDL and we've got a brand new parade than can run another five years! <<What happened to those beautiful arches in EPCOT for Christmas?! They set the mood and made it *feel* like magic. I loved how they surrounded and moved me.>> I believe they are still there. I sure hope they are. <<It seems each Christmas, they took away more and more Christmas decorations. For example, 1999 the Gingerbread villages at the hotels, Toon Town decorations, the beautiful Main-stree style windows in EPCOT with the Disney characters, and the brass band in Tomorrowland used to whip it up into a frenzy! .... and more ...>> That is all true. Every year people online make a bigger deal over hotel decorations yet every year, I see Disney recycling the same displays and then cutting back bigtime. People always talk about how great the WL tree is, but they don't recall hw for years it had an amazing train that went around it as well as gingerbread displays ... they've been gone since at least 2002 now. The Yacht Club had a huge tableux displaying an early 1900s cityscape during the holidays ... that's also been gone for years. And, yes, it is all about cutting pennies. Just like not showing the Country Bear Christmas Show. <<It just feels like WDW steadly chips away at the offerings. I mean? Who is gonna know? Well ... me. And I am the "out of town" non-local who *is* the tageted audience from the North East.>> Well, I agree ... but the 'tude in Team Disney is 'they're tourists ... they won't notice or care.' That's why they get away with crap in Orlando that they wouldn't dare try in Anaheim or Tokyo or even Paris. You can always write, phone or email the execs. Don't waste your time with Guest Relations as their purpose is to make you and your complaint disappear without doing anything about it. <<In conclusion, I would comment that ALL of WDW needs help. Not just MGM. Although I would say that MGM is PAINFULLY obvious that it needs the MOST help at the moment. EPCOT is second.>> I disagree. The MK needs the most help. It 'supposedly' is the most-visited theme park on earth and it is so tired and so WalMarted. The Studios would be next. Epcot is showing some signs of improvement ... but the jury is out with the 25th anniversary about to be ignored.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Well, I agree ... but the 'tude in Team Disney is 'they're tourists ... they won't notice or care.'>> Well, I'm one of the Spirit's tourists. Sometimes I notice... sometimes I even care. But when I evaluate my WDW vacation on an overall basis what I always ask myself is if my experience was as good as or better than the list time I visited. So far I've always been able to say yes. AK without a doubt has seen great improvement over the past few years and I doubt anyone would disagree with that. MGM Studios needs more work, but in a park that is all about shows; they put in an expensive, huge and very enjoyable one when they added 'Lights, Motors, Action'. After that kind of investment I have to be hopeful for the future. Epcot received two new E-tickets over the past few years as well as a couple of good solid C's. I would like to see WOL reopened and Spaceship Earth updated, but then I think the park would be about perfect. Magic Kingdom hasn't advanced much. They've added a couple of good C's (Buzz and Pooh), a terrible C (Stitch) and a very enjoyable D (Philharmagic). A new E-ticket would be fun, but I don't really go to the MK to see the latest and greatest. That is for the other parks. The MK is all about nostalgia and memories. Although I like the attractions maintained and updated, the less it changes the better as far as I'm concerned.
