Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>You didn't figure that out years ago?<< Not really. I am not married to her, but it was always my impression that in Japan, the husband over ruled the wife. I am glad to see that is no longer the case, even if it makes you miserable for not going to WDW, and especially the MK. As for going to Sea World... at this poiint in time, it's a given I won't be there. If you were visiting in January, then I would concider simply because they offer that "Buy for a day and return the whole year free" deal.
Originally Posted By Mr X **I thought you said you wanted to have fun and not hang out with me before in this topic...did you not?** In fairness, I said I wanted to have fun. I never said that meant "not hanging out with you"! Since I know quite well that your true self is completely different than your cantankerous online persona...I can say without hesitation that WHATEVER we do in Orlando would be no fun WITHOUT YOU! And, OF COURSE, g-fan, if he's interested in hanging out (we'd LOVE to meet him!). You are more than welcomed at my aunt's house throughout our stay (ask Dennis, my aunt Pam is a sweetie), and it would not be a fun trip AT ALL if we didn't get to catch up to you and g-fan as well SOMEWHERE in Orlando (hopefully lots of times!). YOU KNOW THAT, though...so the rest is just messing with me.
Originally Posted By Mr X >>>But I much rather go skiing...<<< You and g-fan are more than welcomed at my Dad's lodge in NH as well, of course! If you are truly interested, PLEASE send an email and we'll work out the logistics (no charge to you guys beyond transportation and incidentals, and ski season opens in early December). TDLFAN, I would LOVE for you guys to head up to NH and hang out with us and my Dad and his lovely wife Tina, if you are so inclined (it is a picturesque place, lemme tell ya!). PLEASE send me an email if you want to work out the logistics...it would be ESPECIALLY cool if we could work it out with Dennis and Bob as well...heck...how about an LP New Hampshire meet!? BUT NO DISNEYWORLD...HIROKO'S ORDERS.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct **By the way...do you and your better half have any interest in "getting away from it all" with us over those two months...for free?>>>> OHHH .. tempting me with your wares again I see .... sounds fun my friend - vacation time for me is down to one day until the start of 08 *sniff* SO I am limited but thank you ))
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<PLUS she's sick of Disney anyway and none of my Florda family wants to go either)...the Florida fam is WAY happy about the SeaWorld idea though>> SeaWorld, huh?? We went once about a dozen years ago and never felt the need to go back. Of course we are from Minnesota which means our brains are frozen. I think they put something in the Florida water that makes residents dislike Disney. I used to have big problems with TDLFAN's, and to a lesser extent the Spirit's posts about WDW. I've since decided they are for the most part fair, even though TDLFAN is still Mr. Crankypants. But I agree 100% about keeping negative comments out of threads where people are talking about an upcoming trip. You need to remember that some people here are going to WDW for the FIRST time and they don't have the "glory years" to compare it against. They've never been to DL or TDL. For them WDW will still be MAGIC because WDW for all of its faults is still a vastly better park than any non-Disney Park. Why take that magic away from them just to show how darned knowledgeable and sophisticated you are? I almost think LP should start a "Critics Corner" section where everyone could express their gripes about the parks and keep the other threads primarily positive. Of course the problem with that is people like to complain (and respond to complaints) more than they like taking about good stuff, so the other sections would probably wither on the vine. My family is going to WDW at Thanksgiving and we are totally excited about it for many of the reasons that dennis-in-ct mentions.
Originally Posted By Mr X My second trip to WDW (and first to Epcot) was over Thanksgiving (I think it was 83, or 84??). It was my first Thanksgiving away from home, and I spent it at Epcot. I happily chowed away on a fast food Chicken dinner at the Umbrella cafe (or whatever) in FutureWorld, before boarding SpaceShip Earth for a record FIFTH time. Greatest Thanksgiving of my life. ;D (this one will be greater though...haven't been home for the holidays in over a DECADE, since we always travel home in the summer...I am LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME SERIOUS TURKEY STUFFING GRAVY MASHED POTATOES CARROTS PEAS APPLE PIE CRANBERRY GOODNESS!!!!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<My second trip to WDW (and first to Epcot) was over Thanksgiving (I think it was 83, or 84??).>> We've been to WDW several times over Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it. We did it for the first time the year that my wife's mother died. We just couldn't face a family Thanksgiving table without her there so we went to WDW. Even though the reason for the trip was said it ended up being our best visit ever. For some reason our loss seemed to make us especially susceptible to WDW's magic. The Christmas lights and music, the Candlelight Processional, so many things about being there made it seem that in a very comforting way she was still with us. When we put on the "angel glasses" MGM had that year at the Osborn lights it was easy to imagine that she was among the angels we were seeing. I know; in the retelling it sounds sappy, but at the time it was truly magical. Our first Thanksgiving trip we didn't plan ahead much, so we ended up eating Thanksgiving dinner at the Dixie Landings food court about 10 PM. It was surprisingly good. In the years after that we made reservations at the Hollywood Brown Derby for Thanksgiving afternoon. The T-day meal there has always been outstanding -- we have reservations there again this year.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>I can say without hesitation that WHATEVER we do in Orlando would be no fun WITHOUT YOU!<< Ok, deal. Whatever happens in Orlando, stays in Orlando. >>I've since decided they are for the most part fair, even though TDLFAN is still Mr. Crankypants.<< Whatever happens in my pants, it's not of your bussiness. >>Of course we are from Minnesota which means our brains are frozen.<< You can say that again. >>I think they put something in the Florida water that makes residents dislike Disney.<< Actually, that's not correct. Many folks in FL just *LOVE* WDW and go there all of the time. As a matter of fact... G-Fan and I are headed over to EPCOT in the next hour. (Dennis...expect my online photos in your inbox later today) However, Icee Brain.. those who have been to TDR or even DLRP would know better, reason for the less than stellar reports on WDW's performance. Your problem is you don't have the knowledge to make the comparisons yet.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Your problem is you don't have the knowledge to make the comparisons yet.>> A little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing Mr. Crankypants. ;-)
Originally Posted By Mr X **Ok, deal. Whatever happens in Orlando, stays in Orlando.** I thought that was Vegas. **don't forget, FGM and "Boo" will be present at all times.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>A little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing Mr. Crankypants.<< And a lot of knowledge can be a national disaster of huge proportions...
Originally Posted By danyoung >Even though I am talking about the things that may interest guests like you or danyoung the least...like cleanliness, politeness, CM efficiency etc etc etc....< Nice to see you being overall positive, TDLFAN. But the above items do interest me, and I don't like it when they aren't up to the standards set by Disney many years ago. The difference is that I don't let it bother me. Not being a local, I don't have the luxury of doing a "quality control" visit, categorizing the good, the bad and the ugly. I just go to have a good time, and ain't nobody or nothing gonna get in the way of that!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>But the above items do interest me, and I don't like it when they aren't up to the standards set by Disney many years ago.<< Yes, but as a so-called Disney "fan" and consumer... you do not do ANYTHING to let management know you do not agree with some aspects of your visit...concidering how much more expensive it has become. >>The difference is that I don't let it bother me.<< I rest my case. >>Not being a local, I don't have the luxury of doing a "quality control" visit, categorizing the good, the bad and the ugly.<< Please, get off the "Pitty me I am not a local" vanwagon. You have been here enough to know the product quite well and have already formed an expectation of what your Disney experience should be like. You do not need to be a "local" to be knowledgeable about the Disney ways... or else, that would put you in the "Clueless Tourist" vanwagon, and I would hardly believe you are one of them. >>I just go to have a good time, and ain't nobody or nothing gonna get in the way of that!<< You are being silly if you think that bringing a problem up to management attention is "getting in the way" of your fun. God knows I have a LOT OF FUN at WDW. I just get a bit disappointed that the park is not performing to the higher standards you see in CA, Tokyo and even HKDL (Notice I am leaving Paris off this mix as they are really a class of their own..and that's not a compliment). But my disappointment does not get in the way of my FUN. get that straight, or gayly forward. Whatever.
Originally Posted By danyoung >You are being silly if you think that bringing a problem up to management attention is "getting in the way" of your fun.< And you're being silly if you think my limited vacation time is of such little value to me that I'll waste any of it standing in line at Customer Service to complain that a trash can was overflowing. I'm happy to make my feelings known here in the online world, where if you can believe our friend the Spirit, Disney does indeed read a lot of what we post. I'm also happy to give an earful to the survey people, should one of them stop me and ask me what I think. But unless there's a really outrageously bad thing in the parks, I'm not going to burn vaca time protesting. >But my disappointment does not get in the way of my FUN. get that straight, or gayly forward. Whatever.< Gayly forward? I think I like that . . .
Originally Posted By Mr X Actually, if you do see something that's really "bad show" and don't want to waste vacation time on it, it wouldn't be a pad idea to snap a pic (if you wish), and then write a letter about it later. Letters are taken even more seriously than on the spot complaints (as well they should be). Personally, I protest with my dollars. I haven't been to WDW in a LONG time and I've spent my money in Anaheim and Tokyo instead for my Disney" fix. And I wouldn't even be hitting DisneyWorld at all THIS time if the tickets weren't already free. (assuming we do bother to go at this point)
Originally Posted By TDLFAN If you^^^ don't go then... can I have your free tickets so I can take my parents when they visit in December? >>And you're being silly if you think my limited vacation time is of such little value to me that I'll waste any of it standing in line at Customer Service to complain that a trash can was overflowing.<< So, for how long do you visit WDW when on a holiday? Two hours? Limited time... now that is laughable. I have gone in and out of City Hall in less than 3 minutes to log a report if needs be, for good (when praising a CM or something I saw that merited credit, or for reporting something that needs management attention). Keep in mind that is less time that some of the wasted time they make you spend on the Monorails waiting "for further traffic clearance". Reason why your silly argument does not fly with me. But I am glad that you do take the time to log a complaint online if that is the case. >> I'm not going to burn "vaca" time protesting.<< Protesting is one thing... as you can do that while in line for Space Mountain. Logging a complain is another matter, and can be done when lines at the City Hall are short, like I always do when the wait is minimal. Besides.. why are you talking about "cows"???
Originally Posted By Mr X >>If you^^^ don't go then... can I have your free tickets so I can take my parents when they visit in December?<< Sorry. I would be glad to, but we don't have hard tickets. We'll be using maingate passes if we do go. >>I have gone in and out of City Hall in less than 3 minutes to log a report if needs be, for good (when praising a CM or something I saw that merited credit, or for reporting something that needs management attention).<< That brings up an interesting question. Dan, would you consider it a waste of vacation time to register a compliment about an employee who went out of their way to assist you in a special way?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 What a strange, strange, neurotic thread. I'm proud to be mentioned, even if I haven't posted until now. Lemme get this straight: (or gay in TDLFAN's case) Mr.X is headed for WDW and wants advice; He is given advice, along with some criticism of WDW like you'd find on any travel forum like Trip Advisor; Mr. X gets upset with the (expletive deleted even if it's still in the OP) and says he won't ask for advice or post anymore about his trip -- he does anyway; Dave is so concerned that his honest opinions of WDW have somehow ruined Mr. X's trip plans that he contemplates a nervous breakdown or the end of his posting days (reasonably sure both won't happen); Mr. X's other half decides she can't handle TDLFAN's criticism of WDW, so the trip is over; Wishy-washy Danny and Old Trippy suggest that people here have the power to cancel others' trips (a truly absurd notion, btw); Danny being a typical Texan can't do more than eat and drink while at WDW and soak up the magic, so even if he sees something wrong, he certainly can't be bothered to complain about it, either on trip or upon return; Am I getting this close to straight? Or at least bi curious?
