Originally Posted By MPierce >> That's where it is going. If it's easier I can say TLM @ pooh-grounds but it might agitate VBDad. << He can be quite tenacious when it comes to the location of that playground.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Now, are you saying when Obama is elected oil prices will drop because of it? << I meant gas prices. Oil prices have dropped drasticly, however the price at the pump has not responded accordingly.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 $3.29 in Massachusetts today. My daughter said NH is at $2 something just to attract the leaf peepers.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>Dean: Great idea, but that red border (I think) is where they are going to stay within. << That might be so! But consider "this dismaying observation".... Looking at the google map here .. which was taken while the MK lagoon was still intact ... one can see how there was absolutely no way to expand going north. From the Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square ... to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ... and everything inbetween .. it all worked like one continuous wall .. where the thought of expanding north was NEVER a consideration with the "1971 Layout". With the utility doors a sharp drop off down 20 more feet just beyond Pinocchio's Village Haus ... and the 20K lagoon in the immediate right hand side ... any idea of expanding would have been impractical! And another thing which is really strange .. given the 1971 Walt Disney World "MK" park layout: Why is the rail-road line so far north of Fantasyland? I thought the point in these "MK" park railroads that cover the perimeter of the park .. is to get glimpses of what lays in store .. for each land. You start off .. you see Main Street .. You see Adventureland. You see Frontierland. A brief glimpse of Liberty Square before you are cut off by the Haunted Mansion showbuilding. Eventually Mickey's Toontown and Tomorrowland come in to view. But never Fantasyland! Who was the cuke in the late 60s to design the railroad line to be so far from any sites of Fantasyland? Oh .. maybe you'll see the castle. It's so tall .. can't miss it no matter where you are in the park. But aside from some nice Floridian grass patches and trees ... you are some 100-or-so yards from the borders of Fantasyland. I always thought that was one of the strangest design elements of the "MK" park. Well .. now that the 20K lagoon and showbuilding have been wiped off the face of the Earth ... here's a chance to repurpose the area ... and leave a large enough section that could serve as an "access corridor" that could lead as far back as where the Walt Disney World Railroad track is for expansion. They don't want to do anything now? Fine. Don't. But when it comes time to design the showbuilding for L.M. .. mark a space where no permanent structure could be built AND GET IN THE WAY .... so that Fantasyland could (someday) finally merge with the WDWRR line .. and encompass it WITHIN Fantasyland ... instead of having no association with the land - like it does now!
Originally Posted By oc_dean This is a No-Brainer! Leave enough room for a future Access Path that marries Fantasyland and the WDW Railroad Trains attraction once and for all - like it should have been since day one-1971! It's just plain dumb traveling on the WDWRR trains .. and feel like you are out in the middle of nowhere .. and miss Fantasyland altogether. I'm surprised no one has ever brought that up.
Originally Posted By oc_dean LOL Scratch that "glimpse of Liberty Square" line. I just looked at the map again. It's not possible!
Originally Posted By markymouse My wishful thinking for DAK, which will never come to pass ... I like the animal aspects of the park. And unless I'm missing something, the number of live animal attractions added since the park opened would be ... zero. I could easily be missing something. But it sure seems to me someone has decided that no one will add two or three days to their trip or come to WDW twice as often because DAK added an insect exhibit near ITTBAB or an exhibit of snow leopards and other Himalayan creatures near Expedition Everest. But while little things like animals at their animal park don't cause people to rush to the parks, it does cause you to have a better experience, maybe tell more friends about it. The only animal exhibit that could count as E ticket would be pandas. But I wish the powers that be understood the value of A and B ticket attractions - and I don't mean really bad carnival rides - but rather little attractions that round out your day. Just my annual pro A ticket attractions speech, this time with a DAK slant.
Originally Posted By irishfan And unless I'm missing something, the number of live animal attractions added since the park opened would be ... zero.<< Technically Asia with it's animal attractions didn't open until 1999.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo So many issues, so little time. 1st of all, high gas prices are not just a US issue. The other day I filled my tank (I can do 350 miles on a tank), and it was $150. So gas prices do add to the issues for WDW, but Bush is not the only person to blame here. The oil companies are financially raping us. Secondly, I would love for WDW to add, and make the resort better, but sadly the reason EuroDisney had problems was due to the recession at the end of the 80's, beginning of the 90's. I doubt Disney will make that same mistake (even if I am more in the if you build it they will come preference, the fact that so many people will buy inferior, disposable products from Walmart or even more reputable places like Rochester, shows that many joe six packs want cheap over quality and sadly Disney is in the mindset of following that paradigm). As for DAK, I love the animal exhibits and would love to see more (especially if there were Pandas). Sadly again, the ignorami that call DAK a half day park seem to have disney's ear (and financially that is right to a degree as they need to appeal to a wide audience). But from a quality perspective, that is very sad. And anything that takes WDW's Fantasyland from it's woefully inadequate state (compared to it's cousins) is a good thing, even if it is a clone.
Originally Posted By dshyates "the ignorami that call DAK a half day park seem to have disney's ear " But DAK IS a half day park. Seriously they close the place at 6pm.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo But they do not need to. because they close so early is why we have to spend 2 days there minimum. Riding everest in the dark or a moonlit safari would be very cool.
Originally Posted By dshyates Dave I have read your musings on the place. I am still baffled at how much time you spend there.
Originally Posted By FenwayGirl I'm with you Dave...we spend at least 2 days at AK every trip. It is our 2nd fav park with Epcot being first. And yes, we have relatively young children who travel wtih us. They love the slow pace of both parks. They do love the other venues (MK, DH) and the rides, but seem to love exploring the other things that WDW offers.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo For me DSHyates, it's the theming, the live music, talking to cast members from Africa and Asia, looking at the animals and studying their movements, as well as shows and rides that make DAK very special to me. What makes Disney parks special to me is the emersion in themed environments. Rides are not as big a draw anymore (unless they are building AA extravaganzas). thrills are cheap and characters are dull and purile to me. I like my parks to inspire as well as entertain.
Originally Posted By dshyates The themeing is fantastic, I think everyone will agree with that. But themeing does not a park make. By your standards, in my book, the lobby of the AKL would be a half day park. Because I do enjoy just soaking up the atmosphere. I also have to admit that I don't spend much time talking to CMs, but talking to foreigneers isn't an attraction. Seriously, you can talk to the Russian girl working the gift shop in the hotel lobby. But I think it has a lot to do with the stresses and stimuli we are surrounded with in our everyday lives. I believe if you are a city dweller, sitting amongst the trees at DAK is refreshing. If you live in a disidous rainforest and have multitudes of wildlife standing in your front yard, the desire to sit in the woods is lower. I live in the woods. I watch Whitetail Deer feeding in my yard every morning. I have rabbits, chipmunk and squirrel that use our deck as a super highway. A Black Bear mom and her cub passed through in July. That was quit a treat. So what I am trying to say is that if you live a very city life then you may want to bring it down a knotch. When you live in a place that is pretty laid back and surrounded with wildlife, you may be wanting to kick it up a knotch in the excitement catagory. DAK is great for bringing it down a knotch, not so good at kicking it up a knotch. But as a theme park operator, you can't call it a full day park IF you expect everyone to stop and spend an hour watching streetmosphere, and an hour or so watching sleeping tigers.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo True, but in that same token, I have very little interest in a 6 flags either. I can drive at 100 miles an hour. Once you have been upside down a few times, those thrills drop too. What I love about World Showcase and DAK (the only two reasons I go to WDW these days) is it is like travelling the globe, but not being stuck in one place for too long. What I love about DLP is the detailing. DL the atmousphere and entertainment. My fav attractions are the likes of PotC, HM, American Adventure - something that takes me to another place or time.
Originally Posted By dshyates What I loathe about DCA is the lack of detailed themeing, yet you really like that sterile concrete park. I will admit, you have me a little confused.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I don't love it as much as I used to. I used to love things like the winery and farm, but they killed those. do love Grizzly and the Wharf Area. I also think HPB has some great in jokes. You cannot dispute the detail in the Animation Pavillion or the queue of ITTBAB. But we loved DCA before they ripped the heart out to jam in more toons. It's a shame the execs thought more Disney meant more toons, when it is likely people were asking for more immersion. What we loved about DCA was the edutainment aspect, and the fact that it offers some of the best live entertainment in any Disney park.
Originally Posted By dshyates "and farm" Really!?! The Farm!?! That is the single lamest area ever built into a Disney Park.
