Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt <-maybe if I make Aurora a birthday card she'll send me one for my birthday! THAT would be an E-Ticket Disney keepsake!
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 I love how people are saying its just Meet and Greets when it couldn't be farther from the truth.... Yet they are clamoring for Harry Potter land when it basically is 1 new ride and 2 rethemed rides... Same as what the new Fantasy land is getting....
Originally Posted By leobloom I'm not overly impressed with either HP or FL. I may be a cynic, but I'm not a hypocrite. At least not right now.
Originally Posted By brotherdave I'm already on record on LP stating that I'm not overly impressed with either new area. Both will have one major new ride addition, but basically will just be lots of pretty buildings lacking any real substance. Lots of shops, eateries, and meet and greet areas, but aside from the new major attraction for each, not much else. Yes, the theming for Harry Potter will be astounding and very intricate, I'm sure, but with only two rethemed coasters and one major E-ticket draw, it really does not increase the capacity for the park all that much. Yes, people will come to the park to see this new land, but will have to wait for hours to ride the ONE new ride for the park. Same for Fantasyland, one major e-ticket, an additional Dumbo spinner like the original Dumbo with "interactive queue", a rethemed family coaster, a nice new restauraunt, and lots of pretty buildings to meet princesses in. Not much else. Sorry, but neither of these excite me enough to make the trip to Orlando alone. Both lands could have used a few more thematic attractions, "C-Ticket" if you will, that would round out the total themes of the areas. Sorry, but when a new "land" opens, I expect some rides to accompany them. I realize that the economy is tough now, but all the more reason to make it even more impressive. If Disney and/or Universal wants people to give them their money, they need to WOW them more, otherwise they're staying home when the money's tighter. Sorry, coloring attractions just don't cut it...
Originally Posted By dshyates I agree that these expansions won't really increse the carring capacity of their respective parks, but IOA doen't have a carring capacity problem. It has a lack of people problem that I think TWWOHP with go a long way to fixing. Universal WISHES that IOA had a carring capacity problem. They will cross that bridge when they get there.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Yes, the theming for Harry Potter will be astounding and very intricate It better be- Potter fans are fanatics for details- they better all be right or they will hear about it.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I don't think the "coloring attractions" are intended for you brotherdave.
Originally Posted By MPierce I think when FL is finished it's going to be one of those places that make you happy just to go, and sit, and look around you. I am not now nor will I ever be a fan of the princesses. However, I sure am looking forward to this area of MK.
Originally Posted By Daannzzz I agree. At Universal I will not be able to ride the new Harry Potter ride and will not go on the coasters all due to motion sickness. But I think the atmosphere they create will be superb. In Fantasyland I am sure we would all have been happy with just the Little Mermaid ride and the Be our Guest restaurant but they are creating an additional wonderful (hopefully) environment to spend time in. Personally I would have preferred more shops and restaurants (for once) over princess meet and greets and I agree that another darkride would have been a perfect addition (they can't be THAT expensive) along with the meet and greets. I look forward to the new area particularly once the greenery grows in.
Originally Posted By brotherdave I know that the coloring attractions aren't intended for me, but even if I had a little girl that age, I'm not shelling out nearly $80 a day per ticket to let my kid color. My son was the perfect age for the Kidcot stations at Epcot on our last visit (7) and even HE felt there was better things to do in World Showcase than 'color' or make crafts. Sorry, others may like the idea like you skipper for their kids, I just don't. To each their own, I suppose.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I have done a lot of stupid things with my kids to try and pass the time while we were waiting in line for any of a number of attractions. Letting them color while waiting for Dumbo sounds like a break for them...AND for me.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Those who are all hot for these new Meet & Greets .. if you had the choice between this and attractions using brand new ride systems, and new technologies (going by the "Old school Disney" way) ...... which would you prefer?
Originally Posted By magic0214 Yes I would prefer rides, but I am happy with what ur getting, as a famous song once said, "You can't always get what you want" But whoever metioned it first, the Harry Potter and Fantasyland stuff equals about the same. Some retheming, one new ride each, and some resturants wil beautiful buildings. Why is it so much better if the meet and greets go away. You know that if they said, yes we are getting these 4 great new gift shops and resturants, that evryone would be complaing that "Why haven't they put anything in for Sleeping Beauty, you can't even meet her at the park" or the " All the princesses and other characters arent mentioned at all...where did they go"
Originally Posted By Hista98 I have done a lot of stupid things with my kids to try and pass the time while we were waiting in line for any of a number of attractions. Letting them color while waiting for Dumbo sounds like a break for them...AND for me. Actually the coloring is for sleeping beauty not for Dumbo, coloring while waiting for dumbo won't advance you in line at all.
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL >>>Yes I would prefer rides, but I am happy with what ur getting, as a famous song once said, "You can't always get what you want"<<< Well, looks like WDW/ WallMart have done it's job and you are grateful for getting less. Other than TLM, all this "filler" are things that should have been done to keep the parks fresh and exciting anyways. This really is NOT the next big thing that guests should be celebrating.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Those who are all hot for these new Meet & Greets .. if you had the choice between this and attractions using brand new ride systems, and new technologies (going by the "Old school Disney" way) ...... which would you prefer? ---- absolutely I would prefer rides-- in fact make them all e-ticket with multiple AA'- I want more potc and HM level rides - buld me a new splash...however REALITY is all around you with the economy folks. Do those who want all new e-tickets think it doesn't affect DIsney also.? I am far from a Disney apologist and rip them on certain things also-- but let's be honest here... one e-ticket is all I expected.... Is your company increasing your benefits so that you stay there ? How many raises have you gotten in the last 3 years ? Perks - adding to them ? Your local fave restaurant- increasing size of portions or cutting back ? We all would love 3 new e tickets and a few dark rides - it jut ain't gonna happen today. AS for meet n greets - again I have no use for them at all today - even my nieces getting beyond that...but denying their popualarity and that of their characters is a blind eye. At least if they are going to do them, do them better than today. Not a hallway in a tent to wait for a princess but a real princess surrounding. Will I be in line - nope....but I promise there wil be long ines. I am not against doing things for that age audience as long as they do it well. Meanwhile they opened a Tequila bar for me in Mexico-EPCOT. As for Kidcot - even my 15 year old enjoys that when my nieces ( 8 & 10) are along. She talks to the workers manning the booths who are from the countries and enjoys the few minute break from the 10 hours or so we are at EPCOT. She has kept some of the things from when she was a lot younger and remembers fun conversations with people from other countries - I hope they do not ever do away with those type of opportunities. I wouldn't pay $80 for JUST that experience either..totally agree....but coloring instead of just standing in line might just make that line a little more peaceful also.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I appreciate your points vbdad. And <perk>...tequila bar in Mexico!?!?!?! It does humor me that so many folks seem to have this expectation that this new addition should include more than one E-ticket. Particularly when it is including what you might be able to refer to as an E-ticket restaurant.
Originally Posted By brotherdave Personally, I'm not against the Kidcot booths in Epcot. They're rather unobtrusive and didn't cost mega-bucks to install. They're complementary to the experience, rather than BEING the experience. They add to the atmosphere of each Pavilion in World Showcase and I can see the educational opportunities to it. Same for the educational stations at Animal Kingdom. My son just wasn't interested and just wanted "one more spin on Test Track" or some other ride. We actually opted for touring the rest of World Showcase, which he wasn't exactly crazy for, but accepted. Trust me, I AM excited for Little Mermaid and the Beauty and the Beast area with restaurant, tavern and such. Those seem to be very fine additions. The new Dumbo area also seems "interesting", though I'll wait and see how it truly pans out. I realize that these new "meet and greets" will be very nicely themed, but they're still just "meet and greets", appealing to mostly little girls. Substituting a "coloring cottage" for some other minor Sleeping Beauty attraction suitable for the whole family to enjoy for about the same money is what's bothering me. Same for Pixie Hollow and Cinderella. Yes, they'll be themed nicely, but they're still meet and greets. I realize that the economy is down for everyone, including Disney, but to not include at least ONE other "C-Ticket" attraction (Alice would have been ideal here!) along with the "E-Ticket" is what's bothering me. Perhaps if they really spruce up the Barnstomer into something truly special with a Casey Jr theme, I might relent somewhat. But to think what they COULD have accomplished for the same money is what is bugging me the most. Yes, this will be 'better' than the current Fantasyland, I suppose. I guess I might be just happier if they only announced the Little Mermaid and the Beauty and the Beast area as "Phase One" only, leaving the rest of Fantasyland as future development. Instead, they announce a bunch of "meet and greets" to fill up the rest of the large area instead of possibly saving this area for more substantial future attractions. I would be really excited for this expansion if just ONE other "C-Ticket" dark ride or other attraction were announced than just these elaborate meet and greets. I'm sure families with little girls dreaming to be princesses or meeting princesses will be totally thrilled. But, what about the rest of the guests who aren't thrilled about meeting Cinderella or making birthday cards for Sleeping Beauty? I'd be thrilled if Aurora's cottage was only the finale to even a minor walk-thru SB attraction like at Disneyland. At the end, the kids get to meet the princess and make birthday cards if they like. Then the whole family could enjoy it together. As it sounds right now, only the cottage will be the attraction. Not much different to me than Mickey's House in Toontown, personally. At least that appealed to boys as well as girls. So, yes, I'm thrilled about a new E-Ticket. I'm just not so thrilled about the rest of what's coming, for the most part. My same feelings go toward the Harry Potter area, too. New E-Ticket there sounds great, nicely themed shops and eateries, but not much else. I wasn't aware of the interactive AA Hippogriff for the small coaster, so that is definitely a plus. If more details like this and other like minor attractions happen to be included in both Harry Potter and Fantasyland makeovers, then maybe you'll convert me to be less cynical. Until I hear more details, I suppose I shouldn't be as quick to criticize these new areas yet. But that "coloring cottage" really dissapoints me. And that is coming from a longtime Disney fan and parent.
Originally Posted By leobloom >>Well, looks like WDW/ WallMart have done it's job and you are grateful for getting less. Other than TLM, all this "filler" are things that should have been done to keep the parks fresh and exciting anyways. This really is NOT the next big thing that guests should be celebrating.>> I don't know when Disney stopped trying to exceed expectations...but this FL expansion seems to be proof positive that it's happened.
