Originally Posted By Britain "And instead of an obnoxious 'aunt' making you eat your green beans or sending a 54-year-old into the corner for a timeout, at Soap Opera Bistro, you had a nurse come over and act like she was having an affair with you ... or a police detective that was actually the criminal mastermind ... soap hijinks all done tongue-in-cheek." Sounds pretty annoying to me. Just let me eat my food. Give me sci-fi trailers any day.
Originally Posted By jonvn Where is this obnoxious aunt thing? I'd really just rather eat, too. I'd politely ask them to entertain elsewhere. I like to eat and get out.
Originally Posted By danyoung The obnoxious aunt is a regular player in the Prime Time Dine In restaurant in D/MGM. All of the wait staff play either Mom or Cousin Fred or Uncle Ernie or whatever, and then they annoy you throughout the meal as if you're in their home. Some people love this, but I just can't stand it. If I want to put my elbows on the table after a long day, dang it, I'm gonna put my elbows on the table! To get snarked at repeatedly just doesn't make for a relaxing meal IMO.
Originally Posted By BlueOhanaTerror >>>Repeatedly, you have made insulting, childish and personal comments, which calls into question your ability to discuss any of this rationally.<<< There was no insult, or childish, or personal remark in this observation. You HAVE, over and over again, stated that the critics of DCA are both petty and too small in number to be of any consequence to the fate of the park. But NOW, you blame them - in part - for its problems to connect with the public. Instead of addressing the disparity in what you've said before, and what you're saying now, you simply attack me with PERSONAL insults, since your pop psychology failed earlier. How about tossing out the hypocricy and owning up to your statements, instead? The bait and switch isn't working for anyone with a brain here.
Originally Posted By lesmisfan i love the primetime cafe! i wish they would bring it to DCA! i didn't find the waiters or waitresses to be annoying at all. The first time i went, was with a friend and we had uncle tommy, he was hilerious! and the second time and had someone named cousin something, can't remember the name, but she actually sat down and talked to me like a relative might seeing that i was by myself on the second trip. but it was still loads of fun!
Originally Posted By jonvn "the Prime Time Dine In restaurant in D/MGM" Oh, I had no idea they did this...well maybe a vague recollection. We didn't eat there. We ate at the brown derby, which was almost empty at the time. This would simply annoy the heck out of me, too.
Originally Posted By jonvn The place I really wanted to eat at was the scifi one, but you can only eat so many meals.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt I liked the Drive In diner at Disney/MGM. Is that the Sci-Fi restaurant? I can't remember.
Originally Posted By twirlnhurl ^Yes, that is the Sci-Fi Dine-In. It is my personal favorite restaurant (theme wise) in WDW. I do enjoy the 50's Prime Time quite a bit, though. It is really fun to play along with the waiter's character. However, last time I went there, I took a large group (of 11), and two or three in my party got really annoyed with it. It really is something that adds a lot to the experience, if you like it.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> And instead of an obnoxious 'aunt' making you eat your green beans or sending a 54-year-old into the corner for a timeout, at Soap Opera Bistro, you had a nurse come over and act like she was having an affair with you ... << And the concept of an employee at DCA having a make-believe affair with a visitor really is so ideal and appropriate for "Disney." The person on this message board who wrote not long ago (and I'm assuming it was done tongue-in-cheek) that DCA should incorporate themes based on the San Fernando Valley's notorious adult-film industry might have gotten some serious consideration from the "hip and edgy" geniuses responsible for DCA's planning and development. Also, soap operas generally aren't closely identified with their studio settings -- unlike, for example, the TV sets of classic sitcoms, such as "I Love Lucy" (conjuring up a bit of the inspiration for something like a Sci-Fi Diner) -- and tend to be very generic in a "House Beautiful magazine" sort of way. And so the interiors of the Soap Opera Bistro seemed as exceptionally forgettable or as charmlessly glossy as the model units of a new housing development in Orange County. And although this wasn't quite as apparent back in 2001, Nielsen ratings for daytime soaps have been falling steadily for some time now, and so maybe a DCA restaurant themed to "Oprah" would have been no more misguided. But whether a person thinks the idea for a Soap Opera Bistro was good or bad, this certainly is one more example of why it's way too easy to conclude that DCA is DCA because of the sticking point of money, money, money (or a lack of enough of it). That's even more the case when there were reports several years ago that Michael Eisner wanted DCA to be a place his wife would love and enjoy---hence, she perhaps was a big fan of soap operas? Stranger things have been true.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> You HAVE, over and over again, stated that the critics of DCA are both petty and too small in number to be of any consequence to the fate of the park. But NOW, you blame them - in part - for its problems to connect with the public. << And a good example of why when a situation -- for example, a major project everyone is working on at the workplace -- is ratcheted up several notches, when the pride, ego, salary, job security, stock holdings, personal preferences and the preferred image in front of colleagues or bosses of a Michael Eisner, Barry Braverman or Paul Pressler are on the line, that really bad decisions can so easily work their way through the planning process and system.
Originally Posted By Sweeper "But there was. And the thing is, who were these people that were complaining? I wasn't. And why not? Because what is disney, anyway? Just a bunch of cartoon characters? Is that it? That's what is required?" I think it was from surveys of people at the park. The cry at that point from these surveys was , "where are the characters?" So yes...your worst nightmare jonvn...cartoon characters.
Originally Posted By gadzuux >> And so the interiors of the Soap Opera Bistro seemed as exceptionally forgettable << Excellent point. Soap sets are generic and bland. If they had recreated rob and laura petrie's living room, or the clampett's foyer with the big staircase, or even the garage from taxi, these would have been memorable enough to be interesting for the public. And then, in a salute to san fernando, they could have bobby ewing pop out of the shower at the top of every hour. Give the public what they want.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>In most ways, DCA was better at opening than it is now. Some things add to the park like ToT (which was always going to be added) ... or Aladdin (with the original cast) and even Bug's Land is cute for a kiddie area. But, overall, DCA 2001 was better than DCA 2007.<<< Agree again!
Originally Posted By danyoung I just read the wikipedia description of the Abilene Paradox. Very interesting - I think I've had that happen to me more than once!
Originally Posted By jonvn "So yes...your worst nightmare jonvn...cartoon characters. " But that's not correct. Disney is a lot more than that, and by simply taking surveys and pandering to whatever thing anyone says, they are again lowering themselves to the lowest common denominator. Disney is not just a bunch of cartoon characters, and people who think this simply don't know what Disney has and can offer.
Originally Posted By jonvn Aside from that, there were charaters in the park. Muppets, bugs life, and mickey and that crowd as well. They were there.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Here, here. Disney is about creating fantastic environments where we can suspend disbelief and feel as though we are stepping into another world, or another time. It is about playing on nostalgia, inspiring our souls, and creating an environment that everyone can enjoy together. Or at least it used to be... DAK and TDS keep me open minded, but I am seeing more I dislike coming through the pipeline than what I like.
