Originally Posted By -em ^ Yikes- I would hate to see that man gone... (course if he builds an adventurers like club somewhere else I'd prob follow...) So after spending the day (or most of the day) at Epcot I noticed one area that apparently got their budgets eliminated or slashed.. Horticulture- I have never seen the plants, shrubs and grass look so awful- Some areas looked fine but Future World, France and UK need some TLC... It will REALLY be a maze if they dont trim the hedges soon...
Originally Posted By bayrr326 <<So after spending the day (or most of the day) at Epcot I noticed one area that apparently got their budgets eliminated or slashed.. Horticulture- I have never seen the plants, shrubs and grass look so awful- Some areas looked fine but Future World, France and UK need some TLC... It will REALLY be a maze if they dont trim the hedges soon...>> Yeah, we noticed that things didn't seem to be up to the usual snuff at Epcot last weekend. Talked to my friend who works in scheduling and he is a little bit worried about his job but not as much as some other people he knows. He has been with Disney for almost 15 years.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> So after spending the day (or most of the day) at Epcot I noticed one area that apparently got their budgets eliminated or slashed.. Horticulture- I have never seen the plants, shrubs and grass look so awful- Some areas looked fine but Future World, France and UK need some TLC... << That is very upsetting. Those are 2 of my favorite areas at Epcot.
Originally Posted By -em >>alked to my friend who works in scheduling and he is a little bit worried about his job but not as much as some other people he knows.<< Its a universal feeling now days... sad part is I used to work 6-7 days then it dropped to 5 now its 4 and somehow Im adjusting to having 3 days off which is NOT something I like (and I'm grateful my vacation times holding so I can still burn a day a week to get 40 hours) >>That is very upsetting. Those are 2 of my favorite areas at Epcot.<< while they arnt mine- course I actually enjoyed the World Showcase Players today so I may end up spending more time in the UK.. Its very sad (esp as for the most part its very noticeable- heck *I* noticed it and I have one of the blackest thumbs around..) I have a few pics from today and I think I took one of the maze...
Originally Posted By -em <a href="http://s157.photobucket.com/albums/t71/DL_EM/Epcot/" target="_blank">http://s157.photobucket.com/al...M/Epcot/</a> Lets see if that works- thats the whole day and the maze pic is about 2/3rd the way though -em
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Shame the gardens are in such a state, but it does look lik they have increased the offerings in World Showcase this Christmas, and that is awesome! I love Epcot at Christmas, amazing.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Where did the Norwegian Longboat go? I hope this is just temporary or they are building something new!
Originally Posted By bayrr326 Take a look at this brochure from 1993 for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Check out the prices and the number of dates and the amount of things to do at the party. Makes you wanna puke considering the number of parties have more than quadrupled and the price has almost tripled. Oh yeah and you can't experience Christmas at the MK until December 20th. Which well at least is earlier than last year.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I saw a home resently that had a large fake Mickey topiary at the front door, LOL.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Where did the Norwegian Longboat go? I hope this is just temporary or they are building something new! << It's gone for good is what I was told Dave.
Originally Posted By MPierce Thanks for the pictures -em. Especially the one across WS lagoon at sunset. That place is beautiful that time of the evening. There is absolutely no reasons for the Gardens to look like that. This is Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year. You would think everything would be pristine.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >> More news on the WDW front ... apparently HoP and Space Mtn. refurbs are definitely safe. << <<Will those both be major refurbs as was originally planned?>> Some good news on the HoP front, actually. I've herard this is major and top to bottom. Everything from the theater itself to the film to the lights to the staging will be dealt with. And I've heard that the budget is a fair and reasonable one. Info on Space Mtn is much more difficult to get. But it appears as if Phil 'Magic Man' Holmes and Erin 'My Daddy Built This Place' Wallace are behind the cut in time and scope of the rehab. In other words, this one apparently can't be stamped on WDI or really TDO. Word has it that it could open after a 6-9 month rehab (instead of an 18 month closure) and then have other details added slowly at night. I have no confirm of that whatsoever. >> Well ... Imagination 4.0 is likely tabled for the forseeable future. << <<That needed to be addressed a long time ago.>> I still like hearing Michael Eisner's quote after riding version 2.0: 'Where did my (blanking) $58 million go?' A total and utter embarrassment. They should have left version 1.0 and saved all that money for DVC marketing (you know since it is Disney's Best Kept Secret and all)! >> At the Studios, Monsters coaster is on hold indefinitely (yeah, that means it might not happen)and you don't want to know how much money has been spent already on it. << <<Yes I do.>> Think big ... lots of millions ... add a zero. >> Star Tours 2.0 is in a nebulous region as it is basically ready for installation, but NONE of the parks want it right now because of the costs. Now ... it's going to make it into all of them at some point ... word is DLP shockingly may be the first to get it when just six months ago it was thought to be last in line. << <<Wasn't WDW suppose to take the lead in that one?>> Yep. Now it actually looks like DLP will get it first. And everyone in Glendale is trying to jump on this in hopes it might save their jobs! >> Oh, and there is no real plan for WDW's 40th. << <<They figure the majority of people won't notice or even care. Isn't that how WDW plays the game now days?>> Oh yeah. They want to so believe that Joe Sixpack from Wasilla doesn't notice what us diehards do. They're wrong, of course. But Joe doesn't post on Disney fan sites so they'll never know. >> And trust me ... if I'm wrong, you'll hear about it! << <<When dealing with Disney any rational person should understand that things can, and do change day to day.>> Rational people? Where are they? I never see or hear from them. And I think we'd hear something from our resident WDI insider if I was way off here too! ;-)
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Rumors are circulating on other sites that Baxter and Rohde will be gone soon. Spirit... is this true?>> I can't comment on actual individuals at this juncture. I will say that there are two BIG names rumored to be headed out of Dodge, I mean Glendale come early 2009. I've also been told that if Beijing and Disney can't come to an agreement on the Shanghai resort by early next year that between 20-25% of Imagineers will be looking for work at Burger King.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>>Rumors are circulating on other sites that Baxter and Rohde will be gone soon. Spirit... is this true?<<< <<I hope not, these are the only folks that seem to get it!>> There are others. A lot actually. But they are getting fewer in number all the time ... and they're losing the war for quality unfortunately.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<So after spending the day (or most of the day) at Epcot I noticed one area that apparently got their budgets eliminated or slashed.. Horticulture- I have never seen the plants, shrubs and grass look so awful- Some areas looked fine but Future World, France and UK need some TLC... >> Em, I've been bitching about horticulture for a decade now. Disney needs to send its staff/execs over to Sea World so they can see how things used to be done at the Timeshare Kingdom of the World. So many areas have been left to nature to take care ... manicured areas are now wild ... some have been ripped out entirely with mulch thrown down as if that somehow counts as landscaping. Hell, even walking from the parking lot to the entrance of DAK you can see where they've just allowed Mother Nature to run wild with overgrown stuff mixed with dead trees and shrubs ... looks awful. But for $79 a day, what can you do? Disney can barely afford to keep the lights on doncha know?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Where did the Norwegian Longboat go? I hope this is just temporary or they are building something new!>> Gone for good. Two words: Disney Legal. The one department that never gets downsized and never has to deal with any cuts. Ever!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Take a look at this brochure from 1993 for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.>> Well, I would if you provided a link! ;-) <<Check out the prices and the number of dates and the amount of things to do at the party. Makes you wanna puke considering the number of parties have more than quadrupled and the price has almost tripled. Oh yeah and you can't experience Christmas at the MK until December 20th. Which well at least is earlier than last year. >> That was a recent change ... supposed to not start until the 22nd, but Disney is deseperate to get more folks (especially locals) into the park ... the people too savvy, smart or poor to pay for MVMCP .... in the hopes that they'll spend some money on food and/or gifts. Those locals weren't coming in this weekend if they got the tired seven-year-old snowglobe parade (now with less snowglobes) and the regular Wishes show. So they decided if DL could start Christmas in mid-November then they could start offering it two days ahead of schedule.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<There is absolutely no reasons for the Gardens to look like that. This is Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year. You would think everything would be pristine.>> Perhaps if I were a simple Texan I might ... but I'm not, so I wouldn't. I think cuts are going be magnified a lot the next three weeks because the crowds will be there (not like normal, but still busy as hell) but staffing in everything from food venues to custodial won't. So it will be a dirtier, more crowded, nastier place for the holidays. Magical!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Info on Space Mtn is much more difficult to get. But it appears as if Phil 'Magic Man' Holmes and Erin 'My Daddy Built This Place' Wallace are behind the cut in time and scope of the rehab. In other words, this one apparently can't be stamped on WDI or really TDO. >> OOPS!!! TYPO ALERT!!! That should read ''can't be stanped on WDI or Team Disney Burbank'' NOT Orlando ... as it apparently is the fault of WDW's exec 'leadership' team.
