Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<BTW, do I get some sort of award or medal for getting Spirit to say, "I don't know?!">> I'll bring you something from Japan if you meet me at WDW!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>Wow. That was so well said. I almost felt the bile down here in paradise<< <<lol! Not sure if inspiring bile is a compliment. Guess I got my point across, though! >> A very high compliment ...
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>See, your taste in raft rides isn't nearly as good as your taste in airport bed buddies I truly hate it. Short. Off the shelf. Soaking. Very little show. Not like the Tiger Rapids originally planned at all. I hate rafting rides in general because I get wetter than when I am in a swimming pool and that's just not fun. That said, there are two that I'll go on anyway (IOA and DCA).<<< Well Grizzly is the best raft ride in the World IMHO. I tend to skip the one at IOA though as it is the most soaking in the world. But I find the mist going up the lift hill and the fire logging scene on the rafts of Kali to be most excellently done. My only complaint is the attraction is too short.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>The Spirit is with everyone who believes in the MAGIC of Disney ... all those with a dream in their hearts ...<<< And *I* cry over Wishes... ...I have a feeling you were full on bawling over Tokyo's Disney in the Sky! >>>As to hanging out with Young Explorer, I do that to help the poor boy's self esteem and try and get him to kick his pixie dust fix ... he has it bad, pintrading, plush buying, Wishes crying baaaaad ... very sad.<<< Could be worse... At least I'm not spouting tales of Duffy and his legion of fans in Asia! Or part of the legion, for that matter. ;-)
Originally Posted By Christi22222 So who is going to be president of our Duffy club? Do we need EE and Spirit to face off for that honor? I mean, Spirit had to have bought one, right? Pictures of Spirit with Duffy in TDR getting an autograph are sure to surface on the net.....
Originally Posted By Christi22222 >>I'll bring you something from Japan if you meet me at WDW! << Done! Yay!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>So who is going to be president of our Duffy club? Do we need EE and Spirit to face off for that honor? I mean, Spirit had to have bought one, right? Pictures of Spirit with Duffy in TDR getting an autograph are sure to surface on the net..... <<< I can head the Duffy Destruction Club... But certainly not a supportive venture.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Moving on ... to ... the start. First impressions. We've all heard how they follow us around. You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression so goes the cliche. So ... let's talk first impressions. Or I'll talk and you can read and listen intently and then tell me what you think (BTW, had lunch with some dear friends today, Disney-likers but in no way Disney fans, and tried to 'splain the Duffy phenomenon ... somethings you just can't 'splain). Want to know one area that WDW blows TDR away? Totally? It's in first impressions. For me, WDW for years was this magical place nestled in a kingdom of green. You'd drive for miles down US 192 past a whole lot less of the sprawl that exists today. You'd see orange groves and cows ... lots of cows. And then you'd see four out of five lanes take a gentle, meandering turn near a small pond and a little brown sign (national park-like) welcoming you to WDW. We all know that changed in 1989 as the resort 'sploded. But even in 2011, WDW is surrounded by green belts. I think it helps convince people that they're insulated from 'the real world' ... which they aren't, but that's another matter. Well, TDR's first impression is one you don't hear gushing fanbois talk much about because, frankly, it is urban, industrial and just plain ugly. It is easiest the ugliest entrance of any Disney Resort ... though Anaheim would have been in the same category pre-DCA/DD/urban renewal of 2001. You travel on either a freeway surrounded by mostly trucks heading to the port or an elevated subway to get out to the resort. I couldn't help but notice (from my Good Neighbor motorcoach, which blows away WDW buses) trash tossed out by motorists all along the side of the road. I also was pretty shocked to see homeless people living under said highway (I mean, it isn't the USA, after all). It doesn't set you up for magic unless you keep your eyes on the video looping on the bus, which has no Stacy Aswad but is entertaining the first 4-5 times you see it. And understand this, TDR is plopped down in this ugly area. Suddenly, you see a fairytale castle, a white dome, an old hotel building and a giant volcano on the horizon. Then, you are there. The TDL Hotel is stuck on what was once a large chunk of the parking lot. It is similar to the GF, DLP Hotel and HKDL Hotel yet also different. But what I can't get away from is the fact that if you have a room that isn't facing inward (toward the resort) than you are looking at an industrial area with freeway and subway and general ugliness for $500-700 a night much of the year. I'm not sure how much of this, if any, was preventable. Or even if it bothers locals much. But TDR definitely has the ugliest setup. Good thing the story doesn't end with the introduction.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Good thing the story doesn't end with the introduction*** lol... You certainly make a good point, the docks and shipyards of Tokyo Bay are certainly an ugly place to plop in a resort of any kind! I don't know what was or wasn't preventable except to say that the Oriental Land Company owned that land long before building on it (apparently they'd approached Walt Disney himself years before his death and were given a firm "no"...after all, they were Asians and everything )... And land ain't easy to come by in Japan in any case, so I would imagine in order to be close enough to Tokyo to make a go of it, Maihama was probably the only option. BTW, there ARE somewhat nicer approaches than the ones you mention (which essentially follow the bay around the warehouses and docks in both directions), through Urayasu which is actually quite a desirable place to live and a lovely town (and we're moving out cause it's too danged spensive! )...if driving by car, many guests enjoy a much nicer introduction to the place driving in from the West through town, over a bridge (first glimpse of the resort, and a pretty nice one...I'll have to send you a picture), and under the ugly roads and train tracks right to the Tokyo Disney Resort sign. But that's not typical anyway, I would guess that the vast majority of visitors arrive by train in any case.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>. You'd see orange groves and cows ... lots of cows. And then you'd see four out of five lanes take a gentle, meandering turn near a small pond and a little brown sign (national park-like) welcoming you to WDW<<<< Take I-4's Exit 65 next time you are up there. You'll be treated to a nice ride through some forests, which feature Turkeys, Deer, and Possums. (Much like home!) That, and the fantastic view of The Earful Tower. Can't wait to read the rest...
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< The TDL Hotel is stuck on what was once a large chunk of the parking lot. It is similar to the GF, DLP Hotel and HKDL Hotel yet also different. But what I can't get away from is the fact that if you have a room that isn't facing inward (toward the resort) than you are looking at an industrial area with freeway and subway and general ugliness for $500-700 a night much of the year. I'm not sure how much of this, if any, was preventable. >>> I think they were aware of this and did try their best. If I remember correctly, the vast majority of rooms have either a park view or some kind of bay view, with very little of them facing the bridge or freeway/rail tracks. Also, the porte cochere is very specifically designed with this issue in mind. As you pull up, if you look away from the hotel, all you see is an ornate fountain and very tall trees, which carefully hide the bridge/freeway/train situation you'd otherwise see in that direction: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanderingmouse/2649998510/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/m...9998510/</a> I don't mean to detract from what you're saying about the general approach to the resort - I'm just answering your question as to whether or not they took it into consideration.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Looking forward to reading the rest.>> Thanks ... Taking my time writing it due to real world 'issues' that need resolving. But I also want to see what the interest level is without resorting to non-stop Duffy talk ... or scare people away by telling them TDR not only doesn't have pintrading, but actually discourages people from buying them these days! In other words, don't want to waste my time if interest isn't there. Besides, I am now 'fanboi royalty' ;-)
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> or scare people away by telling them TDR not only doesn't have pintrading, but actually discourages people from buying them these days<<<< So, that pin you got me... It was a long and harrowing quest to get it, huh? (It's sitting proudly next to those maps. )
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>>The Spirit is with everyone who believes in the MAGIC of Disney ... all those with a dream in their hearts ...<<< <<And *I* cry over Wishes...>> It's not something you should be proud of. I'd look at it with great shame, myself. <<...I have a feeling you were full on bawling over Tokyo's Disney in the Sky!>> Magic in the Sky wasn't on when I was there. They had Starbright Christmas, which actually was a very nice pyro show (had heard bad things about TDR pyro) ... it didn't have a show per se (like other parks) really, more just pyro and Christmas-themed music. But I really liked it. Oops, now you've made me jump ahead in the tale ... >>>As to hanging out with Young Explorer, I do that to help the poor boy's self esteem and try and get him to kick his pixie dust fix ... he has it bad, pintrading, plush buying, Wishes crying baaaaad ... very sad.<<< <<Could be worse... At least I'm not spouting tales of Duffy and his legion of fans in Asia! Or part of the legion, for that matter. ;-)>> I love telling Duffy tales because I admit I don't get it at all ... the whole culture of cute that has become part of life in Japan. My theory (and from talking with some locals and others who visit frequently) is it goes back to Japan's role as an aggressor in WWII and this whole 'cute' deal (from maid cafes to Hello Kitty to Duffy to boys and girls you can't tell apart without a medical exam -- or TSA scanner) is a response. Like a 'look how non-threatening and sweet we are' ... I admit I am no expert and could be off, but it does make some sense.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I mean, Spirit had to have bought one, right? Pictures of Spirit with Duffy in TDR getting an autograph are sure to surface on the net..... >> Not likely.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<BTW, there ARE somewhat nicer approaches than the ones you mention (which essentially follow the bay around the warehouses and docks in both directions), through Urayasu which is actually quite a desirable place to live and a lovely town (and we're moving out cause it's too danged spensive! )...if driving by car, many guests enjoy a much nicer introduction to the place driving in from the West through town, over a bridge (first glimpse of the resort, and a pretty nice one...I'll have to send you a picture), and under the ugly roads and train tracks right to the Tokyo Disney Resort sign. But that's not typical anyway, I would guess that the vast majority of visitors arrive by train in any case.>> You'd know better than I ... but I admit I was taken in by the lovely fountain you see on all the promo materials. What it doesn't show is a highyway overpass right across 2-3 lanes of blacktop with a subway over it ... and a quickee mart/gas station on the other side and then parking lots with barbed wire on top followed by a 7-11 and then residential. That was my intro to the resort. The parks may be amazing, but the entrance isn't.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>It's not something you should be proud of. I'd look at it with great shame, myself.<<< More like great humor, now that it's such a widely known farce. Wishes doesn't get me to openly cry. It gives me a nice warm "Disney" feeling, but it's not tear worthy. Things that DO make me tear worthy? American Adventure finale and IllumiNations. Especially when we have Peace on Earth playing. Those will illicit a teardrop. But Wishes, it's a "happy sigh" moment. Though, if we are ever in WDW together, I'll make sure to prove this. Heheheh...
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>.Magic in the Sky wasn't on when I was there. They had Starbright Christmas, which actually was a very nice pyro show (had heard bad things about TDR pyro) ... it didn't have a show per se (like other parks) really, more just pyro and Christmas-themed music. But I really liked it.<<< Did they do anything special in TDS? Or with BraviSEAmo down, that was that? Apologies if I'm making you jump around.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I don't mean to detract from what you're saying about the general approach to the resort - I'm just answering your question as to whether or not they took it into consideration.>> I appreciate the comments, SD. I am sure more rooms are facing away from the urban grit and into the magic, but some folks are clearly staying in rooms facing it. I don't see myself spending the kind of $$$ they ask for their hotels anyway. And, if I did, I'd pick the Mira Costa in a nano-second. The Victorian theme has been done to death by Disney. I also noticed some signs of wear and tear that shouldn't be seen in a hotel of DLH's caliber, let alone one that's barely been open 2 1/2 years now.
