Originally Posted By vbdad55 Spirit- so you agree with the writer thaat comparing prices for 5 parks vs 2 parks is apples to apples ? You agree - they have no clones there- as well as overlook the fact that when a park is built first- it will have most of the older rides first- this is simple physics of nature you agree that climate is a fair gauge ? really Need I remind you DL also sits not far from fault lines- unlike WDW- but then nothing but the positive accentuated in the article. I grew up on DL-- and can tell you there are issues with it- issues acknowledged by it's founder- but seemingly this hack writer knows better - and you agree with him. I think too other things are coloring your opinion. Is DL the best single park in the whole show- you bet. Is it flawless- hardly.
Originally Posted By DlandDug My goodness, there are some uber-defensive people here. Methinks the truth really does hurt! First of all, bear in mind, this is a writer for the WEEKLY. The newspaper distributed free at skateboard shops, tattoo parlors, and off-brand gas stations. (At least, that's where we get the OC Weekly out here, a tabloid that regularly assails the Disneyland Resort as a soulless corporate entity.) The writing is more than competent, and it is not just a WDW bashing piece. In fact, the thesis makes that clear: "Nothing better represents the subtle superiority of Los Angeles over Orlando, though, than Disneyland..." Subtle superiority. Yep. Four parks versus two? That's adequately addressed: "With four parks to Disneyland's two, on paper WDW has the edge in attractions..." And then goes on to say, "...but Disneyland packs more punch. " And then goes on to support the argument. (Which is one I wholeheartedly agree with.) Compact? More than just a code word for "smaller," it also addresses one of my major gripes with the Florida property. It's as poorly planned as any strip development in the country. And that's a shame, as Disney has had complete control over every aspect for over 40 years. There's just no excuse for spending about a quarter of one's free time during a vacation waiting for a bus or riding in a bus. Climate? More than agree. Orlando is... a torture chamber. I've vacationed there and worked there, and can't wait to get away every time. For a few hours every day it is quite, quite lovely. Then it's either oppressively hot, freezing cold (the whole family got sick over a five day trip last December), or time for the daily monsoon. Is it fair to compare something as subjective as the weather? Certainly. Don't get me wrong. I love me a trip to WDW, or the DCL. (Oh! And IOA!) Aside from that, there's no real compelling reason to go to Central Florida. And this is especially true if one is from SoCal. I've said it before: travel 30 minutes in any direction from the Disneyland Resort, and you're somewhere worth the trip. The beach... the mountains... the cultural offerings of Los Angeles or San Diego... and so on. Travel 30 minutes in any direction from Walt Disney World and you're in a swamp. (Unless it's north, in which case you're in Orlando. Cheers!)
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Here in the Bay Area I definitely see more TV ads for WDW and Disney Parks than I do for DLR. The only time I see DLR ads are when there's a special promotion like Halloween or when World of Color debuted last year.<< >>Sounds like they've given up on the whole "Disneyland Resort" concept.<< Far from it. The Disneyland Resort is going great guns. WDW, on the other hand, needs bodies to keep its overbuilt properties from being reclaimed by nature. We get regular TV ads for the Magic Kingdom here in Orange County.
Originally Posted By Bolna I think the most interesting thing about this article isn't whether the author is right or wrong, but that someone in a local Orlando newspaper is actually saying to the people in Orlando: Look, we did not get the nice park, the other one is better! It isn't just any article in a travel section of a newspaper advising on whether to take a trip to the East Coast or the West Coast (and btw, for me as European both Florida and California are enjoyable vacation destinations - I have been to both and seen much more than just theme parks). It is a local paper in Orlando and the article is one in a column called "Live Active Cultures" which appears to center on the local culture. And very interesting is also the column of one week later than the one we are discussing so far - comparing Hearst Castle and the Walt Disney Family Museum in which he much favours the later. He ends with the following about the Walt Disney Family Museum: "If only the folks who run the Orlando resort that bears his name would visit and take notes."
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I also get a little tired of all the princess/pirate stuff, but there were 13 comments on the blog and not one of them was negative. Disney is giving people what they want. It may not be what the die-hard Disney Park fan wants, but Disney is trying to please the many, not the few.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Those Royal Princess Rooms are the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Because when I think of Port Orleans, I think Princesses. Now, the Haunted Mansion rooms would be awesome at French Quarter. But they were apparently scrapped because, you know, why do anything cool?
Originally Posted By LadyandtheTramp "Those Royal Princess Rooms are the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Because when I think of Port Orleans, I think Princesses." But Princess Tiana is from New Orleans, so starting from that premise, they did somehow manage to shoehorn in a connection. Also, 4 parks for 299 vs. 2 parks for 199. I don't think those prices are correct, but even so, the comparison isn't totally wrong, since I can only be in one park at a time - still haven't figured out how to timeshare myself (maybe Disney could provide some advice on this). Have lived near to both DL and WDW (still live close to WDW), and can opine that the LA area has a lot more to do than Orlando. We'd go to DL once a weekend, and do something else the other day. Here, we go to WDW more often twice a weekend, because: 1) there are more parks, and hence more different things to do at them; and, 2) there isn't a whole lot more to do than go to the parks. We've also had APs to Universal, and Sea World, off and on, but those tend to get boring more easily than WDW, so we don't buy the AP more than every couple of years.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<But Princess Tiana is from New Orleans, so starting from that premise, they did somehow manage to shoehorn in a connection.>> Right...but have you seen the rooms? They look like something out of Cinderella, not PATF.
Originally Posted By Bolna <<But Princess Tiana is from New Orleans, so starting from that premise, they did somehow manage to shoehorn in a connection.>> That's right, but the blog als says: "The story behind these lush rooms is that Princess Tiana (“The Princess and The Frog”) invited some of her royal pals – Belle (“Beauty and the Beast”), Jasmine (“Aladdin”) and more – for a vacation getaway." Where do they get it from that Tiana, Belle and Jasmine are friends? When did they meet and why did they bring "mementos" to the room? That just sounds like a strange mix, also with regard to design! And it is just a a very lazy story as well. I am not sure that the fact that there are only positive comments is that much of an indication what people really think about it. I guess a lot of people who don't like this idea won't say anything and just cross that resort of their list of possibly destinations. Also, I once tried to write something which had a somewhat critical aspect (while the tone of the whole was still positive, at least I thought so) and that comment never made it to the website. So who knows what they are filtering out?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Sounds like they've given up on the whole "Disneyland Resort" concept." How so?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "And here is more of why WDW just doesn't do it for me much anymore: (Yes, they are about to RUIN my favorite moderate resort and turn it into another DISNEY BRANDED PRINCESS FEST!)" I'm sick to death of all the branding junk, but those Specialty Rooms are pretty cool. especially like the
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Don't get me wrong. I love me a trip to WDW, or the DCL. (Oh! And IOA!) Aside from that, there's no real compelling reason to go to Central Florida." Doug, I think this sums it up perfectly!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Also, 4 parks for 299 vs. 2 parks for 199. I don't think those prices are correct, but even so, the comparison isn't totally wrong, since I can only be in one park at a time - still haven't figured out how to timeshare myself (maybe Disney could provide some advice on this).>> I've never been to all 4 parks in a single day, but I'm almost always in 2 parks a day when I'm at WDW. I'll start my day at the MK, AK or DS and then finish my day having a glass of wine (or two or... never-mind) at France in Epcot while I watch Illuminations.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Now, the Haunted Mansion rooms would be awesome at French Quarter. But they were apparently scrapped because, you know, why do anything cool?" Without question there'll be HM rooms if the proposed film gets made and is a hit.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Aside from that, there's no real compelling reason to go to Central Florida. And this is especially true if one is from SoCal.>> Yes, Orlando in my opinion isn't much of a city. Among other things they seem to have no zoning codes... the city is a hodge-podge of poorly planned and executed developments. But the Fort Meyers/Sanibel Island/Naples area of Floria is beautiful and only a few hours away.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 and can opine that the LA area has a lot more to do than Orlando city of 7 million vs city of less than 1 million-- of course... I am not sure LA or Orlando should have been on trial in the article- yet that colored the tone.. seems odd
Originally Posted By wahooskipper The Princesses are making the company a killing. I've got no problem with them slicing out a small segment of rooms and providing immerserive themes...so long as they don't do it to all of the rooms. Look no futher than the Disney Stores. Those places put all of their eggs in the Princess basket and the bottom fell out. The odd one to me is the health and wellness rooms. I'm curious to know what market studies revealed that those would be a hit.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Without question there'll be HM rooms if the proposed film gets made and is a hit.>> I don't think that film ever sees the light of day, unfortunately.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "The odd one to me is the health and wellness rooms. I'm curious to know what market studies revealed that those would be a hit." They're a hit with me. That's exactly the sort of accommodations I want when I'm on vacation. <<Without question there'll be HM rooms if the proposed film gets made and is a hit.>> "I don't think that film ever sees the light of day, unfortunately." Why so skeptical? It was officially announced that the project is in development.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Why so skeptical? It was officially announced that the project is in development.>> Because it's Guillermo Del Toro. He's announced like 5 projects he's developing the past few years that have all been canceled, not counting the Hobbit which he dropped out of. I want it to happen, I just won't believe it is happening until they start shooting.
