WDW Social 'Media' and Conspiracy

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

"Disney sends out links to the new post on Twitter. If you have your phone connected to twitter, you'll get an alert the second it pops up. Kind of a pain in the ...."

Only if you feel the need to have all this s*** interconnected to you like you are a Borg drone.

Try unplugging one or two of these forty three billion social media/internet "connections" and realize that life goes along fine without Kelloggs knowing when was the last time you had their cereal or Nestlé finding out what was the last chocolate bar you ate.

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

"And then there's...this:

"Oh if only it were true! If this event is like the Disneyland Haunted Mansion Anniversary event and the Happy Haunts events, the only way to get merchandise is to purchase a ticket and pre-order, or be at the event. Everyone else will have to be like me and troll ebay for a chance to get some cool stuff at a little more cost. Wish I could be there…….seems like I wish that several times a year! Disney really comes up with fun ways to celebrate the things we love from the Parks! I will admit though, I would live at the Haunted Mansion if Disney and my wife and kids were ok with it! Of course, we would also have a residence at The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh! And that said, dont forget to take the kids to see the new Pooh in theatres tomorrow! Mouse Power!" "


BAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRFFFFFFF!!!!!!


Could THAT be ANY MORE transparent?!?



"Disney really comes up with fun ways to celebrate the things we love from the Parks!"

This line jumps out at me as something a twenty three year old smarmy marketing guy would write and congratulate himself with a pat on the back, thinking he sounds EXACTLY like a fanboi.

Horrible, just horrible.


Then there's this line,

"And that said, dont forget to take the kids to see the new Pooh in theatres tomorrow! Mouse Power!"

In the words of the immortal Linda LaHughes(if you have to ask, you just won't understand),

"Oh, **** ***!!!"

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

"As far as people getting excited about shopping at the magic kingdoms, it's really not all that unusual. Even Walt recognized that shopping is an important component of a full day of entertainment"

Actually, I think he took it be a supplemental part of the whole "show" of DL. That is, it was something along with dining, attractions and just "being somewhere else" that added to the whole experience.

Placing any more importance on the part of shopping on Walt's part and you'd basically be putting him in the same "basket" as Pressler.

And I am SURE nobody here would want to do THAT!

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

How's this for social media? Universal Orlando opened up The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for FREE tonight to everyone who watched the premiere midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II at City Walk! It was announced on UOR's twitter account.

You stay classy WDW Social Media and Pleasure Island....

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

^ WOW!

INCREDIBLE!!!!

It's simple, it generates a TON of goodwill AND it creates a TRULY "magical experience" for those present!

And the thing is, it feels like something Disney MIGHT have done back in the '80's. Remember those things that may have actually COST Disney a little bit of money but generate this kind of buzz and goodwill that make people shout to the high heavens how WONDERFUL their experience was?

I wonder if the head of UO is reading these threads, making a list of what Disney is currently doing WRONG and just implementing the OPPOSITE strategy?


It would make VERY GOOD business sense!

 

Originally Posted By MousDad

>>How's this for social media? Universal Orlando<<

When you're the best at what you do, you're the best at what you do. What can you say.

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

Universal Orlando is doing the exact opposite of WDW, then. Well done.

 

Originally Posted By sjhym333

I have been a fan of Universal for years and never understood why people didnt appreciate their product. As an AP holder it has been great to see them really step up this past year or so and do some great things. Their Harry Potter area AP event was great and very well handled including an amazingly fast check in with dozens of employees.

 

Originally Posted By leobloom

>> As far as people getting excited about shopping at the magic kingdoms, it's really not all that unusual. Even Walt recognized that shopping is an important component of a full day of entertainment*. I have friends who plan their vacations around merchandising events. It's not for me, but I understand that this is what others enjoy.


*New Orleans Square was planned, in part, to increase the higher end shopping opportunities in Disneyland. <<

No argument from me that shopping isn't part of the parks experience. I would argue there's a difference, though, between high-end shopping experience at New Orleans Square (or just shopping for classy souvenirs -- there was a time when you could find them) and shopping at one of the parks' big souvenir stands that hawk the WDW 2011 merch that just looks tacky and can be found at virtually any merchandise location around the park.

Fireworks, seeing the castle, riding one of the supposed E-tickets, watching your kids have fun -- hell, even lining up at a meet-and-greet to meet Mickey or a character. In my mind, any of those things would come closer to being the epitome of the parks experience before shopping at Epcot's version of the Hwy 192 t-shirt stand.

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

I have had an AP to Universal since 1998. They have done nothing but continue to impress me year after year since. Even, or especially, after Vivendi.

What a great move on their part opening the park up last night. Very much akin to what Disney would have done decades ago. Now with Disney you get ERT time to celebrate 5 wonderful years of a flawless Everest, or more often to buy expensive merchandise and food.

Wonder how much HP merchandise IOA sold last night?

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

<<Wonder how much HP merchandise IOA sold last night?>>

I'm sure they made loads of Galleons. HokieSkipper was there, and I'm sure he'll tell us about it after his trip is over.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<And I do believe that sites like MiceAge and this one ARE why Disney is so concerned with trying to control the message. Just like GK feeding Al his info and Voila, Al plays nice.>>

Pretty much.

<<It just blows me away how much money Disney spends in trying to wrestle EVERYTHING into what they want, while absolutely refusing to actually spend money in the right things it would take to get a positive message all over the web. Which is, keep the parks maintained like we all know they should and build exciting new parks and attractions. It really is that simple.>>

Of course it is, but they just are too simple-minded and greedy and ignorant to realize it.

Do you attract more buzz, more happy/spending guests by building things like WWoHP ... or by spending multiples of that in a giant data-mining expedition designed to plan your guest's entire vacations down to the minute a year ahead of time?

Do you attract more buzz, more happy/spending guests by building things like WWoHP or by saying our parks are stale and boring so let's give people things to play with while in queues or ways to use their stupid phones so they can have virtual experiences instead of live, visceral ones?

<< They threw out a turd of a park and were called out on it. So now they combat it with a bazzilion $$$$$ social media initiative. But what really changed the tone of the unaffiliated social media was $1.5 billion in fixes to make DCA less turd-like. It is pretty obvious what happened out there and yet Disney is still clueless. They never understood why DCA was perceived as a turd to start with. They thought they had a blockbuster right out of the box. The creatives that tried to explain it to them were fired. And social media was blamed for it's failure. And yet they put $1.5 B into the place and it turned it around. And they think their social media dept. wrestled the message into submission. What a bunch of fricken' morons.>>

Pretty much. And to show you how little Disney has changed, here we are in 2011 and Disney is more interested in controlling the message again instead of providing products that wow guests to such a degree that most of the uncensored/free talk would be glowingly positive.

Seriously.

And these people get paid how much?

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74


<<I debated giving this its own thread, but what the heck. I wanna see this Social Media thread reach 1000 or 2000 posts.>>

Ah, three extra flushes for Leo!!!

<<This is sort of in line with Bolna's and Spirit's so-called research on the Corporate Blog.>>

'So-called'? I think we did some fine work if I do say so myself ...

<<There's a post about some overpriced $285 event for the Haunted Mansion that will permit you the chance to buy more merchandise. Incidentally, the blog post doesn't mention the price -- you have to click away from the page to find out the cost. So someone commented:

"So is anything happening in Magic Kingdom Park on October 1st for the 40th anniversary?"

And Dara Trujillo replied:

"Disney Theme Park Merchandise is currently working on a few plans to celebrate the 40th Anniversary in a fun way! Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for details!"

So I guess that means WDW's birthday will be celebrated with limited edition merchandise. That's cool. DL got the Indiana Jones Adventure and a castle stage show. MK gets some merch. Gnarly.>>

Retro merchandise is huge with the fanbois today. If they only knew how uncool the 70s used to be!

<<The other comments for this post are interesting -- you could say these are people who have have levels of pixie dust, I guess:

"Oh man, I think I need to move closer to WDW!!"

"I am totally about this! Sign me up for this epic, ghoulish feast. Long live the dead!"

"Wow, this sounds fantastic! If there weren’t so many other things going on at Disney World that weekend I would try and get a ticket. I’m sure all the happy haunts that attend will have a fabulous time."

First comment that brings up the cost of the ticket to the event which allows you to spend more money to buy merch:

"I want to go to this event in the worst way! Hefty price though! Is this a yearly event or once in a lifetime?"

Trujillo replies:

"While we have done Haunted Mansion themed events in the past, this is the first Haunted Mansion event that Walt Disney World has hosted in almost 6 years!"

So -- because it's something that rarely happens, the exorbitant cost is justified.>>

Some of those comments just read like pure PR ... actually, they all do.

<<And then there's...this:

"Oh if only it were true! If this event is like the Disneyland Haunted Mansion Anniversary event and the Happy Haunts events, the only way to get merchandise is to purchase a ticket and pre-order, or be at the event. Everyone else will have to be like me and troll ebay for a chance to get some cool stuff at a little more cost. Wish I could be there…….seems like I wish that several times a year! Disney really comes up with fun ways to celebrate the things we love from the Parks! I will admit though, I would live at the Haunted Mansion if Disney and my wife and kids were ok with it! Of course, we would also have a residence at The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh! And that said, dont forget to take the kids to see the new Pooh in theatres tomorrow! Mouse Power!"

Stunning. Simply stunning.

I glanced over this next blog post about MouseGear 2.0, and the second comment is mind-numbing:

"MouseGear is one of my favorite places to go in all of Walt Disney World. It’s the epitome of the WDW experience. I can’t wait to see the improvements when we’re there soon....">>

I have to again wonder, though, how much is mental illness/Pixie Dust addiction part of what we see here and how much is the knowledge that living the Disney Lifestyle can lead to opportunities for Mommy Panels and free trips or befriending bloggers and getting 'in on the action' that way etc ...

I mean, Mousegear is the epitome of a WDW experience?!?!


<<The guy goes on to ask a question about what shop predated MouseGear. But I'm just a little amazed by these merchandise posts -- shopping for sweatshirts and watches at what amounts to Epcot's major souvenir stand is the epitome of the WDW experience? I'd be embarrassed to post that comment -- I mean, how obvious can you get Disney? We got it: you've brainwashed some of the high-level p'dusters, but I can honestly say I'll never get to the point where I would say shopping at MouseGear is the epitome of the WDW experience. (Now maybe visiting the quail tile restroom is...)

I admit I've never spent much time looking at the Disney Parks Blog (I'm a little shocked by how phony the bloggers' pictures are, too) -- but if this is par for the course, someone should start a thread just to document what's being posted over there.>>

Nah, no new thread is needed ... the comments fit perfectly with this subject matter ... although I think reading too much over there can be harmful to a Spirit's own mental health.

Again, as these Celebration Place bloggers expense a lunch at Kona Cafe or a dinner at Via Napoli on their Disney Visas, they just laugh that they get paid to do this.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Yes, reading some of the comments there, you don't wonder why the Spirit goes on about the mental health of Disney fans. However, creating a thread to document that might raise some more mental health questions... ;-)>>

Have I said yet that I firmly believe fans weren't nearly this bad before the last decade's Internet explosion?
I've been a Disney fan since childhood, been visiting the parks since then, had an AP since my early teens etc and I don't ever recall Disney fandom as something I'd have equated with an abnormal mental condition.

Of course, I also believe that Disney through Social Media is absolutely capitalizing on that.

People may have loved Disney in the 1980s, but I don't know anyone who was living anything that could be called 'the Disney Lifestyle'.

<<I said it before - I am sure that the way the blog works it actually encourages people to write in that style. Because the blog itself is so cheerful, people will reply in the same manner. Even I cringed a little bit when I recently reread the three comments of mine which can be found on there.>>

Really? Where are they?

And having been around Disney publicity hacks, it is scary to the degree some talk like that when on the job. It's like you're dealing with an AA gone bad ...

<<I would agree about the pictures though. Some are quite good, but the one that really sticks out to me is actually Thomas Smith's picture. It just looks strange, kind of a bit out of focus. As if it was cropped from a bigger pictures. Every time I see it I wonder why the guy in charge of the whole blog cannot have a photographer take a better picture of him. I am sure the man looks better in person than on this picture.>>

Now, how do we know that? Maybe he just wasn't blessed in the looks department? ;-)

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<How's this for social media? Universal Orlando opened up The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for FREE tonight to everyone who watched the premiere midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II at City Walk! It was announced on UOR's twitter account.

You stay classy WDW Social Media and Pleasure Island....>>

Ah, see that is exactly how you DO run Social Media.

But I'm sure they don't include the Dreams, Wishes and MAGIC up the road at UNI ...you really don't need that when you deliver, do you?

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<I wonder if the head of UO is reading these threads, making a list of what Disney is currently doing WRONG and just implementing the OPPOSITE strategy?


It would make VERY GOOD business sense!>>

I am quite sure (QUITE) that folks at UNI are reading this thread ... the Spirit knows things because he can float (when he doesn't eat too much) and is invisible.

Disney's Social Media strategy is how NOT to guide ... and this thread is certainly proof (oh, and I'd love to join my friends at UNI too!)

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

<<How's this for social media? Universal Orlando opened up The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for FREE tonight to everyone who watched the premiere midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II at City Walk! It was announced on UOR's twitter account.

You stay classy WDW Social Media and Pleasure Island....>>

<<Ah, see that is exactly how you DO run Social Media.

But I'm sure they don't include the Dreams, Wishes and MAGIC up the road at UNI ...you really don't need that when you deliver, do you?>>

Our very own HokieSkipper was there last night. Here's what he had to say:

<<It was cool for @mrepcot and me, but the act just made people who had never been so happy. It was a surreal moment.>>

That's real "magic" folks. Take note Thomas Smith and Zenia Mucha (still awaiting your acceptance of my friend request btw)

 

Originally Posted By ChiMike

>>Do you attract more buzz, more happy/spending guests by building things like WWoHP or by saying our parks are stale and boring so let's give people things to play with while in queues or ways to use their stupid phones so they can have virtual experiences instead of live, visceral ones?<<

Spot on. Great point

 

Originally Posted By Bolna

<<People may have loved Disney in the 1980s, but I don't know anyone who was living anything that could be called 'the Disney Lifestyle'.>>

I think the internet has definitely changed a lot here. It brings people together who would otherwise not have any chance to meet. Sometimes this can have wonderful results - sometimes not so. And I think what we see now is that people are positively reinforcing each other in behaviours which others would not see normal.

But I think the "Disney Lifestyle" is something which has taken over within the last two to three years maybe. Even Lou's podcast was once quite interesting until it started to get more and more obsessed.

 

Originally Posted By Bolna

<<Really? Where are they? >>

They should not be too difficult to find for someone who is a good researcher - and not only a so-called one. ;-)

<<Now, how do we know that? Maybe he just wasn't blessed in the looks department? ;-)>>

I am a generous person, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. That picture is just hideous! But I guess unless he puts up a better - and more professional - picture we won't find out.