Originally Posted By leemac <<They should amuse us locals as well>> From a commercial POV that makes no sense though. If WDW was the best mix of both worlds (tourists and locals) then you would expect it. But subtract out those that are either employed by the Mouse or depend on him for their work and you have a much smaller audience. The AP crowd just isn't big enough and they come whatever. Why waste money on an event for locals? The resort does plenty of other things for locals like Festival of the Masters etc.
Originally Posted By leemac <<The AP crowd just isn't big enough>> And considering how cheap a FL residents' AP is it is no surprise that there are no perks beyond entrance. Plus considering how appallingly APs acted in general at the Dinorama Preview Evening I'm not surprised that they don't even do closed-door sneak peaks any more. WDW didn't come out glowing from that evening either.
Originally Posted By irishfan >>Plus considering how appallingly APs acted in general at the Dinorama Preview Evening I'm not surprised that they don't even do closed-door sneak peaks any more<< What happened?
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "One question LDD..... don't you feel that WDW is suffering from celebration overkill? So many LP-ers complained bitterly about WDW "hijacking" DL's 50th. " I feel WDW is suffering from manufactured marketing celebration overkill.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "So if they have a small ceremony on the anniversary date, is that still ignoring?" To me ... yes.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "The AP crowd just isn't big enough and they come whatever. Why waste money on an event for locals? The resort does plenty of other things for locals like Festival of the Masters etc." FotM has been going on as long as I can recall, and longer than APs have been around. The point here is, if anything, WDW does less for locals and APers than it once did. Taking away the Easter Parade, something that ALL guests enjoyed, is just an example off the top of my head.
Originally Posted By leemac <<What happened?>> It was a fiasco. AP-ers jostling one another as they arrived earlier than Disney requested, pushing and shoving each other out front. The lines were back up to the AAA Diamond lot and people were getting frustrated about it. They just had too many people turn up, period. They also gave out a free Don "Ducky" Williams litho to everyone and ran out before the evening finished. AP-ers were verbally abusing the CMs who gave them out.
Originally Posted By leemac No worries. I had the misfortune of actually being at DAK that day so saw it all unfold. It was the worst display by guests I have ever seen at a Disney theme park. And that includes last July 17!
Originally Posted By pixiedust1 We have seen Disney slowly and surely reduce or completely take away any perks for AP holders.. One that sticks out in my mind is the BEST RATE PROGRAM... what laugh , they tried to convince us that it was in our best interests.. LOL.. All it was , was another way to stick to the AP's room rates now are not much lower then just resident rates... NON-AP holders.. $5 less is all we saved for May.. Is 50% a true estimate of AP's and return vists to Disney.. I thought I read that somehwere.. I think the locals keep the parks running or they would be empty on non-holiday times... IMO
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>It was the worst display by guests I have ever seen at a Disney theme park. And that includes last July 17!<< Interesting... More chaotic than going to TDL's Countdown Party?? And exactly what happened at DL on the 17th?? because I was there in line at 5am and everyone was in great spirits and enjoying the whole DCA tour process. I thought both guests and the Cast did a terrific job managing the huge crowd. Why, did you have a different experience on the Press-only line?? As for DAK, I did not attend that particular Dinoland preview... thank God about that!!! Still I managed to get one of those lithos, courtesy of a friend.
Originally Posted By Fe Maiden <<But frankly... in all honestly, with all of the new stuff going up at WDW in the foreseeable future... why not add some "WDW 35th anniversary" banners around, and then pass off all of the new stuff (Nemo show and Living Seas etc) as part of an anniversary celebration.>> Then you'd have people complaining about how these new offerings were already announced and that WDW is just using them as an excuse to roll out some new marketing scheme. Am I crazy or were there people who had that very complaint about Everest etc and the HHCOE?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I don't remember ever complaining about EE coming to WDW myself but yes... using SOMEONE ELSE's aniversary as an excuse to add new rides at WDW is...well... unexcusable in some people's books. Somehow, if they were celebrating THEIR OWN aniversary, it would be more appropriate to pass these new additions as "part of the 35th celebration". But NO! locals and tourist to WDW alike are not worthy of some true celebrations of our own in Orlando.
Originally Posted By BlazesOfFire some are making it seem like it is all WDW's fault, when all Disney parks around the world are celebrating Disneyland's 50th.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Why, did you have a different experience on the Press-only line??>> I wasn't part of the press that day. Let me explain: 1) Guests verbally abusing managers who were shepherding the lines in DtD. This happened on numerous occasions; 2) Guests pushing past the monorail hosts when the first monorail arrived at DtD. They kept pushing past despite the warnings and the overcrowding. CMs had to physically pull some people from the cars. The monorail then sat there for clearance and people were yelling and screaming in some cars; 3) The worst display I've ever seen by a guest: 6'6" guy was bearing down on this 5' nothing CM at Blue Bayou as he hadn't made a reservation. She politely told him to join the 3 hr-plus line and explained what other choices the park had. He refused and continued to verbally abuse her. When he realised he was getting his way he spat in her face and then disappeared into the crowd. 4) I won't even mention some of the choice language that guests in the pin line had and I saw an adult guest shove a child to the floor because he thought that the kid was pushing in (when in fact he was trying to find his mother). The whole day left a nasty taste in my mouth and I was glad to escape after lunch. We got to see our friends and enjoyed the ceremony but it gave me an insight into the DL crowd that I had never seen before. Give me July 17 1995 any day.
Originally Posted By Roger55 <some are making it seem like it is all WDW's fault, when all Disney parks around the world are celebrating Disneyland's 50th.>> Well, Disney would like you to believe that all parks are celebrating DL's 50th, but I can tell you from first hand experience... TDR has one little sign on it's Partners statue, and HKDL has nothing I can recall commemorating the 50th. WDW is blatantly hyping the 50th from merchandise, signage, TV ads, etc.
Originally Posted By DLFAN1979 leemac, obviusly you had a fluke because that was the most well behaved day i have EVER seen at a Disney park. I was in line for the pin RIGHT AFTER the ceremony and everyone was waiting PATIENTLY in the hot sun for 4hrs. The only time i saw things get almost ugly was when the Remeber crowd stated yelling nat a family to sit down. The fireworks are in the SKY people not in front of the Castle.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>some are making it seem like it is all WDW's fault, when all Disney parks around the world are celebrating Disneyland's 50th.M<< BlazesOfFire... Forgive me but that statement is incorrect. The Marketing team in the USA has made everyone believe there are Happiest Celebrations going on at all Disney parks worldwide and that is far from being true. DLP had "Wishes" but only lasted for a few months and was quickly taken down (guests booing at the hub on opening night should have been an indication). TDL featured a special event on April 15th (their 22nd birthday) honoring American oldies music and a very vague reference to 1955 on the show but NO mention of DL's 50th, except for a very small sign and banner at the "Partners" statue. The special event at TDL would have been done even if DL wasn't turning 50. Over in Hong Kong.. I have been visiting there since the first week it opened and there was NO mention to guests anywhere about DL's 50th. Niether TDL, HKDL or DLP had "DL's 50th" banner, NOR did they sell any merchandise advertizing a DL celebration nor was there anything related to a "Happiest Celebration on Earth" **anywhere**. Guests at those park would never know DL was turning 50 if their lives depended on it!!! This "Happiest Celebration" is only exclusive to WDW where they are over killing it in order to maintain attendance figures thru the summer and possibly into the Fall season. As a frequent visitor to the international parks... I am here to tell you.. We were lied to in regards to all Disney parks celebrating DL's 50th anniversary. Shocking but true.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Lee.. I am appalled to hear of your experience on July 17th... But I have to agree with DDFAN1979, who happened to be in line mere feet away from me by accident. WE both commented on how well organized the entire process was and how well guests in line cooperated. It was a magnificent experience from my end of the line.. Now mind you... I was staying at the 'cheaper hotels' on the est side of the park and went thru that entrance into the resort. Maybe those of you coming in from the west side had to endure what I would concider the extremist Disney fans entitlement notion.. the ones staying on property and thinking Disney owns them the World for forking extra dough??? You know the types.. Only an opinion of course.. However, I will say this much.. I did see the incident you described at Blue Bayou since I was in line few folks behind you and Doobie et all... so that I can confirm. And yes, the stupid idiot was more than unjust towards the poor CMs who were overhelmed by the sheer amount of folks there that day. However.. the DL cast raised to the challenge at to this day, I can only say very positive things about the way they handled themselves on that most challenging day to work.
Originally Posted By irishfan I'm still in shock over the idea of somone actually spitting in a cast members face.
