Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I find it disturbing that LP'ers are defending the fake and deceptive nature of this broadcast.>> I always find it disturbing when LPers or any fans find it necessary to defend the unethical actions and business practices of a huge, multi-billion dollar media conglomerate. I find that very disturbing, actually. What kind of fan does that? Really. I know I'm opening this up, but what kind of 'fan' ever supports/justifies the lowering of quality or standards for financial reasons?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Spirit, I agree with you on the live aspect...It is so much more fun to see if the weather/everything else came together to make for the perfect parade....But there were years in the past that our local stations didn't even broadcast the parade....What was the final year it was shown live????>> I'd have to ask around. I know there was one year they didn't do it at all. I believe that was either 2001 or 2002 and Michael Eisner acted all shocked that it had been stopped and he 'ordered' that it be returned. If I had to guess when the last live one was aired I'd say 1998 ... but I could be off by a year or two as well. Recall, WDW used to also air LIVE the WDW Easter Parade for at least a decade. Of course, now, they don't even have an Easter Parade.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<All this whoopa for something the majority of Americans don't even watch.>> No offense, Tom, but you could say the same thing about even the most-watched shows like CSI, 60 Minutes and Desperate Housewives. ... so what's the point?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>I find that very disturbing, actually. What kind of fan does that?<< The same ones who sent hate emails to my mailbox. But they usually are Disney-employed fakes who pass themselves as "fans" on sites like this one.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>I find that very disturbing, actually. What kind of fan does that?<< <<The same ones who sent hate emails to my mailbox. But they usually are Disney-employed fakes who pass themselves as "fans" on sites like this one.>> I, thankfully, don't get hatemail because I don't allow any of my email accounts to be spread around the web. Very few people have them. And if I ever started getting them, I'd hunt the person down like the poachers going after Big Red!
Originally Posted By Labuda I remember watching the Easter Parade! That was good stuff! Oh, and I have Spirit's email address for sale if anyone wants it.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros "oh and do you think Regis and Kelly Ripa are really enjoying reading this scripty stuff??" "But when the script is over-the-top embarrassing, I'm sure they do cringe a bit when they read/act what's written." At the end of the show (I was only able to catch about 15 minutes of it...rats) Regis said that the best possible Christmas present that he could get was to spend it with Kelly in WDW. He promptly got this look on his face like "I can't believe I just said that" and started laughing. It's good to know that they think what they are saying is rediculous as we do.
Originally Posted By JenniBarra >>Recall, WDW used to also air LIVE the WDW Easter Parade for at least a decade. Of course, now, they don't even have an Easter Parade.<< I also remember seeing Fourth of July specials ages ago.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I LOVED the Easter Parade....why exactly did they stop it!?>> $$$ ... what else? They stopped televising it and then killed it entirely. It was a beautiful tradition at the MK and just a bit of what the whole WalMarting of the product is. Why spend the money when you can trot out the same years old tired parade 51 weeks a year?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Oh, and I have Spirit's email address for sale if anyone wants it. >> You're a naughty, little Texan. And you know what we do with naughty, little Texans? That's right. We send 'em to the White House for eight years to set back civlization 50 years or so! ;-)
Originally Posted By basas <<They stopped televising it and then killed it entirely. It was a beautiful tradition at the MK and just a bit of what the whole WalMarting of the product is. Why spend the money when you can trot out the same years old tired parade 51 weeks a year?>> Yeah- but you'd also think they'd like the opportunity for another 2-hour infomercial to broadcast to the nation.
Originally Posted By Labuda "And you know what we do with naughty, little Texans? That's right. We send 'em to the White House for eight years to set back civlization 50 years or so! ;-)" He's not a Texan. Now, regarding post #49 - exactly how long ago, if you don't mind telling, did you see WDW 4th of July specials? I have NO recollection of that, so figure you're maybe talking pre-1980 or so...
Originally Posted By brotherdave I have a video of one from 1988 with Willard Scott showing off Maelstrom during its first season from a July 4th WDW special. I think they tried it for about 2-3 years before giving up on it. It was also a syndicated special vs. one shown on ABC like the other 2 parades were. Ratings were most likely the culprit for its early demise.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I think JenniBarra is talking about the huge "4th of July Spectacular" they sued to play at the Castle Forecourt stage, which was a great show and ran several years in the late 80s. >>Why spend the money when you can trot out the same years old tired parade 51 weeks a year?<< Correct! Spirit. I too would be embarrased to pass up the same Tencennial floats from 1981 as three different special parades each year... Easter, Halloween and Xmas. I guess only seeing the same floats twice a year now (Xmas and Halloween) ain't that bad.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Yeah- but you'd also think they'd like the opportunity for another 2-hour infomercial to broadcast to the nation.>> Well, maybe smart folks like you and me would think that ... but we're not Disney execs. Heck, I can think of so many ways of marketing the parks using legit TV shows and specials, it's scary ... but you need people with vision ... and that goes for marketing as well as the creative fields. And giving away a few hundred one-night stays in a Castle suite ain't smart marketing ... it's called reading fanboy/gal 'wishes' on Internet forums like his and throwing them together. Oops, what were we talking about?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I have a video of one from 1988 with Willard Scott showing off Maelstrom during its first season from a July 4th WDW special. I think they tried it for about 2-3 years before giving up on it. It was also a syndicated special vs. one shown on ABC like the other 2 parades were. Ratings were most likely the culprit for its early demise.>> I think 2-3 years in the late 80s is about right. It really served no purpose and could have been done better. But ultimately, folks aren't in front of the teevee on the evening of July 4th ... they are (and usually with large family/friend gatherings) on Christmas and Easter mornings/afternoons.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Maybe that is the reason why I honestly can't remember these 4th of july TV specials...
Originally Posted By brotherdave ^^^I'm usually either at a family picnic or at my local amusement park watching the fireworks! Unless it's raining, I doubt that I'd be watching TV on the Fourth of July!
