Yellek wrote:The main thing I notice about Disney vs another park such as Busch Gardens, Six Flags, etc. is the overall feel. There's no dirty alleys, dumpsters, or any other un-decorated thought out areas. You're fully immersed in an entire vacation feeling the whole time. That's what will always draw me to go there vs elsewhere because I'm not just looking for the few minutes on the rides themselves but the whole day(s).
This is so true. We are on day 5 of our Disney vacation and we did Universal Studios today. The Harry Potter stuff was super cool but in general things just felt a bit off. It just wasn't as polished as Disney is and we definitely felt it.
I also agree with Yellek. It has struck me sometimes when I am at Disney that isolating the rides as rides, many of them aren't worth the wait. And, more generally, it's not the rides that bring me back. What brings me back is the immersion that Yellek talks about. In that respect, when Disneyland opened in 1955, midways and carnivals and county fairs all existed already. They all had rides. What made Disneyland an overnight sensation and then an enduring hit was what it created around the rides, and how that contributed to the sense that the rides were more than just rides.
I doubt it'll replicate the mist and wind against your face, the smells of Pandora, the incredible theming of the environment outside (including smells, food/drink flavors, and other details which mimic the ride), and lead-up to the ride. My point was that this /is/ a VR ride done Disney-style, and it's incredibly popular. Duplicating this sort of thing is going to be far more difficult than I think you're making it out to be.
The Banshee ride, including Pandora outside and the line itself, are truly amazing. I think we waited about 75 minutes right at park opening, and it was easily worth it.
Home or arcade VR setups can't duplicate the practical effects in something like Flight of Passage. The spray of water and the wind blowing in your face in particular are simply not available outside a ride like this.
Soarin' added a vey unconvincing CGI Taj Mahal.
Soarin' added a vey unconvincing CGI Taj Mahal.
And a weird bendy Eiffel Tower!
We were seated on the right-most seats so everything was super bendy for us.
We were seated on the right-most seats so everything was super bendy for us.
Especially the pyramids that were not very pyramid shaped.
Quintin_Stone wrote:We were seated on the right-most seats so everything was super bendy for us.
Especially the pyramids that were not very pyramid shaped.
Hey that's where I was sitting when we were there a few weeks ago. Everything was bendy and I hated it.
I was really disappointed by Soarin' Over the World, to be honest. It's a great idea that was marred by the fact that they used CGI for most of the landmarks and didn't have the good sense to pick things that wouldn't look bendy and warped. I think it should've been mostly nature scenes like the original Soarin'.
Yeah, I remember the original Soarin being really good. This one was a let down, especially since we had already done the Avatar Flight of Passage which was so awesome.
I've never understood the appeal of Soarin'. My wife always makes me ride it, and I always come out underwhelmed.
That's disappointing to hear. My wife likes Soarin and we are going in January. Maybe they will fix it and get it soarted out by then.
I've never understood the appeal of Soarin'. My wife always makes me ride it, and I always come out underwhelmed.
Yeah... I've never been that big on Soarin' Over California, but at least it used actual film footage. Kinda wish they had kept that original version, instead of changing it to Soarin’ Around the World.
Am I the only person on the planet that doesn't "get" Disney?
I hear folks at the office talk about how much a Disney vacation costs and all I can think of is "I could go to Europe for that".
I suspect a lot of the answer you get is "kids" but as a childless adult, a Disney vacation is much less stressful than a European vacation would be.
For Disney, I already know where to stay, what to do, where to eat, etc. I don't need to worry about language barriers or getting lost, everything's connected by "public" transportation options and, if there's a problem, employees who can help you are well-marked and obvious.
The European vacation would absolutely be better in terms of new experiences and the art and culture, but I'm not sure it'd be a vacation where I could relax.
I suspect that if I ever found myself in the area of Orlando for a vacation, it would be just to stop for gas on the way down to Jupiter to go fishing.
I suspect a lot of the answer you get is "kids" but as a childless adult, a Disney vacation is much less stressful than a European vacation would be.
For Disney, I already know where to stay, what to do, where to eat, etc. I don't need to worry about language barriers or getting lost, no language barrier, everything's connected by "public" transportation options and, if there's a problem, employees who can help you are well-marked and obvious.
The European vacation would absolutely be better in terms of new experiences and the art and culture, but I'm not sure it'd be a vacation where I could relax.
Totally agree. When we were childless, going to Europe is just the sort of thing we did. Now that we have kids and work responsibilities are greater, Disney is great because all I have to do is show up. Taking my two year old to Europe? Kill me.
Demyx wrote:I suspect a lot of the answer you get is "kids" but as a childless adult, a Disney vacation is much less stressful than a European vacation would be.
For Disney, I already know where to stay, what to do, where to eat, etc. I don't need to worry about language barriers or getting lost, no language barrier, everything's connected by "public" transportation options and, if there's a problem, employees who can help you are well-marked and obvious.
The European vacation would absolutely be better in terms of new experiences and the art and culture, but I'm not sure it'd be a vacation where I could relax.
Totally agree. When we were childless, going to Europe is just the sort of thing we did. Now that we have kids and work responsibilities are greater, Disney is great because all I have to do is show up. Taking my two year old to Europe? Kill me.
I get that.
One of my coworkers has a million kids and talked about how going to Disney cost him almost $10k. I couldn't imagine doing that and told him that for that money he could have taken them all on an African safari.
Then he mentioned what happened when his 2 year old puked in the stroller on the way to some princess breakfast or something. He said that out of nowhere a Disney SWAT team descended on them, whisked them away to a room where DOCTORS were waiting to make sure the kid was okay, fully hydrated, and not actually sick or injured. Concurrent to that a crew grabbed the stroller and washed it out and were drying it with a clean leaf blower. Then when all of that checked out, they brought them to a back room to pick out clean Disney themed clothes to wear to replace the ones that were covered in puke.
It all sounded a bit creepy to me, but I guess if I had a million kids, this kind of service would really appeal to me too.
To me it's removing myself from the world for a time in the same way as I would with a game, book, movie, or stepping on a cruise ship. Real life doesn't happen at Disney. It's a make-believe land you take part in. The technology, planning, and details behind it all only get more interesting the more I know about them; so I'm there for those too.
Some people don't care for it in the same way that some don't care about the other escapes I mentioned. I'm glad everybody doesn't have to like the same things.
As someone with a little human who randomly pukes I would love for this type of thing to happen. Being whisked away and having everything taken care of so that I don't have to waste 2 hours returning to the hotel room for cleanup making everyone around me sick because I smell like vomit...
That is an amazing service... It is the exact opposite of creepy as it would be the exact thing I wished for at that moment.
Also if the puke service seems a little invasive remember it's not just for the child's safety but for everyone's safety. You don't want a kid with stomach flu passing it all over the park, and you want to make sure that vomit gets thoroughly cleaned so none of the other parkgoers come into contact with it.
Also if the puke service seems a little invasive remember it's not just for the child's safety but for everyone's safety. You don't want a kid with stomach flu passing it all over the park, and you want to make sure that vomit gets thoroughly cleaned so none of the other parkgoers come into contact with it.
Yeah, imagine how bad your trip would be if it was some random kid that puked all over you instead of your own...
Demyx wrote:Also if the puke service seems a little invasive remember it's not just for the child's safety but for everyone's safety. You don't want a kid with stomach flu passing it all over the park, and you want to make sure that vomit gets thoroughly cleaned so none of the other parkgoers come into contact with it.
Yeah, imagine how bad your trip would be if it was some random kid that puked all over you instead of your own...
Some random kid did puke on my mom once while we were watching the electrical parade. Unfortunately there were no Disney employees coming by to clean her sweater.
Tickets purchased. Flight booked. I'll be eating in the France restaurant on New Year's Day with my family.
What's the real difference between the table service and quick service restaurants? I'm looking at the two dining plans trying to compare them, and I don't know enough about the restaurants to make an educated decision about it. There will only be the two of us adults going this trip.
Is there a cost savings by getting the meal plan? Or is it just the convenience factor? Or are we paying a small premium for the convenience of the dining plan?
I've never been the one planning the trip before and just kinda went along for the ride, but I've only been 3 times, twice as a kid and once about 5 years ago with my parents and my brother's family.
I keep looking at different options and things, but the annoying thing is I can't book anything yet because I don't know if I've got the week I want off in January yet. Currently I'm looking at a five night stay at Pop Century, flying in early enough to be able to head to a park that day, and then flying out the morning after our last night.
If we fly out later in the day/evening, are there options for us to store our luggage somewhere so we can go out and do things until it's time to head to the airport?
To me it's removing myself from the world for a time in the same way as I would with a game, book, movie, or stepping on a cruise ship. Real life doesn't happen at Disney. It's a make-believe land you take part in.
It's one of the few places I can go and actually feel like I felt in the '70's when I was a kid. What LouZiffer said really hits home for me. When I'm there (and I rarely get to go now-a-days) it's one of the few places where all my cares are forgotten. It's just me and my family.
What's the real difference between the table service and quick service restaurants? I'm looking at the two dining plans trying to compare them, and I don't know enough about the restaurants to make an educated decision about it. There will only be the two of us adults going this trip.
In my experience, with very few exceptions, there's a big difference in the quality of the food and, not surprisingly, the dining experience between the table service and quick service restaurants. While Disney isn't necessarily known for having the greatest restaurants, the table service restaurants are a cut above the quick service restaurants in terms of theming, service, and the food itself. Having said that, if you're someone who wants to maximize the number of rides you get to, you may not want to make the time investment required for table service. And, you need to be choosy when it comes to the table service restaurants because there's a wide range of quality among them. Some of my personal favorites are Kona Cafe, Liberty Tree Tavern, Biergarten, Chefs de France, San Angel Inn, and Whispering Canyon. And, a couple of the exceptional quick service restaurants are Flame Tree BBQ and Columbia Harbour House.
We're in the middle of a two week vacation with a fifteen month old and two grandparents. We're doing two islands in Hawaii. We're learning pretty hard that this kind of vacation is a major PITA with that mix. Something like Disney, where things are more directed, contained, and known would be much better.
Of course, the real lesson is that vacations with kids that young are dumb. You get all the limitations of activities and schedule of a young kid, with none of the benefits of the kid getting to enjoy anything. I wish we hadn't taken this trip.
We're in the middle of a two week vacation with a fifteen month old and two grandparents. We're doing two islands in Hawaii. We're learning pretty hard that this kind of vacation is a major PITA with that mix. Something like Disney, where things are more directed, contained, and known would be much better.
Of course, the real lesson is that vacations with kids that young are dumb. You get all the limitations of activities and schedule of a young kid, with none of the benefits of the kid getting to enjoy anything. I wish we hadn't taken this trip.
Oof. Sorry to hear that Chaz. Can't imagine doing that trip. We did Cozumel at an all inclusive with an 18 month old. It wasn't bad since we weren't worried about visiting a bunch of places and just hung out at the resort but it still meant we missed out on late evening/night events. One night they had a beach cookout but it started well past time for her to go to bed and we just had to take turns going down there to grab some food.
Yeah the benefit to Disney is that it's known and you don't have to worry about anything for the most part. I've never done the cost analysis on the dining plan, but the convienence of not even worrying about the cost of what I order on vacation is nice (since I can tend to be cheap). With two adults, I'd kind of lean toward the table service plan since you can book it in the parks easier to hit all the attractions you want and I enjoy taking the moment at a table service to relax for a moment.
We just came back two weeks ago and did the middle dining plan which had 1 table service meal, 1 quick service meal and snacks for each person per day. For the quick service meals, we were averaging $50 - $60 per meal for 2 adults and 2 kids. The food was decent and I really didn't have any complaints. The table service meals averaged between $150 - $175 for the four of us and the food was a step up plus it was nice to be taken care of while taking a break from the parks. We tended to do our table service meals for dinner and quick meals while we were trying to just get around the park. That worked out pretty well. I guess it depends on the focus of your visit. Easy sunday's post captures it well. If you just want to hit as many rides as possible, quick service is probably the way to go. If you think you'll want to take some time to relax and enjoy a meal, then maybe add the table service meals in.
Oh, one last thought. Two of our table service meals were character meals so we had one with Winnie the Pooh and friends coming around and another with Mickey and pals. If you have kids, this is a really great/easy way to get some character interaction in.
LouZiffer wrote:To me it's removing myself from the world for a time in the same way as I would with a game, book, movie, or stepping on a cruise ship. Real life doesn't happen at Disney. It's a make-believe land you take part in.
It's one of the few places I can go and actually feel like I felt in the '70's when I was a kid. What LouZiffer said really hits home for me. When I'm there (and I rarely get to go now-a-days) it's one of the few places where all my cares are forgotten. It's just me and my family.
Lol. My "kid in the 70's" experience was mostly about trying to escape the ignorant behavior of racial violence.
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