You all responded so favorably to the small Ask Al! section I'd added
to the update, that I thought it would warrant a page of its own.
First, a little background: As you all can imagine, I get so much
e-mail about the site, that it's gotten to the point where I can't
really respond to it all personally. But questions keep coming in,
and so many of them keep proving interesting, that I thought I'd try
this column so I could respond at least to the ones I feel will have the
broadest appeal for the D-I-G readership.
I'll try and update this page about once a week or so - but be
patient if I fall behind a bit.
The following ten questions were posted on 5/16/01
and again thank you all for your terrific feedback and the many queries
you've submitted. Do note the new e-mail address in the right hand column
in case you do decide to write.
I always have a hard time picking from all of them for this update, and
am terribly behind, so if I didn't get to your question this time, I may
be able to answer it at some point later on for you.
Q.
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Greg writes: Al, The new DCA
commercial just ran on TV here in Phoenix. I'm not even sure which
channel it was on, so it might have been on a national network like
Disney Channel or Nick (I wasn't watching the TV but my two oldest
children, 5 and 6, were watching).
In the background I heard what sounded like
a new commercial for DCA, so I started watching it. It had the
different children riding on the roller coaster. Now both of my boys
LOVE the roller coasters at Disneyland and have since they were 4
and 5 (including Space Mountain, Big Thunder, Matterhorn, etc.).
As SOON as the commercial ended (and I'm
not making this up), my 5-year old Patrick states that "he's
going to ride that roller coaster" on our next visit to
Disneyland because "the kids were riding it on TV". I
didn't have the heart to tell him that he won't be tall enough for
probably at least another few years. We'll deal with that
disappointment when we actually get to Disneyland / DCA in the fall.
Actually, I thought his reaction was funny,
and I couldn't wait to tell my wife about your
recent story taking task with the new commercials. Looks
like you hit it right on the head. Looking forward to your next
update
--
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A.
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Thanks for your kind note Greg, yours is one of many
e-mails I got making similar comments. People are none too happy the
company seems to be playing a shell game here - promoting a park
that has little to do for the smaller fry directly to it.
We need to keep listening to what the customers are saying, even
if the honchos at Disney don't. Providing that kind of information
here will only assist people as they plan their visits to the
resort. |
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Q.
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Dennis writes: This is Dennis
from Connecticut. I spoke with you this past Sunday and I just
wanted to say thanks and it was nice to meet you.
I had a three day BLAST at the Disneyland (DL) resort. I have been
to Walt Disney World many times and Disneyland Paris three times and
I must rank DL's MK number one! What a GEM you have out there! I was
so happy with the CM's and people in general. I was amazed at how
big the park felt knowing how small it really is... yeah for the
Imagineers!
Equally amazing was how un-Disney the surroundings are. I knew what
to expect but it STILL took me by surprise seeing the "berm"
and seeing inside toon town from the highway.
I did enjoy California Adventure as part of my park hopping ticket.
I *do* understand your feelings on some aspects and you do have
valid ideas and concerns. I have faith it will change. I support the
talent behind these places and being in their own backyard, they
won't allow themselves to be embarrassed.
What *is* there is a good foundation to grow upon. What little is
there is well done. I look forward to seeing it in five years.
Again - it was nice to meet you and I will continue to enjoy your
site (with a grain of salt ;) Thanks again!.
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A.
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Nice meeting you too Dennis. :) Sadly we didn't get
much time to talk.
Keep in mind that the problems with DCA were foreseen by a lot of
people, especially within the company itself. The ensuing media
coverage, focused on the poor word of mouth and the sparse
attendance only continues to rather painfully point them out. Sadly,
with the current management in place, it seems that speaking up is
about the only way the issues may be addressed.
I think you know I love the Disney parks, especially Disneyland.
(Your observations about it by the way are dead on.) If I didn't
have that affection for it in me somewhere I wouldn't be in the
business I am in now, nor would I speak up as I do.
What I do hope is that someday you will be able to visit Tokyo
DisneySeas after it opens, so you can see what DCA should have been.
Oriental Land Company (OLC) was smart, they spent wisely and worked
Imagineering hard (even within a tight fiscal framework) to deliver
a solid park that should open as a great success with plenty to see
and do from day one. OLC will be able to carefully plan their future
expansions and additions, and not have to expensively rush things in
like Disney will be doing with DCA.
(Also OLC's continued adherence to quality insures that their
Disneyland's Haunted Mansion is in excellent repair, and their
ToonTown remains brightly colorful. I suspect that steadfast
commitment to quality is why even in the middle of the economic
recession that Japan is going through right now, OLC has achieved
record attendance and profits.)
I think you know that Walt Disney would have been disappointed if
he'd heard his visitors say things such as "what little there
is" and "I have faith it will change" about anything
he had built. I hope you can see why some feel that his unique
showmanship and legacy (as well as the value of the Disney name) are
tarnished when even the greatest admirers of the company have to say
about DCA that "they won't allow themselves to be
embarrassed." The lackluster attendance numbers and revenues so
far have already embarrassed them I would think.
As far as taking anyone's opinions "with a grain of salt"
well... it's always good to hear all kinds of them, both good *and*
bad, as it helps keep the site on track and responsive to the
readership. (This is because in my case I learned from all the years
I spent in the music biz producing albums that it's the critics that
keep you on your toes, not the fans. The fans and their wanting to
forgive everything can love an act to death - literally!)
Hope you get to return soon, and no, I didn't say that "with a
grain of salt," ;) |
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Q.
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Leonard writes: Two weeks ago I
caught the new, improved version of Believe. I was impressed with
the appearance of what I guess is supposed to be Tinker bell. It
appears to be a radio controlled airplane or ? with a large green
light. Any info. on how they do this?
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A.
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It's actually a very simple effect Leonard - but instead of
telling you exactly how it is done, (and spoiling it for anyone who
hasn't seen it yet) I will tell you to look off to the sides of the
castle during the day and look for something on each side that is
sitting on the adjacent buildings. Those two objects work together
to make Tink dart around the castle. :)
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Q.
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"J" writes: Al, I was
wondering why there was no information on the incident at Space
Mountain from last night? (May 6th) I was one of the people who was
stuck on the coaster while the CM's were clearing out the load area
after a boy got hurt while getting on the ride.
The information we were given afterwards was that a boy from the
Happy Hearts day group was getting on the ride and he got dizzy and
fell. Apparently, they had to bring in the paramedics for him as he
was badly hurt. Also, we were told there was some sort of
"security incident" in the load area as they were trying
to convince the guests in line to clear the area.
We were stuck on the coaster so we missed all of what happened in
the load area, but we could hear people on the PA system asking the
guests to leave the ride, and telling them to go on another
attraction. Our big complaint as to how this was all handled is that
for at least 10 minutes we were stuck in our cars with the only
contact from CM's being someone who was not able to adequately use
the PA system (sounding rather like the teacher from a Charlie Brown
special) asking us to stay in our seats.
The brake system on the ride stopped us very abruptly, and with a
similar force to being rear-ended in an auto accident. We all sat
there, not knowing what had happened and without having anyone come
by to check on us to make sure we were all OK. Finally a single CM
came by to make sure no one was hurt, as soon as we said we were OK,
she left rather sheepishly telling us she needed at least one other
person to help her unload. About 15 minutes later a crew finally
came by to get us off the ride, they were unable to start things up
again to bring the cars back to the station so they unloaded us
where we were stopped.
My biggest complaint? When we went to Guest Relations to voice our
concerns, the people who talked to us (two heads of Tomorrowland
attractions, as I recall) spent most of the time explaining that the
whole crew at Space Mountain was needed to deal with the situation
with the hurt boy and that they couldn't spare even one person to
check on the rest of the guests in the ride. They also spent much of
the conversation with us over-expressing their concern for the hurt
boy, to the point of sounding insincere.
Every concern I voiced they tried to re-direct my complaints by
trying to play on my sympathy for the hurt boy, as if I shouldn't be
worried about what could have happened to myself and my friends on
the ride. The whole experience at Guest Relations was very bizarre,
and I doubt that anything I said will be addressed at all by Disney.
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A.
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You know J - this sounds exactly like what happened
when the Space Mt. coaster derailed last year. People sat in the
dark for what seemed forever to them, and cast members were nowhere
to be found.
At that time (when I asked around about that incident) I was told
it was essentially due to the problems with staff turnover - no one
had been working the ride long enough to learn anything about proper
procedures.
Your note concerns me - as it seems nothing has changed since
then - and people were just left out there yet again wondering what
was going on. This can present problems of course if someone on a
car becomes panicked or upset.
Keep in mind many incidents are usually NOT reported unless an
injury is serious enough. There are NO investigations done as a
routine matter of fact for the most part unless an employee is
injured, whereupon OSHA gets involved. (For example, OSHA did NOT
investigate the recent tree accident since the cast member hit by
the tree was not injured seriously enough to warrant their looking
into it.)
If you're stuck in the dark for an extended period of time on a
ride, you are owed an explanation. There's simply no excuse for
that. Let me continue to follow up with this and try to find out why
nothing has changed from the first incident. |
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Q.
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George writes: Al: How
much would it cost to maintain the Disney Theme Parks by Walt
Disney's standards?
Also, if Disney's California Adventure
continues to completely and utterly flop to the point where they
have to A: Fix DCA to make it right, or B: Shut down DCA for good,
do the folks at Disney have any ideas or resources to deal with
those possibilities?
Next, is Disney buying anymore land around the Disneyland Resort, or
do they plan to purchase anymore land around the Disneyland resort
for any future projects (besides the land they've already purchased
for a possible third theme park)?
- |
A.
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I may not get to all your questions here George, (I
had to do a quick edit of your note) but I'll try.
Maintaining the parks to the former level of quality would
probably NOT cost them that much more than what it is running them
now. As I understand it from the folks who really know - the proper
expenditures would be small compared to the longer lasting effects
correct maintenance would have. The problems happen when things get
nickled and dimed, and upkeep is delayed - making for a rehab way on
down the line that costs them about five times what it should had it
been kept up in the first place. Sadly financial honcho's Byron
Pollitt's accounting only recognizes a short term approach -
deferring these needed expenses makes his bottom line look great for
the meantime.
As far as DCA being shut down, no, it won't happen. They will
keep pouring money into it until they fix it. (Can't have the suits
look bad you know.) The only problem with this is that you have the
blind leading the doomed here - as the same people who got it wrong
in the first place are making all the fixes now. (I think if
Eisner thought Paris was a fiscal nightmare, he really is going to
find out what the meaning of that word is going to be with this
park.) Personally I feel the core concept is fundamentally flawed -
it will always be hobbled by the arrogance of the suits in charge
while it was built. Disneyland proper will continue to pay the price
for its weak sister.
Finally, Disney is always buying land or taking options on it
around the resort. It lets them trade parcels should any needs
arise, and gives them some control over some of the development
nearby. Much of this is done under other names and companies, and
kept on the QT, in order to keep price speculation down. |
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Q.
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Alfred writes: This is my
first time writing in but I surf the site almost once a week or when
I hear of news like the fallen tree. Awesome site, keep up the great
work.
I understand that Disney is planning some kind of massive 15 month
celebration very similar to the MILLENNIUM CELEBRATION at WDW in
honor of the 100th year of Walt Disney's birth. What kind of
information do you have on this.
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A.
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Right now, anything like that they could have been
planning for Disneyland here has been put on a back burner. This is
because have some serious problems with California Adventure they
are dealing with that is taking all the energy and money away from
anything else.
One thing that seems to be in place though is our keeping of one
of the Walt Disney office replicas - the other one went to Orlando.
That could serve as a centerpiece of anything should they decide to
do something here.
It would be a shame if they blew if off for the west coast,
thanks to the apparent misfire the new park has been. |
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Q.
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Robert writes: I enjoy your column
and I have two questions:
(1) I remember many years ago Disneyland
was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during certain times of the year.
At the time, what was the reason for this policy, which might seem
odd to us today, and why was it discontinued?
(2) When DCA opened, "Eye on
L.A." devoted an entire program to the new Park. It was a very
positive and glowing piece ----- it really was a half-hour
advertisement for DCA and Downtown Disney.
When a news organization comes to the Park
to produce a show like that, how much control does Disney have over
the editorial content of the show? Did they pay "Eye on
L.A." to produce a positive spin on DCA?
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A.
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Yes, you remembered right - Disneyland used to close
two days a week during the off season, and nearby Knott's used to
also close on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The downtime used to be
utilized for upkeep, and was when most of the major rehab projects
were completed.
When Eisner came on board he (correctly I might add) figured that
it cost him almost as much money not to have the place running every
day as it would be to have it open - since the facilities were just
sitting there anyway. Crowds could easily be brought in with special
promotions if need be to fill the park up as needed. This was a no
brainer fiscally of course - but sadly the level of upkeep and
maintenance that down time gave them was never retained as the
policy took hold.
As far as "Eye On L.A." - from what I understand - the
budget for that is handled the same way the Walt Disney World
holiday parade specials / shows are done on the ABC network.
As you may, or may not know, the Walt Disney Company is now this
huge accounting maze of departments, all who bill each other for
services rendered.
The parks division pays or shares the expenses involved to
produce the show, the network or station then makes money from
selling ad time on them. Since it's an in-house project, you really
can't expect any kind of critical look from them, as the nature of
these vehicles are strictly promotional. (Eye On L.A. by its nature
is an upbeat promotional vehicle anyway, don't expect any Channel 2
Joel Grover restaurant exposes here. My guess from taking a look at
it is that they do also collect some kind of production fee on a
regular basis from the services / shops / businesses profiled.) Look
for a small disclaimer at the end of the show's credit roll and
you'll see a note something along the lines of "produced by /
fees paid by Walt Disney Attractions."
Essentially they are only doing what Walt Disney originally
pioneered with the original "Disneyland" TV show - the
programming is designed to primarily promote the park, the station
gets to fill in broadcast time, and the station (and company)
profits from selling advertising on what essentially is already a
subsidized program length commercial.
Now you see why Eisner, with all his vaunted synergy, is really
just following along in Walt's footsteps here... ;) |
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Q.
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Chris writes: Hey there, Al.
Long-time reader. Second time writer.
1. First, just wanted to make sure you were aware of how bad things
were at the parks yesterday, Sunday. I was there with a friend from
about 2:30 to 8:30 and only got on one ride (Space Mountain, which
we hadn't ridden in a while due to earlier unscheduled shut- downs).
Yes, the Matterhorn was clearly undergoing
a rehab, but at one point 3 other major rides -- Thunder Mountain,
Pirates and Jungle Cruise -- were all down for unknown reasons. Let
me just say that if I wasn't an AP I would have been demanding my
money back. Eventually we went over to DCA... where Grizzly River
was also down! What a day.
2. We went looking for the infamous Paul Pressler stone between the
two parks but couldn't find it. We did, however, find one
conspicuous blank stone nestled in the middle of a bunch of other
stones. Did the defacing get so bad that they had to remove it? If
not, do you happen to know the stone's locator number?
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A.
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Two items, two responses:
1] The breakdowns have become more frequent since T. Irby and
Paul Pressler have been working their "magic" on upkeep
budgets. Somewhere, floating around the Team Disney Anaheim building
(where all the suits hide away from the park proper) there is
supposed to be a spread sheet showing downtime - and how it has
increased since the economies have been put in place. Translated as
a bar graph, as I understand, the steep slide downwards is only
rivaled by the stock price of Priceline.com ;)
2] Paul's stone is right next to Cynthia Harriss' brick (001) -
and has no number on it. It seems La Harriss got on the proper
bandwagon and got her stone when the program was announced, and
Pressler apparently didn't get around to it until much later. He
apparently couldn't have an underling above him you know... so
they just popped in his stone above hers. Petty eh?
Last time I checked the stone was still in place, and yet again,
newly defaced. |
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Q.
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Samuel writes: Hi Mr. Lutz, I've
been an avid reader of your column (and Koenig's too) for quite some
time. It's quite sad to see how the Disney name has been falling
apart in recent years.
The last time I went to a Disney park was
in December 1999, to the Magic Kingdom Resort, and I was a little
disappointed. The major problems I saw where that many rides I so
cherished were gone (Mr. Toad's, Horizons, etc.), still, every CM me
and my parents encountered were very nice to us, always helping.
Besides I found quite a bit of the old Disney Magic in Epcot... I
found a long lost friend of mine working as a CM in the Mexico
Pavilion. She felt back then that it was a very good job (maybe
because it was before Cast Deployment, I guess) It was quite
surprise to found her after many years. :)
Well, what this mail is about is about the DCA attendance problem.
As I told you, I'm from Mexico (betcha its your first mail from a
Mexico fan) and there's a store called Comercial Mexicana (it's like
a K-Mart) and it is heavily promoting DCA. Since the beginning of
April they have this promotion that gives the shopper tickets to a
contest (or raffle) in which the prize will be an all paid trip to
DCA. I don't know how desperate the Disney Topsuits are for
attendance in DCA but it seems quite a problem for them. There are
about 4 or 6 trips being offered through the months of May and June.
OK, that's about it. Congratulations on
keeping a very good column in the best site I've read in my very
long Internet- addicted life (about 6 years cruisin' the net).
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A.
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First Samuel, thanks for the kind words. Believe it or
not, we do manage to have a good sized readership in Mexico, as well
as in Europe, Japan and Australia! I don't think there isn't a day
that goes by I don't get an e-mail such as yours from another far
off corner of the planet.
As far as the local promotions for California Adventure, that
actually is pretty standard procedure - Disneyland does pull in a
lot of visitors from south of the border. It's no different than the
local promotions we see here with the Orange County Register for
example.
What is extraordinary is the amount they are now spending to
promote the park here domestically - as I mentioned in a recent
update, the numbers make things like the Pearl Harbor aircraft
carrier party look like kids stuff. Again, I would LOVE to know just
how much per head it is costing them to pull in those customers -
along with all the last minute re-shuffling of attractions and
events they are currently doing.
Paul Pressler and Barry Braverman are fully responsible for this
haphazard outsized spending you know (along with Eisner). It just
breaks my heart to guess at how much could have been saved, and then
better spent on some wonderful future attractions instead of all the
scrambling to cover up corporate behinds we see now. |
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Q.
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Justin writes: Hi, there! I love
your site, but after reading through it tonight, it's succeeded in
making me feel quite depressed. I'm not looking forward to my
family's Disneyland trip now as much as I was an hour ago.
Since you brought this misery upon me (just kidding!), I was
wondering if there is anything you can say that might make me feel
better: some little news tidbit that might make me say, "You
know, those Disneyland folks are least doing something right."
Anything?
Julie also writes: Our family (a
group of 11 people) is planning a trip to Disneyland at Thanksgiving
time this year. We were all anxious to see the new California
Adventure and we love the Magic Kingdom. We are not Disney
"rookies", having made 10 trips to Disney World, 5
previous trips to Disneyland and some of us just returned from a
cruise on the Disney Wonder.
After reading your updates, I am wondering if we should reconsider
this trip. You paint a very bleak picture of Disneyland. Are we
wasting our money?
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A.
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I'm sharing a standard e-mail response with you I send out to
anyone who writes with notes such as the above:
It's best to use the information you get from the columns to help
plan and prepare for your trip. That way you know what to expect
when you arrive, and make sure you get for what you pay for. It can
also serve as a guideline for what to discuss with the Disney
company should you find anything unsatisfactory. Hopefully the time
before you take your trip is enough for the company to address many
of the issues.
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The following ten questions were posted on 5/3/01
and again thank you all for your terrific feedback and the many queries
you've submitted. Do note the new e-mail address in the right hand column
in case you do decide to write.
I always have a hard time picking from all of them for this update, and
am terribly behind, so if I didn't get to your question this time, I may
be able to answer it at some point later on for you.
Q.
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Coy writes: Dear Al, I was wondering
if you have a link or info regarding The Rivers of America and the
Mark Twain. Every time my family takes a trip to Disneyland I have
to hear my Dad's theory on why the river isn't clear like at the old
submarines, more like a thick green color. Maybe to hide the tracks
for the Mark Twain or to hide how shallow the river really is.
Dad has been saying the same thing for all
these years It would be nice to finally know. If you or your staff
has the answer I would greatly appreciate it so we can finally agree
or disagree with him. Don't get us wrong, all of us still believe in
the "Magic of Disneyland". Thanks for your help,
--
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A.
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I asked around about this and got the following
responses from folks at the park:
The main reason the river isn't clear is for show - they really
don't want you knowing how deep it is. I've seen people get dunked
in it (one time when a canoe CM was on his last day) and it appears
from what I observed that a six footer could stand in the water with
his head above it. A peek around the fence during the last major
river rehab for Fantasmic (more than a few years ago) also seemed to
confirm it was not all that deep too.
The dark color hides the tracks for the Columbia and the Mark
Twain, and all the Fantasmic show equipment (including three much
deeper pits with hydraulic scissor lifts for pumps and lights and a
huge maze of gas pipes for the fire effects). It also very simply
looks more authentic - as anyone who has paddled up the Mississippi
could tell you.
The other reason is for cost savings - it costs the park an arm
and a leg to filter and chemically treat the water to remain clear
in the sub lagoon - especially since they need a custom formula that
doesn't give off the overpowering odor regular chlorine does.
Back before they got rid of Cascade Peak, there was a filtering
system built into the river area next to it - but it was mostly to
keep the floating debris (leaves, coke bottles, the occasional
smashed duck) out of the waterfall pumps that used to be in it. |
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Q.
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David writes: Dear Al: I
recently returned from a trip to Disneyland and was quite baffled by
the current condition of the Haunted Mansion. Yea, the paint on the
exterior of the building is chipping, but that I can understand.
The condition of the scrims inside of the
ride are quite another story. The illusion of the floating candles
in the hallway once seemed so real, now you can hardly tell what is
being portrayed in the sequence, not to mention the graveyard scene
which seems COVERED in dust.
While I was looking over some of your
archives, I noticed that a major rehab was planned for the Mansion
in spring 2002. Is this major rehab still planned to take
place...please say yes. Thank you! .
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A.
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I wish I could say yes - but head honcho Paul Pressler
(penny pincher that he is) has yet again decided that the Mansion
isn't worth the time or money. Meanwhile the nearby shops are
probably going to get their third remodel in the years since he took
over.
Some folks at the park are holding out a slim hope that when the
Mansion does get "made over" for the Nightmare Before
Christmas holiday makeover, they maybe, just maybe, will give the
ride some tender loving care.
My own gut instinct is that they will yet again delay the work
and upkeep that is so badly needed.
The saddest thing about this is hearing the guest relations folks
explaining to people who come into City Hall to complain about the
decay - "It's supposed to look like that! It's an old haunted
house!"
Yeah. Sure. |
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Q.
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Craig writes: Hey Al, Craig here.
Long time since I've talked to you. However I do enjoy your site.
I thought I'd share an experience I had
today. I'm fully employed right now, but I'm looking to make a few
extra dollars with a 2nd part time job. Partially for fun, and
partially for a lark, I went and applied at Disneyland today.
Because of my full time job, I gave availability for full time
weekends and Friday evening. The receptionist at the casting center
reviewed my availability and politely handed back my application
saying they couldn't accommodate me.
It would seem to me, if the resort is truly
short on workers, that they would be more open to people looking for
a flexible 2nd job. A little bit of flexibility would open up a
large crop of workers. Oh well their loss. Take Care and I enjoy the
site.
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A.
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Disney, as the company has grown under Eisner, continues to
fossilize. It's become more bureaucratic and inflexible. While many
corporations continue to innovate with job sharing, flex schedules
and such - Disney doesn't want to be bothered with exploring what
could be done.
One of the fiscal benefits of doing this is that it keeps short
term labor costs way down - by keeping turnover high. People who
move on quickly don't get increases in pay, benefits, etc.
One of the problems with this approach is that you never build a
workforce that has a reservoir of knowledge to draw upon to get its
work efficiently done. The long term problem created here is that
without an experienced work force in place, mistakes continue to be
made and workers are always having to deal with an expensive
learning curve.
Flexibility would cost them money up front - and that's an Eisner
No No.
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Q.
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Debbie writes: Al, here is copy of a
letter that I just sent Disneyland regarding the new Rancho Del
Zocalo Restaurant. Since you don't have much of a review of it for
your site, I thought you would like to know what a frequent
Disneyland traveler's opinion is. Love your site...
Dear Sirs,
Our family was so VERY disappointed
this last Wed. April 18, 2001 when we visited Disneyland. For well
over a year we have been patiently waiting the re-opening of the
Mexican Restaurant in Frontierland. We love Mexican food as do
most Southern Californians. When the Casa Mexicana closed we were
so very upset since there was not another Mexican Restaurant to
enjoy in the Park. When the day came that we saw that the new
restaurant was open, we couldn't wait for our next trip. We are
annual pass holders and love to frequently visit Disneyland.
WE COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW AWFUL THE FOOD
WAS! It is nothing at all like any good Mexican Restaurant we have
ever gone to, and certainly not even close to the quality of food
of the Casa Mexicana. The Chicken was all bad pieces, full of fat.
There were no items with the popular ground beef mixture. The
beans and rice tasted like plastic with NO flavor. They hardly
gave you any cheese at all, and you had to smother all of it in
that Ortega Hot Sauce, which isn't that great either. None of the
menus had any sauce and were SO dry. Of course the food was also
COLD when we got it.
I became very ill that night after
eating dinner there and vomited it all up. I had no sign of
stomach upset all day previous to that. We were just shocked at
the quality of that food. My husband says we will never go there
again. But again, we are so disappointed.
The facility is beautiful and it was
so nice to see so much of the original atmosphere was still there.
I have gone to Disneyland every ear of my life and many times
within each year. I am 46 years old. I have eaten at that
restaurant every time I have gone. Please can you change the menu.
I hope you can do something to help.
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A.
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Sadly Debbie - your note mirrors a lot of the e-mail
I've been getting since the restaurant opened back up. There are
also many complaints about the service.
They did a beautiful job in the physical rehab - but when it
comes to the food (former foods honcho) Mike Berry's absence is very
apparent here. I would strongly suggest all readers avoid this
location for now.
I miss the old restaurant's menu and quality. It wasn't gourmet
Mexican food - but it was of a consistent quality and they used to
have a wonderful tortilla soup that I really looked forward to.
Let me know if you get anything back other than the standard form
letter won't you? |
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Q.
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Nathan writes: Dear Al, I
read Craig's question about the strange pavement by the Lights,
Camera, Chaos stage. His clues about oil stains and possible garage
doors reminded me of something.
This stage may be in the spot where there
was a small gas station in the old parking lot. As a former CM, I
remember seeing Parking CM's use the pumps here to fill the old lot
tram's gas tanks, as this section of the lot was used for CM
parking. I believe the pumps were torn out a few years before DCA
was built as the park switched to natural gas trams.
Also, Craig mentioned something about a
parking lot light pole still standing in the Indiana Jones building.
Is this true?.
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A.
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I have construction photos of this area of DCA as it
was being cleared and then built upon. There was nothing left but
dirt when they began - so I can't imagine they would have left any
of an old parking lot gas station there. Yours was the second note
that mentioned that station though, interesting.
There is a parking lot sign inside the Indy queue - if you bring
along a flashlight on your next visit - point it up right when you
enter the movie room (where they project the seatbelt spiel). If you
look carefully up in the scaffolding you'll see an old sign from the
Eeyore section of the parking lot, where the building was put into. |
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Q.
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Robert writes: I am a
long time DIG fan, long before the days of this whole MousePlanet
development. For years I have enjoyed reading your updates. When I
went off to college, your site became my best source for news about
my favorite place to visit.
Now I am in my senior year up at UC Berkeley. And while I still
enjoy reading the updates while taking a study break at home, I have
found a way to stick your updates on my Palm V and read them
anywhere I go!
Bored in lecture? Now I can read about the latest DCA statistics.
Riding the bus home? Time to read about the latest prediction for
the Rocket Rod's future. Technology is a wonderful thing. :-)
One slight problem...Your updates sit right on the envelope of the
acceptable file size to download to the Palm. Sometimes they fit,
sometimes they don't. Lately they have been very long and not
fitting. It's not the latest update that makes the file so big, it's
the ones in limbo between being current and being archived. Lately
you seem to have allowed more past updates to be tacked onto the
most current, making the whole page very long.
So I have a request... 1) Could you try to move old updates to the
archive faster? or 2) Would you make a separate page for Palm users
with just the most recent update?
Thanks for all your great work these past
years. I am amazed that you have the time to maintain such an
amazing site.
- |
A.
|
First of all thank you for the kind note Robert! It
means a lot when you take the time to compliment the site.
MousePlanet grows by the day, and it is all thanks to a wonderful
staff who helps out in making the daily updates for everyone.
One of the reasons you may see more than one update on the page
has a lot to do with frequency - we've been updating that page more
often now, and people do really like seeing a recent past update
they may have missed. Each update also has gotten longer as there is
more news to report - the expansion of the resort has made for all
sorts of interesting news.
We are looking at some solutions for your specific situation -
and hopefully they should shortly be making your life a bit easier.
I'd detail more, but you know what it's like when you are in a
competitive environment. Just keep checking. ;) |
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Q.
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Matt writes: Al, Just like all of
you (out there) I love Disneyland but I have no desire to ever see
DCA. I'm not even curious about it.
But here's something I'm surprised that no
one seems to have brought up. I keep reading how the failure of DCA
would be terrible for both the company and for guests but is it
possible that its failure could ultimately be a good thing for
Disneyfans? I remember reading an article about how Imagineers were
hoping for Universals IOA (Islands of Adventure) to be a huge hit so
that Disney would be forced to compete and build better attractions.
Somehow this kind of strikes me a similar situation except that
Disney now has to compete with or "better" itself because
it is finding that even the casual visitor isn't gonna pay for
prefab crap.
I cant imagine that after seeing all the
cash and comp tickets flying out the window that Eisner's still
gonna think "hey, where can I buy another Ferris wheel?"
I, like all of you, am hoping for a return to quality, detail and
uniqueness. If DCA had been a success then there would be no
motivation to return to that. Hopefully now, there is. What do you
think?.
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A.
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The real problem right now is that the executives in
charge do not think they did anything wrong with the new park.
Endless meetings and memos have blamed everything from the
weather (which was a fair excuse until Spring Break blew that one
away), the economy (Disneyland Park's numbers don't seem to be
hurting at all though), the ad campaign (Mickey's butt!), negative
press (maybe profanity- prone short tempered Ray Gomez chewed out
one too many reporters?) and yours truly (and I quote: "the
damn internet").
The hurling of the Electrical Parade into the new park is
supposed to get bodies in there to "see how good this park
really is." Yep, that's what they really think.
Until someone (and it won't be Pressler / Braverman / Eisner,
that's for sure) bites the bullet and actually listens to the
customers and gives it the total overhaul it needs it appears that
they will continue down this creative dead end for a long time to
come.
What the customers are saying is not important here to these
guys, they made the right decisions (they feel) and the public will
be trained to like this park.
I suspect that the bad word of mouth is a key factor here, and
that the Electrical Parade will play into that by making them look
like they had to do something fast.
They probably just worsened the problem. |
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Q.
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Roger writes: Hi Al, Enjoy
your column very much. I visited DL and DCA on Sunday April 22 (2
park annual passholder) and found myself enjoying the day, but also
observing things with a semi- critical eye as well.
Having visited DCA during a February
Preview day, I was pleasantly surprised to see that most of the
little things that irritated me on my first visit had been ironed
out. (Spending less than five minutes in line for everything in the
morning probably helped as well. The attendance, as you have
reported, was very light when I was there.)
We had done most everything by noon and
went over to Disneyland. Here I saw something that inspired this
letter. While we were on Space Mountain (no music), as we waited to
off-load, the cars in front of us were being loaded and one guest
had crutches and was taking a little longer to get settled. The
loader was holding the crutches for the guest and holding his hand
up as well signaling to wait. Despite this, the dispatcher called up
the vehicle the moment the guest faced forward and was still 3/4
standing, essentially throwing the guest into his seat. The loader
stood there shaking his head and then proceeded to load the next
car.
I walked out of there thinking this was an
example of how people are getting injured with greater frequency at
Disneyland and I wondered who would I say something to about what I
saw - and would they care about a dispatcher with an itchy finger?.
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A.
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The problem with reporting these kinds of incidents is
that you need enough information to make sure the right people get
talked to about it.
Next time you see something like this - why not ask for the
person in charge of the attraction? Nicely point out the problem,
and ask if they will assist you in filing a report at City Hall
about it.
That should a] get their attention quickly, and b] assure you are
able to file a report that makes sense, properly identifies the
people involved, and can have action taken upon.
Do keep in mind if you consider this, that no one is perfect.
Mistakes can be made. |
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Q.
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Daniel writes: Al, I have worked for
Mickey Mouse for 10 years and I am wondering if you have any
suggestion as to where I should move my Disney stock. I never
thought I would said that but I am so fed up with all the stupid
decisions being made lately that I just can't take it any more.
Is anyone else as incensed by Eisner and
Pressler's decisions to bring back the MSEP to DCA by July 4th.? Can
you tell me how many people bought light bulbs from the last time it
left the park? The way this company is now being run, soon we'll be
hearing about their new offer to to have your light bulb engraved
and put back into the parade, and this would only cost you $20.00.
When will this money hunting, bean counting stupidity end? I long
for the day that the guest's are once again the reason for the
park!!!!!!!!!!
I wish the early retirement package was
worth a damn, because I would have taken it in a heart beat. This
company will screw anyone but it's stockholders and as a stockholder
my lubricant has worn out.
I've got an idea let's build a park about
California in California! Who was the brain child that approved that
concept and why are they still running things. If your running a
company and need to lay off 4,000 people - it seems to me your not
doing a very good job. What has to take place before the Board of
Directors stands up?
Thanks for letting me vent - one very
pissed off Cast Member - correction I used to be a Cast Member now
I'm an employee just like the rest of the world. Sorry Walt your
dream has died.
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A.
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Looking at my mail, it seems that a LOT of people are
not going to make that trek to DCA to see the electrical parade. I
think I'll even go out on a bit of a limb here and predict that the
numbers will be nowhere near what they are expecting - I think it
will be because the concept is wrong, and the move just looks like
utter desperation.
People like to go to hits, they really don't like things that are
the last on the charts. I learned that lesson back in my youth
working in a record store. Most customers used to pick up a chart,
and make the selections from it. "It's a best seller, it's
number one of KISS-FM, it must be great!"
Why do I think it's going to be a long summer in the old
Disneyland parking lot?
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Q.
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Jason writes: Hi! Great update
today. I was just wondering if you hear a lot of complaints on the
way the Disney Club is set up now? You know, the thing that used to
be free and is now $40 a year?
I recently ran into a bit of trouble trying
to use my discount, and decided to write a letter to complain/
comment on the specific issue I had a problem with. When I called
the 800 number and asked for a mailing address for the club, the rep
said "why, did you want to send back your card?" For that
to be the first thing out of her mouth, I assume they must be
getting lots of complaints!.
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A.
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Jason, thank you for the kind words. Next to DCA, the
"new" Disney Club gets almost as many unhappy e-mails sent
to me.
It appears that this was an overhaul only an accountant / bean
counter could love. (And yes, I can say they are doing a LOT of
refunding.)
I guess the company is getting rather good at that lately?
;)
|
The following ten questions were posted on 4/19/01
and again thank you all for your terrific feedback and the many queries
you've submitted. Do note the new e-mail address in the right hand column
in case you do decide to write.
I always have a hard time picking from all of them for this update, and
am terribly behind, so if I didn't get to your question this time, I may
be able to answer it at some point later on for you.
Q.
|
Bill writes: From Ain't It Cool News
I learned there is a massive "game" of internet links all
somehow centered around the Spielberg film "AI".
I don't know what any of it means, but in
touring around the net world of AI (that's Aee Eye, not Aee elle), I
ran across the following interesting tidbit at THIS
LINK.
Read the first question and answer. There
are mentions of DCA, "It's not pretty, especially if you end up
hungry!... It can get expensive." and talk of a vermin
extraction program.
Now they wouldn't be talking about the
expensive food and eliminating Mickey??
--
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A.
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Sharp observations there Bill! This movie's advance
campaign is simply brilliant - they are doing all sorts of unique
puzzles and such for it. It certainly has me looking forward to it.
Keep in mind Spielberg is having this movie produced by
DreamWorks (along with Warners). After "Sparky"
Katzenberg's recent sly comments about "Shrek's" rather
pointed jabs at Disney, I frankly wouldn't be surprised if it there
really was something there.
BTW, I've had lunch at the DreamWorks campus - MousePlanet was up
on more than a few computer screens there as I walked down the
halls... ;) |
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Q.
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A DCA CM writes: Hi Al, love
the steady source of information you provide us as readers. So I
thought I would return the favor and contribute some info. I am a
cast member at DCA and get a lot of info about changes being made or
that are in the works.
I don't know if anyone informed [you] in
regards to updates about Tower of Terror in Anaheim. WDI was out a
couple of weeks ago with their balloons checking site lines and
making layouts. We don't want Guests to look down out of the Tower
of Terror and see CM's puking their guts outside DCA Cafe' from food
poisoning. (This happens quite a bit) Oh how we at DCA long for the Inn
Between.
There is also talk of a Rock and Roll
roller coaster going in back behind the Animation building. From
what I have heard the street in front of the Hyperion will be
extended towards the parking lot and be labeled Vine St. Some
enhancements to the Hyperion are also being worked on. The queue
area will eventually be covered, the stairs will be enclosed, and
bathrooms built off to the side. These are actually the final stages
in a plan to have longer shows at the Hyperion. The first being
Beauty and the Beast. In addition to award shows such as the Emmys.
Atlantis is expected to premier there in a couple of months also.
You have probably noticed the large tent
next to the limo ride, where Armageddon was originally suppose to
go. Since there were so many complaints about no attractions for
kids the plans for Armageddon got skuddled in favor of a kid
friendly theater ([which] I think you had mentioned awhile ago).
This will be a franchised attraction from WDW. Well that 'tent' was
overbooked for special events and plans for that attraction will be
delayed.
As you have said attendance has picked up
quite nicely, with Easter being a little less than Friday and
Saturday. Well on Saturday where we saw attendance in the mid 20k's
we had to cancel the last two shows of 'Steps in Time' because quite
a few cast members of the show had eaten at the DCA Cafe'. I wonder
if they had Hamburger....lol Well this was a major blow to us since
as you know entertainment is scarce at DCA right now.
I hope we get rid of [the] catering
[company] eventually. I myself brown bag it because we had [the same
one] at my other current place of employment and food poisoning was
a regular occurrence there too. The only difference there is that an
outbreak of food poisoning can cost us millions in a slipping
production schedule, so we got rid of them.
Just another note before I go. I get tons
of opportunities to talk to guests as this is part of the job. When
I talk to these folks I encourage them to be very candid and not
hold back. Of the few thousand that I have talked to about DCA and
how they like it, only 2 have said they were not pleased and one of
those was comparing it to Disneyland. That I feel is an unfair
comparison since Disneyland has been a work in progress for almost
50 years. DCA will also be a continuous work in progress.
As always keep up the great work.
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A.
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Thank you for the kind note. :) I'll be sure to
check further into some of the items you mention - quite a lot of it
matches up things I have been hearing.
And I'll be doubly sure not to have lunch with any CMs backstage
at DCA too... ;) |
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Q.
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Eduardo writes: Dear Al, Now since
the Monorail is used more to transport guests to their hotel rooms,
is Disney planning on adding some sort of Fast Pass machine to the
attraction? A Fast Past machine, that will give priority to hotel
guests. Because I know there are many people like me, who just go on
the monorail for relaxing purposes and for trying to get sneak peeks
at any new attractions being made, like from the construction of
DCA. So all the people like me would be delaying hotel guests, who
should have priorities, getting to their rooms.
Is there a possibility that Downtown Disney could receive a Hard
Rock Cafe? That would be a fun addition, from traveling on high
school band tours, Hard Rock Cafe has been a number 1 destination
for me like in Hawaii, San Francisco and now Florida, having one at
Disney would add more to having all the other Music Type
restaurants, like the house of blues, etc.
Another thing, I am traveling to Florida for a school band trip, and
our marching band and choir are performing at Epcot Center and
visiting the Magic Kingdom, and Disney's MGM Studios. I cant wait,
its a fun experience to perform at Disneyland and now at Walt Disney
World and hopefully in the near future to perform at DCA. Does DCA
do marching band performances like Disneyland and Walt Disney World?
Do performers get any special deals? like free admissions etc...
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A.
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Let's answer your questions one at a time:
I think you have an excellent suggestion as to the Monorail -
it's gotten more crowded now that the mall (Downtown Disney) is
adding more bodies to the mix. A "hotel rider" (similar to
a "single rider") line sounds like a good idea.
As far as a Hard Rock - why just settle for something you can see
anywhere else, like at CityWalk? Why shouldn't we get something
unique to Disney - like a souped up Sci-Fi Diner (as in Disney /
MGM)? It is Downtown DISNEY, right? ;)
Disney will be really pushing the Magic Music Days promotions at
the new park, especially now that they have zapped the show that
used to play outside there, "Lights, Camera, Chaos!"
They used to let the bands in for free in the old days - if they
would play a concert or march before a parade. Now they still have
to do that stuff, but the whole program has become a profit center.
Most everyone now pays an admission fee.
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Q.
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Joel writes: Ya' know, it's very
annoying that you blur out all the guests' faces in all the photos
on your site. For me, at least, a lot of the fun in going to Disney
is "people-watching" other guests, especially seeing how
kids react to Disney magic. I would have liked, for example, to see
how the crowd was reacting in the photos of the new parade at Paris.
Don't you think y'all are being just a bit paranoid?
And that ugly logo in the corner of every picture is annoying, too.
I think we all know what web site we're looking at. If you feel you
must identify every picture, why not try one of those transparent
distort logos like the TV networks use?.
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A.
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If it were a perfect world Joel, we wouldn't have to
do these kinds of things...
On the blurs: Did you hear about what just happened to Tom Green
(MTV spastic comic / now Drew Barrymore's husband)? He just settled
a big case out of court with a person who was filmed reacting to one
of his stunts in a subway. Basically the person was in a public
place, but he did not consent to use of his face (and reaction to
Tom's antics) in Tom's show. (The details of this case may still be
listed on Inside.com.)
It's due to these kinds of situations that our lawyers have
suggested we blur the photos of visitors to the parks - since we
don't have model releases for them.
On the logos: They have to be there to do two things (and they
are not what you may be thinking). First it's to help stop theft of
our materials from other sites (which was rampant until we started
doing it, and still hampers us quite a bit). Second it's to ID us
when photos are permitted to be run on other sites (such as Aint-It-Cool-News,
which runs our stuff occasionally.)
When you take into consideration how much you pay for
MousePlanet... ;) ...I think you'll understand some of the ways we
have to do things. |
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Q.
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Nathan writes: After
reading an article about the possible closure of the Country Bear
theatre and the number of upset guests, I came up with an idea.
Since there are two theatres, why not tear one down and leave the
other standing? As a former cast member who worked at Hungry Bear, I
know there is some room for expansion behind the restaurant,
although some Facilities buildings may have to be moved. A Pooh ride
could be built in the area opened up.
- |
A.
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We did mention in a previous update that was one rumor
we kept hearing (and still do) for the Bears. I think it would be a
smart one too. The park, and I in a way, am so amazed how attached
people are to the Bears, even though many performances are to empty
houses.
Maybe they could promote it a little better with a more visible
entrance in the redo (should they stay) - and get those numbers up. |
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Q.
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Vernon writes: I've been
reading your columns and others on MousePlanet for some time now,
long enough to get the rather obvious feel for what some of the
things you're trying to communicate are. I had many of the same
feelings having worked at WDW this year, and it's all starting to
take an effect on me.
Watching what happens to cast members and
to guests because of the decisions the executives continue to make.
They seem to believe that the profits of the few stockholders is
worth taking from the happiness of the many, the millions, of
others. I personally think the happiness of just a few is more
valuable than the profits of the few, so the effect of this has been
like that of fingernails raking across a blackboard.
Having worked in WDW and seeing that very
few of the cast members believe anymore. Seeing that the executives
make decisions that clearly say the four quality standards are just
something that the lowly have to do.... sometimes I can't even
finish reading the columns on MousePlanet because I keep feeling so
ill.
Fortunately, I think the executives are
planting the seeds of their own destruction. The foolishness is so
evident to the world that they won't be able to keep blaming and
putting the punishment on others for long.
I believe in Disney. I believe in the
meaning of it all, and to that end I would absolutely love to be
part of anything that speeds the removal of these executives and
anything that restores the magic. Here are a couple of things I have
thought of so far.
1) Creating a site such as the new Disney
traditions site, geared toward WDW and toward the cast member
audience itself. As I am now aware, anybody that puts in the the
extra to make the magic in the theme parks will most likely not be
rewarded, and may even be punished for their efforts. I would like
to encourage the good things that they do.
2) Lots of writing for guest relations:
about the good experiences and complaints about the bad ones. Now
that I've read that people [don't] get their bonuses if they get
too many complaints... looks like I have a way to get them back,
doesn't it?
3) Development of some catchy slogan to
use as a T-Shirt worn on property of WDW or other nearby parks
while visiting. Like walking around wearing a shirt that said
"Up with Mickey, down with Mikey." Basically as blunt as
possible without getting tossed out of the park.
So that's the sort of extreme I'm willing
to go to in order to get the word out and speed on the downfall of
these executives. With them firmly in place and able to pass blame
onto others for their own misdeeds, I think that's the kind of thing
it will take. Do you know what the legalities would be with this
sort of thing or have other ideas??
- |
A.
|
First of all Vernon, thank you for your note. And
really, thank you for caring. Judging from the e-mail I get, you
aren't alone, and the numbers of people who feel like you are
increasing. As far as legalities - well - you are entitled to
your reasonable opinion, don't let anyone discourage you from
expressing it.
One of the problems I see in communicating to the company that
they need to do a better job is the lack of other online sites, such
as MousePlanet that "tell it like it is" - and place the
reader first in their goals. (The well done wdwblues.com
being a notable exception.)
The folks here at MousePlanet tend to have much of the same
mindset about how we need to cover all things Disney - we understand
it's a business that sells (heck, screams about) quality, and we
always look at where that level of that quality is in relation to
what you pay for it. Yes, we are critical - but it is in service to
the readership, not to feed our egos. I think that's why we are
blessed with such a loyal (and steadily growing) readership.
One way you can help spread the word is to let readers know about
us - by communicating to others online what we do and how they can
benefit from our information and advice. We also gladly welcome
links from non- commercial sites, and even votes in online polls such
as this one (thanks Karin, for letting us know about it),
which wake other folks up to what we are doing. [Yes, we have lots
of readers - and are blessed with some very good continuing media
coverage - but every little bit helps. :) ]
Now as to how you feel about the Disney magic slipping away -
read these next letters - you'll see how people are really starting
to notice... |
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Q.
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Daniel writes: I just went to
Disneyland and wanted to give you some observations while I was
there:

- The paint on top of King Arthur's
Carrousel is really peeling. It looks ugly.
- Toontown's paint has faded severely.
It's not just a matter of poor upkeep anymore to me: it's a matter
of the storytelling that Disneyland usually does so well. Anyone
would expect Toontown is be a vibrantly bright kind of place, and
it isn't that right now.
- Main Street... the paint's peeling, but
I saw some people working on it in the "alcove" by the
lockers.
- $7.99 is CRIMINAL for a BBQ beef
sandwich and a baked potatoe. I don't know how they can do this to
the paying public. But I heard a rumor that they're letting you
bring in food from the "outside world".
NJ writes: Hi, Just wanted to let
you know how much we appreciated the info on your site. We visited
the Disneyland resort 4/8 - 4/12 staying at the new Grand
Californian Hotel. We had Park hopper passes as a resort guest so we
were able to go to both parks. This was our 2nd trip to Disneyland -
we had been there about 4 years ago. We have also been to Walt
Disney World in Florida. Overall I
would say our trip was good with a few negatives.
First the good; the new hotel is beautiful;
being able to walk to the parks with a stroller was a big plus and
the food additions in Downtown Disney were nice. We were able to do
all the attractions we wanted (several more than once) using
Fastpasses and baby swapping. The longest we waited was 30 minutes
for (alas) Dumbo. We entered the park at about 8 am each day.
The bad. My purse was stolen the first day
4/8/01 in Red Rocketts Pizza Port. We had finished dinner, gathered
up and walked out and realized I left it on the chair. The max time
that elapsed was 10 minutes and it was gone. Another guest saw us
looking and asked what we were looking for. They said that they saw
an employee take my purse from the chair.
We talked to the manager and so did the
witness. I was assured that the employee would take it right to lost
and found etc etc. Well, to make a long story short - still no purse
was found. I got conflicting stories from everyone I asked about
lost and found policy and what they do when they find a purse. These
were all from people who should know, manager and employees of the
restaurant, security guards and the lost and found people
themselves.
California Adventure
We had read much of your commentary before
we left. We held our breath as our daughter wanted to go on
Mulholland Madness and we did - with no incident. The Superstar Limo
was just as you said - not very good. We did go on the Golden Zephyr
and we did notice that it was closed often. Not a very good design.
Soarin over California and the Coaster were
a lot of fun. I would not however say that the attractions justify
the separate admission price - we wouldn't have bothered if we were
not on a park hopper. This ticketing issue also delays the lines
because the ticket folks have to scrutinize each ticket to see
whether you can enter or not.
Disneyland
It was great to visit and do our favorite
attractions. We did happen to catch Pirates open. However, we were
surprised (even with your insight) at the change in the staff
members.
It has been mine and my husbands memory
that all of the Disney staff at both WDW & DL were over kind and
wonderful. On this trip, I encountered several people who were not
even nice at all. There was a woman working the Indiana Jones ride
that was so rude - it was almost confrontational. She lambasted my
daughter (14) and I because each of us was not holding our own
Fastpass. I was holding both of them and there was no line that we
were holding up so I don't see the issue! Several people appeared to
be doing their shift and that was it.
There were also some very nice people that
we met. Whoever was Daisy Duck had a great time with my son (15
mos.) and the sheriff on Tom Sawyer island was really great.
Grand Californian Hotel
The staff at our hotel were really nice
too. We were up early with the baby a few days and took him to the
lobby to run around. The desk staff was glad to put in whatever DVD
we wanted in the little viewing area and offered any other
assistance. The valet parking at the hotel was a bargain at $6 a day
but we noticed when we left that it was up to $10 per day.
Having a refrigerator in the room was good
with a baby however the spot that is not a minibar that guests can
use is pretty small. Also the minibar works on a sensor system so
you can't remove stuff and put it back without getting charged.
Well, I could go on but I won't. I really appreciated your site info
before we left. MY daughter is into scrapbooking so I am anxious to
look at the MouseMemories
stuff..
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A.
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Thank you both for such great letters - first Daniel:
As far as I understand it, they still do not officially allow
outside food in the parks. I see all sorts of stuff going on though
- I am always stunned at how many families just pack their own
lunches and bring them along in a backpack. It's always been
expensive for a family to eat at a Disney park, and California
Adventure (DCA) takes it to new extremes.
NJ - thank you for your very perceptive note. Everyone here at
MousePlanet works hard to give the best information to our readers -
you are our first priority always.
I especially find your observations about staffing interesting...
it's not the same types of cast members we used to see at the parks.
(The purse thing is scary!) Your Grand Californian comments ring
very true though - in that case the crew there almost always gets
great reviews.
By the way - we noticed a very subtle change in Annual Pass sales
this past week (thanks to Jeff for this): you can no longer buy a
DCA regular ticket, and then upgrade it later (should you change
your mind) to a Disneyland only annual pass - it now has to
be a two park pass. No ifs... ands... or buts.
My guess here is that they had too many folks taking one look
around and then running back to the other side of the
esplanade! (I'd wondered if there were going to get bodies
into that park by hook or by crook...) |
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Q.
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Björn writes: I enjoy reading
your column. Regarding the problems with attendance at DCA and
guests complaining about not getting enough in return for their full
admission price I am wondering: Is Disney at all considering to
lower ticket prices for DCA? I mean they did the same when they had
problems with Disneyland Paris years ago, plus adding seasonal
ticket prices, too.
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A.
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It is now depending on how well they do this Spring
Break week. So far they've been pulling in more numbers than they
had been in the past - but it is pretty much due to a very expensive
ad campaign.
We'll see. This company's management appears to have the
attention span of a chicken. And I'm being generous here. ;) |
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Q.
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Joe writes: Al, There are a couple
of news stories in the April Fool's issue of Digital Media FX that
may be of interest to you, particularly
the second one on "Eisney"
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A.
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Thank you for providing the link Joe - it was very
funny. You know what Philip Roth said about satire: "[It's]
moral outrage transformed into comic art." ;) |
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Q.
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Craig writes: I really enjoy your
site. It is always my first "read" after the news. I have
a question that may be hard to answer. I have asked several cast
members and none seem to know anything about it.
"It" is the strange pavement in
the area in front of the stage of "Lights, Camera, Chaos"
in DCA. As an architect, I am fascinated with the puzzle of what
appears to be almost an archeological ruin of a former building.
Although everything has been ground down to produce a level
pavement, you can make out the traces of concrete masonry and
perhaps poured-in-place concrete walls. There are also areas covered
with different patterns of ceramic tile, ground down rings of brass
pipe showing where two restrooms probably were, and even oil stains
in a "garage" space which appears to have had oversized
doors.
Are these really the remains of a building
in the former parking lot? If so my guess would be some sort of
office and / or maintenance shop near the old Harbor Blvd. entrance
to the lot.
But why did they go to so much trouble to
preserve this remnant? It would seem to be so much easier to have
ripped it all out and installed new pavement. Is this an effort to
pay homage to the past? Is it in the same vein as the rumored
parking lot light standard in the Indy show building?
Or is this all (or at least partially) a
product of Imagineering? The oil stains do look a bit contrived. But
again, why go to all this work for something that even the cast
members seem not to have noticed?
Or finally, stupid me, is this just a prop
for the "Lights, Camera, Chaos!" show that I have not yet
seen?
Unless it is the last possibility, I would
love to hear if you or any of your readers know anything about this.
If it is just part of the show, please forget I asked.
Thanks again for your great site.
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A.
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I noticed it too on the preview days, and have gone back to take
a look several times. This work was done on purpose - as there was
no building out there in the parking lot originally where this area
is located.
My guess (and seeming confirmation upon asking some folks about
it) is that they did this to indicate some old sets were there - as
you know, on a real movie backlot, they erect and tear stuff down
depending on the productions filming there.
It's awfully detailed for a set though if you really examine it -
and someone else offered me an explanation that it could have been
showing the ruins of an old movie star's bungalow / dressing room.
[Nowadays productions just rent a StarWaggon
from Lyle Waggoner's company, or utilize a teamster equipped
Winnebago on an exterior shoot, it is rare the star that has
dressing rooms on a studio lot anymore.]
Seeing how little detail has been put into some areas (such as
Paradise Pier) this kind of wonderful effort almost seems like
overkill here - it's a shame that this level of quality theming is
so inconsistent throughout the new park.
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The following ten questions were posted on 4/16/01
and again thank you all for your terrific feedback and the many queries
you've submitted. Do note the new e-mail address in the right hand column
in case you do decide to write.
I always have a hard time picking from all of them for this update, and
am terribly behind, so if I didn't get to your question this time, I may
be able to answer it at some point later on for you.
Q.
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Kyle writes: Hi Al. Enjoyed your
update and the rumors of adding Goofy to the Superstar Limo ride.
Of course, if they really wanted to pull it
off, they should do one thing: hire Jymn Magon to write the story
for it. As you probably already know, Jymn was the man responsible
for the extremely funny "A Goofy Movie" concerning the
adventures of Goofy and his son, Max (who has been putting in
appearances at DCA recently) as they travel cross-country from their
home to the West Coast. Even if they don't consult with Jymn, I hope
some copies of the film (and its sequel) are circulating TDA, giving
folks ideas on what the ride could become.
And it wouldn't require too much work to do the rehab, either. In
fact, they could get some more mileage out of the under- utilized
video screen on those cars. Some good jokes could change the ride
from a misguided "star search" to something truly
entertaining. Ah, but who am I kidding?.
--
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A.
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Let's hope they are on that track now. The Goofy Movie
is one of my favorites too.
I sat outside the exit the other day just to see the reactions
from folks who had ridden it - and it was, to be kind here, not
pretty. From what I could judge, the anger seems to boil up higher
the longer the wait is to ride it. One rather loud- mouthed kid who
exited kept shouting out to whoever would listen "SuperStar
Lame-oh!"
How come Paul Pressler or Michael Eisner are never around at
these kinds of special Disney moments? ;) |
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Q.
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Josh writes: I went to
Disneyland for the first time with my wife, at the age of 25. I had
a great time but, I was disappointed that the Matterhorn was closed.
How can I get a report on what rides will be working when my family
go to Disneyland in September.
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A.
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You can visit this
page on our site to find a listing - and while doing so keep
in mind that schedules do change constantly.
If you really have your heart set on a particular ride, what I
would do is wait until it is actually IN a rehab, then plan a visit
for shortly afterwards. That way you can be assured you will be able
to enjoy it. There are too many other variables otherwise. |
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Q.
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Tom writes: Hello, My family and I
recently went to California Adventure Park. We were pleasantly
surprised because the media had painted the Park as overpriced and
short on rides and things to see. The five of us had a great time on
the rides and loved the beautiful landscaped areas.
We went on a weekend and stayed at a local hotel. We were prepared
for the prices, but didn't see much of a price problem. The people
who complained about the prices should try attending a hockey game
sometime. We tried Disney's Fastpass and recommend it as the way to
go. With the temperatures on the rise, the water ride was our
favorite. We dried out fast enough, especially after I had to show
my son that "dad" still could outrace him in the Challenge
trail.
We must have mistimed our visit because we kept looking for the
walking tree that someone told us about. They said it was amazing to
watch walk around. The parade is a must-see and hopefully the music
played by them will be available soon.
The only attraction we thought was disappointing was California
Dreams. We came out of the movie so down and depressed. I like
history and reality as much as the next guy but we go to Disney for
escape. In the film the women were abused and downtrodden; the
Chinese were abused - they even blow up a child; the miners were
"losers" according to the woman on the screen, and this
was all laced together with a few uplifting moments of sports and
some tech improvements. All my son could remember was the Chinese
boy on the side of the mountain being blown to bits.
Sure hope Disney rethinks this one and
loses the bad parts. Even Whoopi Goldberg couldn't rescue this one.
I know all these things happened in California history but there are
so many more ways of showing the coming of age pleasantly. We
weren't the only ones shocked by the harshness, several others
around us were talking about it also.
Thank you for providing an enjoyable site to peruse and give
feedback..
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A.
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Thank YOU Tom for the thoughtful note - let's see if I can answer
some questions here for you:
First, a photo of "DiVine" (below) - so you can see
what you missed. It could well be that you may have walked right by
her and never noticed she was there, she is that good. She appears
to be a hit with the crowds.

The parade music is coming on an official park CD very soon, keep
checking with us as to when it becomes available.
(A note for all California Adventure visitors about the parade
- it seems they have cut back performances to just one now in the
evenings (8 PM this week for example).
I understand they did this when they kept seeing half empty
routes on both shows, so they decided they wanted one full
performance instead and to pay the performers for half a day
instead of a full one.)
As far as the Golden Dreams movie - I keep hearing they will get
rid of the death scene, I'll keep folks abreast of when it happens
if it does.
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Q.
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"T" writes: Al, Just read
the LA Times piece regarding the mouse ears actor in the 'Soaring
Over California' pre-show and his resemblance to you. I think it is
coincidence since he is actually not a actor, but an Emmy award
winning writer from Frasier named Jay Kogen. He is a Disney fan and
has connections with the Mouse House.
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A.
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Thank you for that T! You know, I swear I saw that guy
on Seinfeld - as have several other people who have written me on
that.
I'm still getting e-mail on this - despite letting folks know it
isn't me. :) |
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Q.
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Matt writes: I have a
comment about the Mullholland Madness ride. I just went to a preview
day at Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara. They have a new
ride called "Psycho Mouse" (a mad mouse ride) made by
Arrow Dynamics (I think you know who they are). They had a party and
show for some, about 150, big wigs, then with great fanfare, opened
the ride.
I rode Psycho Mouse within the first hour
of it opening for the first time (after all the big wigs and
invites). I thought it was a great ride. No injuries what so ever,
nor did there seem to be a chance of any. As I write this I
understand Mullholand Madness is still closed due to injuries. Do
you know who designed Mullholland Madness? They must be new in the
roller coaster biz.
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A.
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Our Mad Mouse ...er Mulholland Madness... at DCA
(California Adventure) is now back open, and it appears to run at a
slower pace than before. (It had a forty minute wait on Sunday for
example.)
From what I understand the same company also just built
LegoLand's new Technic Coaster. The big differences between the two
are 1] the track layout, Lego's has a bigger initial drop, and 2]
the car design, Lego's is a custom built vehicle.
I suspect the problem isn't so much with the coaster track, than
it is with the actual design of the ride cars. Lego's coaster
doesn't make you sit with a shield around you (as with most coasters
of this type), Disney's does. Take a look at Lego's car HERE,
then our photo below of Mulholland's car:

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Q.
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Brian writes: Love your
site. I read this on your recent update and saw the photos:
In the shot below you can see they
have boarded up the old Fantasyland skyway station - what with the
pried off shields, and the unpainted plywood, it looks like a
tenement.
Wouldn't the old station be a great
character photo-meet place? Not to hard to fix up for that, huh?
What do you think?
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A.
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The problem with using the facility again, from what I
was told, has to do with disabled access. This was dealt with in the
past when it was the skyway by making the Tomorrowland station
accessible, and allowing for a round trip.
Like you, I'd love to see that building used again - if nothing
else for a dessert shop. Could you imagine having a nice coffee and
rich Swiss chocolate goodie up there, with a view from above of
Fantasyland?
The location is also rumored to be one of the areas they are
considering for the entry point to a new attraction. Although with
the current budgeting mindset, I wouldn't hold my breath. |
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Q.
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Don writes: Hello Al, I thought you
might be interested in something that happened to My wife and I last
weekend. We were visiting our local Disney store and had stopped to
watch the California Adventure (DCA) commercial on the big screen.
It was the one with Buzz looking over the berm at Disneyland and
describing the new park. Anyway, a store employee notices us and
walks over from across the store. She then proceeded to nervously
say to us "They have lots of rides there" and quickly walk
away again.
That was it. No offer to help us find anything or answer questions.
Just a quick suggestion that there really is something to do at DCA.
In fact, those were the only words spoken to us during our entire 10
minute visit to the store. My wife and I had to leave the store so
as not to start laughing then and there. It was so obvious that she
was following company orders to sell the impression that CA had lots
to do. They must be getting a little desperate when they start
telling Disney Store cast member to talk up the parks. Have you
heard of anyone else having this kind of experience?
Actually, I look forward to visiting DCA someday, even though I am
not under the illusion that it has "lots of rides." DC | |