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tAll Encompassing Disney Thread


Baboontyme

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Had a great day at Disneyland yesterday. Thanks a bunch @mdmost and @CooterBrown. Great advice. Very different vibes vs Orlando. 

Bummed again that we didn't get to see HM even with the overlay but we really liked seeing some of the different versions of the rides and I think we all liked seeing new to us stuff, too, even if it was as silly as the Pinocchio ride. I felt like Peter Pan and Space Mountain were definitely shorter than their counterparts at MK. We liked the DL version of Pirates better, and I felt like it was longer. The queue definitely not as cool but I thought the boats at waist level in the queue and going around the restaurant were cool. Oh and I love LOVED the Nemo submarine. I didn't know they had kept 20000 leagues going in DL. It was really nostalgic for me, I hadn't ridden it in 25 years and it was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. 

Rope drop strategy was great except those of us who headed straight to Space were rejected as it wasn't operational yet for some reason. We hit the Matterhorn and then back to Space which just opened, then there was already a 45 min wait for Indy so we skipped and then did Big Thunder. Forgot to hit pirates and went to Fantasyland and knocked out damn near everything there by 11. Rode some more stuff, got lucky with a LL timeslot for Indy as it was already booking out to 10:30 around 2:30. The boy and I stayed until about 3, the girls wanted to watch the parade and he wanted to go to the gym. Gym and tacos from a random local place and then we meet back up with them around 6.

Holy hell they don't mess around with security at Disneyland. Checkpoints just to get into Downtown Disney (no ticket required) and those guards were checking every pocket of every bag and stroller. I've been to a Superbowl and I've never seen screenings that tight. Anyway after we got through we criss crossed the park with LL reservations until about 9:30 when my son tapped out because the girls wanted to watch the fireworks. We walked back and my daughter was determined to stay until close and my wife was kind enough to oblige since I was whipped.

2 nights prior I got a flat tire running over something on the 405 in the rental so that was fun, and on Saturday we had to drive to San Bernardino to see my crazy BIL. 

Friday we did all the LA tourist stuff which was a blast (other than the flat). Today we drove to Laguna/Newport beaches and then flew back to Phoenix this evening. Back to Detroit on Wednesday. 

Obligatory 'seems like it was just yesterday' (it really does) IMG_20240729_210419.thumb.jpg.c3f7cbd19fcb586811521af43e9dcfbc.jpgIMG_20240729_210428.thumb.jpg.ae6758ae9026994a53bc42059d7f3461.jpg'

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Posted (edited)

Thrilled you guys had a great time. I remembered you were going after I returned from my bike ride Sunday morning. I went to the app around 11am and wondered why Indy was such a long wait and a long Genie+ returned time. Makes sense if Space Mountain went down. People then headed straight to Indy. I believe you are correct that SM is a shorter ride at DLR. It's also not as cool except for the ride loading area with the large spaceship inside. I love the queues of the WDW version, especially the exit queue. Matterhorn and WDW SM are similar rides with the 3 seat cars and two distinct ride tracks. When I looked it feels like you went on about the best day you could for low waits. It really pays to go on those blackout days for passholders. California Adventure appeared to be really crowded which makes sense with the early entry being solely for that park on Sunday.

I do love Haunted Mansion but honestly WDW is the better of the two. I will give the nod to DLR on the proper placement of the Hatbox Ghost and the stretching room actually being an elevator as it takes you to an area that places you underneath the train tracks over to the ride building. HM is my #1 ride in both parks. Pirates is definitely better at DLR. Longer and the boat ride through the restaurant is great.

I hear you on security. We went the week after Uvalde and it really felt nice to go somewhere that we felt was completely safe. We always chuckle as it appears we always pick the wrong line and get the most thorough security person who takes apart our bags. 

The oldest daughter and I always try to stay till close on our final night. We've done it every trip since she was 8. Wife and younger daughter usually watch the night parade or fireworks and then head off to bed. We also once did the after hours Halloween Party at WDW on our final night for the sole purpose of allowing her to beat her previous record of 7 rides on Space Mountain with 8...in a row. I was ready to vomit by about ride 6. Cue Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon. Still man, it's just so amazing to see your ever growing teens turn back into little kids at Disney. People tend to shit on repeat visitors to Disney but it's one of a few places where all 4 of us can go and there's something fun for everyone. It's like Thanksgiving lunch where everyone can get that special something made for them. I wouldn't trade it for the world and I can't wait to take them and their families as they get to that point in the future. 

Edited by mdmost
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Yeah I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, and I know it's not for everybody, but something about Disney just leaves me feeling good, and I know it is like that for my kids and wife, too. I'm sure it's the propaganda. 😂 But damn if it doesn't work. The customer experience is superb, as well. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I saw some on Twitter this morning. Villains Land looks interesting. Cars Land would go behind Big Thunder I guess and yeah it makes no sense. Maybe call it Americana instead of Frontierland. It won't top Cars Land in CA. The new Avengers ride in CA looks good. I'm glad this is all shovel ready stuff and not more blue sky stuff that won't happen. The additions to Animal Kingdom are fine. I'm not a big fan of that park to begin with. I was hoping they'd do something with Tomorrowland in DLR like adding back the People Mover. The Walt Animatronic looks interesting. We're going next June so I wonder if it will be ready by then. I guess we'll make some plans for 2028 when all of the WDW stuff is supposed to be done but who knows if we'll return by then.

There is already a rumor that The Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the Liberty Belle Riverboat are all gone with this addition new addition. I hate that simply because it's okay to just have something easy for people to sit down and coast around on like the train vs. more IP. Plus it breaks the lands up and creates a better more natural flow between those lands. I'm glad DLR won't give in to that. It's hilarious to me that a park built with that much space is going to tear down existing parts. Just expand out as much as you can. I thought the whole idea was to not be so landlocked. 

Edited by mdmost
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Magic kingdom has to compete with universal studios Orlando who’s going hard in the paint.I’ve been to MK each of the last 4 years, haven’t entertained the idea of going on the riverboat or TSI so this doesn’t really effect me. Nostalgia wise I can see people not liking it. Surprised they couldn’t do anything with tomorrow land speedway. Biggest waste of real estate on property

I truly can’t wait to see monsters Inc ride. But hope it doesn’t come without taking out star tours or muppets 3D. Maybe the battle star galactica hotel. That ride is going to be awesome

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Wife and I watched a video on the new lands and how you remove Rivers of America to add them. Basically, everything that's a "new land" is just tearing down RoA and putting the new land on it. So you're not getting a vast new expansion, you're just getting a replacement. Whereas Universal is building a grand new park from the ground up. Disney is taking the cheaper way out and just tearing down and building on top of old space. So instead of Villains Land being a giant land, it's going to be somewhat compact to keep it under the footprint of the upper half of the RoA which is only about 8-9 acres. New Fantasyland was 12 acres. Now, RoA and Tom Sawyer's Island is a big space but it's all going to feel just crammed together...in a park that was supposed to have tons of space and not feel as compact as Disneyland. Honestly, it makes me just want to reward Universal for innovation when Epic Universe opens. There is available space beyond the Rivers of America. Disney just wants to pay less to develop new IP lands. I get it from a ROI standpoint but it just feels cheap. 

Edited by mdmost
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https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/disney-says-man-cant-sue-wifes-death-agreed-disney-terms-service-rcna166594

Quote

 

Disney is trying to have a widower's wrongful death lawsuit dismissed and sent to arbitration because the man had signed up for a Disney+ account several years ago.

Jeffrey J. Piccolo sued Disney Parks and Resorts in February, months after his wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, died after she consumed food containing allergens at a restaurant in Disney World.

Piccolo said in his complaint that he, his wife and his mother went to dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant at the resort in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 5. They asked several times whether Tangsuan's allergies could be accommodated, according to the complaint. Despite the server’s having assured them, Tangsuan had a severe allergic reaction and died at a local hospital, the complaint said.

Talk about a horribad PR move.

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No, I think they're not going to offer it initially like Universal Hollywood didn't offer Express for Mario Land. You can get in an hour early if you stay onsite. You have to pay for that at Hollywood since they don't have a hotel onsite. 

I would imagine if we go there, it would be in the fall of 2025 on a long DISD Fair Day weekend so we could also take advantage of the Horror Nights at the other park. Just need that stop aligning with Texas OU weekend like it does this year. 

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