Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[djbrcace1234]

^Hmm--as I recall, Nightmare Before Christmas was a fairly substantial hit in theatres (a sleeper). Newsies did, indeed, bomb completely.

 

 

But even this movie has a cult following, and it did not become very popular untill the late 90's and early 2000's.

[spacemtfan]

Okay, this past Wednesday, my family and I went to Disney's California Adventure to try and get a FASTPASS for World of Color.

 

We didn't get one .

 

And sister was pretty bummed when she found out that to sit in the amphitheater, you need either a FASTPASS (which sold out) or a picnic meal (also sold out). We ended up having to go to Disneyland to watch "Magical" (not that that's a bad thing).

 

But yeah, it's unanimous amongst my family...

 

FASTPASS for World of Color = Terrible idea...

 

---spacemtfan

[fatdaddy]

Sounds like bad planning, I would guess you might have liked the system if you had gotten the passes. It's like saying tickets for a concert were sold out, so tickets are a terrible idea.

 

[edit] And, i don't know what a newsie is, but just from the picture, i want them to go away, far away.

Edited July 2, 2010 by fatdaddy

[ECZenith]

^^ I have been able to see the show everytime I want to see it. Most people know how fastpass works for World of Color, it's all over the website and in the maps and showguides. If you want to see it so bad, you just need to plan better and get to the kiosks early. Most times they still have them available up until noon or later. I find the fastpass idea better than dealing with mobs of people rushing to fill the amphitheater hours before the show even starts.

[spacemtfan]

Well, my family is talking about doing the picnic meals next time.

 

I'm just saying though that my little sister and brother felt a bit bummed by not seeing the show.

 

Hopefully, we can do better next time.

[derek_lentz]

Newsies is the movie that featured Batman singing and dancing:

 

[COASTER FREAK 11]

Even though Newseis was a bomb, that doesnt mean that a live moving show on a Trolley wont work. It actually sounds like a cool concept that really has potential to work.

[cfc]

^My guess would be that if they did do such a show, very few people would connect it with the movie, anyway (at least without some prodding).

[SFMM fanboy]

How busy would DLR be for dates 7-17-10 & 7-18-10?

[COASTER FREAK 11]

^ That Saturday is a toss up. Normally Saturday is the slow day of the week, because thats the day most Annual Pass holders cant go in, but its Disneyland's Birthday...so there might just be a lot of people on hand for that. Sunday expect it to be pretty busy.

 

^My guess would be that if they did do such a show, very few people would connect it with the movie, anyway (at least without some prodding).

I completely agree. It will be "brand new" to most people. Edited July 6, 2010 by COASTER FREAK 11

[atem122]

^^My guess is very crowded. Regardless, I'm going to DL/DCA on the 17th, maybe I'll see you there!

[SFMM fanboy]

I'm going to DL on the 17th. I would have figured it would be realy crowded, after all, it is Disney land's B-day

[robbalvey]

Most people know how fastpass works for World of Color, it's all over the website and in the maps and showguides. If you want to see it so bad, you just need to plan better and get to the kiosks early.

This is bullshit. There is no reason they should be turning people away to see a show like this. The "bad planning" isn't on the part of the guest, it's on the part of Disney.

 

And Disney should know how this works. They did it with Illuminations, Fantasmic, BravoSEAmo, etc...

 

--Robb "To be honest, I'm still a little confused on how this system works." Alvey

Edited July 8, 2010 by robbalvey

[djbrcace1234]

^

 

 

Have you seen the lines for the fatspasses Robb?

 

They're HORRIBLE! Why should I have to waste over an hour and a half for a show I have to wait for all night?

 

I love Fantasmic because you have the freedom to get a seat, even if you arrive late for that reason.

 

From the momment I heard you needed fastpasses for this show, I knew it would do nothing to benefit the guest.

[haiderodes]

^^Basically you visit the Grizzly River Rapids Fastpass area and pick up tickets for a designated show time and viewing area (no seats, standing room only). They have a return of approximately 30 to 45 minutes before the show, but if you have any good hope of getting your choice of spot, you need to get back to the holding area at least 60 to 90 minutes ahead of time. Luckily from what I hear they don't hand out so many tickets that the areas are packed to the gills, but its the waiting, holding, waiting situation that has people annoyed. Hotel guests can get in via the Grand Californian gate 30 min early to get their tickets. Once the tickets are gone, they go back to being GRR machines.

 

I understand the reasoning behind severely limiting preview/soft opening performances due to marketing reasons, but I think it has hurt them operationally. It didn't give them the time to experience the growing pains of launching such a large and invasive addition to the park. I envision ongoing refinement to the load in load out process, but like many have mentioned, I still don't get why they'd design the show so that the main viewing area is so restricted that they'd need to institute a ticket system as the ONLY way to get in. AND even with the ticket system you still have to commit nearly 2 hours to see the show. They realize this with the addition of the lil puppet preshow and GlowFest, but even that cant make up for the time commitment. Not to mention they are still closing EVERYTHING in Paradise Pier before the first show...and the park is already low on attraction count.

 

For me the beauty of Fantasmic at DL and Illuminations at Epcot is that you can usually walk up right at show time and find a decent spot (depending of course on preference of view). Of course you can (reportedly) see WoC from the backside, but I imagine you lose a lot standing back there. I almost rather prefer they restrict a portion of the viewing area for those with the dining option/hotel guests and leave the rest open. It still causes a line of sorts, but its nothing different than those folks who layout blankets and park strollers in advance of the first Fantasmic of the night.

[coasterfreak101]

^My mom watched from the backside, and you can't really see anything at all. Sucks.

 

I think that the ticketing system is fantastic. It's an operational struggle and for any given Guest it's quite a pain, but come showtime it makes quite a difference. When I saw Fantasmic, there were 10,000 people crammed around me in the biggest pile-up I've ever had the displeasure to be a part of. And because of that, even in the second "row" of my section, I couldn't see more than a square inch of the show half the time because the people in front of me were so close together.

 

Now, World of Color. I was in the back row of my section, but with enough room to breathe and therefore enough room in front of me to see over the heads of other Guests. Sure, I didn't really enjoy waking up at 6am to get my FastPass to the premiere, but that was my choice. I agree that there should be a way to see the show without the FastPass, and maybe at some point DCA will think about installing a separate viewing area. Keep that one bogged down and a total, crowded mess, and leave Paradise Park how it is. The ticket restriction really improves the comfort in which you watch the show, and (so that makes it seem) the show quality as well.

 

So, to sum it up:

In my OPINION, the FastPass system works. It is flawed, and I hate that families are being turned away from seeing this amazing show. But I prefer it tenfold to the mass-mob system which is Fantasmic. I'm more than willing to dedicate my time if it means I actually get to see the show. And clearly, plenty of Guests know how the system works if they're getting their FastPasses the right way every day since opening.

[robbalvey]

I have never had the problem you describe watching Fantasmic and I've probably seen it over 100 times, and 98 of those times I've walked up 30 seconds before the show started and just stood and watched it.

 

What frustrates me the most about the show FastPass system is that it FORCES you to be in the park the entire day. I don't want to have to be at the park for opening to get a FastPass for an attraction that I can't experience until 9pm. That's totally lame.

 

--Robb

[Sir Clinksalot]

I hear that WOC got cancelled tonight due to the earthquake. I'm sure some people were quite upset.

 

While I think the Fastpasses are a good idea for those "in the know" ... for the most part I think the thing is ridiculous.

 

When we went a few weeks back, the FP line went from the Grizzly FP machines all the way through Condor Flats and out to almost A Bugs Land. The line did move quick, but it took a good 45 minutes to get through the entire line.

 

They need to have more of a balance of FP vs. General seating. This is the way it's always been. They should do 1/2 of the seating area for FP and DInner reservations and the other have for General seating, and if people want to sit out and wait for it, that's fine.

 

Here are a couple of pics of the FP lines:

This is the way the "rope drop" line looks about about 9:15am

Then they make everybody cram single file

The line goes all the way back behind Grizzly almost to the lift hill and then back

[Jew]

Most people know how fastpass works for World of Color, it's all over the website and in the maps and showguides. If you want to see it so bad, you just need to plan better and get to the kiosks early.

 

I actually just checked the website...

 

The wording about fastpass and the viewing area is AWFUL. It makes the Paradise Park viewing area seem like just one area to view the show. Not THE viewing area.

 

I also don't buy the "earthquake" excuse. I get the feeling there's been a problem for awhile now that finally gave out. The earthquake is most likely just a convenient excuse. People were asking in this thread last week why the platforms were being left at show level.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Jew

[ahecht]

What frustrates me the most about the show FastPass system is that it FORCES you to be in the park the entire day. I don't want to have to be at the park for opening to get a FastPass for an attraction that I can't experience until 9pm. That's totally lame.

 

Isn't that the goal of the $1.2 Billion DCA refurbishment? To get people to spend the whole day in the park? Seems like it's worked so far.

[coasterfreak101]

What frustrates me the most about the show FastPass system is that it FORCES you to be in the park the entire day. I don't want to have to be at the park for opening to get a FastPass for an attraction that I can't experience until 9pm. That's totally lame.

 

Isn't that the goal of the $1.2 Billion DCA refurbishment? To get people to spend the whole day in the park? Seems like it's worked so far.

 

Like.

 

Why wouldn't they try to keep us in the park all day? Seems like any given park's goal, really.

[haiderodes]

As mentioned, it seems like the earthquake didnt cause the cancellation afterall...

 

Editor's Note 7/8: The full cancellation of World of Color performances Wednesday night can't be blamed on the afternoon earthquake for certain. Multiple buoys that help raise the show platform up to the waterline sprung leaks and filled with water at some point before the platform was raised Wednesday evening. The middle and left platforms weren't aligned properly when the underwater scissor lifts were commanded to lock the platforms in place, with the middle platform suffering the most damage as the two massive structures were wedged into each other at an angle causing stressed structural beams and damaged fountains. A full team of divers, engineers, and outside contractors have been brought in to assess just how bad the damage is before the repairs can begin, or even what the repairs need to be, and there's no word yet how long all that may take. - Al Lutz

 

The lagoon still doesnt have a drain so it takes FOREVER to pump it dry...hope its not that serious.

Edited July 8, 2010 by haiderodes

[OldJJman]

I also don't buy the "earthquake" excuse. I get the feeling there's been a problem for awhile now that finally gave out. The earthquake is most likely just a convenient excuse.

 

Maybe Disney caused the earthquake?

[BeemerBoy]

It's bad karma for dropping the apostrophe.

[bgwfreak777]

Not sure if you guys saw this or not:

 

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/disney-california-ad-7193/

 

Goofy’s Sky School will add a new look to an old ride when the re-themed roller coaster replaces the unimaginative Mulholland Madness that earned Disney California Adventure its on-the-cheap reputation.

 

Making its debut in 2011, the complete makeover will mark the third ride in three years that Disney California Adventure has retooled in an effort to add more classic Disney characters to the under-performing Anaheim theme park.

 

The “Disneyfication” strategy has worked wonders on Mickey’s Fun Wheel and Silly Symphony Swings, which now blend seamlessly with the surrounding 1920s and ’30s seaside amusement park motif and Victorian and Craftsman architecture of the re-imagined Paradise Pier.

 

The Goofy overlay removes the giant foldout map of Southern California that always seemed like a futile attempt to hide the fact that Mulholland Madness was nothing more than an off-the-shelf wild mouse ride found at any freeway entertainment center. Gone too is the Magic Mountain-esque, slapdash, Caltrans maintenance-yard theme involving little more than a plastering of roadwork signs.

 

Inspired by the 1940 cartoon short “Goofy’s Glider,” the ride’s new flying academy back story follows the clumsy anthropomorphic dog’s attempts to teach a group of novice pilots how to fly. Naturally, things go awry.

 

Riders will climb to the top of the 55-foot-tall family coaster through clouds festooned with Goofy-shaped holes and pass a series of step-by-step billboards explaining how to fly before finally exiting through an airplane hangar façade.

 

The four-person Mulholland Madness cars will get a modest makeover, replacing the automobile theme with a new paint job, Goofy graphics and a small winglet on the nose.