10/13: Hello George & Starbucks

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by flynnibus

well that pretty much is common in those with superiority complexes... there ain't much superior about them

Did those links for the Americana and the Grove remind you of Main Street?

I'm surprised they didn't design Downtown Disney more like that.

Maybe themed to the 40's or 50's?

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaAdventurer

Did those links for the Americana and the Grove remind you of Main Street?

Sure as in themed experiences. But I don't see a handful of boutique shopping experiences being reflective of the American Mall and saying that the very concepts of which were shaped by Main Street - especially since these types of upscale, outdoor shopping districts are a more recent experiment in retail development.

Themed experiences? Yes - Main Street? No.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

They were inspired partly by Disneyland's Main Street as well as Union Square in San Francisco and Westwood Village in Los Angeles. It's pretty obvious where he got the idea of a shopping district with a trolley clanging by. Disneyland's more than that to be sure, but it has always been a commercial area geared to getting the guest everything they need to buy in the morning for the day, and everything they need to take home as a souvenir at the end of the day.

[sueb]

Originally Posted by Broadway Guru

Amen!! Sadly, though, your family and mine will be easily replaced by a few hundred more AP's until, little by little, the AP's have crowded out the tourists entirely.

Sometimes I wonder if that's not their long range plan. Build up the resort, let the AP's run it ragged, then sell the resort w/ its built-in customer base to Cedar Fair for an obscene amount of money. Then Disney can concentrate on running WDW, which they clearly consider their flagship, regardless of what they say in the press.

That is a scary thought. I was going to type that I hope that the new president is aware that the perception is that bad.... but they hired a WDW guy. I hope that he causes the pendulum to stop swinging in its current direction; i.e. catering to the locals. Not that the other end of the spectrum is better, but us tourists are people too.

[SoCalUW]

Anyone know if Hook's Pointe will still be around after all the DLH renovations?
Thanks!

[I Heart Disneyland]

When I first heard that Starbucks was coming to DL, it bothered me. Now, I don't really care. If I can get an iced mocha (that's decent) in Market House and it does NOT change the integrity of Market House (Starbucks signage, etc.), I am for it. Dole has the Dole whips! And, Sunkist used to be there. I suppose it's no different.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

The question really comes down to:

Do you want Main Street to be a museum display, an "attraction" in it's own right.
or
Do you want Main Street to offer for sale the types of products that guests want to buy.

I think it's a delicate balancing act. As long as a modern Starbucks location doesn't go in, which it won't, I'm all for improving the quality of the coffee served by switching to Starbucks.

[thmar]

I think I will miss the Neverland Pool, but who knows maybe the Sleeping Beauty Castle theme will be better.

[sediment]

Maybe they could name the coffee place after the Starbuck's current CEO. "Howard's Coffee." Make it more folksy, but still serving up Starbuck's. That way, it is the same as the shops selling sweatshirts with the current year on them.

Or, maybe they could simply serve Starbuck's without all the faulderol. I can get Starbuck's coffee beans or grounds at the store and brew them up at home. I can't make a macchiato or whatever. Is that what is really needed?

[ErikInTheCity]

I got tired of searching through the thread for the info, so I thought I'd just pipe in on page 11.

At TDR, the system allows you to input the number of people in your group. I do believe all have to be present to enter that number. . .which would keep people from requesting 8 tickets for friends or family whom have yet to show up. The system/software they use is pretty "magical" and at least made it seem like a fun game. It did seem like you were missing out if you and all those in your party lost, but you were sure to find a place to catch the show. It's not as though you completely missed out. You just didn't get prime viewing.

Instead of just doling out general admission tickets, they could give you a specific tier assignment, and have a cast member at each level of the new viewing area taking tickets for that specific level. If not, even with a lottery, you're still going to have a mad queue for people fighting over that tier closest to the water. If they want to take it a step further, they could rope off sections within each tier, so you're given an assignment of a tier and a section. Even name each section after a character in the show (Wall*E, Eve, Scar, Mufasa, Woody, Buzz, etc.) or name them after colors (since it is World of Color).

With any ticketing system they choose, guests who have missed out on the tickets will still camp out on either side of the park, staking out a spot as close as possible to the viewing area. No matter what they do, there will still be campers.

[Lady Peg]

I, for one is thrilled to hear that the Disney Resort is finally listening to all of us coffee-drinkers! Starbucks has a great product and would be a great addition to the resort. As for 'training the Disney Cast Members' to purvey the Starbucks product, I know first hand that it CAN be done! I know of a former cast member (parades & Fantasmic) who now surpervises a local Starbucks and has been quite successful at building the repeat business as well as training an incredible team of employees. So, let's get this deal moving!