3/19: Window Dressing

[Al Lutz]

Kevin looks at what's new at Disney World and other Orlando area parks... discuss it here!

DIRECT ARTICLE LINK: MiceAge.com - A different look at Disney...

[SueinSac]

Screamscape says they've been running daytime tests on Manta at SeaWorld Orlando for a couple of days now, and there's videos on YouTube.

I can't wait, can't wait, can't wait, can't wait...

Sue in Texas

[Disneyland Tickets]

Great informative post Kevin. Your food reviews are nicely detailed, sorry to hear its so darn bland, it even looks tasteless! I too like the understated look of the Celebrate decorations for WDW, the Lamp posts (link) and "Envelope of Balloons" (link) at Disneyland are just too much! Thanks for the super report!

[sir clinksalot]

Wow, how sad that the most exciting part of your update is a new Target. Not a reflection on your update, just a reflection on the blah stuff (IMO) going on at the parks (at least the Disney ones) right now. Like you, we don't go to Wal Mart unless it's the ONLY choice. Granted, the one closest to WDW wasn't too bad, but I'd MUCH rather go to Super Target.

I think Mantis, Hollywood Rip, Ride, RockIt and Potter World are going to be great.

And yes, there has been testing going on with Mantis. There is a thread on MC about it.

[3IAlienKid]

The comments about the parade feeling recycled really resonates. They're all starting to seem the same (and I admit I have not seen in person the last couple incarnations, only photos), and despite their attempts to give them different themes, it's becoming harder to make any significant distinction between any of them. I miss the 90's when they themed the parades after the latest animated film.

[socalkdg]

Nice contradiction in IOA. Build something that is supposedly going to be well themed in Harry Potter while building something else that has no theming at all.......

[ZenMickey]

Originally Posted by socalkdg

Nice contradiction in IOA. Build something that is supposedly going to be well themed in Harry Potter while building something else that has no theming at all.......

Wizarding World of Harry Potter is being built in IOA; the new Hollywood Coaster is in Universal Studios.

Thanks for the update and food reviews!

[toonaspie]

Originally Posted by sir clinksalot

Wow, how sad that the most exciting part of your update is a new Target. Not a reflection on your update, just a reflection on the blah stuff (IMO) going on at the parks (at least the Disney ones) right now. Like you, we don't go to Wal Mart unless it's the ONLY choice. Granted, the one closest to WDW wasn't too bad, but I'd MUCH rather go to Super Target.

That Wal-mart near WDW is the most disgusting and worst Wal-mart I've ever been in. I've been to Wal-Mart in more ghetto-areas that are run better. Everytime I've been in it the shelves are disorganized and disgusting (garbage and unclean spills abound). Plus for a Wal-mart that is very very busy they never open more than half of the checkout aisles making the lines super long. I tried eating food at the Sonic they had in there and it didnt taste clean at all.

Unfortunatly we only had that place and the Publix to shop at if you were on the WDW College Program and you had to take the buses. Getting to the Publix was a much longer and more painful trip (food was more expensive too) but I gave up on Wal-Mart after a few weeks into the program and did all my grocery shopping at the 10x cleaner Publix. Heck, I didnt mind paying $4 to take a cab back to the apartments after I shopped. It was much more convenient and less dirty for me.\

Glad there's a SuperTarget moving into the area but I can imagine that place being turned into a dirty wreck after a few months of opening.

[aimster]

Hey Kevin, there's a Starbucks in the food court area at the Orlando Premium Outlets near Downtown Disney. It's been there for at least a few years. I usually stop there for a white mocha before I shop.

[Athlonacon]

Originally Posted by toonaspie

That Wal-mart near WDW is the most disgusting and worst Wal-mart I've ever been in.

This is really saying something considering the quality of Wal-Mart in general. I never buy anything there, but once in a while I'll be with someone who worships the place and get dragged along only to find endless congestion, crap thrown all over the floor, long lines and prices that make me sick considering where those artificially deflated prices come from (it's not from the goodness of Wal-Mart's heart, that's for sure).

SuperTarget is much better, I'll shop there instead.

[Nickelconn]

There's also a Starbucks at the intersection of 535 and I-4, across the street from Bennigan's...it's a little hidden.

[RenMan]

"Celebrate a Dream Come True"

LOL, I laughed at how generic that sounded even before I read the rest of the sentence and saw Kevin's comment on it!

[aimster]

Originally Posted by Nickelconn

There's also a Starbucks at the intersection of 535 and I-4, across the street from Bennigan's...it's a little hidden.

Bennigan's went out of business last summer.

[KevinYee]

My wife likes her mocha frappuccino every so often, though I'm not a Starbucks fan myself. For us, the much bigger deal is the SuperTarget. It will likely replace Publix for us when shopping on these Disney weekends. And it's so very close to WDW I can't believe it. Maybe only a mile (mile and a half?) west of World Drive.

[Disneykin Kid]

Kevin, a while ago you wrote about the possibility of Disney selling off WDW amid possible economic or terrorism worries. Well the economic worry is a reality now, and WDW hopefully will be able to ride out the downturn, and the trimming of the executive fat seems like a good move. I also understand them wanting to be conservative about investing in new attractions now, it might even be possible, as Werner theorized, that they may actually get a bump in attendance from the new attractions at the competitors. Selling off the parks might not be so bad, however if they were sold to a company like Oriental Land Company...speaking of OLC, do they have such deep pockets that they can lavish so much money on TDR? Kevin, what's your take on WDW's moves now?