Travisma
-
Content Count
9,307 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
213
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Calendar
Fort Fiends
Media Demo
Store
Posts posted by Travisma
-
-
This was posted on a FB page, so I can’t confirm it.
People were on TOT and looked at their picture on the monitor at the end and said it looked great.
It never showed up on MDE.
They contacted Disney and after some investigating, they were told that the photo was deleted because someone on the ride took off their mask.
Guess Disney is concerned that people would post the pictures showing maskless riders causing more people to ride without masks.
-
But yet it’s still hard to get an AP reservation
-
Some interesting pieces in this article...
Full article below in the link
There are a litany of complaints: No open advance reservations since resort guests and people playing full price for tickets snag them first. Waiting in long lines at guest services or being on hold for hours with Disney to troubleshoot problems. And confusion over how their refunded passes are calculated in a formula that isn’t clear. Some people are still waiting for their money to arrive, too.
Last month, the company mistakenly charged lump bills for people paying monthly installments for their annual passes at a time when many are out of work and when the parks were still shut down.
Disney apologized and refunded the amounts, but the company is now facing three lawsuits over what happened, including a federal one filed Monday by Flagler County resident Jamie Heindl, who said the company charged her in July even though her pass already had expired.
“Disney had a bad hand and played it poorly,” said Rick Munarriz, an analyst for the investment website Motley Fool, adding that Disney hasn’t communicated well with passholders. “Disney dropped the ball. They dropped the Epcot ball.”
“For the most part, it’s right for them to feel cheated. They paid for something and aren’t getting it,” said Munarriz, a Disney annual passholder himself. “Disney is keeping a very tight leash on how many people they are letting through the turnstiles. It’s a very brutal business call that Disney is making, but it’s one that’s understandable if you take three steps back and take off the Mouse ears and look at ... supply and demand.”
On Tuesday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek gave some insight on the company’s priorities.
“Typically someone who travels and stays for five days to seven days is marginally more valuable to the business than someone who comes in on an annual pass and stays a day or two and consumes less merchandise and food and beverage,” Chapek said during an earnings call.
Chapek said as Florida’s coronavirus cases rose, a higher than expected number of travelers were nervous about flying to Orlando and have canceled their reservations. Disney has used those cancellations to add more availability for locals and annual passholders who account for about 50% of the attendance now at Disney World, Chapek said.
But Munarriz warned that in the future, possibly after a coronavirus vaccine is available, Disney will eventually want to grow attendance to theme parks. If the economy and international travel are still slumping, Disney will once again need to turn to its passholders, he said.
“There’s some ownership that Disney is not taking on behalf of their passholders. I don’t think it’s right, pandemic or not. It’s their brand. It’s their product. It’s their parks,” said Vargas, 42, of Orlando.
Hicks expressed frustration at the out-of-towners who ultimately cancel their reservations, taking up spots from everybody else. Why couldn’t Disney charge a $10 cancellation fee like it does with dining reservations? he asked.
Even so, not all those in the passholder ranks are unhappy.
Disney recently announced a surprise 30% merchandise discount exclusively for passholders, so Amanda Napier saved a few bucks when she bought a new pair of Mouse ears.
“I thought that it was really nice of them to do,” said Napier, who lives in Pasco County.
Disney also announced Wednesday it will mail special magnets as a free gift to passholders this month.
“It’s our way of saying, ‘Welcome back to the magic, Passholder family!‘” Disney said.
Napier’s last visit to Disney World impressed her with the short lines at the Magic Kingdom and the strictly enforced safety rules.
It was harder to book a reservation for Hollywood Studios but there was plenty of openings for the other three parks, said Napier, 40, an employee in the New Port Richey city manager’s office.
“Honestly, they’ve done a great job,” Napier said.
-
The Laughin’ Place has had its fair share of trouble this summer, as Splash Mountain has seen a series of issues since the reopening of the Magic Kingdom—from long lines at the gift shop, to guests being evacuated on official reopening day, and a short stint of unexpected downtime. Now, it seems another set of photos and video are surfacing from guests who not only had to evacuate the ride, but who managed to see their log fully submerged shortly after exiting it.
-
Just now, ThemeParkCommando said:
SeaWorld has already told us we can use the lanyards for 2021. We bought 2 of the 15 punch one's with the 3 free punches each. There's no way we will use all those punches in August, so we will almost certainly have one full card left for next year.
That's good to know. We haven't asked Busch yet since we didn't have plans to visit anytime soon.
-
47 minutes ago, ThemeParkCommando said:
This is why I am still agonizing over my December trip. I love the idea of going to WDW when the lines are low. I love the idea of having the 'I went in 2020' memorabilia. But I haven't seen any offers to discount my stay yet, and if they cancel the Candlelight Processional, Christmas around the World, and the fireworks and inside shows are still too dangerous to have, I'm pretty sure full price will not be worth it.
On a fun note, SeaWorld San Antonio is having their 'limited' Seven Seas Food Festival on the weekends in August, so I have something to look forward to for the next 4 weeks. We bought our sampling lanyards right before the shutdown, so it's like free food now.
We got the passholder lanyards for Busch Gardens festival in the spring and used only 3 punches before the world turned upside down. They are having a limited festival now and said we can use the punches, but we are still staying away from crowded areas. Will have to see if we can use them for next years festival or get our $$$ back.
-
So far, 2020 has consisted of one shitshow after another, but even by current standards the past couple of weeks have been especially crappy for those involved in Orlando's arts and attractions industries.
At the theme parks, the ongoing deadlock between Actors' Equity and Walt Disney World – which has many furloughed performers feeling like voiceless pawns in a battle between their union and their employer – spilled over into the pages of the Wall Street Journal; days later, Universal announced the cancellation of their Halloween Horror Nights events on both coasts, eliminating a significant source of the Orlando resort's annual revenue.
On the stage side, several theaters abandoned the remainder of their 2020 seasons – including Winter Park Playhouse and the Dr. Phillips Center's Broadway series – just as brave participants in the Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy Forum were laying bare the systemic racism that still pervades our performing venues. And to cap it off, on July 22 we lost Marcy Singhaus, a world-class costume designer and the deliciously vicious Dorothy Parker of Orlando's drag scene.
Put it all together, and it's enough to drive you to drink – a sentiment I'm sure Singhaus would lift her margarita glass to. Unfortunately, Florida's bars and nightclubs have been closed all month, and you can only buy so many cases of spiked seltzer before getting strange looks at the supermarket.
The solution, it would seem, would be to visit one of Orlando's reopened theme parks, which are about the only public places in the state where one can still walk around with an adult beverage. Or at least they were until last week, when newly issued policies put a stop to the sipping-and-strolling at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. From my first visits to the reopened Disney Springs and CityWalk complexes, I noted that although compliance with the mandatory face mask requirements was generally very good, a certain segment of guests discovered and exploited a loophole allowing their removal while consuming food and drink. While intended to allow visitors to responsibly enjoy socially distanced meals, too many abused the exception, grasping a half-full Starbucks cup as an excuse to mingle mask-free for extended periods.
Now, instead of free-roaming with their oversized turkey leg, park guests must stop and find a socially distanced spot to snack in. What's more, all masks with valves are now prohibited, making mine with a built-in straw hole contraband.
These new restrictions, on top of the already extensive safety protocols all the resorts have implemented since reopening, might sound especially onerous at Epcot, where "drinking around the world" is not merely a time-honored tradition, but the major attraction in a park offering few E-Ticket rides and even less live entertainment. Ironically, Epcot's 25th Annual International Food & Wine Festival (or at least a slimmed-down "Taste" of it) opened early this year in an attempt to lure back famished fans, who have been speculating online how these new restrictions would impact an event based around walking between food booths.
The answer, as I discovered during my recent evening at Epcot, is "mostly for the better."
Right off the bat, I did miss the festival's usual elaborate welcome display, although it's refreshing to finally see the park's pristine entry plaza now that the tombstone-like "Leave a Legacy" sculptures have all been scrapped. I also missed collecting my free souvenir "passport" with trip-tracking stickers, which have been replaced with QR codes linking to Disney's mobile app. There are no replacements for the canceled cooking demonstrations, tasting seminars and dinner parties that ordinarily fill out the festival, and the park's usual mariachi and percussion ensembles are substituting for the canceled "Eat to the Beat" concert series.
Despite all those deficits, I enjoyed this year's Food & Wine better than I have in ages, because for once I didn't have to elbow other guests out of the way in order to eat off a trash can.
Created to bump anemic attendance during what was once the slow season, the festival had grown into a monster that attracted enormous mobs waving plastic forks instead of pitchforks. But in the alternate timeline that is 2020, I was able to walk up to any sample kiosk I liked without a wait, and easily find an empty high-top along the lagoon to eat or drink at. There may be fewer marketplaces (20ish instead of 30-plus) serving shorter menus, but most of my favorites can still be found – from citrus-grilled lobster tail to Moroccan hummus fries – and beer is finally available in 12-ounce pours again.
For the best of Epcot's fest, step inside the seldom-used World Showplace building tucked between the Canada and U.K. pavilions. The hangar-like event hall has been transformed into a tastefully Disney-themed wedding reception, complete with mood lighting, plenty of distanced cocktail tables and live music by Carol Stein, the Rose & Crown Pub's beloved "Piano Lady." You've still got to buy the food and booze – the vegan mac & "cheese" with "sausage" and Stiegl's Radler Zitrone make a great pairing – but the only present you need to bring to this party is your mask-covered smile.
-
Just someones insight of a Disney trip during COVID.
I think the editors did a good job selecting a non "Disney person" to visit and do the article.
-
Pre COVID, is was checking thrift stores for books by Robert Heinlein. Used to have a lot about 45 to 50 years ago, and over the years, moves, and raising 4 kids I got rid of them. I’ve found 3 or 4 so far.
-
21 minutes ago, ThemeParkCommando said:
I love SF / Fantasy. I'm also a big fan of the Pern books. If you want some fun reading, Piers Anthony's Magic of Xanth series is good. Full of puns, set in an alternate reality of Florida (Lake Ogre-fen-Ogre). It's currently at 41 books, so you might want to consider that...but the first book is "A Spell for Chameleon" if you want to look it up. Same author, but more down to earth is his series on the Incarnations of Immortality, starting with "On a Pale Horse".
Piers lives in Florida, and is a very prolific writer.
I was reading the Xanth series quite a while ago. I think I got up to about 15 when the total count was in the low 20s.
41? I'll never get caught up!
Love that I-4 is the Gap Chasm!
These were good...The Wheel of Time is a series of high fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney Jr., under his pen name of Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, The Wheel of Time spanned fourteen volumes, in addition to a prequel novel and two companion books.
Another good series...Cities in Flight is a four-volume series of science fiction novels and short stories by American writer James Blish, originally published between 1950 and 1962, which were first known collectively as the "Okie" novels.
Last ones I'll mention... The Foundation series is a science fiction book series written by American author Isaac Asimov. First collected in 1951, for thirty years the series was a trilogy: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation. It won the one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966.[1][2] Asimov began adding new volumes in 1981, with two sequels: Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth, and two prequels: Prelude to Foundation and Forward the Foundation. The additions made reference to events in Asimov's Robot and Empire series, indicating that they were also set in the same fictional universe.
-
Initially, Polynesian Village Resort and Art of Animation Resort were set to reopen on August 12th. Now, the Polynesian has a set date of October 4th, and Art of Animation will reopen on November 1st. Though Beach Club and BoardWalk were supposed to reopen August 24th and October 1st respectively, they have now both been removed from the reopening calendar.
-
Interesting article by a non park person
Here are a few funny excerpts
I should admit that a Disney vacation, even in pre-coronavirus conditions, sounds to me like the most elaborate way to have a miserable time yet invented by humankind. I have enough friends who are parents to have heard the stories of long lines, staggering expense, and (for them, if not the kids) boredom. The whole park is an obstacle course of expensive treats that your children will beg you to buy. Corn dogs cost $11. I do not dislike Disney films, and I am especially fond of Pixar and the Muppets. But my desire to meet Mickey Mouse evaporated around the age of 8, when I asked my mother about this wonderful place called Disney World and she said, in effect, that she loved me very much, but that she would rather die of dysentery than take me to Florida to have her pocket picked by anthropomorphic vermin. I don’t think I asked again. The chance of being struck dead by a mysterious disease has not sweetened the appeal of the park.
On some rides, like Epcot’s Mission: SPACE, announcements dating from before the pandemic warn you that you should skip the ride if you dislike “enclosed dark space.” Now the fear of enclosed spaces applies to all sane people, not just claustrophobes. Epcot also warns that the ride can induce vomiting. As it whirred into motion, I considered what it might be like to puke up $11 worth of corn dog into a mask strapped to my face, and I thought: At least I didn’t have to wait in line for this.
Perhaps for others this illusion remains the dominant experience of Disney. I am, as I warned earlier, not the ideal Disney customer. I am nonetheless forced to admit, having observed Disney’s most fervent fans—the ones willing to court infection for one of Snow White’s royal waves—that their decision to visit at this moment is not, as it first appeared to me, made out of ignorance or stupidity. Almost all seemed to accept that the coronavirus is real, or real enough that it would be churlish to object when others ask you nicely to keep your distance. Disney just matters more to them than it does to me, because to me it is a corporation that makes children’s entertainment, and to them, it is something worth risking their life.
I accepted high levels of authoritarian intervention as long as the tyrant in question was wearing those ridiculous mouse ears at the time. If the penalty for obstinate refusal to wear a mask were public whipping, I would have cheered the administration of justice in Main Street, U.S.A.’s town square. If the same thing happened in the city where I live in Connecticut, I would probably donate to the ACLU and lament my city’s regression to 17th-century Puritanism.
-
Universal Orlando cancels Halloween Horror Nights due to coronavirus
Universal Orlando announced on Friday 7/24/20 that it is canceling its popular Halloween Horror Nights.
Halloween Horror Nights will not be held this year at Universal in Orlando or Universal in California.
Universal said in a statement that it will be focused on operating its theme parks for daytime guests, using the enhanced health and safety procedures already in place.
“We know this decision will disappoint our fans and guests. We are disappointed, too. But we look forward to creating an amazing event in 2021,” the statement said.
-
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels Now Providing Security Warnings After Hotel Guests Were Scammed Over Resort Room Phones
While staying at the cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, an interesting announcement on the resort TV caught our attention.
We recently broke the story that Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests had been getting scammed while staying at the hotels. Guests were asked to confirm their address and credit card information over the phone. Shortly after, fraudulent charges take place on these guests’ credit cards.
While watching the TV in our cabin today, the above screen appeared. In what can be viewed as a tacit acknowledgment of the credit card scam we reported earlier this week, it appears Disney is now warning guests about revealing personal information and is now providing personal security tips.
The tips include:
- Do not give your credit card information if you did not initiate the call. Use caution when disclosing your credit card number over the phone.
- Always keep your credit card numbers and receipts secure and out of public view.
- Keep your Resort room doors locked at all times.
-
8 hours ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:
My first trip to the Fort in 2001 was $20 a night for a partial.
Up until about 2010, we could get the Fort for under $50 a night except for very high Holiday season. It all started falling apart and getting stupid expensive when they put in the Premium sites.
Our first trip was in 1977, and the site was probably around $15. Not even sure if they had partial/full at that time. I can't remember what loop we stayed in.
In the 90s we had gotten a Cabin as cheap as $60 a couple of times.
-
As of 7/22 Vehicles Removed from Primeval Whirl at Animal Kingdom.
Demolishment of the dinosaur-themed roller coaster Primeval Whirl continues at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
According to @ScottGustin, the ride vehicles have been officially removed from the track, located in the Dinoland, U.S.A. area of the theme park.
It's been removed from the AK web page also.
-
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Disney World is making another change to its newest Star Wars attraction, Rise of the Resistance.
When Disney's Hollywood Studios reopened on July 15, Disney updated how Rise of the Resistance used its virtual queue, with visitors having the opportunity to join at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
However, starting July 24, the distribution times for the attraction will now be at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“These two opportunities are intended to give guests more flexibility in their planning, and are also a way to further support physical distancing,” according to a post on the Disney Parks Blog.
Hollywood Studios visitors hoping to ride Rise of the Resistance can log onto the My Disney Experience app to reserve a spot in the virtual queue at the times listed above.
Some visitors may be able to join backup groups if there's no availability for the specific distributions time. Joining the virtual queue, however, does not guarantee visitors will be able to ride Rise of the Resistance, according to Disney Parks Blog post.
Visitors will only be able to join one the virtual queue once per day "in order to give as many guests as possible the opportunity to join the Resistance."
A push notification from the app will let visitors when it's time to head to Rise of the Resistance.
Disney World is requiring all visitors ages 2 and older to wear face masks and undergo temperature checks. As a way to manage attendance, the resort is also requiring that visitors make a reservation to visit the parks.
-
If they do anything to the bears, they could use a good refreshing and upgrade the sound system.
-
Walt Disney World Issues Survey About Interest in Attractions, Including Country Bear Jamboree
Could changes be coming to the Country Bear Jamboree? Walt Disney World is sending out surveys about attractions, inquiring about guest interest.
KSTU reporter John Franchi posted a screenshot of his survey on Twitter, which asked about the attraction that’s entertain guests since the Magic Kingdom’s opening day.
Just received this survey from @Disneyworld. I hope this isn't an indication they are thinking about removing one of the classics. pic.twitter.com/KUaS51l0m3
— 𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚗 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒 (@JFRANCHIREPORTS) July 7, 2020Franchi noted that Disney asked if they felt the attraction matched terms like “excited,” “boring,” or “inspirational.”
I didn’t, but they basically asked if I thought the attraction was excited, boring, inspirational, etc.
— 𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚗 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒 (@JFRANCHIREPORTS) July 8, 2020Last year, it was rumored that Country Bear Jamboree might be replaced with a Toy Story-themed marionette show, though Disney later denied the rumors.
WDWNT has also learned that others received similar surveys about attractions including Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress and Muppet*Vision 3D. While these attractions rarely have long wait times, they have proven to have sizable fanbases.
-
On 7/21/2020 at 12:58 PM, greenbar said:
I shudder to think of what the seating on the boats look like.
They are going to go faster, let the lake water splash in, and wash the Covid off of all the passengers!
-
18 hours ago, Duane said:
Well, since they have tried to stop teaching cursive writing in school, why let a pesky thing like spelling get in the way as well?!
Guess their spellcheck app didn't catch the error!
-
6 minutes ago, Tri-Circle-D said:
I received a push notification with a link to the passholder page on the Disney website.
I was actually in DHS for a CM preview when I received it. Maybe that’s why I got the push notification?
TCD
Push?
Right to MDE ?
What type of notification, a text, email,
-
25 minutes ago, MicknMin...Holly said:
I received an alert through my My Disney Experience account, but never could find anything else. I hate that it is only available if you are actually down there. Doesn't help me at all since I won't be there until October.
TCD showed the screenshot of the MDE screen.
How did you get a notification?
I didn't get anything and only found it after the TCD post.
-
Stitch isn't a surprise. It seems that it's been closed longer than its been open and primeval has been having mechanical issues in the past.
According to a post on Twitter from Disney Reporter Scott Gustin Thursday, Disney has announced that two Walt Disney World attractions and one nighttime spectacular would be closing for good.
Disney confirms Primeval Whirl at Animal Kingdom, Stitch's Great Escape at Magic Kingdom and Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom are permanently closed. pic.twitter.com/dapOGOlbWt
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 16, 2020Stitch's Great Escape in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom has changed to a character meet and greet and switched to a seasonal attraction over the years, but now it's going to be closed permanently.
Primeval Whirl in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney's Animal Kingdom is also closing down.
Since Disney's Animal Kingdom reopened last week, the park has been closing by 6:00 p.m. We can't confirm that this is the reason for the theme park's nighttime spectacular, Rivers of Light, to be permanently discontinued, but we'll update this post when we receive confirmation.
Disney World in Florida Shuts Down Star Trek-themed Ride after Lightning Strikes Park
in WDW and Disney Park Discussions
Posted
This must be a hidden ride for the Elite Club 33 Members!
Florida’s Walt Disney World opened to the public for the first time in four months in July after four months of closure and amid a surge of coronavirus cases in the state. But bad luck seems to be following the mega theme park as within months, the park has had to close one its Star Trek themed rides recently after it got struck by lightning.
The ride named 'Rise of Resistance' was temporarily shut down after a massive bolt of lightning struck the park premises.
The incident occurred at the park's 'Galaxy's Edge' arena, which is Star Trek themed. Passers by captured the exact moment when the lightning struck a ride inside the Disney Hollywood Studio.
A video of the flash, captured by Twitter user Austin shows a broad streak of light hitting Disney World Resort. Others also shared similar videos.
Starting in January, Disney closed theme parks around the world to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Disney reopened the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom on July 11 and Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15 along with new coronavirus guidelines.
And I thought everything on the interweb was true!!