All Things:THEME PARKS
- Thread starter jerseydevil
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MaxwellSmart
Lurker
I don't know. The Grand Floridian is a pretty high end resort, and here's a picture of where the incident took place. Not exactly off the beaten path.
I understand it's Florida, but geez, that's pretty horrific for that family.
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roenick
Lurker
I don't know. The Grand Floridian is a pretty high end resort, and here's a picture of where the incident took place. Not exactly off the beaten path.
I understand it's Florida, but geez, that's pretty horrific for that family.
I have been there 8 times (not stayed at the Grand Floridian but other Disney properties and if you go to Magic Kingdom you go right by this place). There are signs that say no swimming in the lake and we always assumed there to be gators there. It's Florida! Agree this is just a horrible story ...
Oh and disregard my earlier post where I had doubt about the story. I read something this morning that said the father of the child followed the gator into the water and tried to pry the child loose with no luck and had the scratched hands to prove it. Just a terrible story.
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skulllead
Prospect
I don't know. The Grand Floridian is a pretty high end resort, and here's a picture of where the incident took place. Not exactly off the beaten path.
I understand it's Florida, but geez, that's pretty horrific for that family.
Definitly horrific. No doubt about that.
"Not exactly off the beaten path." Have you seen the pics of gators on golf courses, etc?
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
New Video Emerges Of A Disney Employee Fending Off An Alligator At Splash Mountain
http://uproxx.com/news/video-disney-employee-fights-alligator/
Well, it's apparently Day of the Animal down in Florida. I really hope they do not overreact and cull the gator population. There has to be a better solution.
http://uproxx.com/news/video-disney-employee-fights-alligator/
Well, it's apparently Day of the Animal down in Florida. I really hope they do not overreact and cull the gator population. There has to be a better solution.
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lunchbox
Lurker
i like the ride, but my kid is terrified of it. almost 2 years ago, my sister-in-law and her husband got our collective 5 year olds together (three of them) and we all went on the ride and their looks coming off it was "WTF DID I JUST GO ON?!"
hahaha. and now my almost 7 yr old still refuses to go anywhere near it. if they change it, she might change her mind... i'd been on it tons before having her and i don't have a huge attachment to it, so i'm ok if it changes.what i'm a little sore about is soarin' over california changing. i like that ride and it makes me nostalgic for CA. doing the world thing would be ok if it were temporary, but i don't care for it completely replacing the CA film.
it was my understanding that disney regularly "removes" (aka euthanizes) gators and doesn't just relocate them. i read it in an article that explains why here: https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/disney-routinely-removes-alligators-beach-193037491.html
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
well that seem unnecessary. Kind of rooting for the gators at this point.
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lunchbox
Lurker
i think what happened was disney must've thought they had it under control so they didn't have warning signs specifically in relation to gators, in order to preserve that pristine disney bubble and also in order to capitalize on those fireworks by the shore of the lake nights (or whatever they regularly gather round to do in the evenings there).
seemed like the other resorts don't have the clearance to remove the gators so they post warning signs.
tragic. my personal opinion is that it most probably could've been avoided but it's too late for that now.
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LAKingSteve
Lurker
Incredibly sad. Have been near that beach a couple of times and have always been aware of gators in the 7 Seas Lagoon. Disney pretty much immediately put up new "fencing"...basically 4 X 4's driven into the sand with ropes between and new signs warning of gators and snakes. The fault lies with both the parents (for not obeying the signs) and Disney (for making it very easy for guests to enter...it's a beach for goodness sake) and it's a tragedy that could have been avoided. My gut tells me that Disney will be paying this family a fortune which in no way will replace their child but will likely pay for the surviving children to go through college amongst other things.
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LAKingSteve
Lurker
I really miss the DLRR and riding on the Mark Twain.
Next summer. Makes you appreciate what great attractions they really when many think they are "just" a train and boat ride.
We went to DL last Wed, had a good time. Spent about 13 hours visiting both parks and did most everything we wanted including riding Soarin' one last time in it's "Over California" version. The downside...DCA had Racers, Grizzly, Mermaid & Luigi all down at the same time. Screamin' and Toy Story were both down at times during the day as well. Additionally, DL is still a complete nightmare on Main Street/Hub during the first Paint the Night Parade and Fireworks. We thankfully got to see both but waited for the 10:45 parade showing. I'm hearing that the current fireworks, Disneyland Forever, will be going away in September when the 60th celebration ends. Apparently due to costs controls. They spent a lot of money to create it, really surprised that they will shut it down after 18 months...another victim of the Shanghai DL cost overruns.
beedee
4th Line Rabble-Rouser
Hey man, I think I see your posts over on MiceChat? My name there is "moregumboplease".
I agree with everything you said. Its crazy to me how that isn't a fire and/or safety hazard on Main St. and the Hub during/after fireworks. It is flat out ridiculous how crowded and how you can't move for minutes on end. What bothers me even more is that they don't open those alleys behind Main St. consistently during parades.
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LAKingSteve
Lurker
I'm SteveK on Micechat though I've been posting more over at the WDW magic in the DL forum lately. People are a little less "intense" over there. Will keep an eye out for you next time I visit MC.
We went a lot during the 50th and while there were some busy days, we regularly went and had very few problems walking up before Parade of Dreams or Remember (not including in front of the castle) started and finding a good place to view. Now you have to find a spot along the parade route 2 hours before Paint the Night. We're to the point of visiting once or twice a year after 12+ years with AP's...thankfully I had a friend sign me in last week which makes everything a bit more bearable. I've been going for 45 years or so, it's good to take a break every once in awhile...makes you appreciate it when you aren't visiting on a weekly (or daily for some folks) basis.
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lunchbox
Lurker
i didn't go nearly as often. probably once a month down to once very 2 months the last few years and am now not sure if i'll renew. we only had the lowest level pass so i'm wondering if just spending the money to go 1-3 times a year with a regular admission ticket will be best. that way, i don't feel compelled to go for a half day after school just to use the pass. it's just gotten so crowded and when it's crowded, i just don't enjoy it as much. other times, when it's not crazy busy, they will have a lot of rides closed and then it feels crowded anyway because there's less dispersal of people amongst the rides. the last time i went in may wasn't so bad though, so i'm undecided at this point. my kid is getting older and her school and activities are taking over a lot of time so it's something i'll weigh when our pass expires in november.
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LAKingSteve
Lurker
That's basically us. 12 years with an AP, finally let it go (see what I did there) and chose not to renew. Crowds significantly heavier compared to similar times of year in previous years, higher prices and quite honestly just not as much time to visit as our kids were getting older and we are much more involved in outside activities. Having grown up visiting yearly and making so many visits over the past few years (I think we were at 250+), a good long break will do us good. Got to the point that it was like going to the mall and nobody really appreciated it or quite honestly, looked forward to it. That's what was kind of refreshing this last visit...we hadn't been since October so going again felt like an event that everyone was excited about...and really, California and the western US has so much else to offer besides Disneyland. I'm puzzled by people that spend every dollar and vacation moment surrounded by Disney when there is so much else to see.
beedee
4th Line Rabble-Rouser
Pretty much nailed my situation as well. Every year for as long as I could remember, our grandparents would take our entire family (aunts/uncles/cousins) to Disneyland the day after Christmas. This was from the late 70's til the late 80's more or less. It truly was a treat! I don't really remember if our family went in between the annual post Christmas visit, but if we did, it certainly was few and far between. Nowadays, it is in fact like going to the mall. The last time I checked my number of visits it was around 225. I've been an AP since 2008 when my g/f (and now wife) got me hooked more or less. That feeling of having a pass, and being able to come and go as you will was damn near euphoric! But that pendulum is swinging back the other way and now the idea of going is basically better than actually being there.
We are in a tough spot, our daughter will be 1 on July 15th, so we were thinking of renewing again and again until she won't be able to get in for free. Also, I have the "SoCal" pass and was grandfathered in, I don't want to lose that status....but then again, I can really only go on Fridays after work or Sundays, pretty much when the rest of the world goes!!! I'm really excited to see the newly routed Railroad as it passes through the new SWLand, that concept art looks amazing with the trestles and waterfalls. Even though I am a Star Wars fan, I'm not too hyped on the new land, I'm more excited to get the railroad and river boats back!!!
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LAKingSteve
Lurker
We had the So Cal pass as well...and let it lapse. We knew it might be a mistake because of the price point but our complete lack of desire to go made the decision pretty easy...basically, it was going to be a waste of money. For a good chunk of time we had our AP's, when our kids were pretty young, I worked a mile north of DL so they'd come to the office at 3, we'd be in the park by 3:30. I agree completely with your asessment of the idea of going versus the reality of being there. That's exactly how it was for us where once we got there it was like, meh, we've done it all so many times. It actually got to the point where my wife just said, you go, I have no desire to be there anymore. Going back (we've been there 2x since October) definitely felt a bit more "fresh" but there was still that lingering feeling of "ugh" when your dealing with lines and people and attractions you've been on a hundred times. I have a feeling it will be at least another year, maybe 2 before we go back.
And like you, I am very excited to see what they do with the river...hoping it looks as amazing as the artwork. I'm actually a bit excited about SW land as I'm kind of a SW nerd. That being said, it does feel a bit odd putting a full land in Disneyland...works in DCA but don't think it's as appropriate for DL. I have a feeling it will be amazing though and people will quickly forget the problems they have with it going in.
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lunchbox
Lurker
ya! my sister-in-law is EXACTLY this. in their youth, she and her husband used to go on great vacations every now and then. for as long as i've known her though (13 yrs), they ONLY vacation at disneyland now (even before the kids). and now they ONLY go during spring break, holidays or summer because of their childrens' school schedules, which is the worst time. i remember one time i accompanied them around thanksgiving and you couldn't even walk because it was so crowded. i texted "I AM IN HELL" to my husband while waiting in a LOOOOONG line to get into the haunted mansion. i always wonder why they don't do something different and go somewhere new so their kids can learn about other places and experience new things, free of the hell of all those lines and crowds. (like i took my kid to vancouver for spring break, it was way uncrowded).
this is exactly what happened to me. i used to go once a year since i was about 3 yrs old. it wasn't so easy to go more often since i grew up in ventura county, but i used to look forward to it so much.
i just know it's only going to get more crowded when star wars land opens. i like SW but i'm not a huge fanatic so maybe i'll renew, then stop when it opens, just go one day to see what it's like and then take a break from there.
jerseydevil
I'llPutPenniesOnYourEyes
Man, Y'all must be doing it wrong. No kids...in my, cough cough late 40's...Me and Kingsqueen have badass Cali Select(she will correct me I am sure) passes...and we still LOVE going. It's really the way we mark the passing of the seasons, such as they are. The Holiday visits, Halloween and Christmas...not only justify the passes, but restore my very soul. There will be a moment, every time...where my inner child nestles up and tells me it's allllllllllll ok.
There is no cynicism at Disney.
There is no cynicism at Disney.
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LAKingSteve
Lurker
That's exactly where we were, to a T. Trust me, I'm a Disney parks fanatic...well over 100 books on my shelf about the parks worldwide, dozens of CD's from the parks, hundreds of hours of park music/attractions, heck our kids playroom has 5 professionally framed attraction posters from Disneyland, a wall map of epcot, wall map of the Magic Kingdom and wall map of Disneyland. Trust me, I did it right for 45 years of visits to Disneyland, 3 visits to Disney World and a Disney Cruise...be we are now at the "too much of a good thing" point in our lives. We are taking a break and my wife and I have already made plans to get AP's again in the next 5 or so years so she and I can go there together, after our kids have left for school (and they can afford their own passes). Some people hit the Disney wall, others don't.
