| # | Author | Message |
11
| barboy
Fri 4/11/2008 2:00p | "Given how rabid some of the Japanses fans get, I would say that they have a pretty good idea that they know what they have. The pushing and shoving an hour before the park opens, every single day, says that those folks know that they have something special."
Well yes, the monstous annual attendance figures coupled with the utter morning madness says TDR most definitely has a serious following but that doesn't necessarily mean that the Japanese feel that their parks are special in the Disney park lineup. |
12
| barboy
Fri 4/11/2008 2:31p | "By the way, Barboy, that island sounds awesome. I can understand how locals wouldn't care so much. It's just "there", and the economy is probably not so hot and they're likely all stuck in crappy jobs serving the tourists...so while for us it's "getting away from it all", for them it's just "away from it all". "
The locals(which had to be less than 15, lived a subsistence type of life, no electricity, telephones, cars) seemed quite amused and happy to see the daily tourist boat arrive as, perhaps, it gave them something to do. It must get pretty lonely living on that island so I'm sure their whole day's excitement centered around tourists snorkeling and eating fresh seafood and fruits.
But without a comparison/contrast to life outside of their paradise I just don't think they could fully appreciate what they have.
I remember growing up in Sausalito, Ca(a semi world famous spot just across the Golden Gate Bridge) and to me it was just a town--- that's it, nothing too noteworthy. It wasn't until I became older and moved away from there that I started to really understand how special Sausalito is.
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13
| barboy
Fri 4/11/2008 2:38p | "Apparently they came in, all a-buzz but as they were toured arounf the park their demeanor grew more sombre and their disappointment more palpable."
That account most definitely sounds plausible but like others have said it just might be an urban myth. |
14
| Bob Paris
Mon 4/14/2008 8:44a | Growing up, the only thing I knew about Sausalito was that it was mentioned by Uhura and Chekov in STAR TREK IV. My friends and I used to make fun of it because it sounded like sausage.
Other than that, I have no idea why it would be "semi world famous". |
15
| barboy
Mon 4/14/2008 9:39a | Sausalito is a very small, affluent community--- much like Carmel on the California coast --- and is a huge tourist stop for those who come to San Fran. The community is on the immediate northern side of the Golden Gate Bridge and offers steller bay views. Many visit the community for shops, eating, bike riding, sailing and even non chain type hotels overlooking the bay. |
16
| davewasbaloo
Mon 4/14/2008 9:51a | Both Carmel and Sausalito tend to be places Americans go to visit. Just like a lot of Brits go to Cornwall and the Lake District, but I do not know many foreign tourists that bother with those. |
17
| barboy
Mon 4/14/2008 11:56a | "but I do not know many foreign tourists that bother with those(Carmel and Sausalito)".
Oh they do now---boy do they do!
Europeans are all over nothern Calif. tapping the wine country of Sonoma and Napa counties, going up to Yosemite and Tahoe, crossing the Golden Gate for Sausalito and heading slightly south to Monterey and Carmel.
I have never seen so many European people around Nothern Calif. like these past several months. Just last Monday I went to Yosemite for a day visit and it seemed as if every third person was from Europe. And I would say Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran. is the epicenter of the northern Calif. invasion.
---- which brings me to ask you dave:
during you California tour you must have noticed all of the Europeans up and down the state from Pier 39 in SF to Sea World
in San Diego, right?
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18
| davewasbaloo
Tue 4/15/2008 1:17a | We noticed a few. No more than we normally encounter. At Sea World in SD though, one cast member noted how my wife seemed to be the 1st english person they have seen smiling! |
19
| Bob Paris
Tue 4/15/2008 1:38a | "Both Carmel and Sausalito tend to be places Americans go to visit. Just like a lot of Brits go to Cornwall and the Lake District, but I do not know many foreign tourists that bother with those."
Indeed.
I have been to the US twice and both times to San Francisco. To my knowledge, I never took a deliberate trip to Sausalito. I DID get to visit a world famous ranch in Marin County and also went to some famous boarwalk/amusement place where they filmed the opening scenes from "The Lost Boys". That was pretty cool! |
20
| davewasbaloo
Tue 4/15/2008 2:04a | Hey Bob, would that be Skywalker or Neverland ;-)
Santa Cruz is pretty cool, but again, not many foreign tourists tend to go there.
To most Brits - California is probably - LA, San Francisco, Disneyland, Yosemite, and San Diego (in that order). Much of the rest being left out.
Same thing when Americans come here, they concentrate on London and Edinburgh maybe, but miss out on all the other really cool places. |
