Walt Disney World General
Topic: Happy 10th Birthday DAK!!!

#	Author	Message
11	davewasbaloo Tue 4/22/2008 8:45a	Difference is dsyates, I like to take my parks in my stride, soak in the experiences, have fun with my family, and have a nice restful meal. It is not go, go, go roller coaster happy time. We are not that kind of family. I have been on real safari's in africa and south america, I prefer the Disney version. When at DCA we can spend hours playing in Animation or Redwood Creek Challenge trail, or enjoy wine tastings, and talking to cast members about how tortillas are made. To us this is part of a vacation. Yesterday I worked 19 hours including 5 hours of travel. Today I have been go go go and will likely finish work at 9. Tomorrow out to work at 6, charity event tomorrow night. Thursday and Friday executive away days. This week we are sending out 3 contracts, engaging with 18 media stakeolders, preparing a final cut of our guide book (I am editor in chief), and I have month end accounts to do. This is a pretty normal week. When I go on vacation, I like to take my time and enjoy my family and environment. I find gigacoasters are a cheap thrill that I am not willing to travel around the globe or wait hours for. But to see animals in such a natural looking surrounding, go on a safari, see some quality stage shows, pick out animals in the Tree of Life, enjoy bands and tribal dancers, and ride some world class attractions (Dinosaur, Expedition Everest, and ITTBAB are world class). Then I am happy. Would I like to see more, or extended hours? Of course. Maybe if DAK had longer hours, I would deem it a 1 day park. But we spend 1-2 hours each animal experience if we can.
12	FenwayGirl Tue 4/22/2008 9:46a	I'm with you Dave. We love to take our time in the parks and just enjoy the atmosphere. The rides in AK are fine, but we spend more time on the trails and at the shows. The Conservation Station is a huge hit with my little ones. The zoo keepers out there are very patient and answer all of the questions that the kids have.
13	dshyates Tue 4/22/2008 10:01a	See, If I want a relaxing vacation I go to the national parks, the keys, or some other relaxing place. And I do love the immersive environment at DAK. But I have very little to no interest on spending hours in the Mahraja Jungle trek. For my $72 a day, I want attractions, not park benches. 5 mins. of watching the tigers and I'm good. What's next.
14	davewasbaloo Tue 4/22/2008 10:11a	You see, but that is where we differ. In going to DAK, if we want animals, we have animals. Or rides, or shows, or characters, or theme shopping. If you go to a national park, that is all you have. $72 is a drop in the ocean. For us to go to a US national park, we would spend far more. I like that DAK is the closest thing to being in Africa and India, and you do not need shots or are unlikely to die of a horrid disease. To me, that $72 is a bargain. The reason why I fell in love with Disney was due to immersive environments, a sense of place. DL/DLP used to offer this (and does still to a degree) and Epcot and DAK still do. So does Legoland. I grew out of white knuckles in my early 20's, I ride them now, but they are not a big deal. to me seeing the verts operate on a tiger, speaking with people from Africa and Asia, enjoying live music that is accessable to my little one's and different. These are worth travelling for. And these make the Disney difference. Disney offers a post card experience of other places in the world. I have always said, I would rather be in Epcot's Paris than the real thing. Same with Venice.
15	davewasbaloo Tue 4/22/2008 10:22a	And this is my point about oversaturation of toons. I will spend the time and money to fly out to a place that offers me high quality choices. But if they keep rolling out segregated thrills and toons, then I will stop going. I can do thrills here in the UK. I can even see toons of some description here in the UK. But things like: - Mixed species of animals in one environment - Audio Animatronic laden ride throughs - Soarin - Lights Motors Action - Illuminations - Wishes - Live entertainment everywhere, that's suitable for the whole family - Sights that are works of art, not in a mixed urban environment, or a gallery - Choices of different cuisine and shopping experiences - Clean environments and clean cut, friendly cast members These are the halmark of excellent tangibles Disney have brought me up to enjoy. And this is why I get sooooo ANGRY AND BITTER about the laziness of toons and thrills, the destruction of unique dining and shopping, the cutting back of bands in favor of rubberheads, and the lessening of cleanliness and real magic (rather than marketting speak). This is what drags me so down. This is why I question going anymore at times. This is what shows me that the world is becoming a worse place to live in. If I got into a dark place in my mind, Disney used to be great medicine. It doesn't so much anymore. But DAK and Epcot, they still inspire and awe, and I am truly sorry you guys miss out on that. enjoy 6 Flags.
16	DAR Tue 4/22/2008 10:29a	Happy Birthday DAK. One of my favorite parks.
17	dshyates Tue 4/22/2008 10:52a	There is nothing wrong with thrills. Its naked thrills that are empty. Maliboomer vs ToT. Thats the Disney difference to me. To me the immersive environ is the wrapping. The attractions are the meat. And by attractions I do mean shows, streetmosphere, and actual rides. I think one of the big difs is that you have really small (2 & 4) kids. Tell me how interested they will be in sitting on a bench and watching the tigers for 2 hours for the 30th time when they are 10 & 12. When we had a stroller bound 9 month old in the parks, we did it differently than we do now. I know its just me, but I find watching animals for the most part boring. I do enjoy watching the Vets and talking to the CMs. But just sitting there watching animals is pretty boring. I actually enjoy the themed environment more than the animals. And being a bonified amusement park junkie, I really like amusement parks. That is why I prefer USF over USH anyday. Yes, the tram tour is fascinating, but an amusement park it is not. More like a Film Museum with a couple of attractions. That is why IOA is my second favorite park in Otown after MK. EPCOT is my favorite non-traditional Disney park But I find it really hard to classify EPCOT as an Amusement Park. But there is a lot to do at EPCOT that doesn't involve sitting on a bench watching the exotic (said so in the guide) foliage grow.
18	tonyanton Tue 4/22/2008 11:09a	Animal Kingdom has grown to be one of my favourite parks (second at WDW after Epcot). I guess since I don't visit WDW without a park hopper or whatever they're calling it these days, I have less issue with it sometimes being a shorter day. However, on my last trip I spend a second day visiting to catch EE again and some of the smaller shows/attractions I missed the first time. Happy Birthday...hope the next 10 years are even greater!
19	davewasbaloo Tue 4/22/2008 12:07p	>>>And being a bonified amusement park junkie, I really like amusement parks. That is why I prefer USF over USH anyday. Yes, the tram tour is fascinating, but an amusement park it is not. More like a Film Museum with a couple of attractions. That is why IOA is my second favorite park in Otown after MK. <<< See, this is where we are totally different. I was mega disappointed with USF because it was an amusement park and not like USH. I like USH very much. Don't get me started on MK - mamma said if I cannot say anything nice....
20	barboy Tue 4/22/2008 12:41p	"it's(Animal Kingdom)still a half-day park." Maybe........, but then again I'll take 5 hrs. of Disney excellence over 2 days of a neglected, toon ridden, Stitch belching MK anytime.

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