| # | Author | Message |
11
| mousermerf
Tue 5/13/2008 1:45p | I do agree with some of what he says, but he contradicts himself with the SSE comment.
Generally, SSE's ending has been poorly received online. In his DCA example, he states the online opinion was related to the general public opinion.
The truth of the matter is that the ending is not being well received in the real world either and that's why despite the attraction having opened months ago there is still construction going on in that portion.
Also note - there are few complaints about the ascent on SSE. The narration got the most complaints, and the narration has since been changed/tweaked to be less pandering and silly sounding. The lines people complained about online the most are the ones which have been modified.
It's not coincidence. |
12
| Spirit of 74
Tue 5/13/2008 2:50p | I tried earlier to post comments to Jon's blog only to see them disappear (once crashing my laptop in the process), so I guess I'll just place them here.
I think Jon did a wonderful job in summing up the state of relations between Disney's most ardent fans and the company.
I don't think Disney is any different in one major respect than any other American company today.
It has a very arrogant, haughty, we're-smarter-than-you management. That current runs through TDA, WDI, TDO and Burbank. And management doesn't want to hear any feedback from its fans that doesn't start with 'great' and end with 'magical.'
I've had discussions with execs where I've gushed about 90 percent of a project, but as soon as I've raised one less-than-magical comment about the other 10% the temperature in the room usually falls about 40 degrees instantaneously.
People don't want to hear what they aren't doing well. Guest Relations at Disney truly used to be about taking every guest compliment, complaint or concern seriously. Now, it's about getting them out the door with a free character breakfast with as few 'f-bombs dropped as possible.
The relationship between Disney's most ardent fans and the company has been severely damaged because most people with a pulse realize the scornful disdain that most in power feel for them. That doesn't change until management does. Having someone who doesn't even enjoy the parks running them is the ultimate in idiocy. It's not like companies are knocking down the door to get Jay Rasulo to leave and join their ranks either.
Oh well, after writing this three times it probably doesn't make as much sense as it (hopefully) did to start.
My only bone of contention with Jon's piece would be him saying the EPCOT fence is no big deal. Other than it being ugly, ill-placed and making the entrance plaza (which was wide, expansive and optimistic) feel like a cattle enclosure, I have no problems with it. ... But its only purpose is to make the lawyers happy and really who wants to make one lawyer happy? I don't.
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13
| mousermerf
Tue 5/13/2008 2:57p | The Epcot-fence would make sense if they unloaded the trams at the tram-unload area instead of underneath the monorail station at the tram-loading area.
Otherwise, it's trying to force a flow scheme that is used only on peak days. Theoretical rather then practical.
That disconnect between the actual use and the intended use is a definite problem at WDW. |
14
| dshyates
Tue 5/13/2008 4:44p | The fan community is, my guess, about 100 million people and nothing they build is going to please everyone so there will always be a significant portion who don't like an offering. Get over it. Read their comments and take them for what they are worth. Or ignore them and build what you want. But scolding the customers for not liking something is a little over the top for an entertainment corperation. It screams of arrogance and insecurity. |
15
| mawnck
Tue 5/13/2008 4:56p | >>there will always be a significant portion who don't like an offering.<<
Horse foofie.
Said portion would become a lot less significant if they didn't so consistently underwhelm us with mediocre attractions constructed with painstakingly-matched bricks. |
16
| debtee
Tue 5/13/2008 5:05p | <Does anyone else find it a tad bizarre that LP is linking to articles by a former poster who has been banned from the conversations?>
I did at first, which is what drew me to this topic. However now I think it's great, as I don't have to click on his links and can enjoy LP without having to read his rubbish. |
17
| danyoung
Wed 5/14/2008 6:18a | >The fan community is, my guess, about 100 million people...<
It's hard to tell sometimes if you're kidding or not. My guess is that the online fan community might number as high as 5,000 or so.
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18
| X-san
Wed 5/14/2008 6:26a | ****People don't want to hear what they aren't doing well. Guest Relations at Disney truly used to be about taking every guest compliment, complaint or concern seriously. Now, it's about getting them out the door with a free character breakfast with as few 'f-bombs dropped as possible.****
Interesting way to put it.
I wonder if "not wanting to hear it" is less relevant these days in comparison to the way in which disenting customers are voicing their unhappiness.
In other words, are the creators and management not so much "anti-criticism" as they are just overall feeling like they are being viciously attacked?
Seems like that could be a fair thing to discuss.
I can say honestly that if I were expecting "f-bombs" (why, oh why is that so much better than writing the word?? EVERYONE knows what we're talking about right? Just like the "n-word" and all that...BIG pet peeve but I'll respect the community at large in that it is somehow, I dunno why, better to write "F-Bomb" and "N-Word" than the two words that everyone reading this knows I would write if it were "PC"...but I digress), I wouldn't be all that receptive to criticism in my work either.
I'd probably feel more like F-Bombing them right back.
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19
| mawnck
Wed 5/14/2008 6:45a | Walt Disney officials announced today that, in an effort to make the Paradise Pier section of Disney's California Adventure more relevant without actually spending any of their yearly bonuses, they are renaming the Maliboomer as the "F-Bomber."
Donald Duck will host the dedication ceremony. |
20
| dshyates
Wed 5/14/2008 12:37p | ">The fan community is, my guess, about 100 million people...<
"It's hard to tell sometimes if you're kidding or not. My guess is that the online fan community might number as high as 5,000 or so."
This time I was being serious, but I wasn't refering to the "online" community. I was refering to all the Disney Parks fans (as in people who have been multiple times and plan on returning), most of which simply visit the parks and have fun. The "online" fan community is a small, very vocal part of that.
And what I was trying to get across is that with 100 mil people no matter what they build only 75-80% of the guests are going to like it. If its tame enough for the toddlers then eXteen is gonna hate it. If eXteen loves it , well there's child swap. So they need to get over the fact that no matter how life-like the bricks are someones not going to appreciate the detail. And by their very nature internet discussion boards draw a passionate and well informed group or at least they think they ae well informed.
But as far as listening to the banter then they obviously don't as in the online fan community there has been a rising tide against 3-D and interactive. Then they build a interactive 3-D attraction slathered in the more recent fanboy pet peeve of high pressure characterization and they are shocked the pre-opening online buzz is a titch negative. And I belive they do have a quandry in that these attraction are very popular with the general park visitor. Buzz always has a long line. But they are not so popular with the fanboys. So build them good enough to shut the fanboys up after it opens. Which seems to be what they have done here. Kudos WDI. It appears to me that everyone who has ridden it has run to the internets to proclaim that its a winner. Some procliming it better than the Simpson's Ride. I'm sure they are OK with that kind of chatter. |
