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As a starfighter nerd and X-Wing game alum, one of the bits I really love in that scene is getting a close look at the B-Wing performing as designed (swiveling around the cockpit). We never really got to see that in RotJ and it's sexy 
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Jul 28, 2023 15:35
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I found this online, it popped up in my Facebook feed from a group called WDW Radio Clubhouse posted by Brad Christian. It touched on some of our recent conversations about the parks from a legendary Imagineer's perspective: This afternoon I was seeing the new Captain America show at Disney’s California Adventure. Rodgers: The Musical was about a half hour from starting when I looked up and Disney Legend Tony Baxter took his seat next to me. If you’ve been to a Disney Park in the past 50 years you’ve been impacted by Tony Baxter. Tony Baxter is a Disney Imagineer and Disney Legend. If there is an award in themed entertainment… he has won it. Just a few of his contributions include Star Tours, Splash Mountain, The Indiana Jones Adventure, and Journey Into Imagination. The entire Disneyland Paris park was created under his direction. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad maybe his most notable contribution. You can see his ‘portrait’ hanging in the Walt Disney World queue, and I just noticed he now hangs in the Disneyland version a few days ago. I mentioned that to him, and he told me how the Disneyland version is a recent addition that was hung only a few years ago when a comic book series about Big Thunder was being released. He was thrilled to see the Hyperion Theater alive again. We discussed the show and if it has potential to move forward. He was looking to see how full the theater was and if the top balcony was full. He mentioned that at the premiere he and the imagineering crew were stuck up there. All the Marvel Team got the floor and select D23 were in the middle. This was his first time seeing the show from a good seat. He mentioned how the two previous tenants of Frozen and Aladdin were both 45 minutes and how he wish Rogers was as well. I asked him about expansion of the Avengers Campus at DCA, and his only solution is to tear the whole thing down and start over. He said the only thing worth saving is the Guardian’s Tower. The Spider-Man Ride being so problematic… you could see his disappointment and distaste for the ride. He mentioned Universal Studios Spider-Man Attraction being far superior. I asked him if the interactivity and gameplay was justification for such a poor ride. He disagreed and pointed to Toy Story Midway Mania. He says he plays Midway every time he is in the park, and went on to explain how the gameplay is practical and works so well. He thinks the Hollywood portion of DCA needs to make up its mind. It can’t be both authentic Hollywood and a backlot. They need to go one way or another. He would love to see the Hyperion incorporated into a legit theater that could have Lion King or something playing in a sit down production… think Cirque at Disney Springs. The theater has so much potential with its enormous seating capacity. We discussed Tomorrowland and how it is in such rough shape. He would move Carrousel of Progress from WDW back to its home in Disneyland. He mentioned that the original moving turntable of theater was removed years ago so this is far fetched idea. However- a revamp is so needed. He said the third scene would be 1964, so the final scene can still be the future. He said he would bring back Rex Allen’s voice and utilize AI for the new dialogue. He mentioned how James Earl Jones has sold his voice to Disney so the company can use AI for future Mufasa and Darth Vader… even long after he passes. He told me about how he regularly hosts a Movie Night and recently had AI create the famous Disneyland Announcer Jack Wagner’s voice to introduce the feature presentation! (Wagner died in 1995) I loved how though retired he took photos of each scene in the show… you could see he was still dreaming, planning and creating. Great Storytelling was center to it all. Finally I asked him if with the economy if the Disney Parks would actually be getting the millions of dollars that Bob Iger has said the company is committing. This is when he mentioned ‘new Disney’ and we briefly spoke about how the company is at a Crossroads. You could feel the weight of the last few years as I spoke about changes… The lights began to dim and the show began, but I left our conversation with a quiet optimism. VorpalBunny fucked around with this message at 19:43 on Jul 28, 2023 |
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Jul 28, 2023 19:40
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https://twitter.com/ScottGustin/status/1685000108318883840 BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Jul 28, 2023 20:21
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Those shorts are the best thing to happen to Mickey since they started neutering his cartoons way back in Walt’s day. They made Mickey cartoons actually funny for the first time in nearly a century.  Hopefully there’s no plans to change Runaway Railway.
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Jul 28, 2023 20:28
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Potatoland is the still one of the funniest Disney things I've ever seen
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Jul 28, 2023 21:31
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couldcareless posted:Potatoland is the still one of the funniest Disney things I've ever seen This and Goofy's Grandma are both incredibly funny and it was refreshing to see Mickey be FUNNY again.
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Jul 28, 2023 23:36
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https://twitter.com/JoeBrunoWSOC9/status/1684955604916264962
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Jul 28, 2023 23:38
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I assume they just repair this and go back to normal, right? Surely this doesn't take a coaster out of commission permanently? I'm not a big fan of the stark faces on the new mickey cartoons (I dunno, something about them unsettles me?) but I am sorry to see the cartoons end when it's clear that they have an enormous fanbase. Everybody seems pretty sad about it far and away outside of this thread, too.
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Jul 29, 2023 00:06
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Jesus, shut down the coaster for repairs already. Are they trying to kill someone?
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Jul 29, 2023 00:22
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It's now a writers and actors strike movie ride that just has naked mannequins in generic locations spouting chat gdp lines about how great McDonald's is
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Jul 29, 2023 00:25
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Disney announced that they are adding the Hatbox Ghost to Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion, stating that he'll be placed in or near the endless hallway. It was met with a ton of backlash from "DisTwitter" (DisX??). But I'm inclined to agree for the two main reasons being cited: 1. You're not supposed to see a materialized ghost until after the seance. Yes you see the guy in the coffin or whatever and the glowing eyes, but other than that everything you see is evidence of a ghost but not a materialized spirit. 2. Pacing. Up until the seance, the whole attraction is a bunch of simple parlor tricks and whatnot. It is meant to both lower the expectations of first time riders and also keep them on edge, because it's all meant to lead up to the HUGE reveal of the ballroom scene just after the seance. At this point for most of us, its probably hard to imagine your first ride on Haunted Mansion and what you felt when you first saw the ballroom, but even after 50 years it's still an extremely expressive and showstopping scene. Up until that point you only encounter effects that any small time amusement park haunted house could accomplish. Most guests won't think about this, but little things like this do add up toward how well an attraction resonates with people.
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Jul 29, 2023 03:15
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SweetMercifulCrap! posted:Disney announced that they are adding the Hatbox Ghost to Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion, stating that he'll be placed in or near the endless hallway. It was met with a ton of backlash from "DisTwitter" (DisX??). But I'm inclined to agree for the two main reasons being cited: Really shouldn't touch it. It's one of the few rides that's untouched from movie connections and just doesn't feel right on a classic when they can't even update and rides with screens.
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Jul 29, 2023 03:44
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Diabetic posted:Really shouldn't touch it. It's one of the few rides that's untouched from movie connections and just doesn't feel right on a classic when they can't even update and rides with screens. Agreed. They’ve already partially harmed it with the face projection bride and the projected hitchhiking ghost effect which both replaced a much better and more convincing effect. Fans have clamored for the Hatbox Ghost for a long time though since it was originally supposed to be there or whatever. I’m not sure, I never really cared about it. But if they’re going to do it, he should he in the graveyard.
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Jul 29, 2023 03:50
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VorpalBunny posted:This afternoon I was seeing the new Captain America show at Disney’s California Adventure. Rodgers: The Musical was about a half hour from starting when I looked up and Disney Legend Tony Baxter took his seat next to me. If you’ve been to a Disney Park in the past 50 years you’ve been impacted by Tony Baxter. Back when Gringotts and Diagon Alley opened at Universal in 2015, I went a day or two after opening and Tony Baxter was in line like 2 people head of us, with the rest of us scrubs doing it for the first time. (it was our first time to) He mentioned that he'd much rather see work he didn't work on first just as a guest would rather than being toured around by management. (And yes any creative at universal would have loved to do that) He had a small camera and was taking photos, etc, and admiring things. He would have done the Disney versions of Harry Potter had that gone forward, but he did compliment everything they did in Diagon heavily. The guy is legit good and a fan of all of it himself, he was way more open about things than I expected since I just randomly asked a few questions and it wound up being a good conversation, when we got inside the bank hall (where there's a ton to see) we both just looked around.
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Jul 29, 2023 04:03
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SweetMercifulCrap! posted:Agreed. They’ve already partially harmed it with the face projection bride and the projected hitchhiking ghost effect which both replaced a much better and more convincing effect. Oh! I wondered why I thought that effect was so much cooler before I brought my daughter, what a lame rear end change.
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Jul 29, 2023 04:31
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Diabetic posted:Oh! I wondered why I thought that effect was so much cooler before I brought my daughter, what a lame rear end change. Yup, for those who don't know, the original version had an actual animatronic on the other side of the "mirror" traveling at the same speed as your doom buggy. So they looked real and 3-dimension - because they were! Also the fact that they just sat there and moved around a little but not reacting to you was creepier than the visual tricks they do in the projections (which often don't work).
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Jul 29, 2023 04:41
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CapnAndy posted:Jesus, shut down the coaster for repairs already. Are they trying to kill someone?
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Jul 29, 2023 23:49
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Did anyone in here mention that Universal Orlando is doing a Dueling Dragons house for HHN this year? Because if not, they are! And that's badass!
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Jul 30, 2023 00:04
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For the Japanese parks, can you upgrade your ticket to park hopper after you enter, or would you have to just buy a separate entrance to the other park if you want to go in later?
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Jul 30, 2023 16:27
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Nanigans posted:For the Japanese parks, can you upgrade your ticket to park hopper after you enter, or would you have to just buy a separate entrance to the other park if you want to go in later? Yes you need two tickets. starting on the third day you can get a hopper but that might have only been pre Covid The Haunted Mansion movie is fine. It’s a shame it won’t make enough money to warrant a sequel because sequels would be easy. Just do Phantom Manor and then Mystic Manor
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Jul 30, 2023 23:54
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I haven't seen it yet but I am baffled as to why they won't just make a Haunted Mansion origin movie. I wanna see the ghosts as living people. I want it to have... I dunno, Clue vibes?
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Jul 31, 2023 00:01
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I mean, I wouldn't have opened the cute little family spookfest in July and one week after Barbie, but that's just me, and I am not smart enough to do poo poo like refuse to spend 0.24% of my budget to keep my entire business from shutting down, so what do I know.
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Jul 31, 2023 00:01
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Fluffy Bunnies posted:I haven't seen it yet but I am baffled as to why they won't just make a Haunted Mansion origin movie. I wanna see the ghosts as living people. I want it to have... I dunno, Clue vibes? The best Haunted Mansion movie I have ever seen was Crimson Peak. Phantom Manor is close to that hosed-up vibe, the Bride gazing out the window onto the bleak landscape while the Phantom cackles maniacally through the halls...THAT's my jam. I love the ride, and and I have no desire to see either movie version.
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Jul 31, 2023 00:27
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BlueBayou posted:The Haunted Mansion movie is fine. It’s a shame it won’t make enough money to warrant a sequel because sequels would be easy. Just do Phantom Manor and then Mystic Manor Do the ghosts grin? Because the trailers really played up the grim aspect and I think the ghosts need to do both those things
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Jul 31, 2023 00:30
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Boxman posted:Do the ghosts grin? Because the trailers really played up the grim aspect and I think the ghosts need to do both those things Ghosts that are grim and grinning? Sounds like total bullshit to me. VorpalBunny posted:I love the ride, and and I have no desire to see either movie version. I am an enormous fan of both the PotC movies and the ride and I really, really wish that Haunted Mansion would pull off what PotC did.
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Jul 31, 2023 00:33
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BlueBayou posted:Yes you need two tickets. So we can’t just buy park hopper from the get-go? Or am I misreading?
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Jul 31, 2023 00:59
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VorpalBunny posted:The best Haunted Mansion movie I have ever seen was Crimson Peak. Phantom Manor is close to that hosed-up vibe, the Bride gazing out the window onto the bleak landscape while the Phantom cackles maniacally through the halls...THAT's my jam.
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Jul 31, 2023 04:09
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The movie is chock full of references to the ride, and feels like a better adaptation of the ride itself than the 2003 movie. The plot of the 2003 movie is a bit more straightforward though. I liked the movie a lot, but it seems like yeah it's not going to be a huge hit for Disney. Shame.
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Jul 31, 2023 04:32
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Fun movie with some great performances. We need more B tier popcorn movies and this fills that void for me. Not every movie needs to make a billion dollars. I appreciate they at least sent this one to theaters
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Jul 31, 2023 18:23
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RIP to Paul Reubens. Obviously Pee Wee, but also R3X from Star Tours, and now DJ R3X in Galaxy's Edge.
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Jul 31, 2023 18:33
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He was also the more sadistic of the general's two toadies in Tron Uprising, where he didn't sound like Pee-Wee at all. I will continue to recommend people watch that show unless they actively hate Tron, because Disney did it a bigger miservice than Gargoyles. While obviously not as flashy or expensive as Legacy, it's probably the better piece of Tron lore in terms of showing you the lives of characters who are native to that world instead of Kevin Flynn (though Fred Tatasciore does a decent Jeff Bridges impression when the show needs him.) Craptacular! fucked around with this message at 19:14 on Jul 31, 2023 |
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Jul 31, 2023 19:08
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Jose Oquendo posted:So the wife wants to do a Disney cruise. I don't know poo poo about cruises (never been on one) and especially Disney cruises I'm about to board my 12th Disney Cruise in October. A few things... Castaway Cay is great, and actually functions as an extension of the ship itself. Basically, when you're on the island, almost all of the staff on shore are the same people from the ship, and your Key to the World card functions down there as your method of payment for drinks and merchandise. There are also two excellent beach areas - one for families, and then the adults-only Serenity Bay (18+). The family area has some slides, a robust snorkeling area where there's a bunch of old Disney parks stuff sunken to find, a stingray encounter (extra charge), and you can rent things like paddle bikes. The Senses Spa also sets up shop on the island for the day, so you can get a treatment with a view of the sea. For the most part, one day at Castaway is more than enough to hit the high notes if all you're trying to do is swim and snorkel around a bit, relax and/or get some drinks. The "double dip" itineraries for Castway, however, are super popular because so many DCL cruisers won't get off the ship at Nassau and love the beach at Castaway. When it comes to the ships, the Magic and Wonder are the two oldest and set sail in 1998 and 1999, respectively. However, you would never know those ships are 25 and 24 years old based on their condition inside and out. They're kept up immaculately and super well maintained. Those two ships are substantially smaller and cozier, and hold roughly 2500 passengers apiece, max. The Dream (2010) and Fantasy (2012) are slightly newer, and are way more beefed up compared to Magic and Wonder. They're similarly awesome, but more spread out with larger adults-only areas, and slightly more amenities. They also corrected a few things from the smaller ships, like not having sport courts above the spa, for example. Since the Wish launch, the Dream has taken on more itineraries like Europe, after only offering 3 and 4-night Bahamas sailings for over a decade. The Fantasy, meanwhile, offers 6+ night Caribbean sailings throughout the year. For the most part, the older four ships are kind of same-y and offer a consistent family-friendly luxury experience regardless of which one you're on. The Wish, which is barely a year old, is the newest ship but it has proven to be very polarizing with veteran Disney cruisers. I sailed on it in January and overall enjoyed it, but there is just so much to do on it than I really regret not doing the 4-night sailing instead. But it only offers 3 and 4 night sailings stopping at Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay. Surprisingly, as much larger as it is than the Dream/Fantasy, it actually holds the same number of passengers. Based on my own personal experience and having read way too much Disney Wish discourse, I'd couch 75% or more of complaints about it as people simply being mad that DCL didn't launch a slightly larger clone of the older ships. It took some swings on design and layout, and there are a lot of really great things about the ship, while there were definitely some misses. I can explain more if you plan to possibly book that one. In terms of any ship to avoid... I sincerely don't believe you can go wrong. You're going to get all the magic and stellar customer service you'd expect from Disney, without being overly beaten over the head with Disney, if that makes sense. But there are some things to consider... - Are you sailing for the itinerary or the ship itself? Disney probably has the fewest options of itineraries of any line, but makes up for it with an incredibly well themed ship, and cabins that are mostly larger than the industry standards. So decide WHERE you want to go first, then see if and when DCL actually goes there and work your way down. - Disney has a reputation for "too many kids on board," which is really only true during typical school holiday periods (summer break, Christmas, etc.). However, if you sail the older four ships, you can drat near totally avoid kids for the most part if you really want because DCL strictly enforces the age limits to enter the "Quiet Cove" areas . If you don't really care, the Wish offers fewer barriers between families with kids and adults-parties. - The only way I think you could go wrong is if either you or your wife has mobility challenges. The Wish, of the ships, wasn't very well thought out for anyone in wheelchairs, walkers, etc.. with a lack of elevator banks, and too many stairs on the upper decks where the pools are. Also, very important, if you want to avoid a ton of work, get a travel agent! Braksgirl here is a TA and is very, very good. Using a travel agent costs you nothing, and takes a shitload of work off your hands. That said, if there is anything specific you really want to know about any of the five ships, feel free to ask here or via DM. I've been on all five at least once, and am about to lock in a placeholder for the Treasure when it starts sailing.
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Jul 31, 2023 20:22
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Thank you so much for that post. That's just the sorta info I need. I'm not sure which boat we'll do but I'm probably leaning towards the Wish. I think the itinerary/excursion kinda stuff is at the bottom of the list. Honestly, for a vacation of this type, it's about the relaxing and not doing a loving thing. I'm content with some great food and lounging at the pool/beach all day. They do have shows so probably those too. It's too early for me to book stuff for the dates we want, but once we get there I'm most likely going to hit up Brak. I also need to have the mrs check out the website and check out the itineraries for anything she wants to do. edit: RIP Paul Reubens gonna pour one out for my homie at Oga's in a few weeks.
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Jul 31, 2023 20:37
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Jose Oquendo posted:Thank you so much for that post. That's just the sorta info I need. Awesome. I really think you guys are going to have a blast once you get around to picking out your dates and itinerary. The Wish is a great ship in its own right, but I definitely recommend doing the 4-night option just to give yourself a full day to chill, explore the ship a little and otherwise not do a ton, if you're not in a place to spring for the back-to-back cruise. The three-night cruise is tough because by the time you feel like you're on vacation, you realize you've got to pack the next day. For what it's worth, the Wonder is actually my favorite ship. My wife adores the Fantasy, and from a more objective standpoint, I think the Fantasy is the best in class overall. It just seems to offer the most of what makes DCL unique in the industry. That said, the Wish honestly had my favorite dining on the fleet, and the best iteration of Palo, the upcharge Italian dining on board all the ships. Plus they have more themed bars, and some of the best cocktails I've had aboard a cruise ship. For me, the biggest weakness of the Wish is that I love to spend a good bit of time soaking in the hot tub, and it only has one hot tub available outside of the spa. I didn't get to use it at all during the three-night sailing. We happened to splurge on the Rainforest pass for the Spa, and it was a good thing because the spa has two hot tubs.
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Jul 31, 2023 21:49
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Another vote for Wonder as favorite here. We did Wish back in May for the first time. It does have some cool stuff, the dining rooms and bars are all incredibly well themed. I also hear they are finally fixing those loving elevator buttons that will basically all activate if you so much as breath in their direction, so that's a huge win. The shows are also spectacular of course. My main gripe really is just the adults only area is not only an after thought, it's also just a pain in the rear end to get to. Every other ship, it's easy to just pop right into the quiet cove area with little effort, pop out and refill your mug somewhere, pop back in and get a drink, and there's ample seating and hot tubs. The Wish just sorta does away with all of that. Since we used to spend most of our time in the adult areas on our previous cruises, this obviously took some adjusting.
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Jul 31, 2023 22:34
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Worst part of the adults-only section on the Wish: "Ayuck, ya made it! Please stand up, and exit to the right!" Every. loving. 30. Seconds.
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Jul 31, 2023 22:54
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I've never been on any cruise, but snorkeling to find sunken parks props sounds like a fuckin' blast.
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Jul 31, 2023 23:01
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TheBigBudgetSequel posted:The movie is chock full of references to the ride, and feels like a better adaptation of the ride itself than the 2003 movie. The plot of the 2003 movie is a bit more straightforward though. Definitely. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I feel like this was pretty heavily marketed, but everyone has D+ and they know within 60-90 days, these movies are going to be on streaming so they're just not going to see them (I can't really blame them). I got lucky in that Knott's Scary Farm opening night is the night before I leave Anaheim, so I got admission + express to that, mostly because I want to be able to able to do the whole event since I won't have a chance to get back this year. I missed on Oogie Boogie Bash tickets for DLR, so I spent that money on my Knott's night instead. I'll probably end up doing a non-Scary Farm day at Knott's as well if I feel up to it since I have a built in rest day.
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Jul 31, 2023 23:08
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Omne posted:Worst part of the adults-only section on the Wish: The worst part is how incredibly small and cramped it is, but it's also the only place you can find a hot tub without paying for the rainforest room. I enjoyed the Wish (as a first-time Disney cruiser), but I absolutely see where it could've been designed better, or at least by someone with experience laying out cruise ships.
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Jul 31, 2023 23:32
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Akileese posted:Definitely. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I feel like this was pretty heavily marketed, but everyone has D+ and they know within 60-90 days, these movies are going to be on streaming so they're just not going to see them (I can't really blame them). I think it'll probably hit D+ in time for Halloween and it might have a second wind that way.
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Jul 31, 2023 23:50
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