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Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2017 7:56 pm
by TheCatt
Got it. Sadly 2/4 of us get motion sick. The youngest is the shortest, and the one who loves coaster. Maybe we should wait until she's a bit older/taller.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2019 2:36 pm
by TheCatt
TheCatt wrote: OK, people who have been to Universal Studios. We are pondering taking the kids next Spring or Spring 2019.

The kids love Harry Potter. The kids don't love super-thrilling roller coasters, and neither doe my wife.

What should we do? How many days? Should we repeat in the same park (are there multiple parks?) Are there activities (breakfasts, lunches, whatever) that need reservations? What's actually worth doing?
We are there now. We did the fast pass, stay on park thing.

Not as crowded as we had feared. We bought wands and rode gringots twice before the 1st hour of the park was up.

Now we are taking a post-toothsome lunch nap

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 1:21 pm
by TheCatt
We went to universal studios for 2 days. We did the thing where you stay at a hotel onsite, and can go in early for both days, even though you only stay 1 night. We also got express pass.

The first day was really nice, crowds were much less than we anticipated, and got to do everything we wanted except the Harry Potter train. The express pass meant very few waits. Longest was about 20 minutes when the poors had 60.

2nd day was much more crowded, the regular wait went up to 105 minutes. Our main goals was to do the kids favorite rides again and the train.

The train broke. At first, temporarily, then permanently.

It was fun, but we probably only needed the first day.

I found out what the super fancy do. They pay $3,000 beyond ticket prices and get a tour guide for 8 hours who gets them to the front of every line with absolutely 0 wait, and a private restaurant where they can eat by themselves, or get into any restaurant immediately.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 3:54 pm
by thibodeaux
That actually sounds like a pretty good deal...

Btw your universal story is essentially the same as ours from 4-ish years ago.y wife is very good at the planning. And I liked universal better than Disney.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 4:36 pm
by TheCatt
We liked universal better, too. But we also did Disney over Thanksgiving so it was busy.

Our favorite meal was some chocolate emporium named toothsome, but not named after the dragon.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:56 pm
by Leisher
Disney is amazing if you can catch it at the right time. If you are there with a sea of humanity, it sucks.

They really need to put a guest cap limit on their parks. I know greed with never allow that to happen, but I think they need to balance greed with return customers.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:10 pm
by GORDON
I believe they do cap guests... I hear about them hitting capacity around XMas all the time.

But by then, the park is wall to wall people. So, they need to cap way lower.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:22 pm
by Leisher
Capacity set by fire marshals is different from what I'm proposing.

They need a "guest enjoyment capacity". The first time we were ever there it was perfect. One line was 45 minutes, but everything else was 10 minutes or less. Every ride had people and every restaurant was packed, but it wasn't "PACKED". The second visit was the same. Every visit since has been hit or miss. I know Disney has made a huge push into other countries to get them to visit during Disney's traditionally "dead" times, but they're now insanely crowded and it makes the parks less fun.

The performers no longer have the ability to make things special for guests. Guests are rude to one another. Lines, even fast pass, are way too long. And so on.

There's a balance they need to find. Send people home thrilled and they'll come back again and again. Send people home disappointed and they won't ever be back. Considering Disney is a "destination vacation" that people save up for, they need to make it a "guaranteed perfect time".

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:16 pm
by TheCatt
Yeah, we are certainly in the never again camp for Disney.

Universal would still be a maybe

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:22 am
by thibodeaux
TBH I wouldn't care for most of the Disney parks at all, even if it was just me and the employees. I like roller coasters.

Everything in Magic Kingdom is just...fake and lame. My kids were never into Disney stuff per se, so big whoop seeing some poor schmuck in a furry suit (in the Florida heat and humidity, the poor bastard).

Hollywood Studios has some OK rides, but again, mostly just fake BS.

Epcot...wow. Hey, I actually like that 70s sci-fi Battlestar esthetic, but the experience is literally just walking around an outdoor version of the shopping mall where they shot Logan's Run. And the world pavilion...it's all FAKE shit and shopping (for overpriced crap) and food (and I don't eat).

Haven't seen the rest. Have heard the Avatar ride is pretty good. So what. I'll drive 2 or 3 hours to a Busch Gardens or Carowinds and ride some goddam roller coasters and have fun.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:39 am
by Leisher
We've had some pretty awesome moments at Disney, as I have three daughters who have always been Disney geeks whether it's princesses, Marvel, or Star Wars. So we're all in, but our last visit was the worst of the three we've taken there as a family. Way too crowded. It peaked during a Haunted celebration evening where you pay extra to stick around after park hours and all this additional stuff goes on for "a really limited number of people". (We got the tickets free via a travel agent.) Well guess what? The park was way, way, way oversold. We actually talked to an employee who revealed the park had been overselling events lately, and it was pissing off guests. It was miserable. You couldn't do anything more than just attempt to walk around. That's the type of shit that will send people home with no desire to return and end up being discussed on travel message boards.

Disneyworld is in a position right now where people want to go and they're taking advantage of that. I don't have an issue with them trying to make every buck they can, but I mind it coming at the expense of the consumer's experience. But man, if your kids are into it and you can go when it isn't overcrowded, it's worth it. But if you and your kids aren't into it...why would you go there?

And the fake stuff is the point, right? I don't want into Avatarland thinking I'm actually on Pandora. :D However, kids might think that giant mouse is really the one they see on TV, and end of the day, you're there for them.

My wife and I actually had a discussion about the differences between Disney and other places. We termed it "Theme vs Thrills".

Disney's whole thing is selling you a brief moment inside their fantasy worlds. Every ride and attraction is build around whatever theme and every detail is attended to. And of course it's all fake, I mean, it's based upon a giant mouse that talks.

Amusement parks, on the other hand, are about thrills. They don't put any effort into themes, and if they try, it's always half-assed. And, to be fair, the thrills are fake too...unless something goes horribly wrong...
thibodeaux wrote: I like roller coasters.
Have you been to Cedar Point in Ohio? The world's #1 rated amusement park. If you're a thrill/coaster person, it's a must visit travel destination. Coaster enthusiasts from all over the world travel there every year for the 18 coasters, many of which have been "world's tallest, fastest, etc." at one point or another.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 6:51 am
by thibodeaux
Leisher wrote:
Disney's whole thing is selling you a brief moment inside their fantasy worlds. Every ride and attraction is build around whatever theme and every detail is attended to.
But it's NOT. That's what I mean by "fake." Obviously everyone is aware that everything Disney sells is fiction to being with. But the "experience" or "theme" or whatever at the parks...it goes no deeper than surface level. There's no man behind the curtain. There's no there there. It's all facades and silly animatronics and looping soundtracks. And furries...poor bastards.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 11:29 am
by Leisher
Woman dies falling from roller coaster.

In my advanced age I've been far less willing to ignore my fear of heights, and usually skip coasters these days. Disneyworld being the exception because their coasters are indoors, so there isn't a height aspect.

Still, being far wiser than I was as a kid, I'm far more aware of human mistakes and equipment malfunctions. I don't trust most carnival rides at all.

Ever see the video of the people getting ejected from the Air Max? Fuck that shit.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 11:36 am
by GORDON
Coasters at legit parks don't bother me. That kid getting decapitated at the water park in Kansas bothers me.

The hike at Angel's Landing in Zion Canyon bothers me. I didn't let my kid past the choke point, in spite of hundreds of others doing it every day. One slip, he's gone. He's not happy with me for stopping him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpmuakyEWpo

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 11:50 am
by TheCatt
Leisher wrote: I don't trust most carnival rides at all.
Same.
GORDON wrote: The hike at Angel's Landing in Zion Canyon bothers me.
Oh man. Gives me butt tingles.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 11:55 am
by thibodeaux
Itinerant carnivals, sure. Established parks like Six Flags and the like (the decapitating waterslide notwithstanding), I don't mind.

I love rollercoasters. What's interesting is that as I've aged, I don't *tolerate* them as well. Doesn't give me nausea (yet), but I do get a vertigo/disorientation that doesn't clear up immediately like it did when I was younger.

And I've been on a couple that there was a pretty nasty "shudder" effect that essentially beat my head up, which was really unpleasant.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:29 pm
by TheCatt
thibodeaux wrote: Itinerant carnivals, sure.
When someone says carnival, I picture State/County Fair. Those other things are theme/amusement parks.
thibodeaux wrote: Doesn't give me nausea (yet), but I do get a vertigo/disorientation that doesn't clear up immediately like it did when I was younger.
Same. Fluid in your inner ear changes over time, gets thicker or something.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 12:49 pm
by thibodeaux
TheCatt wrote:
thibodeaux wrote: Itinerant carnivals, sure.
When someone says carnival, I picture State/County Fair. Those other things are theme/amusement parks.
I'm not even worried as much about the State Fair. I mean, if there's any risk, let's put Cheri Berry on the case.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 1:49 pm
by Leisher
thibodeaux wrote: I love rollercoasters. What's interesting is that as I've aged, I don't *tolerate* them as well. Doesn't give me nausea (yet), but I do get a vertigo/disorientation that doesn't clear up immediately like it did when I was younger.
This is my experience as well.

The water slide thing...I've been on a water slide where my body left the slide. That's not cool. I hope they tested it a 1,000 times, but they probably didn't.

Random vacation thoughts and happenstance.

Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2020 1:50 pm
by GORDON
Leisher wrote:
thibodeaux wrote: I love rollercoasters. What's interesting is that as I've aged, I don't *tolerate* them as well. Doesn't give me nausea (yet), but I do get a vertigo/disorientation that doesn't clear up immediately like it did when I was younger.
This is my experience as well.

The water slide thing...I've been on a water slide where my body left the slide. That's not cool. I hope they tested it a 1,000 times, but they probably didn't.
A few years ago I was still enjoying a waterslide-freefall-trapdoor tube.