The year of the Mouse
October 5, 2012 8:51 AM Subscribe
“So, okay, at $649, divide that by 366 visits, brings it down to a $1.77 a day,” he said, showing me the results. “Or, if you turn that around, do 366 visits times $140 for Park Hopper and parking each day, it’s $51,240.” I agreed that an annual pass would be more economical for the 366-day-a-year visitor.
When's the Zooey Deschanel vehicle?
posted by 2bucksplus at 8:54 AM on October 5, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by 2bucksplus at 8:54 AM on October 5, 2012 [4 favorites]
This is an analogy for something.
Several things, actually.
posted by CynicalKnight at 8:57 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Several things, actually.
posted by CynicalKnight at 8:57 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is what purgatory would look like for me, with or without the horseradish sauce on my beef sandwich.
posted by MuffinMan at 8:57 AM on October 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by MuffinMan at 8:57 AM on October 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
I stopped reading at "both received holiday gifts of a $649 annual pass to the park, and both had no job."
posted by phaedon at 8:58 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by phaedon at 8:58 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
You know, this article gave me warm feelings of nostalgia.
It's been a long time since I've read an article that managed to fit on just one page.
posted by Deathalicious at 8:59 AM on October 5, 2012 [16 favorites]
It's been a long time since I've read an article that managed to fit on just one page.
posted by Deathalicious at 8:59 AM on October 5, 2012 [16 favorites]
phaedon: "I stopped reading at "both received holiday gifts of a $649 annual pass to the park, and both had no job.""
Surely that makes the situation more interesting, not less?
posted by Deathalicious at 8:59 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Surely that makes the situation more interesting, not less?
posted by Deathalicious at 8:59 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Who else does this? Disney employees, who get no press. Or like the unlimited plane guy who flies nearly every day for years, except, airplane employees do it for a lifetime. Or the famous mountain climber who does it with the help of 5 nameless Sherpas on their 10th trip. The nameless linebackers who make the quarterback a star.
posted by stbalbach at 9:02 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by stbalbach at 9:02 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
Cuz the unemployed should definitely have control over what kind of gifts they receive. I mean, doesn't everybody?
posted by jacquilynne at 9:03 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 9:03 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
I stopped reading at "both received holiday gifts of a $649 annual pass to the park, and both had no job."
So, you didn't make it to the part that says:
"In April of this year, she found a full-time job as an assistant operations manager at Dekra-Lite, a design firm specializing in Christmas light decorations, and, occasionally, Halloween. ... Reitz, for his part, has been less lucky with employment; he gets by on temp gigs."
posted by griphus at 9:05 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
So, you didn't make it to the part that says:
"In April of this year, she found a full-time job as an assistant operations manager at Dekra-Lite, a design firm specializing in Christmas light decorations, and, occasionally, Halloween. ... Reitz, for his part, has been less lucky with employment; he gets by on temp gigs."
posted by griphus at 9:05 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Who else does this? Disney employees, who get no press.
They do (generally) get paid. I occasionally point out to my coworkers that I only hang out with them because someone pays me to. It's like hanging a pork chop around your neck so the dog will play with you.
posted by rmd1023 at 9:07 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
They do (generally) get paid. I occasionally point out to my coworkers that I only hang out with them because someone pays me to. It's like hanging a pork chop around your neck so the dog will play with you.
posted by rmd1023 at 9:07 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Are there 366 different drugs they could take to make this tolerable or do they just rotate through the same dozen drugs thirty times?
posted by Blue Meanie at 9:08 AM on October 5, 2012 [11 favorites]
posted by Blue Meanie at 9:08 AM on October 5, 2012 [11 favorites]
Having been to Disneyland only once (and while I was too short to ride any of the good rides to boot), I am extremely jealous. (Of the going to Disneyworld every day, not of being unemployed.)
posted by Strass at 9:10 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by Strass at 9:10 AM on October 5, 2012
Maybe this makes me lame but if I lived ten miles from Disney Land and got a free annual pass, I'm not sure that I would go even once (unless I had to babysit or something along those lines).
posted by gagglezoomer at 9:12 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by gagglezoomer at 9:12 AM on October 5, 2012
I think it would be fascinating to know something so well, its rhythms, etc. Perhaps even better than an employee, since you would have more time to observe.
posted by Bovine Love at 9:16 AM on October 5, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by Bovine Love at 9:16 AM on October 5, 2012 [7 favorites]
People who do not have yearly passes pay between $87 and $140 for a single Disneyland visit‽ I went there several times as a child, thanks to a kindly grandfather who lived in the area, but I don't remember it being $140 worth of fun.
posted by cmonkey at 9:17 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by cmonkey at 9:17 AM on October 5, 2012
I just don't get Disneyland. I've lived in LA a long time and have zero desire to go down there. You might as well call this A Guy, A Girl and 366 Day at Solvang.
posted by phaedon at 9:18 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by phaedon at 9:18 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Why don't they work at Disneyland?
posted by resurrexit at 9:19 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by resurrexit at 9:19 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I can think of few faster ways to ruin something you enjoy than getting a job doing it.
posted by griphus at 9:22 AM on October 5, 2012 [11 favorites]
posted by griphus at 9:22 AM on October 5, 2012 [11 favorites]
I went to Disneyland when I was a kid, not long after it first opened in the 1950s. I loved Tomorrowland, and I really really looked forward to the flight around the moon. Cartoons up and down, but the seat vibrated, so it was good. The satellite diorama was pretty neat, almost as if I could see Los Angeles from space. The fort in Frontierland was cool, except for the cement rocks. Best was when the boat driver in Adventureland shot the hippo, just like they showed in TV.... Tinkerbell never showed up. That's what a young lad really wants to see, you know. That trip lasted me for quite a while, until I found out about Werner. What a bummer that was.
posted by mule98J at 9:23 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by mule98J at 9:23 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Why don't they work at Disneyland?
Because they're all mickey mouse jobs?
posted by MuffinMan at 9:24 AM on October 5, 2012 [7 favorites]
Because they're all mickey mouse jobs?
posted by MuffinMan at 9:24 AM on October 5, 2012 [7 favorites]
This is like some kind of monstrously Sisyphean horror story to me, really.
posted by elizardbits at 9:27 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by elizardbits at 9:27 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm pretty sure that on your 100th visit, Disney snatches you up, takes you to a back room in Sleeping Beauty Castle and turns you fully animatronic.
Didn't the author notice the whirring sounds?
posted by orme at 9:32 AM on October 5, 2012
Didn't the author notice the whirring sounds?
posted by orme at 9:32 AM on October 5, 2012
I'm pretty sure that on your 100th visit, Disney snatches you up...
It happens sooner than your 100th visit.
posted by marxchivist at 9:36 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
It happens sooner than your 100th visit.
posted by marxchivist at 9:36 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
I hate crowds (and thus Disneyland) but I think this is a very sweet story.
I'm going to LA by myself later this month. I toyed with the idea of going to Disneyland but I thought that would be very very cruel to my pre-teen. (unless I go and keep it a secret!)
posted by vespabelle at 9:38 AM on October 5, 2012
I'm going to LA by myself later this month. I toyed with the idea of going to Disneyland but I thought that would be very very cruel to my pre-teen. (unless I go and keep it a secret!)
posted by vespabelle at 9:38 AM on October 5, 2012
The nameless linebackers who make the quarterback a star.
You probably mean linemen. Linebackers are nearly the defensive equivalents of quarterbacks. They're more likely to make a quarterback unconscious than a star.
And now I'll return to my small hole where I read Sagarin rankings and act as a part-time football pendant.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:49 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
You probably mean linemen. Linebackers are nearly the defensive equivalents of quarterbacks. They're more likely to make a quarterback unconscious than a star.
And now I'll return to my small hole where I read Sagarin rankings and act as a part-time football pendant.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:49 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'm surprised the cost of a yearly pass is so low. That's like 5-6 visits.
Also, I hate Disneyland. This sounds indeed like a nightmare.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:53 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, I hate Disneyland. This sounds indeed like a nightmare.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:53 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm surprised the cost of a yearly pass is so low. That's like 5-6 visits.
By park admission alone, the WDW annual pass is just over $610, which is less than a 9 day ($328) + Park Hopper ($57) + No Expire ($250) ticket, totaling $635. So, if you think you might be going more than 9 days in two trips, the AP is cheaper. The renewal is about $50 cheaper.
Also, the AP gives you free parking at the parks. This isn't a factor if you're staying in a Disney resort, but it is if you're driving in from off property, where it's on the order of $15/day to park.
posted by eriko at 10:06 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
By park admission alone, the WDW annual pass is just over $610, which is less than a 9 day ($328) + Park Hopper ($57) + No Expire ($250) ticket, totaling $635. So, if you think you might be going more than 9 days in two trips, the AP is cheaper. The renewal is about $50 cheaper.
Also, the AP gives you free parking at the parks. This isn't a factor if you're staying in a Disney resort, but it is if you're driving in from off property, where it's on the order of $15/day to park.
posted by eriko at 10:06 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
There is a book at one of the information kiosks that has details on the tartan pattern of the skirts for some of their cast members. I know this, because I can relate to these people in a very twisted way.
posted by Chuffy at 10:12 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by Chuffy at 10:12 AM on October 5, 2012
People who go every day seem pretty rare, but every week isn't at all uncommon amongst the more intense fans with APs. (Although I gather that the reaction of some Disney CMs to the really ardent adult visitors seems kind of, shall we say, mixed.)
Went several times as a kid, as I grew up nearby, but haven't been to the main park since '86; did go to DCA right after it opened and before Disney started throwing money at it, so that was a deeply depressing experience.
posted by thomas j wise at 10:16 AM on October 5, 2012
Went several times as a kid, as I grew up nearby, but haven't been to the main park since '86; did go to DCA right after it opened and before Disney started throwing money at it, so that was a deeply depressing experience.
posted by thomas j wise at 10:16 AM on October 5, 2012
This isn't a factor if you're staying in a Disney resort, but it is if you're driving in from off property, where it's on the order of $15/day to park.
Is it possible to go via public transit?
posted by mrgrimm at 10:25 AM on October 5, 2012
Is it possible to go via public transit?
posted by mrgrimm at 10:25 AM on October 5, 2012
Is it possible to go via public transit?
HA HA, Southern California has no existant or widespread public transit to speak of.
posted by kurosawa's pal at 10:32 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
HA HA, Southern California has no existant or widespread public transit to speak of.
posted by kurosawa's pal at 10:32 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
I wish this were more interesting than it is. They do something weird, they seem to have a few bits of trivia about it, but it seems oddly aimless. Especially with so much to work with. Or maybe I'm just jaded by a world that makes me expect something like this should be associated with an art project, a blog, a book, a video documentary, etc.
posted by Miko at 10:34 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Miko at 10:34 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
I seem to remember that Lokheed moved to Florida for the express purpose of taking his son to Disneyland as much as possible. At last count, his son had ridden one ride over 3,000 times.
posted by MrMoonPie at 10:49 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by MrMoonPie at 10:49 AM on October 5, 2012
Southern California has no existant or widespread public transit to speak of.
Nope. Metro runs a bus from downtown Los Angeles to Disneyland. The 460 Express. It takes 2 hours, but it goes there and it runs late. And Anaheim runs a bus from their Metrolink station to the park. But the full price annual pass does come with parking included.
I love Disneyland. My ladyfriend and I go once a year for either of our birthdays. It is a complete and wonderful fantasy land where attention has been paid to every single detail. From the roving bands to the smiling employees, everyone makes sure that you can have a good time if you want to. It's escapism, certainly, but sometimes you need to get away.
posted by hwyengr at 10:52 AM on October 5, 2012 [10 favorites]
Nope. Metro runs a bus from downtown Los Angeles to Disneyland. The 460 Express. It takes 2 hours, but it goes there and it runs late. And Anaheim runs a bus from their Metrolink station to the park. But the full price annual pass does come with parking included.
I love Disneyland. My ladyfriend and I go once a year for either of our birthdays. It is a complete and wonderful fantasy land where attention has been paid to every single detail. From the roving bands to the smiling employees, everyone makes sure that you can have a good time if you want to. It's escapism, certainly, but sometimes you need to get away.
posted by hwyengr at 10:52 AM on October 5, 2012 [10 favorites]
Man you guys sure like using "Disneyland" and "Disneyworld" interchangably
posted by anazgnos at 10:54 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by anazgnos at 10:54 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
And now I'll return to my small hole where I read Sagarin rankings and act as a part-time football pendant.
Hmm, how much do you weigh, and what are your rates?
posted by adamdschneider at 10:56 AM on October 5, 2012
Hmm, how much do you weigh, and what are your rates?
posted by adamdschneider at 10:56 AM on October 5, 2012
I'm surprised the cost of a yearly pass is so low. That's like 5-6 visits.
The annual pass at our local theme park pays for itself in two visits, three if you don't count parking. Six Flags season passes work out similarly. I think it's a testament to Disney's popularity that they can get that much for an annual pass.
posted by chazlarson at 10:58 AM on October 5, 2012
The annual pass at our local theme park pays for itself in two visits, three if you don't count parking. Six Flags season passes work out similarly. I think it's a testament to Disney's popularity that they can get that much for an annual pass.
posted by chazlarson at 10:58 AM on October 5, 2012
Man you guys sure like using "Disneyland" and "Disneyworld" interchangably
posted by anazgnos at 10:54 AM on October 5 [+] [!]
Uh, nobody is doing that. We're all talking about Disneyland in California. I assume Strass' reference is a typo.
Southern California has no existant or widespread public transit to speak of.
And that's absolutely ridiculous. It looks like are a good 100 bus lines or so. It was actually an honest question.
Thanks for the serious response, hwyengr. I figured there MUST be, but was curious which one.
Now I know. Protip: "A little secret to getting past the whole 2 hours from Downtown MONDAY-FRIDAY is to take the OCTA 721 from Downtown LA to Fullerton Park and Ride and then switch to the 460. That will get you to Disneyland a heck of a lot faster"
posted by mrgrimm at 11:07 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by anazgnos at 10:54 AM on October 5 [+] [!]
Uh, nobody is doing that. We're all talking about Disneyland in California. I assume Strass' reference is a typo.
Southern California has no existant or widespread public transit to speak of.
And that's absolutely ridiculous. It looks like are a good 100 bus lines or so. It was actually an honest question.
Thanks for the serious response, hwyengr. I figured there MUST be, but was curious which one.
Now I know. Protip: "A little secret to getting past the whole 2 hours from Downtown MONDAY-FRIDAY is to take the OCTA 721 from Downtown LA to Fullerton Park and Ride and then switch to the 460. That will get you to Disneyland a heck of a lot faster"
posted by mrgrimm at 11:07 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Okay, first of all, Disneyland is in California. Walt Disney World is in Florida. Don't confuse the two.
Second, what I like about Disneyland is that it's constricted by space, and as a result is a lot easier to grok than Walt Disney World. It's nearly possible to "do the park" in a single day, although you'll only be hitting the highlights and a few other things.
I spent a decade going to Disneyland every year like a pilgrimage. It was always a great time for me, whether I had LSD or not. (The times I had LSD were also a great time, but were also something else entirely.)
If I lived within an easy driving distance of Disneyland, I'd totally get an annual pass. There's a lot of nooks and crannies in the park which I've only seen in passing. There's an ebb and flow to the park which I've heard about and would love to experience via close-occurring repeat visits. There's a subtlety to the park which can easily get lost on one- or two-day visitors, because they're focussed on the big things and not the small.
Really, Disneyland, for whatever I may think of Disney as a corporation, is a pretty sublime experience. It's easy to knock it if you've only been there once or twice, but even my 10 or 11 visits there across the course of a decade showed me glimpses of how it's a lot more than just a bunch of rides with long lines. I'd love to get to know it better, and these two (no matter what their circumstances outside the park) are lucky to have gotten that opportunity.
posted by hippybear at 11:10 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
Second, what I like about Disneyland is that it's constricted by space, and as a result is a lot easier to grok than Walt Disney World. It's nearly possible to "do the park" in a single day, although you'll only be hitting the highlights and a few other things.
I spent a decade going to Disneyland every year like a pilgrimage. It was always a great time for me, whether I had LSD or not. (The times I had LSD were also a great time, but were also something else entirely.)
If I lived within an easy driving distance of Disneyland, I'd totally get an annual pass. There's a lot of nooks and crannies in the park which I've only seen in passing. There's an ebb and flow to the park which I've heard about and would love to experience via close-occurring repeat visits. There's a subtlety to the park which can easily get lost on one- or two-day visitors, because they're focussed on the big things and not the small.
Really, Disneyland, for whatever I may think of Disney as a corporation, is a pretty sublime experience. It's easy to knock it if you've only been there once or twice, but even my 10 or 11 visits there across the course of a decade showed me glimpses of how it's a lot more than just a bunch of rides with long lines. I'd love to get to know it better, and these two (no matter what their circumstances outside the park) are lucky to have gotten that opportunity.
posted by hippybear at 11:10 AM on October 5, 2012 [6 favorites]
I went to college in Southern California. During my freshman year my girlfriend and I got Disneyland annual passes, and we went to the park every other weekend. We never helped steer the Mark Twain, but one winter evening we boarded the riverboat just before the nightly fireworks and soap-bubble-snowstorm spectacular. After leaving the loading dock the boat came to a standstill in the waters opposite New Orleans Square, and then all the shipboard lights went dark. We watched the fireworks from the top deck. We thought it was really neat.
posted by mediated self at 11:16 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by mediated self at 11:16 AM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Don't forget turning the Haunted House into a Nightmare Before Christmas ride from Thanksgiving to New Years. Even the food gets a twist, Zero dog bone bread sticks with dog bowl soup, hehe.
posted by real_paris at 11:24 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by real_paris at 11:24 AM on October 5, 2012
If I were the Devil I would make the pass half price as long as you were required to go to the "It's a Small World After All" ride each time as soon as you entered the park.
actually I don't know if that ride even exists any more. The last time I went to Disney World they had tickets
posted by Podkayne of Pasadena at 11:27 AM on October 5, 2012
actually I don't know if that ride even exists any more. The last time I went to Disney World they had tickets
posted by Podkayne of Pasadena at 11:27 AM on October 5, 2012
Haunted Mansion Holiday is corrupt and evil.
posted by anazgnos at 11:29 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by anazgnos at 11:29 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I had an annual pass to Disneyland for 3 years back when my daughter was a toddler. Twice a week, more or less, we would go for a couple of hours. Usually it was just pushing the stroller around and people-watching because she wasn't into rides at all, however she did like the train ride around the park. We went to get some stimulation, take in the colors and the shapes and the noise. Disneyland is a lovely place and it is spotless and Adventureland has such a different ambiance to Tomorrowland or Frontierland that it never gets old. While I enjoyed these gentle forays into the park with my toddler it was the night I went with another Mom and we rode all the adult rides that I remember as the best time I've ever had. The Dads had to stay at home with the kids and it was such a great, great pleasure to be completely carefree for one night.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:37 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:37 AM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Cheetah Chrome's Disneyland story is awesome. (google books link)
posted by anazgnos at 11:57 AM on October 5, 2012
posted by anazgnos at 11:57 AM on October 5, 2012
I worked for three summers at a historic park close to my house. It was always interesting seeing the people who had bought an annual pass. There was a gentleman and his grandson I would pick up on the streetcar every Sunday at 9am, they would come in for the free breakfast, ride the ferris wheel and go home. Got to see them so often I would let the grandson ride up front on the streetcar, and I think the train engineers would do the same thing.
Next summer there was a live in nanny that would come in about every other day with three wards in tow. I was working as a blacksmith by this time and I always made a point of sweeping off the seats for them (coal dust gets EVERYWHERE). They would sit around for an hour or so while I worked, asking the odd question or two. It kind of added a pleasant routine to the place.
Of course, there was also a local halfway house that would buy passes for its residents, most with metal disorders. Always added a bit of spice to the proceedings.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 12:21 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Next summer there was a live in nanny that would come in about every other day with three wards in tow. I was working as a blacksmith by this time and I always made a point of sweeping off the seats for them (coal dust gets EVERYWHERE). They would sit around for an hour or so while I worked, asking the odd question or two. It kind of added a pleasant routine to the place.
Of course, there was also a local halfway house that would buy passes for its residents, most with metal disorders. Always added a bit of spice to the proceedings.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 12:21 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I admit I think it's weird, but then I am from New Jersey and think nothing of going to the boardwalk every day.
posted by Miko at 12:35 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 12:35 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I"m always a bit shocked when I meet adults who want to go to Disneyland (for themselves.. they don't even have kids).
This just sounds absolutely horrible to me.
posted by mary8nne at 12:50 PM on October 5, 2012
This just sounds absolutely horrible to me.
posted by mary8nne at 12:50 PM on October 5, 2012
From a process/procedure wonk perspective, Disney is full on brilliant. When it eventually comes time to start rounding us all up and feeding us into the solyent-making machines, Disney is going to do the queueing and it'll keep everyone mellow.
I've been to Disney (although world, not land) a few times as an adult, and really enjoyed it. I have gone to other theme parks and don't really care about how they manage to do what they do, but Disney makes me curious how they manage it.
posted by rmd1023 at 12:58 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've been to Disney (although world, not land) a few times as an adult, and really enjoyed it. I have gone to other theme parks and don't really care about how they manage to do what they do, but Disney makes me curious how they manage it.
posted by rmd1023 at 12:58 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
actually I don't know if that ride even exists any more. The last time I went to Disney World they had tickets
Amazingly enough, it does. Aside from the ride being completely annoying, the building the ride is housed in is an absolute horror show of presentation compared to anything newer. Most dark rides at Disneyland have some sort of false front that you can see from the park, but the actual ride takes place in some giant warehouse that you can't really see (Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones, stuff like that), and that's the case for this one as well. At least the other rides try to hid the warehouse aspect of the ride from the inside, but not Small World. If you look over the edge of the boat, you can see all kinds of cables running around on the floor, the water track is just some thing they ran through a bunch of rooms, and the damn thing has an acoustical drop ceiling through most of the building. It's nuts how shoddy the thing looks from the inside.
posted by LionIndex at 12:59 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Amazingly enough, it does. Aside from the ride being completely annoying, the building the ride is housed in is an absolute horror show of presentation compared to anything newer. Most dark rides at Disneyland have some sort of false front that you can see from the park, but the actual ride takes place in some giant warehouse that you can't really see (Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones, stuff like that), and that's the case for this one as well. At least the other rides try to hid the warehouse aspect of the ride from the inside, but not Small World. If you look over the edge of the boat, you can see all kinds of cables running around on the floor, the water track is just some thing they ran through a bunch of rooms, and the damn thing has an acoustical drop ceiling through most of the building. It's nuts how shoddy the thing looks from the inside.
posted by LionIndex at 12:59 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
I sure do love Disney WorldLand. And I've never been!
posted by blue_beetle at 2:11 PM on October 5, 2012
posted by blue_beetle at 2:11 PM on October 5, 2012
I"m always a bit shocked when I meet adults who want to go to Disneyland (for themselves.. they don't even have kids).
This just sounds absolutely horrible to me.
Going to Walt Disney World or Disneyland as an adult with no kids is fun. I've been doing it almost every year since I became an adult.
It's really no different from people who attend high school football games (who don't even have kids) or people who go see the Harry Potter movies (who don't even have kids) or people who build Lego models (who don't even have kids), etc.
posted by kimberussell at 2:16 PM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
This just sounds absolutely horrible to me.
Going to Walt Disney World or Disneyland as an adult with no kids is fun. I've been doing it almost every year since I became an adult.
It's really no different from people who attend high school football games (who don't even have kids) or people who go see the Harry Potter movies (who don't even have kids) or people who build Lego models (who don't even have kids), etc.
posted by kimberussell at 2:16 PM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'm at least a little bit skeptical that the employed woman hasn't missed a single day this year. For one thing, the park closes as early as 6p.m. on some weekdays, so unless she gets off work unusually early, she'd have to really make good time in order to barely make it into the park. (assuming a 30 minute commute, it's still about another 20+ minutes from the time you enter the parking structure to the time you can reasonably expect to enter the park itself. Not impossible, of course, but definitely a challenge.
And for anyone who was wondering: there is no second "ride." If "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" is a "ride" solely due to the word's inclusion in its title, then it is the ONLY ride at Disneyland (or California Adventure, for that matter.) No other attractions have the word "ride" as part of their name.
Also, the bit about visiting Disneyland City Hall to find out how many days you've visited the park is bogus. You can find out "how many times your pass has been used" from certain areas (ticket booths and Annual Pass processing center) but it does not keep track of which days you've visited, only how many times the pass has been scanned (re-entering on the same day will count as 2 visits)
posted by ShutterBun at 3:08 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
And for anyone who was wondering: there is no second "ride." If "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride" is a "ride" solely due to the word's inclusion in its title, then it is the ONLY ride at Disneyland (or California Adventure, for that matter.) No other attractions have the word "ride" as part of their name.
Also, the bit about visiting Disneyland City Hall to find out how many days you've visited the park is bogus. You can find out "how many times your pass has been used" from certain areas (ticket booths and Annual Pass processing center) but it does not keep track of which days you've visited, only how many times the pass has been scanned (re-entering on the same day will count as 2 visits)
posted by ShutterBun at 3:08 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
According to US news and world Report from 2011, Southern California (LA/Long Beach/Santa Ana) has the third BEST public transit in the US.
posted by GregorWill at 3:53 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by GregorWill at 3:53 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
I have to confess to being unsurprised by all the Disney hate here, but I'll also confess to being a recent convert to the awesomeness of Disney parks. My Mother-in-Law took the whole family (all her grown kids, spouses, grandchildren) on a "family trip" which I was dreading (to WDW, not Disneyland), but I ended up being more than pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it was. A couple of nights my husband and I left our son with his grandparents and went back to the park to take advantage of late-night hours.... and as two adults alone without kid in tow had even more fun than we did with him with us.
So I get the hate, but it's really not so awful. It's beautiful, the rides are endlessly fun, it's clean, the food is wonderful, and you're surrounded by happy people. What's not to like?
(Here's the blog of a guy who goes to WDW parks nearly every day.)
posted by anastasiav at 4:03 PM on October 5, 2012
So I get the hate, but it's really not so awful. It's beautiful, the rides are endlessly fun, it's clean, the food is wonderful, and you're surrounded by happy people. What's not to like?
(Here's the blog of a guy who goes to WDW parks nearly every day.)
posted by anastasiav at 4:03 PM on October 5, 2012
There's not enough there for an art project, a blog, a book, a video documentary, but the creative act is in the variety of ways they are able to find to enjoy the park, such as the hours watching ducks and photographs that make them laugh.
For me, this is the heart of the article: Anyone who has suffered a bout of joblessness knows that one of its effects is to spoil leisure. Absent work, play loses its meaning. The bold stroke of Mickesh and Reitz was to forbid the bad from spoiling the good, to enjoy play even without work. Going to Disneyland is, sometimes, a way to persevere.
posted by aniola at 9:53 PM on October 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
For me, this is the heart of the article: Anyone who has suffered a bout of joblessness knows that one of its effects is to spoil leisure. Absent work, play loses its meaning. The bold stroke of Mickesh and Reitz was to forbid the bad from spoiling the good, to enjoy play even without work. Going to Disneyland is, sometimes, a way to persevere.
posted by aniola at 9:53 PM on October 5, 2012 [5 favorites]
Back in 2007, when things were a lot more flush, my company flew everyone in my division to Disney World for an outing (left Friday, came back Sunday). Our expenses were paid, including dinners, we just had to pay for anything at the park.
It surprised me how drunk you can get at Disney World. I had no idea that it was a thing to "drink around the world" - having a beer at every stop on the Epcot World Showcase - or how, on a hot day, this was actually a challenge to complete. Disney is a place for serious drinking. Which never even occurred to me when I was a kid.
Of course, my next trip to Disney World will inevitably be with my daughter. I have to imagine that my mom's anticipation for when she is old enough (she's only 10.5 weeks now) for her first trip is sort of like my anticipation for the first time I went to Disney World as a kid.
posted by graymouser at 5:32 AM on October 6, 2012
It surprised me how drunk you can get at Disney World. I had no idea that it was a thing to "drink around the world" - having a beer at every stop on the Epcot World Showcase - or how, on a hot day, this was actually a challenge to complete. Disney is a place for serious drinking. Which never even occurred to me when I was a kid.
Of course, my next trip to Disney World will inevitably be with my daughter. I have to imagine that my mom's anticipation for when she is old enough (she's only 10.5 weeks now) for her first trip is sort of like my anticipation for the first time I went to Disney World as a kid.
posted by graymouser at 5:32 AM on October 6, 2012
Los Angeles has decent transit, and is investing in new rail lines so things will get better. Orange County has buses but things are so spread out there that it doesn't make sense to walk anywhere, and transit doesn't work without walkable neighborhoods. If you look at the nearest train station to Disneyland in Anaheim, it's in the middle of what might well be the biggest parking lot in Southern California, into which you could fit, say, downtown Boston.
posted by akgerber at 9:22 AM on October 6, 2012
posted by akgerber at 9:22 AM on October 6, 2012
From my perspective (as someone who started going as a child in the 60's) Disneyland is micro-managed in a good way. I realize that for some people this sounds very bourgeoisie since nothing can be unexpected but this does mean that everything in the park is made as pleasant as possible. This means if you don't want to ride anything or buy anything or line-up for anything you can still find many lovely places to walk past and areas where you can sit and enjoy the sight of the army of street sweepers sweep up every kernel of popcorn, every tossed napkin.
I can only assume that those of you who think it sounds horrible have never been on a drizzly Tuesday in November when the park is half empty and you can simply wander about aimlessly. I would say the crowds and the hot Anaheim sun are the only drawbacks to the park. And the entrance fee.
Amazingly enough, it does. Aside from the ride being completely annoying, the building the ride is housed in is an absolute horror show of presentation compared to anything newer.
It was originally designed and built for the 1964 World's Fair and then torn down and rebuilt in Anaheim. It really is a lovely bit of history, unchanged.* Plus it's a 15 minute boat road-- that's a good long time out of the sun. But honestly, the reason why most people ride it over and over is because their young children can't get enough--I know this from experience.
*Just found out from Wikipedia that it did have major renovations in 2008:
I can only assume that those of you who think it sounds horrible have never been on a drizzly Tuesday in November when the park is half empty and you can simply wander about aimlessly. I would say the crowds and the hot Anaheim sun are the only drawbacks to the park. And the entrance fee.
Amazingly enough, it does. Aside from the ride being completely annoying, the building the ride is housed in is an absolute horror show of presentation compared to anything newer.
It was originally designed and built for the 1964 World's Fair and then torn down and rebuilt in Anaheim. It really is a lovely bit of history, unchanged.* Plus it's a 15 minute boat road-- that's a good long time out of the sun. But honestly, the reason why most people ride it over and over is because their young children can't get enough--I know this from experience.
*Just found out from Wikipedia that it did have major renovations in 2008:
Disneyland's It's a small world was closed from January to November 2008 (reopening in holiday version) to receive a major refurbishment.The building's structure was improved, permanent attachments created for the "It's a small world – happy holiday" overlay, the waterflume replaced and propulsion upgraded to electric water jet turbines, and the attraction's aging fiberglass boats redesigned in durable plastic. The refurbishment added 30 new Disney characters each in their native land, such as Ariel under water, Pinocchio in Italy, Cinderella in France with England hosting Alice, the White Rabbit, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. The former New Guinea Room was transformed to North America with Woody, Jessie and Bullseye, and in the South Seas room is Dori, Marlin, Lilo and Stitch. The scenes, figures, props, and set pieces of New Guinea were then added to the end of the South Seas Room.posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:27 AM on October 6, 2012
Disney is a place for serious drinking. Which never even occurred to me when I was a kid.
Actually, EPCOT has been like that for a while. Disneyland, the only place you can get alcohol is Club 33, and not everyone can get in there. Apparently The Magic Kingdom (part of Walt Disney World) will start selling alcohol for the first time in the Be Our Guest french restaurant.
If you want alcohol at Disneyland, you have to get on the Monorail and go to the hotel. There's no public service in the park itself.
posted by hippybear at 4:23 PM on October 6, 2012
Actually, EPCOT has been like that for a while. Disneyland, the only place you can get alcohol is Club 33, and not everyone can get in there. Apparently The Magic Kingdom (part of Walt Disney World) will start selling alcohol for the first time in the Be Our Guest french restaurant.
If you want alcohol at Disneyland, you have to get on the Monorail and go to the hotel. There's no public service in the park itself.
posted by hippybear at 4:23 PM on October 6, 2012
From a process/procedure wonk perspective, Disney is full on brilliant.
Yeah. I've read about how Disneyland has underground service tunnels and its own water processing system. In many ways its another city within Anaheim. Disneyland even has its own plainclothes security officers patrol the park.
I remember talking to former disneyland employee about groping mascots before. Not the sexual harassment cases involving some guy in a Pluto costume though (iirc , most of the time the mascots can't see or feel anything while dressed, so its an accident), but specifically how the Jack Sparrow castmember was harassed by women parkgoers. This happened even when the Jack Sparrow was played by a woman. It got to the point where they had to have a two pirate team protect Jack. He said they might have even pulled the Jack costume at this point. Anyone confirm this?
posted by FJT at 6:10 PM on October 6, 2012
Yeah. I've read about how Disneyland has underground service tunnels and its own water processing system. In many ways its another city within Anaheim. Disneyland even has its own plainclothes security officers patrol the park.
I remember talking to former disneyland employee about groping mascots before. Not the sexual harassment cases involving some guy in a Pluto costume though (iirc , most of the time the mascots can't see or feel anything while dressed, so its an accident), but specifically how the Jack Sparrow castmember was harassed by women parkgoers. This happened even when the Jack Sparrow was played by a woman. It got to the point where they had to have a two pirate team protect Jack. He said they might have even pulled the Jack costume at this point. Anyone confirm this?
posted by FJT at 6:10 PM on October 6, 2012
If you want alcohol at Disneyland, you have to get on the Monorail and go to the hotel. There's no public service in the park itself.
Liquor is served at California Adventure, though. The Carthay Circle restaurant/bar serves California sourced beers, as well as period cocktails.
posted by hwyengr at 6:27 PM on October 6, 2012
Liquor is served at California Adventure, though. The Carthay Circle restaurant/bar serves California sourced beers, as well as period cocktails.
posted by hwyengr at 6:27 PM on October 6, 2012
If you want alcohol at Disneyland, you have to get on the Monorail
MONORAIL!
DISNEYLAND!
I grew up peering through my old Viewmaster, dreaming of the land of Disney, except on Sundays when Walt would show up (IN COLOR), so you can't take the sky from me.
You can't harsh my buzz.
If I ever get to Disneyland that is. I will pay the money, I will enjoy it, and if I need to MONORAIL it to the hotel for extra booze, I WILL SING THE MONORAIL SONG AS GOD IS MY WITNESS.
Because I will be on a monorail.
It's like the future, on ONE TRACK.
posted by Mezentian at 7:18 AM on October 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
MONORAIL!
DISNEYLAND!
I grew up peering through my old Viewmaster, dreaming of the land of Disney, except on Sundays when Walt would show up (IN COLOR), so you can't take the sky from me.
You can't harsh my buzz.
If I ever get to Disneyland that is. I will pay the money, I will enjoy it, and if I need to MONORAIL it to the hotel for extra booze, I WILL SING THE MONORAIL SONG AS GOD IS MY WITNESS.
Because I will be on a monorail.
It's like the future, on ONE TRACK.
posted by Mezentian at 7:18 AM on October 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
« Older The other E. H. Shepard | Duck pond Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by AugieAugustus at 8:53 AM on October 5, 2012