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View Full Version : Second trip report - World of Color



Paradise Pier Pinocchio
08-08-2010, 03:39 PM
Good morning Intercot,

Yesterday was my day to experience World of Color for the first time. I waited a bit to let the Cast Members get the system down a bit and also for some of the newness to wear off.

We had an amazing breakfast to start our day. Ham, eggs, potato cakes, and coffee. Yum!

Got to the resort about 11:30am. Really had nothing that I wanted to do besides WoC for this trip, so was along for the ride as far as the rest of the day went.

Started off heading to DCA after the bag check, then once inside we were off for a Soarin' FP. After getting our FP we watched a few rafts get soaked on GRR! Enjoy doing this a great deal.

After several soaked guests later we were off to the Pier. Stopped by Paradise Park to figure out where we really wanted to watch the show in the evening. (Not knowing what Disney had planned for us)

Had our sights on two locations that would be decent to watch WoC, so it was off to the Pier. We decided to go on TSMM, and had a good time. The only problem was one of the games the 3D was so off, it was hard to play (Alien rings). We told the CM about when exiting the ride. Mainly because we wanted them to be aware of it.

Afterwards we walked back up the Pier to Ariel's Grotto Bar. B picked out spots while I was off to get our picnic lunches. I grabbed our lunches quite quickly because no other guests were in the area. Come early if you don't want to wait in a line. Picked up our blue section FP for WoC too!

Returned to the Cove bar and ate our picnics while having a rather yummy margarita made my Rachelle. Not quite Lisa to me, but a good second choice.

The picnics really aren't horrible but if you are looking for a meal from it, you will be disappointed. It is a snack. There was nothing on the picnic menu that I was even remotely interested in eating, so I went with one of the kids choices, and B got the Asian inspired one. Disney gets an A from me for the presentation and the process of getting the picnics.

Ended up having a very enjoyable time eating our picnic lunches and sipping on our adult beverages. Met a very nice couple from SD so chat for a while too.

After our snack, we decided to head off to get FP for ToT. Walked around the area a little bit. Then headed back to ride Soarin. Enjoyable as usual. Then off to the Pier.

Was in the need for speed so we qued up for Screamin. Love this coaster.

After Screamin we went on TSMM again and then it was off to the park to "hang out". We talked to several CMs to try to figure out where we should go to "get in line". We basically wanted to be assured a good view (preferrably one that we had picked out earlier) and figured if we got in line at a decent hour we would have no problem.

Got a different response from each CM that we asked. Really? They don't have this system down yet? Does it still change that often? UGH!

So when we talked to one final CM we were told by the balloons. So we started to linger in that area. After about fifteen or twenty minutes standing in that area a few CMs came and put up a barricade. This created the cattle pen and quickly guests were huddled up in the area with about twenty five or so in front of us. Bad show! Wish they would come up with a better system here. Bad crowd control.

Movies have a system for popular flicks that come out. Can't Disney look at some other possibilities?

Ok. So now standing with the herd for about another fifteen minutes or so and then they let us into the park. So bad here too people. Everyone takes off and CMs are just trying not to get trampled. They aren't in control it is just about self preservation.

Handed a CM our FP and we were off to the Blue viewing area. Another bad execution by Disney was that they had the whole area roped off. Couldn't get to where we had picked out earlier. We got as close as we could to the spot but were a good thirty feet in front of where I wanted to be.

What is the point here? You have no choice? We are just cattle being herded into whatever location Disney wants us? Uhm...no. So B stood fuming, I relaxed and started up a conversation with a very nice CM in our area. Courtney you rock!

We had planned on sending B to get some food once we got to our location but you are so sardined into the location that it seemed near impossible to do this. They came thru with sodas for sale, popcorn and cotton candy but that wasn't the sort of food we had in mind.

So after about another fifteen minute wait the preshow started. At that point B and I started to have a good time. We were both taking pictures of the characters and of the pier. The show was cute but the entertainment with the microphones were horrible.

So after a cheering competetion it was time for the show to begin. Let me tell you where we were situated so you can get a better idea. We were in the first tier up from the boardwalk just to the left of the stairs heading down from the water play area. The stairs and the landing in the center of the tier were yellow section which was priority viewing for the dining packages. From here on out to be referred to as first class. We were in coach. It seriously feels this way. Another bad decision by Disney. Had the information been out there that there would be separate priority viewing for the picnics versus the dining packages, I probably would have spent a little more and gotten the dining package.

So, just as the show begins the landing fills up with guests in that area pushing forward to get a better view. Literally during most of the preshow it was very spread out and we had a great view. As soon as everyone crowded in it the nightmare began.

Parents put their children on their shoulders and instantly we were standing behind all of these nine foot people. Really? How rude. I understand that the kids want to see. I watched more than one parade on my Dad like that in Disneyland but he was always sure that there weren't guests behind him.

So basically at this point the only things we saw were the fountains that shot up high enough to go over a nine foot person.

I enjoyed many of the effects and the fountains, but overall what I saw of the show I didn't care for. It didn't flow. The scenes didn't make sense as to why they were there. There was absolutely no story. Just like "Hey, look what we can do with our fountains".

Maybe if I could have seen what was going on down at the water level, I might have enjoyed it more. Who knows?

The only parts of the show that I really liked was the new animation. The Heimlich and Buzz / Zurg sequences.

The fire sequences seemed like a poor choice environmentally. Does anyone know what is burned here? A complete waste of show time in my humble opinion.

Parts of the show that made no sense to me were the Captain Jack scenes, and the fire sequences. Again, to me it seemed like Disney just saying look at what we can do. Wasn't storytelling at all. (In the next update to WoC look for Tron lightcycles to appear)

The other part of the show that really disturbed me was that we weren't in the wet zone, but got quite a bit of water on us. I felt so dirty at the end of the show. If you look at the water in the bay during the day you will understand why I felt that way. Look at it if you get the chance and then ask yourself, would you like to get sprayed with this or even misted with this??

Ok. So if it weren't for being there with B, I probably would have just left. I was so not happy, but stayed to the end. We talked a little bit to Courtney while the crowd exited giving us a better option so as to not be a part of the herd.

So at this point we are both hungry and upset that we basically wasted our evening. I would have been much happier watching fireworks or Fantasmic.

We stopped by Guest Relations on our way out. The point here was mainly to express our feelings regarding nine foot guests. Chelle here really got me upset even more. She took down our concerns which was great, but then seemed completely uninterested when I said I wouldn't want to watch the show again. I was that upset. The entire handling of the crowd being loaded into the park was awful, the show from my vantage point was awful, and not being able to get out for food was as well awful.

So since she really seemed uninterested in hearing what we had to say, I left even more upset. What is the point of Guest Relations??

If I had it to do all over again, I simply wouldn't go see WoC. I would go to Disneyland instead.

So when we got home, I quickly headed to the shower to clean Paradise Bay off of me. Then after had a snack and talked about the show with B.

I will not watch WoC again. Farther back = no water but no view. Closer = view but even more dirty water.

The whole park is poorly designed to handle WoC. There isn't enough of a tier to handle 9 foot guests. The loading process is so disorganized. And the park isn't large enough to accommodate enough guests.

The end.
;)

:smickey:

faline
08-08-2010, 04:25 PM
Goodness! Sounds like an extremely frustrating day!

Paradise Pier Pinocchio
08-08-2010, 04:32 PM
Actually it wasn't a frustrating day at all.

Just a very poor decision to get involved with WoC. But never would have known if I hadn't done it.

I had a wonderful day honestly if you remove WoC. Had I done ANYTHING else, it would have been more enjoyable.

:smickey:

NotaGeek
08-09-2010, 03:46 AM
Thanks for your report -- it's good to hear the bad, along with the good.

Hopefully I will get to experience it myself soon -- it will be interesting to hear how other people react to it all -- I have no doubt I will have some frustration -- and you KNOW I don't like to get wet! :)
:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Paradise Pier Pinocchio
08-09-2010, 04:27 AM
There needs to be improvements in the loading of the viewing area, and perhaps an entire re-working of the FP system before I would even contemplate seeing it again.

:smickey:

robnadina
08-09-2010, 10:33 AM
Good morning Intercot,

We talked to several CMs to try to figure out where we should go to "get in line". We basically wanted to be assured a good view (preferrably one that we had picked out earlier) and figured if we got in line at a decent hour we would have no problem.

Got a different response from each CM that we asked. Really? They don't have this system down yet? Does it still change that often? UGH!

So when we talked to one final CM we were told by the balloons. So we started to linger in that area. After about fifteen or twenty minutes standing in that area a few CMs came and put up a barricade. This created the cattle pen and quickly guests were huddled up in the area with about twenty five or so in front of us. Bad show! Wish they would come up with a better system here. Bad crowd control.

Movies have a system for popular flicks that come out. Can't Disney look at some other possibilities?

Ok. So now standing with the herd for about another fifteen minutes or so and then they let us into the park. So bad here too people. Everyone takes off and CMs are just trying not to get trampled. They aren't in control it is just about self preservation.

Handed a CM our FP and we were off to the Blue viewing area. Another bad execution by Disney was that they had the whole area roped off. Couldn't get to where we had picked out earlier. We got as close as we could to the spot but were a good thirty feet in front of where I wanted to be.

What is the point here? You have no choice? We are just cattle being herded into whatever location Disney wants us? Uhm...no. So B stood fuming, I relaxed and started up a conversation with a very nice CM in our area. Courtney you rock!

We had planned on sending B to get some food once we got to our location but you are so sardined into the location that it seemed near impossible to do this. They came thru with sodas for sale, popcorn and cotton candy but that wasn't the sort of food we had in mind.

So after about another fifteen minute wait the preshow started. At that point B and I started to have a good time. We were both taking pictures of the characters and of the pier. The show was cute but the entertainment with the microphones were horrible.

So after a cheering competetion it was time for the show to begin. Let me tell you where we were situated so you can get a better idea. We were in the first tier up from the boardwalk just to the left of the stairs heading down from the water play area. The stairs and the landing in the center of the tier were yellow section which was priority viewing for the dining packages. From here on out to be referred to as first class. We were in coach. It seriously feels this way. Another bad decision by Disney. Had the information been out there that there would be separate priority viewing for the picnics versus the dining packages, I probably would have spent a little more and gotten the dining package.

So, just as the show begins the landing fills up with guests in that area pushing forward to get a better view. Literally during most of the preshow it was very spread out and we had a great view. As soon as everyone crowded in it the nightmare began.

Parents put their children on their shoulders and instantly we were standing behind all of these nine foot people. Really? How rude. I understand that the kids want to see. I watched more than one parade on my Dad like that in Disneyland but he was always sure that there weren't guests behind him.

So basically at this point the only things we saw were the fountains that shot up high enough to go over a nine foot person.

I enjoyed many of the effects and the fountains, but overall what I saw of the show I didn't care for. It didn't flow. The scenes didn't make sense as to why they were there. There was absolutely no story. Just like "Hey, look what we can do with our fountains".

Maybe if I could have seen what was going on down at the water level, I might have enjoyed it more. Who knows?

The only parts of the show that I really liked was the new animation. The Heimlich and Buzz / Zurg sequences.

The fire sequences seemed like a poor choice environmentally. Does anyone know what is burned here? A complete waste of show time in my humble opinion.

Parts of the show that made no sense to me were the Captain Jack scenes, and the fire sequences. Again, to me it seemed like Disney just saying look at what we can do. Wasn't storytelling at all. (In the next update to WoC look for Tron lightcycles to appear)

So at this point we are both hungry and upset that we basically wasted our evening. I would have been much happier watching fireworks or Fantasmic.

The whole park is poorly designed to handle WoC. There isn't enough of a tier to handle 9 foot guests. The loading process is so disorganized. And the park isn't large enough to accommodate enough guests.

The end.
;)

:smickey:

Sounds like you had pretty much the same experience I did. I was glad I didnt have my 2 yo with me when I saw this. I didnt think the way the "herded" the crowd into the viewiing area was very dignified. As far as the viewing location for the picnic lunches, I know now to sit higher up and a little further back. I was in the wet zone and had to stand on my toes to see (thanks to all those people that came out of nowhere when the show started). My biggest concern was all the area hopping. I saw about a dozen people going under the ropes to get a better view and giving CM attitude when they were told to go back.
Having experienced it, I have a better idea of how it works, so when I do go again (I will) I will be prepared. I am giving WOC one more chance.
Thanks for the report, I am glad to know it wasnt just me :blush:

BrerGnat
08-09-2010, 12:06 PM
Bummer about WoC. I still haven't seen it, primarily due to fear of an experience such as yours. :(

To address a few points, though:

1. I thought it was common knowledge that the TS Dining Packages got the "best" view. No? That's how I interpreted "Premier Preferred" (TS) vs. "Preferred" (Picnic Lunches) View explanations.

I will only see WoC as part of the TS Dining "experience", because of this. Anecdotal reports online support that the TS dining gets a far better and less crowded viewing spot.

2. Not sure why you bothered to "scope out" Paradise Park beforehand to figure out where you wanted to watch the show from. Didn't you understand that you didn't have a choice in this matter? Maybe having no clear cut expectations as to where you would stand would have alleviated some frustration about not getting "your spot" later on. Just a thought. It's like watching the fireworks in front of the castle. Of course, there are better spots, but you can't show up at 3pm, look around, and decide you want a specific spot, and then return at 8:30pm and expect the same spot to be open.

3. The Picnic Meals are only a snack? Really? I mean, of course the kid's one is a snack size for an adult, but I've seen those meals. They seem like more than enough for a full meal for an average adult...but I do have an issue with not being able to exit the viewing area easily once you are in there, considering you are "in there" for about 2 hours if you see the first show...and selling cotton candy, popcorn, and soda does not seem sufficient at all. They need to bring over a Corn Dog wagon, or something.

4. The "9 ft guests"...UGH! My WORST nightmare. I'm only 5'2"...and already from what I've read, I'll barely be able to see the show unless I'm up against a railing. Really great design Disney...stadium seat movie theaters have better design than this viewing "park". Raze it and build an AMPHITHEATER already!!!

5. Ponchos. Nuff said. ;)

Glad you enjoyed the rest of your day at DCA. I think I'll skip WoC for the near future.

mom2morgan
08-10-2010, 11:35 PM
Sorry you had a disappointing experience! Somehow I ended up in a wheel chair area - I showed up late, and that is where I was directed to. maybe it was an error, but at least I was able to see the show! I looked at some of the other areas, and saw what you describe - I was really glad I hadn't brought my daughter with me as I'm sure she wouldn't have been able to see anything. As for the picnic lunches, my family found them fine as a meal.

Paradise Pier Pinocchio
08-14-2010, 02:02 PM
I decided to send an email to Guest Relations on the Tenth. I just wanted them to understand the situation. Got an email back basically a canned email saying that they hope that I enjoy my next visit to the Disneyland Resort.

Really?

THAT is "guest relations"?

Not in my book.

No mention was made to anything that was in my email.

Now I am even more disappointed with Disney.

so for now....no more sorcerer mickeys.

ps...really poor decisions at a time when my AP is nearing renewal.

Paradise Pier Pinocchio
08-14-2010, 04:13 PM
Ok.
Just got some feedback from a friend that made me feel better about the whole Guest Relations part of my disappointment.

Thank you my friend.
:mickey:

Still won't be seeing WoC again anytime soon, but feel better about going to DLR again.

:smickey: