Christmas Town 2019

[Nicole]

Since there have been several comparisons to Disney in this thread, I wanted to share a few things I saw this week.

The hated orbs are being used in Epcot, and seem to be scattered fairly randomly on the ground:




The lights aren’t always on. Here are two sides of the same tunnel:

?


Universal Studios uses the orbs, too, and I see a dead strand:

 

[halfabee]

My heavens!

Why, I bet they didn’t even create a custom lighting program for them! ?

 

[Thomas]

Meanwhile, at Glowy Light Orb Inc. :

 

[GrandpaD]

SEAS had the rights to use them in any way they want to similar to sesame.

Not quite. While the picture taking should have been allowed, there are more restrictions regarding Rudolph than Sesame.This came via David Cromwell a few years back when asked why there wasn't a bigger "presence" (signs at the entry, etc.). David replied there were many restrictions to the Rudolph rights that handcuff what they're allowed to advertise/promote.

 

[WDWRLD]

You left out the massive use of orbs at Tomorrowland Speedway which are programmed, and which I still despise. And for the programming comment, the BGW orbs are programmed, the walls of lights are not.

 

[Nicole]

I didn’t get a good picture of the Speedway, when we were there earlier in the month.

I think my point is that no park, even Disney, is perfect.

 

[BGWnut]

Not quite. While the picture taking should have been allowed, there are more restrictions regarding Rudolph than Sesame.This came via David Cromwell a few years back when asked why there wasn't a bigger "presence" (signs at the entry, etc.). David replied there were many restrictions to the Rudolph rights that handcuff what they're allowed to advertise/promote.

That was true initially but it was my understanding that was the initial contract and the more recent long term agreement with SEAS gave them more rights to the characters. Hence the expanded merch offerings and things like showing the film in the village.

 

[IRideCoasters]

Anyone know if bolt or invadr typically start running? Is it at park opening? Thanks

 

[BGWnut]

Anyone know if bolt or invadr typically start running? Is it at park opening? Thanks

Yes it's at park opening.

 

[mikes]

I’ll just say found me as flat there aren’t photo people randomly around the park. Don’t really want to be harassed for hours for a photo, especially which how good some smart phone cameras are.

I wouldn't want to be harassed either. At Disney parks, you approach the photographer in many places. Yes, smart phones and the SLR I carry around are better than what the park uses, but I hate asking others to take my photos with my stuff.

 

[warfelg]

I wouldn't want to be harassed either. At Disney parks, you approach the photographer in many places. Yes, smart phones and the SLR I carry around are better than what the park uses, but I hate asking others to take my photos with my stuff.

I'm very much with you, and with the uncertainty with some people out there, I tend to not ask strangers to take pictures for me.

 

[MIKEYT67]

It would also be nice if those photographers would take the photo as well as taking one with your phone if you wanted. Many many people take photos infront of the tree and post them online, thats free advertising. But although I dont do many characters like Santa or Rudolph the one time a couple yearsago that I didthe team member at the door told us to have our cameras ready buy then when I asked at Rudolph I was told no photos and when I tried to take my own the guy kept putting his hand infront of me....he then followed me to Cornelious and did the same thing. We havent been back since to see if thats the norm or what. I have also seen the same type of thing where they do the horse, owl or whatever outside the stables. You can not be inside the gate and take a photo with your personal camera.

So a Busch Gardens employee should take the picture with your phone? Think about that for a minute The photos are an income producing entity

 

[WDWRLD]

So a Busch Gardens employee should take the picture with your phone? Think about that for a minute The photos are an income producing entity

Most places do? Kings Dominion, Hersheypark, and Disney that I know of. And in fact at BGW aparently it depends on the person. I know others who took photos with their own phones and team members took one for them as well but also at times they will not and some power hungry team members are aggressive about it. If you stop a team member anywhere in the park and ask nicely they will also take one for you as long as they are not enguaged in a task that would affect assignment.

 

[Mushroom]

Most places do? Kings Dominion, Hersheypark, and Disney that I know of. And in fact at BGW aparently it depends on the person. I know others who took photos with their own phones and team members took one for them as well but also at times they will not and some power hungry team members are aggressive about it. If you stop a team member anywhere in the park and ask nicely they will also take one for you as long as they are not enguaged in a task that would affect assignment.

At St. Nick’s Pics at KD, you have to pay for the park’s photo- you can’t take your own. There are also a number of locations at WDW where you have to either pay for a photo taken by a professional photographer or have Photopass. Having a random employee take a random picture out in the park is one thing, and the inconsistency is definitely frustrating, but at a photo op or attraction like Rudolph where the entire point is to incentivize guests to buy photos, I don’t get why we should expect the park to offer the photographers’ services for free. They’d be defeating the park’s entire purpose of the service/attraction.

 

[rswashdc]

At St. Nick’s Pics at KD, you have to pay for the park’s photo- you can’t take your own. There are also a number of locations at WDW where you have to either pay for a photo taken by a professional photographer or have Photopass. Having a random employee take a random picture out in the park is one thing, and the inconsistency is definitely frustrating, but at a photo op or attraction like Rudolph where the entire point is to incentivize guests to buy photos, I don’t get why we should expect the park to offer the photographers’ services for free. They’d be defeating the park’s entire purpose of the service/attraction.

When we visited Santa at KD, they took photos for us with my phone, though it wasn’t that busy when we went.

The park is selling professional photographs, which I don’t consider remotely the same as something from my phone. On the other hand if I asked them to take a photo on my SLR, I think they would be well within their rights to refuse that.

 

[WDWRLD]

There are also a number of locations at WDW where you have to either pay for a photo taken by a professional photographer or have Photopass.

Can you provide some examples at WDW where only the "professional photographer" must take the photos? Just courious because I cant think of any that will not allow you to grab your own photo if you want. Also, Photopass is just the name of the whole photo taking system, theres nothing you must have, they take photos, hand you a card or scan your band and you walk away.

 

[GrandpaD]

Centuries ago, while attending Disneyland Employee Training, we were told how to handle "Dad's Not Vacationing with the Family"...when you see a Dad taking a picture of the family in front of whatever. Poor Dad is never in the vacation photos because he's taking all the pictures. We were told to stop, ask if they wanted everyone in the picture and, if yes, take the time to click a family photo. More parks should train employees to look for that.

 

[Zimmy]

My heavens!

Why, I bet they didn’t even create a custom lighting program for them! ?

Dear VA Gazette.

Something something... I'm clutching my pearls... something something

 

[WDWRLD]

Centuries ago, while attending Disneyland Employee Training, we were told how to handle "Dad's Not Vacationing with the Family"...when you see a Dad taking a picture of the family in front of whatever. Poor Dad is never in the vacation photos because he's taking all the pictures. We were told to stop, ask if they wanted everyone in the picture and, if yes, take the time to click a family photo. More parks should train employees to look for that.

This.....and its still that way in training. You pay for photos and they come with extras, the fancy holder or added magic shots. We heavily use Disney Photopass service and I am guessing we have over 1000 photos currently in our account. Even to this day though if we take a very special photo of say a large group or travelers who its a special trip we still take a phone photo just in case the Photopass photo gets lost in the system. Its just a backup, is the Photopass photo better, yes but that phone photo is insurance.

 

[BGWnut]

So a Busch Gardens employee should take the picture with your phone? Think about that for a minute The photos are an income producing entity

He wasn't suggesting that TMs should be using his camera to take pictures. He was pointing out that the TM was actively preventing him from taking a photo with his phone. This is not the parks policy. The TM should have permitted him to use his phone to take a picture.

Centuries ago, while attending Disneyland Employee Training, we were told how to handle "Dad's Not Vacationing with the Family"...when you see a Dad taking a picture of the family in front of whatever. Poor Dad is never in the vacation photos because he's taking all the pictures. We were told to stop, ask if they wanted everyone in the picture and, if yes, take the time to click a family photo. More parks should train employees to look for that.

Years ago when I started working at Busch this was part of their training, I don't know if it still is. This doesn't apply to Santa or other photo locations though. I always did this when I walked around in the park as an employee.

Personally to me I don't care if the photographer will take a photo with my phone at a meet and greet photo location. But I should be able to use my own phone to take pictures in addition to the items the photographer is taking.

This.....and its still that way in training. You pay for photos and they come with extras, the fancy holder or added magic shots. We heavily use Disney Photopass service and I am guessing we have over 1000 photos currently in our account. Even to this day though if we take a very special photo of say a large group or travelers who its a special trip we still take a phone photo just in case the Photopass photo gets lost in the system. Its just a backup, is the Photopass photo better, yes but that phone photo is insurance.

I do the same at Disney. I like to take pictures with my phone while the photographer is taking theirs. Some of my favorite pictures have come this way because I have gotten just some really cute candid photos.

I will say that one thing I find superior at Disney is that they often start taking photos right away instead of waiting for a pose like they do at BGW.