LA Times review of Flicks

[slaakker]

Jonvn, you simply make me laugh anymore. I thank you for all the new ways I have learned to deflect any thought that is different to mine while belittling the person with absolute finesse!:rolleyes:.


Example of a possible conversation with Jonvn,


Slaakker- I like this new version of Coke but I think the old one was better.

Jonvn- Can't just be happy with what Coke puts out? It never seems to be enough for you. And who are you to say the old Coke was better. I have much more experience drinking Coke than you. I am tired of all the street corner nut jobs that say the old coke is better. Same old story.

Slaakker- Well, I was just stating my opinion about how I felt about the new Coke, didn't mean anything personal.

Jonvn- Your opinion means nothing to me.


Come on Jonvn, you gotta laugh at that a little bit

[jonvn]

I don't have conversations like that. That basically is complete falsehood.

You seem to be very interested in what I say.

I always find that odd, but there does seem to be a number of you.

[driftwood714]

Fascinating..

[AgentLaRue]

LOL

[jonvn]

So, are you trying to drop a hint here?

[SJHYM3]

Sad doesnt begin to describe it. It's a shame that everytime a person posts an opinion it's torn apart sentence by sentence. The amount of emotional help needed by some would cost about the same as FFF.

[Instidude]

I personnally enjoy reading jonvn's posts? Why, because he challenges others to truly know what they're posting and why. If you have a strong case, you can also challenge what jonvn is stating (believe it or not, it has happend successfully in past threads). I have not yet had an opportunity to "spar" with jonvn, yet, on a topic, but look forward to it at some point in the future.

If you post something that catches his attention, beware, or be prepared.

Now for my comments:

The biggest thing I've noticed in the past 4 years for me is a renewed and increased view of the Disney parks. As I grew up, I became less enchanted with them, since they did not have the historic thrill rides that my beloved Cedar Point (in my HS years) had. But now, I have two young kids, and I shudder at the thought of taking them at their current ages (4 & 2) to Cedar Point. They love Disney parks, and I love being there with them. It has opened my eyes once again to the "magic" that is at these parks. For as much as people dislike a ride like "Magic Carpets of Alladin" at WDW, since it is as rip-pff of Dumbo, I like it more than Dumbo, since my kids know Alladin, and don't know Dumbo. Same, I'm sure. would be true for FFF, since my son loves that movie.

So, the Disney growth experience goes like this:

1) Youthful fantasy and fun (up to age 10, or so)
2) Looking for more (10 - 16)
3) Where's the big thrills (16 -30) aka what did I see in this park, it needs to get "cooler" for me
4) This place is magical (parenthood with young one's)
5) Remember when our kid's did this? (40 - 55)
6) This place is magical (grandparents with young one's)

Just my thoughts.

[jonvn]

"It's a shame that everytime a person posts an opinion it's torn apart sentence by sentence."

That is how the net works. That's why there is quoting and why you have "replies." If you come online, say something utterly stupid, and expect to be congratulated as if this were a junior high speech class, well, I'm sorry. But I'm really sick of people mindlessly tearing down something I happen to like.

And if you really want me to rip something apart line by line, that's easily enough done, but that's not being done here.

I am tired of the endless whining and complaining by people who don't even know what they are complaining about. They are just complaining. They hear that something is not good, by someone, and they rush to get mad about it without giving it a thought.

In this case, a person was complaining about something. Ok, fine. But what they were complaining about was invalid, and if someone is going to post their opinions as an angry rant, then they ought to expect other people to perhaps challenge that.

Then of course, there are a couple of others, who don't even try to add to the conversation, other than to post about me.

When others became a target for some of these nuts, they start to see. I imagine it might look odd from a different perspective, but this is what is going on.

Now, as an experiment, I am perfectly capable of picking one of you who are enjoying this so much and following you around to rip apart eveyrhing you say all the time, and constantly insult you and on nearly every post you make, too. Do you think you'd find that fascinating? Just to make it more realistic, I'll change names and identites a lot and won't start it for a while. There's no problem in me picking a side to argue from either. The bashing crowd's mindset is so often illogial and senseless that it really requires no effort to copy. Consistency and reason has nothing to do with it, just empty rage and hate. Easy enough. In fact, that's why a lot of these folks are so angry: they can't come up with any more complex of an emotion.

But should I? Nah...following other people around is an indicator of mental illness. Unfortunately, that's what happens now and then to me, and a couple others I know. And ignoring it doesn't do any good. While I ended up one time having to contact the police, another person posted that they were about to before the behavior stopped. That one was getting calls at their home and having sexual messages posted about their five year old daughter. She thought it was a good idea to ignore them, too, until it started getting to the point where she feared for her daughter's safety.

So pardon me if I don't have a whole lot of patience with these freaks.

[jonvn]

"The biggest thing I've noticed in the past 4 years for me is a renewed and increased view of the Disney parks. As I grew up, I became less enchanted with them, since they did not have the historic thrill rides that my beloved Cedar Point (in my HS years) had. But now, I have two young kids, and I shudder at the thought of taking them at their current ages (4 & 2) to Cedar Point. "

You've hit upon a VERY common scenario. And that's kind of what they count on. I've mentioned before that adolescents tend to dislike Disney, partly because they want more thrilling type rides, but also because they are trying to grow up and reject the things of their youth.

When they get a bit older, they come back and bring their kids with them, starting the cycle over again.

This has been a pattern with Disney's offerings starting with their animated features. Most teenagers and 20 year olds don't really want to go see films like Beauty and the Beast, but they will go again to take their kids when they have them. This is why the 7 year re-release cycle was created for Disney features.

Disney does not have a lot of thrill rides, or ones that are very intense. That's on purpose. They are not trying to cater to that crowd as much as they are to this family audience who makes up the majority of the customer base, and who also have the most discretionary income to spend at the parks.

This is all very calculated stuff. They know who they are marketing to and why. When they heard that the park goers didn't think there was enough for kids to do, amongst any and all other problems, they rushed to fix that first. That kids are happy at the park and want to come back while they are still kids is the fundamental important thing for them to achieve. Why? Because while these kids may leave Disney, when they grow up and have kids of their own, their own happy memories of the place will cause them to bring their own kids back.

If you can grab a customer as a child, you likely have them as a customer for life, and you probably will also have their children as your customers. This is the primary way that McDonald's markets itself, and why it markets so very heavily to children. Whenever they try to advertise to adults, they fail (remember Arch Deluxe?). By grabbing the kids, who by necessity bring along other family members, they assure themselves of customers now and in the future.

They really DON'T CARE that a 16 year old thinks the whole thing is boring or stupid. They're not after that group. They're after the kids and their parents, because that is where the money is.

[Instidude]

And I'm going to add...

Back not too many years ago, there was an option of only one, then there were two theme parks for Disney in the whole world!! When I was young, WDW, was fantastic, even with the MK as the only choice. Now, it takes a week to see the place.

Disney has raised the bar on theme parks, but as you've said, they are not catering to everyone. They know their core audience, and continue to build on it. There is no place I would rather go on a vacation to with my family, since the level of quality and entertainment surpass everything else around for a family.

And as a business decision, Disney is in good shape with this, too. You should see the amount of money I drop down for $10 twirling light pieces of plastic. But hey, the kids love them, and that is worth it to me. I also know that spending on the teenage/early twenty years is less than the family spending per person.

So, if I want thrills, I can spend $45 at Cedar Point (you don't get any better than that park for thrills), but for the family, I'll spend $50 at a Disney park.