Time travel is one of the most illusive dreams of the human species. Everyone at least once in their life dreams about being able to go back or forward in their lives.
Well other than in movies, TV and other vehicles of the imagination that isn't possible. You can't go into the past but sometimes the past can come to you.
This week a couple of things have come together that have given me my own little episode of time travel.
The first is a person. He's a 5 year old kindergarten boy who comes to the after school program where I work. Whenever the group goes outside to play "Billy" (not his real name) usually comes over to me and asks me if I want to play "super heroes" with him. He's such a charming little guy that I just can't refuse.
This kid has an energy and an imagination that is seemingly limitless. The superhero he "turned" himself into during the first couple of weeks we played together was "The Flash."
While I sit on the picnic table bench, he runs himself all over the basketball court making a "whooshing" sound and pretending to be moving at super human speed.
Not only that but he made me a super hero too. After my insistence, he turned me into "Rewind Guy." Someone who, with the flick of his left forearm can turn back time. But at his discrection he can block my powers with a different kind of "whoosh" while punching the air with his fists in my direction.
This boy's imagination at one time or another over the last couple of weeks has made the picnic benches both our super hero cars and the headquarters where all the superheroes go for their "official" assembly meeting. While there they stay in their own private rooms.
(By the way you can order room service there. Their specialty is pizza with chicken that tastes like sausage.)
He even made up a little super hero romance. Whispering to me that he is loves the girl with "big white feathers" named "Hawk Girl" because she "wears the prettiest dresses to the meetings."
Then yesterday he advises me that he's no longer The Flash but is now "Fast Shock" a totally new super hero that's even faster than the guy with the lightening bolt on his red suit. I don't know if it is but I believe this is an original creation.
Those are just a few examples of the stories and situations this 5 year old entertains me with each day. He has an seemingly limitless imagination. He looses himself in play and totally commits himself to a "role."
He chooses the currently very popular universe of super heroes. Something he probably sees a lot on TV or on video.
I have to say that he really reminds me a lot of myself at that age. I used imagine myself as other characters in amazing adventures too.
My choices of characters and worlds to identify with and mentally transfer myself into were different. I put myself into the worlds of the TV shows I watched as a kid. I impersonated the afternoon kids show hosts and the characters they performed or the puppets they interacted with. I also committed to my performances.
I mean at his age I had one of my neighbors convinced that my name was "Will Robinson." I was pretending to be the character played by Billy Mummy in the si-fi TV show, "Lost In Space."
So my friend, Billy sends me back in time to the carefree days of my childhood when all I had to do was imagine what adventures I could go on.
The other factor that brings time travel to my door is the recording project I wrote about a month ago. It wasn't until this week that I actually sat down and started transferring the albums I wrote about in my March 16 post.
I'm using the computer program Audacity to make the recordings. Making digital copies of the songs and stories I listened to almost 50 years ago really does take me back.
I just completed copying the original 1961 album of "The Alvin Show." It was the first record I ever remember owning. I also digitalized (is that a word?) the record that came with the General Electric Show N Tell entertainment system I got for my 5th birthday.
One of the sides of the record has a song that I could still sing word for word even before I found a copy of it.
I have others to record that take me back to other times in my life but those are the two things that take me back in time the farthest.
So this week I am experiencing my own personal bit of time travel. Of course I have a tendency to make everyday "throw back Thursday." I just love to reminisce about the times of my life (at least the good ones) the way I remember them.
But sometimes the experience becomes more than just remembering it's on a different level. It's almost tactile.
That's kind of what I've been going through this week. It's kind of like I've been going through my own scene like the one in "The Lion King". The one where Mufasa appears to his son in the night sky and says Simba, you have forgotten who you are."
Perhaps "going back in time" in such a palpable way is reminding me of the qualities I once used without reservation. And also a realization that those qualities are still there ready to be used again.
And I owe it all to a 5 year old boy's imagination and the computer program Audacity.
Billy doesn't care who is around or who is or isn't buying into the adventures of his imagination. When he's running around the playground "at the speed of light." believing in the experience heart and soul.
Maybe that's the another (and more positive) lesson I am supposed to be learning this week.
Hmmm....will have to think about that and use it to get back to my future.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Laptop Down
You really can't tell but today I am writing this blog from a different location. Usually, when I write I am sitting in my love seat recliner in my living room watching TV. Today I am sitting at the monitor connected to my desktop computer in the room next to our carport.
I cannot use my laptop because it is out of a battery power and I cannot charge it. Here's why.
This is our new love seat where Paula and I sit most of the time. My seat is closest to the TV. At the risk of sounding like Sheldon Cooper, it's been "my spot" for a long time.
In order to charge my laptop while reclining in the love seat I plug the AC adapter from into the outlet in the back and feed it up from in between the sections of the love seat. Without going into even longer and more boring details that's the best way to get it plugged into my laptop.
Yesterday, as I pushed the bench down to get out of the recliner I heard an alarming "buzzing" sound, saw a small cloud of smoke and smelled an odor that accompanies a short in a live electrical circuit.
Totally surprised, I quickly jumped up and cautiously looked around and in back of the area to see what had happened. My first instinct was to look to see if the spark had come from either of the power strips or the outlet that's in back of the love seat.
There was no visible evidence that the problem came from either of those two sources. That's when I realized the problem had originated from under the love seat where the laptop's AC adapter and it's cord was snaked in between the sections.
When I had closed the bench, the cord of the adapter, which had bunched up, got caught between the scissored parts of the workings of the love seat and was severed by the pressure of it's closing. That's where the short happened.
I was lucky I hadn't accidentally electrocuted myself. I had never even given thought to the possibility before. Once it did I had a "duh" moment. Why hadn't I considered that ever happening? I'm usually very paranoid about things that could cause a fire. Thank God he kept me safe in spite of myself.
After I had evaluated what had happened, I inspected the AC adapter and realized that it was ruined. I had to order a new one. It is going to take a couple of days to be delivered.
So as I write this post I have less than 30 minutes of battery power left on my laptop. I will soon unable to use it until my new adapter arrives.
Once it does I will look at plugging it in and placing it in a place with safety as THE top priority. Lesson learned.
Like I wrote earlier that doesn't mean anything to you as a reader but it changes the posting dynamic for me over the next couple of days.
Finally, I want to cheer the arrival of Spring. The "official" start of my 2nd favorite season of the four is arriving as I write this post.
The cold weather here in south central Kentucky has been lasted farther into the new calendar year than it has in any of the 15 winters I've lived here.
Usually, by the end of February, the daytime high temperatures are, on average, range between the mid 40's to mid 60's and the flowers have started to sprout up from the ground. That has not been the case this year.
I know that some of you live in a places that have had a much more harsh winter than I have here. That probably means you are a lot happier to see the change of seasons.
That's about all I have for today's post. Just had to share my nearly "shocking" experience with my laptop cord and acknowledge the changing of the seasons.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I'll be back again tomorrow.
I cannot use my laptop because it is out of a battery power and I cannot charge it. Here's why.
This is our new love seat where Paula and I sit most of the time. My seat is closest to the TV. At the risk of sounding like Sheldon Cooper, it's been "my spot" for a long time.
In order to charge my laptop while reclining in the love seat I plug the AC adapter from into the outlet in the back and feed it up from in between the sections of the love seat. Without going into even longer and more boring details that's the best way to get it plugged into my laptop.
Yesterday, as I pushed the bench down to get out of the recliner I heard an alarming "buzzing" sound, saw a small cloud of smoke and smelled an odor that accompanies a short in a live electrical circuit.
Totally surprised, I quickly jumped up and cautiously looked around and in back of the area to see what had happened. My first instinct was to look to see if the spark had come from either of the power strips or the outlet that's in back of the love seat.
There was no visible evidence that the problem came from either of those two sources. That's when I realized the problem had originated from under the love seat where the laptop's AC adapter and it's cord was snaked in between the sections.
When I had closed the bench, the cord of the adapter, which had bunched up, got caught between the scissored parts of the workings of the love seat and was severed by the pressure of it's closing. That's where the short happened.
I was lucky I hadn't accidentally electrocuted myself. I had never even given thought to the possibility before. Once it did I had a "duh" moment. Why hadn't I considered that ever happening? I'm usually very paranoid about things that could cause a fire. Thank God he kept me safe in spite of myself.
After I had evaluated what had happened, I inspected the AC adapter and realized that it was ruined. I had to order a new one. It is going to take a couple of days to be delivered.
So as I write this post I have less than 30 minutes of battery power left on my laptop. I will soon unable to use it until my new adapter arrives.
Once it does I will look at plugging it in and placing it in a place with safety as THE top priority. Lesson learned.
Like I wrote earlier that doesn't mean anything to you as a reader but it changes the posting dynamic for me over the next couple of days.
Finally, I want to cheer the arrival of Spring. The "official" start of my 2nd favorite season of the four is arriving as I write this post.
The cold weather here in south central Kentucky has been lasted farther into the new calendar year than it has in any of the 15 winters I've lived here.
Usually, by the end of February, the daytime high temperatures are, on average, range between the mid 40's to mid 60's and the flowers have started to sprout up from the ground. That has not been the case this year.
I know that some of you live in a places that have had a much more harsh winter than I have here. That probably means you are a lot happier to see the change of seasons.
That's about all I have for today's post. Just had to share my nearly "shocking" experience with my laptop cord and acknowledge the changing of the seasons.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I'll be back again tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Crichton's Last Novel
A couple of Fridays ago I went to our local library to get an audio book to listen to on my trip to Indianapolis.
I chose a 12-CD audio edition of author Michael Crichton's last book, Micro.
The book was published in November 2011; Three years after Crichton's death.
The book's manuscript was found among the author's computer files. It was just a third of the way complete. "The Hot Zone" author, Richard Preston was chosen to finish it.
The story has elements of Jurassic Park and the 1968 Irwin Allen TV show, Land of the Giants; with a bit of the dark side of "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" thrown in.
A group of 8 biology graduate students from Cambridge, Massachusetts are invited to Hawaii on an employment recruiting excursion by, the executives of Nanogen. The company is developing very secret ground-breaking discoveries in the bio technology field.
The mysterious death's of one of Nanogen's executive officers who is also the brother of one of the recruits, sparks a series of events that results in students being forced into a world that is normally unseen by human beings.
Add into that a mysterious triple homicide being investigated by the Hawaiian police and a shady CEO and you've got a compelling story that goes beyond today's technology but remains in the realm of the "what if" possibilities.
I enjoyed listening to this audio book but about halfway into it something happens that disappointed me to the point of distraction. My enthusiasm for the protagonists waned a bit after the turn in the story. I don't want to give any spoilers. But the plot twist is one of the elements in storytelling that upsets me the most.
Again, without giving away any details, if you are the least bit squeamish about spiders or bugs this book just might make your skin crawl.
Overall I would recommend listening or reading "Micro" if for no other reason than to be part of the world of Michael Crichton one more time.
I chose a 12-CD audio edition of author Michael Crichton's last book, Micro.
The book was published in November 2011; Three years after Crichton's death.
The book's manuscript was found among the author's computer files. It was just a third of the way complete. "The Hot Zone" author, Richard Preston was chosen to finish it.
The story has elements of Jurassic Park and the 1968 Irwin Allen TV show, Land of the Giants; with a bit of the dark side of "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" thrown in.
A group of 8 biology graduate students from Cambridge, Massachusetts are invited to Hawaii on an employment recruiting excursion by, the executives of Nanogen. The company is developing very secret ground-breaking discoveries in the bio technology field.
The mysterious death's of one of Nanogen's executive officers who is also the brother of one of the recruits, sparks a series of events that results in students being forced into a world that is normally unseen by human beings.
Add into that a mysterious triple homicide being investigated by the Hawaiian police and a shady CEO and you've got a compelling story that goes beyond today's technology but remains in the realm of the "what if" possibilities.
I enjoyed listening to this audio book but about halfway into it something happens that disappointed me to the point of distraction. My enthusiasm for the protagonists waned a bit after the turn in the story. I don't want to give any spoilers. But the plot twist is one of the elements in storytelling that upsets me the most.
Again, without giving away any details, if you are the least bit squeamish about spiders or bugs this book just might make your skin crawl.
Overall I would recommend listening or reading "Micro" if for no other reason than to be part of the world of Michael Crichton one more time.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
The Muppets Pipes
For the past couple of weeks the Muppets have been everywhere on TV: talk shows, commercials, and network morning news programs.It's all to promote their latest movie, Muppets Most Wanted, that's being released this coming Friday.
Being a very avid Muppets fan I made sure I caught Kermit the Frog on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night. Kermit's discussion with Fallon brought up something that is a genuine vintage Muppets creation.
I found out about this piece of hidden art back in 1984 while was watching Late Night with David Letterman on NBC. Letterman's guest that night was former Tonight Show host, Jack Parr.
That night Parr revealed to the audience a secret that had been hidden away for 20 years. Below is a link to a website that shows the video from that 1984 Late Night program. It starts out with a short interview with Parr explaining how Henson and company came to be on the Tonight Show in the mid Fifties and the 3 minute sketch they did on TV that night.
Being a very avid Muppets fan I made sure I caught Kermit the Frog on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night. Kermit's discussion with Fallon brought up something that is a genuine vintage Muppets creation.
I found out about this piece of hidden art back in 1984 while was watching Late Night with David Letterman on NBC. Letterman's guest that night was former Tonight Show host, Jack Parr.
That night Parr revealed to the audience a secret that had been hidden away for 20 years. Below is a link to a website that shows the video from that 1984 Late Night program. It starts out with a short interview with Parr explaining how Henson and company came to be on the Tonight Show in the mid Fifties and the 3 minute sketch they did on TV that night.
While searching for that video I found the one I've linked to below. I had never seen it before. It's from 2010. NBC news anchor man, Brian Wilson, shows Frank Oz the steps that have been taken to preserve the Muppets gift to NBC.
There's one last video link I would like to share with you. Because this link takes you to a sight that features "Daily" video I'm not sure how long it will be there. If you click on the link and don't see Kermit and Jimmy Fallon I apologize.
Here's what you're supposed to see. It's a composite video of Kermit's appearance on last night's Tonight Show. He gives Fallon a gift that's directly related to the Muppet pipes. Also included is a St. Patrick's Day rendition of one of Kermit's signature songs.
When it comes to personal heroes, for me, Jim Henson is right up there with Walt Disney and Casey Kasem. The pipes in that TV studio closet are a legacy left directly by Jim Henson and his fellow puppeteers. One day when I finally get back to the Big Apple, I'm going to take the NBC studio tour so I can see this piece of Muppet history.
Monday, March 17, 2014
TWIL #3
This 3rd edition of "This Week In Lego" features some of my favorite pictures from the Brick World Expo and my latest Creator Kit model. Hope you enjoy seeing them.
 |
| The AT-AT Walker. My all time favorite Star Wars thing as a Lego Model |
 |
| An Exhibit that recreated the city of Bricksburg in The Lego Movie |
 |
| The Mico Managers on left side of this shot were among the many cool things in The Lego Movie
These final 3 pictures are from my favorite exhibit of the expo. It was a very long Rube Goldberg like contraption made totally of Lego pieces. It was motorized and moved miniature soccer balls (about the size of an M&M Candy) around the 4 tables.
  
Finally here's a couple shots of the Emerald Express Train Creator kit.
 
The next Lego kit I am going to build is a model of Big Ben in London, England. Look for that in the next edition of TWIL.
|
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Meeting David Brenner
When I heard the news that comedian David Brenner died yesterday a couple of things came to mind immediately.
A unique trip to New York City; and that it's likely that anyone who is under 40 years old is probably asking "Who's David Brenner?"
The simple answer to that question is David Brenner was a stand up comedian who was Johnny Carson's most frequent guest on the Tonight show during the 70's and early 80's. He was among the group of a dozen or so comedians who served as guest hosts for Johnny. You can find out more about David Brenner on the internet.
In 1995 I stuffed the entry box for a contest being held by a talk radio station, WKAP in Allentown, PA. It was no surprise that I won a two day/ one night trip to New York City. The trip included: one night hotel accommodations; two tickets to a Broadway show, the opportunity to meet 2 celebrities who each hosted their own syndicated talk show that the station carried, and limousine transportation to and from New York City. It was the first time I ever rode in a limousine. It was also the first and only time I've been to a Broadway show.
I made the trip over Thursday and Friday May 25 and 26 just before the Memorial Day weekend of 1995.
Thursday night I walked from our hotel, down Broadway to the Virginia Theater on West 52nd street (not all Broadway theaters are actually on Broadway) to see that night's performance of "Smokey Joe's Cafe". It was a musical review of the songs composed by the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. I really liked the show and still listen to the soundtrack.
The next day, Friday, along with our chaperon from the radio station and a PR person from the syndication company (I don't remember the name of the company) I rode the New York City subway to the broadcast facilities of AM radio station WFAN.
That's where I met morning talk show host, Don Imus. At the time Imus was still just a New York City radio celebrity. He had just gone national with his "Imus In The Morning" show.
He was a real...well I can't use the expletive I want to because but it's part of the anatomy. He gave me a signed copy of his newly released book, "God's Other Son". It was nothing but printed blasphemy. I never even opened past the title page where he had signed it. Once I got home, I just gave it to the Goodwill store the next week.
I have a picture of Imus and me but I'm not going to post it. I The jerk put his two fingers up over my head. I wasn't aware of it at the time. My encounter with Imus was something I'd like to forget.
After lunch with the producer of David Brenner's radio show in a small midtown restaurant, I went to the broadcast studios in Manhattan to meet the comedian turned talk show host in person.
I remember having to wait about 20 minutes in the lobby before we were taken back to the studio. I don't remember anything specific about the meeting in regard to the conversation. Brenner had just had a child with his girlfriend so I took him a personalized baby gift.
Here's the picture that was taken. It is proof that I met David Brenner.
As a side note his radio show didn't last past that summer. It was off the air by September 1995.
I remember a lot more of the details and have some unique stories about that trip to New York City in 95. If you're interested ask me about it sometime. You know how I love to share personal stories.
Although I had not seen or heard anything about him in a long time I was sad to hear about David Brenner losing his battle with cancer at the age of 78.
I always liked his style of comedy. I don't have any of his recordings in my stand up collection. I'm going to have to get some and include it in this year's Ron Havens Rewind Soundtrack show for this year.
The thing I will always remember about David Brenner is that on one of his 158 appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson he told one of may top 10 all time favorite jokes. It's about the army. I tried to find video of Brenner telling it himself but I couldn't. Here's a text version that's as close to Brenner's version as I remember him telling.
David Brenner's Army Joke
Thanks for the laughs, David Brenner
A unique trip to New York City; and that it's likely that anyone who is under 40 years old is probably asking "Who's David Brenner?"
The simple answer to that question is David Brenner was a stand up comedian who was Johnny Carson's most frequent guest on the Tonight show during the 70's and early 80's. He was among the group of a dozen or so comedians who served as guest hosts for Johnny. You can find out more about David Brenner on the internet.
In 1995 I stuffed the entry box for a contest being held by a talk radio station, WKAP in Allentown, PA. It was no surprise that I won a two day/ one night trip to New York City. The trip included: one night hotel accommodations; two tickets to a Broadway show, the opportunity to meet 2 celebrities who each hosted their own syndicated talk show that the station carried, and limousine transportation to and from New York City. It was the first time I ever rode in a limousine. It was also the first and only time I've been to a Broadway show.
I made the trip over Thursday and Friday May 25 and 26 just before the Memorial Day weekend of 1995.
Thursday night I walked from our hotel, down Broadway to the Virginia Theater on West 52nd street (not all Broadway theaters are actually on Broadway) to see that night's performance of "Smokey Joe's Cafe". It was a musical review of the songs composed by the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. I really liked the show and still listen to the soundtrack.
The next day, Friday, along with our chaperon from the radio station and a PR person from the syndication company (I don't remember the name of the company) I rode the New York City subway to the broadcast facilities of AM radio station WFAN.
That's where I met morning talk show host, Don Imus. At the time Imus was still just a New York City radio celebrity. He had just gone national with his "Imus In The Morning" show.
He was a real...well I can't use the expletive I want to because but it's part of the anatomy. He gave me a signed copy of his newly released book, "God's Other Son". It was nothing but printed blasphemy. I never even opened past the title page where he had signed it. Once I got home, I just gave it to the Goodwill store the next week.
I have a picture of Imus and me but I'm not going to post it. I The jerk put his two fingers up over my head. I wasn't aware of it at the time. My encounter with Imus was something I'd like to forget.
After lunch with the producer of David Brenner's radio show in a small midtown restaurant, I went to the broadcast studios in Manhattan to meet the comedian turned talk show host in person.
I remember having to wait about 20 minutes in the lobby before we were taken back to the studio. I don't remember anything specific about the meeting in regard to the conversation. Brenner had just had a child with his girlfriend so I took him a personalized baby gift.
Here's the picture that was taken. It is proof that I met David Brenner.
As a side note his radio show didn't last past that summer. It was off the air by September 1995.
I remember a lot more of the details and have some unique stories about that trip to New York City in 95. If you're interested ask me about it sometime. You know how I love to share personal stories.
Although I had not seen or heard anything about him in a long time I was sad to hear about David Brenner losing his battle with cancer at the age of 78.
I always liked his style of comedy. I don't have any of his recordings in my stand up collection. I'm going to have to get some and include it in this year's Ron Havens Rewind Soundtrack show for this year.
The thing I will always remember about David Brenner is that on one of his 158 appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson he told one of may top 10 all time favorite jokes. It's about the army. I tried to find video of Brenner telling it himself but I couldn't. Here's a text version that's as close to Brenner's version as I remember him telling.
David Brenner's Army Joke
Thanks for the laughs, David Brenner
Saturday, March 15, 2014
The Disney Deal Breaker
After the time and effort that writing my "15 Adventures" series took I'm a bit burnt out from writing and lost for a subject for today's post.
I haven't written anything about my trip to the Brick World Lego expo last weekend yet but I'm still deciding which of the 200+ pictures I'm going to use in my post. So it's coming but it will be later.
Today I'm going to be writing about something that I've been thinking about lately: vacation. For me when the "V" word comes up I think first thing of only one place: Walt Disney World. But that may change. Here's why.
A couple of weeks ago Walt Disney World announced an increase in the single day ticket price for the Magic Kingdom park. If you want to go to see Cinderella's Castle or eat lunch at the Be Our Guest restaurant it will now cost you $105 for one day. Admission to other parks will cost you about $100 per day. Both prices are after taxes.
Now if you buy mulit-day tickets it will cost you less per day the more days you buy.
The reason I mention this is because this increase is significant to me. It's makes the cost of admission to a Disney theme park a "deal breaker."
Since my first trip to see "the mouse" with my family a decade ago the price of staying on Disney property and visiting their parks has increased at an accelerating rate. It is now to the point where a typical week long family vacation (5 days) at the Walt Disney Resort requires more and more planning and a major financial investment.
Allow me to use $35,000 as a mean for the income for a middle class family of 4. I'll also use a very conservative estimate of $5000 for the cost of a 5 day stay at Walt Disney World. This would include at least $2500 for 5 nights at a single hotel room with two beds in value resort on Disney property, 5 four-day park hopper passes. Add the other $2500 for travel costs, food, souvenirs and other incidentals.
Now there are options and ways to save on that cost. Staying "off property" is one and there are multiple ways of saving in other ways.
One of my favorite Disney podcasters, Lou Mongello, has just published a book with 102 ways to save for and on a Disney vacation. You can find it on Amazon or any other major book purchasing outlet if you are interested in reading it.
But for the sake of argument going with the $5000 figure means that middle class family would have to save over $400 a month for a year. That's equivalent to 12 car payments or 6 mortgage payments. Is that not a major investment? And those expenses are beneficial. You get daily benefits from them.
If you spread that cost over 4 years of saving that is still $100 a month. Isn't that a lot just to go on vacation once every four years?
While you do get memories and family bonding from a Disney vacation (always a major focus in any Disney Parks advertising campaign) there's a lot less expensive places to go for vacation.
For Paula and I the cost would be a little less because we are only 2 people but the cost reduction would not be proportionate. Our minimum cost would conservatively be just under $4000. That's with us driving to Florida.
Disney doesn't seem the least bit apologetic about the cost to visit their parks and resorts. Instead they are trying to "Plus" what they offer with convenience through new technology, personalization options for guests, and the ability to plan your in-park activities well in advance aimed at reducing your wait times in the parks.
But those options are still in the testing stage and it is unclear if they will be of more benefit to the guest or just a more efficient way for Disney to operate their parks in a more profitable manner. That's a debate that I'll leave to the experts on the blogs and podcasts.
I consider myself a Walt Disney World fanatic of the highest degree but the cost to go there has just become too much.
So now if I'm going to ever go back to Walt Disney World again it will have to be for a very very special occasion. The only one on the horizon right now is taking my granddaughter to meet her favorite characters or a way to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Those occasions are a couple of years away.
But I guess if Disney can thrive by having the average family spend a few thousand dollars with them once every four years then I guess that's what they're going to do. They'll make as much money as they can get. I mean the parks are part of an entertainment conglomerate that has an obligation to its stock holders.
But if they continue to raise prices at the pace they have been; no matter what you get for your money the price point will eventually become prohibitive.
With the high prices and all the competition for the tourists dollars that's starting to show up in Orlando, attendance at the Disney parks in Florida may start to go down over the next few years. That's yet to be seen.
I could name at least 10 other vacation destinations that are other more cost efficient that would prove just as, if not, more relaxing and enjoyable than a Disney vacation.
So for now, the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation is a deal breaker for me.
I haven't written anything about my trip to the Brick World Lego expo last weekend yet but I'm still deciding which of the 200+ pictures I'm going to use in my post. So it's coming but it will be later.
Today I'm going to be writing about something that I've been thinking about lately: vacation. For me when the "V" word comes up I think first thing of only one place: Walt Disney World. But that may change. Here's why.
A couple of weeks ago Walt Disney World announced an increase in the single day ticket price for the Magic Kingdom park. If you want to go to see Cinderella's Castle or eat lunch at the Be Our Guest restaurant it will now cost you $105 for one day. Admission to other parks will cost you about $100 per day. Both prices are after taxes.
Now if you buy mulit-day tickets it will cost you less per day the more days you buy.
The reason I mention this is because this increase is significant to me. It's makes the cost of admission to a Disney theme park a "deal breaker."
Since my first trip to see "the mouse" with my family a decade ago the price of staying on Disney property and visiting their parks has increased at an accelerating rate. It is now to the point where a typical week long family vacation (5 days) at the Walt Disney Resort requires more and more planning and a major financial investment.
Allow me to use $35,000 as a mean for the income for a middle class family of 4. I'll also use a very conservative estimate of $5000 for the cost of a 5 day stay at Walt Disney World. This would include at least $2500 for 5 nights at a single hotel room with two beds in value resort on Disney property, 5 four-day park hopper passes. Add the other $2500 for travel costs, food, souvenirs and other incidentals.
Now there are options and ways to save on that cost. Staying "off property" is one and there are multiple ways of saving in other ways.
One of my favorite Disney podcasters, Lou Mongello, has just published a book with 102 ways to save for and on a Disney vacation. You can find it on Amazon or any other major book purchasing outlet if you are interested in reading it.
But for the sake of argument going with the $5000 figure means that middle class family would have to save over $400 a month for a year. That's equivalent to 12 car payments or 6 mortgage payments. Is that not a major investment? And those expenses are beneficial. You get daily benefits from them.
If you spread that cost over 4 years of saving that is still $100 a month. Isn't that a lot just to go on vacation once every four years?
While you do get memories and family bonding from a Disney vacation (always a major focus in any Disney Parks advertising campaign) there's a lot less expensive places to go for vacation.
For Paula and I the cost would be a little less because we are only 2 people but the cost reduction would not be proportionate. Our minimum cost would conservatively be just under $4000. That's with us driving to Florida.
Disney doesn't seem the least bit apologetic about the cost to visit their parks and resorts. Instead they are trying to "Plus" what they offer with convenience through new technology, personalization options for guests, and the ability to plan your in-park activities well in advance aimed at reducing your wait times in the parks.
But those options are still in the testing stage and it is unclear if they will be of more benefit to the guest or just a more efficient way for Disney to operate their parks in a more profitable manner. That's a debate that I'll leave to the experts on the blogs and podcasts.
I consider myself a Walt Disney World fanatic of the highest degree but the cost to go there has just become too much.
So now if I'm going to ever go back to Walt Disney World again it will have to be for a very very special occasion. The only one on the horizon right now is taking my granddaughter to meet her favorite characters or a way to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Those occasions are a couple of years away.
But I guess if Disney can thrive by having the average family spend a few thousand dollars with them once every four years then I guess that's what they're going to do. They'll make as much money as they can get. I mean the parks are part of an entertainment conglomerate that has an obligation to its stock holders.
But if they continue to raise prices at the pace they have been; no matter what you get for your money the price point will eventually become prohibitive.
With the high prices and all the competition for the tourists dollars that's starting to show up in Orlando, attendance at the Disney parks in Florida may start to go down over the next few years. That's yet to be seen.
I could name at least 10 other vacation destinations that are other more cost efficient that would prove just as, if not, more relaxing and enjoyable than a Disney vacation.
So for now, the cost of a Walt Disney World vacation is a deal breaker for me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)