The Off Topic Topic

[mickey_079]

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/04/disney-fan-travels-globe-to-visit-every-disney-theme-park-in-75-hours/?CMP=SOC-FBPAGE20160426130000

 

Is this too much Disney @skeetafly?

[Jay Jay The Jet Plane]

maybe it's Theme Park Social Network who decided to travel to every single Disney park in 75 hours^

[New display name]

http://www.minisites.ninemsn.com.au/9stories/9112407/australias-wonderland-the-nostalgic-tour-of-the-parks-hidden-boneyard

Interesting read for some.  Wonderland graveyard.  

Edited April 27, 2016 by skeetafly

[jjuttp]

9 hours ago, Luke said:

This gave me a bit of a laugh!

Listening to this with trance playing in the background is something completely different.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

13 hours ago, skeetafly said:

http://www.minisites.ninemsn.com.au/9stories/9112407/australias-wonderland-the-nostalgic-tour-of-the-parks-hidden-boneyard

Interesting read for some.  Wonderland graveyard.  

It was an interesting read. I can't agree with the tone of the article though - here's some facts:

• they just wandered in. The grounds are private property, so they trespassed.
• The article quotes them encouraging others to do the same - let's promote illegal activity
• The boneyard is crawling with snakes - so guarantee some numpty goes and gets bitten
• ...which will then lead to the property owners, and the authority that has given permission for a certain group to legally access the site potentially being revoked.

Sure its a great story, but I have to wonder whether NineMSN realised they are actually condoning and promoting illegal activity.

[pin142]

Channel 9 promoting and condoning illegal activity? Doesn't sound like them based on what they have been doing recently...

[MaxxTheMonster]

Just a quick mention...

RACQ is selling one day entry tickets to Dreamworld at half prize for members at the moment...  Ends 30 April but you can use the tickets up until 30 June...

Also as a side note all the parks give a 10% discount on food and drinks and Dreamworld gives 10% on merchandise if you can show your RACQ card...  None of the parks really actively advertise this so make sure you ask...

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I know a lot of places that are part of member programs like RACQ and the like. I used to work for an organisation that accepted the presidential card. The problem with having signage saying "show your RACQ card to get 10% off" means you then get people who don't have the card going "can't you just pretend that i showed you one?" to try and get the same discount without being a member. Given your hotel background i'd think you might have experienced something like that?

Anyhow - it's up to the member to read up on member specials and discounts, and know what they're entitled to, and to show \ ask for it at the time...

the big problem then of course is when the cashier has no idea what they're supposed to do when they encounter someone with a card... but thats poor training that the management should take care of.

[MaxxTheMonster]

That is very true @AlexB...  It was not until I started working for the company that I was even aware that most of these places do it...  Like most I associated them with Roadside Assistance and Insurance...  Now I use it for discounts everywhere I can (even when buying new prescription glasses last month)...

The interesting fact though is that RACQ Membership cards do not have any expiry date printed on them as they are valid for a period of up to 5 years and most places you can get the Show Your Card and Save discounts do not check that your membership is still current and valid...

A lot of the places I have used it, staff try to say that they don't offer any discounts...  Of course being a staff member I can tell them they are incorrect and then enjoy a manager checking on it and then figuring out how to give them...

[Theme Park Girl]

So the latest bombardment of angry complaints on Movieworlds Facebook wall is in response to this news article, where a MW staff member allegedly told a publicly breastfeeding parent to relocate to a toilet. Hmm.....  http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/babies/movie-world-under-fire-for-reportedly-telling-a-gold-coast-woman-to-breastfeed-in-toilet/news-story/dbf8edda3ce4b2e83d9b343c64febcb3

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Yeah, reading the article, i have my doubts as to how legit this is. It seems like it might be an attempt to get something out of the park for nothing, but that is just my personal feeling on the story, and if i'm wrong then i'm wrong. (Maybe it was a guest they mistook for a staff member too?)

I am however fully in support of any woman who wishes to breastfeed in public as openly or as covered up as they should choose, and they should be left alone to do it in peace and comfortably. If this is legit the park needs to seriously smack the shit out of whichever staff member made this boneheaded move as they can be opened up to some serious penalties if found guilty.

Ancilliary to my feelings on the legitimacy of the claim, they claim they spent $222 to enter the park, and left within an hour of entering the park.

coincidentally, $222 happens to be precisely the price of two adults and one child 3 and over (which they had - the baby was free).

However, they're gold coast locals. the woman works for Griffith University - I find it hard to believe that they would have paid single admission when they could easily have obtained locals season passes, which for an adult was the same price ($79) - which then means if you pay the same price for the 3 year old (an extra $15) you get until 30 June for the whole family, including carnivale for everyone.

Ok - they may have only wanted to spend a single day in the park, but it's been a long time since i've met any local who has entered on a single day ticket without having very special circumstances.

Also, I understand the embarassment, but if i were leaving a place for which i'd paid admission, and I wasn't satisfied I'd gotten my money's worth, i'd be talking to someone before i left the premises, as a way to legitimise my claim.

To come back several days later and say "this happened" - it'd be pretty hard to prove it did (or didn't) happen. I think the park has done the right thing apologising for 'letting them down' without necessarily admitting or denying it happened - there would not at this point be any proof that it did indeed occur. I could go to the media tomorrow and claim that a cleaner sexually abused me in the toilets a month ago. It would purely be my word against theirs... I feel for the family if this actually happened, but something just doesn't feel right about the story and the way it has happened.

[Reanimated35]

1 hour ago, Theme Park Girl said:

So the latest bombardment of angry complaints on Movieworlds Facebook wall is in response to this news article, where a MW staff member allegedly told a publicly breastfeeding parent to relocate to a toilet. Hmm.....  http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/babies/movie-world-under-fire-for-reportedly-telling-a-gold-coast-woman-to-breastfeed-in-toilet/news-story/dbf8edda3ce4b2e83d9b343c64febcb3

 

40 minutes ago, AlexB said:

Yeah, reading the article, i have my doubts as to how legit this is. It seems like it might be an attempt to get something out of the park for nothing, but that is just my personal feeling on the story, and if i'm wrong then i'm wrong. (Maybe it was a guest they mistook for a staff member too?)

I am however fully in support of any woman who wishes to breastfeed in public as openly or as covered up as they should choose, and they should be left alone to do it in peace and comfortably. If this is legit the park needs to seriously smack the shit out of whichever staff member made this boneheaded move as they can be opened up to some serious penalties if found guilty.

Ancilliary to my feelings on the legitimacy of the claim, they claim they spent $222 to enter the park, and left within an hour of entering the park.

coincidentally, $222 happens to be precisely the price of two adults and one child 3 and over (which they had - the baby was free).

However, they're gold coast locals. the woman works for Griffith University - I find it hard to believe that they would have paid single admission when they could easily have obtained locals season passes, which for an adult was the same price ($79) - which then means if you pay the same price for the 3 year old (an extra $15) you get until 30 June for the whole family, including carnivale for everyone.

Ok - they may have only wanted to spend a single day in the park, but it's been a long time since i've met any local who has entered on a single day ticket without having very special circumstances.

Also, I understand the embarassment, but if i were leaving a place for which i'd paid admission, and I wasn't satisfied I'd gotten my money's worth, i'd be talking to someone before i left the premises, as a way to legitimise my claim.

To come back several days later and say "this happened" - it'd be pretty hard to prove it did (or didn't) happen. I think the park has done the right thing apologising for 'letting them down' without necessarily admitting or denying it happened - there would not at this point be any proof that it did indeed occur. I could go to the media tomorrow and claim that a cleaner sexually abused me in the toilets a month ago. It would purely be my word against theirs... I feel for the family if this actually happened, but something just doesn't feel right about the story and the way it has happened.

I completely agree Alex. 

I tend to be overly sceptical so I acknowledge this incident may have taken place and be an issue for the park. 

The following it my personal viewpoint. 

First off let me start by saying I fully support women breastfeeding where ever they feel comfortable in doing so. I would also fully support the parks and other locations having a 'parents room' or other location to cater for those mothers who would prefer to breastfeed in a private air-conditioned room away from people they feel might judge them or take issue to it, or just for those who are shy about the possibility of their breasts being seen in public. 

I don't believe this story for the following reasons: 

Quote

“I have not (breastfed) outside the house since,”

Really? One single experience and you're too afraid to breastfeed literally ANYWHERE outside your own home? Smells like bullshit to me. It's not like it was a near-death experience or anything. 

Quote

She said she was now too embarrassed to show her face for fear of people judging her.

 She's foreign. Racist people exist. She wears clothes which may not be the current "in" trend. Shallow people exist. She has a certain haircut. Again, shallow people exist. She's a woman. Sexist people exist. Every day she'll walk past tens if not hundreds of people who will judge her on a range of factors without even knowing or caring that she's a parent. Why does one incident mean she can't leave her house ever again? 

Quote

“People were staring at me when it happened. I said, `Of course, I’m sorry’ to the man 

Because she and/or the people she was with quite likely made a great big song and dance about it (if it happened). It's not like they would have shouted from 50m away to go to a room. Someone could have simply walked up and said "I'm sorry, could I please ask you to use the parents room/bathroom/whatever". My belief is they (the family involved) would have flared up and drew unnecessary attention to themselves. 

Quote

“He wasn’t really talking directly to me because he didn’t want to see it. He was telling my mum who doesn’t even speak English saying I was only allowed to do it in the toilet.”

Ok? And? The person in question didn't want to seem rude and stare at a breastfeeding woman. There's not much of an issue there. Had they looked she'd probably be claiming sexual harassment. 

Quote

The family left within an hour of paying $222 in entrance fees.

So? They bought the wrong tickets. Big deal. Not relevant to the debate. They chose to leave, they weren't forced to do so. I bought lunch today, took a few bites, it tasted terrible. I threw it out and skipped lunch. That was my choice that I made on my own. Same as in her situation. I wasn't forced to make a decision. 

Quote

Ms Lo said she tried to contact the theme park multiple times since the April 16 without any response.

I call complete bullshit on this. Not only should she have brought it up with the park either that day in person, or should she have brought it up with them within say 48 hours via the publicly available phone number on the website, (when I first started looking at this article it was 1640) I could message Movie World right now on facebook and have a reply usually within half an hour. 

Quote

Australian Breastfeeding Association CEO Rebecca Naylor hit out at a `disgraceful display of discrimination’.

Not really. if it did happen it was a f-up by one staff member. For all we know it was a nice and polite "could you please go over there to avoid complaints from other guests" or whatever and they've just blown it out of proportion to get some free shit. 

 

The comments on the GC Bulletin article were saying the park should refund her and give her free things. Sadly this is what it will come to, which I feel is exactly what she wants. 

[Santa07]

On 4/27/2016 at 1:50 PM, mickey_079 said:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/04/disney-fan-travels-globe-to-visit-every-disney-theme-park-in-75-hours/?CMP=SOC-FBPAGE20160426130000

 

Is this too much Disney @skeetafly?

You can never have 'too much Disney'

[joz]

I believe it happened because honestly there's no evidence to suggest otherwise.  'I'm so embarrassed I called the paper after trying to talk to people about it multiple times' I kind of struggle with, but I think you just have to take her word for it.  Also the idea that someone who breastfed on a bench facing a very crowded pathway would be too embarrassed to ever breastfeed in public again seems questionable.

 

Movie World as far as I know don't have a policy or a rule that says women can't breastfeed, but old mate who told her to move was acting on behalf of the company, even if he did it off his own back.  If the policy is that breastfeeding is allowed then clearly it's not communicated to the staff clearly enough.  No one pays in cash anymore, it should be a very simple case of proving they bought tickets, just give them a refund and an apology and be done with it.

[Theme Park Girl]

Just leaving this here for anyone who didn't get it in their email box lol... 

[Santa07]

Looks like MW is doing what places like Six Flags are too

[MacPark]

this honestly could have been an unformed teen staff member who made a mistake. Either way approach management on the day if you have a problem.

[New display name]

I don’t really care about the so called incident at MW.  It’s not really my place to comment on a half story.   I do find it strange that members think they need to say “First off let me start by saying I fully support women breastfeeding” so they don’t look bad or they don’t want to look bad.  I don’t care either way but I do have to tell myself if somebody is breastfeeding in public not to have a gander.

 

Interesting that the Comcast who own Universal are now buying DreamWorks.  I wonder if we will now see Dreamworks in Universal.  Even better Universal in Dreamworld.  From what I have read it says DreamWorks will be directly run by NBCUniversal.  Upon completion of the deal, Katzenberg, a former Disney executive, will become chairman of DreamWorks New Media, which will include some NBCU television operations.

It will be interesting how Motiongate plays out now.  With Sony, DreamWorks & Liongate joining up forces for one park,  I do wander how Universal will fit into this in the future.

Edited April 29, 2016 by skeetafly

[Reanimated35]

16 minutes ago, skeetafly said:

I don’t really care about the so called incident at MW.  It’s not really my place to comment on a half story.   I do find it strange that members think they need to say “First off let me start by saying I fully support women breastfeeding” so they don’t look bad or they don’t want to look bad.  I don’t care either way but I do have to tell myself if somebody is breastfeeding in public not to have a gander.

Because if we don't, some idiot is going to come through an misconstrue the argument and start complaining it's just because we don't agree with women breastfeeding. Or maybe that won't happen? But this way we've done what we can to dissolve that argument before it ever starts. 

 

[New display name]

Stuff that.  As soon as you don't say what you think, China has won.  Push has left so need to worry about peoples feelings anymore.

[pin142]

12 hours ago, skeetafly said:

Interesting that the Comcast who own Universal are now buying DreamWorks.  I wonder if we will now see Dreamworks in Universal. 

Universal already have Dreamworks attractions in some of their parks.

[jjuttp]

On 4/27/2016 at 7:49 AM, AlexB said:

It was an interesting read. I can't agree with the tone of the article though - here's some facts:

• they just wandered in. The grounds are private property, so they trespassed.
• The article quotes them encouraging others to do the same - let's promote illegal activity
• The boneyard is crawling with snakes - so guarantee some numpty goes and gets bitten
• ...which will then lead to the property owners, and the authority that has given permission for a certain group to legally access the site potentially being revoked.

Sure its a great story, but I have to wonder whether NineMSN realised they are actually condoning and promoting illegal activity.

I made the trip (see 20 min drive) to the area this arvo, to see how far i could get without trespassing.

And the answer is nowhere.  One side is a fence surrounding a Rehabilitation Zone for trees and shit , with a beam blocking (today it was open) to the area with whats basically a fire trail leading through. From maps, id say the entire area is enclosed in fence bar that entrance. Meanwhile on the other side, the only way in is through a fence which just so happened to be half open and the lock and chain still in tact. The 3rd (but more stupid) way in is under your generic farm wire fence, over a hill, and jump 2 more large solid fences. So i'd say he took way #2 and somehow managed to avoid security.

My name is Justin, not Andrew. No i did not trespass or follow through the gates.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Good man!

 

There is actually another way, accessed directly off the M4. I can assure you also that this too is fully fenced, and the gates are locked.

[Reanimated35]

Anyone got a drone?

 

Actually I assume CASA laws would stop you using one to look at that area.

Edited May 3, 2016 by reanimated35

[Theme Park Girl]

Where is the boneyard located on google maps? I type in Sydney's Wonderland and it zooms in to the area where it used to be, but not sure where to look from there. If you can even see anything from satellite view to begin with lol