malstrom closed for a while

mickeyman · Jul 28, 2002

I'm sorry if this was already posted. I never saw it if it was.

(7/28/02) In a very strange move the park has shut down Maelstrom, the park’s only true water flume thrill ride, in the middle of the busy Summer season. I’ve confirmed this myself the other day and found the entire front of the main building to be walled off and covered in work tarps. Sources tell us that they’ve been informed not to expect it to reopen until mid October, which does sound a little strange to me since Disney’s new financial budgets kick in October 1st. I hate thinking this, but is it possible that they have sunk so low that they would be unwilling to purchase a replacement for a broken part to reopen Maelstrom in a few weeks and are instead willing to let the water ride ride sit closed for the busy hot summer season until they get funding from next year’s budget? Normally I wouldn’t even think this, but that was before they left the giant fountain in the center of Future World in a broken state for nearly half of 2001.

I found this on screamscape.

ToTBellHop · Jul 28, 2002

It's closed for a major refurbishment and the installation of new air gates...I like to think it's not due to Disney being cheap...but, three months is a while; Splash Mountain wasn't closed that long...maybe they are going to make the polar bear look slightly more lifelike (i.e. sew his seams together). I like Maelstrom, but I can handle it being closed for our trip next week...

DisneyWorldGuru · Jul 28, 2002

I was upset at first over it being closed during my visit, but I am glad that Disney is fixing it up and making it look better.

Oh and the date they plan to reopen it is Oct. 19, 2002.

Hyperion93 · Jul 28, 2002

Damn. I love this ride, and I'm going to be in WDW in August. Maybe some miracle happens, and it'll be open.

Castle Cake Apologist · Jul 28, 2002

Originally posted by mickeyman
the park’s only true water flume thrill ride,

Riiiight... the drops, what? 10 feet long? I do love this ride but it far from a thrill ride in my book. Perhaps those polar bears will be getting a make-over? They need one...

Hyperion93 · Jul 28, 2002

Meh, I think the bear looks fine.

Castle Cake Apologist · Jul 28, 2002

Originally posted by Hyperion93
Meh, I think the bear looks fine.

They look like crap. They're falling apart, the fur is matted and not to mention gaining a yellowish tint as time marches on. REFURB THE BEARS!

Hyperion93 · Jul 28, 2002

I guess it should be redone then, ey?

ToTBellHop · Jul 28, 2002

the bears are the worse Audio-Animatronics on Disney Property; they are not life-like at all. It's pathetic when the old A-As from the 50s at disneyland look better than ones we got in 1989...

DisneyAdam · Jul 28, 2002

Originally posted by mickeyman
Normally I wouldn’t even think this, but that was before they left the giant fountain in the center of Future World in a broken state for nearly half of 2001.

The Fountain was shut down due to water restrictions in Florida during the drought not because it was broken.

TURKEY · Jul 28, 2002

Re: Re: malstrom closed for a while

Originally posted by DisneyAdam

The Fountain was shut down due to water restrictions in Florida during the drought not because it was broken.

Yep, so was the AA fountain and lots of other unnecessary uses of water were shut down as well.

WDWFREAK53 · Jul 28, 2002

That's screamscape for ya

bgraham34 · Jul 28, 2002

Thats one of my favorite rides in Epcot and it will be closed when i go in September. I just hope that nothing else major close then as well

wishiwere@wdw · Jul 29, 2002

Re: Re: malstrom closed for a while

Originally posted by DisneyAdam

The Fountain was shut down due to water restrictions in Florida during the drought not because it was broken.

I'm not 100% sure but I thought the fountain did not reopen after the water restrictions were lifted. We were there the last week of August and it was still down and I think the restrictions were lifted in early August. Regardless of the cause, a simple sign would have been nice letting us know if that was in fact the reason. (unless I missed it

)

Pioneer Hall · Jul 29, 2002

Re: Re: Re: malstrom closed for a while

Originally posted by wishiwere@wdw

I'm not 100% sure but I thought the fountain did not reopen after the water restrictions were lifted. We were there the last week of August and it was still down and I think the restrictions were lifted in early August. Regardless of the cause, a simple sign would have been nice letting us know if that was in fact the reason. (unless I missed it)

Last year the restrictions were in place throughout August and even after August. I was there in the end and the fountain was closed. So were other non-needed water items (Splash Mountain water cannon to get people on the bridge wet.)

BradleyJ · Jul 29, 2002

Re: Re: Re: Re: malstrom closed for a while

Originally posted by DisneyInsider

Last year the restrictions were in place throughout August and even after August. I was there in the end and the fountain was closed. So were other non-needed water items (Splash Mountain water cannon to get people on the bridge wet.)

The water restrictions have NEVER been lifted.

Even though we have had a good amount of rain the last month, we are still a massive drought state, which could take years worth of the rain we have had recently to recover fully.

ToTBellHop · Jul 29, 2002

the severity of the water restrictions must have been lowered then, for Disney to be given the okay to turn water elements back on.

tiggerlover1971 · Jul 29, 2002

i am pretty sure they have been because i live in south florida a we can water our grass anytime we want to again and wash our cars again and all that good stuff that we couldnt do when there were restrictions

TheTophDaddy · Jul 29, 2002

Missing the Point

With all this talk of 10-foot drops and audio-animatronics and yellow polar bears (which, in real life, do have a slight yellowish tint to their fur), I think you all are missing the point of the Maelstrom entirely:

Incredibly cute, blonde (real, not from a bottle) Norwegian girls with adorable accents smiling and giggling at your jokes and ushering you on and off the ride.

Sigh.

If one of those angelic northern miracles would sit next to me, I might even consider sitting once again through that terrible movie.

So, I am deeply saddened that the Norwegian goddesses will not be there for my trip in September. I guess I could eat at Askershus, but it's just not the same. I'd go fight a troll for them any day...

My lord, I love that accent.

Double sigh.

gjpjtj · Jul 29, 2002

Originally posted by DogsRule!
the severity of the water restrictions must have been lowered then, for Disney to be given the okay to turn water elements back on.

So I take it that all the water elements are back on? (It just was'nt the same with them off.)

malstrom closed for a while

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