A ride on board DCL?

[Disney Analyst]

Kind of a blue sky question, and one I assume imagineers have looked in to... But do you think they could or would ever build a ride aboard one of the ships? I mean, you could easily put a flat top ride on one of the upper decks... but I could also see them being able to build a dark ride in the ship somewhere.

What do you think?? Any ideas of what they could build? If they would or should? Are there any ships out there that have a ride on board?

 

[Tom]

I really don't think it's feasible. Theme park attractions are very sensitive to moisture and humidity. They also fall under a number of different laws and governmental jurisdiction than cruise ships, making inspections and operations difficult.

They also take up a HUGE amount of space. Even the smallest dark ride would take up a major portion of one ship deck, and the layout would be long and skinny, because dark ride buildings are more square in nature, and would be wider than a ship deck.

Water slides are one thing, since pools and cruises go together, but I personally think it would be taking it too far to build a theme park attraction on a Disney cruise ship. Just my opinion.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I really don't think it's feasible. Theme park attractions are very sensitive to moisture and humidity. They also fall under a number of different laws and governmental jurisdiction than cruise ships, making inspections and operations difficult.

They also take up a HUGE amount of space. Even the smallest dark ride would take up a major portion of one ship deck, and the layout would be long and skinny, because dark ride buildings are more square in nature, and would be wider than a ship deck.

Water slides are one thing, since pools and cruises go together, but I personally think it would be taking it too far to build a theme park attraction on a Disney cruise ship. Just my opinion.

But would you not say it is Disney's thing to go big or go home? Defy what seems impossible, and to be as innovative as they once were??

Not that I doubt there are a lot of challenges... but I feel like it is something that could be possible, and definitely an interesting option to have on board.

 

[disney4life2008]

They created industry first fireworks at sea as well as the aquadock over the ocean which other lines have both tried to copy. As far as a ride - I am sure disney has thought of it but I would not want that. There are somethings that should be cruise related and others park related.

 

[5thGenTexan]

During a nice day at sea the decks around the pools are packed, it is sometimes a challenge to find a table outside to eat. There is simply not enough space on DCL ship to have rides. Bigger ships is not the answer. It is my opinion the next ships should in fact be smaller. Somewhere between the Magic and Wonder AND the Dream and Fantasy.

Perhaps they could do a simulator type ride inside on a lower deck that did not take up valuable public areas.

 

[Phonedave]

During a nice day at sea the decks around the pools are packed, it is sometimes a challenge to find a table outside to eat. There is simply not enough space on DCL ship to have rides. Bigger ships is not the answer. It is my opinion the next ships should in fact be smaller. Somewhere between the Magic and Wonder AND the Dream and Fantasy.

Perhaps they could do a simulator type ride inside on a lower deck that did not take up valuable public areas.

There is not much room on lower decks either. There is a reason that the crew sleep in an area the size of a closet. Every square inch of the ship is utilized.

I really cannot envision where they would put a ride.They would need to carve out a spot close to the size of the theater.

-dave

 

[Cesar R M]

if they really wanted to put rides, they would have to make their ships as big as the OASIS or FREEDOM of the SEAS.

There is not much room on lower decks either. There is a reason that the crew sleep in an area the size of a closet. Every square inch of the ship is utilized.

I really cannot envision where they would put a ride.They would need to carve out a spot close to the size of the theater.

-dave

agree, lower decks are mostly Crew, engine, systems,water and critical components of the ship.
no space for a ride.

the other way is, just do a full flat long ride , not box one.
like going bow to back in a single line with minimal curves.

 

[Phonedave]

if they really wanted to put rides, they would have to make their ships as big as the OASIS or FREEDOM of the SEAS.

agree, lower decks are mostly Crew, engine, systems,water and critical components of the ship.
no space for a ride.

the other way is, just do a full flat long ride , not box one.
like going bow to back in a single line with minimal curves.

Or tow it behind on a barge.


-dave

 

[flynnibus]

They could - but it would probably be a poor use of space. Notice, the name of the game on ships is "multi-purpose" - they have to get as much usage as possible out of spaces. Theatres run multiple different shows, bars double as activity spaces, kids areas run multiple variety of programs, etc.

A dark ride would be tough to multi-purpose. I think you'd have to have an experience like Toy Story where maybe the same ride system could be repurposed with a variety of shows to make it sustainable over a longer trip.

 

[donsullivan]

Lack of space is the key reason I can't imaging something like that being very likely for the foreseeable future. There have been reports that in the early stages of design for the Dream/Fantasy they considered a lazy river but concluded it would simply eat up way too much deck space on both the deck it was on as well as the one below. They dumped that idea and went with the Aquaduck instead which has only a nominal impact on deck space. I just don't see it as a good use of limited real estate on these ships.

I think the bottom line is that Disney considers the ships to be Resorts, not Theme Parks and the amenities that go with a resort are very different.

 

[EOD K9]

As @flynnibus said, it would need to be like TSMM. It could be on a flat track and the gaming screens don't take up a lot of space. It could also be an omnimover system as they can make tight radius turns. I'm not in favor of those rides on a cruise....sometimes cruises should just be cruises.

 

[Bolna]

I think I once heard that when they started out with the cruise line, one of the ideas was to have theme parks on the sea. But they decided to go with the classic theme of the old ocean liners instead. I really love that theme and really don't need a ride on a cruise. I think there are far better things they can spend money on on a cruise ship. Even if it is a great ride, there is only a certain amount of time you can re-ride it.

 

[Cesar R M]

As @flynnibus said, it would need to be like TSMM. It could be on a flat track and the gaming screens don't take up a lot of space. It could also be an omnimover system as they can make tight radius turns. I'm not in favor of those rides on a cruise....sometimes cruises should just be cruises.

or just use a soarin-like thing.. that can be altered from soaring.. to star wars..etc..

 

[MichWolv]

If you want a ride on the cruise, put it at Castaway Cay. Can't use valuable room on the ship for such a thing.

You could, on the ship, put in something like one of the DisneyQuest VR attractions.