DHS Disney Confirms Muppets Take Over Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios

[lentesta]

During IAAPA week I walked through RnRC with ex-Imagineer Jim Shull, who designed it.

A couple of interesting things from Shull:

• The scarves seen on the mic stand at the end of the ride are from Steven Tyler's personal collection.
• The "G-Force Records" manhole covers outside the ride were the same cost as unbranded covers, so Shull had them cast. He has the original prototype.
• Aerosmith were great to work with. They recorded the "love in a roller coaster" line at Jim's suggestion and did multiple takes to get it right.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

“The pre-show wasn’t some masterpiece” is apparently the preferred excuse for bad show by bad management today? Do better.

Do I need to change my username? I'm as likely to call out Disney for something as anyone, but this doesn't seem like that big a deal to me. If I were there right now, I'd just be glad I had the chance to ride the coaster again before the refurb.

I absolutely agree that they should have told people about this in advance, but at the end of the day, the coaster is running, Aerosmith is still playing, and those that wanted that experience during their Christmas trip will still have it. And this shows me that they are going to take the time needed to make the new preshow even better than the first (with animatronics!). So I can't get be disgruntled about this.

 

[HauntedPirate]

You realize they’re swapping it out, right?

I’m confused with what your gripe is.

Leave the existing ride, as-is, until it's closed. Do the work. Re-open the ride.

Putting up a "painted wall" and removing the pre-show with the reason you're getting on the roller coaster in the first place is a choice. A bad one. But who cares? To hell with a cohesive, complete ride experience - WDI needs an extra month to rework the pre-show to... add an AA to it! That's a WIN, baby!!!

This isn't rocket science, but apparently it is for many because excusing bad management is just what more and more people around here love to do. Because "it's not a big deal". Just like paying $15/day for LLMP wasn't a big deal.

It's a reduced attraction experience. Period. More people need to just admit that they only care about the ride itself and not the full attraction experience, because so many defend crap like this plus "I dOn'T lIkE wAiTiNg In LiNeS sO LL iS gReAt FoR mE!!!1!!". It would at least be intellectually honest.

 

[jah4955]

View attachment 895096
Hear me out just wheel in one of these bad boys and play the preshow on it

happiest part of gradeschool.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I do wish they had an "official last go" of the preshow, perhaps even put the physical "Chris" back in there for a day to grab the black Les Paul. But it's really hard for me to criticize the "bad show" of this. At least it's open and people are still enjoying it. The preshow wasn't some magnum opus of ingenuity.

The “bad show” is that Disney has shut down huge swathes of the parks because they chose to replace rather then add attractions. All while charging full price for tickets, of course.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

The “bad show” is that Disney has shut down huge swathes of the parks because they chose to replace rather then add attractions. All while charging full price for tickets, of course.

I mean yeah? They are offering a full park still. The things currently closed are Animation Courtyard and Muppets Courtyard, that is a grand total of 2 shows closed. All rides are still open in HS as of right now. People are paying for it and the idea is that you get less people, potentially, because some people are going to wait until construction is done anyway. They also don’t increase the price every time proportionally to new rides being added so I don’t see why they would discount tickets when the opposite is true??

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Leave the existing ride, as-is, until it's closed. Do the work. Re-open the ride.

Putting up a "painted wall" and removing the pre-show with the reason you're getting on the roller coaster in the first place is a choice. A bad one. But who cares? To hell with a cohesive, complete ride experience - WDI needs an extra month to rework the pre-show to... add an AA to it! That's a WIN, baby!!!

This isn't rocket science, but apparently it is for many because excusing bad management is just what more and more people around here love to do. Because "it's not a big deal". Just like paying $15/day for LLMP wasn't a big deal.

It's a reduced attraction experience. Period. More people need to just admit that they only care about the ride itself and not the full attraction experience, because so many defend crap like this plus "I dOn'T lIkE wAiTiNg In LiNeS sO LL iS gReAt FoR mE!!!1!!". It would at least be intellectually honest.

Feel like this is just putting one of my quotes on here for no reason but ok

 

[HauntedPirate]

Feel like this is just putting one of my quotes on here for no reason but ok

That post does not quote you.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Do I need to change my username? I'm as likely to call out Disney for something as anyone, but this doesn't seem like that big a deal to me. If I were there right now, I'd just be glad I had the chance to ride the coaster again before the refurb.

Indeed.

Everyone had a year's heads up to get in your 'last rides' with a video of Aerosmith.

If anyone was waiting for an exact date so you could all jockey with one another to get in the last experience of a SCREENZ as some sort of badge of honor.... I just don't understand that mentality. There was a full year's warning to get it done.

Whether they *need* the capacity or not, the ride is open for those who like the ride. Disney could have just shut it down completely without warning.

The barrier could have been made prettier, tho.

 

[jah4955]

I mean yeah? They are offering a full park still. The things currently closed are Animation Courtyard and Muppets Courtyard, that is a grand total of 2 shows closed. All rides are still open in HS as of right now. People are paying for it and the idea is that you get less people, potentially, because some people are going to wait until construction is done anyway. They also don’t increase the price every time proportionally to new rides being added so I don’t see why they would discount tickets when the opposite is true??

I'm trying to be positive...at least HS isn't as bad as when Star Wars, Toy Story, and Mickey were all simultaneously in the works?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

They are offering a full park still.

Well that’s debatable even when everything is operating! Haha

 

[jah4955]

Indeed.

Everyone had a year's heads up to get in your 'last rides' with a video of Aerosmith.

If anyone was waiting for an exact date so you could all jockey with one another to get in the last experience of a SCREENZ as some sort of badge of honor.... I just don't understand that mentality. There was a full year's warning to get it done.

Whether they *need* the capacity or not, the ride is open for those who like the ride. Disney could have just shut it down completely without warning.

The barrier could have been made prettier, tho.

And I remember when Disney did shut things down, forever and frequently, without warning. When people asked they said "closed indefinitely," falsely giving a tease that it may re-open.

For example, I remember as late at 1996, cast members were still saying (and publishing...I have the document!) that 20K was in that "closed indefinitely" category (along with The Walt Disney Story which closed 1991/2)

Some recent closures I've cheered (Carnyland), other's I'm still in shock over (TSI), and everything in-between. But one "improvement" that can be said is Disney has been giving advanced notice for those (who can) to say goodbye one last time.

I can't recall any attraction having more of a "goodbye period" than MV3D. And I'm still hoping against hope it finds a new home where the Villians show currently is.

 

[jah4955]

The “bad show” is that Disney has shut down huge swathes of the parks because they chose to replace rather then add attractions. All while charging full price for tickets, of course.

I agree it would be more fair in this regard if there was still the A-E ticket system. You only pay for attractions you want to/can visit.

But then again, I feel LL is a "spiritual successor" of the A-E

 

[MustangDoug]

You would think they could have popped a 85" Screen on the metal wall and just showed the preshow video portion. It would have kept the storyline intact, and while not as good as the full show area, it would have been a satisfactory transition.

 

[Chi84]

Straining capacity was a choice. Others aren’t hypocrites because some think that was somehow wise.

Some are.

 

[Horizons '83]

Leave the existing ride, as-is, until it's closed. Do the work. Re-open the ride.

Putting up a "painted wall" and removing the pre-show with the reason you're getting on the roller coaster in the first place is a choice. A bad one. But who cares? To hell with a cohesive, complete ride experience - WDI needs an extra month to rework the pre-show to... add an AA to it! That's a WIN, baby!!!

This isn't rocket science, but apparently it is for many because excusing bad management is just what more and more people around here love to do. Because "it's not a big deal". Just like paying $15/day for LLMP wasn't a big deal.

It's a reduced attraction experience. Period. More people need to just admit that they only care about the ride itself and not the full attraction experience, because so many defend crap like this plus "I dOn'T lIkE wAiTiNg In LiNeS sO LL iS gReAt FoR mE!!!1!!". It would at least be intellectually honest.

Ops would like a word.

That park is desperate for capacity, so if it helps to work on the pre-show while keeping the ride open as long as they can, I have no problem with it. We were going to have to say goodbye at some point, hopefully for something better. If this new pre-show is a 1/4 of the awesomeness of Muppet's 3D, it will be a win.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Ops would like a word.

Should ops take priority over show?

That’s the question for many choices - not just this one.

 

[OptimusPrime]

Should ops take priority over show?

That’s the question for many choices - not just this one.

Yes.

I think its insane we're having the "muh theming" discussion over the *checks notes* rollercoaster with neon flats.

 

[ChrisFL]

Putting up a "painted wall" and removing the pre-show with the reason you're getting on the roller coaster in the first place is a choice. A bad one. But who cares? To hell with a cohesive, complete ride experience - WDI needs an extra month to rework the pre-show to... add an AA to it! That's a WIN, baby!!!

It's quite a bit nicer than a "painted wall". I can understand not liking the timing of it, but let's not be disingenuous, it's tiring.

 

[OptimusPrime]

I think its just insane in general to close all of this stuff at once across three parks and charge full admission (especially high visited areas in DAK and DHS), so from a standpoint of keeping capacity up, which I think at a point we need to look at the reality we live in and not the theming of the parks. I think this choice was odd, some might even say bad (I am some) but I can at least appreciate the effort to keep the ride open while they do this.