News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

[mikejs78]

If you follow along...there’s always some “reason” why the parks are bogged down and become 3 fastpass only days...

It’s always “but this...” and “it’s unusually that” and “I don’t know what’s going on there...”

At some point...the Abnormal is just normal.

They committed a critical mistake in sitting and doing nothing from 2000-2010 (more or less)...they had two fully underbuilt parks and hemmed and hawed over what to do with Epcot...deciding on nothing at all. No new capacity.

That mistake is magnified by the need for parks to pick up stock and increase raw numbers to do so...watch it play

Yeah I get all that and attendance has increased while they have done nothing to expand capacity to meet said attendance increase, yadda yadda. I'm not talking about that macro issue.

I'm referring specifically to the fact that by all accounts, Jan and the most of Feb were hallacious for that time of year, but the last week or so of Feb until the Easter crowds started arriving, crowd levels were much more manegable (although still not what they were a decade ago). My question boils down to - why were Jan and Feb, traditionally the least crowded time of year - more crowded than most of March?

My hypothesis is (and it really just is a hypothesis) that a combination of a slightly morr aggressive reduced staffing than normal for the slow season + higher than anticipated crowds (Irma reschedules, tour groups, cheerleaders) resulted in the tipping point being hit which @MisterPenguin always refers to - and the March 'slowdown' is a result of Disney bumping up staffing again for Spring Break before the Spring Breakers arrived...

 

[Kman101]

My hypothesis is (and it really just is a hypothesis) that a combination of a slightly morr aggressive reduced staffing than normal for the slow season + higher than anticipated crowds (Irma reschedules, tour groups, cheerleaders) resulted in the tipping point being hit which @MisterPenguin always refers to - and the March 'slowdown' is a result of Disney bumping up staffing again for Spring Break before the Spring Breakers arrived...

I have nothing factual either but I agree with you on this.

 

[Awakening]

For years, I’ve thought RNRC could be rethemed to a “Who Frames Roger Rabbit” race to a new cartoon premiere. Connect the area to the Animation Courtyard and retheme the whole area to properly connect and tie into 1940s Hollywood.

Speaking of, it's the films 30th Anniversary this year. Assuming I'd be too optimistic in thinking that Disney/The Parks will acknowledge this at all?

 

[GeneralKnowledge]

Yeah I get all that and attendance has increased while they have done nothing to expand capacity to meet said attendance increase, yadda yadda. I'm not talking about that macro issue.

I'm referring specifically to the fact that by all accounts, Jan and the most of Feb were hallacious for that time of year, but the last week or so of Feb until the Easter crowds started arriving, crowd levels were much more manegable (although still not what they were a decade ago). My question boils down to - why were Jan and Feb, traditionally the least crowded time of year - more crowded than most of March?

My hypothesis is (and it really just is a hypothesis) that a combination of a slightly morr aggressive reduced staffing than normal for the slow season + higher than anticipated crowds (Irma reschedules, tour groups, cheerleaders) resulted in the tipping point being hit which @MisterPenguin always refers to - and the March 'slowdown' is a result of Disney bumping up staffing again for Spring Break before the Spring Breakers arrived...

In case you missed it, there's a whole thread discussing this here

 

[Pi on my Cake]

Speaking of, it's the films 30th Anniversary this year. Assuming I'd be too optimistic in thinking that Disney/The Parks will acknowledge this at all?

Isn't the problem with that to do with Spielberg? Like, isn't that why they don't do anything new with Roger Rabbit and stopped meet and greets.

 

[tirian]

Isn't the problem with that to do with Spielberg? Like, isn't that why they don't do anything new with Roger Rabbit and stopped meet and greets.

The problem was Michael Eisner, who burned bridges with Spielberg. Now the company is chasing the Marvel and Lucasfilm portfolios and pretty much coasting for everything else. (Remember, they didn’t expect “Frozen” to be a hit.)

 

[tirian]

I love Roger, but I would be worried that parents would think it was a family ride.

I had a family in line behind us for RnR Coaster. I heard the mother say something like "I don't think it goes upside down - it's Disney".
I saw they had 2 smaller kids, so I warned the mother that it did go upside down 3 times and I gave her a brief description of the ride. I don't think she really believed me.

After the ride, we saw the boy in the RnR shop and asked him if he had fun. He was quiet, looked up at us on the verge of tears and just shook his head no. Poor little guy.

However, I absolutely agree that there should be an easier way to get to the Animation Ctyd, from Sunset.

There’s a vehicle mounted upside down at the entrance. There are warnings everywhere. If the mom is too stupid to pay attention, that isn’t Disney’s fault.

I’m glad you spoke up to warn them. The kids probably listened because they’re too young to have the know-it-all attitude the mom displayed.

People, this is why we don’t have Alien Encounter anymore.

 

[tirian]

Yeah I get all that and attendance has increased while they have done nothing to expand capacity to meet said attendance increase, yadda yadda. I'm not talking about that macro issue.

I'm referring specifically to the fact that by all accounts, Jan and the most of Feb were hallacious for that time of year, but the last week or so of Feb until the Easter crowds started arriving, crowd levels were much more manegable (although still not what they were a decade ago). My question boils down to - why were Jan and Feb, traditionally the least crowded time of year - more crowded than most of March?

My hypothesis is (and it really just is a hypothesis) that a combination of a slightly morr aggressive reduced staffing than normal for the slow season + higher than anticipated crowds (Irma reschedules, tour groups, cheerleaders) resulted in the tipping point being hit which @MisterPenguin always refers to - and the March 'slowdown' is a result of Disney bumping up staffing again for Spring Break before the Spring Breakers arrived...

I don’t mean to go on a tangent, and I’m not an official voice for anyone except myself, but I’ve spoken to people and can confirm the staffing hours were absolutely cut in January and February.

Was this done to intentionally create artificially long lines? Probably not. But it did.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don’t mean to go on a tangent, and I’m not an official voice for anyone except myself, but I’ve spoken to people and can confirm the staffing hours were absolutely cut in January and February.

Was this done to intentionally create artificially long lines? Probably not. But it did.

Jan & Feb used to be off-peak 'dead' times. Didn't they reduce staffing in the past at that time after the Christmas rush?

 

[crxbrett]

I’m in SoCal this week and might swing by DL early next week, but the crowd levels there have been insane every day for almost a year. Since I've already been a few times, I’m reconsidering if a day trip is worth the headache.

My last three trips to DL were shockingly not bad at all. I went Feb 11-13 (Sun-Tue) and it was extremely empty. Got on more than 45+ things in those 3 days with lots of time relaxing, eating, drinking and shopping.

Went back again 2/28-3/1 (Wed/Thu) and it was empty again. Did more than 30+ in 2 days!

**UPDATE** Forgot I also went 3/24-25 (Sat-Sun) and it was also really light and not busy at all.

So I was dreading my trip that I had planned for yesterday. I was looking at wait times all week and saw wait times readh 160-175 minutes a few times. Even things like Pirates or Haunted that normally don't have waits above 40 were at 60. The Little Mermaid was even at 30! Normally it is a walk-on. So I was prepared for the worst. Friday actually ended up being really nice and not bad at all. Went from rope drop til close and got on 26 things. It was so dead in the AM that they let my GF and I ride Pooh 3 times in a row without disembarking lol And I took a 60-minute breakfast, a 3-hour break at Trader Sam's and a 90-minute dinner at Brennan's on top of that! So definitely very light crowds, especially considering it was a Friday and spring break. DL's crowds are so unpredictable now. I also went this past Thanksgiving weekend - dead. One of the best trips I have ever had in terms of crowds. Weekends in summer are now often light since all the APs are blocked.

Hope you ended up making it out and visiting the park!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There’s a vehicle mounted upside down at the entrance. There are warnings everywhere. If the mom is too stupid to pay attention, that isn’t Disney’s fault.

I’m glad you spoke up to warn them. The kids probably listened because they’re too young to have the know-it-all attitude the mom displayed.

People, this is why we don’t have Alien Encounter anymore.

Agree...not only that...there are 500 bars and restaurants all over property that are not there to feed your toddler...anyone that thinks it’s sesame Place for kids is horribly out of date.

Try google, people...read up first instead of watching something stupid on cable or Hulu

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Now the company is chasing the Marvel and Lucasfilm portfolios and pretty much coasting for everything else. (Remember, they didn’t expect “Frozen” to be a hit.)

Pefect summary of the modern Disney company right here. As much as I love seeing Marvel and Lucasfilm succeed, it shouldn't come at the expense of the company's other divisions.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

My last three trips to DL were shockingly not bad at all. I went Feb 11-13 (Sun-Tue) and it was extremely empty. Got on more than 45+ things in those 3 days with lots of time relaxing, eating, drinking and shopping.

Went back again 2/28-3/1 (Wed/Thu) and it was empty again. Did more than 30+ in 2 days!

**UPDATE** Forgot I also went 3/24-25 (Sat-Sun) and it was also really light and not busy at all.

So I was dreading my trip that I had planned for yesterday. I was looking at wait times all week and saw wait times readh 160-175 minutes a few times. Even things like Pirates or Haunted that normally don't have waits above 40 were at 60. The Little Mermaid was even at 30! Normally it is a walk-on. So I was prepared for the worst. Friday actually ended up being really nice and not bad at all. Went from rope drop til close and got on 26 things. It was so dead in the AM that they let my GF and I ride Pooh 3 times in a row without disembarking lol And I took a 60-minute breakfast, a 3-hour break at Trader Sam's and a 90-minute dinner at Brennan's on top of that! So definitely very light crowds, especially considering it was a Friday and spring break. DL's crowds are so unpredictable now. I also went this past Thanksgiving weekend - dead. One of the best trips I have ever had in terms of crowds. Weekends in summer are now often light since all the APs are blocked.

Hope you ended up making it out and visiting the park!

That’s cool you had good experiences. I wonder if those days will be in the past when SW:GE opens at DLR in 2019.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

So many of us who post on these boards could run the parks better. I think that's a great idea.

I've long thought MGM should have received the full Toontown with Roger Rabbit's dark ride. They really failed that park over the years with so few additions.

Connect the coaster to a Toontown behind Sunset and link it all to Animation Courtyard. Where the Mickey ride should have gone.

I can see where you're coming from, but I disagree with DHS getting the full Toontown. Yes, more Roger Rabbit is always a good thing, but Mickey living inside of any park outside of MK rubs me the wrong way. It's a personal preference I guess, but the Mickey factor makes Toontown a distinctly castle park land for me.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

That’s cool you had good experiences. I wonder if those days will be in the past when SW:GE opens at DLR in 2019.

I would hope not, but those days probably will be in the past. From my experience, the current crowd atmosphere at DL is a huge advantage over WDW, so the likelihood of that all changing for the worst genuinely disappoints me. From my perspective, SW:GE is a terrible idea for that park on every level.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I would hope not, but those days probably will be I the past. From my experience, the current crowd atmosphere at DL is a huge advantage over WDW, so the likelihood of that all changing for the worst genuinely disappoints me. From my perspective, SW:GE is a terrible idea for that park on every level.

Should have been in DCA along with Marvel.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Should have been in DCA along with Marvel.

100% Agreed. If only we lived in that reality, if not one with a third gate.

 

[crxbrett]

Should have been in DCA along with Marvel.

Honestly, Marvel and Star Wars should have been a 3rd gate for DL. The crowds both will generate is not going to be pretty and DL unlike DW can't really handle big crowds at all. DL is awful when the crowds are bad. Sometimes you can't even move and get stuck in bottlenecks.

I think the only way I want to see Galaxy's Edge is a special AP preview party after the park closes and I have to pay like $150. Worth the price considering Galaxy's Edge is going to be a madhouse for years. And I am the world's biggest Star Wars geek and want to see it a lot lol But I just don't see it being a fun experience with DL's inability to handle large crowds. Can't imagine what that side of the park will be like at night with Fantasmic! going and GE open. It's such a mess now as it is.

Sorry for derailing the thread.

Did I forget to mention that I am excited about riding TRON in a few years? LOL

 

[Kman101]

I can see where you're coming from, but I disagree with DHS getting the full Toontown. Yes, more Roger Rabbit is always a good thing, but Mickey living inside of any park outside of MK rubs me the wrong way. It's a personal preference I guess, but the Mickey factor makes Toontown a distinctly castle park land for me.

Definitely a personal preference. I've always viewed Toontown as a play on Hollywood, Toontown being the Hollywood of the Toons, so to speak, so it worked for me. I know sometimes it's hard to picture things that are usually in a castle park, not in a castle park, but I think some things can work elsewhere. But yeah it comes down to personal preference.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Definitely a personal preference. I've always viewed Toontown as a play on Hollywood, Toontown being the Hollywood of the Toons, so to speak, so it worked for me. I know sometimes it's hard to picture things that are usually in a castle park, not in a castle park, but I think some things can work elsewhere. But yeah it comes down to personal preference.

Well said. Your view of Toontown matches what's presented in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, so technically, it fits DHS just fine. In specific cases like this where a land or attraction possesses a variety of qualities that are adaptable to more than one kind of park, it truly is up to one's personal preference to determine the place of best fit.