News Disneyland to give Snow White’s Scary Adventures dark ride a major facelift in 2020

Communicora

Premium Member
Original Poster
Disneyland to give Snow White’s Scary Adventures dark ride a major facelift in 2020
Disneyland filed a building permit with the city of Anaheim for a $445,000 refurbishment of Snow White’s Scary Adventures, according to city records.

Disneyland crews will remove and replace show sets, props and scenes, install new structural beams, refurbish rock work and make electrical upgrades on the 6,200-square-foot Snow White dark ride, according to the building permit.

The permit also calls for new projector platforms that suggest that the attraction could see some upgraded special effects in select show scenes.


 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
My biggest fear is that, they remove too much of the "scary" parts out of Snow White's Scary Adventures. If they do have to trim anything to get a happy ending scene, I'm hoping its the mines (assuming that this is a top to bottom re-do).

It’s intriguing yet scary. Hopefully it’s a net positive and they leave the facade alone (which I imagine they will). Will it still be grandfathered into all of the old ADA/ OSHA laws or would this change that? I’m guessing no, as long as the tracks stay in place and ride system stays the same.

This makes me wonder about Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.
 

FerretAfros

Well-Known Member
Are we to assume that this permit covers most/all of the work? If so, I wouldn't expect much out of this "major" refurbishment. Although $445,000 is a hefty sum to normal people like you and me, it really doesn't go very far on the commercial/industrial scale that DL requires, and even less when WDI's bloated budgets get involved.

As a point of reference, that amount is less than 1/500th what was spent on Pixar Pier.

From the description, it sounds like some upgrades to structural and technical elements and not a whole lot else. To make any substantive changes (other than fairly minor stuff, like the projection mapping that was added years ago), I would think they would need to be at least in the $5 million ballpark.

I'm sure there will be plenty of "invisible" work to keep the attraction running for years to come, but my expectations for this refurbishment are anything but "major"
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
It’s intriguing yet scary. Hopefully it’s a net positive and they leave the facade alone (which I imagine they will). Will it still be grandfathered into all of the old ADA/ OSHA laws or would this change that? I’m guessing no, as long as the tracks stay in place and ride system stays the same.

This makes me wonder about Pinocchio’s Daring Journey.
Grandfathering depends entirely on the scope of work. Based on the description it sounds like no walls are being moved, so it seems like it would maybe trigger a Level 2 renovation where new work must conform to current codes but not nearly extensive enough to trigger a Level 3 where the entire complex must be brought up to current codes. Even with a Level 3 renovation, exceptions are allowed on a case-by-case basis if needed.

Are we to assume that this permit covers most/all of the work? If so, I wouldn't expect much out of this "major" refurbishment. Although $445,000 is a hefty sum to normal people like you and me, it really doesn't go very far on the commercial/industrial scale that DL requires, and even less when WDI's bloated budgets get involved.

As a point of reference, that amount is less than 1/500th what was spent on Pixar Pier.

From the description, it sounds like some upgrades to structural and technical elements and not a whole lot else. To make any substantive changes (other than fairly minor stuff, like the projection mapping that was added years ago), I would think they would need to be at least in the $5 million ballpark.

I'm sure there will be plenty of "invisible" work to keep the attraction running for years to come, but my expectations for this refurbishment are anything but "major"
These numbers tend to be rather low, likely only related to the contractor’s work. These same sort of documents only added up to about $400 million for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge which has sailed past $1 billion in overall costs.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
The only thing that Snow White needs is better lighting. Pinocchio even more so. The Treasure Island carnival should be eye popping but it’s lit like an alley. The one in Tokyo is how it should be.

Pleasure Island is my least favorite scene in that attraction. It’s too long and you re right, it’s too dark.
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
So how much better was it at WDW anyway? I heard they had the better Toad too.

WDW had two versions of Snow White.

The original ride was crazy and scary in a way no other version was or has been since. It was one of those "they'll never build this again" moments in WED history. The load area and first half of the Tokyo version is the closest thing we have, and even that has some set and stylistic changes.

The 1994 version which closed in 2012 was longer than the Disneyland ride, but had a lack of movement to a number of scenes and props. It got praise for having a "proper" ending (IMO, not that important) and certainly was better than the Meet and Greet (!!) that occupies the space now, but Disneyland's version has better design and pacing.

Toad was better for sure. Two tracks, each with different scenes, though some the same and larger rooms for cars to pass through. Some scenes you could see riders in cars going by on the other track. A different style to the whole thing that fit the tone of the ride better. The queue and exterior were obviously less impressive, but everything else was arguably better.
 

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
I liked both versions of the Disneyworld Snow White. A lot of people said that the second version wasn't as good, but the original was a really weird freakshow and didn't even really work in its time due to the creepiness and incompatibility with children. I had no problem with the changes.

I think Disneyland's is still awesome. It's a nice short darkride that packs a punch and never has a very long line. I have no problem with the ending. The real ending is the witch getting struck by a bolt of lightning like the movie. You just ride by an extremely minor mural showing the ending of the movie. So what? It's a great little spookhouseian ride.
 

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