Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway confirmed

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
The pre-show should have no effect on capacity.
It had no effect on capacity in the pre-pandemic era. Pre-plexiglass, the preshow would have barely worked, but ops called an audible and scrapped it. Post-plexiglass? No change the preshow could keep up to the ride.

That said, I have no idea how it would be implemented, but it would be interesting to see how a pre-show optional policy (ex. Preshow by request) would work out.
 

dhslxop

Well-Known Member
It had no effect on capacity in the pre-pandemic era. Pre-plexiglass, the preshow would have barely worked, but ops called an audible and scrapped it. Post-plexiglass? No change the preshow could keep up to the ride.

That said, I have no idea how it would be implemented, but it would be interesting to see how a pre-show optional policy (ex. Preshow by request) would work out.
The only thing is that there would still be a smaller capacity in the preshow rooms than pre-pandemic in order to keep parties distanced. I'm not sure about the specifics of MMRR, but even with filling every row / the plexi, they seemingly would not be able to keep the post pre-show queue full if they are stopping every few minutes for the preshow to run.
 

FutureCEO

Well-Known Member
It had no effect on capacity in the pre-pandemic era. Pre-plexiglass, the preshow would have barely worked, but ops called an audible and scrapped it. Post-plexiglass? No change the preshow could keep up to the ride.

That said, I have no idea how it would be implemented, but it would be interesting to see how a pre-show optional policy (ex. Preshow by request) would work out.


I wish there was a pre-show opt out of a lot of the rides.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
I generally like pre-shows, but I would happily skip the one on Flight of Passage.
I'm assuming because you don't like it.

But, it should be said that skipping the FoP pre-shows would not get anyone on the ride faster. The pre-shows are holding people until seats are available and the pre-shows can contract or expand in length as needed.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
I'm assuming because you don't like it.

But, it should be said that skipping the FoP pre-shows would not get anyone on the ride faster. The pre-shows are holding people until seats are available and the pre-shows can contract or expand in length as needed.

Yeah, I know. They're essentially an extension of the queue that makes you feel like you're doing something other than standing in line for the ride. They're not actually a bottleneck for boarding.

But yes, I despise the one for FoP. A good pre-show can enhance the attraction (Disney has several of these), but the FoP one is painfully bad. I would rather just stand in line and not have to watch the pre-show.
 
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Bostb71

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I know. They're essentially an extension of the queue that makes you feel like you're doing something other than standing in line for the ride. They're not actually a bottleneck for boarding.

But yes, I despise the one for FoP. A good pre-show can enhance the attraction (Disney has several of these), but the FoP one is painfully bad. I would rather just stand in line and not have to watch the pre-show.
I like RnRc so much better without the pre-show; it adds nothing to the ride
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Aside from adds a little plot?

It also - again - adds something to what would otherwise be nothing.
That is part of the problem with todays guests. They are not there for the overall experience, they are there for the thrills. I will admit that RnRC is really a thrill ride. I don't think inversion coasters can be labeled as anything other then thrill. The 0 to 60 start up factor is different as well. It's hard to see anything else in the dark and you are correct, the preshow lets you know why you are there and what the ride is all about. Without it all one has is a roller coaster and by last count there are about a gazillion other places to get just thrills. Disney is supposed to be different then that, but that fact is missed by the heart lodged in your throat crowd. I'm a little long in the tooth for the thrills, but I still do ride it occasionally, but mostly because I like Aerosmith and I like the story.
 

Bostb71

Well-Known Member
That is part of the problem with todays guests. They are not there for the overall experience, they are there for the thrills. I will admit that RnRC is really a thrill ride. I don't think inversion coasters can be labeled as anything other then thrill. The 0 to 60 start up factor is different as well. It's hard to see anything else in the dark and you are correct, the preshow lets you know why you are there and what the ride is all about. Without it all one has is a roller coaster and by last count there are about a gazillion other places to get just thrills. Disney is supposed to be different then that, but that fact is missed by the heart lodged in your throat crowd. I'm a little long in the tooth for the thrills, but I still do ride it occasionally, but mostly because I like Aerosmith and I like the story.
I wouldn't consider myself to be "today's guest". I worked at RnRc and Tower for 2 years. I've seen that pre-show enough times I could quote it to you in my sleep. I was just down visiting last week and I was glad I did not have to endure the Aerosmith video again but was also disappointed that they were bypassing the one for Tower. So no I'm not just there for the thrills; I just don't like RnRc's theming which is literally a video and cardboard flats.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't consider myself to be "today's guest". I worked at RnRc and Tower for 2 years. I've seen that pre-show enough times I could quote it to you in my sleep. I was just down visiting last week and I was glad I did not have to endure the Aerosmith video again but was also disappointed that they were bypassing the one for Tower. So no I'm not just there for the thrills; I just don't like RnRc's theming which is literally a video and cardboard flats.
I really wasn't addressing you personally, I was talking in general. You had a reason why you didn't mind it not being there but to blanket it as if everyone would be happy if it were gone would be as incorrect as me saying that everyone loves it. The big question is if you don't like the theming in RnRc then why are you riding it? I would say it is strictly for the thrills because the story, however lame, is not important to you. Unfortunately, not everyone worked there for two years and it is an important part of the attraction for those that like the idea of a storyline connected with the thrill. Without the storylines they might as well take down the Welcome to Walt Disney World and replace it with Welcome to Six Flags.

But you are not alone in this. I think that anyone can build a Roller Coaster, but Disney can make it more interesting. I think that the studio scene is much more impressive the the ride itself. I felt the same way about Test Track. That is not my favorite but early on we used to hear criticism about the story and the fact that the vehicles were guided by a groove in the floor. And discussion about the different scenes in the original ride. I would come on and be amazed at how little or few people noticed that they were riding in a car that really isn't strongly tethered to anything, is slowing up, accelerating, speeding up to 60 miles per hour and there is NO driver. It is being controlled by a computer(s). Not even by a person with a joy stick. To me guests spent so much time concentrating on the scenes that they missed the really impressive part of the attraction. Maybe because now that technology is old hat, but when it started it was nothing short of a miracle for most people. And that is also the reason that Epcot could no longer represent new technology. It changed to quickly to keep up with. And still is! RnRc is a pretty basic thrill ride, one of few on Disney property. The preshow is quite minimal, but is all that is necessary to explain why we were shuffling out to what looked like a loading dock. Inside is even more minimal because it is in the dark, but who really sees all the cardboard sets it's going to fast to see everything. I agree, normally with the cutout situation which is why I always wonder why so many felt that Toads Wild Ride was so wonderful. That was the most off the rack carnival ride that Disney ever featured. I rode on it with my kids 36 years ago in WDW, and have been to Disneyland once and could see no need to ride it again. I rode basically the same thing about a gazillion times when I was a kid at roadside carnival. But, they seem to work well in RnRc because it moves so fast that it only takes a few to give a sense of direction to the ride.
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Aside from adds a little plot?

It also - again - adds something to what would otherwise be nothing.

That's the difference between an amusement park and a theme park. A theme requires a bit of story behind it. IMO, people who hate preshows have the attention spans of infants and would be better off going to Six Flags or wherever where they can jump in a ride vehicle and GO REAL FAST HURR HURR. Brilliant preshows like the Tower's and MMRR's are wasted on them.
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
That's the difference between an amusement park and a theme park. A theme requires a bit of story behind it. IMO, people who hate preshows have the attention spans of infants and would be better off going to Six Flags or wherever where they can jump in a ride vehicle and GO REAL FAST HURR HURR. Brilliant preshows like the Tower's and MMRR's are wasted on them.
There is a very definite line between good and bad preshows. Rise, ToT, and Haunted Mansion all have outstanding preshows, but preshows have crept their way into a load of attractions, which isn't bad, but it has almost become overused which diminishes its effect.

If it is my first time experiencing a ride, a preshow is always welcome because it's a storytelling device, but for crazed lunatics, like myself, that have been to every attraction at least a dozen times, sometimes you just want to experience the physicality of the ride.

My favorite memories at Disney were around a decade ago, real late when the parks were virtually empty during extra magic hours; it was amazing to walk on virtually any ride without a wait. But preshows inherently delay the time it takes to get on a ride.

RnRc is definitely a great example of a somewhat annoying preshow; the theming is light and it isn't all that interesting -- the main appeal is the thrill of the ride, so if you've ridden the attraction a dozen times, the pre-show does not have all that much value.

Concluding note: I think it sounds like I hate theming and story, but that's not the case. There is a place for everything, including preshows, but sometimes, they're obstrusive.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
There is a very definite line between good and bad preshows. Rise, ToT, and Haunted Mansion all have outstanding preshows, but preshows have crept their way into a load of attractions, which isn't bad, but it has almost become overused which diminishes its effect.

If it is my first time experiencing a ride, a preshow is always welcome because it's a storytelling device, but for crazed lunatics, like myself, that have been to every attraction at least a dozen times, sometimes you just want to experience the physicality of the ride.

My favorite memories at Disney were around a decade ago, real late when the parks were virtually empty during extra magic hours; it was amazing to walk on virtually any ride without a wait. But preshows inherently delay the time it takes to get on a ride.

RnRc is definitely a great example of a somewhat annoying preshow; the theming is light and it isn't all that interesting -- the main appeal is the thrill of the ride, so if you've ridden the attraction a dozen times, the pre-show does not have all that much value.

Concluding note: I think it sounds like I hate theming and story, but that's not the case. There is a place for everything, including preshows, but sometimes, they're obstrusive.
Most of the time you’d just be stood in a queue doing nothing. Remember preshows are also designed to regulate capacity.
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
Most of the time you’d just be stood in a queue doing nothing. Remember preshows are also designed to regulate capacity.
Oh yea, 100%. FoP and Mission Space are great demonstrations of this. You're just waiting for the next "show" to start, but in RRC, if it is truly walk on, the preshow is actually delaying you from riding the ride.

It really isn't much of an issue, since the days of walking on rides seem to be dead, so the main drawback of a preshow is not really even applicable in the pre-covid crowded status of the parks.
 

Bostb71

Well-Known Member
Most of the time you’d just be stood in a queue doing nothing. Remember preshows are also designed to regulate capacity.
If the theming is well done, I don't mind just standing in the queue. None of the other coasters require a pre-show to explain the back story.
 

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