UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
I've actually thought that too. I would love a ride through a bunch of animatronic dinosaurs; like a more serious version of the Jungle Cruise.
The drop in JPA is pretty fun, though.
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On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace
- Thread starter pheneix
- Start date
I've actually thought that too. I would love a ride through a bunch of animatronic dinosaurs; like a more serious version of the Jungle Cruise.
The drop in JPA is pretty fun, though.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The defining, distinguishing characteristic of a theme park is storytelling. Coasters that just focus on thrill and don’t tell a story means adding in things that are not part of the storytelling and undermining the whole premise. Universal’s coasters all have a story, even Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit has a ridiculous premise that tries to work it into its location.
Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
Maybe because Disney generally creates rides that appeal to "all ages" while Universal focuses much more on the teen-young adult demographic?
Nubs70
Well-Known Member
Or in a Warsaw Pact country....says someone NOT locked in New Jersey
yensidtlaw1969
Well-Known Member
It's not that "a ride" needs to be highly themed to be good. It's that Disney made that their trade and did it better than anyone else, setting their own standard for their operations. Standards that other companies have tried and sometimes failed (and sometimes succeeded!) to achieve. Of course, some companies do not aspire to these standards, or do so only some of the time, and that is their perogative.
Personally, I don't hold Universal to Disney's standards. They do not wholly aspire to meet Disney's standards. And why should they? They are their own operation with their own audience. But I will say that my personal tastes in Themed Entertainment are shaped by Disney's classic attractions, so I'm predisposed to be less excited on average by Universal's offerings.
By that measure, I won't call the new Jurassic Park coaster a "bad ride", but to me it appears to be an unimpressive themed experience. Jury is still out, of course, since it isn't complete, but the writing appears to be on the wall for that particular standard. It looks like it should be impressive in other ways.
Given my personal tastes, it astounds me that there are people who consider Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure a more impressive themed experience than Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. They are free to call it a "better ride" if they so wish, but it stuns me to hear people call Hagrid's theming especially impressive. Fun though it looks to be as a coaster experience. And I do enjoy coasters! But given the choice between a minimally themed juggernaut and a tamer but intricately themed experience, I'll personally take intricate every time. I enjoy physical thrill, but I prefer showmanship - which isn't a judgement on anyone's product.
The Jurassic Coaster may be the best ride built this year, the most fun, the most thrilling - but if someone is looking at it from the perspective of an immersive themed experience then it's likely to fall short in their eyes. That tends to be how Disney fans look at things because that is what Disney is known for producing. That tends to be how I like to look at things - not because that's the only way, not because I expect Universal to cater to me, but simply because those are the types of experience I most want to give my time and money to, that's all.
There are so many standards by which something can be judged as good. To say something doesn't succeed at all of them isn't necessarily to say it's bad, especially if the intention was not to succeed at all of them. I don't get the impression Universal intended the Jurassic Coaster to be an absolutely dazzling themed experience, it seems like it's meant to thrill by a different standard. Which is fine! Doesn't make it bad. But it also doesn't mean I'm interested, given my tastes. I'm simply looking for something else from my themed entertainment than what this ride is offering.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
This one is played out...so my final take:
There is honestly no bigger fan of the history of Disney artistic and technical design. It’s frankly why I go there. I’m not there for made up “mystical energy”, parades, projection shows, characters and cupcakes. Nonsense.
But I still can appreciate that.
For me, this goes back to Disney’s construction over the last 20 years and operation. And that triggers an almost instinctual response from the Disney elite fans...what I call “the praetorians”.
The world is not so small that a normal, highly impressive ride from a technical perspective can’t be better than an over themed one...covered in movie sets with computer designed rock work. It can happen. I’m not saying it does all the time - of course.
The Jurassic park coaster was bagged from the start by the purple cloaks. It’s in record. But that’s silly. Maybe it’s only a shot of adrenaline? Maybe they figured out how to “bridge” the atmosphere and the G-force. That’s kinda hagrids and gringotts. The world is big enough for both.
But it’s kinda elitist to say that a thrill is automatically inferior to theme. And before 8 people say “I didn’t say that”...ya did. Implied the hell out of it.
So while Peter Pan and mine train are fine rides...they don’t have 1 hour/2 hour waits because “theming is superior”. It’s because the Iger management has BADLY mismanaged supply and operation of those parks.
There’s a couple of unrelated elements being crossed here and the truth remains “elusive”.
There is honestly no bigger fan of the history of Disney artistic and technical design. It’s frankly why I go there. I’m not there for made up “mystical energy”, parades, projection shows, characters and cupcakes. Nonsense.
But I still can appreciate that.
For me, this goes back to Disney’s construction over the last 20 years and operation. And that triggers an almost instinctual response from the Disney elite fans...what I call “the praetorians”.
The world is not so small that a normal, highly impressive ride from a technical perspective can’t be better than an over themed one...covered in movie sets with computer designed rock work. It can happen. I’m not saying it does all the time - of course.
The Jurassic park coaster was bagged from the start by the purple cloaks. It’s in record. But that’s silly. Maybe it’s only a shot of adrenaline? Maybe they figured out how to “bridge” the atmosphere and the G-force. That’s kinda hagrids and gringotts. The world is big enough for both.
But it’s kinda elitist to say that a thrill is automatically inferior to theme. And before 8 people say “I didn’t say that”...ya did. Implied the hell out of it.
So while Peter Pan and mine train are fine rides...they don’t have 1 hour/2 hour waits because “theming is superior”. It’s because the Iger management has BADLY mismanaged supply and operation of those parks.
There’s a couple of unrelated elements being crossed here and the truth remains “elusive”.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
...in May
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Let’s call it a tie.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Fightin' words...Let’s call it a tie.
_caleb
Well-Known Member
You do understand the difference between saying something is preferable/not preferable to me and saying that something is inferior/superior, right? Because I keep saying the former and you keep putting it in the category of the latter. And I’m not sure why.
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
I guess that's where I differ. While Disney rides are impressive, they never really push the boundaries on new technology. Rise is just an upgrade from Ratatouille. For me the boundaries that they push with roller coasters are much more impressive. Who would have thought years ago that a wooden coaster could have inversions let alone multiple ones. Or 200 foot tall coaster have 9 inversions or break the 400 foot tall barrier. That to me is impressive. From everything I have heard the new Jurrasic Park coaster is going to one of most intense coasters in Orlando. I have said before theming is just added stuff to a ride. What would really impress me is if Disney made a high thrilling ride that was highly themed.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Let’s call it a tie.
...I meant amongst “above average” fan
...I’m not talking about you kooks. I yield the throne there
I was kinda hoping for March. For the symbolism. Et Tu Bob Chapek?
I’m happy to share...I meant amongst “above average” fan
...I’m not talking about you kooks. I yield the throne there
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
They pushed the boundaries of technology...just not THRILL technology.
I think they’re too conservative. Some more “thrill” rides may help with their awful, logjammed crowd distribution system in Orlando...but I get why they don’t go that route. Not their expectations from the public.
That doesn’t mean they have to be badly themed. Tower is an excellent blend of theme and jolt. Splash always was too. I hold up RNRC as what can be done ingenious on a budget. So it’s possible but not with the amount of “IP and operational complacency” we see now.
Rise of the abrams pushes a lot of boundaries...so did flight of passage...but they aren’t for “maximin thrill”
Johnson’s Journey is a trackless - no longer cutting edge but significant - mixed with really high end effects and a quick simulator carriage that captures the vehicle. That last part is overdesigned...maintenance will likely be more “test track” than “tower”...but it’s impressive design.
_caleb
Well-Known Member
I think you and I might have very different definitions of “pushing the boundary.” And “new technology.”
And possibly also “discussion.” But that’s okay!
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member