1LE McQueen's Disneyland Review (December 2019)

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It wasn't working for a long time. Splash Mountain I expect to have many nonfunctioning things on the rare occasion I ride it and I'm always correct.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

It's worked for me every ride through the past handful of times. I think it's just a train-by-train basis.

I was on BTMRR probably 3 or 4 times this trip and unfortunately it didn't work once.

As far as Splash goes, there was a few animatronics missing I noticed on the riverboat after the last drop.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I was on BTMRR probably 3 or 4 times this trip and unfortunately it didn't work once.

As far as Splash goes, there was a few animatronics missing I noticed on the riverboat after the last drop.

What day did you ride Splash?

It's honestly depressing how many broken and missing figures there are, and have been for months. The frogs in the 'How do You Do' segment, trapped Brer Bear's broken arm, the broken baby opossums and roadrunner just before the 'Take me along' Alligator, the many broken effects in Laughin' Place, the missing beehive Brer Rabbit, and the broken and missing figures in the Zip a Dee Doo Dah finale, Brer Fox's broken mouth in the finale. And that ignores other minor stuff... one of the geese is supposed to be holding a cup that isn't, a few of the lights are out, the vultures were out of sync for a few days last week, the 'there's nothing in here but bees' audio that triggers too late.

Or how the third drop (the drop into the laughin place segment) was essentially ruined during the 2018 rebuild, resulting in riders in the front two seats getting absolutely drenched... or the decreased show from the stainless steel final drop replacing the brown one that was there previously.

And this is a company that puts show as one of it's four keys to success, and charges more then it ever has to enter it's park. And an attraction that just celebrated a significant anniversary. The ride just feels old, and that doesn't help it's charm like it does Mansion. Pirates doesn't feel like a 50 year old ride, which is probably the only benefit of it's frequent meddling and rehabs.

Splash needs a thorough rockwork overhaul and lighting upgrade throughout, perhaps with some projection mapping tastefully added throughout, overseen by Baxter. Each figure needs to be meticulously refurbished to ensure that they'll actually work, and any that are beyond repair need to be replaced with a new figure.

 

[Phroobar]

It's off and on. I've probably ridden it 70 times since August, and sometimes they'll go for a week or two, then be off for a week or two, then on for a day, then off again... it's a mess.

Splash is similarily inconsistent- various props will randomly disappear, figures will go missing and return from day to day, lighting is inconsistent.

And Indy. And honestly, Indy seems worse off after the brief refurb it had.

It kind of makes you wonder what they do during their brief refurbs when the ride emerges in worse condition than it started in.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

What day did you ride Splash?

It's honestly depressing how many broken and missing figures there are, and have been for months. The frogs in the 'How do You Do' segment, trapped Brer Bear's broken arm, the broken baby opossums and roadrunner just before the 'Take me along' Alligator, the many broken effects in Laughin' Place, the missing beehive Brer Rabbit, and the broken and missing figures in the Zip a Dee Doo Dah finale, Brer Fox's broken mouth in the finale. And that ignores other minor stuff... one of the geese is supposed to be holding a cup that isn't, a few of the lights are out, the vultures were out of sync for a few days last week, the 'there's nothing in here but bees' audio that triggers too late.

Or how the third drop (the drop into the laughin place segment) was essentially ruined during the 2018 rebuild, resulting in riders in the front two seats getting absolutely drenched... or the decreased show from the stainless steel final drop replacing the brown one that was there previously.

And this is a company that puts show as one of it's four keys to success, and charges more then it ever has to enter it's park. And an attraction that just celebrated a significant anniversary. The ride just feels old, and that doesn't help it's charm like it does Mansion. Pirates doesn't feel like a 50 year old ride, which is probably the only benefit of it's frequent meddling and rehabs.

Splash needs a thorough rockwork overhaul and lighting upgrade throughout, perhaps with some projection mapping tastefully added throughout, overseen by Baxter. Each figure needs to be meticulously refurbished to ensure that they'll actually work, and any that are beyond repair need to be replaced with a new figure.

You my friend are 100% on the money. Come to think of it, I missed my opportunity to share what was actually broken. I haven't been in a year so my observations are probably rusty, but what I did notice was brer rabbit and the pot of stew missing from the top of the hill (the audio still worked, as did brer fox's shadow), brer fox standing on brer bear after the riverboat scene was also missing but the audio still working. Some characters were missing from the riverboat itself. If I had another couple of ride-throughs I could tell you everything else that looked off.

I did Splash around noonish on Thursday the 12th. I would've loved to have done this a couple of more times, but I was one with a group.

 

[Phroobar]

You my friend are 100% on the money. Come to think of it, I missed my opportunity to share what was actually broken. I haven't been in a year so my observations are probably rusty, but what I did notice was brer rabbit and the pot of stew missing from the top of the hill (the audio still worked, as did brer fox's shadow), brer fox standing on brer bear after the riverboat scene was also missing but the audio still working. Some characters were missing from the riverboat itself. If I had another couple of ride-throughs I could tell you everything else that looked off.

I did Splash around noonish on Thursday the 12th. I would've loved to have done this a couple of more times, but I was one with a group.

I think there is some warehouse in Garden Grove that has more AA figures from Splash Mountain than Splash Mountain current has.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I think there is some warehouse in Garden Grove that has more AA figures from Splash Mountain than Splash Mountain current has.

lol. I get that Disney wants to put as little downtime on attractions as possible, but prolonging the inevitable isn't doing anybody any favors. I don't like this new approach.

 

[mickEblu]

What day did you ride Splash?

It's honestly depressing how many broken and missing figures there are, and have been for months. The frogs in the 'How do You Do' segment, trapped Brer Bear's broken arm, the broken baby opossums and roadrunner just before the 'Take me along' Alligator, the many broken effects in Laughin' Place, the missing beehive Brer Rabbit, and the broken and missing figures in the Zip a Dee Doo Dah finale, Brer Fox's broken mouth in the finale. And that ignores other minor stuff... one of the geese is supposed to be holding a cup that isn't, a few of the lights are out, the vultures were out of sync for a few days last week, the 'there's nothing in here but bees' audio that triggers too late.

Or how the third drop (the drop into the laughin place segment) was essentially ruined during the 2018 rebuild, resulting in riders in the front two seats getting absolutely drenched... or the decreased show from the stainless steel final drop replacing the brown one that was there previously.

And this is a company that puts show as one of it's four keys to success, and charges more then it ever has to enter it's park. And an attraction that just celebrated a significant anniversary. The ride just feels old, and that doesn't help it's charm like it does Mansion. Pirates doesn't feel like a 50 year old ride, which is probably the only benefit of it's frequent meddling and rehabs.

Splash needs a thorough rockwork overhaul and lighting upgrade throughout, perhaps with some projection mapping tastefully added throughout, overseen by Baxter. Each figure needs to be meticulously refurbished to ensure that they'll actually work, and any that are beyond repair need to be replaced with a new figure.

The stainless steel on the final drop is jarring and stood out to me right away the first time I saw it. A shame.

I never noticed more water coming into the log on the Brer Bear @$$ drop because I always try to sit in seats 4-5 if possible to avoid getting wet.

 

[Phroobar]

lol. I get that Disney wants to put as little downtime on attractions as possible, but prolonging the inevitable isn't doing anybody any favors. I don't like this new approach.

I think Splash Mountain needs a total rebuild much like the one Space Mountain got in 2005. I guess imagineers don't like Splash Mountain since they never want to plus it like they constantly do to other attractions.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Splash has been in horrible shape for years. The last time I rode it in October it was in the worst shape I had ever seen it in.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

Good write up. But It has been well documented why people, my self included, hate Haunted Mansion Holiday. So not sure where the confussion lies for we have been over this in detail.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Good write up. But It has been well documented why people, my self included, hate Haunted Mansion Holiday. So not sure where the confussion lies for we have been over this in detail.

Thanks! I suppose the points I mainly see are "tacky, messy, stays too long". It's not really that I question.. I apologize my initial write up kinda came off that way.. I question why some folks love M:BO and Hyperspace yet despise HMH.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

Thanks! I suppose the points I mainly see are "tacky, messy, stays too long". It's not really that I question.. I apologize my initial write up kinda came off that way.. I question why some folks love M:BO and Hyperspace yet despise HMH.

Gotcha. Prob because it is one of the greatest and timeless classic rides of all time that does not need an overlay ever especially during Halloween.

 

[waltography]

Nice trip report! Glad you had a great time. Agree that Festival of Holidays was a general miss; I happened to like a lot of the food, but found that it was altogether too pricey for the portions you were getting (and getting the Sip and Savor wasn't that big of a discount). It was a fun way to grab lunch and snacks throughout the day, though, especially as I was splitting the pass with a friend that day.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Festival of Holidays had better offerings last year. The strange thing is the only decent ones this year were carry overs from last year.

I don't recall last years' selection, but unfortunately this year wasn't very good. Not sure why a tiny plate of slop should cost 9 dollars in some instances - No that's not fair, it wasn't that bad. Just not my cup of tea.