6/25/13 - The Day Spectro Died... Sorry guys..

Figments Friend

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
Mentioned often in this scenario is that the floats were infested with bugs and rotting away. Question, since MSEP is older then Spectro, by quite a few years, why isn't it gone already. I think it a way to a handy excuse for demolition of something that they just didn't want back again.
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I am not an expert on the different parade units, but i was under the impression from past research that MSEP*s units were built primarily from welded steel, and Spectro had a lot of interior wood supports as well as steel.
This would explain how one could be hit harder then the other in regards to getting targeted for termite infestation.

I am sure someone here with more accurate insight into how the units differ and are similar will be able to clarify.
Considering that MSEP was build in the 1970s, it is possible that is was better made...as in, sturdier building material choices were used back then when compared to more recent years when building things *quick and cheap* sometimes comes into play.
 
DsnyFevr

DsnyFevr

Active Member
mnelson3 said:
I can not believe this!! and what makes it even worse is Disney does not have the decency to comment on Spectro being gone forever to all the many fans that loved the parade!

For them to just destroy floats of such a popular parade that has been around and loved by soo many fans for many many years? I can only hope there is a very good reason behind this and that there is something major in the works to replace Spectro!
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I really hope so too. There us no excuse for the way Disney went about the whole thing. Summer Nightastic took it away for a short time to bring back MSEP and then Spectromagic was supposed to come back. Then nothing....nothing.....nothing! All of this just left in silence from Disney, no reason for all of it and no comments from them. All the stuff we all have figured out about it all came from these blogs. Not right in Disneys end at all. I wish they had bigger hearts. Theft have been telling us all about the daytime parade going and a new one coming so any fans can say their goodby, but Specto has just been left hanging for everyone praying it comes back soon.
 
DsnyFevr

DsnyFevr

Active Member
wdw71fan said:
I have the unfortunate duty of reporting the official death of Spectromagic.. There are 6 'trailer style' dumpsters filled with the crushed remains of the Spectromagic Parade units.. I believe at this point the only surviving unit is Chernobog... Which may only be temporary as they are removing equipment from the unit..

I personally witnessed a forklift being used to crush the pile of rubble down into the dumpsters.. Twisted metal and all... I couldn't believe my eyes.. It was all backstage, so no pictures... I couldn't take pictures anyway... it's like taking photos at a funeral.. this is one of those times where I wish you could 'dislike' my post.



Music surrounds us
Magic around us
Twirling around us
Carousel of light and laughter!

RIP Spectromagic.... I'll miss you, and the sounds of my 3 year old singing along years ago.
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This angers me! I was just reading on here last week that again they were going to try to bring it back for spring 2014
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
I feel badly that we didn't get to say goodbye to Spectro, too. But, that's Disney. They never say things are going away. We should all have known, lol.

But who would ever think they'd replace something as wonderful as Spectro wit MSEP???
 
cslafferty

cslafferty

Well-Known Member
It's all about what your memories are tied to. Our first Disney trip ever was after my husband died and I was deparately trying to show my kids that life could, in fact, be fun again. Disney did that for us, and one of those first memories of watching my kids' faces light up for the first time in a long time was when they played the intro to MSEP, cut the lights on MS, and started playing the Baroque Hoedown. Now, many of you have expressed in no uncertain terms how much you HATE that parade and music, but it will always make me tear up because of those memories and the deep feelings tied to them. I was not a big Spectro fan, but to those of you whose memories are tied deeply to Spectro, my deepest sympathies to you, as it really is a deep loss. I know I will feel the same when they finally retire MSEP and Wishes, as that is when my life began again - getting engaged during Wishes on the beach at the Poly. But, I can only hope that a new and better nighttime parade is in the works. I am waiting for them to bring some of the World of Color technology to WDW. Some I know will tell me that I'll probably be waiting forever, but I see that things are slowly starting to change for the better at WDW. Some would argue that it's not enough, but change takes time. And, it's not just wishful thinking - I cannot believe from a business standpoint that TDO will continue to let WDW slide with the competition down the road continuing to vamp things up. WDW is still the #1 tourist destination in the world, and that's a title I'm sure they don't want to give up.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
bubbles1812 said:
I find your inferences here to be silly. Because I didnt find MSEP very impressive, I'm suddenly in the same group that wants those things all to go away? I admittedly do not get the appeal of CoP, and I would truthfully not be sad if it were replaced. But people enjoy it and the likelihood Disney would replace it with anything worthwhile if it were to go is low, so I say keep it by all means. And I would be very sad to see the others go. But MSEP is a whole different animal than these. Those rides have been present forever. MSEP has not (at least not at WDW). For the majority, I would say it doesn't have quite the same nostalgic pull as Spectro actually does. So I would say people wanting it gone is quite different from if someone wanted those rides gone.

Left to rot in an open shed for several years rather than somewhere environment controlled will do that to floats... MSEP was better taken care of.
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It probably does seem silly to you and I will admit that I painted that with a very broad brush. Certainly, not everyone feels that way. But, I don't see it as that much different. The parades are as much an attraction as anything else is at WDW. I don't know what their reason was for bringing MSEP back, but, as I was pointing out earlier, I am a product of my first experience being MSEP. I don't know how long it was there before that but I know it was there in 2001, because that was when I first saw it. Spectro, to my knowledge was only there from sometime after that until whenever MSEP returned. I didn't really hate Spectro but I thought it a poor replacement for MSEP, just as you see MSEP as a poor replacement for Spectro. I never have understood those creepy white face masks, either what they represented or how it fit in with the theme of the parade. To stupid to figure it out, I guess. Spectro music was OK, though, in my opinion, it didn't hold a candle to the Baroque Hoedown. Again what we were individually accustomed and first exposed too. I felt the same way about changing the theme song at CoP from the one I first experienced, (Now is the time) back to Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow. I can't tell you how many times I have heard "but it is the original theme song". I understand that I just liked the other one better, that is the one that held the strongest nostalgic bind for me. But, I did learn to like GBBT and appreciate it, even though my favorite was never to be again.

If you have been backstage (I don't know if you have been or not), but, the storage area for any and all parade floats are undercover and if I remember correctly, basically closed in. If environment controlled means hot and humid as the rest of Florida, then I agree but that is where all the floats have been stored, all were subject to the same climate which is why I am having a little difficulty in accepting the rotted away excuse. That should have happened to all of them, not just Spectro.:)
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Figments Friend said:
I am not an expert on the different parade units, but i was under the impression from past research that MSEP*s units were built primarily from welded steel, and Spectro had a lot of interior wood supports as well as steel.
This would explain how one could be hit harder then the other in regards to getting targeted for termite infestation.

I am sure someone here with more accurate insight into how the units differ and are similar will be able to clarify.
Considering that MSEP was build in the 1970s, it is possible that is was better made...as in, sturdier building material choices were used back then when compared to more recent years when building things *quick and cheap* sometimes comes into play.
Click to expand...
Could be...I will default to someone that might know the answer to that. If nothing else that would explain why it fell apart and had to be replaced. I wouldn't think that if they did build it different, it was purposely to have a reason to trash it later. In that case, maintenance efforts were not the problem.
 
bubbles1812

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
It probably does seem silly to you and I will admit that I painted that with a very broad brush. Certainly, not everyone feels that way. But, I don't see it as that much different. The parades are as much an attraction as anything else is at WDW. I don't know what their reason was for bringing MSEP back, but, as I was pointing out earlier, I am a product of my first experience being MSEP. I don't know how long it was there before that but I know it was there in 2001, because that was when I first saw it. Spectro, to my knowledge was only there from sometime after that until whenever MSEP returned. I didn't really hate Spectro but I thought it a poor replacement for MSEP, just as you see MSEP as a poor replacement for Spectro. I never have understood those creepy white face masks, either what they represented or how it fit in with the theme of the parade. To stupid to figure it out, I guess. Spectro music was OK, though, in my opinion, it didn't hold a candle to the Baroque Hoedown. Again what we were individually accustomed and first exposed too. I felt the same way about changing the theme song at CoP from the one I first experienced, (Now is the time) back to Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow. I can't tell you how many times I have heard "but it is the original theme song". I understand that I just liked the other one better, that is the one that held the strongest nostalgic bind for me. But, I did learn to like GBBT and appreciate it, even though my favorite was never to be again.
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I do not have a problem with your feelings specifically about Spectro. If you like MSEP better (or anyone who does for that matter) better, more power to you... Though I would say it isn't the majority opinion. The only thing I had a problem with was that you implied anyone who does not like MSEP and had wished for a Spectro return is the exact same group who wants to take out the rides such as you listed. I don't think that is necessarily true. At all. That is what I took issue with.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
bubbles1812 said:
I do not have a problem with your feelings specifically about Spectro. If you like MSEP better (or anyone who does for that matter) better, more power to you... Though I would say it isn't the majority opinion. The only thing I had a problem with was that you implied anyone who does not like MSEP and had wished for a Spectro return is the exact same group who wants to take out the rides such as you listed. I don't think that is necessarily true. At all. That is what I took issue with.
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Read my first couple of sentences again...I think you will find I agree with you. I took to many liberties with that statement. :(:oops:

Well, it is indeed an opinion and neither of us know whether it is a majority or not. We will have to agree to disagree. :)
 
draybook

draybook

Well-Known Member
No tears here. Spectro was cool, and I enjoy listening to the music for it on lunch break or whenever they play it, but I'll be okay. I absolutely LOVE MSEP, and I can't wait to watch it again in September. True, a lot of it is nostalgia for me since I grew up watching it at DL, but I prefer the music and floats.
 
bubbles1812

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
AllyBaker3 said:
I love MSEP! I guess it'll do as well as Spectro for me.

I'm not trying to be rude here, but why don't so many people like it?
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In a nutshell, I personally find the music lacking compared to Spectro. And the characters included in the parade... A lot of them get a big "eh" from me, including to be honest, Pete's dragon. It's a cool float, but there are characters I'd much rather see. And I find the finale float very weird and not very impressive especially, though some of the others too. Just doesn't do much for me. Spectro I liked enough that every trip, it would get at least one watch from me, where I actually cared if I got a good spot/would sit early for the parade. With MSEP, I skip it and ride the rides. It isn't worth my time.
 
Figments Friend

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
Could be...I will default to someone that might know the answer to that. If nothing else that would explain why it fell apart and had to be replaced. I wouldn't think that if they did build it different, it was purposely to have a reason to trash it later. In that case, maintenance efforts were not the problem.
Click to expand...

From what i recall in a past discussion on this Forum about Spectro in storage, the parade units were stored outside in a less then desirable location for a few years. Instead of in a indoor warehouse/storage facility like most of the parade units are stored, Spectro was designated to sit for almost three years in a semi-temporary tented facility next to a backstage waterway.
The famous Florida humidity and moisture, coupled with the environmental surroundings, caused the units to become damaged.
They were also hit with a common problem in that area - termites.

The bugs basically had a field day digesting the inner supports of several of the units, and by the time the floats were being looked at again for re-introduction, it was discovered they were in a less then operational state. I clearly remember a thread on here where this was being talked about in detail, as it happened. I am sure it is still here....it was a interesting read.

Some of the floats were okay...and were not as badly damaged by the termites, but others were pretty much written off as being too far gone to use.
The bugs had chewed away too much to make the unit supports safe, exspecially for performers riding the units, and it looked like a signifigant amount of money would have to be invested in bringing them back to a operational state.

I think it is safe to say now that we know what the decision was....

There was some talk at the time that Spectro might come back...that the units that were damaged might be refurbed, but alas that did not happen. There was even a thread talking about how the floats were being worked on at Central Shops, which sounded promising for those who are fans of the parade.
A lot of folks believed it would return in some form, perhaps just the 'useable' floats...but it did not happen.

Here is one of the threads that go into more detail about what happened to the units:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/rumor-spectro-probably-isnt-coming-back.857186/
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Figments Friend said:
From what i recall in a past discussion on this Forum about Spectro in storage, the parade units were stored outside in a less then desirable location for a few years. Instead of in a indoor warehouse/storage facility like most of the parade units are stored, Spectro was designated to sit for almost three years in a semi-temporary tented facility next to a backstage waterway.
The famous Florida humidity and moisture, coupled with the environmental surroundings, caused the units to become damaged.
They were also hit with a common problem in that area - termites.

The bugs basically had a field day digesting the inner supports of several of the units, and by the time the floats were being looked at again for re-introduction, it was discovered they were in a less then operational state. I clearly remember a thread on here where this was being talked about in detail, as it happened. I am sure it is still here....it was a interesting read.

Some of the floats were okay...and were not as badly damaged by the termites, but others were pretty much written off as being too far gone to use.
The bugs had chewed away too much to make the unit supports safe, exspecially for performers riding the units, and it looked like a signifigant amount of money would have to be invested in bringing them back to a operational state.

I think it is safe to say now that we know what the decision was....

There was some talk at the time that Spectro might come back...that the units that were damaged might be refurbed, but alas that did not happen. There was even a thread talking about how the floats were being worked on at Central Shops, which sounded promising for those who are fans of the parade.
A lot of folks believed it would return in some form, perhaps just the 'useable' floats...but it did not happen.

Here is one of the threads that go into more detail about what happened to the units:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/rumor-spectro-probably-isnt-coming-back.857186/
Click to expand...
If all that is true and I have no reason to not believe you it is pretty obvious that they never intended to ever have it see the light of day (or night, in this case) again. I think that the phrase for that is "planned obsolescence".
 

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