7DMT Animatronics

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
Is it possible that those other designs weren't legit, and were "leaked" in order to reign in expectations so that people would be pleasantly surprised when the real plans turned out to be better?

No, they were completed, functional figures, on-site and ready to be installed. I saw them with my own eyes.
 

dreamscometrue

Well-Known Member
These look amazing, as does the incredible detail on the mountain itself. I'm old school with respect to liking physical sets so much more than just screen technology. That is why I am enjoying the direction that Disney continues to move versus Universal. I love NFL (much more than WWoHP; but that's a rant for a different thread) because of the physical environment which I can experience. The 7DMT looks impressive, and it's an actual dark ride/coaster. I also very much like the Tangled area, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Journey of the Little Mermaid. Even though, as is the case with the latter, I don't think the execution is perfect, I still enjoy the attraction because of the physical sets and moving through an environment in real time and space. With Avatar at DAK, I'm more excited about the boat ride through Pandora as I am about a screen based e-ticket.

As was discussed in another thread, Uni can keep bringing the screens (Transformers, Kong 3D-360, Fast and Furious), but I'm hoping Disney keeps bringing physical sets to all their park attractions, along with some screen technology. Seeing a commitment to physical sets (Ratatouille, Mystic Manor), which are more labour intensive and expensive to develop and maintain, instead of simply defaulting to screens, gives me hope for what we might see with a D.H.S. expansion, Imagination Pavilion redo, etc.
 

The_CEO

Well-Known Member
Am I the only one who chuckled with delight to see Sleepy's beard floating from his breathing? Haha, that was really well thought of.

I seriously CAN'T wait to see a HD POV of this attraction.

As for the, substantial, track reduction. I honestly see perhaps WDI presenting this project with A and B options. They chose the B option for one reason or another. I'm almost positive the same storyline was probably told within both, just one was more paced for the rider to ABSORB and wasn't as rushed I'd imagine.
 

Hulles

Member
New animatronics look awesome. There is real life in the characters, very smooth motion. Its come a longggg way since the back and forth motion of the first characters Walt saw.
 

sshindel

The Epcot Manifesto
I really like what I am seeing on the video. I want to reserve final judgement until I see it in person, trying to see if the video aspect adds or detracts something, but so far, it looks much better than I expected.
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
As for the, substantial, track reduction. I honestly see perhaps WDI presenting this project with A and B options. They chose the B option for one reason or another. I'm almost positive the same storyline was probably told within both, just one was more paced for the rider to ABSORB and wasn't as rushed I'd imagine.

But the flip side is that the original plans apparently had a much longer show scene (and maybe even a second "inside the mine" scene, IIRC). Given how impressive these AAs look, I'm kinda wishing that there was more of a dark ride portion to see them used even more extensively.

The longer track in terms of having more "thrill" element to the roller coaster aspect is less of a loss IMHO than not having as long and amount of indoor show scenes.
 

wdwmagic

Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
So, based on what I remember you saying in one of the news posts, that amounts to about 1/2 of the ride, correct?
Yep it's roughly 20 to 30 seconds before the show scene, 60 seconds indoors, then about 20-30 outside again before reaching unload.
 

sshindel

The Epcot Manifesto
Yep it's roughly 20 to 30 seconds before the show scene, 60 seconds indoors, then about 20-30 outside again before reaching unload.
Thank you.
All things considered, I think the ratio of show vs. "thrill" seems right. I'm sure we could nit-pick and wish that it was about double the ride-time total with the same ratio, but at this point, it is what it is.
 

wdwmagic

Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
Thank you.
All things considered, I think the ratio of show vs. "thrill" seems right. I'm sure we could nit-pick and wish that it was about double the ride-time total with the same ratio, but at this point, it is what it is.
Yeah, although I feel a lot of people are going to end up disappointed that they queue 2 hours for a 100 to 120 second ride, when I think some are expecting something along the scale of Splash Mountain.
 

Mawg

Well-Known Member
You say that in jest, but, that kind of behavior is why there's no more 'Grad Nights' in the Magic Kingdom. I'm sure there are multiple safeguards that will keep the dwarves safe from their new visitors. :)
It's one of those things you know you can't do but wish you could. However, I do expect that someone will do it some day. Hope not, but I'm sure it's happened on other rides.
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Yep it's roughly 20 to 30 seconds before the show scene, 60 seconds indoors, then about 20-30 outside again before reaching unload.

What about the time with the cottage scene? Is that part of the "60 seconds indoors"? Because it would fit temporally between the "20-30 outside again" and "reaching unload".
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Yeah, although I feel a lot of people are going to end up disappointed that they queue 2 hours for a 100 to 120 second ride, when I think some are expecting something along the scale of Splash Mountain.

Agreed. Having a longer mine show scene (or a second, later mine scene) plus a somewhat longer track and bringing the ride to 4+ minutes would have made a dramatic difference to how the ride is received.

Is there any type of show scene at the start of the ride before you leave the loading building?
 

wdwmagic

Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
What about the time with the cottage scene? Is that part of the "60 seconds indoors"? Because it would fit temporally between the "20-30 outside again" and "reaching unload".
No the cottage scene is in the second 20 - 30 second outdoor section after the indoor 60 second show scene. It is a very brief slow-down at the cottage.
 

Mawg

Well-Known Member
I know it's been pretty much confirmed that the ride length will be right around 2 minutes. But, I wonder if there is any thought about adding a few more trains and really slowing the trains down in the mine to a snails pace. I don't think I would mind having a few trains in the mine at a time if it meant I had more time to take in the show scenes and enjoy the music. But maybe they are already doing this and it's still only 2 minutes. I guess we'll find out soon enough when the first ride thru comes out.
 

wdwmagic

Administrator
Moderator
Premium Member
I know it's been pretty much confirmed that the ride length will be right around 2 minutes. But, I wonder if there is any thought about adding a few more trains and really slowing the trains down in the mine to a snails pace. I don't think I would mind having a few trains in the mine at a time if it meant I had more time to take in the show scenes and enjoy the music. But maybe they are already doing this and it's still only 2 minutes. I guess we'll find out soon enough when the first ride thru comes out.
No 5 trains will be the max, that is determined by the number of brake zones and cannot really be changed.
 

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I'm interested what they did for the cottage figures now, these are really growing on me, especially now that we've seen some better motion on the figures (like Doc). Wondering what Snow White herself will look like. These IMO represent the best usage of projected faces i've seen since the original Haunted Mansion. I do hope they don't start using projected faces for everything simply due to the fact that they won't work with all figures or in some types of lighting, but they do look like they worked out really well for these. Likely due to the well sculpted faces and properly designed low lighting in the environment (again same reasons the HM projections work well as opposed to the ones projected on flat surfaces and in badly lit scenes such as Buzz or Mr Potato Head).

It has gotten to where the only major problem I have with this ride is what others have mentioned- brevity (well that plus the lack of some of the outside themed elements we saw in the concept art such as log bridges, glittering gemstones adorning the mountainside and dwarf figures marching home above or below the track). I like the figures here a lot but it's just a darn shame the track layout had to be cut down so far from its original form.
 
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