News 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

[BrianLo]

If FoP was internally classified as a D I'd assume Smuggler's Run was too, but maybe not since it's interactive.

It (Smugglers) was internally classified as an E and then Rise was the kitchen sink. I agree that it isn’t successful and I think I like current Star Tours more. We’ll see if a different ride experience can rescue it.

Smugglers misfire is currently reflected across the board. It’s a low priority lightening lane, waits are generally low, it isn’t monetized, it isn’t advertised. But the intention and scaling suggest a better experience than we got. I’d also say the same about Dinosaur, but that’s similarly on an E ticket skeleton.

The trouble with FOP is that in early plans when a third attraction existed it was a D. I’m not sure what Joe considered the final product. Because nothing about that queue experience suggests we think we are building a D ticket here. Then nothing since that point suggests anyone internally thinks FOP isn’t a headliner. From guest experiences, GSAT, popularity, advertisement and monetization. But I know that puts the likes of SDMT up for considerations and ya… unfortunately it is to the general public.

Currently Villains Land is pitched as containing two E tickets and technically Avengers Campus is destined to be a double E/?C-D/B land

 

[JackCH]

But I know that puts the likes of SDMT up for considerations and ya… unfortunately it is to the general public.

I would argue SDMT could legitimately be an E... It's one thing is it's probably too short, but it has a fairly impressive dark ride section, is a coaster with major theming and rock work, and a pretty extensive queue. It also is pretty clearly the "Headline" attraction of Fantasyland. And it is obviously popular. In an E-ticket competition it would get whooped, but I think it qualifies by most metrics one would use, except probably ride-length.

 

[Blobbles]

I would argue SDMT could legitimately be an E... It's one thing is it's probably too short, but it has a fairly impressive dark ride section, is a coaster with major theming and rock work, and a pretty extensive queue. It also is pretty clearly the "Headline" attraction of Fantasyland. And it is obviously popular. In an E-ticket competition it would get whooped, but I think it qualifies by most metrics one would use, except probably ride-length.

To me it was THE most popular and unofficial somewhat headline of the park until tron.

 

[celluloid]

Not perfect but if a ride has its own commercial campaign, you can count in the likelihood it is opening as an E ticket.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Considering DAK's anemic slate of rides (and even worse for family rides), Encanto is gonna draw insane crowds regardless if it ends up being an E or D ticket, so hopefully they've chosen a ride system with a really high capacity

 

[DarkMetroid567]

It (Smugglers) was internally classified as an E and then Rise was the kitchen sink. I agree that it isn’t successful and I think I like current Star Tours more. We’ll see if a different ride experience can rescue it.

Smugglers misfire is currently reflected across the board. It’s a low priority lightening lane, waits are generally low, it isn’t monetized, it isn’t advertised. But the intention and scaling suggest a better experience than we got. I’d also say the same about Dinosaur, but that’s similarly on an E ticket skeleton.

I’m still not really sold that Smugglers Run = bad is a common opinion outside forums like these. The wait times are usually pretty competitive, at least at Disneyland, and bewilderingly I had a few guests tell me they preferred it over Rise when I worked at WDW Rise. I guess I would love to see what the actual scores are.

EDIT: Oh wow, it’s currently the longest wait at DL, but I imagine there’s a capacity issue there.

 

[celluloid]

I’m still not really sold that Smugglers Run = bad is a common opinion outside forums like these. The wait times are usually pretty competitive, at least at Disneyland, and bewilderingly I had a few guests tell me they preferred it over Rise when I worked at WDW Rise. I guess I would love to see what the actual scores are.

EDIT: Oh wow, it’s currently the longest wait at DL, but I imagine there’s a capacity issue there.

If it was truly as good as that...they would no feel the need to invest and add different missions to it.

 

[James Alucobond]

If it was truly as good as that...they would no feel the need to invest and add different missions to it.

Uh, they add new routes to Star Tours all the time and it's by no means bad. Smugglers Run was designed to be able to swap missions—I don't think it getting new ones is indicative of perceived quality. If anything, I would think they might have left new missions undelivered for much longer than they should have because they saw the existing product as "good enough". That's not to say I particularly like it, either. I only find it decent if your group is big enough to staff the entire ship.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Uh, they add new routes to Star Tours all the time and it's by no means bad. Smugglers Run was designed to be able to swap missions—I don't think it getting new ones is indicative of perceived quality. If anything, I would think they might have left new missions undelivered for much longer than they should have because they saw the existing product as "good enough". That's not to say I particularly like it, either. I only find it decent if your group is big enough to staff the entire ship.

Exactly. The new Mando version will come out about 7 years after the ride opened!

 

[celluloid]

Uh, they add new routes to Star Tours all the time and it's by no means bad. Smugglers Run was designed to be able to swap missions—I don't think it getting new ones is indicative of perceived quality. If anything, I would think they might have left new missions undelivered for much longer than they should have because they saw the existing product as "good enough". That's not to say I particularly like it, either. I only find it decent if your group is big enough to staff the entire ship.

Bad and E ticket are two different things.

No one said it was a bad ride. Difference.

You prove the point with Star Tours. Star Tours was an E ticket demand when it opened in the late 80s because it was the first Major Theme Park Motion Simulator that set the new standard for them to follow.

They changed it to adventures continue to increase demand status in 2011. They keep adding synergy because it is easy to do, and to keep demand interesting to a ride that is no longer seen as top tier as Tower of Terror, Rise etc...



Quality and demand are different.

 

[celluloid]

Exactly. The new Mando version will come out about 7 years after the ride opened!

This is the part about fluidity with demand. It does not have the same demand it did (by the time period of seven) years ago because it was new.

Major attractions like Rise of course lose this too with time like any, but the hold is stronger. Like Tower, they remain the iconic major attractions.

 

[ToTBellHop]

This is the part about fluidity with demand. It does not have the same demand it did (by the time period of seven) years ago because it was new.

Major attractions like Rise of course lose this too with time like any, but the hold is stronger. Like Tower, they remain the iconic major attractions.

Smuggler’s is interesting because the setting and queue will remain iconic. It’s the most-photographed location in the land. But, a new video will certainly drive LL bookings.

 

[celluloid]

Smuggler’s is interesting because the setting and queue will remain iconic. It’s the most-photographed location in the land. But, a new video will certainly drive LL bookings.

It definitely has that going for it. It is a place where fans can live out that wish fulfillment. As a ride itself it will remain a good motion simulator. Yes, the novelty of new itself will have some temporary drives at least.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

If it was truly as good as that...they would no feel the need to invest and add different missions to it.

Midway Mania is another example! They didn’t need to change a game, but they did.

Implementing Mando instead of a character no one really knows is great Disney+ and movie brand synergy.

 

[celluloid]

Midway Mania is another example! They didn’t need to change a game, but they did.

Implementing Mando instead of a character no one really knows is great Disney+ and movie brand synergy.

Toy Story Mania had the change to give it sprucing up and novelty for Toy Story Land.

Remember, Toy Story Mania is from 2008. So it was time to do something to give it some synergy for not just the movies but attention for land. The hold was a lot longer than seven years.

A park never "needs" to do anything. They do things to drive guest satisfaction and ROI.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Toy Story Mania had the change to give it sprucing up and novelty for Toy Story Land.

Remember, Toy Story Mania is from 2008. So it was time to do something to give it some synergy for not just the movies but attention for land.

A park never "needs" to do anything. They do things to drive guest satisfaction and ROI.

I don’t doubt that this was an internal consideration but I don’t recall it being a particularly big deal for guests, especially since the new game happened very quickly after opening. I don’t even think Bo Peep made it into the TDS version.

 

[celluloid]

I don’t doubt that this was an internal consideration but I don’t recall it being a particularly big deal for guests, especially since the new game happened very quickly after opening. I don’t even think Bo Peep made it into the TDS version.

They are not always a guaranteed super win.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I don’t doubt that this was an internal consideration but I don’t recall it being a particularly big deal for guests, especially since the new game happened very quickly after opening. I don’t even think Bo Peep made it into the TDS version.

I still cannot believe they haven’t added a Christmas game to Midway Mania. Such an easy overlay!

 

[celluloid]

I still cannot believe they haven’t added a Christmas game to Midway Mania. Such an easy overlay!

The kind of thing that would increase value to Jollywood nights too.

 

[Blobbles]

The kind of thing that would increase value to Jollywood nights too.

before the closure was announced, I always thought a Muppet*Vision Christmas special could've been really fun, especially with the rise of jollywood nights.