A Terror-rific Spirited 13th (ToT fans have lots to fear)...

[WDW1974]

Spirited Quickees (because they are the best kind):

Pandora may be 'unveiled' to the fans in another one of those overpriced D23 events this weekend at WDW inside a Contemporary Resort ballroom. But the real 'show' will take place a few miles away on the construction site at DAK. There, deep inside the show building, James Cameron and my good friend Robert A. Iger will get a first-hand boat ride through the wilds of Pandora as their boat is pushed (yes, by workers who drew the wrong straw, my bet is George and Andy!) through the 2/3rds finished attraction.

They are so far behind that they don't mind halting work for three days (may have already started) so they can fill the channels with water so that elite ones can be pushed around and pretend they are visiting this amazing new world, which they still hope to open next year.

Lots of Imagineers at this week's IAAPA ... or should I say former Imagineers? The result of DIsney's latest downsizing is on display this week.

Those four-day tickets, discounted tickets, that were recently unveiled. Yes, they are absolutely designed to make people spend an entire day at Bob Iger's MAGICal IP Theme Park and to prevent them from spending more than one at MK. Crowd dispersal at its finest.

The new drone show at Disney Springs is largely twofold: 1.) a test of the technology; and 2.) a test to see if they can get locals, who have avoided the place like the plague during the last four years of construction, to come back. If the tech is impressive as some say, you can expect to see it at the parks in the future ... most likely, though, parks like EPCOT and DCA where they can keep them out over a body of water. This is a company with a habit of dropping pieces of attractions on Guests, after all.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

And I suppose you don't think that 7DMT, with an all new patented ride system and latest generation AAs qualifies? I will agree that it is a short ride, and definitely should've been longer, but you have to understand the placement. It is in Fantasyland where you will find younger children. It is not a huge thrill ride, and was never meant to cater to that audience. If it was, they would not have put it there. JMHO, of course.

Technology is only part of the equation. Scope and scale are also determining factors or else Tales with Belle would also be an E Ticket. It's not.

And I'm am quite sure how that you are aware of the two longer track layouts with additional show scenes that were cut from 7DMT. And neither of those included

 

[marni1971]

Huh?? What does that mean?

The WEDway Peoplemover had the distinction of being relegated from an E in July 1975 to a D by the end of 1976.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Technology is only part of the equation. Scope and scale are also determining factors or else Tales with Belle would also be an E Ticket. It's not.

And I'm am quite sure how that you are aware of the two longer track layouts with additional show scenes that were cut from 7DMT. And neither of those included

I'm absolutely aware of the cuts, and I didn't like them then, and I don't like them now. I don't agree with everything TWDC does, despite what some people here try to claim. The fact is, it is an excellent coaster for a younger child that can't go on SM or BTMRR. Scope and scale. Sorry, but some of the older rides that were considered "E" tickets don't meet that criteria either.

As to your picture, I can no longer even go on rides like this, so means nothing. So it has to be thrilling in YOUR opinion to make it an "E", I guess? There is absolutely no theming to a ride like that, and I would think that an "E" would need theming as well.

I know that I am never going to change any of your minds, and that's fine. It's ALL someone's opinion - even for WDI.

 

[VJ]

This is a company with a habit of dropping pieces of attractions on Guests, after all.

Then cutting up and selling the pieces in a pin that retails for $25...

 

[Professortango1]

And IASW is a flat boat ride with zero thrills and barely moving AAs, yet that is an "E"?

Scale. 7 Dwarves is essentially a kid coaster, a C-ticket attraction. The darkride portion and detail bring it to a D-ticket. But the scale is still small with no audio on the coaster portion nor any finale. IASW is a fantasyland dark ride, a D-ticket. Then they made the attraction huge with hundreds of animatronics and 2 story set pieces and put in flume technology, bringing it to an E-ticket.

Story
Tech
Scale
Immersion

These things make an e-ticket to me. One of the reasons I consider Soarin' a discount e-ticket.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

The WEDway Peoplemover had the distinction of being relegated from an E in July 1975 to a D by the end of 1976.

Ahh, OK. Well, there were more than one that started as an "E" and were then changed to a "D".

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Scale. 7 Dwarves is essentially a kid coaster, a C-ticket attraction. The darkride portion and detail bring it to a D-ticket. But the scale is still small with no audio on the coaster portion nor any finale. IASW is a fantasyland dark ride, a D-ticket. Then they made the attraction huge with hundreds of animatronics and 2 story set pieces and put in flume technology, bringing it to an E-ticket.

Story
Tech
Scale
Immersion

These things make an e-ticket to me. One of the reasons I consider Soarin' a discount e-ticket.

Agree to disagree.

 

[Disney Analyst]

The freaking Pack Mules were an E-Ticket.

 

[DrActorKJ]

I'm sure @WDW1974 was watching this live, but in case you missed The Weatherman on Bloomberg, he unintentionally summed up his tenure in five words: "mine that data, sell directly."

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/video...eo-bob-iger-on-2017-forecast-and-the-election

 

[MisterPenguin]

The whole idea of E-Tickets was for crowd dispersal. (So, go ahead and hate on the 4-day Ticket... it's the C-, D-, E- Ticket trick all over again.) It was to make sure the whole park didn't line up for Space Mountain and other way-more-popular rides ignoring the other rides.

And those other rides the Tiered Ticket system pushed you to? Let's face it... they weren't as good. And 'the good' is defined by the crowds. Not how cutting edge the ride is, or how thrilling (indeed there were some really slow E rides), or how well themed, or how it presented a favorite IP. It was all about the fact that some rides were way more popular than others despite any theme park connoisseur's criteria of what makes a ride objectively "E-Ticket" level. And to avoid crowding, the limiting E-Ticket was created.

So, if a ride doesn't have a crowd causing a huge line... it's not an E-Ticket ride. Period. No matter how much one may love it or judge it to be fantastic. Call it a "Ten out of Ten!", because that's the rating one person, you, give it. If the majority of attending crowd avoid it, it's not a "Ten out of Ten" to them, and thus, it's not an E-Ticket.

So, it's kinda pointless to argue what an E-Ticket ride is unless you mean it to mean that it's a ride that's going to draw huge crowds. That has been the only historical objective criteria of what makes a ride an E-Ticket. Not how much you, as an individual, evaluate how good a ride it is.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Scale. 7 Dwarves is essentially a kid coaster, a C-ticket attraction. The darkride portion and detail bring it to a D-ticket. But the scale is still small with no audio on the coaster portion nor any finale. IASW is a fantasyland dark ride, a D-ticket. Then they made the attraction huge with hundreds of animatronics and 2 story set pieces and put in flume technology, bringing it to an E-ticket.

Story
Tech
Scale
Immersion

These things make an e-ticket to me. One of the reasons I consider Soarin' a discount e-ticket.

I don't agree; at the time, IASW was an e-ticket, but arguing it still is one, and more so of one than 7DMT at that, just seems silly. The way you baselined the attraction ranking in the first place just doesn't work- saying coaster = c ticket and dark ride = d ticket is flawed. It's very possible to have different quality levels of the same type of ride, and most FL dark rides I would argue are c tickets anyway. 7D and, say, Barnstormer, aren't really comparable either.

And I dont see how you could make any arguement that IASW is superior in terms of technology or immersion at all.

 

[Professortango1]

I don't agree; at the time, IASW was an e-ticket, but arguing it still is one, and more so of one than 7DMT at that, just seems silly. The way you baselined the attraction ranking in the first place just doesn't work- saying coaster = c ticket and dark ride = d ticket is flawed. It's very possible to have different quality levels of the same type of ride, and most FL dark rides I would argue are c tickets anyway. 7D and, say, Barnstormer, aren't really comparable either.

And I dont see how you could make any arguement that IASW is superior in terms of technology or immersion at all.

A coaster often has less story and immersion than a darkride, which is why I rank it lower. IASW has hundred of animated characters singing and dancing along to scored audio tracks with immersive sets and lighting. 7D has a great dark ride portion, but the exterior becomes Barnstomer with a budget with no lighting packages, no audio, no story elements, nor any standout pieces of scenery or set. I don't think it's a bad attraction by any means, but I wouldn't say it's a must do. It's Disney's attempt at a themed kid's coaster and I think it is pretty successful.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I'm absolutely aware of the cuts, and I didn't like them then, and I don't like them now. I don't agree with everything TWDC does, despite what some people here try to claim. The fact is, it is an excellent coaster for a younger child that can't go on SM or BTMRR. Scope and scale. Sorry, but some of the older rides that were considered "E" tickets don't meet that criteria either.

As to your picture, I can no longer even go on rides like this, so means nothing. So it has to be thrilling in YOUR opinion to make it an "E", I guess? There is absolutely no theming to a ride like that, and I would think that an "E" would need theming as well.

I know that I am never going to change any of your minds, and that's fine. It's ALL someone's opinion - even for WDI.

No, what I was saying is, if TDO had gone through with the original plan for 7DMT, it would have been an E Ticket. And it still would not have included a 425' vertical drop. The exact opposite of what you think I was saying. I don't think there needs to be a thrill component to an E Ticket. I think that one of Universal's best, most immersive E Tickets allows infant lap seating and adults can drink beer while riding.

I'm just saying that 7DMT could have easily have been an E Ticket and have been no more thrilling than it is now. Disney chose not to build that ride. They went with the "good enough" version.

 

[marni1971]

A coaster often has less story and immersion than a darkride, which is why I rank it lower..

There again, Revenge of the Mummy, DL, HKDL and DLP Space Mountains...

 

[Professortango1]

There again, Revenge of the Mummy, DL, HKDL and DLP Space Mountains...

Hence that word "often" as opposed to "always."

 

[Disneyhead'71]

The whole idea of E-Tickets was for crowd dispersal.

Not true in the slightest. It was to actually pay for the construction/operation of the attraction.

Yes. They did at times use some ticket designations as crowd control. But that is not why they exist.

 

[wdwgreek]

I am sorry this whole E ticket, D Ticket, C Ticket discussion is moot. Tickets as we all know have been long eliminated. The attaching of Tickets tiers to attractions is dated and subjective. My version of an E ticket and your version is different. We all operate from a different definition of an E ticket.

So we have to start by having a consensus on what is an E ticket, before we can bicker about what is or is not an E Ticket. One poster had four standard he or she proposed:
Story
Tech
Scale
Immersion

What does each of those mean? Story: The attraction has a continuous narrative that begins prior to entering the queue and continues through the entire experience. ( that could include anything) So let's narrow it down, what do we mean by story? Cohesiveness of story telling? Whether the quality of the story requies prior knowledge? Does it read like Shakespeare or a fan fiction. I don't know know if story is good enough of a descriptor. Maybe theming or cohesiveness?

Tech: highest tech currently? Does that reduce pirates or Mansion to a D, certainlyFrozen ever after's tech or Avatars tech or even the ever loathed little mermaid contains better objective tech if only due to age? Hard to say tech is a bench mark either?

Scale: Does this mean length of the attraction, ambition of the attraction, size of the attraction?

Immersion: this one I think is actually the strongest of the proposed makers.

MY point here is it is so subjective its nearly futile for us to talk about it without a common definition.

 

[Professortango1]

I am sorry this whole E ticket, D Ticket, C Ticket discussion is moot. Tickets as we all know have been long eliminated. The attaching of Tickets tiers to attractions is dated and subjective. My version of an E ticket and your version is different. We all operate from a different definition of an E ticket.

So we have to start by having a consensus on what is an E ticket, before we can bicker about what is or is not an E Ticket. One poster had four standard he or she proposed:
Story
Tech
Scale
Immersion

What does each of those mean? Story: The attraction has a continuous narrative that begins prior to entering the queue and continues through the entire experience. ( that could include anything) So let's narrow it down, what do we mean by story? Cohesiveness of story telling? Whether the quality of the story requies prior knowledge? Does it read like Shakespeare or a fan fiction. I don't know know if story is good enough of a descriptor. Maybe theming or cohesiveness?

Tech: highest tech currently? Does that reduce pirates or Mansion to a D, certainlyFrozen ever after's tech or Avatars tech or even the ever loathed little mermaid contains better objective tech if only due to age? Hard to say tech is a bench mark either?

Scale: Does this mean length of the attraction, ambition of the attraction, size of the attraction?

Immersion: this one I think is actually the strongest of the proposed makers.

MY point here is it is so subjective its nearly futile for us to talk about it without a common definition.

Story: Does it take guests to a different world that has sequences flow from one to another? Does it give the guest an emotional or physical journey through a world? Does this journey contain a beginning, middle, and an end?

Tech: Does it use sophisticated technology to tell this story? Using your example of Mermaid vs Pirates. One has dozens of animated figures throughout the foreground and background of the ride. The other has static fish attached to walls and most moving figures have limited movement.

Scale: Does this feel like a big ride or something more intimate? Does it inspire some sort of awe.

Immersion: Does the guest fully enter the world of the attraction? Does the design of the ride, vehicle, queue, and other details all support the story? Is the guest's experience in this world the focus of the attraction?

 

[marni1971]

I am sorry this whole E ticket, D Ticket, C Ticket discussion is moot..

Once again, it is used internally to this day to describe attractions in development.