Any new thunder mountain info?

[HMF]

It frustrates me that every time an attraction opens (or re-opens) people who *actually know* what is complete and what is not are told "but it's just soft open! Be patient!"

People - that is *not* how the real theme park world works. If there were major elements to install along the ride path still, the ride *would not be soft open.*


What you see IS what you get. This is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad 2012. Period. No speculation - pure and simple fact. Besides some interactive elements in the queue coming this fall the ride's rehab is complete. That's why it opened two days early, *because it is complete.*


Sorry that this is not what you want to hear. Simple fact is it's not what *I* want to hear either. But it's better to accept the truth than blindly convince yourselves otherwise and take an even harder fall when it comes to pass.

You would be amazed how many people still insist that they are still planning on adding things to Spaceship Earth's descent.

 

[Lee]

You would be amazed how many people insist that the 2007 Spaceship Earth refurb is still not complete.

Depends on your definition of complete...

 

[Tom Morrow]

is it just me or does it only look like they painted some parts of the mountain? The main butte for example still looks faded - or is that correct?

 

[RSoxNo1]

There's a good Bob Gurr interview that talks about how he consulted and eventually designed the Ursula animated figure for Toyko Disney Sea. In it he mentions that WDI tries to avoid placing mechanical elements above the audience. Sadly, with the current upkeep of the parks, some changes to OSHA work done above certain heights in confined spaces, and ultimately for the safety of the riders I highly doubt we will ever see elements like the falling rocks returning. They have deactivated several overhead/adjacent animated figures at Dinosaur, Buzz, Astro, IASW, and GMR simply because they could intrude into the path of a traveling vehicle.

That makes a lot of sense... perhaps they should change the track near the Yeti so he swipes up at the track as opposed to swipes down...

 

[menamechris]

That makes a lot of sense... perhaps they should change the track near the Yeti so he swipes up at the track as opposed to swipes down...

Things that make you go 'Hhhhmmm....'

 

[Jakester]

I rode BTMRR today, Here are a few observations.

1. The Queue looks pretty good, the Fastpass thing seems quite big.
2. Kinda Nice choosing which load platform you can do.
3. Waterfall on 1st lift hill wasnt on (presumed just for soft open)
4. Ride seems the same (not smoother, but not as rough)

Im pleased with this rehab, It gave the much needed time to fix it up, Just hoping splash is next year (or after summer)

 

[MichWolv]

4. Ride seems the same (not smoother, but not as rough)

)

 

[neoshinok]

Rode BTMRR yesterday. Great to have it back. With the fastpass machines closed during the soft opening, I found myself questioning if fastpass was a good idea to begin with. I know this argument has been hashed out before, but we got in line which extended about 30 feet beyond the entrance of the queue, and were on the ride in 25 minutes. All of the loops were open in the queue and we moved at an almost constant walking pace. It's amazing how quickly the line progresses when there's no fastpass queue to compete with. By contrast, we had a fastpass for Splash, the fastpass return extended beyond the entrance, and we waited 25 minutes in the fastpass queue. I know Splash has a much lower capacity than BTM, but it was quite a comparison nonetheless.

 

[hollywoodj]

I was beginning to wonder why no one was discussing the "ride quality" with all of the track work that was done. I felt some difference, but not enough to make it seem completely redone. It was not as "rattly" as I've found it to be in the past.

And I LOVE the new queue. The spacing was much needed, IMO. I always hated having to move single file through that queue. And everything is new, but they wore it out so that it fits the theme. I loved it.

 

[PirateFrank]

Rode BTMRR yesterday. Great to have it back. With the fastpass machines closed during the soft opening, I found myself questioning if fastpass was a good idea to begin with. I know this argument has been hashed out before, but we got in line which extended about 30 feet beyond the entrance of the queue, and were on the ride in 25 minutes. All of the loops were open in the queue and we moved at an almost constant walking pace. It's amazing how quickly the line progresses when there's no fastpass queue to compete with. By contrast, we had a fastpass for Splash, the fastpass return extended beyond the entrance, and we waited 25 minutes in the fastpass queue. I know Splash has a much lower capacity than BTM, but it was quite a comparison nonetheless.

Yup. Not surprising at all. There are people here and elsewhere that can't seem to understand that capacity on a ride is a constant...worst thing to happen to these rides is to add fast pass. wait until x-pass is up and running. You're going to need 16 days to get through 4 parks....

 

[wdw71fan]

as a heads up.. the crates throughout the queue (inside the buildin) are temporary while the queue is finished.

 

[DznyRktekt]

three words.. Bob F'n Gurr

Indeed.

 

[disney fan 13]

as a heads up.. the crates throughout the queue (inside the buildin) are temporary while the queue is finished.

Any info on what's inside?

 

[IanDLBZF]

There's a good Bob Gurr interview that talks about how he consulted and eventually designed the Ursula animated figure for Toyko Disney Sea. In it he mentions that WDI tries to avoid placing mechanical elements above the audience. Sadly, with the current upkeep of the parks, some changes to OSHA work done above certain heights in confined spaces, and ultimately for the safety of the riders I highly doubt we will ever see elements like the falling rocks returning. They have deactivated several overhead/adjacent animated figures at Dinosaur, Buzz, Astro, IASW, and GMR simply because they could intrude into the path of a traveling vehicle.

So that's why the Yeti was "broken" in the first place! This could be the same reason why the removed the rocks from BTMRR...

 

[Scuttle]

So that's why the Yeti was "broken" in the first place! This could be the same reason why the removed the rocks from BTMRR...

This is an interesting theory. Maybe the Yeti never was broken. Maybe it was simply turned off? I know insiders have said it was indeed broken, but this could have played an intricate role in why it has remained in "B" mode.

 

[Thrill]

Yup. Not surprising at all. There are people here and elsewhere that can't seem to understand that capacity on a ride is a constant...worst thing to happen to these rides is to add fast pass. wait until x-pass is up and running. You're going to need 16 days to get through 4 parks....

If they do X-Pass the way I think (hope is a better word) they do, it won't change the stand-by wait for rides that are already on FastPass. Basically, each X-Pass just takes a FastPass out of circulation. So instead of giving 50 FastPasses for 9-10 AM for a ride, they would have 40 FastPasses and 10 X-Passes for that same time slot for that ride, and all 50 people use the FastPass line.

For the non-FastPass rides supposedly getting X-Pass, the future doesn't look quite as bright.


Don't know if anyone has said anything yet, but did they quiet down the lift hills?

 

[hollywoodj]

Don't know if anyone has said anything yet, but did they quiet down the lift hills?

Unfortunately not. I was hoping for this.

 

[awilliams4]

I was beginning to wonder why no one was discussing the "ride quality" with all of the track work that was done. I felt some difference, but not enough to make it seem completely redone. It was not as "rattly" as I've found it to be in the past.

And I LOVE the new queue. The spacing was much needed, IMO. I always hated having to move single file through that queue. And everything is new, but they wore it out so that it fits the theme. I loved it.

We always ask to ride in the back of the train. Which was awkward with the previous queue. From what you saw, did you notice any back seat friendly line off to the side like they do at EE?

 

[wdw71fan]

the lift was quieted, but not 'fully'.. like a 20% decrease (just guessing, not an official measurement)


the track after dispatch has been GREATLY smoothed, as has the actual lift hill on lift A

 

[hollywoodj]

I didn't notice any changes in the spacing inside the station itself, unfortunately. I always ask for the back too, but nothing seemed different back there to me.