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BTMRR Next Gen Effects Being Installed
- Thread starter kylewr86
- Start date
officeboy
Active Member
There is no question that the old guard knew an played to their audience. They made cool stuff, including ques, with the resources available at the time.
The guests then were a bit different too, IMHO. Contrast today the average guest needs to be hearded. Well maybe not with cattle prods, but except for certain days in October the average guest IQ is quite a bit lower, not to mention their ability to imagine. An independent vendor that displays at EPCOT a few times a year mentioned that they see much more of a beer crowd that wants to drink excessively now than a person who wants to learn the finer points of good food and beverage. Extrapolate that out to how people perceive the park/ques. There is no doubt in my mind the parks exist solely to generate income. Anything to turn your money loose from you as best they can. Don't get me started on entitlement issues with guests today!
The park designers of today I think are just a smart and talented as they have always been. I would argue the ques are designed to meet the 'needs' of the average guest today. Not as smart, little to no imagination, and the patience of a 1 year old.
RandomPrincess
Keep Moving Forward
Sad but seems to be true.
sshindel
The Epcot Manifesto
I know it's been said before but, I just think it's a sign of the way things are today. People, down to very young children, are used to being bombarded every 10 seconds with some sort of stimulus. I'm as guilty as the next person of it, when I'm home, commuting, etc. Checking various social media outlets every few minutes, playing some form of social online game, etc. Kids too, are used to having toys and games that interact with them. The park consumer is used to interaction, and some have a hard time unplugging when they get to a vacation. Kids especially are vulnerable to this, as adults might see it as a nice break to not check Facebook every few minutes while on vacation, kids generally don't adapt as easily to change. When kids are bored these days, it's easy when stuck somewhere to shove some form of interactive device in their hands and let them go at it. I'll admit I've handed my kid my phone and opened up Punch Quest when a meal is taking too long to arrive at a restaurant, and it seems that is the lesser of two evils between that and a public meltdown.
While interactive queues might feel like something that was unneeded when we were young, in my mind, it at least keeps up some of the immersion in the theme. I'd rather my kid play with something in Pooh's "world" when waiting in line for Pooh than have her face buried in some electronic device playing some random game that has nothing to do with the ride we are waiting for.
djkidkaz
Well-Known Member
I've mentioned this same exact thing before so I definitely agree with you. I really think that is what Disney is going for here. There is no money to be made from an interactive queue, so if its not about the money, then why do it? Thats all we hear about on these boards is that everything is done based around turning a profit. I see the interactive queues as you said. Its a way to keep people immersed in the theming of the attraction while in line rather than playing on a cell phone. The interactive queues may seem childish, but that means that anyone can interact with them. As simple as they are, I still touch the musical instrument wall in HM's queue, or fiddle with the stuff in Poohs and Im sure I'll be turning the crank to blow things up in BTMRR's queue.
FigmentJedi
Well-Known Member
New Disney Parks Blog video on the queue
With apologies for going off-topic, this explains why I've enjoyed the F&W festival less and less over the last few years, to the point that I'll be skipping it entirely this fall.
As to the rest of your post, I have to agree with @RandomPrincess: Sad, but apparently true.
DisneyOutsider
Well-Known Member
Every time I come to these boards I end up reading half of the posts (above is a great example) in my old man "get off my lawn" voice. Good grief.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Well, from that video, that seems to be the best and most in-theme interactive queue stuff yet.
While I'm not in favor of interactive queues, I'm not sure how you could say the previous BTMRR queue was better. Remember that it was basically just a bunch of narrow switchbacks with a roof, not even any significant props or theming. This stuff enhances the story and setting of Big Thunder, as opposed to Mansion where it distracts and does not fit.
Genie of the Lamp
Well-Known Member
Completely agree. It really seems like they are putting a lot of time and energy into enhancing the experience of this attraction. At first I thought it was just going to be blowing things up which I guess is a big component of it, but when you see that part with the miner's office and seeing through those lenses the miners down below and the air ventilation circuit stands, it really immerses you in that mining town. Too bad they didn't show that portrait of where Barnabus T. Bullion will be located. Just will just have to see for ourselves.
sshindel
The Epcot Manifesto
Leaving aside things that tend to cause much debate on here (how long will they work, where else the money should have been spent, etc) I'll say this. I like it. I like what they show, I like the added immersion to the theme.
I'll be honest. I'm not a very observant person (ask my wife). As a kid, I never once put 2 and 2 together in the fact that it's supposed to be a mining company. It was a runaway railroad through a mountain range to me. Now what this does is give me the ability to interact and talk with my kids about what each of the things are. Why are there explosions and an explosives room, what is the ventilation equipment for, etc. Science type things that I love to talk to them about when the opportunity comes up.
Even if these things work for 1 day and then quit and are just background props in the queue, it's (IMO) a mile better then bare switchbacks.
I'll be honest. I'm not a very observant person (ask my wife). As a kid, I never once put 2 and 2 together in the fact that it's supposed to be a mining company. It was a runaway railroad through a mountain range to me. Now what this does is give me the ability to interact and talk with my kids about what each of the things are. Why are there explosions and an explosives room, what is the ventilation equipment for, etc. Science type things that I love to talk to them about when the opportunity comes up.
Even if these things work for 1 day and then quit and are just background props in the queue, it's (IMO) a mile better then bare switchbacks.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
On a scale of 1-10 that looks pretty cool. Now all they have to do is occasionally post signs that indicate if you're stopping to play, then around you other guests may sashay. Or, I suppose (even though I wouldn't like it as much) they could post the saying at my elementary school - "No butts, no coconuts" which clearly indicates no queue cutting.
Skip
Well-Known Member
This actually looks like a really solid enhancement that enriches an otherwise fairly ho-hum queue - and more importantly, enriches the story of the attraction itself.
However, I do feel more attention needs to be paid to the (still) broken/turned-off show elements of the ride itself.
However, I do feel more attention needs to be paid to the (still) broken/turned-off show elements of the ride itself.
charlottee
New Member
Has anyone heard of interactive queue elements installed for the Tower of Terror? I heard a rumor about them just waiting for next gen wristbands?
BigThunderMatt
Well-Known Member
Agreed. Disney seems to be subscribing to New Fantasyland's Little Mermaid set up lately: give them an awesome queue and a crap ride.
Considering the fact that most of these queues are being plussed to deal with the increase in standby wait times due to FP+, you'd think it would be in Disney's best interest to make that increased queue time, interactive or not, worth the actual wait. Which, obviously, for many attractions right now that is not the case.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
The attraction will require either wristbands or a ticket with RFID eventually for FP+ usage, so that doesn't necessarily mean anything for a nex gen queue (at least right now).
PeterAlt
Well-Known Member
ANOTHER THING I'm not quite understanding here... So, anyone feel free to answer...
Why are people complaining about Mermaid when it is essentially the same ride from DCA and TDS that has been carbon copied and cloned for FLE. I don't see people complaining about the originals! Or are they? Or did they cut the ride for the FLE version?