SpaceMountain75
Well-Known Member
Solid article! That's my favorite WDW attraction as well.
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Building Splash Mountain
- Thread starter Punzle
- Start date
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Nanu nanu.
I did a huge amount of research too for a video and it never showed up.
Besides, the blueprints are all as-built.
zurgandfriend
Well-Known Member
I want to see Gort and Klaatu in the next star wars movie along with a cameo by Robbie the robot.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
The original entrance way to Splash was from the front of the ride, right to the right of the big drop. There was a path and cave that led you to the back gardens.
DisneyPrincess5
Well-Known Member
I'm sure this isn't what the OP means, but what about that double "drop" right before the bees and beehive scene? That's my favorite part of the ride and it does do a minor drop.
the-reason14
Well-Known Member
I remember those days. I wonder why they changed it? Probably to set up the fastpass entrance.
Only for the extended queue. That entrance is still there, albeit gated.
IMFearless
Well-Known Member
I believe that the former entrance you refer to is now in fact used as an additional exit from the Frontierland Railroad Station. I have walked that way in the past when leaving from the far end of the train (away from the engine)
There are in fact several exits from the Railroad Station and I believe this exit is often overlooked by guests as people tend to exit the train and follow the crowd to the main exit, which is far more obvious.
This path comes out adjacent to the splash mountain gift shop, I believe it is the same path.
IMFearless
Well-Known Member
That's the original Extended queue entrance. Here's how it is today:
Note the closed gate.
The staircase down from the railroad is not meant to be normally accessible. Interesting that it was. As you note, at the bottom it merges with the extended Splash queue line.
Note the closed gate.
The staircase down from the railroad is not meant to be normally accessible. Interesting that it was. As you note, at the bottom it merges with the extended Splash queue line.
IMFearless
Well-Known Member
Yes, as you say I have never normally exited the Railroad in this way, that is definitely the path I exited from though, incidentally the gate was there and it was spring loaded to open outwards. The path itself is narrow in places so I wonder if it was altered for ADA reasons as it is far less accessible to guests with mobility difficulties. I realise the queue line still has steps, but I guess the number of guests who wish to leave ECV's and then walk the remaining queue line to board the ride is more so than in 1992. Perhaps the queue line was moved to prevent people leaving strollers and ECV's on the bridge in that area.
On the occasion in question though, we were directed by the train guard, to use the alternate exit. I believe it was possibly due to a huge number of people leaving the train on that particular day. It was almost used like an overflow exit to speed the clearance of guests from the station, to allow incoming guests access to the platform more quickly to board the train.
I love the fact that WDW has so many intricacies that you find out over time. This being said, times change and no doubt operating procedures are amended as managers see fit. I've certainly never exited that way in the past, nor seen anyone using the path as an exit either, I too remember that path being the entrance in the past, it certainly was in 1996.
On the occasion in question though, we were directed by the train guard, to use the alternate exit. I believe it was possibly due to a huge number of people leaving the train on that particular day. It was almost used like an overflow exit to speed the clearance of guests from the station, to allow incoming guests access to the platform more quickly to board the train.
I love the fact that WDW has so many intricacies that you find out over time. This being said, times change and no doubt operating procedures are amended as managers see fit. I've certainly never exited that way in the past, nor seen anyone using the path as an exit either, I too remember that path being the entrance in the past, it certainly was in 1996.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
The extended queue hasn't been used since the introduction of FastPass, mostly because the FastPass queue is to the left of the Standby queue as you approach to entrance. If you're coming down the extended queue pathway you'd have to cross over the FastPass queue to get to the Standby side, so it just doesn't work.
As for wheelchair/handicap access at Splash, anyone who can't do the stairs goes through the appropriate queue for them (Standby or FP+) until the bottom of the stairs. At that point they detour to the right of the stairs and wait for a CM who accompanies them up the exit to board the logs. Wheelchairs and ECVs are left on the exit side of the platform, so they limit the number of wheelchair/ECV guests on the ride at any one time. (This is also a fire code thing, since non-ambulatory riders would have to be evacuated by the fire department in an emergency)
-Rob
the-reason14
Well-Known Member
And they used to have a little Brer Rabbit kind of statue in a house at that entrance with a sign pointing to it as the entrance I believe. And then when they moved it they changed the entrance sign to point to where the entrance is today.