Can they make a ride without screens?

[danlb_2000]

Little Mermaid is the last attraction at Disney that wasn't completely screen based (and that too has several).

The mine ride opened after mermaid and is not screen based.

 

[Calm Down Rover]

Agreed. Can anyone say to themselves when they thought of Gringotts they thought... this could be the most amazing coaster ride ever?! Then Universal announced they were making it into one, I was so excited... and then... they made that? It could have literally been an amazing themed coaster through the depths of the bank, and it would be a far better attraction. You could have utilized dark ride elements and slow downs still, a screen here and there...but the entire thing is just. Screens. Ugh. Gringotts had such potential

Gosh, I thought I was the only one disappointed by Gringotts. The queue, especially the hydrolator-esque elevator, was fantastic and did an even better job transporting me into the Potter universe than even Forbidden Journey. But I feel like Universal misjudged what people loved about the vault carts. They looked so fun in the films, and as a kid it was pretty magical that, in the world of wizards, even a trip to the bank could be exhilarating. I was so excited when, at the beginning of the ride, your cart is suspended over (what seems to be) a steep drop into darkness. But then... you just putter around. It does not resemble the way that they moved in the films at all.

There is a reason why Butterbeer and wands sell so well. People go to the Wizarding World to feel like a part of a fictional universe, not to see reenactments of scenes and have things go "horribly wrong." A rollercoaster through massive, booby-trapped caverns leading to a vault of magical treasure is exciting enough. The long screen scenes (and a Voldemort encounter, why??) were simply not needed.

 

[jensenrick]

Gringotts is one of my favorite rides ever- and the sets are HUGE. I see something new everytime I ride it. I'm stunned that some people are disappointed, but you can't please everyone.

 

[Calm Down Rover]

Gringotts is one of my favorite rides ever- and the sets are HUGE. I see something new everytime I ride it. I'm stunned that some people are disappointed, but you can't please everyone.

I suppose we just wanted different things out of that ride. I hoped that it would really feel like I was on one of those crazy, careening magical carts, and it did not deliver in my opinion. The scale is really impressive though, and it has perhaps my favorite loading station (love those stalactites!).

 

[sonoma15]

Gringotts is one of my favorite rides ever- and the sets are HUGE. I see something new everytime I ride it. I'm stunned that some people are disappointed, but you can't please everyone.

Agreed, also Kong is definitely not a let-down, atleast to me. Those videos just do not do justice. Also practical effects just would not work on Kong, their is way to much action to do with practical effects, it just wouldn't work.

 

[jensenrick]

Agreed, also Kong is definitely not a let-down, atleast to me. Those videos just do not do justice. Also practical effects just would not work on Kong, their is way to much action to do with practical effects, it just wouldn't work.

I canNOT WAIT to ride Kong!!! I will be there Wednesday!!! So excited, I'm practically coming out of my skin!!
I haven't watched any videos or anything, because I want to be completely surprised!!

I hope to snap some pics of the awesome construction over at Volcano Bay, since i'll have a room at Cabana Bay. And Toothsome too, looking forward to that. And getting my new plastic pass- so much to look forward to- LOL.

 

[A foolish mortal]

Agreed, also Kong is definitely not a let-down, atleast to me. Those videos just do not do justice. Also practical effects just would not work on Kong, their is way to much action to do with practical effects, it just wouldn't work.

Im glad that people say it's not a let-down, and i can't wait to actually ride it and see for myself
Im sure if they wanted, they could find a way! Maybe the current story couldn't be done without screens, but they could have made a different story that could work without them

 

[jensenrick]

Im sure if they wanted, they could find a way! Maybe the current story couldn't be done without screens, but they could have made a different story that could work without them

But why? What possible purpose would there be- to tying one hand behind their back that way? This isn't a coaster at six flags, this is immersive new themed entertainment, and I can't see any reason why they wouldn't use the very LATEST advances in ALL areas of showmanship to create their incredible new rides. New ride systems, new effects, new AAs, newer and more exciting screens- bring em ALL on, and combine them in exciting new ways, says I.

It's needlessly restrictive- like saying to your doctor, "okay, you can operate, but don't use any scalpels. Find another way."
For that matter, where would a ride like Mystic Manor be without projection effects?

In fact, I've wondered if one of my fave destroyed attractions, World of Motion, might have been better off adding some large screen effects, especially near the end- to bring up the excitement after being slowly pulled past all those sets. Maybe then it would still be around, instead of being replaced by the disappointing Test Track.

 

[rufio]

...this is immersive new themed entertainment, and I can't see any reason why they wouldn't use the very LATEST advances in ALL areas of showmanship to create their incredible new rides.

Personally, I find the overuse of screens to be the opposite of immersive. I can get a similar experience by going to a movie theater (and have a much smaller chance of puking). If simulators and giant screens is the LATEST advance and the future of rides, I can definitely see my attendance tapering off.

As it stands, there are already a ton of rides I cannot even do at Universal because I can't ride simulators without being sick. I KNOW this is common because there are warnings all over the place when you walk up to the rides. I'm not the only one who gets terribly sick from rides like Transformers and The Forbidden Journey (and Star Tours). At least at Disney there's a decent balance so, even if I can't ride the simulators, there's still a ton of stuff to do.

 

[jensenrick]

If that's how you feel, you should absolutely stick with Disney.

 

[JT3000]

Personally, I find the overuse of screens to be the opposite of immersive. I can get a similar experience by going to a movie theater (and have a much smaller chance of puking).

Which theater chain puts advanced motion bases in their seats? Is it AMC? Cinemark? I must know. That would be so much cheaper!

 

[CentralFloridaRocks831]

I personally think by watching the youtube video of Skull Island Reign of Kong...I am unfortunately disappointed. For example when the tram goes outside....which is the only outside portion of the attraction??? Really? Obviously very short...and I have'nt been to universal since I was 10 and I'm now 28. Yea i'm already judging an attraction I have'nt been on...but clearly I pick KONGFRONTATION over this attraction again which I've never been on. Universal IMO can still be successfull in many ways but just by not adding 3D projection screens all the time. Just imagine. if jaws came back to let's say Volcano Bay next year, or universal's third park? Would you put that in 3d by wearing glasses or would you stick with the physical attraction with a newer generation of animatronics? E.T Adventure, King Kong-(Kongfrontation), Jaws are some of the best AA's I've seen in Universal history..no hard feelings but I'm ready for the next Kong attraction after this one closes like in 20-30 years. It may sound cold...but it may seem necessary. Look at all of the dislikes and derogatory comments people are giving it on YouTube. Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland-Tokyo DisneySea, and over at Disneyland (CA) top this attraction mostly yes because of it's real life scenry with special effects without wearing glasses. Yes Universal it can be done in the near future, and I'm not giving up on you but this is the 5th attraction at UO that's required to put on 3D glasses...I would of at least thought their would be a dropoff station during the ride once your done with the 3d part scenes during reign of kong but no...no way. 3D glasses all the way! BTW the AA's that I only see are the bats,Kong himself, the rest I just see on the 3D screen which are the giant insects. No it's defintely does'nt look like a 6 minute ride....claimed to be a top notch thrill ride? i wanted to see more outdoor scenes once again.

 

[CentralFloridaRocks831]

I personally think by watching the youtube video of Skull Island Reign of Kong...I am unfortunately disappointed. For example when the tram goes outside....which is the only outside portion of the attraction??? Really? Obviously very short...and I have'nt been to universal since I was 10 and I'm now 28. Yea i'm already judging an attraction I have'nt been on...but clearly I pick KONGFRONTATION over this attraction again which I've never been on. Universal IMO can still be successfull in many ways but just by not adding 3D projection screens all the time. Just imagine. if jaws came back to let's say Volcano Bay next year, or universal's third park? Would you put that in 3d by wearing glasses or would you stick with the physical attraction with a newer generation of animatronics? E.T Adventure, King Kong-(Kongfrontation), Jaws are some of the best AA's I've seen in Universal history..no hard feelings but I'm ready for the next Kong attraction after this one closes like in 20-30 years. It may sound cold...but it may seem necessary. Look at all of the dislikes and derogatory comments people are giving it on YouTube. Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland-Tokyo DisneySea, and over at Disneyland (CA) top this attraction mostly yes because of it's real life scenry with special effects without wearing glasses. Yes Universal it can be done in the near future, and I'm not giving up on you but this is the 5th attraction at UO that's required to put on 3D glasses...I would of at least thought their would be a dropoff station during the ride once your done with the 3d part scenes during reign of kong but no...no way. 3D glasses all the way! BTW the AA's that I only see are the bats,Kong himself, the rest I just see on the 3D screen which are the giant insects. No it's definitely does'nt look like a 6 minute ride....claimed to be a top notch thrill ride? i wanted to see more outdoor scenes once again. And Fast and Furious will disappoint some Universal Orlando fans as well no surprise more 3D glasses and projections on the way! It's practically like in Universal's DNA to do this now.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I've always gotten sick on simulators, ever since I was a kid. Because of this, there's not a whole lot I can do at Universal Studios since most of their rides are at least partially simulations. This is one of the reasons I LOVE Disney! I can do almost everything there and I just skip the simulators (or load up on Dramamine).

I just watched a video of the new Kong ride, which I mistakenly thought was a rollercoaster and I'm wondering if they're even capable of making a good ride without screens. It seems like literally every new ride they've put out in the last several years has incorporated screens/simulation in a big way. Why is this?

Universal got nowhere copying Disney. It was when they decided to stop copying Disney and came up with their own style that they started shaking up the industry. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man was an industry game changer. Universal's shtick is screens. Disney's is 3 mph drags through wax museums.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

They do to some extent. But not in the same way, and not to the same level of immersion.. At least not for me. Like Toy Story Mania, I realize I'm just looking at a screen. Transformers and Spiderman really do integrate it well, they are incredible attractions. But It would also be cool to actually be in the physical worlds I see on screen.

I think the 3D rides are FAR more immersive than Disney's AA rides. Kong is vastly superior at inserting you into an environment than classics like SSE.

 

[imperius]

Again, Universal does what they do with screens and people love it, their attendance increased and they still have the best rides in Florida with Spiderman and FJ.

They will be building more practical rides with Nintendo so just wait if that's what you really feel you need.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I don't agree that Universal's attraction subject matter mandates the use of screens. If they would just push themselves to not hit the same familiar notes in every attraction, it is possible. Not every ride has to have something go terribly wrong (*I realize this cliché is not limited to Universal, but it is something Disney has moved away from), not every ride has to have you flying through the air and falling hundreds of feet to be caught at the last second, etc.

Minions absolutely could be executed as a physical dark ride, although it would need more space than it's current location. Simply change the plot from "you are training to be a minion" to "you are touring the Minion training facility" and there is no longer a need to have you fly around through the air and other physically impossible stuff. Despite the fun training concept, Minions still even has the completely unnecessary "something goes wrong" element.

Gringotts could have consisted entirely of physical scenes if the plot was just a tour of the Gringotts vaults on a crazy cart system instead of being caught in the most pivotal event in the bank's history where you (of course) have to get attacked, etc.

Men in Black is a great example of putting you "in the movie" without the need for screens because they came up with a fitting concept instead of some high speed alien chase or something.

I love and root for Universal, but after Kong being a letdown for me, and both new attractions under construction most likely also being heavily screen-based, it's just too much of the same and its bordering on lazy.

Something tells me you haven't actually ridden Kong.

Kong is a $100 million full blown E Ticket that Disney fans would be crowing about to no end if they had built it at WDW.

So, you want a practical Transformers ride with 25 40' tall animatronics that throw down in an epic MMA fight?

 

[sonoma15]

I personally think by watching the youtube video of Skull Island Reign of Kong...I am unfortunately disappointed. For example when the tram goes outside....which is the only outside portion of the attraction??? Really? Obviously very short...and I have'nt been to universal since I was 10 and I'm now 28. Yea i'm already judging an attraction I have'nt been on...but clearly I pick KONGFRONTATION over this attraction again which I've never been on. Universal IMO can still be successfull in many ways but just by not adding 3D projection screens all the time. Just imagine. if jaws came back to let's say Volcano Bay next year, or universal's third park? Would you put that in 3d by wearing glasses or would you stick with the physical attraction with a newer generation of animatronics? E.T Adventure, King Kong-(Kongfrontation), Jaws are some of the best AA's I've seen in Universal history..no hard feelings but I'm ready for the next Kong attraction after this one closes like in 20-30 years. It may sound cold...but it may seem necessary. Look at all of the dislikes and derogatory comments people are giving it on YouTube. Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland-Tokyo DisneySea, and over at Disneyland (CA) top this attraction mostly yes because of it's real life scenry with special effects without wearing glasses. Yes Universal it can be done in the near future, and I'm not giving up on you but this is the 5th attraction at UO that's required to put on 3D glasses...I would of at least thought their would be a dropoff station during the ride once your done with the 3d part scenes during reign of kong but no...no way. 3D glasses all the way! BTW the AA's that I only see are the bats,Kong himself, the rest I just see on the 3D screen which are the giant insects. No it's defintely does'nt look like a 6 minute ride....claimed to be a top notch thrill ride? i wanted to see more outdoor scenes once again.

Their are actually 2 more AAs in the queue and five more AAs driving the trucks, in total their are 11 AAs

 

[Calm Down Rover]

Im glad that people say it's not a let-down, and i can't wait to actually ride it and see for myself
Im sure if they wanted, they could find a way! Maybe the current story couldn't be done without screens, but they could have made a different story that could work without them

I have not seen Kong in person yet, so I could be spewing nonsense, but there were a handful of moments on the existing ride that I think could have been plussed with some practical effects supplementing the screens. For instance, when the bats attack, subtle blasts of air simulating the beating of their wings could help with the illusion of realism. And during the part with those huge toothy worms, what if an animatronic worm rose up from behind the gap between the screen and vehicle, startling the riders? Or perhaps, just before entering the dinosaur room, rustling vegetation followed the vehicle for a bit, suggesting that the riders are being stalked? I really liked the animatronic bats and the skeleton at the beginning, and it would have been nice to see more stuff like that integrated between the screen stops.

 

[sonoma15]

I have not seen Kong in person yet, so I could be spewing nonsense, but there were a handful of moments on the existing ride that I think could have been plussed with some practical effects supplementing the screens. For instance, when the bats attack, subtle blasts of air simulating the beating of their wings could help with the illusion of realism. And during the part with those huge toothy worms, what if an animatronic worm rose up from behind the gap between the screen and vehicle, startling the riders? Or perhaps, just before entering the dinosaur room, rustling vegetation followed the vehicle for a bit, suggesting that the riders are being stalked? I really liked the animatronic bats and the skeleton at the beginning, and it would have been nice to see more stuff like that integrated between the screen stops.

I'm pretty sure during the bats their is blast of air, I don't really remember though.