COP's Fate!

[OliveMcFly]

Let me start by saying that I had a great cruise. Very relaxing. While on the cruise I had the chance to meet Imagineer Tony Baxter. His speech was very interesting. He spoke of his climb to becoming an Imagineer. I had the chance to ask Tony about the fate of COP. He told me that Disney, not him, would really like to take it out. All he could tell me to do was to keep writing letters. I know I'm not the only one who loves COP so please keep writing letters. I know COP is operating seasonal now and we all know that's how Disney phases out an attraction.

 

[MKCP 1985]

Thanks, Meg! What fun it must have been to listen to Tony Baxter's story, and then to ask him questions.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Wow, to meet and talk to a legend like Tony Baxter.... I bow to thee.

 

[MickeyTigg]

Let me start by saying that I had a great cruise. Very relaxing. While on the cruise I had the chance to meet Imagineer Tony Baxter. His speech was very interesting. He spoke of his climb to becoming an Imagineer. I had the chance to ask Tony about the fate of COP. He told me that Disney, not him, would really like to take it out. All he could tell me to do was to keep writing letters. I know I'm not the only one who loves COP so please keep writing letters. I know COP is operating seasonal now and we all know that's how Disney phases out an attraction.

Did he give a reason why Disney wants to take it out?

 

[OliveMcFly]

TiggerRPh - Did he give a reason why Disney wants to take it out?

Unfortunatly not. I myself would imagine they want to put something bigger and better in it's spot.

 

[joel_maxwell]

thanks for the info Meg. glad you had a fun trip.

Mr. Baxter probably doesnt have enough time in the day to tell you all the reason why they want to take it out....... yep. keep writing the letters.

 

[Buford]

Wow! How neat! Looks like you DID have fun.

Looks like I have a few enthusiastic letters to write. :wave:

 

[disneypearl]

Who should the letter be addressed to?

 

[MickeyTigg]

Unfortunatly not. I myself would imagine they want to put something bigger and better in it's spot.

Maybe not...might be something as simple as cost of upkeep and the need to update it...and they don't want to spend the money.

 

[Empress Room]

Unfortunatly not. I myself would imagine they want to put something bigger and better in it's spot.

If Disney wants to "put something bigger and better in it's (sic) spot," as you say, why would we necessarily want to prevent that? I understand many of our warm and fuzzy feelings for "classic" attractions like CoP, Horizons and the like, but if a bigger and better attraction is put in, wouldn't that be a good thing?

Clearly, if Disney is going to remain as the penultimate theme park company in the world (a place it obviously holds given the latest attendance figures just released for the past calendar year), it will need to make difficult decisions in order to maintain its leading edge, and those decisions will necessarily affect some of our smaller and older attractions, don't you think?

 

[DizWhizKid]

If Disney wants to "put something bigger and better in it's (sic) spot," as you say, why would we necessarily want to prevent that? I understand many of our warm and fuzzy feelings for "classic" attractions like CoP, Horizons and the like, but if a bigger and better attraction is put in, wouldn't that be a good thing?

Clearly, if Disney is going to remain as the penultimate theme park company in the world (a place it obviously holds given the latest attendance figures just released for the past calendar year), it will need to make difficult decisions in order to maintain its leading edge, and those decisions will necessarily affect some of our smaller and older attractions, don't you think?

I think what many are afraid of is that Disney has a habit lately of replacing much-loved and very re-rideable attractions (such as Alien Encounter and Horizons) and either replacing them with disasters (Stitch's Great Mistake) or attractions that are nice the first time, but don't make you want to ride them over and over (in my and many others' opinion, Mission: Space).

CoP is an attraction that had the touch of Walt himself. It's one of the favorite attractions of many in the older generation (my grandparents included), and it features a classic Disney song written by the Sherman Brothers. I know that all that doesn't neccesarily mean it should stay, but if Disney is going to get rid of it, they should make sure that whatever replaces it will appeal to the same audience, and not rely too much on the characters they have at the expense of making a truly unique Disney Park experience.

 

[Palofmickey]

If Disney wants to "put something bigger and better in it's (sic) spot," as you say, why would we necessarily want to prevent that? I understand many of our warm and fuzzy feelings for "classic" attractions like CoP, Horizons and the like, but if a bigger and better attraction is put in, wouldn't that be a good thing?

If Disney wants to put a new attraction in Tomorrowland why don't they take the Indy Cars out and put it there. I try to stay away from them. I don't like breathing in the fumes. :hurl: Leave the CoP alone.

 

[Empress Room]

I would guess that all attractions, both old and new, are constantly monitored for guest satisfaction and attendance numbers. Although no attraction would be completely insulated from consideration, I believe that Disney's conclusion has been that, to date, the Indy cars are still quite popular and have positive guest reaction (which is undoubtedly one of the reasons why they are being built and placed in the next phase of HK Disneyland.

 

[DizWhizKid]

I would guess that all attractions, both old and new, are constantly monitored for guest satisfaction and attendance numbers. Although no attraction would be completely insulated from consideration, I believe that Disney's conclusion has been that, to date, the Indy cars are still quite popular and have positive guest reaction (which is undoubtedly one of the reasons why they are being built and placed in the next phase of HK Disneyland.

They're also very dangerous, both for the guests and the CMs working there. Someone once told me it's the most dangerous attraction to work at at all of WDW. I bet its only a matter of time until someone gets seriously injured or killed, then they'll close 'em down.

 

[Empress Room]

They're also very dangerous, both for the guests and the CMs working there. Someone once told me it's the most dangerous attraction to work at at all of WDW. I bet its only a matter of time until someone gets seriously injured or killed, then they'll close 'em down.

I don't doubt that "someone" told you that; however, it's hard to argue with the attraction's 35-year safety record to date. On a similar note, an injury or death (attributable to the attraction and not a pre-existing condition) is not a guarantee that an attraction will be closed. Case in point: Splash Mountain at Disneyland.

 

[Empress Room]

I think what many are afraid of is that Disney has a habit lately of replacing much-loved and very re-rideable attractions (such as Alien Encounter and Horizons) and either replacing them with disasters (Stitch's Great Mistake) or attractions that are nice the first time, but don't make you want to ride them over and over (in my and many others' opinion, Mission: Space).

CoP is an attraction that had the touch of Walt himself. It's one of the favorite attractions of many in the older generation (my grandparents included), and it features a classic Disney song written by the Sherman Brothers. I know that all that doesn't neccesarily mean it should stay, but if Disney is going to get rid of it, they should make sure that whatever replaces it will appeal to the same audience, and not rely too much on the characters they have at the expense of making a truly unique Disney Park experience.

Understand this about opinions - there are assuredly as many out there who feel that SGE and M:S have a great "re-rideability" factor as those, like yourself, who opine otherwise.

Having said that, it's quite evident that Disney completes exhaustive guest surveys and monitors every attraction's ridership. It will not replace any "beloved" (or otherwise) attraction (and invest its stockholders' money to produce new attractions) unless and until the hard facts justify it.

 

[MKCP 1985]

The Magic Kingdom is all about appealing to the ankle biters, who love to drive a car, even if it is on guide rails. I am married to a former cast member who worked the Speedway 20 years ago and the cast members were getting whiplashed even back then (and she loved working there). More recenty than that, but still a long time ago, there was a case that went to court where a guest was hurt on the speedway, either at the load or unload area. The guest was found to be partly at fault and someone else mostly at fault. The jury found Walt Disney World to be one percent at fault, and under Florida law as it existed at the time, WDW had to pay far more than its fair share of the judgment. That one case and its outcome was largely responsible for getting Florida negligence law changed. And in the mean time, the Speedway kept right on going.

There is almost always a long line of kids wanting to ride and the concept has proven successful at numerous amusement parks, so don't get your hopes up for the speedway to go anywhere.

 

[JimboJones123]

am i the only one her who couldn't give a crap about cop?

 

[mousermerf]

On this website, you're in a minority, but in the real world, most other people don't care either.

I'd like to see it goto a museum or get a permanent spot besides Tomorrowland.

 

[joel_maxwell]

I'd like to see it goto a museum or get a permanent spot besides Tomorrowland.

i totally agree.

they could put it in Innovations in Epcot and i wouldnt mind...... im not a big fan of Innovations. maybe in the 80's, but not today.