-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Dinosaur Audio Effects Changes
- Thread starter Flight Safety
- Start date
disney fan 13
Well-Known Member
Prototype82
Well-Known Member
Everyone, write letters.
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Once again the vocal minority has ruined another attraction for the majority.
Apathy rules.
dxwwf3
Well-Known Member
Exactly what I was thinking too! Very true statement
TheBeatles
Well-Known Member
As far as I know, there is nothing available for Cast Members to read or look at that details the special effects of a specific attraction.
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Turning things off does not cost Disney any money and then they can raise our ticket prices some more to compensate.
MaryJaneP
Well-Known Member
Continued and progressively diminishing quality (audio and lighting) can only mean one thing. Everybody now, the ride is in its own countdown to extinction.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
What a shame....Dinosaur has always been a favorite of mine. The chaotic frenzied insanity inside was def its strong point.:ROFLOL:
Tip Top Club
Well-Known Member
I'm going to need to confirm this. The sound levels in the building never even get close to the legal limit, I would find this disappointing if true, in my opinion the sound levels were perfect, and exactly what it really would sound like if a dinosaur was roaring and meteors were crashing.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
I really hope this is just a matter of them tweaking the audio. I know several people have complained about the volume inside the attraction so if adjusting it down marginally brings more guests to the attraction then that's a good thing. However, it sounds like right now they overshot it - I'll give it some time to see if anymore adjustments are being made.
With all this in mind, the ride probably needs a refurb.
With all this in mind, the ride probably needs a refurb.
NoChesterHester
Well-Known Member
Not only a refurb, they need to turn all the effects back on. Come on...
stitch2008
Member
I tried to post this yesterday via mobile but was having issues. Yesterday I took some family on Countdown... ahem, Dinosaur for their first time and was totally disappointed that the environmental audio effects were completely off (Meteors, Dinos, etc.). The only thing audible was the audio coming from the on board speakers (Seeker, computer, vehicle sounds.).
I noticed something was way off as soon as the ride started and I didn't hear anything whilst "going back in time", especially the very loud crash at the end. Then as the ride continued, there was absolutely no sound other than the onboard audio. It was so disappointing and ruined the experience for my family who had never been before. I also noticed that it seemed significantly brighter during the ride, and thought to myself "here we go again".
After we exited the vehicle, I immediately approached a cast member about the situation and asked if they were experiencing technical difficulties. She was unaware of the fact that half the ride wasn't working and contacted the control tower to inquire. After speaking with the tower she informed me that there was a ride stop (which requires rebooting the entire ride computer system) earlier in the morning, and that someone must have forgotten to un-mute the volume.
She thanked me for pointing it out, and gave us a second ride with the problem corrected. However, when going "back in time" for the second time I didn't hear much and thought they must not have fixed, or un-muted the audio. Then just at the last second I heard a very faint resemblance of the crash sound. From there, as the ride continued I begun to hear the sound effects, but I noticed that in many places they seemed much, much quieter than normal. This was disappointing to say the least, but at least my family got to hear the roaring of the dinos and not the sound of the mechanical beasts mechanics.
After exiting the ride for the second time, I noticed the cast member who I spoke with before speaking with a management type off to the side. I approached her and told her that the audio was back on, but that in most places it was super quiet compared to normal. The manager explained to me that they had made some changes to the audio levels throughout the ride. I told him how disappointing this was and asked if this was due to complaints. He informed me that the changes were being made due to a number of complaints, and that the noise level in the building was too high for OSHA regulations and they made the adjustments to make the environment more comfortable for cast members and guests alike. I again told him how CTX is my favorite attraction and how under rated it is and that I was very disappointed to hear this news.
I didn't think to ask about the lighting levels because my family was yelling at me to come look at the silly face I made at the Carno, but I have no doubt that this is also related. I haven't been to AK since December and didn't notice any differences in the ride then, and it seemed like the way this manager was speaking, it was a change that was just made. I did ask if this was a permanent change and he informed me that it most likely would be, but for now its indefinite.
Does anyone else out there love this ride as much as me, and hate that they keep dulling things down everywhere? CTX inst the only place this kind of "taming" happens, but come on! Why? The crap about OSHA is probably just that. Crap. I doubt very seriously the ride has been operating since opening just fine, and then all of the sudden 14 years later its time to meet OSHA regulations. Why make such an awesome ride if you're just going to dumb it down and make it boring. If too many guests are complaining, make a bigger warning sign.
It was kinda funny that the entire day, everyone who rode the attraction did so without the audio effects and still enjoyed it. If you didn't know they were supposed to be there, I guess it wouldn't be so bad. Im not usually one to complain about anything, especially anything related to WDW, but I can't believe they didn't even know there was a problem until I mentioned it, and I absolutely hate this change!
I dont really want to go through this thread since I have horrible day awaiting me at work tomorrow. I will just say this. I totally believe her. If you doubt that OHSA will do that, you don't know how they work.
OHSA is a bull (you know what) group. They will turn their heads away from something for a long time and then nail for that very thing years later. Or worse, they will just make something up out of the blue and tell you to change things. And if you argue with them you can get fined more. They don't care about rides, theme, story, effects, situation or anything. If they can think of something, they will fine you.
Let me give an example. The last ride I worked on at my old job got inspected by OHSA. Now the ride was in tip top shape. In our eyes, was better then regulations. Well this freaking jerk, with his Napoleon Dynamite glasses, shows up and starts treating us like garbage. After he inspected the attraction, he asked to tour it one more time. You know what he had the audacity to tell me? First, he says "The safety light on the top of the ride is not environmentally friendly. So your ride is causing damage to the ozone layer." Secondly, "your station music is way too load. Loud music can cause issues with your eardrums." I was basically ordered to change the light bulb immediately and lower the music to a level that was acceptable to him. That's just what he said about our ride. Don't even get me started on what he said about our "out of date" equipment; that we had bought NEW A MONTH EARLIER! But he didn't care. Just as long as he could fine us.
And Unions have nothing to do with it. OHSA hates them too. My union boss at the time, who worked on the next ride over, got to hear about all the issues. He about blew a gasket.
OHSA just loves having power over employers. It really depends on what moron you get stuck with when they drop by. It also depends what kind of mood they are in. Ive always been worried about Dinosaur in that regard. I can just see the OHSA inspectors just having a field day with that attraction. To be honest with you guys, I wouldn't be stunned if they had told them, "What if a employee has to enter the ride area? How will he or she get past all the dinosaurs?" Or "it's so dark in there. Can't you add a light?" I know they would.
The Duck
Well-Known Member
After reading Stitch2008's post, it amazes me just how much OSHA inspectors are like food safety/sanitation inspectors in grocery stores and restaurants. I've worked in supermarkets and I've seen the exact same attitude. Many inspectors are easily bribed and you never see them again.
stitch2008
Member
Your exactly right. Inspectors are all the same. In the case of parks(not just Disney, anyone; Universal, SeaWorld, Six Flags, Cedar Fair, ETC), OHSA hates them. I have talked at conferences and other things with other park people the general consensus is that no escapes OHSA without a fine or being told to change something.
OHSA doesn't care about show in the least. Not if they can cite you for something.
Prototype82
Well-Known Member
Sometimes it's hard to forget that a refurb no longer means fixing those sorts of issues. It once did.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Oh good, I'm glad this change happened, because today I was thinking, "you know, Dinosaur isn't entirely ruined yet, there's got to be a way they can ruin it further!"
As an audio geek, one of my favorite things about Dinosaur is how good and impressively loud the audio is for it. With good reason - with the budget cut back for visual effects and sets, they had to increase the intensity in some way and they accomplished that with the audio.
Thrill rides should be loud. Universal's thrill rides are loud. Many Disney rides (both thrill and non-thrill) lately have horrible audio that is too quiet to hear. I don't believe that OSHA story one bit as the employees are not literally working next to the loud dinosaur animatronics. If you think I'm just spitting out TDO-hate hyperbole, open your ears next time you are at the parks and PAY ATTENTION.
Oh, I'd also like to mention that the ride operating for a good portion of the day without a CM or leader noticing that the audio wasn't even switched on is unnacceptable behavior and pure laziness from the cast.
As an audio geek, one of my favorite things about Dinosaur is how good and impressively loud the audio is for it. With good reason - with the budget cut back for visual effects and sets, they had to increase the intensity in some way and they accomplished that with the audio.
Thrill rides should be loud. Universal's thrill rides are loud. Many Disney rides (both thrill and non-thrill) lately have horrible audio that is too quiet to hear. I don't believe that OSHA story one bit as the employees are not literally working next to the loud dinosaur animatronics. If you think I'm just spitting out TDO-hate hyperbole, open your ears next time you are at the parks and PAY ATTENTION.
Oh, I'd also like to mention that the ride operating for a good portion of the day without a CM or leader noticing that the audio wasn't even switched on is unnacceptable behavior and pure laziness from the cast.
blm07
Active Member
They should just add a sissy button at load for the wimps, if someone complains, the cast members just press the button. No loud noises, no dino roars, no vehicle movement, but instead all the dinos will be like the bee on Family Guy. "Oh hey guys, I was gonna roar at you, but I don't want to, you all ain't worth it."
MaryJaneP
Well-Known Member
Easier than a sissy button would be to hand out disposable earplugs. Guests can keep them for the entire day and use them on any ride ithe guest fears will be too loud.