Disney Plans Gentler Mission: Space

[Shaman]

Disney has not gotten their money worth from this attraction. By making this change, they may be able to finally get their money worth.

What evidence can you show us to support that claim?

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Actually, he is correct. M:S was built to be Epcot's headliner. While it certainly helped, Soarin' has been hands down the major pull for Epcot. It is a solid attraction and keeps people in the park, but it has not necessarily been a "draw" directly itself. THerefore, Disney may have gotten their "money's worth" but it did not operate as it was intended to.

 

[Pete C]

So, basically, those of you in favor of leaving the ride alone would rather there be no Mission Space at all versus one that offers the option of a gentle ride...simply because it isn't the true Mission Space? I can't say for sure that if left alone MS would be replaced, but with ridership at its current levels you have to think this is a strong possibility down the line. Weren't Horizons and Body Wars closed for that exact reason?

 

[DLP Fan]

there is 1 thing i would like 2 see disney do and that is to put the intense version of M:S back 2 how it was when it first opened,with more g-forces.sure it is awesome now even though it is 'toned down' but it would be even awesomer(if thats a word) if it was put back 2 how it was now that there is the non G-force version for the people who cant handle or dont like intense thrill rides.

As far as I'm aware the ride has not changed since it first opened. I rode a couple of times before it officially opened when I was there in June 2003 and then again last September. It felt the exact same to me!

I think this is a great idea and really cant understand why people are unhappy at this. M:S has a large ride capacity, which adds to the short queues, so by changing one centrifuge it will make no difference to those who like the original and allow more to ride. It simply gives those who are fearful of the original a chance to experience, in part, a wonderful attraction they wouldnt of been able to before. My mum rode once but wasnt too keen! Now she will be able to ride instead of having to sit around waiting for us to come back.

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

How can this not be a good thing? By giving guests two options, they open the ride to those who have motion sickness/other issues, those who might have been scared off previously or anyone else who didn't go on the original for whatever reason. I think it's a smart move on Disney's part. If anything else happens to another guest on the original ride, Disney can't say they didn't warn people and offer other options for those not physically suited for the original.

I don't understand the complaints from those who don't want to see this. If you like the original, ride the original. But why would you complain about a move that would open the ride to more people?

 

[EpcotServo]

So you get up to the head of the line, and they ask you, death or Non-death? I'll take the death zone please! The new slogan can be, Mission: SPACE- We choose to wimp out! I bet they'll have a sign in the line that says you can go on the fun side or the sweet cup-n-cakes side.:lol:

 

[jeffb]

I have a great idea, they can take the similator that is not going to spin and show me a high quality simulation of HORIZONS!! :animwink:

Who picks up the tab on MS anyway - is it Disney or HP? If I were HP, I would want the attraction to be avaiable to people who would not normally be able to go on MS.

 

[Lee]

So, basically, those of you in favor of leaving the ride alone would rather there be no Mission Space at all versus one that offers the option of a gentle ride...simply because it isn't the true Mission Space? I can't say for sure that if left alone MS would be replaced, but with ridership at its current levels you have to think this is a strong possibility down the line.

Not a good question. I can tell you that there is currently NO chance of M:S closing anytime in the near future if they don't change it. The point is moot.

I don't understand the complaints from those who don't want to see this. If you like the original, ride the original. But why would you complain about a move that would open the ride to more people?

Because it won't be the same attraction.
If you get into a ToT elevator and just see the ghosts in the hallway, but don't drop, have you been on ToT?
If you watch the Soarin film while sitting on the ground, is it the same ride? No.
I think Mission:Space should be Mission:Space, and those that choose not to go on the ride are free to make that choice.

 

[MAF]

The only reason they are doing this is because attendence is so severely low that they are desperate to get more people into the building. Once the newness of this "gentler" version wears off, they are going to be right back where they started from.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Because it won't be the same attraction.
If you get into a ToT elevator and just see the ghosts in the hallway, but don't drop, have you been on ToT?
If you watch the Soarin film while sitting on the ground, is it the same ride? No.
I think Mission:Space should be Mission:Space, and those that choose not to go on the ride are free to make that choice.

It will be the same attraction.. They are leaving 3 sections alone, only changing 1... Therefore, the people who love M:S and the intense version can still have it... That isn't changing... So, how is it different?? Those who enjoy the thrill can still have the thrill.. Those who cannot tolerate the thrill portion can still enjoy M:S..

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

Because it won't be the same attraction.
If you get into a ToT elevator and just see the ghosts in the hallway, but don't drop, have you been on ToT?
If you watch the Soarin film while sitting on the ground, is it the same ride? No.
I think Mission:Space should be Mission:Space, and those that choose not to go on the ride are free to make that choice.

I don't buy that reasoning. When I go to ride M:S, I'd be able to choose from the original and the lite version. Granted, a change has been made, but the original is still there.

If Disney was closing the original and only offering the lite version, I could see the complaints. But that's not what's happening here. Those who choose not to go on the original now have another option. Good for them.

 

[Captain Chaos]

So you get up to the head of the line, and they ask you, death or Non-death? I'll take the death zone please! The new slogan can be, Mission: SPACE- We choose to wimp out! I bet they'll have a sign in the line that says you can go on the fun side or the sweet cup-n-cakes side.:lol:

I know you add a laughhing smily there, but, I would never call anyone who cannot tolerate the intesne version a wimp... Maybe Disney can add to the entrance: THOSE WHO WANT TO LIVE, MILD SIDE HERE.. THOSE WHO ARE SUIICIDAL AND WANT TO DIE, KILLER RIDE THIS WAY...

 

[Captain Chaos]

The M:S lovers/supports are complaining now because more people can enjoy their beloived attraction, making them wait an extra 5 minutes, instead of walking right on... They may now have to wait...

 

[Captain Chaos]

What evidence can you show us to support that claim?

Look at the wait times... The ride surely has not lived up to the hype... This ride, as others have stated, was to be the signature ride in Epcot... Not saying the ride isn't a technilogical success, but, it is also not a complete success in that it doesn't draw as Disney thought it would... How many people have to ride this ride before they end up making money off it and not lose on the 100 million plus??? If you take the number of people who rode M:S in the 2-3 years it is open, not even half the guests who enter Epcot ride it.... Now, with the M:S Lite version, maybe that number will increase to half of Epcot's guests, and the wait times may finally increase from walk on to 10 minutes

 

[dxwwf3]

Maybe these tests will lead to an expansion and addition of a less intense attraction to a true "Space Pavilion".

There is a WoL pavilion that is just collecting dust right now...

 

[EpcotServo]

I know you add a laughhing smily there, but, I would never call anyone who cannot tolerate the intesne version a wimp... Maybe Disney can add to the entrance: THOSE WHO WANT TO LIVE, MILD SIDE HERE.. THOSE WHO ARE SUIICIDAL AND WANT TO DIE, KILLER RIDE THIS WAY...

jeesh...I was kidding. Take it easy...Have you no sense of humor?

 

[AEfx]

Because it won't be the same attraction.
If you get into a ToT elevator and just see the ghosts in the hallway, but don't drop, have you been on ToT?
If you watch the Soarin film while sitting on the ground, is it the same ride? No.
I think Mission:Space should be Mission:Space, and those that choose not to go on the ride are free to make that choice.

Going to have to disagree with the relevance of this.

Is it the same attraction? Nope, but the original version will always be available.

I think I understand your point of view; the artistic integrity of the ride is important. However, I don't see any problem with allowing more people to experience the attraction. It's a choice Disney has to make - keep the ride inaccessable to a large portion of the theme park audience, or offer a "B" mode so more people can experience it, and/or judge if they want the "A" experience.

From a commercial and guest standpoint, it really is win/win : the attraction overall gets greater attendance, and more guests will be able to experience it. Sometimes that is more important than the intentions of the designers. It's just making it more accessable to more people, while those that enjoy the original experience can continue to do so. I just disagree with the viewpoint that says, "if you can't handle this/don't know if you want to you have no other option seeyalaterbye..." when this attraction can handle this type of change without affecting those who like it in it's present incarnation.

I also think it can be done without unnecessarily confusing the guest, and certainly much less than something like E:E when it runs in it's alternate mode; I'd be more concerned about people walking away from that ride thinking "WTH? Where was the Yeti?" than I would be people not understanding the two versions of M:S.

AEfx

 

[Speedbird]

I've been against this since I first heard about it.:brick:
Basically, you'll be sitting in a pod, watching the film, and tilting back and forth. That's not Mission:Space...that's just....a waste. I fear that people will judge the attraction based on that sort of experience, not on the actual ride.

I totally agree. What's next? 'Big Thunder Mountain For Poor Sensitive Darlings', where you sit in the train and it stays in the station for three minutes so the more sensitive can 'experience' the ride. They've spent too much money to close it. As usual, pandering to the vocal minority. My sick medics sense of humour thinks the advertising slogan 'The ride so good it, it kills people' would bring in the adrenaline junkies (I'm going to hell for that one, aren't I?):hammer:

On a serious note though. The two show system won't stop people getting killed. I see it every day. You'll have some smart alec who's had 4 heart attacks, a CABG graft, a stroke and cancer but still thinks he'll be OK. A silly example but truer than you think. I'd like to see the annual figures for people killed and injured on amusement rides every year in the US. I think you'd be suprised by how many there are.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

I don't buy that reasoning. When I go to ride M:S, I'd be able to choose from the original and the lite version. Granted, a change has been made, but the original is still there.

If Disney was closing the original and only offering the lite version, I could see the complaints. But that's not what's happening here. Those who choose not to go on the original now have another option. Good for them.

I can completely see where Lee is coming from here.

He is looking at it from a Imagineer's standpoint. If I'm an Imagineer and I design this really unique experience...that's the intended way the attraction is to be seen. If people go into this "lite" version and come out thinking that it was lame...that's the impression a guest is taking away from an Imagineer's work.

 

[dxwwf3]

Therefore, the people who love M:S and the intense version can still have it...

You mean the moderately intense ride right? :lol:

I still wish they would make one bay no G force, 2 bays with the current ride, and one bay with an intense version. Not gonna happen, but it would be nice.