Disneyland's Rise Of The Resistance - Reviews, Criticism, Deep Thoughts

[TP2000]

If you look at scenes like these.. and don't think they are beautiful in the sense of 'wow, I can't believe this is really here' -- then maybe you just don't like sciFi and you're more a granola type?

Switching gears just a bit, and I honestly don't mean to pile on because the ride truly is a good one, but this scene felt too static for me. This is our shuttle we're boarding that is blasting off the planet within moments, and there was not much going on here except the static set and the X-wing Fighter next to it.

This shuttle needs smoke coming from the engines, it needs lights flashing, flaps and ailerons being tested for takeoff, landing gear stabilizers retracting, hissing and beep-boops and whining turbines spooling up, etc., etc. I can't help but believe that stuff was planned by WDI, but was an easy thing to shave off the budget in the final 18 months as Mr. Chapek got into the swing of things from his Burbank lair.

Instead this was just a cool looking spacecraft sitting there silently and motionless. There needs to be some visible and audible action going on here in this scene, not just the doors sliding open. At least a couple of smoke machines from Party City, to start.

And for the record, I can't stand granola! Even in the 1970's I hated that stuff.

Okay, I'm done, I don't want to pile on more criticism today. The poor ride has been through enough already.

 

[flynnibus]

It’s interesting that they tried so hard to create known Star Wars items for the rides but the land itself is purposefully random

Huh? Creating a new location and needing it to be unique... is not 'random' - the land is full of the familiar things to anchor it all as something Star Wars... including all these BIG SHIPS EVERYONE KNOWS.

It's about creating a new canvas with familiar concepts... instead of just copying an existing. Within Rise the Star Destroyer is a known 'existing' place.. you want the familiarity for the credibility.

Your comment is like apples and oranges...

 

[flynnibus]

Switching gears just a bit, and I honestly don't mean to pile on because the ride truly is a good one, but this scene felt too static for me. This is our shuttle we're boarding that is blasting off the planet within moments, and there was not much going on here except the static set.

This shuttle needs smoke/steam coming from the engines, it needs lights flashing, flaps and ailerons being tested for takeoff, landing gear stabilizers retracting, hissing and beep-boops and turbine engines spooling up, etc., etc. I can't help but believe that stuff was planned by WDI, but was an easy thing to shave off the budget in the final 18 months as Mr. Chapek got into the swing of things.

This I fully agree with and felt the same way. The lack of 'spooling up' or 'idling' effects or the other iconic starship sounds was a standout to me.

I don't know what the operational constraints there are with people movement in and out of the scene... but full heartledly agree that while the lifesized ship was awesome looking.. the lack of animation in the scene was noticed.

 

[DDLand]

Your beef seems to be you don't like the Empire's style designer... while simultaneously acknowledging the style is very purposeful and on-character. So this means.. you don't want a empire styled home, so that makes a place that really is supposed to be the empire.. somehow a letdown.

The spaces are not dull - they are incredibly detailed and articulated. Flat, simple painted walls (looking at you Buzz...) would be 'dull'.. or Space Mountain's queue excuse for sciFi... Those are hollow, flat... DULL spaces.

You keep using 'dull' as its projecting 'less than desirable' or something negative... but agree the execution is on point and 'pretty darn fanastic' - That's why your comments are causing counter points.

I mean.. by your train of thought... isn't the HM graveyard 'dull' because it's just gloomy, cold, and lifeless as well?

Yes! Now you understand (hyperbole notwithstanding)! My primary issues can be summarized by these questions:
1) Theme park environments, with few exceptions, tend to be interesting and exciting. Was it a good idea to build an attraction that specifically has a boring and understated setting? Think, Disney spent 100s of millions on a purposefully ugly place!
2) This is a fundamental tone shift for “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Was it the right call to place this gritty, utilitarian, and ugly ride in Disneyland?

Remember, setting is a reflection of story. I believe the story is problematic, which led to dark and dreary setting. You could make a painting of a sewage system, and it could meticulously well executed and lifelike painting. But the painting is of sewage. That’s a little hyperbolic (no one is calling Rise sewage) but is illustrative. That’s the best created SciFi evil bad guy ship I’ve ever seen, but why did they choose to immerse guests in an evil bad guy ship that is deliberately ugly?

This is my criticism.

 

[TP2000]

This I fully agree with and felt the same way. The lack of 'spooling up' or 'idling' effects or the other iconic starship sounds was a standout to me.

I don't know what the operational constraints there are with people movement in and out of the scene... but full heartledly agree that while the lifesized ship was awesome looking.. the lack of animation in the scene was noticed.

Shoot, I was hoping someone might correct me and tell me it normally has stuff going on but it was just broken on Wednesday morning. But obviously that's not the case here.

The good news is that this is stuff they can add easily, and again I'd bet two churros there were original plans to have some movement and effects here but they got cut by Mr. Chapek. WDI probably has at least the basic infrastructure in place for things to be added and turned on for this static/silent scene.

Let's just hope we don't have to wait until the 25th Anniversary Refurbishment in 2045 for this kind of stuff to be added to static scenes like this.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes! Now you understand (hyperbole notwithstanding)! My primary issues can be summarized by these questions:
1) Theme park environments, with few exceptions, tend to be interesting and exciting. Was it a good idea to build an attraction that specifically has a boring and understated setting? Think, Disney spent 100s of millions on a purposefully ugly place!
2) This is a fundamental tone shift for “The Happiest Place on Earth.” Was it the right call to place this gritty, utilitarian, and ugly ride in Disneyland?

Remember, setting is a reflection of story. I believe the story is problematic, which led to dark and dreary setting. You could make a painting of a sewage system, and it could meticulously well executed and lifelike painting. But the painting is of sewage. That’s a little hyperbolic (no one is calling Rise sewage) but is illustrative. That’s the best created SciFi evil bad guy ship I’ve ever seen, but why did they choose to immerse guests in an evil bad guy ship that is deliberately ugly?

This is my criticism.

Then I think you must have REALLY hated Tower of Terror...

Disney has all kinds of environments... from pure sugar fantasy, to warm fuzzy homey, to futuristic, to realism, etc. The consistent thing is Disney is generally a whitewashed version.. they focus trying to build ASSURANCE for the guest. This leads to things being idealizied.. so the pros, and not really the cons, of things are showcased. Negative elements are removed. Color is a big part of that when placemaking. Hench talked about that extensively.

So I can understand where your comments may come from when looking at the empire drab.. but I think the comments are too narrowly focused. If you were talking about the exterior of the GE land itself.. I'd actually be more receptive. But talking about the Star Destroyer interior... I don't agree with the adjectives and context being used.

While the Empire (and First Order) are cold and utility... their characters are also shown as being 'the bad guys' and this mantra is projected as 'the stuff to be defeated'. Sure you can role play as the dark side, etc... but the 'good guys always win'. Your assurance comes from that the death star decor is not where the world is going, but it something that was defeated.

You are put in an interrogation room as a plot element... not that jails are something to checkout and hangout in like the porches in Frontierland. These are places you 'visit' ... just like the graveyard in HM.. they aren't the placemaking bits for the land.

Your discussion I think is far more interesting when we are looking at the StarWars Hotel... because that IS a space people are expected to want to stay in, spend time in, be drawn into, etc. Is the Star Wars idea of a spaceship actually going to be 'warm' enough that guests feel comfortable vs punished, etc.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Did it in DHS - TP2000’s observations apply to both coasts.

I’ve only ridden Rise in dhs, but I’ve visited the lands on both coasts and I’m going to guess that Florida has consistently better cast experience than California. The CM’s I experienced in Florida were mostly very believable in their roles.

In fact the first time I rode Rise I said “I’m so glad I’m riding this in Florida first” based on my assumption that the California cast would not be as good.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

By freakin laser bolts that physically damage the sets around you (as you see it).

Yeah, let's just go back to the red lights in the pirate pistols with sound effects.. That's much less dull

I would argue that the pirates battle scene with various physical effects such as fog and water cannons is more impressive than the purely digital effects of Rise.

 

[flynnibus]

I would argue that the pirates battle scene with various physical effects such as fog and water cannons is more impressive than the purely digital effects of Rise.

You may think that... but since your statement is based on incorrect facts to start with (purely digital effects)... I'd call your conclusion junk

Here is a decent video that walks through many of the 'how they do it..' behind the big effects in RoTR. I won't stand behind everything they say 100%.. but it was a pretty decent video breakdown

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

You may think that... but since your statement is based on incorrect facts to start with (purely digital effects)... I'd call your conclusion junk

I’m talking about physical effects like fog, cryo, heat, wind, water, fire etc. - other than wind in the finale scene I don’t remember any.

I don’t think mansion has any either, they aren’t required for an excellent ride. Also... there is some very cool projecting mapping in Rise. It works better from a distance than close up where it’s so obviously digital.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Pirates is better, too.

 

[Kram Sacul]

Switching gears just a bit, and I honestly don't mean to pile on because the ride truly is a good one, but this scene felt too static for me. This is our shuttle we're boarding that is blasting off the planet within moments, and there was not much going on here except the static set and the X-wing Fighter next to it.

Instead this was just a cool looking spacecraft sitting there silently and motionless. There needs to be some visible and audible action going on here in this scene, not just the doors sliding open. At least a couple of smoke machines from Party City, to start.

Um... 4:27 I guess you could’ve missed the lighting effects during the day but the sound? SMH

Sometimes I wonder if people just watch videos and not go on the ride and write up a “review” later. It would explain a lot in this thread.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Hey, the Pirates/HM guns illuminating red lights like children's toys are charming.

 

[TP2000]

Um... 4:27 Not exactly subtle stuff.

I was there just after 12 Noon on a sunny day. I didn't notice any of those flashing lights or mood lighting seen on this evening video. And neither did @flynnibus, as he also noted this scene's apparent lifelessness.

I guess the trick is to try and win a Boarding Group higher than 80 so you can go after sundown to see the flashing lights?

I remember that scene reasonably well, and there were some sound effects when the doors opened, but it was most memorable for the CM's doing exactly what they're doing in the video you showed, waving us forward constantly and talk-yelling... "This way recruits! We're going to get you out of here recruits! Step all the way over here recruits! Keep moving forward please recruits! You are about to board recruits! Move over here recruits!"

I'm a recruit! Are you a recruit? Cause I am.

 

[Kram Sacul]

I was there just after 12 Noon on a sunny day. I didn't notice any of those flashing lights or mood lighting seen on this evening video. And neither did @flynnibus, as he also noted this scene's apparent lifelessness.

I guess the trick is to try and win a Boarding Group higher than 80 so you can go after sundown to see the flashing lights?

I remember that scene reasonably well, and there were some sound effects when the doors opened, but it was most memorable for the CM's doing exactly what they're doing in the video you showed, waving us forward constantly and talk-yelling... "This way recruits! We're going to get you out of here recruits! Step all the way over here recruits! Keep moving forward please recruits! You are about to board recruits! Move over here recruits!"

I'm a recruit! Are you a recruit?

How did you not notice the sounds of the ship revving up though? I guess when you have to wake up at an ungodly hour things get a little hazy.

 

[TP2000]

How did you not notice the sounds of the ship revving up though? I guess when you have to wake up at an ungodly hour things get a little hazy.

I don't remember any specific sounds, sorry. It was just sort of a big set piece sitting there with the CM's talk-yelling at all of us recruits to get closer to the doors. Then a few moments later the doors opened and I went inside. Once inside, the shuttle pre-show experience itself was fantastic!

It was mid-day and sunny, but that sort of weak and hazy winter sun that OC gets this time of year. Even with the hazy sun low in the sky I didn't notice a single flashing light on that ship. In brighter sun from April through October any light effects they have are going to be even less noticeable.

But that doesn't mean I'm not a recruit! And this recruit thinks they should go to Party City and buy a couple of fog machines and put them under that spaceship, as a start.

 

[Kram Sacul]

I don't remember any specific sounds, sorry. It was just sort of a big set piece sitting there with the CM's talk-yelling at all of us recruits to get closer to the doors. Then a few moments later the doors opened and I went inside.

 

[Curious Constance]

Better put my order in for my “NOT a recruit” t-shirt before too long.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

When I went in to the ship, I saw DL manager types in business casual. Not exactly immersive.

 

[socalifornian]

When I went in to the ship, I saw DL manager types in business casual. Not exactly immersive.

I still wish that they wore costumes. It can and probably should be different from the front line CMs, but if they’re on stage and working they should be supporting the theme like what they expect out of those who are under them