Does Disney do it on purpose?

[panther726]

I think WDW has the best thrill rides in the world. For me, the thrill comes in being surrounded by the atmosphere of the ride. No one can even come close to Disney. Yeah, Universal has roller coasters. But I find EE more thrilling than Hulk because of the total experience. The reason we all love Disney is the attention to detail., which is why Disney consistently embarrasses Universal in attendance.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I went to Cedar Point for the 2nd time this year and I was mostly unimpressed.

Cedar Point is for coaster-nerds and thrill-junkies - Maverick Rules!

Disney is for the WHOLE experience...not just rides/thrills.

 

[Thrill]

Another roller coaster won't bring the "bad people to WDW".

You have to look through the eyes of Disney. Another roller coaster won't bring the good people either, the ones that spend lots and lots of money on table service meals and merchandise.

I'd argue that this is why World Showcase isn't getting a Mt. Fuji coaster, Canada log flume, Matterhorn in a new Switzerland pavilion, etc. because WS makes money off of adults, not teens, and I would imagine that management would like it to remain that way. Lately they've been adding thrill rides in order to make sure that WDW is a place that a whole family can enjoy, but I think that the price and low quantity of thrill rides ensures that they don't get teens coming just for thrill rides like you would at a Six Flags.

 

[yeti]

I always thought it was just the higher ticket prices that kept that crowd away? :shrug:

 

[the-reason14]

As long as the "thril ride" is themed and has a good flow and story, what's the issue? I highly doubt if WDW were to somehow get a really thrilling ceder point esq coaster, that it would all of a sudden look like a six flags crowd. If they were to get this coaster, it would have to be detailed and themed because that's just what they do. IMO, if they were to built a truly thrilling coaster, as long as it is on par with E:E or Splash mt. then I don't see the problem.

 

[MarkTwain]

I'm not sure Disney avoids making thrill rides just to keep undesirable crowds of teens away. I've always assumed they've done it just because they're Disney, a company that prides itself for it's long tradition of family product, and they're trying to ensure most of their rides are geared for the whole family. :shrug:

I think the high costs of a ticket or an AP would keep the teens out more than any supposed lack of thrill rides.

 

[mp2bill]

Soarin' is still not a thrill ride sorry. You fly up and sit in front of a screen. Yes I like it but it's still not a thrill ride.

I don't mind the lack of thrill rides. In my mind, the thing that sets WDW aside from a Six Flags or Cedar Point is the fact that they have a good mix of thrill rides and detail oriented, highly themed non-thrill rides (i.e. - Snow White's Scary Adventures). I personally can't stand waiting in lines for close to an hour each just to ride different versions of the same ride.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I love the Six Flags parks or Cedar Point, or even closer to me is Canada's Wonderland. They are great parks and I never leave them unfulfilled. The problem is there are half a dozen parks I can drive to that are similar. It doesn't mean I don't like to experience the different parks it's just that in general they don't offer anything different.

Enter Disney. There is only two places in North America that I can go and enjoy rides that I will never ever see at another park. That is Disneyland and WDW. No other park could ever duplicate Haunted Mansion or Pirates, or Small World or Peter Pan or spread the nostalgia like Carousel of Progress. Nothing duplicates that originality. I mean Splash Mountain would still be a great ride if there wasn't a 52 foot drop at the end, what does that tell you?

While there is nothing wrong with a few thrills in the parks, the truth is Disney doesn't rely on that for it's guests. Maybe it keeps away the cynic who feels its a juvenile park but whoever goes never forgets it and keeps coming back, or wanting to at least. Cedar Point doesn't have Spectromagic. They don't have Wishes fireworks either. Nothing gives you that feeling that you just can't explain.

Another thing, MK opened without a thrill ride. It was great then, people loved it. In 1975 Space Mountain opened. In 1980 Thunder Mountain opened. In 1992 Splash Mountain opened. Was the park just junk prior to that? No.

 

[BwayBaby]

Well, I went to Cedar Point last week and notice a LOT less obnoxious teens than the past two times I've been to WDW. So I don't necessarily think thrill rides automatically equal obnoxious kids.

I highly doubt if WDW were to somehow get a really thrilling ceder point esq coaster

I don't think they would, either. They've got to build rides the whole family could enjoy, so most really aren't going to be that intense. The thrill rides at WDW are just intense enough that you get a little bit of an adrenaline rush, but not so intense to keep a lot of older elementary school kids from going on it.
A Cedar Point-esque coaster would also be a bit of an eyesore in the park, assuming it was as tall as any of the coasters at CP.
And, to be a little OT: The Millenium Force is a million times better than the new Intimidator 305 at King's Dominion.

 

[Grizzly Hall 71]

I think WDW has the best thrill rides in the world. For me, the thrill comes in being surrounded by the atmosphere of the ride. No one can even come close to Disney. Yeah, Universal has roller coasters. But I find EE more thrilling than Hulk because of the total experience. The reason we all love Disney is the attention to detail., which is why Disney consistently embarrasses Universal in attendance.

What? Dueling Dragons (pre potter) was a way more immersive experience. Your in Merlin's Forest and you travel deep into the caves where you see the epic fails of past knights.

In Jurassic Park you feel like your actually on the island Isle of Nublar.

Jaws puts you right in the middle of Amity.

Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can't tell me that there's no attention to detail there.


Yea Universal gets kicked in the butt but that's because Disney, is well Disney. People will come there because of the name regardless. Universal is a little extra to the casual tourist. Disney is a right of passage. But IMO IOA blows all the parks (except Animal Kingdom) out of the water.

 

[fosse76]

I was just saying the same thing. 2 or more thrill rides to the world won't attract the whole "six flags" crow but it'll boost attendance for sure.

There's no such thing as a "Six Flags" crowd. Those same "types" are at Disney as well. The difference is Disney is better at manageing it. In my experiences working at Six Flags, I found parents with small children (the type of people you guys associate with Disney) to be the most uncooperative and most disrespectful of all guests. WDW attracts mostly vacationing tourists, which is why the crowds at Disneyland aren't much different than the crowds you find at Six Flags. But to act like the people who go to Six Flags are any different from the crowds that are at Disney is ridiculous.

 

[disneylemons]

Well since I am usually traveling with a family with a wide variety of ages - I am glad Disney has a wide variety of rides - thrill to the relaxing. We have from 6 - 75 in our group and this way there is something for everyone. It is definately the 'whole family' experience from the moment we get there.

As far as a "Six Flaggs" crowd - I have to agree - yes there is one.. we live a couple hours from one and quit going years ago due to the type of crowd that was there. I'm sure they were locals with annual passes because instead of enjoying they park they were "loitering" and totally obnoxious.

Another good park with just a couple Thrill Rides is Silver Dollar City - again - popular because of the family theming.. its where the real money is..

 

[CaptainWinter]

Soarin' had a 98% guest satisfaction rate for 2009. It was voted #1 in all of WDW from guests of all ages.

Somewhat off topic: is there a common data source for this kind of information? I'd be very curious to see satisfaction rates for all attractions.

 

[Eyorefan]

According to the Oxford dictionary a thrill ride is "a ride at an amusement park that makes you feel very excited and frightened at the same time"

Soarin' can do just that. It may not be a thrill ride to YOU, but it can be for others (especially those with a fear of heights).

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. When I was on the Snow White ride during our last trip, I sat behind a 3 year old boy who was very excited to see the seven darwfs, but was also terrified of the evil queen. Does that mean Snow White is a thrill ride? I don't think so...

Just because a person who is afaraid of hights would be frighted on Soarn' doesn't make it a thrill ride. I think you have to factor in intent of design. Soarn' is was not built with the intention of frightening people. Just like I don't belive Snow White was built with the intention of making 3 year olds cry... even if it does...

 

[wm49rs]

Just goes to show that "thrill" is in the eye of the beholder....

 

[Tigger1988]

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. When I was on the Snow White ride during our last trip, I sat behind a 3 year old boy who was very excited to see the seven darwfs, but was also terrified of the evil queen. Does that mean Snow White is a thrill ride? I don't think so...

Just because a person who is afaraid of hits would be frighted on Soarn' doesn't make it a thrill ride. I think you have to factor in intent of design. Soarn' is was not built with the intention of frightening people. Just like I don't belive Snow White was built with the intention of making 3 year olds cry... even if it does...

You're not disagreeing with me, you're disagreeing with the people who put together the dictionary. Who I assume know what they're talking about.

The definition seems pretty easy to comprehend, to me at least.

 

[Grizzly Hall 71]

Once again Soarin' is not a thrill ride.

 

[Tigger1988]

In your OPINION. I know this is a serious issue for you, but your opinions aren't facts.

 

[Grizzly Hall 71]

In your OPINION. I know this is a serious issue for you, but your opinions aren't facts.

Soarin' is not a thrill ride. There's a difference between an E Ticket and a thrill ride. Soarin' is an E Ticket. Tower Of Terror is a thrill ride.

Haunted Mansion may fit that definition but it's not a thrill ride.

 

[Tigger1988]

Your opinions aren't facts.

Look, I can repeat things too!!! :hammer: