Does Disney need another big thrill ride?

[YozhikRoth]

What I want to see is an exciting ride that properly utilized the Disney brand and Imagineering, can handle crowds and is not a ride that I can experience elsewhere. As a died in the wool WDW fan, I was nonetheless completely blown away by what Universal did with HP. For my money HP and the Forbidden Journey is the best theme park attraction period. I'm expecting that level of execution with the Avatar and Star Wars attractions. Rides don't need to be scary, attractions like Soarin' and Haunted Mansion never cease to put a smile on my face, and that's what I expect going forward.

 

[danyoung56]

Wait, so do you guys think that rockin roller coaster fits Disney then?

I don't think that it's a bad fit. But I don't think Disney needs to be moving in the direction of bigger and faster roller coasters.

 

[Doug Means]

it seems like that SWL could lend itself to a faster thrill ride/coaster. the speeds of the tie fighters moving through a battle field...something similar to RnR and space mountain as an indoor ride with great visual effects all over the place.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Wait, so do you guys think that rockin roller coaster fits Disney then?

I'd say, overall, "It's OK."

It's not a particularly good coaster. It's off the shelf and there's even a copy of it which someone has posted a YouTube video of. It's not particularly thrilling or even, on the ride part, well themed. It's like a traditional dark ride with plywood cutouts but with a coaster instead of a car moving around in the dark. The show scenes before and after are good.. but now were talking more about the queue and exit. The ride itself is kind of "meh".

Is it better than Six Flags? Yep. The queue and the exit are better. The fact that it's enclosed with the plywood cutouts is better. Six Flags would have just cleared some land, poured the footers and put it up.

If you compare it to it's neighbor, the ToT, you'll see:
- completely themed outside vs "sound studio" which is a theme but it's kind of a boring theme. It's like saying "park bench" is a theme.
- unique ride mechanics vs off-the-shelf coaster
- well-themed inside vs plywood cutouts
- an actual thrill vs LIM launch and some inversions (the launch is pretty good, though).

I know there will be people that argue, "But it's my favorite ride!!!," or, "..but it's so scary/thrilling!!" To those who appreciate thrill rides, outside of the launch, it's not very thrilling, which is OK, because it's Disney, but the problem is that it's not really backed up with great internals.

I suppose you could compare Space Mountain which is essentially a wild-mouse type coaster in a huge building or even Everest. I've made similar comments about Everest. Space Mountain kind of works as it was one of the first, if not the first, roller coaster inside a huge building and they have enough effects where they pull it off plus: nostalgia.

 

[ThemeParkFan]

I don't think that it's a bad fit. But I don't think Disney needs to be moving in the direction of bigger and faster roller coasters.

I agree

 

[ThemeParkFan]

I'd say, overall, "It's OK."

It's not a particularly good coaster. It's off the shelf and there's even a copy of it which someone has posted a YouTube video of. It's not particularly thrilling or even, on the ride part, well themed. It's like a traditional dark ride with plywood cutouts but with a coaster instead of a car moving around in the dark. The show scenes before and after are good.. but now were talking more about the queue and exit. The ride itself is kind of "meh".

Is it better than Six Flags? Yep. The queue and the exit are better. The fact that it's enclosed with the plywood cutouts is better. Six Flags would have just cleared some land, poured the footers and put it up.

If you compare it to it's neighbor, the ToT, you'll see:
- completely themed outside vs "sound studio" which is a theme but it's kind of a boring theme. It's like saying "park bench" is a theme.
- unique ride mechanics vs off-the-shelf coaster
- well-themed inside vs plywood cutouts
- an actual thrill vs LIM launch and some inversions (the launch is pretty good, though).

I know there will be people that argue, "But it's my favorite ride!!!," or, "..but it's so scary/thrilling!!" To those who appreciate thrill rides, outside of the launch, it's not very thrilling, which is OK, because it's Disney, but the problem is that it's not really backed up with great internals.

I suppose you could compare Space Mountain which is essentially a wild-mouse type coaster in a huge building or even Everest. I've made similar comments about Everest. Space Mountain kind of works as it was one of the first, if not the first, roller coaster inside a huge building and they have enough effects where they pull it off plus: nostalgia.

I agree with this too. It would be amazing to see a thrilling roller coaster with the elaborate theming that tower of terror has

 

[Brad Bishop]

What I think they need is a really well-themed ride.

Look at Splash Mountain: it's basically a log flume but it's not. There's so much going on inside the ride that you don't think of it as a well-themed log flume but, instead, you think, "Oh, that's Splash Mountain!" - it's its own thing.

The Tron Coaster in Shanghai looks pretty good. It looked a little lame going outside the building during the day but, at night, it really works. The internals look pretty amazing, too. I don't know where you'd put it at WDW. It'd probably fit best at DHS. I think it'd clash with Tron Track at Epcot. It'd also look a little odd in Tomorrowland right next to Space Mountain. It seems more movie-IP based than a vision of the future or some kind of telling of a story about where we've come from in computers to where we're going which is why I say DHS.

 

[YozhikRoth]

I love massive roller coasters as much as the next guy. I have no issues schlepping to Virginia or Ohio to ride cutting edge roller coasters. However, I don't think that's a good allocation of attraction dollars for Disney to try to out-do the Six Flags of the world on this front. I'll always prefer Disney's elaborate take on an existing theme park trope, taken to 11, or something akin to HP and the Forbidden Journey, which is an attraction that both technically and thematically, doesn't exist outside of the Universal parks.

My primary concern with roller coasters is the ride capacity. For example, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure is one of my absolute favorite coasters. With a ride track of over a mile, it can still only accommodate three trains at a time, which equates to roughly 900 riders an hour at peak capacity. A Disney ride with that combination of capacity and demand would be an absolute nightmare to traffic.

Also, on my last visit to Universal, even though Hulk and Dueling Dragons are fantastic coasters, I don't think anyone was rushing to ride them.

 

[Brad Bishop]

Also, on my last visit to Universal, even though Hulk and Dueling Dragons are fantastic coasters, I don't think anyone was rushing to ride them.

I think someone above mentioned it but the coasters at Universal are kind of just plopped down there. It's like they said, "We need a coaster," and then just picked a spot and built it with little theming.

I like each of them but in a park filled with other really good theming, they feel odd.

I think the worst is Dueling Dragons which no longer duel. Everything else about that area oozes Harry Potter. The dragons? Whenever I've been there they are empty and they (don't) battle over what feels like an abandoned lot. It looks like it could take water and that may add some aspect to it but, overall, it just feels like you're riding a coaster in an abandoned lot.

Since the coasters no longer duel and it's kind of crappy back there, I'd actually be OK if they ripped it out and put in a more immersive ride.

 

[jensenrick]

Yes, one at each park.

Totally agree, although maybe not MK. That one can be last.

 

[ThemeParkFan]

What I think they need is a really well-themed ride.

Look at Splash Mountain: it's basically a log flume but it's not. There's so much going on inside the ride that you don't think of it as a well-themed log flume but, instead, you think, "Oh, that's Splash Mountain!" - it's its own thing.

The Tron Coaster in Shanghai looks pretty good. It looked a little lame going outside the building during the day but, at night, it really works. The internals look pretty amazing, too. I don't know where you'd put it at WDW. It'd probably fit best at DHS. I think it'd clash with Tron Track at Epcot. It'd also look a little odd in Tomorrowland right next to Space Mountain. It seems more movie-IP based than a vision of the future or some kind of telling of a story about where we've come from in computers to where we're going which is why I say DHS.

Put it where the tomorrow land speedway is.

 

[ThemeParkFan]

I love massive roller coasters as much as the next guy. I have no issues schlepping to Virginia or Ohio to ride cutting edge roller coasters. However, I don't think that's a good allocation of attraction dollars for Disney to try to out-do the Six Flags of the world on this front. I'll always prefer Disney's elaborate take on an existing theme park trope, taken to 11, or something akin to HP and the Forbidden Journey, which is an attraction that both technically and thematically, doesn't exist outside of the Universal parks.

My primary concern with roller coasters is the ride capacity. For example, Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure is one of my absolute favorite coasters. With a ride track of over a mile, it can still only accommodate three trains at a time, which equates to roughly 900 riders an hour at peak capacity. A Disney ride with that combination of capacity and demand would be an absolute nightmare to traffic.

Also, on my last visit to Universal, even though Hulk and Dueling Dragons are fantastic coasters, I don't think anyone was rushing to ride them.

I'm pretty sure it has a higher capacity but I can't be sure.

 

[YozhikRoth]

I'm pretty sure it has a higher capacity but I can't be sure.

At a 3 minute loadout, it's 720 rider/hour. At a 2 minute loadout, 1080 riders/hours. And Nitro is quick compared to other coasters, as the lap bar is the only restraint, many coasters use some form of belt as well, which requires the ride ops to check.

 

[Thebolt]

I don't think that it's a bad fit. But I don't think Disney needs to be moving in the direction of bigger and faster roller coasters.

RnRC was Disney chickening out because Universal was all about those big thrill rides. The theming is a strange choice and the location is poorly integrated into the park; so it always feels like a stop gap attraction.

It is a fun ride, but doesn't have that Disney magic. If it fell down a sink hole tomorrow; it wouldn't be a ride that I missed a great deal.

 

[ThemeParkFan]

RnRC was Disney chickening out because Universal was all about those big thrill rides. The theming is a strange choice and the location is poorly integrated into the park; so it always feels like a stop gap attraction.

It is a fun ride, but doesn't have that Disney magic. If it fell down a sink hole tomorrow; it wouldn't be a ride that I missed a great deal.

I think people love it so much due to it being the only thrilling roller coaster

 

[Seabasealpha1]

I'm good with some more thrill-stuff...but only if they keep them immersive experiences that tell great stories...

To me, Rock n' Rollercoaster sometimes rides a fine line between accomplishing this and just being a straight-up rollercoaster in the dark no more immersive than something at King's Island...

I would really hate cheap thrills...

 

[Fox&Hound]

The problem with building the a fast, thrilling roller coaster is that its an arms race to build the next bigger, faster coaster and the shiny new coaster soon becomes a dusty relic. They just don't have the shelf life as other rides do- especially if they are light in theming.

 

[Brad Bishop]

The problem with building the a fast, thrilling roller coaster is that its an arms race to build the next bigger, faster coaster and the shiny new coaster soon becomes a dusty relic. They just don't have the shelf life as other rides do- especially if they are light in theming.

Also, fastest, tallest, most inversions, whatever doesn't equate to "fun". I've ridden some really well done tall coasters that are great that have no inversions and are just fun. I've ridden some coasters that were all inversions and not very fun at all. There are some coasters 40+ years old that still give great rides. There are other coasters which people are nostalgic about but always left you sore after (not good rides).

You want to get off thinking, "That was really fun! I was entertained! I want to do that again!" - and for that to continue for a ride (not just coasters) year after year and decade after decade.

The current coasters (400+ ft high) look like they're mostly one-trick ponies. You're launched up a huge tower, usually twisting as you go, crest the top, and twist your way down. I'd ride one if there were no line but it they don't particularly look fun to me.

Thunderhead in Dollywood is one I want to ride every time I'm there. It's twisty, fast, and it doesn't make you sore. I look forward to riding. - That's what you want in a ride.

 

[DarthMileZ]

Disney already has RnR, EE, Thunder Mountain, ToT, Star Tours, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and im probably missing some... i don't think its lacking... if you want coasters you can go Busche, Seaworld or UNI... Disney is the stand out park...

 

[Thebolt]

Disney already has RnR, EE, Thunder Mountain, ToT, Star Tours, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain

The thing you are missing on that list is TT at Epcot.