EEA reaching the point of complete disrepair?

[Chef Mickey]

I actually still enjoy the attraction.

What specifically is broken and not in show worthy condition? I know there are some issues, but I think people overstate them because they are just sick of the ride.

Fine, but the concept is great and the dinosaur/energy theme has a lot of potential. It needs to go down for an update, but not be completely scrapped.

 

[ShoalFox]

I actually still enjoy the attraction.

What specifically is broken and not in show worthy condition? I know there are some issues, but I think people overstate them because they are just sick of the ride.

Fine, but the concept is great and the dinosaur/energy theme has a lot of potential. It needs to go down for an update, but not be completely scrapped.

The doors between theaters are often stuck down. The smoke in one of the first dinosaur's nose doesn't shoot out anymore.
I can't think of anything else off the top of my head.

 

[matt9112]

Or rent it out for corporate banquets.

still cant believe somebody paid for that....

 

[WondersOfLife]

I actually still enjoy the attraction.

What specifically is broken and not in show worthy condition? I know there are some issues, but I think people overstate them because they are just sick of the ride.

Fine, but the concept is great and the dinosaur/energy theme has a lot of potential. It needs to go down for an update, but not be completely scrapped.

The Dino AAs barely novel at all anymore. The audio is really soft in the second theatre. The film is both outdated visually, and within the celebrities themselves as well as props. Also with the films, if you sit towards the back, you can hear the films running louder than the audio to the film.

Perhaps if the films were switched to digital, the door fixed, audio upgraded, and the Dino AAs massively refurbed, it would be fine.

But maintenance for this attraction must have the same maintenance staff for carousel of progress or something. It's really sad.

 

[Chef Mickey]

The Dino AAs barely novel at all anymore. The audio is really soft in the second theatre. The film is both outdated visually, and within the celebrities themselves as well as props. Also with the films, if you sit towards the back, you can hear the films running louder than the audio to the film.

Perhaps if the films were switched to digital, the door fixed, audio upgraded, and the Dino AAs massively refurbed, it would be fine.

But maintenance for this attraction must have the same maintenance staff for carousel of progress or something. It's really sad.

Lately, Disney maintenance is pretty disappointing, but most of the issues are not faults exactly, but rather just signs of age. I guarantee the mentality is, if it works, go with it. Loud running projectors and animatronics with limited mobility aren't significant enough for them to fix.

Sad, but it's not limited to Energy and even that doesn't have obvious "broken" components. I'd say Splash Mountain was in a worse state of repair at one point a couple years ago.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Lately, Disney maintenance is pretty disappointing, but most of the issues are not faults exactly, but rather just signs of age. I guarantee the mentality is, if it works, go with it. Loud running projectors and animatronics with limited mobility aren't significant enough for them to fix.

Sad, but it's not limited to Energy and even that doesn't have obvious "broken" components. I'd say Splash Mountain was in a worse state of repair at one point a couple years ago.

I completely agree! However, (yes I'm bringing this point up..) with the price we pay to get into Disney, they really should keep all of their attractions up to maximum quality! Age or not.

 

[ShoalFox]

I completely agree! However, (yes I'm bringing this point up..) with the price we pay to get into Disney, they really should keep all of their attractions up to maximum quality! Age or not.

This sounds eerily similar to what my mother always says.

 

[danyoung56]

Shut up and clean your room?

 

[FettFan]

Or rent it out for corporate banquets.

Off Topic: This picture is proof positive of just how breathtakingly awesome the mural and lighting effects are during the primeval world segment. Here, with all the lights on, you can tell it's a flat mural....but when it's in show mode, with the sunrise projection, it looks like an honest-to-goodness valley that stretches for miles behind the Apatosaurs.

It's one of those things that Disney did completely RIGHT, yet never gets enough praise. It seems as if most riders are more interested in the dripping Apato-snot.

 

[Bairstow]

Off Topic: This picture is proof positive of just how breathtakingly awesome the mural and lighting effects are during the primeval world segment. Here, with all the lights on, you can tell it's a flat mural....but when it's in show mode, with the sunrise projection, it looks like an honest-to-goodness valley that stretches for miles behind the Apatosaurs.

It's one of those things that Disney did completely RIGHT, yet never gets enough praise. It seems as if most riders are more interested in the dripping Apato-snot.

The big long vista shot is what's missing (well, one of hundreds of things missing) from Dinosaur! at Animal Kingdom.
I've read that the first thing riders were supposed to see out of the gate was a big wide scene similar to this one.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

You know...Ellen really likes to surprise people.......Shame she didn't jump where the AA stood to freak em out.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

That ride with today's projection technology could be great. I think they should keep the name and make the ride more like horizons with the same ride system based on the future but more on energy and sources of the future. Out future is now based on efficiency and there are so many neat things being build they can make some great scenery

 

[marni1971]

I actually still enjoy the attraction.

What specifically is broken and not in show worthy condition? .

Preshow one projectors misaligned, film (yes film) scratched and grainy. Registration sprockets broke.

Door A jammed down (would have triggered a 101 years ago until fixed)

Brontosaurus pond rain missing

Various Diorama smoke systems broken

Burst lightning fails

Ellen and elasmosaurus AAs as discussed (so why not bring back the wave machine)

Various steam jets inopperable

Ceramic heaters broken

Rolling lava supplemented by lights

Lava jet supplemented by water

Smoke into theatre two

Theatre two screen curtains

Theatre two projectors misaligned, film (yes film) scratched and grainy. Registration sprockets broke.

Ride vehicles becoming unmaintainable for two six packs


That's technical and off the top of my head. The theme and dated media are for another discussion.

 

[rkelly42]

I think it goes without question EEA needs to be shuttered and revamped immediately, it is long overdue. They will not do this because they have other rides down or going down shortly and EEA is a people eater. Maybe one day it will get some tlc.

 

[P_Radden]

Preshow one projectors misaligned, film (yes film) scratched and grainy. Registration sprockets broke.

Door A jammed down (would have triggered a 101 years ago until fixed)

Brontosaurus pond rain missing

Various Diorama smoke systems broken

Burst lightning fails

Ellen and elasmosaurus AAs as discussed (so why not bring back the wave machine)

Various steam jets inopperable

Ceramic heaters broken

Rolling lava supplemented by lights

Lava jet supplemented by water

Smoke into theatre two

Theatre two screen curtains

Theatre two projectors misaligned, film (yes film) scratched and grainy. Registration sprockets broke.

Ride vehicles becoming unmaintainable for two six packs


That's technical and off the top of my head. The theme and dated media are for another discussion.

So basically what you're saying is that the building needs to be shut down for a long, intensive refurbishment.

Martin, do you know when was the last time it was refurbished?

 

[copcarguyp71]

So basically what you're saying is that the building needs to be shut down for a long, intensive refurbishment.

Martin, do you know when was the last time it was refurbished?

Found this on Wikipedia.

• March 28, 2009 — The pavilion re-opens after a lengthy refurbishment that began in late 2008. Although no significant changes to the show were made, some of the scenes within the diorama were refreshed, the audio systems were upgraded and the computer systems that operate the attraction were updated. The exterior of the pavilion was also repainted back to its original color scheme of reds, oranges and yellows (during the 1996 refurbishment, the exterior of the pavilion was repainted into a pastel rainbow color scheme).

I am sure Martin has far more info but apparently there was not enough done as we are now 11 years out from that refurb with all of the issues he listed. Is the front left ride vehicle still static and unused?

 

[Chef Mickey]

Preshow one projectors misaligned, film (yes film) scratched and grainy. Registration sprockets broke.

Door A jammed down (would have triggered a 101 years ago until fixed)

Brontosaurus pond rain missing

Various Diorama smoke systems broken

Burst lightning fails

Ellen and elasmosaurus AAs as discussed (so why not bring back the wave machine)

Various steam jets inopperable

Ceramic heaters broken

Rolling lava supplemented by lights

Lava jet supplemented by water

Smoke into theatre two

Theatre two screen curtains

Theatre two projectors misaligned, film (yes film) scratched and grainy. Registration sprockets broke.

Ride vehicles becoming unmaintainable for two six packs


That's technical and off the top of my head. The theme and dated media are for another discussion.

I have no doubt you know the specific issues. My purpose for that post was a lot of people throw out, "Not show worthy" but they are not privy to what exactly is wrong. They just say it for effect because they are really just sick of the theme.

The outdated content is valid, but my point is very few know enough about the attraction to know what is actually broken. I recognize about half of the things you mentioned, but I still think the attraction can be enjoyed and the issues aren't limited to Ellen's Energy Adventure. Furthermore, you could fix every issue you mentioned and the same people would still hate the ride.

You could make a similar list for favorites like Splash Mountain. The difference is, people like Splash Mountain and the content isn't horribly outdated. It's more timeless. EPCOT by nature needs more updating, but leadership has just failed and/or refused to execute that.

 

[Chef Mickey]

The biggest problem for Disney maintenance today is that essentially "ongoing maintenance" is limited to major breakdowns. Literally every other problem is most likely put on a list for fixing on a later date when the ride is completely taken down. If the ride is being phased out, it's just not addressed because it eventually won't matter. It's a shame.

Unfortunately, EPCOT has several rides that are probably slated for complete refurbishment or demolition so they continue to suffer in the meantime.

 

[mergatroid]

My wife loves this ride so we do it at least once every year when we visit. To be honest I quite like it too, but due to its length I admit I prefer to leave 12 months between rides. Apart from the Ellen and dino animatronic now missing and the film quality wearing a bit, I've never really noticed much else wrong with it and I've been visiting it since it opened.

.

 

[marni1971]

I have no doubt you know the specific issues. My purpose for that post was a lot of people throw out, "Not show worthy" but they are not privy to what exactly is wrong. They just say it for effect because they are really just sick of the theme.

Indeed. So I aimed to fix that.