Enhancements/Updates trickling into GRR...

[sponono88]

HonorHunter (BlueSkyDisney Blog) is reporting that Grizzly River Run will be adopting a 1950s National Park theme - it's expected to lose the current extreme sports setup. Some changes have already taken place, more are on the way including new CM costumes and possible AAs.

Although GRR is already highly-themed and detailed, it could certainly use a more cohesive backstory and a couple AAs And it's great to hear that WDI is actively working on attractions that weren't even announced in the official expansion plans. GRR and Grizzly Trail were expected to receive updates in Phase 2 -- looks like they starting early!

But have you ridden GRR lately? If you haven't then perhaps you should. Because if you were to take a look around the areas, near the drops and around the queue areas, you'd notice some subtle differences. The modern kayak that you used to see as you made your way down the queue toward where you get on disappeared a few months ago. In its place was a nice wood crafted boat that... might belong to a bye gone era in, say, the Fifties? And if you've noticed certain areas around the Grizzly area have started to have the extreme sport elements disappear. Replaced with something you would find in an earlier age back in the mid part of the last century.

And if you had showed up in the last couple of weeks, you'd have noticed that as you go down the first drop that the metal boat that was there... isn't. A more traditional one is. And an old fashioned cap is there with an artist easel. Somebody has been painting nature it seems. The same would be seen in the second drop. There's an old boat thrown over the side and the River Guides wooden hut has been redecorated with things as well. Little things.

But they're not the end. Expect more and more of the extreme sports theme to disappear over the next few months. More and more of the queue line, the wooded areas around the attraction and the costumes will be gradually changing. The costumes? Yeah, there will be new ones to reflect the different time period. If you want to see what they look like then you should Google something like, oh, 1950's national park ranger or something along that lines. It's not going to happen right away, but it is planned. Slowly this attraction will be molded into something closer to what was originally proposed for the Makeover.

Going for a rafting ride at DCA in 2011 could be surprisingly different...

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I love GRR...and this sounds like a neat change. DCA seems to be consciously adopting a more classical Americana vibe throughout the park, with the changes to the Paradise Pier soundtrack toward a jazz/ragtime feel and the trolley car at the park entrance. This change seems to fit that mold. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this new feel comes together whenever I make it back to California.

 

[TP2000]

More great news for DCA!

I had mentioned in another thread on another board that the main entrance tile murals were getting replaced just in time because they were beginning to look a bit dated and take on the appearance of exactly what they are; a late 1990's contemporary art project. They served their purpose on a budget, but its time to go now.

Grizzly River Run is the same way. It has that late 90's vibe to it, with the "Extreme Sports" theme overlay that is beginning to show its age. Even the equipment tech used for the props was clearly 10+ years old and no longer state of the art for anyone who has been to REI lately. :lol:

This is all great news. We had heard they were testing animatronic placements along the flume two years ago. Perhaps this is something they can do by changing the props and scenery gradually overnight, just as they are doing. And then maybe just close the attraction for a couple of months in January-February of '11 to make the big changes and animatronic additions?

It seems not only possible, but obviously underway to an extent.