Full POV video ride through of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

[danlb_2000]

Totally agree.

Again, this is not supposed to be thrilling. From the looks of it, We got a great ride for all ages with a slight thrill factor. I think Disney produced exactly what they were aiming for and guests will respond positively.

Honestly, all the comparisons with the "great" things universal is supposedly doing are just getting tired. I really believe Disney and Universal have different strategies, different goals, and different attractions. Universal might produce an interesting concept in terms of thrill or ride system, but their content and theming still doesn't compete with Disney. Disney is not trying to be Universal.

It's not tiring for those of us who are willing to step outside the Disney bubble and enjoy their time at Uni. Trust me, major new attractions every other year doesn't get tiring. You obviously haven't been to Wizarding World yet. The first phase has Disney level theming and the content matches if not exceeds what has been build in NFL, and all indications are that phase 2 will match if not exceed this. Not all of Uni is up to this level, but they are clearly capable of it. I don't see their goals being to different from Disney, they are both trying to create high quality themed attractions.

Don't get me wrong, I love Disney, but I have just an much fun at Uni.

 

[Chef Mickey]

It's not tiring for those of us who are willing to step outside the Disney bubble and enjoy their time at Uni. Trust me, major new attractions every other year doesn't get tiring. You obviously haven't been to Wizarding World yet. The first phase has Disney level theming and the content matches if not exceeds what has been build in NFL, and all indications are that phase 2 will match if not exceed this. Not all of Uni is up to this level, but they are clearly capable of it. I don't see their goals being to different from Disney, they are both trying to create high quality themed attractions.

Don't get me wrong, I love Disney, but I have just an much fun at Uni.

That all may be true, but as I've said here and at the risk of sounding like a homer....Harry Potter sucks. The movies suck. The story sucks. The characters suck.

I don't care how good the theming, ride system, or thrill is if the content sucks.

I know I'm a Disney apologist, but that's why I'm here. They are still building out Universal, so Disney has been through the expansion phase too. I do think Disney needs more in the pipeline, but there is already so much there. The more you have, the harder it becomes to keep it all fresh. Disney will address that.

 

[Mike C]

That all may be true, but as I've said here and at the risk of sounding like a homer....Harry Potter sucks. The movies suck. The story sucks. The characters suck.

I don't care how good the theming, ride system, or thrill is if the content sucks.

I know I'm a Disney apologist, but that's why I'm here. They are still building out Universal, so Disney has been through the expansion phase too. I do think Disney needs more in the pipeline, but there is already so much there. The more you have, the harder it becomes to keep it all fresh. Disney will address that.

I think the same thing about Avatar, but I'm still looking forward to what they do. It's impossible to take your comment seriously. Potter is the best immersive theming anywhere, especially Diagon Alley. To me that's like saying the U.K. at Epcot sucks, as it's probably closer to that until you get inside.

Disney has "been addressing that" since the Journey into Imagination redo, and then cancelling and redoing plans over and over again like they have no clue what they are doing. I doubt that will change anytime soon. I like the mine train though, it should have been done years ago, with other things in all the parks along the same level of quality.

 

[GoofGoof]

Disney has "been addressing that" since the Journey into Imagination redo, and then cancelling and redoing plans over and over again like they have no clue what they are doing. I doubt that will change anytime soon. I like the mine train though, it should have been done years ago, with other things in all the parks along the same level of quality.

I can't disagree with this. The past decade plus has been disappointing for WDW. However, Carsland and DCA 2.0 show us that WDI is still capable of greatness. FLE overall is pretty solid and we know they are investing in AK and Disney Springs now. The turning point may have been reached with more good things coming. If they can commit to a DCA style makeover for DHS including StarWarsLand I think most would agree that WDW is in a new growth phase. It's a slow moving phase, but slow is better than stop or reverse like we had for over a decade.

 

[flynnibus]

That all may be true, but as I've said here and at the risk of sounding like a homer....Harry Potter sucks. The movies suck. The story sucks. The characters suck.

I don't care how good the theming, ride system, or thrill is if the content sucks.

Risk.. exceeded.

 

[Tadifer]

My problem with WWOHP is if you don't know the story of HP, you're not going to understand what's going on. I worked for Universal for many years, including the opening and I still don't see the appeal. I've never seen the movies or read the books, and I still don't fully get what's going on during the ride. It's nice to look at, but it's cramped, the forced perceptive is WAY off, and if you stand in Jurassic it looks like Hogwarts is part of that land. The area is just poorly planned. I'm hoping that with the new expansion they correct some of those problems.

 

[danlb_2000]

That all may be true, but as I've said here and at the risk of sounding like a homer....Harry Potter sucks. The movies suck. The story sucks. The characters suck.

I don't care how good the theming, ride system, or thrill is if the content sucks.

I know I'm a Disney apologist, but that's why I'm here. They are still building out Universal, so Disney has been through the expansion phase too. I do think Disney needs more in the pipeline, but there is already so much there. The more you have, the harder it becomes to keep it all fresh. Disney will address that.

Now I understand why you dislike the Harry Potter section of Uni, but your opinion of Potter is definitely in the minority so there are a LOT of people who will enjoy it.

 

[marni1971]

That all may be true, but as I've said here and at the risk of sounding like a homer....Harry Potter sucks. The movies suck. The story sucks. The characters suck..

I'm not a big fan, but gross takings both in the park and on screen would say otherwise.

The more you have, the harder it becomes to keep it all fresh. Disney will address that.

When are they fixing Epcot again? And DHS? And Everest? Kali? Dinosaur? Space Mountain?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

My (worthless at this point, but still) suggestion to make the ride more or less "perfect". Extend the run time by 30 seconds by adding a 3rd lift / show scene involving the cliff climax from the dark ride. As the witch falls backwards, we drop forward in the dark, breaking into a sectioned-off unload area where the cast of good guys (including the Prince) say good-bye to us as we disembark. All of this would have the same quality figures as the rest of the ride, but provide some sort of closure for those wanting a "story" plus add one more coaster thrill.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I'm not a big fan, but gross takings both in the park and on screen would say otherwise.
When are they fixing Epcot again? And DHS? And Everest? Kali? Dinosaur? Space Mountain?

I've said before...the people must speak and take action. Disney is still destroying Universal in attendance and it's primarily because of the content. The great content can make the slower and more resistant to change. When they do, they might cut some corners bc the content makes up for it. That is the biggest issue with stunted park growth, but I do think they are on their way to improving that. Whatever my feeling about Avatar Land, it's a new area that is needed in AK. new Fantasyland has taken shape and we should give The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train a chance before condemning it.

Look, Universal is doing an admirable job in building out their parks, theming, and taking some of Disneys customers. However, Disney park attendance is still at an all time high and growing. Disney just has better content. Has this made them perhaps lazy? Yes. I've been critical of them. However, I defend rides like SDMT because it's a perfect example of Disney building something great and people saying it's not good enough before it's even open. Some people have become overly critical in my opinion.

We won't get the change until there is a bigger impact to the bottom line in Disneys theme park business. I hope it happens, but it just isn't right now. They have the wrong CEO in place for fans. Iger is all business and all about margin expansion. I agree the parks are suffering somewhat, but it's not as bad as some here lead you to believe.

Unfortunately for us, Disney Parks and WDW are more profitable than ever and WDW is uniquely positioned to attract new visitors all over the world. The life cycle of changes and additions is naturally slower because there are so many first time visitors.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

My problem with WWOHP is if you don't know the story of HP, you're not going to understand what's going on. I worked for Universal for many years, including the opening and I still don't see the appeal. I've never seen the movies or read the books, and I still don't fully get what's going on during the ride. It's nice to look at, but it's cramped, the forced perceptive is WAY off, and if you stand in Jurassic it looks like Hogwarts is part of that land. The area is just poorly planned. I'm hoping that with the new expansion they correct some of those problems.

That's my issue with WWOHP. I'm sure it's wonderful if you're actually interested in Harry Potter, but I'm not, so when someone talks it up to me it's difficult to see the appeal. I have a vague idea of the stories, but not enough to get the full experience, and I really have no desire to read the books or see the movies unfortunately.

 

[Magenta Panther]

What I'm liking more and more about this ride, judging from the video, is how immersive it is. Big Fat Panda's video is the most indicative of this - it shows the really neat interactive queue area, and several views of the interior mine scene and the cottage scene. It seems like, when you're on the ride, you're truly in the Seven Dwarfs' world. You're surrounded by hills and forest. You zip past a waterfall and go deep into a mine shaft. Then you visit the Dwarfs' cottage and then proceed into another mine shaft to disembark. The glimpse of the Dwarfs' world is pretty much self-contained, and I like that. Technically, the effects seem pretty good. In the Panda video at least, the Dwarfs' projected faces seem to work very well. My only quibbles are that I'm not sure about the movements of Dopey and Snow White in the cottage scene - they just look like they're bobbing up at down. And what's with the deer's head in the mine shaft scene (the one pulling Dopey's cart)? The head seems to be at an unusual angle, and its movements seem really feeble. Minor quibbles, but then I'm a Disney fan, and I'm all about plussing...

I do agree with others here that an additional show scene would have really made this ride better than cute. But I'm not sure what scene from the movie would have worked. Perhaps a last scene in the woods with the Prince kissing Snow White awake, or something. But I have to say that I'm liking the ride a lot as it is. What a nice surprise!

 

[rioriz]

What I'm liking more and more about this ride, judging from the video, is how immersive it is. Big Fat Panda's video is the most indicative of this - it shows the really neat interactive queue area, and several views of the interior mine scene and the cottage scene. It seems like, when you're on the ride, you're truly in the Seven Dwarfs' world. You're surrounded by hills and forest. You zip past a waterfall and go deep into a mine shaft. Then you visit the Dwarfs' cottage and then proceed into another mine shaft to disembark. The glimpse of the Dwarfs' world is pretty much self-contained, and I like that. Technically, the effects seem pretty good. In the Panda video at least, the Dwarfs' projected faces seem to work very well. My only quibbles are that I'm not sure about the movements of Dopey and Snow White in the cottage scene - they just look like they're bobbing up at down. And what's with the deer's head in the mine shaft scene (the one pulling Dopey's cart)? The head seems to be at an unusual angle, and its movements seem really feeble. Minor quibbles, but then I'm a Disney fan, and I'm all about plussing...

I do agree with others here that an additional show scene would have really made this ride better than cute. But I'm not sure what scene from the movie would have worked. Perhaps a last scene in the woods with the Prince kissing Snow White awake, or something. But I have to say that I'm liking the ride a lot as it is. What a nice surprise!

Magenta can I just say how happy it makes me feel that you like it (from what youve seen). You have been a harsh critic and if the ride has won u over then I cant wait to see it!

 

[MrDee]

This could be a first introduction into the world of roller coasters to some kids.

This is what I am thinking about the most. I have a 9 yr. old son that is very anxious about a lot of rides in general, and I'm hoping this one will win him over. Not sure though, still haven't been able to get him on Goofy's Barnstormer. Our Quads (as in quadruplets, which are 5yrs old) love fast rides. I'm thinking this one will be an "entire family" pleaser. Hoping so, anyway.

 

[The Duck]

What I'm liking more and more about this ride, judging from the video, is how immersive it is. Big Fat Panda's video is the most indicative of this - it shows the really neat interactive queue area, and several views of the interior mine scene and the cottage scene. It seems like, when you're on the ride, you're truly in the Seven Dwarfs' world. You're surrounded by hills and forest. You zip past a waterfall and go deep into a mine shaft. Then you visit the Dwarfs' cottage and then proceed into another mine shaft to disembark. The glimpse of the Dwarfs' world is pretty much self-contained, and I like that. Technically, the effects seem pretty good. In the Panda video at least, the Dwarfs' projected faces seem to work very well. My only quibbles are that I'm not sure about the movements of Dopey and Snow White in the cottage scene - they just look like they're bobbing up at down. And what's with the deer's head in the mine shaft scene (the one pulling Dopey's cart)? The head seems to be at an unusual angle, and its movements seem really feeble. Minor quibbles, but then I'm a Disney fan, and I'm all about plussing...

I do agree with others here that an additional show scene would have really made this ride better than cute. But I'm not sure what scene from the movie would have worked. Perhaps a last scene in the woods with the Prince kissing Snow White awake, or something. But I have to say that I'm liking the ride a lot as it is. What a nice surprise!

Snow and Dopey/Sneezy seem to be moving up and down a track across the length of the room. The down side is that your train is only there for a few moments so you probably won't see the extent of their movement. The up side is that this may encourage (some people, not me) to ride again and again to see the whole dance.
The deer looks like his eyes are projected like the Dwarfs faces. I'm thinking that once we get a detailed look at the deer, his facial expressions may tell us something along with his programmed "Body language".

 

[Captain Chaos]

Just thinking, at least when the cottage scene breaks, and Snow White/Dopey are no longer moving, when they add a strobe light, it will make sense, Disco Snow and Disco Dopey... since they are supposed to be dancing anyway... Then this would be appropriate:

 

[Kman101]

Disco Dopey!