Full POV video ride through of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

[ASilmser]

I agree that the ending is very abrupt. When I saw the witch I was like, "ooh cool I can't wait to see what comes next" only to have it end. It's like, why bother having that ending if they weren't going to build on it? It's like the same problem with TLM ride. It just ends.

Aside from that major issue, the rest of the ride looks like a solid and fun experience. But it definately isn't a great one by any means.

That's what you are supposed to think. This ride drops you into the middle of an iconic story, but doesn't tell the whole thing. It's like you are being allowed to drop in for a few moments and then are transported back to reality. You get whooshed around and taken to visit the dwarfs at work; you show up at the end of their shift. They start to go home. The train whooshes around again, and by the time you get to the next moment in the story, the dwarves have made it home and are having a good time with their new friend Snow White. You get a glimpse of the impending doom, you want to see what's next, but. . . it's time to come back. . . and wasn't that a fun trip?

It's not a complete story, but it's an exciting chapter. It's a bit of a cliffhanger, but even my 5 year old will know that it all will end happily, even if she doesn't get to see it.

Obviously, the storytelling works for me. I can't think of another coaster that I've been on that even attempts to tell a story as this one does.

 

[doctornick]

Hopefully, I couldn't see anything in the cottage in the video. Of course it might look better in person.

The video that showed the cottage scene had other issues (audio was off in the mine, for example) and I suspect it was filmed a while ago while they were still fine tuning stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if they set up the ride vehicle to "coast" better along that scene so that each mine car gets a good view of the cottage and the surprise witch ending that we now all know about.

I'm curious if they would open the windows. They have a lot of detail to just get rid of them them, but they really do block any clear viewing of the scene. Of course, who knows what it will looks like live at this point.

 

[Cesar R M]

Good point. Where is he?

plot twist... they will hire a handsome CM with the suit as prince charming.. getting the guests out of the loading area.!

 

[Mawg]

Do we really need a clear view of the scene, we are not peeping toms here. We just need the story and can tell what is going on inside and out. I think it feels more real having the view slightly obscured, we are looking into some ones home after all it's not like we are in the cottage.

Edit: That's my new Pixie Dust talking because I refuse to be a Doom and Gloomer now.

 

[Cesar R M]

Actually, dying is the ultimate ending LOL...

that sounds something you would see from a spoof movie like "Nothing but Trouble".
replacing Dan Akyroid's judge with the queen.

 

[lebeau]

After all, that is the target market for this ride. Small children with their families.

I know my small children would have preferred it if the ride ended happily ever after. My 5 year old probably won't ride it once she hears about the witch. She still won't ride the Little Mermaid.

Not saying rides should be made to appeal to my timid five year old. Just saying that if this ride was designed to appeal to small children, they probably missed the mark in my household. I image a witchless ending would have appealed to that demo a lot more than the current one.

 

[doctornick]

Do we really need a clear view of the scene, we are not peeping toms here. We just need the story and can tell what is going on inside and out. I think it feels more real having the view slightly obscured, we are looking into some ones home after all it's not like we are in the cottage.

I think that's fair, but my issue -- again, based on the limited view from the ride through video, which may not accurately represent what it is like live -- is that the combination of the vehicle moving, the (realistic) clouding of the windows and the distance makes it tough to see much of anything. I think there needs to be a better balance between a realistic representation of the dancing scene and peering in the window versus good show being able to see while you ride.

But again, that's just my gut reaction based on the video. Might feel different in real life. The mine scene looks great. I think the lift hill hasn't gotten much attention, but that was well done to incorporate images and song in a part of the ride that is often boring.

 

[CinematicFusion]

I know my small children would have preferred it if the ride ended happily ever after. My 5 year old probably won't ride it once she hears about the witch. She still won't ride the Little Mermaid.

Not saying rides should be made to appeal to my timid five year old. Just saying that if this ride was designed to appeal to small children, they probably missed the mark in my household. I image a witchless ending would have appealed to that demo a lot more than the current one.

Yeah...but she has you on the ride to protect her from the witch.
I guess Disney missed its mark in your household and hit it in ours. Can't be perfect when you are creating something. Some will like...some won't. I'm cool with that.
Does feel nice though to be on the side of the fence that likes it. Always a terrible feeling to be on the side of the fence that doesn't. Phantom Menance comes to mind.

 

[Mawg]

I think that's fair, but my issue -- again, based on the limited view from the ride through video, which may not accurately represent what it is like live -- is that the combination of the vehicle moving, the (realistic) clouding of the windows and the distance makes it tough to see much of anything. I think there needs to be a better balance between a realistic representation of the dancing scene and peering in the window versus good show being able to see while you ride.

But again, that's just my gut reaction based on the video. Might feel different in real life. The mine scene looks great. I think the lift hill hasn't gotten much attention, but that was well done to incorporate images and song in a part of the ride that is often boring.

The foggy window effect is fine with me. The being in the back and missing most of the show is not and I hope they can fix it.

 

[fractal]

I know my small children would have preferred it if the ride ended happily ever after. My 5 year old probably won't ride it once she hears about the witch. She still won't ride the Little Mermaid.

Not saying rides should be made to appeal to my timid five year old. Just saying that if this ride was designed to appeal to small children, they probably missed the mark in my household. I image a witchless ending would have appealed to that demo a lot more than the current one.

Witch? What witch? Just a little old lady trying to sell apples.

 

[Mawg]

I know my small children would have preferred it if the ride ended happily ever after. My 5 year old probably won't ride it once she hears about the witch. She still won't ride the Little Mermaid.

Not saying rides should be made to appeal to my timid five year old. Just saying that if this ride was designed to appeal to small children, they probably missed the mark in my household. I image a witchless ending would have appealed to that demo a lot more than the current one.

Just sit in the back and then they will not see the witch or at the last second say "look over there" and they will miss her.

 

[SpectroMan93]

I think that's fair, but my issue -- again, based on the limited view from the ride through video, which may not accurately represent what it is like live -- is that the combination of the vehicle moving, the (realistic) clouding of the windows and the distance makes it tough to see much of anything. I think there needs to be a better balance between a realistic representation of the dancing scene and peering in the window versus good show being able to see while you ride.

But again, that's just my gut reaction based on the video. Might feel different in real life. The mine scene looks great. I think the lift hill hasn't gotten much attention, but that was well done to incorporate images and song in a part of the ride that is often boring.

The whole mine scene looks and feels like you're in the movie. The creators of The Little Mermaid ride could take some notes from this. There's a difference in immersing guests within the scene vs. showing it to them.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

In the sense that the ride ends. But in terms of telling a story, it is a non-ending.

This ride was never really meant to tell a story, though. It's closer in it's design to the (sadly) "old-timey" notion of "Experience Rides". It takes you to a far off place, lets you see what goes on there, with a beginning to the experience, a middle of the experience, and an end to the experience, but no actual Plot, no resolution, no "happily ever after". It's just you, in that world, getting the chance to take it all in. Pirates is the same way, as is the Mansion, and it's a small world. They give you bigger "finales" perhaps than the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train does, but they achieve no resolution, and do not aspire to. It's part of what makes them great, is that the "story" never ends. You can come back later and the party's still going.

I think this is one of my favorite aspects of this new attraction. It's more fun, to me, to feel like I've traveled to this place I've seen in stories and build my own experience there aside from the narrative of the movie. It makes it all feel more "real" to me, as opposed to the notion of "riding the movie". That said, if you're disappointed in the scope of this ride's finale, I suppose that's up to you, but I think from the perspective of attraction narrative it ends things perfectly. You get to play in the world of the Seven Dwarfs, and just as you're on your way out you catch a glimpse of the story that you know is destined to play out. In this case it's a bit ominous, but you know things work out in the end.

 

[lebeau]

Yeah...but she has you on the ride to protect her from the witch.
I guess Disney missed its mark in your household and hit it in ours. Can't be perfect when you are creating something. Some will like...some won't. I'm cool with that.
Does feel nice though to be on the side of the fence that likes it. Always a terrible feeling to be on the side of the fence that doesn't. Phantom Menance comes to mind.

My presence doesn't change anything. She rode TLM in 2012 and still insists she will never ride it again because it has Ursula in it. And she loves Ariel. But she won't ride the ride again. Every time the subject of the 7DMT has come up, she has told me in no uncertain terms she will only ride it if there is no witch.

I watched an earlier video that claimed to be a "full" version but it lacked the cottage scene. So I told her that the witch wasn't in the ride. Now I need to go back and correct my earlier statement. I am going to get in big trouble with her.

 

[Horizons1]

I know my small children would have preferred it if the ride ended happily ever after. My 5 year old probably won't ride it once she hears about the witch. She still won't ride the Little Mermaid.

Not saying rides should be made to appeal to my timid five year old. Just saying that if this ride was designed to appeal to small children, they probably missed the mark in my household. I image a witchless ending would have appealed to that demo a lot more than the current one.

Kids need to get scared every now and then. It's good for them. Kids nowadays are coddled way too much.

 

[lebeau]

This ride was never really meant to tell a story, though. It's closer in it's design to the (sadly) "old-timey" notion of "Experience Rides". It takes you to a far off place, lets you see what goes on there, with a beginning to the experience, a middle of the experience, and an end to the experience, but no actual Plot, no resolution, no "happily ever after". It's just you, in that world, getting the chance to take it all in. Pirates is the same way, as is the Mansion, and it's a small world. They give you bigger "finales" perhaps than the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train does, but they achieve no resolution, and do not aspire to. It's part of what makes them great, is that the "story" never ends. You can come back later and the party's still going.

I think this is one of my favorite aspects of this new attraction. It's more fun, to me, to feel like I've traveled to this place I've seen in stories and build my own experience there aside from the narrative of the movie. It makes it all feel more "real" to me, as opposed to the notion of "riding the movie". That said, if you're disappointed in the scope of this ride's finale, I suppose that's up to you, but I think from the perspective of attraction narrative it ends things perfectly. You get to play in the world of the Seven Dwarfs, and just as you're on your way out you catch a glimpse of the story that you know is destined to play out. In this case it's a bit ominous, but you know things work out in the end.

I can see that point. But then, the "cliffhanger" ending makes even less sense to me if the ride isn't telling a story.

As I said, I'll withhold judgement until I actually experience the thing. But my initial reaction watching the video was that it ended with a thud.

 

[lebeau]

Kids need to get scared every now and then. It's good for them. Kids nowadays are coddled way too much.

Yeah. I suppose you'll come tuck them in tonight?

 

[Kman101]

To me, the 'thrill' of the ride comes from the swinging cars, and it seems to go a bit faster than I assumed it would.

The mine scene looks great. The cottage itself looks great and the dancing Snow White and Dopey look well done (from what little you could see in the video). Hopefully the view is a bit more clear when riding it.

My complaint of it being "too short" is that it's very well done so I selfishly want more, but for a coaster, it's a good amount of time, IMO. But they did a great job with this. I love that they included the Evil Queen in Hag form, and cackling too. My one nitpick gripe would be I'd have liked to seen another scene with the witch (basically the boulder scene). I just think that would have worked great during a drop. But it doesn't make the ride any less impressive to me.

 

[CinematicFusion]

My presence doesn't change anything. She rode TLM in 2012 and still insists she will never ride it again because it has Ursula in it. And she loves Ariel. But she won't ride the ride again. Every time the subject of the 7DMT has come up, she has told me in no uncertain terms she will only ride it if there is no witch.

I watched an earlier video that claimed to be a "full" version but it lacked the cottage scene. So I told her that the witch wasn't in the ride. Now I need to go back and correct my earlier statement. I am going to get in big trouble with her.

It will be interesting to see how many other kids don't ride because of the witch at the end of the ride. Ride itself doesn't come across as menacing. I know smaller kids were scared to death of the original snow white dark ride.
I'm sure some kids will fear the roller coaster aspect of the mine train.
Is what it is...if you didn't have the witch...wow there would be some angry fans. Thought it was good placement and a nice tip of the hat to the old ride.
It's a shame she won't ride, but it's pretty to look at!

 

[Horizons1]

Yeah. I suppose you'll come tuck them in tonight?

Fail.