Heard anything more about the SM rehab??

[TP2000]

Anyone heard what kind of music they will play on the new trains? The Disneyland soundtracks, both the '96 version and the new '05 version, were designed to fit the speed and direction of the track. When they did Rockin' Space Mountain last year, they edited the Red Hot Chili Peppers song a bit to fit the track also. So I'm guessing they won't be using either of the Disneyland Space Mountain onboard audio soundtracks, since the WDW track is different.

Any word on who the composer is, or the style of music to be used for WDW's new trains?

Disneyland's Space Mountain was closed for over two years, April '03 to July '05, so WDW is getting off easy if they only have to deal with a 15 month rehab.

 

[marni1971]

No music news yet, but WDI have tested the current DLC track in WDWs Mountain.

Remember, the west coast mountain wasn`t supposed to close when it did. No plans were in place for a rehab, no new track had been ordered let alone built. No manpower was ready, and no schedules were prepared. That`s why it took 26 solid months.

 

[hokielutz]

So its supposedly suppose to be down for like a year and some months? Thats like all of 09 and a part of 010? Wow, Im not going to be going to WDW again until 010 if thats the case. Ima have to try and sqeeze in some more mini trips this year after my July one, because I sure as hell aint going to WDW if SM is close.

This is probably one of the reasons that Disney keeps refurbishment plans hush-hush until the time comes to start the work. They don't want to see a lull in attendance because folks decide not to visit due to a favorite attraction being down. HM & SE were not announced until a couple months before work was scheduled to begin, and I don't think the m.o. will change for Space Mtn.
But because this attraction's rumored downtime will be more than a year... its likely that some guests who plan to visit next summer, fall and winter will think twice before booking.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Hey Lee -

Any more news on the fate of the TTC during this refurb?

And any idea yet if the support for the track will remain "scaffolding-like", or will they go with more current "beam-type" supports?

 

[marni1971]

^ until Lee gets here, I`ve not heard about the TTA schedule, but I believe the supports will be more modern and less oil refinery.

 

[LongtimeReader]

Thank you so much marni, Lee, corrus, and all the other inside info folks I'm forgetting for so much helpful information. I love hearing everything you guys can tell us!

 

[Lee]

Hey Lee -

Any more news on the fate of the TTC during this refurb?

Nope.

And any idea yet if the support for the track will remain "scaffolding-like", or will they go with more current "beam-type" supports?

until Lee gets here,...but I believe the supports will be more modern and less oil refinery.

Yep. More modern, for sure, but not exactly like you would see on a normal coaster. Look to Disneyland's new structure as a good example.
Here's a photo where you can see DL's. Not clearly, but a good example.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianrechenmacher/2556897976/sizes/l/
Oooohhh...an even better one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ssandke/2440530328/sizes/l/

 

[Omnimover]

But!!! oh what I would give to ride an Intamin AG version of Space Mountain.

Don't even joke. Just thinking of that is enough to drive a man to drink.

Don't be so quick to cancel your trips.
Keep in mind that they will probably keep Carousel of Progress open the whole time that SM is down.

Yes, but they're altering Cousin Orville's dialogue slightly. Instead of saying "No privacy at all around here!" he'll have a brief discussion about whether asteroids are actually projections of chocolate chip cookies.

Father of course thinks it's an urban legend, then demonstrates his new wireless talking box!

 

[SJN1279]

As long as Florida doesn't copy Disneyland's track design, I'm okay with the refurb. Cal's coaster has zero drops! A rollercoaster in the dark with no hills, what were they thinking?!

 

[Buried20KLeague]

^ until Lee gets here, I`ve not heard about the TTA schedule, but I believe the supports will be more modern and less oil refinery.

Sorry Martin... Didn't mean to diminish your input on the topic! :wave:

I'll be interested to see what happens with the TTA though (D'OH, I think I called it TTC in my original post. Whoops.)... You would think that if it were down for a solid year that it might get some love as well... But probably not if it had to come out of the same budget bucket.

Anything more on a post-show change? Last I recall, it depended on how far the budget could stretch.

 

[tirian]

The refurb will be much more extensive than originally rumored.

Expect a pitch-black ride, too.

 

[Enigma]

The refurb will be much more extensive than originally rumored.

Expect a pitch-black ride, too.

tirian aside from the SM refurb will MK be getting any other action in the way of new rides or upgrades?

 

[TP2000]

No music news yet, but WDI have tested the current DLC track in WDWs Mountain.

Hmm... But surely they won't use the Disneyland onboard soundtrack for the new WDW version!? If they did, it wouldn't match the swoops and turns and stuff. Disneyland and WDW's Space Mountains have very different tracks, and I'm sure different cycle times too.

Surely they'll compose an all new soundtrack for the WDW version, and not just cut and paste it from Disneyland!

 

[marni1971]

^ I`m sure they will too, but you`d be surprised how well DLCs track does fit WDWs ride. Remember these tracks are split into sections, with each section triggered when the car reaches a certain place on the track

 

[tirian]

tirian aside from the SM refurb will MK be getting any other action in the way of new rides or upgrades?

Yeah: everything.

The current agenda is to refurbish the entire park. Management knows it has fallen behind in the post 9/11 years, and they're focusing on restoring the MK and "plussing" existing attractions before adding any new ones.

Once nearly everything has been restored, we'll see new attractions heading toward the MK. Disney is very much aware that the park can barely contain the volume of Guests it gets; the latest refurbs have caused havoc in the rest of the MK. (Have you been here when one E-ticket is getting refurbished? Even on moderately busy days, every other line in the park slows to a crawl.)

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

it seems that the CoP will stay for a while longer and will continue to get some plussings and repairs to come....but here's hoping for a new ending, as well as someday using the old tomorrowland skyway station property and area next to it that could be used for a new ride or show, to get people over to that side of tomorrowland.

I personally hope they keep the star corridor music, and moog music, even digitally restored, it's unique only to WDW's SM.

 

[TP2000]

Once nearly everything has been restored, we'll see new attractions heading toward the MK. Disney is very much aware that the park can barely contain the volume of Guests it gets; the latest refurbs have caused havoc in the rest of the MK. (Have you been here when one E-ticket is getting refurbished? Even on moderately busy days, every other line in the park slows to a crawl.)

Slows to a crawl? I'm sure you mean that other lines have more people waiting in them and thus have longer wait times, and that the actual operating capacity of other attractions does not physically slow down.

But as for not building anything until everything else is rehabbed.... boy, that's a tall order.

I'm always amazed at how few rides WDW's Magic Kingdom actually has compared to Disneyland. Magic Kingdom seems to be missing about three of four big E Tickets (Matterhorn, Indy, Star Tours, Submarines), and a big batch of C and D Ticket experiences (Roger Rabbit, Alice In Wonderland, Mr. Toad, StorybookLand Canal Boats, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Pinnochio's Daring Journey, Canoes, Sailing Ship Columbia). Especially considering that Magic Kingdom is getting north of 15+ Million visitors per year, while Disneyland is south of 15 Million but is open longer hours. Part of that can be tied to different demographics who use the two parks differently on each coast, but it can't explain all of it.

If you have a popular theme park like Magic Kingdom that appears to be missing over a dozen major and minor attractions compared to Disneyland, I would think you would be building more attractions while you continue to return to the old standards of maintenance and showmanship on the existing attractions.

So what does that mean, Magic Kingdom doesn't get another new ride until 2013? 2015? Seriously?

 

[tirian]

Slows to a crawl? I'm sure you mean that other lines have more people waiting in them and thus have longer wait times, and that the actual operating capacity of other attractions does not physically slow down.

Ummm...that's exactly what I said. :lookaroun

But as for not building anything until everything else is rehabbed.... boy, that's a tall order.

I'm always amazed at how few rides WDW's Magic Kingdom actually has compared to Disneyland. Magic Kingdom seems to be missing about three of four big E Tickets (Matterhorn, Indy, Star Tours, Submarines), and a big batch of C and D Ticket experiences (Roger Rabbit, Alice In Wonderland, Mr. Toad, StorybookLand Canal Boats, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Pinnochio's Daring Journey, Canoes, Sailing Ship Columbia). Especially considering that Magic Kingdom is getting north of 15+ Million visitors per year, while Disneyland is south of 15 Million but is open longer hours. Part of that can be tied to different demographics who use the two parks differently on each coast, but it can't explain all of it.

If you have a popular theme park like Magic Kingdom that appears to be missing over a dozen major and minor attractions compared to Disneyland, I would think you would be building more attractions while you continue to return to the old standards of maintenance and showmanship on the existing attractions.

So what does that mean, Magic Kingdom doesn't get another new ride until 2013? 2015? Seriously?

I put some of your words in bold because you make a great point; your theory is absolutely true.

Unfortunately, slowpoke decision makers in Florida don't agree. But most of the major attractions have been refurbished already, so we aren't too far behind. Not everything will get an IASW/HM-like refurb before a new attraction comes in: Monsters Inc Laugh Floor opened in the midst of the refurbishments. But don't expect new construction ("from scratch") until the MK is shining like new again.

 

[jt04]

Ummm...that's exactly what I said. :lookaroun



I put some of your words in bold because you make a great point; your theory is absolutely true.

Unfortunately, slowpoke decision makers in Florida don't agree. But most of the major attractions have been refurbished already, so we aren't too far behind. Not everything will get an IASW/HM-like refurb before a new attraction comes in: Monsters Inc Laugh Floor opened in the midst of the refurbishments. But don't expect new construction ("from scratch") until the MK is shining like new again.

You are right the refurbs are mostly done. And everything else is correct except you may see LM break ground sooner rather than later.

 

[MousDad]

I'm always amazed at how few rides WDW's Magic Kingdom actually has compared to Disneyland.

Yeah, but nobody visits MK and DL at the same time, so it doesn't matter. What should be a concern is what DL has compared to DCA.

MK already has 3x the rides of the other 3 WDW parks. Once the 20K plot ride comes, I say don't even think about adding anything new to MK until you add 5 or 6 to each of the other parks (especially AK). Rehab and rebuild, yes. Completely new rides - why? It already takes 2 days to do MK. Why make it a 3-day park?