IoA follows Disney's quality!

[DisneyFan 2000]

I just read on a Universal board that IoA gets painted at night! (For example, the Hulk is being painted every night, right now!) It's a shame Disney won't do this with the larger attractions! I don't mean spots here and there, but seeing all that painting equipment on parts of big rides (which fit the theme: BTMR, SplaM etc) really does ruin a bit of the experience!

Share your thoughts!

 

[CTXRover]

Having been to IOA two months ago, I can tell you for certain that it unfortunately isn't being held to Disney's quality throughout the park. It is true that the Hulk is being painted right now and Dudely Do-Right's just came out of a rehab, but these are just normal refurbishments, much like Disney does refurbishments to its rides, such as the recent painting of Splash Mountain or the refurb to Dinosaur, etc. I'm not sure if this is what you meant or not, but I can tell you for sure that Hulk does not get painted every night throughout the year.

In fact, during my last visit, I felt IOA has been neglected in the last few years. USF looked great, but IOA was dirty, garbage throughout the queues and walkways, Suess Landing looked horrible compared to what it looked like on opening day (its getting faded pretty badly) and the new tan walkway through the center of the land doesn't help any (I imagine it was replaced to limit the painting of the colorful walkway), Dr. Doom's surrounding enclosures were literally peeling off in rusted chunks and wads of gum were plenty throughout the queue, the Hulk queue really needed a good paint job (which it might get in this refurb), a number of the props throughout Marvel Super Hero Island were peeling and/or needed touch-ups, there were more than a few poles in Jurassic park's queue that were defaced by graffiti carvings such as "I waz here, etc..." that was in one case over a year old, there were at least two dinos on the JP ride that did not move at all (one stegasouras and one "spitter")... and this was at 15 min after park opening!, I also noticed at least 2 animatronics in the Cat in the Hat ride where their "skins" were coming off a bit and you could see the mechanics underneath. Overall I suppose the park still looked good, but nowhere near a park that indicated to me that it was being held to Disney quality...although I'd say USF was.

I am not alone in noticing this either. I've seen a few other posters at other message boards that also brought up this apparent "neglect" at IOA in recent months.

The "we paint every night" claim for IOA and USF came from a Travel Channel special, and it is similar to the "we paint every night" that Disney claims. I'm sure all the parks at both resorts get overnight touch-ups here and there that are on a set rotating schedule, but IOA is not receiving a new paint job every night like DisneyLand often got when it first opened nor did it indicate a park being held to Disney quality not more than two months ago...

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

No no no... The Hulk is being painted at THIS moment at night only, while Disney shows their refurbs to the wide public. That's what I meant.

 

[DarkMeasures]

Well Disney only did Refurb at night only up until a few years ago...

 

[AndyMagic]

Disney no longer does their painting at night because they would rather the parks be seen with cherry-pickers and scafolding than to pay more money to have it done at night. At least Universal realizes that guest experience comes first.

 

[NemoRocks78]

Why does everyone say there's garbage all over IOA? I honestly have never seen such a thing, except for a few pieces here and there. At least I've never seen garbage IN the ride before (unlike other rides at Disney.....Splash Mountain comes to mind).

I think IOA is doing a great job actually. I think everything looks great, except for Seuss Landing, which could really use a lot of paint. Other than that, it's all great.

I'm also glad to hear of the Incredible Hulk Coaster getting its painting done AFTER hours, unlike Disney, which does its painting and everything during hours (hence Splash Mountain and other painting rehabs going on during the day, such as Tatooine Traders a few months back).

Painting and rehabbing during hours=BAD SHOW.

 

[CTXRover]

Ok, I didn't want to insinuate that there is garbage around every corner of IOA that it looks like Time Square after New Year's Eve....but yes, during my last visit there was garbage in the queue lines that I suppose could have come from guests that same day (we know it happens and its unfortunate), but it was only about 2 hours after park opening that I noticed it. Midway into the afternoon, there was quite a bit of garbage around the ground as well. This means things like food wrappers, napkins, etc....nothing too major but stuff that shouldn't have stayed there for at least an hour as I went in and out of rides in MSHI. And I have seen on quite a few occasions garbage in the rides at IOA too. The only attraction at Disney that I've noticed seems to really have this problem is Splash Mountain for some reason. I have no idea why.

About 2 years ago, when I thought IOA looked very good by the way(...not like what I saw two months ago) there were about four workers painting a door to a backstage area in the plain of day with no real barrier beyond little security barricades. Same goes for recent painting that occurred in Toon Lagoon. Universal does NOT do all its painting at night...and its not right to think they still "understand the guest comes first" and that Disney doesn't. Again, I'm sure both resorts do some type of painting at night and some during the plain of day...but, in my opinion, perhaps IOA should just start doing more painting at any time during the day if they want to be at a "Disney standard" or even a USF standard.

As for the Hulk...considering its just a coaster it would probably be quite unsafe and impractical to be doing any painting or keep any scaffolding around the track and/or its supports during the day and still run the ride. This was not the case for Splash Mountain's recent paint job which was a much more complicated and time intensive paint job than just painting a coaster track. I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice if they did a little painting of Splash at night, removed all signs of it for the day and then re-built the scaffolding the next night to work again but that would have caused it to take a lot longer to complete. I'm just glad they repainted the whole mountain AND did it while keeping the ride still open vs just completely closing it.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Originally posted by NemoRocks78
Why does everyone say there's garbage all over IOA? I honestly have never seen such a thing, except for a few pieces here and there. At least I've never seen garbage IN the ride before (unlike other rides at Disney.....Splash Mountain comes to mind).

Trash is at Disney...ALOT more is at Universal. Everytime I have been to IOA, I have seen alot of trash that just sits there. The main offenders:

1)Dueling Dragons...I have waited 45 minutes 5 or 6 times in the last month for Dueling Dragons. If I saw all this only once or twice, I wouldn't be typing this, but things are ALWAYS in the queue. Last time, soda and plastic beer bottles were everywhere. A cigarette was even in a mouth of a skeleton, with a spoon in the other.

2) Doctor Doom ... On the roof before you enter back into the building, gum is everywhere. The roof is almost completely covered.

3) The Hulk...On the desk thing, with the tv's and all of that, before going into the loading area...It just keeps collecting water bottles all day long, and by the end of the day, there are prob. 20 or 30 bottles sitting there.

4) On Dudley Do Right (besides the muddy queue line), last time I was in there, soda bottles were in the bottom of the log, and my feet couldn't even touch the bottom because bottles were in the way.

And for the painting thing...The very first ride I did when I got my Universal AP was Jimmy Neutron. When I was in there, a giant peice of paint was peeled off of the preshow wall. As of last friday, it still wasn't painted over.

 

[The_CEO]

Originally posted by DisneyFan 2000
No no no... The Hulk is being painted at THIS moment at night only, while Disney shows their refurbs to the wide public. That's what I meant.

They don't do that nightly.. They are doing it at night right now because they can't do it any other time.. And it needed it. BAD. They don't do that stuff often.

 

[mkt]

1- Universal doesn't employ nearly the number (proportionally) of people in Custodial that WDW does

2- IOA is NOT painted every night... touch up paint is done as needed. I've been there when they've had to make the call for it. Granted, it is easier in some aspects... call 1 department, then deal with their red tape, then its done. WDW, call 20 departments, deal with each departments red tape, then you're redirected to the 1 department that is responsible for that area, then deal with your red tape and that departments red tape.. then its done.

3- IOA is not Disney, or Disneylike. Period. Drop the comparisons, or you'll give yourself a headache. IOA is a great themed amusement park, but is far from being comparable to Disney. Each is its own beast, with its own ups and downs.

 

[Atta83]

Originally posted by ISTCrew20

2) Doctor Doom ... On the roof before you enter back into the building, gum is everywhere. The roof is almost completely covered.

But if you have noticed there is no gum sold in the parks or anywhere on property....

 

[MrNonacho]

Originally posted by NemoRocks78

I'm also glad to hear of the Incredible Hulk Coaster getting its painting done AFTER hours, unlike Disney, which does its painting and everything during hours (hence Splash Mountain and other painting rehabs going on during the day, such as Tatooine Traders a few months back).

Painting and rehabbing during hours=BAD SHOW.

Dueling Dragons was closed for about a week last year so it could be painted.

 

[AndyP]

Originally posted by MrNonacho
Dueling Dragons was closed for about a week last year so it could be painted.

Yes but i expect it would be extremely difficult to keep setting up each night for DD. Where itis situated must make it difficult to get in there to paint, etc.

 

[Michael72688]

I practically live at IoA and I will say yes there is a tad bit more garbage there then there is at disney, but not as bad as you guys make it sound

 

[ISTCrew20]

Originally posted by CTXRover

About 2 years ago, when I thought IOA looked very good by the way(...not like what I saw two months ago) there were about four workers painting a door to a backstage area in the plain of day with no real barrier beyond little security barricades. Same goes for recent painting that occurred in Toon Lagoon. Universal does NOT do all its painting at night...and its not right to think they still "understand the guest comes first" and that Disney doesn't. Again, I'm sure both resorts do some type of painting at night and some during the plain of day...but, in my opinion, perhaps IOA should just start doing more painting at any time during the day if they want to be at a "Disney standard" or even a USF standard.

I forgot all about that. 2 weeks ago, they were painting the Wassamatta U shop in Toon Lagoon during park hours. They had the plastic orange and white barricades up, and actually, they weren't even closed in. I found myself walking behind one (in the painting area) without even noticing. But atleast they are trying to keep it fresh, so it's alright.

Does anyone know when the painting on the Hulk started, and what they have done so far?

 

[NemoRocks78]

Originally posted by ISTCrew20
Does anyone know when the painting on the Hulk started, and what they have done so far?

I'm not exactly sure, but I think the job is already done. I believe they started in mid-May. But when you see it in person, it looks better than it has before. I took a picture when I was there on Memorial Day, so I'll post it later.

 

[Michael72688]

Originally posted by NemoRocks78
I'm not exactly sure, but I think the job is already done. I believe they started in mid-May. But when you see it in person, it looks better than it has before. I took a picture when I was there on Memorial Day, so I'll post it later.

it even looks good from a distance, I was driving down the road and it just looked brighter then it did before