Maus au Chocolat

[wm49rs]

And yet...here you are!

Nothing better going on at the moment, not unlike several others...

 

[RSoxNo1]

Thanks.

Sorry if I was more abrasive than usual.

As far as I know this has been our only run in. I'll apologize too, and return this to our regularly scheduled thread.

Did we ever get an answer on how this attraction came to exist outside of a Disney park?

With regards to Toy Story Mania, I enjoy the attraction much in the same way I enjoy Buzz Lightyear, it's a fun game and I like the "competition" between family and friends. I'd also say that Men in Black is a more thorough attraction, I just don't like the source material as much.

With Toy Story, I also hate the fact that you have to plan your day around that attraction because it was underengineered from a capacity standpoint. A family attraction like that should have had a much higher capacity.

I don't see an easy way to increase the capacity as the attraction currently exists but one thought is to better theme the transition areas and have vehicles hold or creep through those transition areas between games. By allowing more vehicles in the ride itself they would have to find a way to increase the dispatch speed which would also be problematic. I assume there's no easy way to extend the load area.

This was the best image I could find of the ride layout... on the plus side whoever colored over this in crayon did a good job staying in the lines:

 

[Spideyfreak110]

In response to RSoxNo1:

Japan, Orlando and Anaheim's TSMMs ride systems have all been manufactured by Sansei Yusoki out of Japan. Sansei also manufactured both Mermaid ride systems as well as several other projects for Disney. Disney determines the building footprint and ride track layout and consults with Sansei on the mechanical/controls design.

I agree though. Toy Story was underengineered from a capacity standpoint. Not to mention loading takes a bit longer now due to the exit gates that were installed...

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Actually what was said was that pixar is "THE ONLY GUARANTEED BLOCKBUSTER".

You mentioned revenue, which I also assume the poster was referencing by the term blockbuster.

Facts.

He pointed out that pixar movies are guaranteed blockbusters and they are. I don't think a movie has to be one of the most successful movies ever to be considered a blockbuster. And the important part is "guaranteed"! So far Pixar has not produced a single box office bomb, that is a fact too. Every single movie was a huge commercial success, even the least successful ones still gained a huge profit.

Quote from Wikipedia:

"All eleven films that Pixar has produced have been largely successful, both critically and commercially. The $602 million average gross of their films is by far the highest of any studio in the industry"

I find it quite impressive that a studio that is existing for more than 15 years by now hasn't suffered a single flop in it's entire history. Disney animation suffered several in the last 10 years alone.

 

[the-reason14]

Playing video games at home is fun. I certainly don't need to wait in an hour long line to do that.

I don't believe just introducing new technology into a project makes it a "Disney experience." They thought Test Track and Mission Space were going to be amazing because they both show off high-tech ride systems. Test Track was another epic failure in my book because of what it could have been and because of the fact that of all the recent "warehouse" rides Test Track is the worst when it comes to giving the impression I'm just riding through one. What makes an attraction "Disney" is the full experience and the emotions it elicits. Showcasing complex ride systems is interesting to some of us but for the majority of consumers they couldn't care less how much computing power is required to run the attraction. They only care about how the ride makes them feel and if they can get that same experience someplace else. Also the TSM technology is basically the same as DisneyQuest’s Pirates game except that it had to be modified to be played from a moving vehicle.

If a regional park overseas can come closer to what I’m suggesting than why can’t Disney? Why is that expecting too much?

Show buildings aren’t supposed to contain AAs, scenic elements and effects just to be neat and impress audiences with how great they look. They are a means to an end. They combine, in the proper mix and balance, to create an experience that will transport audiences to another time and/or place. They are tools to be used to tell a story and incite emotion. Why do you think Pirates, Indy and HM are so popular and timeless? It’s not the individual show elements it’s the symphony of sight and sound that trigger the right emotions. When you say there is no point to littering the space with more show elements it gives me insight into your thinking and the point you are making. I get that TSM is fun and that most will ride it and not think twice about the number of show elements or what might be missing. What I'm saying is that TSM could be so much more than just fun.

You can have fun at the movies for example. Some movies are fun and once you leave the theater you probably will never think about that movie again. you had your fun for the ninety minutes and then it was off to the next adventure. There are other movies that leave an impression on you. When someone brings it up you want to talk about it. As time passes it becomes a classic. It connects with you on an emotional level. I'm talking about the kind of movie that makes you laugh at times and other times it makes you sit on the edge of your seat. That's the difference between a "fun" movie and a classic.

Disney has some classic rides. Unfortunately none of them have been built at Disney World since 1998. I'm not saying that every ride has to be a classic but I'm saying that every ride/attraction should strive to be by including the elements that make them that way. I'm talking about real, quantifiable elements that can be compared.

You present your point quite well and I like your 'classic film' vs 'fun movie' analogy. However I think that TSM as is, is fine. Sure they could have added some cheap Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White figures/statues to spruce things up a bit, but I still think that would be grounds for complaints from the folk who think Disney's lost it's touch. Hell, if they incorporated a few high tech AAs in there, some would complain about zooming by too fast, and not being able to see them. Why? Because your focus should be on the screen/game. Could you imagine being half into the game, and half looking to the side trying to see an AA Buzz move or something. The point is it's not needed. I don't think it's a matter of Disney not wanting to, or being cheap, but it's just not needed for a ride like that. And even if they did have AAs in there, you'd still have that 'warehouse' feel that you've described it as. So either way, it's still gonna be a fail to you.

It's funny you mentioned Pirates, and Mansion. And yes, these are the epitome of Disney dark rides and the rides that are indeed classics. And yes, they are popular, however TSM pretty much always has a line. That can't be said for the 'classics.' That's not to say TSM is better, if anything it's an indication of the general public, but it simply is what it is.

So in all, this mouse ride may have a few extra dark ride elements that TSM lacks. It was built later, and they basically took an already great idea/successful ride and improved upon it. I can't really think of a way to include any other dark ride elements to TSM. It may not be heavily themed, but it is themed. We already know Disney can make dark rides like Pooh, Monsters inc in DCA with it's semi static figures, and they're not heavily criticized. So why should TSM be if it's a 'different' kind of dark ride? I agree the Nemo ride at Epcot is utter crap and an embarrassment, but at least TSM defines a new breed of dark ride. It may not be a classic, but it succeeds in what it's supposed to be. A game that's a ride, and is fun.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

You present your point quite well and I like your 'classic film' vs 'fun movie' analogy. However I think that TSM as is, is fine. Sure they could have added some cheap Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White figures/statues to spruce things up a bit, but I still think that would be grounds for complaints from the folk who think Disney's lost it's touch. Hell, if they incorporated a few high tech AAs in there, some would complain about zooming by too fast, and not being able to see them. Why? Because your focus should be on the screen/game. Could you imagine being half into the game, and half looking to the side trying to see an AA Buzz move or something. The point is it's not needed. I don't think it's a matter of Disney not wanting to, or being cheap, but it's just not needed for a ride like that. And even if they did have AAs in there, you'd still have that 'warehouse' feel that you've described it as. So either way, it's still gonna be a fail to you.

It's funny you mentioned Pirates, and Mansion. And yes, these are the epitome of Disney dark rides and the rides that are indeed classics. And yes, they are popular, however TSM pretty much always has a line. That can't be said for the 'classics.' That's not to say TSM is better, if anything it's an indication of the general public, but it simply is what it is.

So in all, this mouse ride may have a few extra dark ride elements that TSM lacks. It was built later, and they basically took an already great idea/successful ride and improved upon it. I can't really think of a way to include any other dark ride elements to TSM. It may not be heavily themed, but it is themed. We already know Disney can make dark rides like Pooh, Monsters inc in DCA with it's semi static figures, and they're not heavily criticized. So why should TSM be if it's a 'different' kind of dark ride? I agree the Nemo ride at Epcot is utter crap and an embarrassment, but at least TSM defines a new breed of dark ride. It may not be a classic, but it succeeds in what it's supposed to be. A game that's a ride, and is fun.

I guess what whylightbulb want's to point out is, that is a nice ride and nothing more. And he possibly expects the "more" from a ride that was the first major addition to DHS in years. And I think he is right. He wants a new HM, a new PotC and not even EE was able to reach that standard. TSM is great fun. Nothing more, nothing special. There is no magic, no special experience and I have to admit that it is beyond my understanding that people wait in line for 60, 90 or even 120 minutes to do it. I wouldn't do it without FP and the fact that the lines are insane is perhaps more a result of the low capacity and that is still quite new. I don't think it will age very well and it will definitely not become a classic.
Whylightbulb asks for rides that are so extraordinary experiences that they even spin-off movies, not those who are movie-spinoff. When I went on the Haunted Mansion for the first time after that I never ever could do a cheap Geisterbahn at home again (German term for carnival rides with a ghost theming) because the HM was a kind of magic I only would feel in a Disney ride. TSM was nice. Great fun, nothing more, nothing mindchanging. But exactly that's what the parks need desperately.

 

[powlessfamily4]

Hey! Seriously!?! Is this important to be right??

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves "Does it really matter?" and if the answer is "Yes", seek counseling IMMEDIATELY!!!

:ROFLOL::ROFLOL:


Seriously... chill out :hammer:

 

[the-reason14]

I guess what whylightbulb want's to point out is, that is a nice ride and nothing more. And he possibly expects the "more" from a ride that was the first major addition to DHS in years. And I think he is right. He wants a new HM, a new PotC and not even EE was able to reach that standard. TSM is great fun. Nothing more, nothing special. There is no magic, no special experience and I have to admit that it is beyond my understanding that people wait in line for 60, 90 or even 120 minutes to do it. I wouldn't do it without FP and the fact that the lines are insane is perhaps more a result of the low capacity and that is still quite new. I don't think it will age very well and it will definitely not become a classic.
Whylightbulb asks for rides that are so extraordinary experiences that they even spin-off movies, not those who are movie-spinoff. When I went on the Haunted Mansion for the first time after that I never ever could do a cheap Geisterbahn at home again (German term for carnival rides with a ghost theming) because the HM was a kind of magic I only would feel in a Disney ride. TSM was nice. Great fun, nothing more, nothing mindchanging. But exactly that's what the parks need desperately.

Yes great fun, and was at least an addition to the park. They can have 10 rides like TSM for all I care, as long as they have a good 20 more like pirates and mansion. The point is, there's nothing wrong with a ride like TSM as it accomplishes it's goal and does it quite nicely. It can exist in a world where it's surrounded by more themed attractions. Let it do it's job, let people enjoy it and stand in line, you bypass it and go do Pirates and complain about the burnt out lights and the one Pirate that's not wiggling it's head right.

 

[Absimilliard]

Going back to Maus au Chocolat, I got some infos about the ride and who was behind it.

The ride system is indeed from a dutch company called ETF Ride Systems. They've worked with various amusement parks (including Six Flags) designing and building trackless dark ride cars. Those battery powered cars can have 4 or 6 passengers and follow a buried guide wire. They can rotate, go backward, etc. A very interesting ride system was created for Six Flags. When they owned parks in Europe, they filled an old dark ride with a new generation shooting dark ride. The cars are the trackless 6 seaters and at the end, depending on your score, you may actually get 1 or 2 bonus rooms! Phantasialand contracted ETF to provide the ride system for Maus au Chocolat based on their great success elsewhere.

Next, about the screens and guns... No, it was not purchased or licensed from Walt Disney Imagineering. A small belgian company called Alterface was hired to provide the screens and guns. Their main product is called Desperados and is a theater where people sit on horses and shoot at the targets on the screen. This is their website if you're interested in seeing what else they do! http://www.alterface.com/en/home/

Phantasialand is now a very nice theme park. They got two amazing themed hotels and what is arguably the strangest coaster on the planet. Imagine two spinning coasters in a large building you can walk around and that coasters feature track pieces that tilt, see saws and other things! Its basically what Crush Coaster in Paris should have been, but WDI went cheap and ordered the basic spinning coaster model with a small dark ride portion before.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Yes great fun, and was at least an addition to the park. They can have 10 rides like TSM for all I care, as long as they have a good 20 more like pirates and mansion. The point is, there's nothing wrong with a ride like TSM as it accomplishes it's goal and does it quite nicely. It can exist in a world where it's surrounded by more themed attractions. Let it do it's job, let people enjoy it and stand in line, you bypass it and go do Pirates and complain about the burnt out lights and the one Pirate that's not wiggling it's head right.

Any reason to get sarcastic? Or unfriendly?

 

[the-reason14]

Any reason to get sarcastic? Or unfriendly?

Not trying to be either, but that's just how it is sometimes unfortantely.

 

[Neverland]

I'm wondering if it really is the exact ride system, or something like it. After looking at some pictures of Phantasialand, I'm not sure...

Although, man, the rest of the park looks really nice.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Going back to Maus au Chocolat, I got some infos about the ride and who was behind it.

The ride system is indeed from a dutch company called ETF Ride Systems. They've worked with various amusement parks (including Six Flags) designing and building trackless dark ride cars. Those battery powered cars can have 4 or 6 passengers and follow a buried guide wire. They can rotate, go backward, etc. A very interesting ride system was created for Six Flags. When they owned parks in Europe, they filled an old dark ride with a new generation shooting dark ride. The cars are the trackless 6 seaters and at the end, depending on your score, you may actually get 1 or 2 bonus rooms! Phantasialand contracted ETF to provide the ride system for Maus au Chocolat based on their great success elsewhere.

Next, about the screens and guns... No, it was not purchased or licensed from Walt Disney Imagineering. A small belgian company called Alterface was hired to provide the screens and guns. Their main product is called Desperados and is a theater where people sit on horses and shoot at the targets on the screen. This is their website if you're interested in seeing what else they do! http://www.alterface.com/en/home/

Phantasialand is now a very nice theme park. They got two amazing themed hotels and what is arguably the strangest coaster on the planet. Imagine two spinning coasters in a large building you can walk around and that coasters feature track pieces that tilt, see saws and other things! Its basically what Crush Coaster in Paris should have been, but WDI went cheap and ordered the basic spinning coaster model with a small dark ride portion before.

That sounds phenomenal. I love the idea of a "Bonus Room"... perform better get to see extra content. I'm sure it would upset some people, and potentially disrupt throughput but it's a very cool concept.

I assume from a throughput standpoint it goes something like this

Lower Performing guest (no bonus room)

• Regular Ride
• Exit Area
• Holding Room w/Empty Vehicle
• Load Area

Higher Performing guest (with bonus room)

• Regular Ride
• Bonus Room
• Exit Area
• Load Area

 

[the-reason14]

I'm wondering if it really is the exact ride system, or something like it. After looking at some pictures of Phantasialand, I'm not sure...

Although, man, the rest of the park looks really nice.

Woah!!! They got a spaceship earth looking building, and a more thrilling thunder mt!!!?????