-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Mermaid is not overrated, and is a great fit for Fantasyland... prove me wrong.
- Thread starter BHF
- Start date
This thread is invalid because the OP didn't pose his commentary in the form of a requisite meme.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
The Little Mermaid was hyped up as an E-Ticket, and what we got was a mediocre dark ride with primitive effects and a sense of awkwardness throughout the whole thing. It's glaringly obvious that the attraction used up its budget pretty quickly into construction and development - stuff like the reused animatronics in the finale and the "giant Ursula" cardboard cutout (that honestly feels like an afterthought) make this clear. It just feels so blah.
And as for why Pooh works as a "book report" and this doesn't? Well, for one thing, it's easier to tell the story of a short film in a dark ride than it is a feature-length film. Second, Pooh doesn't just have us off to the side watching the characters, it actually has us interact with the story and the characters. Riders get to bounce with Tigger, actually enter Pooh's dream about Heffalumps and Woozles, and float around in the flood waters. Little Mermaid doesn't have anything like that. At most, we have Scuttle talking to the riders and the "going under the sea" effect. After that, we're just going around the scenes.
And as for why Pooh works as a "book report" and this doesn't? Well, for one thing, it's easier to tell the story of a short film in a dark ride than it is a feature-length film. Second, Pooh doesn't just have us off to the side watching the characters, it actually has us interact with the story and the characters. Riders get to bounce with Tigger, actually enter Pooh's dream about Heffalumps and Woozles, and float around in the flood waters. Little Mermaid doesn't have anything like that. At most, we have Scuttle talking to the riders and the "going under the sea" effect. After that, we're just going around the scenes.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
BTW, is this ride identical to the one in Disneyland, or are there significant differences? I've only ridden Disney World's version once, and I can't say I remember much about the experience.
TotallyBiased
Well-Known Member
Hell I didn't even like Pooh. The ride was louder than the audio, I also felt it moved too fast for the story, wife agreed with me. Disappointing ride, even more so after the wait time which was at least an hour if I remember correctly.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
I can only think of four differences aside from the facades and queues...
1) The Disneyland version features a cameo appearance from Mr. Limpet. Disney World's doesn't.
2) In the Disney World version, the cardboard cutout of Ursula before the finale actually moves. I'm pretty sure the one in the Disneyland version doesn't.
3) That dancing turtle reappears in the finale of the Disneyland version. He doesn't in the Magic Kingdom version.
4) The music in the finale of the Disneyland version is different from the music in the finale of the Magic Kingdom version.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
It’s intent was to be a $100 million spectacle. The prior attraction with that type of budget was Expedition Everest.
The biggest differences are the queue and exterior. The one at Disney’s California Adventure is in a Beaux Arts seaside pavilion, the entrance being a small version of the Palace of Fine Arts rotunda that was saved from Golden Dreams. The Magic Kingdom version opened with the show changes that were implemented at Disney’s California Adventure. Mr. Limpet is not in the Magic Kingdom ride.
Last edited:
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Which automatically makes it inferior IMO.
But isn't that the norm for Fantasyland rides? Look at Pan for instance. You fly out over London, circle around Neverland, watch Pan and Hook cross swords for a moment and suddenly all the lost children are free and you're heading home. These Fantasyland rides are supposed to be cute fun, not monumental in detail and story like big names, PoTC, HM, SSE...
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
I'll say this, I agree that the ride is indeed better than having the 20,000 Leagues lagoon just sit empty.
Yes, we were spared that awkward CGI animation of Ariel becoming human. And the equally awkward Dole Whip hairdo for Ariel. Both scenes are still really awkward, though.
Roy G. Dis
Well-Known Member
+1. I might have instinctly have mumbled "oh God don't look at me" when I saw that AA.
MickeyLuv'r
Well-Known Member
The wait is short. It is a matter of supply in demand. People want what they can't have.
Long wait = people are inclined to think an attraction is great.
Short wait= people are inclined to think ride is not great.
Long wait = people are inclined to think an attraction is great.
Short wait= people are inclined to think ride is not great.
aliceismad
Well-Known Member
I love Mermaid.
But I understand the criticism that it cost too much and is sloppy in terms of background. Also some of the AAs do look stoned.
But I still love it. I love riding in the clam shell, I love going under the water, I love the music, I love the Kiss the Girl scene, I love Ursula, and I love the Under the Sea room. It's also probably my favorite IP from the "Disney Renaissance," so I'm biased.
To each their own.
But I understand the criticism that it cost too much and is sloppy in terms of background. Also some of the AAs do look stoned.
But I still love it. I love riding in the clam shell, I love going under the water, I love the music, I love the Kiss the Girl scene, I love Ursula, and I love the Under the Sea room. It's also probably my favorite IP from the "Disney Renaissance," so I'm biased.
To each their own.
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Ouch, OK, now I understand some of the criticism. For a standard Disney Fantasyland dark ride, it does about what I would expect, but for $100 million? Where did that money go? Especially considering that they really only needed to clone an existing ride.
Was part of that budget maybe the demolition costs for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?
Trackmaster
Well-Known Member
I guess that I have a different perspective on the book report rides. I don't really watch many of those Disney movies anyway other than the Pixar ones, so when I ride something like the Little Mermaid its all new to me.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
I think the $100 million was building the entirety of New Fantasyland, not just that ride.
NFL includes:
- Mermaid
- Ariel's Grotto
- 7DMT
- Be Our Guest
- Enchanted Tales with Belle
- Winnie the Pooh
- Fairytale Hall
- Gaston's Tavern
- Storybook Circus (with Dumbo, Barnstormer, Big Top Souvenirs, Pete's Silly Side Show M&G, Casey Jr. Splash and Soak Station, and train station)
Last edited:
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The original ride at Disney’s California Adventure was initially $100 million. That eventually ballooned to $150 million after it opened and Disney tried to fix the ride.