ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
I want to see a late-night pic of one in a Taco Bell drive-thru.
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Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway confirmed
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
danlb_2000
Premium Member
I am a little skeptical of this. True trackless, which is what Mickey is supposed to be, works very differently then the technology that GMR uses.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
I'm very skeptical of it as well.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
In all fairness, I do remember when the switchbacks that you see weaving back and forth across the entrance theater we full all the time and the wait was always 30 to 40 minutes even in slow seasons. That was shortly after Disney/MGM opened. However, there were only two rides back then... that GMR and the Backlot tour tram. Once ToT and RnRC opened, those switchbacks were mostly always closed. They might have been used more in the summer months, but, I have made it a habit of not going there when it's that hot, so I don't know.
Amidala
Well-Known Member
I've only seen a few episodes of the new show (I'm hoping to watch more soon and come up with a more solid opinion) but it's not necessarily a downside that the look and feel are different from what we're used to. These shorts are supposed to be reminiscent of early Mickey cartoons and 30s era slapstick comedy (w/ the casting of Chris Diamantopoulos as Mickey) with a modern spin. Obviously that won't be to everyone's taste, but I 100% agree that some of the more "gruesome" shots being passed around won't factor into the ride itself in any significant way. The comparisons to "Get A Horse" feel accurate to me, and if this ride is anything like that short, I'm sure guests will enjoy it. And IMO the super simplified character designs from the new series will really open up the possibilities for this ride. I love the classic Mickey, but for the kind of concept they have in mind here (wild antics and probably a lot of over-the-top humor), the new Mickey really does seem like a better fit.
EDIT: I had the chance to watch the first few episodes of the series today, and was really impressed by the art design and all-around cleverness of the shorts! They definitely remind me of the older shorts WDW used to leave on the resort lobbies and guest room TVs years back .
As for whether or not GMR deserved to be replaced...even if it did stay, it would have required a massive overhaul. As far as I can tell, GMR is not the popular attraction it once was. People seem to make an immediate bee-line for ToT, RnR and TMM, and it feels like GMR is considered an afterthought by the average guest. I love GMR, but would rather move on than see the ride get an overlay or be re-themed from the bottom up in a desperate grab for guests' attention. I'm more interested in whether or not the railway will be a worthy successor to GMR, and based on the tech preview, I'm expecting something pretty impressive.
I do wish we would see longer ride times. I'm not sure what the TLM dark ride clocks in at, but that ride feels like it starts and ends in seconds (maybe it's the pacing), although even that can't compare to Peter Pan (a 70 minute wait for a ride that feels like it's over in a matter of seconds). I guess they can only make the ride so long, if they're aiming to have it done so quickly.
EDIT: I had the chance to watch the first few episodes of the series today, and was really impressed by the art design and all-around cleverness of the shorts! They definitely remind me of the older shorts WDW used to leave on the resort lobbies and guest room TVs years back .
As for whether or not GMR deserved to be replaced...even if it did stay, it would have required a massive overhaul. As far as I can tell, GMR is not the popular attraction it once was. People seem to make an immediate bee-line for ToT, RnR and TMM, and it feels like GMR is considered an afterthought by the average guest. I love GMR, but would rather move on than see the ride get an overlay or be re-themed from the bottom up in a desperate grab for guests' attention. I'm more interested in whether or not the railway will be a worthy successor to GMR, and based on the tech preview, I'm expecting something pretty impressive.
I do wish we would see longer ride times. I'm not sure what the TLM dark ride clocks in at, but that ride feels like it starts and ends in seconds (maybe it's the pacing), although even that can't compare to Peter Pan (a 70 minute wait for a ride that feels like it's over in a matter of seconds). I guess they can only make the ride so long, if they're aiming to have it done so quickly.
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I've no idea, but in theory it's possible to take a manually driven prototype and slowly drive it around the floor.
SpectroMan93
Well-Known Member
Ride length doesn't always correlate with ride quality. Little Mermaid is about 5 minutes, but Spider-Man at Universal is around 4 minutes. I know which one I definitely prefer. MMRR is speculated to between 6-8 minutes, which is a good length for today's fast-paced E-ticket standards. I'm sure the relatively short construction time has more to do with building within a preexisting structure than ride quality or length.
Kram Sacul
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Yeah, look at how disgusting and repulsing this image is:
View attachment 217891
Oh, it looks fine? I guess that's what happens when you selectively pick out specific shots just to try to make a point.I know this point has been brought up before but it just gets under my skin.
It doesn't matter what shots are used when the overall style is unappealing to more than a few people. More like bootleg Mickey than something the Walt Disney Company would approve of. Goofy is even worse. I'm sure the actual ride will be great (it better be after taking out the GMR) but the decision to use that style for these beloved characters is more than a little questionable.
Amidala
Well-Known Member
That makes a lot of sense! I'm rarely aware of a ride's actual length as I'm riding it, so I've probably been assuming rides were shorter when I found them unsatisfying. Hopefully there'll be a lot to do within the 6-8 minute timeframe of Railway.
And @Kram Sacul, have you tried watching a few of the shorts all the way through? They're free to watch on YouTube, so even if you hated them it wouldn't cost you any money–but I found them to be really clever and the animation beautiful. It'll definitely appeal to some more than others, but I really can't see it as a bootleg in any way.
Movielover
Well-Known Member
I had never heard of these shorts until D23. I went back and watched all of them on Youtube. I was instantly hooked. There is so much life and dare I say "animation" present in these shorts. The comedic timing is spot on and they are packed full of references to every aspect of the Disney company. While I am sad to see GMR go I am excited for what this ride will bring.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
So you've made the assumption that the new ride vehicles are going to use an older technology (aka guide wires embedded in the concrete) instead of more modern systems like vision, lasers, or even wifi or bluetooth beacons. Its not necessary these days... you can even use magnetic tape as a guide source.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
I actually like the current shorts quite a bit, but I think the style will age very badly. The animation is very much of-the-moment - within a decade, it will seem out of style.
One thing I find particularly odd is how little this version of the characters appears on merchandise. For the most part, the Mickey and friends sold everywhere is a more "timeless," less era-specific version. It's odd they'd build an entire ride based on this version when, in several years of existence, they haven't even found it popular enough to use on much merchandise.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
I haven't made any assumptions, i'm actually skeptical of what I heard. The only reason I ask is because the person who made the statement is fairly reputable. Thus why I asked Martin, as I trust him most when it comes to Disney rumors...
A prototype ride vehicle wouldn't need LPS, sensors or the like. Just a charged battery, a motor and a real driver with a real "wheel". Proof of concept for the conveyance system.
It's worth remembering a lot of the floor will need releveling anyway when the current scenes are ripped out.
It's worth remembering a lot of the floor will need releveling anyway when the current scenes are ripped out.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
And the overall mass public won't care what Mickey is used.
Kram Sacul
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
It's not about the quality of the shorts but the animation and style of it all which leaves a lot to be desired.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
And many like it. They wouldn't keep making them if no one was watching.
Kram Sacul
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
People tend to forgive iffy aesthetics if the writing is good. No reason why we can't have both in an attraction that had so many different options to present Mickey. Good thing projections can be easily swapped out in the future.
One of the things I really liked about my first visit to WDW, which was only four years ago, was that it had a bunch of long rides, which is quite atypical for theme parks nowadays. At least the ones I'm familiar with. It's such a nice change of pace, which can be heavenly when you spend a day in the hot Florida sun running from ride to ride. You had the Backlot Tour, Ellen, GMR... now they're all gonna be gone.
The new ride looks interesting, sure. But I'll be very sad to see GMR go.
The new ride looks interesting, sure. But I'll be very sad to see GMR go.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
From my understanding, Disney's current logic is that the NUMBER of rides guests experience matters far more then the quality of the individual experiences. Thus, ride length is considered a detriment. This logic is compounded by the idea that if a guest is in a ride, they aren't in a store or restaurant.
I cannot express how much I miss the grand, long rides of olde WDW - particularly EPCOT.