Mission:Space : Flop?

[marni1971]

Is it true that Eisner hoped this was going to be one of his legacies?

Kind of - the plan was to clone the attraction (a simple exercise) for Anahiem, Tokyo and Paris when the public fell in love with it.

I think you mean Test Track...but it nearly always has the second longest wait time in Epcot behind Soarin', so from a numbers perspective, it's still M:S that should be replaced, not Test Track

You can`t go on numbers by the size of queue; TT is not a fast loader at the best of times (with no 101s) and has the staggered preshows for crowd control. Soarin' just has a low capacity.

Was mission space expensive?

Yes - like a lot of E rides. Estimates place it around $120m. That includes removal of Horizons, prepping the site, customising the ride system (x4) and building it, plus designed and building the pre and post show, the building, infrastructure and all the R&D and testing. The price to open also usually includes press junkets where journos are flown to WDW and winded and dined on the company - and M:S had 2 of these.

 

[jakeman]

I do not have it out for the ride, I like it. Something was going to replace Horizons, I am glad that it was something good. Your first line said that you were one of the "unwashed masses" that did not get it. So those who got it are what? That was where I got the foolish implication from. I agree that there are those who take the nostalgia thing a bit far, I am somewhat playing devil's advocate.

You argue that M:S is innovative. That does not necessarily mean it is a good ride. Many love the TTA, including myself. Not much in the way of innovation there lately. The formula is simple, people enjoy rides for all sorts of reasons. Innovation does play a part in that, but not the whole reason. You can not always insert logic in enjoyment. People liked Horizons despite the notion that perhaps it was not innovative.

My statement regarding the masses refer to several posters (not you) that look down on anyone that does not agree with them regarding their opinion of Horizons. I can provide quotes from previous threads if you would like.

I was never arguing that it was a good ride, just that it was innovative. Through this innovation it allows people to experience something they would not be normally able to. While the subject matter was different than other dark rides, Horizons was still using technology that was 20 years old at the time of its opening.

I'm not sure what we are discussing. :lol:I didn't care for Horizons. Mission: Space is not one of my favorite attractions, but I feel that it is unfairly bashed because of what it replaced. I also feel that Mission: Space is more technologically advanced and provides a more immersive experience than Horizon's did. The first part is probably fact (technologically advanced); the second part is opinion (more immersive).

 

[ChrisFL]

I don't miss Horizons at all. I am unfortunately one of the unwashed masses that never "got it" with Horizons. I use "got it" loosely because it appears that the Horizons following is about 80% bandwagon at this point. I could name a few members here that were barely out of diapers when it closed, yet still claim it's the best thing since Walt himself.

So this site is full of 9 year olds?

 

[ChrisFL]

Mission: Spaces provides the oppportunity for guest to experience something interactively they will never be able to do in real life.

Horizons provided a passive ride through examples of potential futures using technology that was already 20 years old at the time.

Actually...that is wrong...Horizons had more actual interactivity than M:S did. When you press a button on M:S or don't press a button, the same thing happens...the ride is EXACTLY the same every time you ride it.

Horizons had interactivity that actually CHANGED the ending when you pushed the button!! So you push a button, something happens!!!! It's incredible

 

[yankspy]

My statement regarding the masses refer to several posters (not you) that look down on anyone that does not agree with them regarding their opinion of Horizons. I can provide quotes from previous threads if you would like.

I was never arguing that it was a good ride, just that it was innovative. Through this innovation it allows people to experience something they would not be normally able to. While the subject matter was different than other dark rides, Horizons was still using technology that was 20 years old at the time of its opening.

I'm not sure what we are discussing. :lol:I didn't care for Horizons. Mission: Space is not one of my favorite attractions, but I feel that it is unfairly bashed because of what it replaced. I also feel that Mission: Space is more technologically advanced and provides a more immersive experience than Horizon's did. The first part is probably fact (technologically advanced); the second part is opinion (more immersive).

At this point, neither do I.:lol: I do enjoy picking on you though because you seem to be able to take it and you do not get bent out of shape over disagreement. The mischievous side of me enjoys a little, shall we say, banter. I am not sure where I fall on this because I do not think it was a flop or the huge hit that they thought it would be, as countless others have pointed out. I will continue to go on it though.:wave:

 

[Katybug]

I went December of last year, the week before Christmas and went straight into the green side with no wait!! My boyfriend rode the orange side and only he waited about 5 minutes. When we went in December of 04 it was PACKED! You had to wait 5 or more hours just to ride. The line was so long. I don't understand what happened. Maybe once everyone rode it they didn't think it was that great :shrug: I don't really like it, it makes me sooo sick!

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

........When needed the imagineers could breath new life into the attraction by making it more interactive as someone suggested earlier and then have a marketing campaign. A couple of thoughts would be to make the "missions" unique to the riders. Have different choices for the "crew" and based on their responses different aspects of the mission will take place. With four people having two options at four different points during the mission you would be able to ride multiple times without repeating the ride experience. Yes this would require probable upgrades, reprogramming, and money but would keep people coming back to see what will happen on their next "flight". IMO M:S is fine for now.

.........

Dunno if someone already replied as I didnt go through the pages after this, but its almost impossible (note I said almost, im as amazed at the rest of you with what imagineering can pull off) for them to customize the ride based on the response of the riders. Just think that there are 10 pods all going around the centrifuge at any given time. So when the centrifuge starts spinning faster, everyone in those pods must be seeing the same exact thing so that they feel the G forces in the correct part of the ride. If ones of the pods is seeing something different from another one...it doesnt work. So whatever they change, it has to be the same i would imagine. This is my impression on how the ride works anyways. I could definitely be wrong

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

This is a Disney fan site so everything is just fabulous always has been fabulous and always will be fabulous, thats the rules! Got it?

 

[yankspy]

This is a Disney fan site so everything is just fabulous always has been fabulous and always will be fabulous, thats the rules! Got it?

I knew someone was missing from this conversation.

 

[jakeman]

So this site is full of 9 year olds?

I did not say that. Just because I feel that the Horizons crew is 80% bandwagon, does not mean that 80% is all under the age of 9. I also don't think that the site is full of 9 year olds or people who love Horizons. Taking two sentences that just happen to be next to each other and basically combining them doesn't make sense nor does it make an arguement.

I like squirrels. I am married.

This does not mean that I am married to a squirrel. I have a feeling that you know what I meant and you are making an attempt at being obtuse. I apologize if my impression is wrong in advance and feel free to correct me.

Actually...that is wrong...Horizons had more actual interactivity than M:S did. When you press a button on M:S or don't press a button, the same thing happens...the ride is EXACTLY the same every time you ride it.

Horizons had interactivity that actually CHANGED the ending when you pushed the button!! So you push a button, something happens!!!! It's incredible

You are ignoring the big picture of both attractions for a detail that you assume proves your point. Mission: Space simulates lift off putting you in the space shuttle. Horizons does not.

Just because you can flip between the different drivers while watching NASCAR on TV doesn't mean it is the same experience as riding shotgun at the Richard Petty Drive Experience. It's the same concept. I'm not saying one is better than the other, it's just passive versus immersive.

At this point, neither do I. I do enjoy picking on you though because you seem to be able to take it and you do not get bent out of shape over disagreement. The mischievous side of me enjoys a little, shall we say, banter.

No problem! I enjoy a good discussion. The day I get mad about something someone writes on the internet about a theme park is the day I quit posting.

 

[ChrisFL]

I did not say that. Just because I feel that the Horizons crew is 80% bandwagon, does not mean that 80% is all under the age of 9. I also don't think that the site is full of 9 year olds or people who love Horizons. Taking two sentences that just happen to be next to each other and basically combining them doesn't make sense nor does it make an arguement.

I like squirrels. I am married.

This does not mean that I am married to a squirrel. I have a feeling that you know what I meant and you are making an attempt at being obtuse. I apologize if my impression is wrong in advance and feel free to correct me.

Actually I was being facetious, but whichever, the point that people were in diapers when the ride was closed seems inaccurate at best, unless we have 9 year olds on this site posting about it.

You are ignoring the big picture of both attractions for a detail that you assume proves your point. Mission: Space simulates lift off putting you in the space shuttle. Horizons does not.

Just because you can flip between the different drivers while watching NASCAR on TV doesn't mean it is the same experience as riding shotgun at the Richard Petty Drive Experience. It's the same concept. I'm not saying one is better than the other, it's just passive versus immersive.

But the facts remain that technically Horizons button pushing actually led to a different part of the ride (even if just a different ending movie), whereas Mission:Space doesn't. The problem I have with this is 20+ years of technological advancement and extreme imagineering budgets, yet the replacement for Horizons has actually LESS real interactivity than before...unless you consider letting guests *think* they're doing something to the ride is somehow better than actually doing something.

 

[MrToad1]

Yay Hooray it simulates liftoff! Whooppeee! It's a rather one trick pony if you ask me. Between the Omnimax video, the choose your own ending, the dozens of audio animatronics, the immersive set decorating, the expansive ride track. I think Horizons had quite a bit more to offer than "It simulates liftoff" Joy.

You are ignoring the big picture of both attractions for a detail that you assume proves your point. Mission: Space simulates lift off putting you in the space shuttle. Horizons does not.

Just because you can flip between the different drivers while watching NASCAR on TV doesn't mean it is the same experience as riding shotgun at the Richard Petty Drive Experience. It's the same concept. I'm not saying one is better than the other, it's just passive versus immersive.

 

[maryszhi]

I love mission space. I have only ridden on the full regular version. It was amazing. i couldnt believe the lines though, and was shocked at the number of younger kids and older folks. I give them props for riding the full version.

 

[jakeman]

Actually I was being facetious, but whichever, the point that people were in diapers when the ride was closed seems inaccurate at best, unless we have 9 year olds on this site posting about it.

I believe you are splitting hairs over the spirit of the statement. I'll be literal now. It has been noticed by me that several posters that claim to have a deep affection for Horizons and tend to wax philisophically about it could not have been at an age to come to the complex conclusion regarding the attraction at the time it was last open to guest. I am not saying that they are the minority, but they are an example, to me, of how Horizonsluv has taken a bandwagon course to the point where the pro-Horizons arguements cannot be taken seriously.

But the facts remain that technically Horizons button pushing actually led to a different part of the ride (even if just a different ending movie), whereas Mission:Space doesn't. The problem I have with this is 20+ years of technological advancement and extreme imagineering budgets, yet the replacement for Horizons has actually LESS real interactivity than before...unless you consider letting guests *think* they're doing something to the ride is somehow better than actually doing something.

Why does that little detail matter? Why does pushing a button without result negate a whole experience?

 

[marni1971]

Apart from sharing the same land, Horizons and M:S are so totally different in every respect there is no comparison.

 

[jakeman]

Yay Hooray it simulates liftoff! Whooppeee! It's a rather one trick pony if you ask me. Between the Omnimax video, the choose your own ending, the dozens of audio animatronics, the immersive set decorating, the expansive ride track. I think Horizons had quite a bit more to offer than "It simulates liftoff" Joy.

Then we differ in opinion.

Horizons was yet another omnimover to me. It was the same ride as SSE and WoM just different costumes.

I'm not going to argue with you about it since neither of our opinions are wrong.

Apart from sharing the same land, Horizons and M:S are so totally different in every respect there is no comparison.

Wow, marni. That's pretty much my arguement in a nutshell. The key to good communication really is brevity! :lol:

 

[ChrisFL]

Why does that little detail matter? Why does pushing a button without result negate a whole experience?

Actually it doesn't, but it's part of the larger issue of M:S. I don't like the idea of having completely fake interactivity. It seems like the imagineers are putting out certain things because they don't have any faith in the intelligence of the general public...one thing Walt warned never to do.

 

[hokielutz]

I guess not matter what faction of this message board you belong to....

M:S - Greatest innovation since sliced bread
Horizons - Bring it back, or else I'll post here a second time
Like both with varing degrees
Hate(d) both


There will always be stark contrasts of opinions. I've seen the arguments go 8 ways from Sunday and trying to get someone to see the other's point is difficult to impossible.

I guess we will have to "agree that we disagree?"

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I guess I am in the 20% since I was well out of diapers and I actually enjoyed both attractions. I do wonder why you seem to believe that just because one has fond memories of Horizons, that makes them foolish. You did not like it and that is fine. I do not think that you are better or worse for it.

I'm with you, yankspy. I enjoyed both. :wave:

 

[teebin]

this is the dumbest thread I have seen on here. I could post "Jungle Cruise - A FLOP?", "AK - A FLOP?" "WDW a FLOP?". The OP has posted a junk statement just to start this informercial.
Is there a grown up WDWMagic and a preteen WDWMagic version of this forum? This is a totally skank topic as MS is in the most popular (70%) of the rides at WDW barring the youth oriented MK.