Mission: SPACE to open in preview phase on Aug. 10

wdwmagic

wdwmagic

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My personal opinion on all of this is that they have not handled the opening of MS very well at all. It seems to me that the impact has been diluted, by the drawn out preview stage. Months and months of previews have meant that pretty much everyone who has been able to get to WDW has ridden it, before what Disney would like to call the real "Opening".

I would rather have seen a WDI/Contractor preview, CM previews, followed by closure for changes if neccessary, then full public opening. With everything timed together, I think a lot of marketing millage could have been acheived with a lot of impact.
 
wdwmagic

wdwmagic

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Originally posted by Corrus
You're right about that one...
it SEEMS pointless, but...attendance is too low... last lines were only around 50 mins... that's disappointing...expectations were much higher...
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I dont know how they could be expecting more people in those preview stages. They have gone to great lengths to constantly tell guests that the attraction is not open yet, and people should not be expecting to ride. Guests have been turned away over the past few months right infront of the attraction, for it to open moments later. Its given out a very confusing message to guests! Based on that, I would have expected attendance to have been low.

Hopefully things will pick up now its opening 9 - 9 :)
 
CTXRover

CTXRover

Well-Known Member
I think what may have happened with all of these soft, soft, soft, extra-soft preview openings is things went better than anyone had hoped, both for Epcot operations and Imagineers. No one wanted a Test Track debacle and they allowed room for major disasters. However, those disasters never came allowing for smooth testing periods and ahead of schedule finishing of the fuges, since no major problems were encountered with those that were finished. No doubt the impact of the "grand opening" has been diluted, but it seems like they just wanted to take a very cautious approach to its opening, which, luckily, never was really needed.

For instance, if the first fuge that was opened to the public continually experienced technical difficulties , MS would have had to be closed for large parts of the summer, with possible redesigns of certain fixable things, delaying the finishing of the remaining fuges and therefore putting its opening at the planned time of Aug 15th.

Luckily, nothing like that happened and everyone who would have been sleeping outside of Epcot for it to open on August 15th have already had the chance to ride it. Just my opinion :)
 
T

TURKEY

New Member
Originally posted by CTXRover
I think what may have happened with all of these soft, soft, soft, extra-soft preview openings is things went better than anyone had hoped, both for Epcot operations and Imagineers. No one wanted a Test Track debacle and they allowed room for major disasters. However, those disasters never came allowing for smooth testing periods and ahead of schedule finishing of the fuges, since no major problems were encountered with those that were finished. No doubt the impact of the "grand opening" has been diluted, but it seems like they just wanted to take a very cautious approach to its opening, which, luckily, never was really needed.

For instance, if the first fuge that was opened to the public continually experienced technical difficulties , MS would have had to be closed for large parts of the summer, with possible redesigns of certain fixable things, delaying the finishing of the remaining fuges and therefore putting its opening at the planned time of Aug 15th.

Luckily, nothing like that happened and everyone who would have been sleeping outside of Epcot for it to open on August 15th have already had the chance to ride it. Just my opinion :)
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I would believe that this is a likely scenario. It seems very logical.
 
AndyMagic

AndyMagic

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by Corrus
You're right about that one...
it SEEMS pointless, but...attendance is too low... last lines were only around 50 mins... that's disappointing...expectations were much higher...
Hoping with announcing a "Special Preview" will get more people in line... it's only a trick... nothing more...
But Disney always must have a name to something... and this time it's a "Special Preview" although there's nothing really "Special" about this...

BTW I'm not trying to start an argument with you...
You'll be probably Bigger, Stronger an younger than I am... :lol: :D :lol:
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True. I didn't realize the lines for the ride have been that short so I suppose it does make sense. The fact that it is finally on the park map will surely cause the lines to increase dramatically.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Well, for once, I agree with Steve lol. I think the entire process has been very poorly executed, as well. They should have NEVER announced a soft opening date at all, as that confused and frustrated everyone. Had they simply stated that it would grand open October 9th, but would soft open sporatically throughout the summer and fall, it would have been much less confusing for guests than all these test-and-adjust, super soft, soft soft, soft, semi-soft and whatever other types of openings they are having. At this point, the attraction is as good as opened anyway. I guess it's kind of like when a new store opens, and then months later we get the "GRAND opening".
 
s25843

s25843

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
Well, for once, I agree with Steve lol. I think the entire process has been very poorly executed, as well. They should have NEVER announced a soft opening date at all, as that confused and frustrated everyone. Had they simply stated that it would grand open October 9th, but would soft open sporatically throughout the summer and fall, it would have been much less confusing for guests than all these test-and-adjust, super soft, soft soft, soft, semi-soft and whatever other types of openings they are having. At this point, the attraction is as good as opened anyway. I guess it's kind of like when a new store opens, and then months later we get the "GRAND opening".
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Hey at least it was not like TT and delayed a year or two!!!
 
T

TURKEY

New Member
Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
Well, for once, I agree with Steve lol. I think the entire process has been very poorly executed, as well. They should have NEVER announced a soft opening date at all, as that confused and frustrated everyone. Had they simply stated that it would grand open October 9th, but would soft open sporatically throughout the summer and fall, it would have been much less confusing for guests than all these test-and-adjust, super soft, soft soft, soft, semi-soft and whatever other types of openings they are having. At this point, the attraction is as good as opened anyway. I guess it's kind of like when a new store opens, and then months later we get the "GRAND opening".
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It's a miracle. You agree with Steve. :lol:

I do agree with both of you. No matter the reasoning for it, it should have been handled better.

If it had been realized that MS was ahead of schedule and the kinks had been worked out, I think it would have been better to just shut it down and let it sit for the most part. Opening it at random times during the day to make minor tweaks and adjustments would have been better and kept suspense until the grand opening.
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Well...I take the opposite approach to opening it. Disney needed the parks to be packed this summer, because they have a LOT of new attractions they are about to announce to the public, and they need park attendance numbers to share with stockholders as a reasoning for this massive increase in spending. The best way to do so would be to open something like Mission: SPACE, giving guests a reason to come by the summer. The only problem is--if they wanted more guests this summer, they should have stopped going out of their way to tell guests it wouldn't be open. When it was clear that it was ahead of schedule, they should have immediately added SPACE to their official website and been quiet about it altogether--surprise guests when they arrive with it being open, let them tell their friends about it when they return. But, openly telling guests an attraction that would be open for them was going to be closed was not the way to go. If anything, that discouraged summer guests. Lucky for them, though, an influx of Floridians to see the new attraction, since local news stations showed the attraction as open on several occasions, seemed to make up for any change, as the parks were packed this summer.
 
s25843

s25843

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
Well...I take the opposite approach to opening it. Disney needed the parks to be packed this summer, because they have a LOT of new attractions they are about to announce to the public, and they need park attendance numbers to share with stockholders as a reasoning for this massive increase in spending. The best way to do so would be to open something like Mission: SPACE, giving guests a reason to come by the summer. The only problem is--if they wanted more guests this summer, they should have stopped going out of their way to tell guests it wouldn't be open. When it was clear that it was ahead of schedule, they should have immediately added SPACE to their official website and been quiet about it altogether--surprise guests when they arrive with it being open, let them tell their friends about it when they return. But, openly telling guests an attraction that would be open for them was going to be closed was not the way to go. If anything, that discouraged summer guests. Lucky for them, though, an influx of Floridians to see the new attraction, since local news stations showed the attraction as open on several occasions, seemed to make up for any change, as the parks were packed this summer.
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Also by them Holding the AP Previews they brought in a few more guests (although judging from the lines, not that many)
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by s25843
Also by them Holding the AP Previews they brought in a few more guests (although judging from the lines, not that many)
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Lines during AP Previews were non-existant all day. That's the only reason I pulled off 57 rides in 5 days and still had time to venture to the other three Theme Parks. It was walk-on.
 
s25843

s25843

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
Lines during AP Previews were non-existant all day. That's the only reason I pulled off 57 rides in 5 days and still had time to venture to the other three Theme Parks. It was walk-on.
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I know, I was there :animwink:
 
CTXRover

CTXRover

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by ISTCNavigator57
Lines during AP Previews were non-existant all day. That's the only reason I pulled off 57 rides in 5 days and still had time to venture to the other three Theme Parks. It was walk-on.
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I loved this as well, but wasn't this the point of holding AP previews over 3 days and allowing the ride to be open at almost or complete full capacity ;) ? There are only so many AP and premium AP holders out there and spreading it out over 36 hours allowed for no lines. Its not like no one was going in, they were always checking people in when I was there, except late at night. It would have been insane if they had it for one or two nights after-hours for a few hours. Think of the AP night for Dino-RAMA!'s opening. Although I couldn't go, I heard it was so busy it was unenjoyable. I must say though, I did expect a small line and was overjoyed to so NO line :)
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Oh, not complaining that there were no lines--it was fantastic. One issue I had was that with crowds as low as they were for the AP preview, you still always had to wait to send Postcards from Space. When this ride runs at full capacity, w/ 80 minute lines, they are going to have to set up a queue for this kiosk...they must have not had their heads on straight when they only put four booths in. It seems to me the post-show area, in general, is not nearly large enough to handle the crowds they will see.
 
Tim G

Tim G

Well-Known Member
Originally posted by wdwmagic
I would rather have seen a WDI/Contractor preview, CM previews, followed by closure for changes if neccessary, then full public opening. With everything timed together
Click to expand...
Like they've done it for year, you're so right...
But somehow they took this approach...
Won't happen again... I'm shure of that...
 

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