Mission: SPACE "Tragedy" picture

[ScrapIron]

The problem is that Family Attractions are not E Tickets. Etickets are necessary to ensure that greater number of people come to the parks, family attractions are necessary to MAKE THEM COME BACK. Unfortunatley the mouse's shortsighted vision is that E tickets are the only cost effective attraction, not realizing that E tickets are a vicious cycle and you have to be on the bleeding edge to continue to attract more and more visitors rather than attract them with etickets but have them stay (and return) for the classics/family attractions.... Sadly I see Soarin' headed this direction (though I think it will be an amazing attraction and I will be at passholder previews, I doubt that it will be granny's favorite ride).

It's a common misconception that E ticket=thrill ride. I'm looking at a 1980 DL ticket book now, and E's were required for Small World, POTC, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Subs, Country Bears, Tiki Room and monorail; family attractions all. And, sorry, but I can't think of a single reason to be against imagineers creating attractions on the bleeding edge; always thought that was what set them apart, actually.

Since TT and MS have height requirements of 40" and 44", very few people are excluded because of that. My son, one of the smallest in his 4th grade class, was 44" when he was 4. Obviously health concerns can eliminate some from MS. I'm certain that the number of people interested in either of these is much bigger than the number interested in Dumbo or the TL Speedway.

As to the original photo, about 2/3 of the people are walking about. Although two possible reasons were given for those resting, there's also:
3: Waiting for FP time
4: Waiting for kid playing in post show
5: Deciding where to go next
6: Sore feet

Finally, there's another misconception that Soarin' is a thrill ride. I was at DCA with a young (3-4) child (not mine) that seemed to be too small or too scared for everything. He loved Soarin'; Granny will, too.

Cheers.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

I sympathize with your feelings, Number 6, being a bit older, I fondly remember the 64 Worlds Fair, visited the new Epcot and saw it as a reincarnation of it and immediately fell in love with it. I wish I could have shared WoM, JII, Cranium Command, Horizons with my kids and miss them as wonderful attractions.

I do however hear others comments both in the parks and beyond, and for years many talked about Epcot as many do AK today. Labeling it as an old folks, boring park, and this is not a small minority. OK, misguided people, but there are a lot of them. Times have changed, my kids (and most) are not able to entertain themselves as easily as I did when younger. I can't remember the last time I saw a pickup baseball or football game. Who even plays outside without something electronic in their hands? Anyway, I do desparately want Disney to add more well storied dark rides, want more animatronic entertainers, want more Disney uniqueness. I can live with a balance.

 

[grandmath]

And round and round we go...

Classic Disney attractions have always separated families: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Star Tours.... it is not new. Epcot has still a majority of its rides that are open to all and everyone. Soarin will be one of them too.

And it's still better to have some rides than can finally please everyone in the family than to have some old rides that everyone can ride, but only grandpa will like (and a lot of Epcot has turned that way, despite what the nostalgic say - I'm not talking about my opinion, as I like all of those old rides). Someone pointed out that his son wouldn't want to ride M:S anymore after 2 rides. Well, I know a lot of people who would say the same after 2 rides on Horizons or World of Motion. And a lot of kids who now can't wait to ride M:S again and again. To each his own, as they say. Here we don't have a park that separates families everytime. It is not killing to be separated into two groups for 20 minutes. While some enjoy what they love, others will do a bit of shopping or grab something to eat and enjoy themselves, and will talk about what they've done afterwards.

You can have teenagers who can't stand a roller coaster, and older that greatly enjoy fast rides. To me in that case, Test Track is the perfect example of how an entire family can enjoy an exciting ride, from 4 years old to 70. However, there will always be people who won't be able to ride it, whether they are 20 or 50. But think of all the people who fall asleep on Spaceship Earth. Families can go on it together but many don't ride it anymore.

I truly think some are over-reacting on how some attractions affect the family behavior. BTW, what is a family? A range of people from 4 yo to 70 yo? In my case I know families where people range from 15 yo to 58 yo or from 12 yo to 44 yo... those don't have to ever be separated, alhtough for they personal tastes. And thrill rides or slow rides can't change anything about that.

 

[mshaps]

Horizans

I loved Horizans. It was my favorite attraction in Epcot. JII and UOE are also favorites. I like TT but will never do MS. I won't do anything that spins me around.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

So if it's true that M:S and TT "split families," then why not give those waiting a comfortable, attractive, and interesting place to bide their time?

A playground, fountain, interactive something-or-other for young children would be ideal. Remember that toddlers use more energy standing still than running around.

MORE SHADE and places to sit.

Periodic appearances by street performers such as Jammitors.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

Wow, this is being way, way overthought. Entertaining/thought provoking, but way over analized. The "tragedy" is one of 2 things: 1. Sleeping while at one of the parks (yeah, yeah, i've often wished I could do it but just enjoy the humor in the picture !!!!!!!!!). or 2. how do I word this....the way people climb/play/sleep on the grass at WDW. Do YOU WANT the neighborhood kids PLAYING ON YOUR LAWN ???

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Your 100% right about this being overthought, but isn't that what we do here? :lol:

I also agree with you comments on people "abusing" the landscaping. But out of all the areas, this side of Epcot seems to encourage it. Most of the grass berms don't have flowers or bushes, and seem to welcome this. These areas are also where the shade is in comparison to the large open concrete areas in front of MS and TT and UoE.

This issue reminds me of the discussion in John Hench's book "Designing Disney" where he describes one of the foundational design elements is the hub. Disney is designed to provide natural meeting places where people can congregate as they need to do to organize, plan, discuss, meet. This sure seems to be the definition of that in practice.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

same thing happens at the end of sunset blvd.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

It's not the fact that Mission:Space and Test Track were built. It's where they were built. Thrill rides are a necessity with today's "park-goers" but if you are going to build a thrill ride...put it in a new spot or a spot that previously housed a thrill attraction.

Don't take away certain appeal to put in a different type of appeal.

 

[tomm4004]

Excellent point WDWFreak. It's not so much the building of the thrill rides at EPCOT as the taking away of other rides that were open to everyone. TZTOT, RnRC and Splash didn't replace rides, but TT and M:S did. So non-thrill riders now have two less attractions to ride and thus have less of an experience. Plus, they don't have a ride at The Living Seas, and the new Imagination is drivel. So for non-thrill riders, Future World is a shadow of its former self!

Also, if someone doesn't wish to ride Splash, there's lots of other things to do around there while waiting, and nice places to relax. You can even watch your loved ones do the drop and click photos of them. The problem with M:S, and somewhat with TT, is that there's nothing else to do and no where really to go. I suppose they could go off and do Energy, but then you wouldn't be able to do it together.

 

[Lauriebar]

I don't really have a dog in this fight but, I will say that M:S is the only ride that splits my family up at WDW. I rode it once and nearly fainted and I do not want to experience it again for fear of blacking out. My husband and children have no problem with the ride and usually ride it one time a trip. It really isn't a huge deal for me to sit in the exit area to wait for them but I do wish it were an attraction that we could experience together. Please understand that I am not against thrill rides at all and I wish M:S were something I could do. I also realize that at other parks we probably would be split up even more, however, when we are at WDW it's all about our family time and we want to experience everything as a family.

 

[wdwjmp239]

i don't get it. where or what's the "tragedy"?

That's the question I posed -- what's the "tragedy?"

It seems like alot of people have given their opinions and I appreciate that. I was scratching my head when I originally saw the caption to it ("Mission: SPACE Tragedy")

 

[wdwjmp239]

The last time I went on Mission: SPACE, I wound up getting a little sick. Hey, no trip to Disney is complete if you're not tossing your cookies in one of the many strategically placed garbage cans.

:lol:

 

[Bluewaves]

Well I'll throw my two cents in here, In the years before Mission Space had opened up my family had been to disney 5 or 6 times and every time we were there usually sometime in the summer only once was Horizons opened, only once, Personally I'd prefer an attraction that is open and functional and not falling apart and closed as with Horizons, not that it was bad, it was kinda interesting. I don't think it splits up families anymore than that far end of Sunset BLVD or Big Thunder or Splash Mountain or as I am sure that everest will, Personally I would rather ride Mission Space over Space Mountian just so I don't have to get bounced around and fit into a little space rocket that my legs don't want to fit into and sometime it is nice to have a ride that there are no screaming or crying children and I do think M:S gets a bad rap becasue of all the people that don't understand what it is or that it is a rather intense ride, but no more than test track or rocking roller coaster or tower of terror.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

It's not the fact that Mission:Space and Test Track were built. It's where they were built. Thrill rides are a necessity with today's "park-goers" but if you are going to build a thrill ride...put it in a new spot or a spot that previously housed a thrill attraction.

Don't take away certain appeal to put in a different type of appeal.

GREAT POINT! RnRC should have been built near the back of the park, by the backlot.

 

[se8472]

I can always understand how people would want to keep around attritions that have moved on. Now with that out of the way.

I see a debate talking about how there is nothing to do while you wait for someone finish both TT and M:S. But am I the only person on here that plays the game inside of M:S, or plays with the interactive video's in TT? I know most people just walk past them but they are there. So to say that there is nothing to do would be incorrect. Both of these areas are not really well known but they are there. Just as any CM when you are doing a rider switch and they will tell you how to get to what I see as a waiting area. I know when guest come to me at Space and ask what they should do while they wait, I direct them to the T-land arcade.

I believe these areas where at least a small attempt to hold on to the old pavilion ideas, so to say that management does not see this would be incorrect as well, they do...thus is the reason these areas exist.

There is also a fountain for the little ones within a short walk to both M:S and TT as well as shopping and eating.

Also, I would like to remind everyone that the parks are almost out of room...there really isn't a place to add any new large ride anyone. It only makes sence for the older stuff to start to go and make way for new stuff.

Now I have never been one to say what age group would ride what...it all depends on the person.

Disney ran a commercial a few years back that I am sure most of you saw, where the old woman says "this families next stop, the tower of terror". And I know my grandmother would be running faster then me to get back on ToT. (she thinks she is 12 for some reason)

But I am glad to see that many people made the point that there are just some people who like to sit down. People who get a kick out of people watching more then they would riding something. And lets not forgetting just sitting around to take it all in. Some people have not been to the parks in over 20+ years and its a big deal for them.

Now I did not mean to write this much, but I did. I do feel that Epcot and all of WDW is doing just fine, and attempting to do what it takes in order to keep itself in check with our ever changing world.

 

[mkepcotmgmak]

Wow, this is being way, way overthought. Entertaining/thought provoking, but way over analized. The "tragedy" is one of 2 things: 1. Sleeping while at one of the parks (yeah, yeah, i've often wished I could do it but just enjoy the humor in the picture !!!!!!!!!). or 2. how do I word this....the way people climb/play/sleep on the grass at WDW. Do YOU WANT the neighborhood kids PLAYING ON YOUR LAWN ???

i think these areas are meant to lay/rest on. if not, they would have a fence around them, like the beuatiful area between the liberty square bridge, and the bridge to adventureland. the epcot areas are just open grassy areas, with no signs to keep guests off. it's a very relaxing place!

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

I wish this wasnt happening. It makes the ride look bad even though I think its a great ride. Many might think its not but I hope this isnt the begining of the down fall of the attraction even though it is new and I might not be taken down for a long time. Hopefully.

 

[se8472]

It an't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[DisneyDefenders]

Great Pavilion!

Personally...I think the Mission: Space pavilion is great!

The whole Space Race set up like Mission Control is great fun and takes about as long as a couple of rides. Soooo...if someone doesn't want to ride...they can play there while their family rides the ride!

M:S ROCKS!

I say we open another ride inside with a Treasure Planet theme and pirates taking over other space ships!

:sohappy: