My one complaint with the new rides in the parks

[GenerationX]

Yes, it is a shame that all those long, incredibly popular, not the least bit dull attractions have been replaced. Test Track, Mission:Space, Soarin' - these attractions pale in comparison with Kitchen Kabaret, World of Motion, and Horizons. Seriously, who wants to go on these new attractions? Sure, they all have well-executed themes, clear storylines, and thrills. But they lack audio-animatronics! And they're shorter! If the lines for them weren't so darn long, maybe Disney would come to its senses and put the old ones back.

 

[Woody13]

Horizons was a bore fest from the start to the finish. IMO, it was one of the worst attractions ever created at WDW. I'm glad Disney got rid of it. World of Motion was far better but when the crowds started to shrink, they had to get rid of it too. :wave:

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I'm going to second the low interest level at Horizons and I'm not sure World of Motion was much better...But in all honesty, I do NOT have a short attention span but just can't stand the interminably long Ellen's Energy Ride --I agree, it would be nice to have a slightly longer ride - but coaster's really don't last more than a few minutes - Soarin' is actually almost 5 minutes - the new Nemo ride will probably be 5 - 7 minutes...

But the reality is that the world moves at a different pace than it did in the 50's and 60's when the original attractions were developed...and people have learned to take in massive amounts of information in a shorter period of time. The human brain is highly malleable and overall we have adapted to a different pace for information processing. Want proof of that? Compare how much your 13 year old takes in while playing a video game, versus how much you can take in. There is a reason they beat you every time.

I imagine that attractions geared toward the future are not going to be long, slow-information processing affairs - but 3 -4 minute all-immersive stimulation environments. That's not just a WDW thing, that is a life thing in general.

 

[EpcoTim]

I miss the lengthy rides, too. However, more time on a ride means less time shopping or buying food. That is the spreadsheet mentality that has reduced the ride length. Also, some of the new technologies are very expensive to run and expand. .

This is true, but it could also be looked at the other way, that a longer ride will create a greater 'attraction to the ride, a closer bond to it, if you will, and therefore generate higher merchandise sales. Think if Pirates were only one scene, would you still love it like most do? (Not just you Epcotguy, but everyone).

On the other hand, it could also increase suicide rates, think if Small World were the length of Universe of Energy.

 

[Lewis Carroll]

Thats what happens when you rear the quick edit short attention span MTV generation.

This is the excuse imagineering "executives" give as a reason why most new attractions are just bare bones "thrill rides" with no real theme or story...Let me tell you something I am part of this "MTV generation" and I come to Disney parks for richly themed and eleborate attractions and the longer they are THE BETTER. I have no interest in mediocre "IN YOUR FACE" garbage.

 

[SirGoofy]

Did I see some one say there is no detail in Everest!!!!!! Honestly, EE is the BEST ride I have ever been on. Sure it's not as long as the old ones, but it doesn't need to be. And there is plenty of story. It has the second most detailed queue I've ever been through, Dueling Dragons holds the top spot. It lays out the story perfectly. It's not very easy to stretch a coaster longer than 3 minutes. plus it has three great show scenes. My friends came off that ride saying, "I have never been on anything like this."

Let's take a look at another fairly recent attaraction: Tower of Terror. Another incredbly detailed attraction.

Soarin' is nothing more than a mediocre attraction, and could use a much more detailed queue/movie. But it is better than what used to be there.

Mission: Space is 100x better tha Horizons ever was. I loved Horizons, but M:S is one of a kind.

I love the old classics. JII was my favorite ride, but you can't say these new E-tickets aren't amazing or bland because of their length. The old omnimover will always hold a place in my heart, but rides like EE and ToT would not be nearly as fun if they were 10 minute, slow moving treks through a mountain and a haunted hotel respectively.

 

[EpcoTim]

Mission: Space is 100x better tha Horizons ever was. I loved Horizons, but M:S is one of a kind.
.

I would definitely have to disagree with that. Mission is cool and all, but there was nothing on earth like Horizons. Granted, theres not much like Mission either, but the amount of detail and visual stimuli in Horizons was and still is, like nothing else out there. Anyone of the big theme parks could create Mission, but it took some highly imaginative and creative people to put together something along the lines of Horizons. The amount of detail and set work itself ws just mind blowing. Not to mention the ride system and building and que. I still miss it everytime i go on Mission or even just walk past the Mission building.

 

[JustinTheClaw]

My guess is crowd control. Disney is turning to quicker rides so more guests can experience them. The other similarity of all of those rides is the sheer volumn of people they can hold. I'm sure if they ever built another slow moving ride like horizons, world of motion, haunted mansion, etc, it would probably be of equal length.

Ah, but the "Omnimover" Attractions are some of the most efficient rides Disney has ever made. In fact, most of the longer, slower rides are the biggest "people-eaters" in the parks. Few Attractions have been built that can match the people-per-hour of the Omnimovers (Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth) or the bateaux (it's a small world, Pirates of the Caribbean).

 

[steamboat_will]

is it just me or do all the new rides across the parks (m:s, tt, soarin', and even dinosaur) all have the same concept? let's put a "test subject" into a strange new environment through the use of simulators.

granted, i love soarin', tt, and m:s, but is it really necessary that before each ride, i get a faux introduction from a b-list celebrity posing as the expert in the field? after my recent trip to WDW and going on all of these rides several times, it became strangely apparent how similar they all really are. Now, I am not making some gross exaggeration here, and i will never say that all "dark rides" are the same, but to some extent, every new ride placed in WDW seems to employ a similar structure. Why do we need Phylicia Rashad, Gary Sinise, Patrick Warburton, and John Michael Higgins to lead us into our journey? (And let's not even talk about their half-wit "assistants" who help them out)

Just some thoughts as we all are talking about these new rides.

 

[JustinTheClaw]

I have to admit the current occupants of the former Symbiosis and Universe of Energy are much better

You're actually further proving your point with this one. Ellen's Energy Adventure is a "plus" of the original Universe of Energy. The ride is the same, the story is the same...they simply changed one element of the Attraction to make it popular again, namely: the movie segments.

I agree with most of what you said (except for that part about Food Rocks...Kichen Kabaret was a much better show). Disney could not only save a lot of money, they could also save themselves from a lot of complaints. I understand that things have to change to keep up with the times, but let's put it this way: Did Disney completely replace Mickey Mouse with a character who would be more appealing to today's youth? No, they just changed the way he was presented. Look at Mickey's House of Mouse: It's classic Disney characters being their classic selves, only with modern pacing and humor. They didn't replace the characters, they just "plussed" them.

In the case of the Tiki Room, they could have easily fixed that Attraction with one simple thing: remove the Offenbach number. There were no words, no Guest interaction, and it was dull. Not a great way to start a show. They could have replaced it with something a little more modern and upbeat, then went right back to the classic show. Iago and Zazu don't work. Sure, they look great, just not in that environment. You can't take a couple of large cartoon birds and put them in a room with a bunch of realistic looking and moving birds and expect them to blend in.

Oh yeah...and what is Symbiosis, anyway?

 

[CThaddeus]

Symbiosis was the film that was originally shown in the Circle of Life theater. Martin posted a copy of it on the Disney Torrents website. While it was okay, it was just deadly dull...much like the original Universe of Energy (though at least UoE had two great songs).
And I'm somewhat torn about the whole Kitchen Kabaret/Food Rocks! thing. Kitchen Kabaret had better audio-animatronics, but I always loved the music for Food Rocks! more. Maybe it had something to do with being a child of the '80s...

 

[kcnole]

ToT would not be nearly as fun if they were 10 minute, slow moving treks through a mountain and a haunted hotel respectively.

I'm not upset with Expedition Everest or Tower or any of the rides. I understand why they're made and I don't mind them. I just lament the fact that we'll probably never see a ride with the story depth of Horizons again.

As someone said earlier, Horizons was like reading a novel, the new E attractions are like reading a magazine article with the depth of story. I do love the new rides, I just miss the old, long omnimover rides.

The only original epcot attraction I don't like is actually still here. I can't stand UoE. The moving part through the dinosaurs is great, but the three long movies is overkill. I wish we could have lost that pavilion and kept either World of Motion or Horizons.

 

[sassytink03]

Remember when Epcot was supposed to be educational? I remember going when I was a kid and actually learning things there. Now it seems as if Epcot is too focused on creating the next thrill ride. It is really disappointing because when I take my children there now, it is not the same experience that I had. Heck, my children can't even ride Mission: Space, Test Track, or Soarin because my youngest is too small!! At the old Epcot, they could have ridden just about everything. The other parks seem to stay true to themselves, but it seems that Epcot has been a sellout...caving to the pressures of the competition. Heaven forbid, our children might actually learn something of importance while having a good time. Shame on you Epcot...

 

[marni1971]

You're actually further proving your point with this one. Ellen's Energy Adventure is a "plus" of the original Universe of Energy. The ride is the same, the story is the same...they simply changed one element of the Attraction to make it popular again, namely: the movie segments.

No, my friend - they did much more than that. It`s been mentioned in depth in previous discussions.

 

[Tim G]

This is the excuse imagineering "executives" give as a reason why most new attractions are just bare bones "thrill rides" with no real theme or story...Let me tell you something I am part of this "MTV generation" and I come to Disney parks for richly themed and eleborate attractions and the longer they are THE BETTER. I have no interest in mediocre "IN YOUR FACE" garbage.

You really seem to know Imagineering executives, and the way they think...

Disney rides nowadays, must have a capacity of 2000 - 2500 guests in one hour...

With rides like horizons, it was impossible...
And about the thrill rides?? The general public wants thrill rides...

And to be honest I don't care that you're part of the MTV generation...
That same "MTV geneation" BTW... doesn't like long lines...

Anyway... You don't seem to care to throw with that same garbage into the faces of the imagineers...

 

[shaelyn]

but is it really necessary that before each ride, i get a faux introduction from a b-list celebrity posing as the expert in the field?

A bit OT, but one of the highest points of the last trip was going to TT at opening of Epcot and having them say, "This is the morning, and we break the rules in the morning, so here's you're briefing: BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELTS. You've been briefed!" and then they led us straight through that stupid preshow room and into the loading area

 

[kcnole]

That's where I'm different. I don't get to visit very often so the preshow is important to me as well. Had I been told we're skipping this part I'd have felt jipped out of a part of the ride I was interested in.

 

[CThaddeus]

That's where I'm different. I don't get to visit very often so the preshow is important to me as well. Had I been told we're skipping this part I'd have felt jipped out of a part of the ride I was interested in.

I agree. If it weren't for pre-shows, we just have even shorter attractions. At least this way it feels as if the experience is extended, and it's certainly more entertaining than yet more switchbacks. If nothing else, every time I see Patrick Warburton hold up his thumb and say, "Nice work, pal" I just have to grin. It's goofy, but it's a great part of the overall experience.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

I think your average park goer now has a MUCH shorter attention span XD

 

[BradleyJay]

Heck, my children can't even ride Mission: Space, Test Track, or Soarin because my youngest is too small!!

The Good thing is, they will be tall enough to ride in about 1 or 2 years, and you will have 50 or 60 more years that you can enjoy those rides together.