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Na'vi River Journey reviews, comments and questions
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
Poor Martin I think you saw it in B mode.
I got lucky. A mode each time.
EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
Well then... I mean everyone else thinks it's great. I don't see how anyone thinks it's a bad AA. I think it's Motion is even more fluid the the monster in JTTCOTE.
Magic Feather
Well-Known Member
Have you even seen a video of the full sequence? Based on one, I do know that certain portions of the "choreography" are more impressive than others. Possibly you got one of those segments on ride, because I know I have.
Also, if not the Shaman, what would you consider the best/most impressive AA?
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Considering that Audio Animatronic is a trademarked term, that's not such a high bar to surpass. It just has to have fewer hissing air lines and more motors.
I don’t think it’s a bad AA. I don’t think I’ve said that have I? But one figure doesn’t make a good ride.
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We got lucky. We had a creep (if a boat can be termed as such) and saw what I believe was the whole loop. Don’t get me wrong, like I just said I do think it’s an impressive figure. But it doesn’t save the ride.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
I'm still struggling with this. This ride does what the foam fan brigade (me!) has been saying all this time: a dark ride is like a dream sequence, not a movie with plot. Mansion, Pirates, even thrill rides such as Space Mountain and Thunder do not tell a story from A to B, yet they have immense immersion, you feel part of their story. Whereas Mermaid feels like being driven along the Emporium shop windows.
And here with Navi they do it right: atmosphere driven, undisturbed immersion, a succession of show scenes telling, perhaps being the story. No silly plot devices such as 'you are taking a leisurly tourist cruise when suddenly. ..something goes terribly wrong!'. Rhodhe does not even make us go backwards for once.
And yet...
The ride feels unengaging. You don't really get into it. Not in the beauty and marvel of this world, not into any characters, not into any role playing or personal transportation. And I am not sure why.
As with most darkrides within WDW there's an understood timeline or sequence of events that unfold as we progress along. With NRJ there isn't any progression. Even with a lack of story there still should be some underlying progress. I think the lack of linear progression along with a lack of focus are to blame. There are quite a few checkboxes this darkride missed. Even the subject matter is presented in such a way that we're detached from it; foreign and unrelatable on an emotional level. There's no investment so there's little reason to be engaged.
The notion that simply taking in the splendor of it all is enough to satisfy themepark visitors is also a misstep; especially if they're intent was to set up the ride as a tour or journey. Neither of which play out as one would expect in a themepark setting.
This ride is more in-line with a tour of Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon. (And how often does one revisit the Grand Canyon?)
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networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Its pretty...AC darkness is all it has going for it. It could easily be enhanced by giving guests kazoos to buzz along with the Shaman's sound track.
Prototype82
Well-Known Member
Was just talking to a friend who finally rode this week. She couldn't believe how real the Na'vi looked in the distance. When explained the layered screen effect, she was rather impressed. I still stand behind this ride. But as said above, some lemur AAs would make a great addition. I would hate a voice over though. The first Na'vi seeing us off with the sound of animals suddenly making themselves known is a good reveal. I like the reverent quiet. I honestly think the addition of a hexapede animatronic, a lemur, and a moving contracting heliocordian plant would be solid kinetic additions. But I like how simple this ride is. But I'm a longtime El Rio fan...
sedati
Well-Known Member
Not every ride needs to end with fiber optic fireworks. Many rides just sort of peter-out. What you get on Navi River Journey is a song and some psychedelia which is pretty much how they ended the Cronkite version of Spaceship Earth, the original Universe of Energy, and World of Motion. Not as bombastic, but I feel they share the same spirit.
I don't think this is a gate-buster for anyone, but I found it both repeatable and worth a decent wait. However, Disney does strive to engage the whole family, and this has evidently failed to connect with some. I don't think at any point this was advertised or hyped up to be anything more than it is. In fact, the Shaman aspect wasn't known about until late in the game, so to me, this is more of a pleasant surprise than a letdown. Still, if the crowds do dissipate and this ride proves skippable for most, than certainly, give the people what they want.
I don't think this is a gate-buster for anyone, but I found it both repeatable and worth a decent wait. However, Disney does strive to engage the whole family, and this has evidently failed to connect with some. I don't think at any point this was advertised or hyped up to be anything more than it is. In fact, the Shaman aspect wasn't known about until late in the game, so to me, this is more of a pleasant surprise than a letdown. Still, if the crowds do dissipate and this ride proves skippable for most, than certainly, give the people what they want.
JediMasterMatt
Well-Known Member
Things I didn't know - this thread has taught me acceptability in an attraction in 2017 is determined by having a good finale with one "world class AA". I didn't realize River Journey is actually a trip back in time to 1964.
Of course, in 1964 you spent as much time with that one "world class AA" than you do for the entirety of River Journey. Abe's singing voice isn't as good though.
Can we all agree that River Journey has many problems; but, that one AA isn't one of them?
River Journey's problems are the same as FEA's ride experience - it's one of QUANTITY and not QUALITY.
Disney Parks use to excel at both.
Of course, in 1964 you spent as much time with that one "world class AA" than you do for the entirety of River Journey. Abe's singing voice isn't as good though.
Can we all agree that River Journey has many problems; but, that one AA isn't one of them?
River Journey's problems are the same as FEA's ride experience - it's one of QUANTITY and not QUALITY.
Disney Parks use to excel at both.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Na'vi River Journey and Frozen Ever After aren't comparable for me. The flaws in Na'vi River Journey are primarily length. Yes, I'd prefer a few more moving parts in the 4 1/2 minutes that's there, but as a peaceful journey down a river, it's rushed and that's the bigger issue for me.
With Frozen Ever After, the ride has a similar length but that's not my issue with it. Beyond the placement and capacity issues (which are HUGE issues), the scenes lack depth. It's a bunch of solid animatronics (although some of the projected faces look better than others) in front of screen back drops. The scenes in Na'vi River Journey utilize screens much better.
Having said that, they're both C/D tickets and some of us are holding them to an E ticket standard.
sedati
Well-Known Member
I think the two added scenes at the beginning are excellent and immersive. The rest really made me question how even while Maelstrom was being designed they thought they were going to convey much of Norway's grandeur as it's mostly a boat trough through passing through hallways. They did what they could and I see Frozen as an improvement overall (but with many issues.)
My father still talks about Maelstrom as the biggest let-down from any of his visits from the eighties and nineties. We had watched Wilfred Brimley (think it was back when Disney broadcast a Fourth of July show from the parks) show off the attraction (every guest wore ponchos) and it really made it seem epic. Regis Philbin hyped up the originally dubbed "SeaVenture" during a Christmas special. My first hearing of this attraction was in an issue of popular mechanics (sorry, cannot find even on internets) which only showed paintings of the vast environs you would be exploring and making this seem ambitious and on a scale yet unseen.
One can bemoan the addition of Frozen, but one can also bemoan the fact that we never got anything like the journey to Valhalla on the Rainbow Bridge that the Imagineers originally wanted (compete with Sherman Brothers song) but was lost due to sponsor demands and budgets. The types of disappointments criticized on this board may be wholly legitimate, but they certainly pre-date both the new millennium and the internet. We shouldn't lose sight of this anymore than we should lower the bar today.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
If only someone penned a few articles explaining the issue. It wasn't replacing Maelstrom, it was replacing Maelstrom with something that didn't fit and doing a disservice to that thing that didn't fit.
- It's The End of The World (Showcase) As We Know It
- Frozen in Norway... A Look Back Back over the Falls
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
I get what @marni1971 is saying. The AA is like the welcome scene to what should be a finale. We are clearly heading somewhere with the pilgrimage, but at the last minute we are sent to the unload area instead.
Whether that was a large scene with some sort of natural wonder or simply a ton of na'vi engaging in some religious ritual for us to glimpse. Perhaps a scene of the tree of souls before heading off the ride.
That said, I still really like the ride, it's much better than many of the mistakes Mermaid makes as a C-ticket. It's probably one of my favourite C-tickets on property and even worldwide.
Quite a few modern rides Disney has made just abruptly end. Radiator Springs Racers, PoTC, Mystic Manor and even FOP all have clear climaxes, that shouldn't be something that is limited to E-tickets.
Whether that was a large scene with some sort of natural wonder or simply a ton of na'vi engaging in some religious ritual for us to glimpse. Perhaps a scene of the tree of souls before heading off the ride.
That said, I still really like the ride, it's much better than many of the mistakes Mermaid makes as a C-ticket. It's probably one of my favourite C-tickets on property and even worldwide.
Quite a few modern rides Disney has made just abruptly end. Radiator Springs Racers, PoTC, Mystic Manor and even FOP all have clear climaxes, that shouldn't be something that is limited to E-tickets.
sedati
Well-Known Member
Oh, I'm well aware. In short, I was specifically trying to address the "lack of depth," and "screen backdrops," part of your previous comment. Maelstrom as designed didn't offer so much show scenes as show corridors.
No comparison. Imho.
What you have here is one of the Splash Mountain aligators without the rest of the showboat scene.
But I'll reiterate I found the land itself gorgeous to look at with some very clever design details.