Rumor New Monorails Coming Soon?

[Disone]

I'd be curious how much "pushing the envelope" WDI is actually doing. The Shaman was built by Garner Holt, for example. Disney shut down MAPO in 2012, sending that work to GH. It's unclear how much "advanced work" is being done at WDI at this point. It would be interesting to know. But, it's likely one of the reasons why you're seeing such a decline in maintenance of the existing AAs and effects. With the layoffs, those skills have left and are likely going to have to be re-learned by the next generation. I don't think we really know the extent GH plays in AA maintenance either.

If you haven't seen already, you may want to poke around on the Garner Holt website. Their work is truly amazing. And, that work is being seen outside of Disney parks.

Interesting. Go to that website. Go to "parades and live shows" and also take a look at "sets and props."

I did not realize Garner Holt had such a strong presence in the Disney parks. I knew they did some of the audioanimatronics, maybe even most of them. I did not realize they had done so many of the parade floats and show props such as the fantasmic dragon DL.

That's looking at all these amazing floats they have built. It occurs to me that, Walt Disney World is not represent it. Plenty of other Disney theme parks are strongly represented, but there seems to be a complete lack of any work for Walt Disney World.

Maybe I'm just missing it?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Like most large theme park operators they self inspect and if there is a problem outside agencies will ask for the inspection reports and investigate. The expertise is on the operator's side, the building department simply is not trained in all the strange aspects of ride construction.

In Florida, and a lot of states, ride inspection is the purview of the Department of Agriculture (due to the history of rides at fairs), not the local building department. Florida allows parks with more than 1,000 employees to hire and conduct their own inspections, but these parks must report injuries to the state which are published every quarter by the Department. As transportation, the monorail may not be something that would fall under the classification of a ride.

My point was, when RCID did the inspections, it was totally an inside, self inspection as WDW and RCID were only technically separate entities, in reality they are all working for WDW.

Building inspectors are not health inspectors. They don’t generally make recurring inspections of an occupied building.

 

[GCTales]

I'd be curious how much "pushing the envelope" WDI is actually doing. The Shaman was built by Garner Holt, for example. Disney shut down MAPO in 2012, sending that work to GH. It's unclear how much "advanced work" is being done at WDI at this point. It would be interesting to know. But, it's likely one of the reasons why you're seeing such a decline in maintenance of the existing AAs and effects. With the layoffs, those skills have left and are likely going to have to be re-learned by the next generation. I don't think we really know the extent GH plays in AA maintenance either.

If you haven't seen already, you may want to poke around on the Garner Holt website. Their work is truly amazing. And, that work is being seen outside of Disney parks.

I knew that had shifted a portion of the Animatronic design and production to GH. I did not realize how much.

I somehow missed the shutdown of MAPO, which is sad.

I was more looking at it from the point of view of inclusion of animatronics into the park as opposed to the design and production of Said animatronics. I mistakenly assumed that most were designed by WDI, even if produced outside Disney shops.

 

[Anteater]

Interesting. Go to that website. Go to "parades and live shows" and also take a look at "sets and props."

I did not realize Garner Holt had such a strong presence in the Disney parks. I knew they did some of the audioanimatronics, maybe even most of them. I did not realize they had done so many of the parade floats and show props such as the fantasmic dragon DL.

That's looking at all these amazing floats they have built. It occurs to me that, Walt Disney World is not represent it. Plenty of other Disney theme parks are strongly represented, but there seems to be a complete lack of any work for Walt Disney World.

Maybe I'm just missing it?

I'm pretty sure the Shaman is GH's. I don't know if they currently are doing AA rebuilds of WDWs stuff. IIRC, they were responsible for that work as part of the MAPO takeover.

 

[cranbiz]

at some point I’m questioning what the current group at WDI actually does.... :-/

They pick flooring materials and colors, just ask Zack.

 

[Goofyernmost]

They are still pushing the envelope with animatronics / robotics.

Granted GotG, Tron, Rattatouille, and Webslingers do not have animateonics- but some others of recent rides do.

Examples of recent new rides with animatronics:

• (Edit) RotR as the newest and latest to have both ( thank you @TrainChasers)
• shaman in Navi (touted as most advanced Animatronic Disnefocus. (A.so has screens)
• Robot spidey flying in avenger a campus
• Multiple animatronics on Frozen
• 7DMT

Disney hasn't totally Eliminated animatronics, but they are not the focus.

I am assuming that the newly rethemed Splash will have a combo of screens and animatronics.

It doesn't really matter how many envelopes they push if the public isn't impressed or paying to go see it. That is the problem. There are huge numbers of uses and demands for robotics in commerce and there is where the edge of the envelope matters, but the desire for animatronics for show/theme park entertainment is drawing to a close. Disney introduced screens in 1955 with "Mission to the Moon followed by Mission to Mars. It was primitive but still fun, but at the time animatronics were also new and fascinating. Now not so much. I would think that even the strongest supporters do not get the same degree of impression with them now like they did then. The generation coming into adulthood know have spent most of their lives staring at the small screen on their phones. Robots have been around for 50 years now and do not really impress.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It doesn't really matter how many envelopes they push if the public isn't impressed or paying to go see it.

You’ll have to let Disney know, many of the attractions they have recently opened include AA’s that the public seem to be impressed with and are paying and lining up to see.

 

[Disone]

It doesn't really matter how many envelopes they push if the public isn't impressed or paying to go see it. That is the problem. There are huge numbers of uses and demands for robotics in commerce and there is where the edge of the envelope matters, but the desire for animatronics for show/theme park entertainment is drawing to a close. Disney introduced screens in 1955 with "Mission to the Moon followed by Mission to Mars. It was primitive but still fun, but at the time animatronics were also new and fascinating. Now not so much. I would think that even the strongest supporters do not get the same degree of impression with them now like they did then. The generation coming into adulthood know have spent most of their lives staring at the small screen on their phones. Robots have been around for 50 years now and do not really impress.

Idk. I think people are still very much impressed with audio animatronics. Look at how much heat Universal studios got for building yet another screen-based attraction. They got the message. Physical environments are better than screen-based attractions.

I don't think Disney's guests are any different. I do think it's part of the reason why seven dwarfs is a popular roller coaster despite being quite honestly, not that great or roller coaster.

Also, I believe people are far more impressed with the shaman than they are with the screens of Navi River journey.

Now screens can be done right. Here's looking at you Soaring and also Flight of Passage.

And our problem with Navi River journey is that it has one fantastic audio animatronic. But one isn't enough.

There's no sense of grand show. It's that sense of amazement that comes with pirates of the Caribbean to this day. Even it's a small world. Which have very rudimentary audio animatronics but just a ton of them. Same for haunted Mansion. They last because of the physical environment and the grand scale in which they are shown. I'm not saying it has to be on that scale but one fantastic audio animatronic doesn't cut the mustard anymore.

I don't think the public has lost fascination when they're done correctly. I just think Disney has lost the motivation to do it correctly and on a scale that is more than just enough.

 

[Anteater]

It doesn't really matter how many envelopes they push if the public isn't impressed or paying to go see it. That is the problem. There are huge numbers of uses and demands for robotics in commerce and there is where the edge of the envelope matters, but the desire for animatronics for show/theme park entertainment is drawing to a close. Disney introduced screens in 1955 with "Mission to the Moon followed by Mission to Mars. It was primitive but still fun, but at the time animatronics were also new and fascinating. Now not so much. I would think that even the strongest supporters do not get the same degree of impression with them now like they did then. The generation coming into adulthood know have spent most of their lives staring at the small screen on their phones. Robots have been around for 50 years now and do not really impress.

I dunno. people seem to be pretty impressed with the Rocket AA on the ToT replacement in DLR. The Shaman is very impressive too. A lot of people remark how they love the three caballeros. And, there are others that get good attention.

But, maybe I'm listening to the wrong people. That could be too!

 

[Goofyernmost]

You’ll have to let Disney know, many of the attractions they have recently opened include AA’s that the public seem to be impressed with and are paying and lining up to see.

I'm not going to attempt to make you change your mind, but tell me one new one that they are going to that is just animatronics and that people are lining up to go to because of them. They are part of an overall scenes perhaps but no one is saying, hurry up I want to see the robots. There was a time when the main focus was on them, but not anymore and as I said. The era is quickly fading and the Animatronics will be just a small part of any attraction because Disney is not willing to create the background sets needed to make them a focal point anymore. They are more of a scene filler than the main attraction. I still like them, but if an attraction doesn't have one, it doesn't bother me because that isn't what I went to see specifically. They one time were the show, now they are part of the show and even not there in many.

Someone mentioned the uproar about Uni being all screens. Who exactly was doing that and how many of them were there. I think, in spite of being deeply involved, as a tourist, with animatronics at Disney for many years, I can easily see how much more into the story one can get by the amazing things they can do with screens than just a few robots. They will be around still for awhile, but they are no longer revolutionary or jaw dropingly impressive. They had there time and it was great, but live, technology and changes in personal experiences have also evolved.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

They are part of an overall scenes perhaps but no one is saying, hurry up I want to see the robots.

You must be older than me... I don’t ever remember people saying they want to see the robots at Disney lol.

When people say they want to see BB8 and Kylo on Rise I assume they mean they want to see the the AA’s.

 

[Disone]

Someone mentioned the uproar about Uni being all screens. Who exactly was doing that and how many of them were there. I think, in spite of being deeply involved, as a tourist, with animatronics at Disney for many years, I can easily see how much more into the story one can get by the amazing things they can do with screens than just a few robots. They will be around still for awhile, but they are no longer revolutionary or jaw dropingly impressive. They had there time and it was great, but live, technology and changes in personal experiences have also evolved.

That was me. Google " universal screen-based attractions" And that will pull up multiple articles from different websites questioning whether or not audiences have gotten tired of universals of screen-based attractions. It climaxed with the opening of fast and furious in Universal Florida which was generally panned as unsuccessful due to being just another screen-based attraction.

For Disney and its audio animatronics, my friend nobody goes to pirates of the Caribbean to see the robots. Nobody goes to splash mountain to see the robots. Nobody goes to It's a small world to see the little robotic children. Nobody rides the haunted Mansion to see robotic ghosts.

They go on these attractions because the audio animatronics are able to create a physical environment that allows the guest to truly have an experience in a time and place that is very much a physical environment. When done right no one is thinking about the robots. The audio animatronics become actors and the attraction becomes timeless. Dated? Maybe. But also timeless. Jungle cruise. Pirates of the Caribbean. The haunted mansion. It's a small world. These are the classics. They have undying popularity. Dare I say in 40 more years these will still be around, but I do wonder if Sorin will be replaced with something else. Perhaps even fly to passage will be replaced with something else. But these, these will still be around.

 

[Anteater]

I'm not going to attempt to make you change your mind, but tell me one new one that they are going to that is just animatronics and that people are lining up to go to because of them. They are part of an overall scenes perhaps but no one is saying, hurry up I want to see the robots. There was a time when the main focus was on them, but not anymore and as I said. The era is quickly fading and the Animatronics will be just a small part of any attraction because Disney is not willing to create the background sets needed to make them a focal point anymore. They are more of a scene filler than the main attraction. I still like them, but if an attraction doesn't have one, it doesn't bother me because that isn't what I went to see specifically. They one time were the show, now they are part of the show and even not there in many.

Someone mentioned the uproar about Uni being all screens. Who exactly was doing that and how many of them were there. I think, in spite of being deeply involved, as a tourist, with animatronics at Disney for many years, I can easily see how much more into the story one can get by the amazing things they can do with screens than just a few robots. They will be around still for awhile, but they are no longer revolutionary or jaw dropingly impressive. They had there time and it was great, but live, technology and changes in personal experiences have also evolved.

Lots of threads on this board discussing people being tired for screens at UOR. You may want to look at Fast&Furious and Kong screen discussion to name just two. We had to cut our last trip to UOR short because of the 3D screens on Spiderman and (I don't remember the other one). My youngest DS was that kid that barfed his stomach out into one of the gardens outside Spiderman. We never got to do F&F or Kong. He's the first on any roller coaster though. So, it was definitely the 3d effect and the screens.

There's a place for screens mixed with practical effects. I want to make it to Uni-Hollywood to do Secret Life of Pets. If the videos are anywhere close, it'll be quite a fun ride!

 

[Disone]

I'm not going to attempt to make you change your mind, but tell me one new one that they are going to that is just animatronics and that people are lining up to go to because of them. They are part of an overall scenes perhaps but no one is saying, hurry up I want to see the robots. There was a time when the main focus was on them, but not anymore and as I said. The era is quickly fading and the Animatronics will be just a small part of any attraction because Disney is not willing to create the background sets needed to make them a focal point anymore. They are more of a scene filler than the main attraction. I still like them, but if an attraction doesn't have one, it doesn't bother me because that isn't what I went to see specifically. They one time were the show, now they are part of the show and even not there in many.

I got wrapped up in the universal part of the conversation and I forgot to respond to this part.

Earlier I had mentioned Navi River journey as an example of Disney putting all their eggs in one basket. As an example, that one fantastic audiometronic does not make an attraction. No one comes off the attraction saying the screens were amazing but that audio animatronic was so-so. However, the argument could be made that without that audio Animatronic this attraction would have been generally panned by audiences. In other words, is an example of Disney doing just enough to make the attraction memorable. Not necessarily mind-blowing, but memorable. Without it, the attraction probably would have failed. And would have a very short wait time today.

 

[Anteater]

Earlier I had mentioned Navi River journey as an example of Disney putting all their eggs in one basket. As an example, that one fantastic audiometronic does not make an attraction.

Mr. Lincoln would like to speak to you!
In general, i do agree with you though!

 

[Goofyernmost]

You must be older than me... I don’t ever remember people saying they want to see the robots at Disney lol.

When people say they want to see BB8 and Kylo on Rise I assume they mean they want to see the the AA’s.

No, they went to see the Star Wars stuff and along the way they saw the AA's. No one spent that much money just to see a couple of robots, they were a good part of the total package not the draw.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

No, they went to see the Star Wars stuff and along the way they saw the AA's

So... the same as today then? Cool.

 

[Goofyernmost]

That was me. Google " universal screen-based attractions" And that will pull up multiple articles from different websites questioning whether or not audiences have gotten tired of universals of screen-based attractions. It climaxed with the opening of fast and furious in Universal Florida which was generally panned as unsuccessful due to being just another screen-based attraction.

For Disney and its audio animatronics, my friend nobody goes to pirates of the Caribbean to see the robots. Nobody goes to splash mountain to see the robots. Nobody goes to It's a small world to see the little robotic children. Nobody rides the haunted Mansion to see robotic ghosts.

They go on these attractions because the audio animatronics are able to create a physical environment that allows the guest to truly have an experience in a time and place that is very much a physical environment. When done right no one is thinking about the robots. The audio animatronics become actors and the attraction becomes timeless. Dated? Maybe. But also timeless. Jungle cruise. Pirates of the Caribbean. The haunted mansion. It's a small world. These are the classics. They have undying popularity. Dare I say in 40 more years these will still be around, but I do wonder if Sorin will be replaced with something else. Perhaps even fly to passage will be replaced with something else. But these, these will still be around.

Just like anything or anyplace else a handful of people complaining on a social platform does not a crowd make. I complained about the fact that a number of the attractions were the same story line with different characters, but never that there were to many screens. The screens at Uni are very well done and feel realistic. That is the difference.

 

[UNCgolf]

I got wrapped up in the universal part of the conversation and I forgot to respond to this part.

Earlier I had mentioned Navi River journey as an example of Disney putting all their eggs in one basket. As an example, that one fantastic audiometronic does not make an attraction. No one comes off the attraction saying the screens were amazing but that audio animatronic was so-so. However, the argument could be made that without that audio Animatronic this attraction would have been generally panned by audiences. In other words, is an example of Disney doing just enough to make the attraction memorable. Not necessarily mind-blowing, but memorable. Without it, the attraction probably would have failed. And would have a very short wait time today.

I actually think the opposite with NRJ -- it would be better received without that AA (or if it just had shorter wait times in general, but that's a separate issue).

It's a very impressive AA, but since it comes at the end of the ride, it makes people think there's more coming and it overshadows the rest of the experience. It's an immersive/transportive ride without the AA and probably makes the best use of screens of any attraction at WDW, even though it's obviously too short and would be better with more AAs.

Regardless, as for the AA/screen discussion... it's way off-topic for a monorail thread, but I think more people are impressed by physical sets and AAs than they are by screens. People get more impressive and realistic experiences at home playing a video game on a screen than they can get with screens at a theme park for the most part (with a few exceptions) -- it's the physical sets and AAs that give people an experience they can't get elsewhere.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I got wrapped up in the universal part of the conversation and I forgot to respond to this part.

Earlier I had mentioned Navi River journey as an example of Disney putting all their eggs in one basket. As an example, that one fantastic audiometronic does not make an attraction. No one comes off the attraction saying the screens were amazing but that audio animatronic was so-so. However, the argument could be made that without that audio Animatronic this attraction would have been generally panned by audiences. In other words, is an example of Disney doing just enough to make the attraction memorable. Not necessarily mind-blowing, but memorable. Without it, the attraction probably would have failed. And would have a very short wait time today.

Disney is supposed to be doing more than just enough. There are only two rides in that area, so it isn't surprising that there might be a line waiting. I understand that that particular attraction had a very good AA. What the shame is that the rest of the ride apparently sucked and the only thing that seemed good was the single AA.