No Love for the Timekeeper?

[MKCP 1985]

This thread is for those who will miss Timekeeper when he is dismantled after the 2004 holidays, as rumored on Kevin Page's "CoP is Going BYE BYE According to Jim Hill" thread. There does not currently seem to be much sentiment for the trusty robot. Indeed, the closing of his attraction doesn't even rate a mention in the thread title, but is contained within the same Jim Hill story referencing an impending rumored closing of both The Timekeeper and the Carousel of Progress.

Why is there no disappointment at the proposed loss of the Timekeeper? Come on, folks, we are talking the comedy of ROBIN WILLIAMS combined with the antics of a six foot AA robot! Just wait, after it closes for good and a popular Flying Saucers attraction replaces it, people will come out of the woodwork like they did with Dreamflight or If You Had Wings. **Sigh.**

Here's your chance to get on board before the fact. I will start:

The Timekeeper is the best 360 Circle Vision attraction ever presented at Walt Disney World. It is a very good show and provides a nice air conditioned break from the open sunshine spaces of Tomorrowland. The trip into the past and future is fun and well presented. I agree with those who say it is the best attraction ever to occupy that particular space since the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971.

Timekeeper isn't anyone's first stop on a trip to Walt Disney World, but when you are taking the time to fully explore all the attractions of the Magic Kingdom, it is a very worthwhile show, much more fun than the Tiki Room and the Hall of Presidents, in my opinion.

I don't see it on every trip, but every time I don't see it, I wish I had. I like to sit toward the front where I can follow both the movement of the Timekeeper and the 360 film displayed, too.

I don't FAULT Walt Disney World for replacing it with something more enticing, but I will miss it because I enjoy it.

RIP, Timekeeper. You will not be forgotten.

 

[maxime29]

I enjoy the attraction myself. I attended the shows as much as I could when I went to WDW in June-July. I find it better than the counterpart in DLP, Le Visionarium (same movie yes, but Williams makes the show more appealing IMO).

 

[NemoRocks78]

I never really noticed how good The Timekeeper was until after I last saw it on August 7th. Even during my last venture to the Magic Kingdom two weeks ago, I found myself wanting to see it one more time. It was a great, original show that was filled with heart and humor.

To the Timekeeper and Nine-Eye: you both will truly be missed. Have a great time at that big place in the sky where attractions go after they become extinct.....say hello to Mr. Toad, Chairman Clench, Dr. Femus, and Spinlok for me.

 

[mickeysaver]

When we went to WDW in September, 2002, Timekeeper wasn't open. But, when we went last year in December, it was. To me, it was a priority to see it. I did make it the first thing that we rode during our first night at WDW during MVMCP.

I loved it! I was so glad that it was open that night. I find it hard to believe that more people don't seem to want to try it. I would love to see it again. I hope that the rumors are just rumors. I would like to make it a part of our vacation next year too. Maggie

 

[TheDisneyGirl02]

I enjoyed Timekeeper when I was in FL this past August. We went on the attraction twice in a row. I think it's highly underated and a lot of fun!

TheDisneyGirl02

 

[shopgirl146]

i have never ridden Timekeeper. What is it exactly and are there any websites dedicated to it? Thanks!

 

[Coastieboy00]

Lately though, it has been a shelter for WDW Cast members and families for Hurricane Ride-Out Crews.

 

[General Grizz]

WHAT JOURNEY COULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A BRIEF MOMENT IN THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE WITH SOMEONE NAMED TREVOR? HELLO, TREVOR! TAKE CARE! WE'RE HEADING FOR THAT AQUEDUCT!

Shopgirl-- here is a LOT of info from my full review of Timekeeper. Enjoy:

Based on one of my posts from July 2003:

The Timekeeper, once known as the Transportaurium, opened to Magic Kingdom guests with New Tomorrowland in 1995.

The show features Timekeeper (Robin Williams), a nutty robot professor who invites us to test out the latest invention at the Metropolis Science Center. "He'd love to take the time to take you through time!"

We enter the 360-degree theater after viewing a short preshow about Timekeeper and his assistant, NineEye (Rhea Perlman). She's a droid who will show us what her nine eyes pick up (9 circle vision screens; one for each eye). As NineEye says, "Whatever I see, you see. See?"

Following the short preshow, which comically includes information on Timekeeper's idols, H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, we are lead to the experimental theater room. Timekeeper is up front with his giant contraptions and controls. As we load, we can hear a few of his Disney-famous jokes:

"For your safety, I've invented rails for you to lean on. I call them...lean rails. Please do not sit on the lean rails. Because...they're there to LEAN on."

*Horn Nosise*: Arroooga!
Timekeeper: I don't know why that's there except to go "Arrooooga!"

"Now, please form double rows and move to the center of the theater. DO IT! YOU'VE BEEN WAITING OUTSIDE, YOU'VE BEEN IN LINE FOR A WHILE...JUST DO IT! (Calmly) Thank you."

This is an introduction to the mad professor...(who's incidentally at the controls). Eventually, the show begins and Audio-Animatronics Timekeeper introduces his assistant.

9-Eye: We're ready to go!
Timekeeper: I'LL decide when we're ready to go! We're ready to go.

The first portion of the show involves a trip BACK in time. We lose track of 9-Eye for a moment ("Miserable piece of metal!"), but she is quickly recovered. We first go all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs via the 360 screens. Next, we go to forward to the Ice Age, "Fabulous!", where NineEye better have hot cup of anti-freeze. We are then taken to 1453, the time of the Printing Press, but Timekeeper accidentally throws NineEye into a Scottish war. "No one's wearing underwear!"

Next, we make a quick stop at the Renaissance era to see Leonardo Da Vinci, one of Timekeeper's personal heroes. "La Macchina di tempo...to go." We don't stay long, but we learn quick enough that "gravity works" when we see one of Da Vinci's attempts to fly fail.

Next, we go to Mozart's 5th Birthday Recital. The young chap is playing away with Louis XVI (with his head still on) in the background. The group spots 9-Eye - but Timekeeper must work fast before he changes history. He quickly takes NineEye to the Paris Exposition, where we see the Eifell Tower being built in "fast forward". "Isn't that a great effect?" says Timekeeper. "I planned it that way, I really did."

Then, as Timekeeper has always dreamed, he makes a stop at the Universal Exposition of Paris 1900. Why did he stop? Because two of his heroes, HG Wells (Jeremy Irons) and Jules Verne (Michel Piccoli) are about to discuss their then-seeming impossible scientific achievements.

The music starts to fade into Bruce Broughton's famous Time to Time theme in a dramatic sense as Timekeeper drools over his heroes. HG Wells has brought a Time Machine model to the 1900 Convention...which Jules Verne finds utterly impossible. HG replies, "Impossible? Why, this may be imPROBABLE, but believe me, it's NOT impossible!" (The message of the theme will carry on to inspire).

When Jules spots NineEye, things REALLY start to get out of control. Timekeeper accidentally takes Jules Verne with him...to the future! Will Jules get to see the future? Timekeeper debates: "No I can't, Yes I can, No I Can't, Yes I can, No I can't, Yes I can, No I Can't!" (But that won't stop Verne, of course).

One of the most dramatic and inspirational scenes in Disney 360 history is about to occur as a visionary is about to see the future.

Jules (excited, of course) is taken on a train (but not inside, "picky picky"), in a racecar ("Pop a wheelie!"), on a bobsled, on a helicopter ("If Ya Had Wings, I'd Let Ya Go!"), and more. "I'm flying!" Jules yells. It's up to the parkgoer to appreciate our progress and how amazing it would be to experience this in Jules's shoes. We go undersea (There goes Susanne Sommers pulled by a blender fish) and back over the countryside ("Hello, Trevor! Take care!") and into New York, New York! You can spot the World Trade Center in the background.

But what REALLY touches Jules is when he is sent to the moon. ("We have an indentified Frenchman, Houston!") - for Jules wrote "From the Earth to the Moon." His dream HAS come true. And, what seemed impossible, or improbable, is now our REALITY. This is the promise of tomorrow. The score has picked up to a point that could bring tears to the keen analyzer.

However, Jules MUST get back - there are 30 seconds until his speech at the Exposition. Just like any Disney classic, Jules gets back, but HG "can't believe what [he's] seeing" when he spots Nine Eye. HG yells, "It's IMPOSSIBLE!" And Jules replies.."Improbible...Impossible no!" Looks like the tables have turned, no?

We leave Jules and HG...and then it's OUR tour to see OUR future! But there's a twist at the end. . . looks like you'll have to check it out to find out.

Timekeeper is one of the most comical, educational, and emotional shows created by Walt Disney Imagineering. Yet, at the same time, it's hilarious! Just like any Disney classic, guests are learning (more than they think) while laughing their butts off.

No Pixar bumper car ride could ever do justice!

 

[NemoRocks78]

What a fine post there, General.

And that last photo is a "blast from the past".....I miss seeing that banner....

 

[General Grizz]

What a fine post there, General.

And that last photo is a "blast from the past".....I miss seeing that banner....

And they wonder why attendance is "bad." :lookaroun

*ahem* LAST WEEK OF ITS PERFORMANCE THIS SUMMER *ahem*

(Photos of people exiting/entering the attraction this year. . . WOW!!!)

Keep it seasonal, of course. Disney's gotta have its 3 million.

You know, such a powerful attraction could be replaced by something -- but NOT BUMPER CARS. The theme was Walt's own, recreated for the 1990s. Now it's time to recreate it for the 20th Century.

BUMPER CARS WILL NOT, I repeat, will NOT!! do this!

Tomorrowland needs to be about TOMORROW. Not Pixar. Not Stitch. That's not the focus. The focus is progress, thought, and inspiration to achieve.

Timekeeper accomplishes this, and if its replacement can further that message and be better accepted by guests, by all means should that change occur. IF THIS MEANING CANNOT be kept, do not change the attraction. (And don't close it for half 3/4 the year... goodness!)

 

[WDWScottieBoy]

Grizz I've got so much respect on your views and how you handle these issues. You deffinitely spend time getting your facts and what you're going to say together! What these boards would be without you, that's a hard thing to even think about.

(How many times did you make those poor people see "The Ring" in your pictures, they seem to be having the same problem when their picture is taken! :lol: )

 

[Mom's the word]

Another great show bites the dust. :brick: What is the point of having empty attraction buildings that sit and sit and . . . sit?? It's so depressing to walk by locations where great or funny or just plain memorable attractions used to be and not even have something wonderful to replace them. Does anyone care what non-thrill riding guests want at all? I loved Timekeeper right next to CoP, another attraction that hasn't gotten much respect from management. Thanks, General, for your great defense of and tribute to this terrific show, loved every word.

 

[shopgirl146]

Grizz- Thanks so much for the Timekeeper show description!!
Just one question, do you stand up during the whole show? Thanks again!

 

[NemoRocks78]

Grizz- Thanks so much for the Timekeeper show description!!
Just one question, do you stand up during the whole show? Thanks again!

You do stand up the entire time.....

 

[Mickeyrulz]

It's sad, really sad. After all the Timekeeper building with probably decay for years before anything is moved in.

After all the Skyway building is still vacant after about 5 years. (couldn't the so called Bumper cars go in there??)

 

[speck76]

The skyway building served 2 purposes.....both a launch platform for the skyway (which could not really be used for any other attraction) and as a major restroom for TL. The building is still in use.

Timekeeper may be the best Circlevision film ever made, but I don't think that the Circlevision format is of preference to guests anymore....I don't think that the general public have the attention span or the patience to watch a 20 minute movie while standing.

As busy as Grizz's pictures show TK to be over this summer, I saw it near-empty more than I saw it near-full. Besides, I don't think anyone would disagree that the guest-count alone of a ride should be used as the whole judgement of if that attraction is good or not. Even if many people are visiting an attraction, how what are their feelings about the ride afterwards. From what I have heard, TK is has the lowest (or some of the lowest) guest satisfaction scores in the MK.

I do think TK should be replaced....I don't know if bumper-cars are the answer, but I think something of that nature is actually a step in the right direction.

 

[GaryT977]

I will miss Timekeeper. Amazing animatronics, awesome acting ("Here comes Suzanne Summers, pulled by a blender fish"), awesome movie. If it was open when I was at WDW, I always went twice. I don't understand why it never caught on. At least I can still hear the audio at Live365 (ParkHopper Radio). Actually, they have the Alien Encounter audio too.

Dammit. Stich better be great, as well as whatever replaces Timekeeper.

 

[General Grizz]

Grizz- Thanks so much for the Timekeeper show description!!
Just one question, do you stand up during the whole show? Thanks again!

Nemo is half-correct. You have LEAN rails.

 

[mrtoad]

And they wonder why attendance is "bad." :lookaroun

*ahem* LAST WEEK OF ITS PERFORMANCE THIS SUMMER *ahem*

(Photos of people exiting/entering the attraction this year. . . WOW!!!)

Keep it seasonal, of course. Disney's gotta have its 3 million.

You know, such a powerful attraction could be replaced by something -- but NOT BUMPER CARS. The theme was Walt's own, recreated for the 1990s. Now it's time to recreate it for the 20th Century.

BUMPER CARS WILL NOT, I repeat, will NOT!! do this!

Tomorrowland needs to be about TOMORROW. Not Pixar. Not Stitch. That's not the focus. The focus is progress, thought, and inspiration to achieve.

Timekeeper accomplishes this, and if its replacement can further that message and be better accepted by guests, by all means should that change occur. IF THIS MEANING CANNOT be kept, do not change the attraction. (And don't close it for half 3/4 the year... goodness!)

Maybe they are thinking of closing it because everyone's face gets erased when they enter. :animwink:

 

[imagineer99]

Well, I think the reason that TimeKeeper (and all circlevision technology for that matter) never really caught on due to the fact that you have to stand. Let's face it, people just don't like to stand when experiencing an attraction.

When I went on it this past summer, I remember people openly complaining about having to stand.

Personally, I think the show is wonderful (however, would it have been so difficult to update the dial to read "2004" instead of "2000". )

Well, the show should be comended for its amazing animatronics and effects!