No more tour guide on Living with the Land?

[lnsemsf]

From Screamscape: An insider tells us that the tour guides from the Living With the Land boat ride were informed this week that a new prerecorded system would be installed by September and they would no longer need to have guides on the boats any longer.

Anybody heard about this? I always for some reason really enjoy this ride (even though it's literally as exciting as watching grass grow) and I think the tour guide's narration really adds a lot to the ride. If this is replaced, is it going to be updated every time a plant is moved or added? I have to say I'm officially against this and it seems like just another cost cutting measure that will lower the overall presentation of the attraction. Anybody know if this is in fact true?

 

[peter11435]

Personally I think it would be a great idea. The last few tour guides I have had on LwtL left a lot to be desired. If it was pre-recorded at least the spiel would always be done properly.

 

[MickeyMan101]

yeah but then you have the chance of losers running out the boat etc... plus i like a little dry humor...

 

[Number_6]

1. Remember the source: Screamscape is the kind of place that the National Enquirer tends to doubt most of the time.

2. It would be unfortunate, seeing as for every bad performance by a tour guide, there tend to also be some inspired ones. I even had a guide that pulled the Strong Bad boat skipper routine: http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail104.html

 

[Magicot]

What's next, a pre-recorded Jungle Cruise tour!? :hammer:


In all honesty, the last LwtL tour guide that I had was dreadful.
(In a dull and uninteresting voice)>"And up here....we have my favorite part of the tour.....wintermelons....." :snore:

I love this attraction and it deserves the best speil every time. If a pre-recorded speil is the answer, why not?

 

[epcotfan]

Personally I think it would be a great idea. The last few tour guides I have had on LwtL left a lot to be desired. If it was pre-recorded at least the spiel would always be done properly.

I sadly have to agree. I've had a couple of guides that sounded like they had the life sucked out of them. I almost wanted to buy the guy a cappucino after I got off one tour. Some mumble and if the speakersn aren't in tip top shape it can be difficult to understand, especially if English is not your first language.

Personally I would like the current narrator for the entire ride.

 

[kcnole]

My wife and I still laugh at how horrible the tour guide we had on lwtl was. It was some chick in the most monotone voice with the worse nervous twitch hand motions I'd ever seen. I hated it. I really wish they'd do something better with this ride though because it is horribly boring.

 

[peter11435]

yeah but then you have the chance of losers running out the boat etc...

No more so than on any other ride including LwtL the way it is.

 

[8<:-)]

Just a rumor... though I believe there has been discussions.....:lookaroun
Sure anything is possible I just wouldn't worry right now about it.

-Thedisneycast

 

[maelstrom]

This would be unfortunate, if true. I really enjoy Living with the Land. I have come across a few enthusiastic tour guides and they make me happy. It's secretly one of the jobs I wouldn't mind having at WDW.

 

[JET12monorail]

Just a thought--Maybe the reason that they would add a pre-recorded speil is due to the fact that the guides are boring. They've had almost 24 years of opportunity to do it the way disney wants it done. Maybe the execs are tired of telling them to do it a certain way. Maybe the execs are telling them this to get them to do their jobs. Just a thought!

 

[PlaneJane]

I had a tour guide that did a pretty bad Stitch impression at the end. I've heard worst, but this wasn't good. I do the best....

 

[Buford]

Oh no.....I hope this isn't true.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Just a thought--Maybe the reason that they would add a pre-recorded speil is due to the fact that the guides are boring. They've had almost 24 years of opportunity to do it the way disney wants it done. Maybe the execs are tired of telling them to do it a certain way. Maybe the execs are telling them this to get them to do their jobs. Just a thought!

Actually, not really at all. The pre-recorded spiel concept has been around since about 2001. That was when they went to a fully scripted spiel. When the attraction opened, the guides were given a script but could also deviate and present additional information. That gave them ownership, and, in my opinion, made for a better attraction. However, when I was a CPer, we actually had to listen and report any guide that went off script at all. We even had a quota. It was terrible, IMHO. At that time, the decision was being seriously considered whether to go with a fully automated spiel.

I personally think it is a bad idea. However, I think it is a better idea to do this than have a fully scripted live guide. If you are going to have a person there, have a reason to have a brain at the helm.

 

[TTATraveler]

Would they have to modify the boats to keep someone from jumping out. With the tour guide now, at least they can keep an eye on things. I don't think it would be a horrible thing to go to an automated speech given that some guides are less then enthusiastic and hard to understand.

 

[Kwit35]

What's next, a pre-recorded Jungle Cruise tour!? :hammer:

Wasn't the original ride pre recorded? I have the audio on my ipod.

I hope they don't go through with this, I love the spiel, dry, funny, boring...There is just something about listening to them that makes the ride what it is. I love the echo when you go through certain areas.

 

[unkadug]

Here's an idea-Give this job to people who really want to do this job, instead of sticking whatever cast member is available there.

 

[Sledge]

Would they have to modify the boats to keep someone from jumping out. With the tour guide now, at least they can keep an eye on things. I don't think it would be a horrible thing to go to an automated speech given that some guides are less then enthusiastic and hard to understand.

You can just as easily jump out of iasw, PotC, or SM. They could easily put in video cameras (assuming they don't have some already).

 

[Slowjack]

Personally, I'd be in favor of pre-recorded if it meant there were more boats out. Last time I was there it seemed an eternity passed between boat arrivals at the station. It's like they reduced the number of boats just to make a reason for Fastpass.

 

[imagineer boy]

I think I'd like this. Personally, I always wondered why they never had pre-recorded spiels in the first place. It'd be like going through Maelstrom with a live guide on board.