On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[Mat Cauthon]

Works for Soarin’

The next step in screen and physical set integrated rides would be The Volume technology they used to film much of The Mandalorian. The cost of such a ride would probably be beyond anything Disney has built so far but realistic immersion would be stupid good.

 

[UNCgolf]

Frozen Ever After > NRJ
Little Mermaid > NRJ
Alien Swirling Saucers > NRJ

NRJ is the only ride that I actually wanted to ask the attractions host at the exit for my 3 minutes of my life back - and I had a Fastpass and walked right on. It is an embarrassing joke and everyone at WDI associated with it should be fired. If there ever was an attraction that shows modern WDI's complete lack of storytelling and pacing is NRJ. Literally one and done - forever.

That's insane to me. NRJ is 1000x better than all three of the rides you mentioned; I honestly can't understand how anyone would like any of them more other than pure IP love.

It absolutely suffers from a lack of storytelling and pacing. That's one of the many things that could be improved about it. But it at least actually transports you to another place and is full of interesting details; you can look around that ride and not immediately tell you're in a mostly empty warehouse like you can on Little Mermaid and FEA (both of which also have horrible pacing and storytelling). It's basically half of a really good ride whereas FEA and Little Mermaid are maybe 5% of a really good ride (FEA moreso than Little Mermaid; Little Mermaid has almost no redeeming qualities whatsoever).

Little Mermaid is a contender for the worst ride Disney has ever built; NRJ shouldn't even be in that conversation despite its flaws.

 

[Mac Tonight]

I haven't been on Rise or MMRR either, actually. But they certainly look like quality attractions in videos. I couldn't care less about Avatar (never even seen it) but I have been on and enjoyed both rides in Pandora.

I agree that it's not like it used to be (I don't think there's a Tony Baxter anywhere there now), but I'm not sure how much of that is WDI's fault and how much of it is management's fault. The type of things they're accomplishing in Tokyo makes me think more of the blame should fall on US management.

Virtually nothing about Avatar excites me either... and I can almost guarantee that I'd get motion sick riding FoP.

I think you're right though in that US management should shoulder most of the blame. I'm not trying to go down an "everything is based on an IP" rabbit trail... but well, you know. If the shoe fits...

 

[UNCgolf]

Ah yes, when you love it, WDI did it. When it sucks, management's fault.

Who did the design work for the exterior of Guardians' tower at DCA and the engineering for Rocket Rods? Oh, yeah, management. That's right.

Uh, no? I didn't say anything remotely close to that.

WDI designed Little Mermaid, which is a dumpster fire. I'm very sure management didn't come in and tell them they had to make everything look as cheap as possible.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Is it the same tech? That's why I was asking; literally didn't know. I'm fine with being wrong! Sounds like they would have just needed a new movie to play on the screen rather than having any need to replace the screen itself.

The projectors were changed to a digital array in preparation for Soarin’ Around the World, but Soarin’ Over California was originally a 75mm IMAX film.

 

[UNCgolf]

Virtually nothing about Avatar excites me either... and I can almost guarantee that I'd get motion sick riding FoP.

I think you're right though in that US management should shoulder most of the blame. I'm not trying to go down an "everything is based on an IP" rabbit trail... but well, you know. If the shoe fits...

You may not! I was very concerned about that too but was totally fine on Flight of Passage. For comparison, I will never ever ride Forbidden Journey again because it made me sick for over an hour, and the last time I rode Expedition Everest it gave me horrible motion sickness too.

 

[Mac Tonight]

You may not! I was very concerned about that too but was totally fine on Flight of Passage. For comparison, I will never ever ride Forbidden Journey again because it made me sick for over an hour, and the last time I rode Expedition Everest it gave me horrible motion sickness too.

See... that's strange since I didn't get sick on Everest (and we had the last seats in the train). Haven't ridden Forbidden Journey yet. When it's mostly shaking and turbulent, I'm OK. But when it's screen-based motion... blech.

I also can't go upside down. CA Screamin' nearly ruined my entire day once. Never again.

 

[UNCgolf]

See... that's strange since I didn't get sick on Everest (and we had the last seats in the train). Haven't ridden Forbidden Journey yet. When it's mostly shaking and turbulent, I'm OK. But when it's screen-based motion... blech.

I also can't go upside down. CA Screamin' nearly ruined my entire day once. Never again.

I've been on Everest before without getting sick, but on my most recent trip the backwards portion just killed me.

I'd recommend not riding Forbidden Journey if screens are your concern. It's a combination of shaking, turbulence, AND screen-based motion. There are really steep simulated screen-based dives. I got horribly sick on it -- my GF didn't get sick, but her neck hurt the next couple of days because of how much it tosses you around.

I also don't go upside down.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You may not! I was very concerned about that too but was totally fine on Flight of Passage. For comparison, I will never ever ride Forbidden Journey again because it made me sick for over an hour, and the last time I rode Expedition Everest it gave me horrible motion sickness too.

See... that's strange since I didn't get sick on Everest (and we had the last seats in the train). Haven't ridden Forbidden Journey yet. When it's mostly shaking and turbulent, I'm OK. But when it's screen-based motion... blech.

I also can't go upside down. CA Screamin' nearly ruined my entire day once. Never again.

This is why I enjoy meclizine, a miracle from molecules!

 

[Mac Tonight]

This is why I enjoy meclizine, a miracle from molecules!

I'm more of a Bonine or Dramamine guy myself... but I pretty much reserve those for air-travel.

 

[UNCgolf]

Rode all of those with a group of friends and family - even on Alien Saucers everyone laughed and had a good time and yet they all had the collective "WTH?" look on their face after the disaster of NRJ. How anybody can defend that attraction is beyond me, but it goes to show why WDI's bar is so epically low these days as customers will suck up the slop.

I wish we had access to the exact budget that was wasted on NRJ - would love to see how it ranks, inflation adjusted, with all the rides in Disney history. Thinking it does not fare well....

You're talking about sucking up slop while defending Frozen Ever After, Little Mermaid, and Alien Swirling Saucers.

Your position is much worse than mine in terms of taking whatever WDI gives you.

The other difference between me and you is that while I think all of those rides are horrible, I don't begrudge someone else for enjoying it. If someone can have a good time on Little Mermaid, then great! I'm glad. It certainly doesn't make them some type of sycophant like you're suggesting (otherwise, you'd be example A of what you claim to hate).

 

[UNCgolf]

Rode all of those with a group of friends and family - even on Alien Saucers everyone laughed and had a good time and yet they all had the collective "WTH?" look on their face after the disaster of NRJ. How anybody can defend that attraction is beyond me, but it goes to show why WDI's bar is so epically low these days as customers will suck up the slop.

I wish we had access to the exact budget that was wasted on NRJ - would love to see how it ranks, inflation adjusted, with all the rides in Disney history. Thinking it does not fare well....

Also, the second part of your post is hilariously ironic considering you've been defending Little Mermaid, which apparently cost roughly $150 million to produce one of the cheapest looking (and worst) attractions in Disney history. NRJ likely cost significantly less, but even if it cost $200 million it would be money well spent compared to Little Mermaid.

 

[UNCgolf]

This is why I enjoy meclizine, a miracle from molecules!

Doesn't work for me. I took some on both the Forbidden Journey day and the Expedition Everest day.

I'm going to try Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) next time, because it's worked for me before. Was hoping the non-drowsy meclizine would do the trick but no such luck.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

Rode all of those with a group of friends and family - even on Alien Saucers everyone laughed and had a good time and yet they all had the collective "WTH?" look on their face after the disaster of NRJ. How anybody can defend that attraction is beyond me, but it goes to show why WDI's bar is so epically low these days as customers will suck up the slop.

I wish we had access to the exact budget that was wasted on NRJ - would love to see how it ranks, inflation adjusted, with all the rides in Disney history. Thinking it does not fare well....

I get what you are saying.. not the best ride ever made. But to use those 3 , you sort of lose the point you are trying to make. Alien saucers is brutal. Little Mermaid is a huge waste of space with really nothing cohesive story at all. Frozen is what it is I guess. One great AA and that’s about it. At least Navi has a great AA when working.. some different things to look at. Way to short. Still, much better then those 3.

 

[UNCgolf]

I get what you are saying.. not the best ride ever made. But to use those 3 , you sort of lose the point you are trying to make. Alien saucers is brutal. Little Mermaid is a huge waste of space with really nothing cohesive story at all. Frozen is what it is I guess. One great AA and that’s about it. At least Navi has a great AA when working.. sone different things to look at. Way to short. Still, much better then those 3.

Exactly. I'm not claiming NRJ is a masterpiece; there are numerous issues with the ride. However, it's still a solid C ticket ride that fits well into Pandora and enhances the experience there, despite the fact that it could (and should) be better. Again, at the very least it actually transports you to an alien rain forest, instead of very obviously taking place in a warehouse.

The lines are absolutely far too long and it's not worth waiting an hour or longer, and having to choose between it and FoP for a FastPass is ridiculous, but there are far worse rides at Disney. I've said it here many times, but I think the lines are a significant part of the problem -- people are expecting an E ticket when they wait that long (or when it's grouped into the same FP tier as FoP). If it had more reasonable wait times, people would be far more willing to overlook the clear flaws and enjoy what it actually does well.

 

[_caleb]

I kinda feel like the X-Men just aren't a good fit for the moment.
Heroes are in vogue right now. But the X-Men's whole schtick is that they look like heroes, but they're actually victims. And while the comic addresses a lot of social issues that are very relevant at the moment, it tends to do so in a very hamfisted way that was meant to appeal to (or was written by) folks that had never thought too critically about that kinda thing before.

For better or worse, most of what originally made the X-Men unique has been synthesized by the rest of the industry. And they absorbed it without sacrificing the stuff that made earlier comics great. Modern comics, and comic movies especially, have learned to combine the complex, conflicted heroes with popcorn spectacle in a way that the X-Men never managed.

I agree. I think for tying X-Men into the MCU for today’s audience, they should focus on a young cast and really lean into the coming-of-age stories that go with young mutants discovering their powers and learning to use them and then learning to function in the world against evil. They sort of do this with Spider-Man, and it works really well. Can’t do that with Avengers of F4, they all get their powers as adults through radiation, aliens, or super-soldier serums.

 

[Touchdown]

NRJ is a fantastic 2/3rds of a ride, I feel like I’m on Pandora and the rising action of the Navi marching through give me a feeling something is about to happen. The Shamen is incredible and I remember thinking on my first ride, ok we are now going to float through a Navi ceremony with everyone chanting (like in the movie when they try to save Segorney Weaver) but nope, we round a corner and there’s the exit platform. I purpose this rides new name to be Navi Anticipointment Journey.

 

[J4546]

maybe they will go through with that jungle book ride in animal kingdom some day....sounded pretty sick

 

[bcoachable]

You’re telling me.

Best park character ever by miles.

My kids got a kitten - ironically just before lockdowns - named him after this favorite

We named our Rumba after the current version of him- for er ehh uhh reasons...

 

[UNCgolf]

Curious - what's an appropriate budget for WDI to create a "C ticket ride"? Considering other "C ticket rides" that "enhance the experience" include Mad Tea Party, Dumbo, Alice, Swirling Saucers, etc. I'd be interested in your take on how WDI spent all that money to create a "C ticket ride". What a bargain.

NRJ is leaps and bounds better than rides like Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, and Alien Swirling Saucers, so your comparison is nonsensical. Beyond that, what money? No one has said how much money they spent on NRJ.

Furthermore, you're conveniently ignoring the huge amounts of money Disney spent on the disastrous Little Mermaid ride. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make, and I'm pretty sure you don't either.