Orlando's LM to be "slightly longer and a lot better"

[AEfx]

Of course they can...if they want to.
I did a quick tracing of the original DCA plan showing how the last few scenes were laid out.
Note that Ursula had another major scene near the end which featured an AA Ursula being taken down. Not a cut-out, it was a full figure.
That scene was cut in favor or two smaller scenes, the very small Ursula cut-out and the married Ariel and Eric figures.

I like the old way better...but that's just me. Give Ursula her big demise scene.

Also, I was re-reading the LA Times review of the ride. The biggest complaint they had seems to have been the transitions. Fixing that with some projections or small figures would seem to be no big deal.:shrug:

Agreed! On preferring Ursula.

My guess is it had to do with keeping it "kid friendly", but while DCA has a dearth of "scared kids can ride this" rides, MK has plenty, plus it's losing SWSA. Maybe I'm naive in thinking this, but I do hope we get a nice Ursula going down scene. It's the climax of the film, and it's so glossed over in the ride.

(And yes, I do realize the double entendre in the last two sentences; not intentional, but I do see it LOL.)

 

[RSoxNo1]

I would rather have Glendale have complete creative control and have TDO run the bare minimum business management. In other words WDI should run the parks.

Can there be a proper operations and maintenance staff as well?

 

[Mansion Butler]

Can there be a proper operations and maintenance staff as well?

Hey.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would rather have Glendale have complete creative control and have TDO run the bare minimum business management. In other words WDI should run the parks.

This would actually create the opposite result you are desiring. It would tie up budgets to park performance and increase the demand for short term, quarter-to-quarter growth as that would be the means of getting financing now. That type of environment would mean less Blue Sky work being pitch, with projects instead started solely to meet an operational need.. In turn, outsourcing would only become more attractive.

 

[WDW1974]

I'd be shocked if there was any substantial changes in Mermaid. It's been quite a while since I've talked about the attraction with anyone who might know, but when last I heard they were '99% identical' ... and I can't see MK adding the missing (and very obviously so) transitions because usually that's the stuff DL gets and WDW doesn't.

Right now, I'd expect the same attraction you'll see if you visit DCA -- a C+ type of ride, certainly a nice addition, but absolutely nothing special and not the major addition Disney (and many in the fan community) has hyped.

 

[jmick71]

as lee said before the end Ursula scene was planned for DCA and would help the ride at WDW
heres a pic

Not only would it be a grate scene, it would be a good transition, and it would bring everything together

also the original final scene would be a welcomed change to WDW as well

(P.S. most of the AAs in this model were replaced with drawings)

 

[JustInTime]

as lee said before the end Ursula scene was planned for DCA and would help the ride at WDW
heres a pic

Not only would it be a grate scene, it would be a good transition, and it would bring everything together

also the original final scene would be a welcomed change to WDW as well

(P.S. most of the AAs in this model were replaced with drawings)

I REALLY hope this happens.

 

[NoChesterHester]

as lee said before the end Ursula scene was planned for DCA and would help the ride at WDW
heres a pic

Not only would it be a grate scene, it would be a good transition, and it would bring everything together

also the original final scene would be a welcomed change to WDW as well

(P.S. most of the AAs in this model were replaced with drawings)

Why was it changed? Seems better.

 

[The Duck]

Why was it changed? Seems better.

It was probably changed for the usual reason. Cost cutting. Let's hope that we get at least some of the original plan.

 

[TP2000]

Let's hope that we get at least some of the original plan.

Well, according to the official spokesmen Disney is now staffing at the construction wall artwork in Fantasyland, there are plenty of changes coming to the WDW version of the Little Mermaid ride.

As someone who has ridden the DCA version almost a dozen times in the last six months, I would think the big changes coming to the WDW version are aimed at the last quarter of the ride. I think the Mermaid ride is really cute and well done, especially the beginning to the big Kiss The Girl scene. But I could see them really changing the last two scenes, and/or adding an additional scene there in the last 90 seconds of the track. That's the weakest part of the ride, IMHO.

That's probably what the FLE official spokesmen are referring to when they mention the WDW version being "longer" and "better".

 

[danlb_2000]

I REALLY hope this happens.

Knowing our luck we will get exactly this, cardboard cutouts and all.

 

[jmick71]

Yes they did cut because of cost :brick:

 

[RSoxNo1]

Hey.

Nothing personal, but this was meant to be a slight on the size of the operations and maintenance staffs and the associated budgets. It definitely seems that it is insufficient at this point.

 

[worldfanatic]

I would think the big changes coming to the WDW version are aimed at the last quarter of the ride.

I could see them really changing the last two scenes, and/or adding an additional scene there in the last 90 seconds of the track. That's the weakest part of the ride, IMHO.

That's probably what the FLE official spokesmen are referring to when they mention the WDW version being "longer" and "better".

I think you're right TP.
After reading this thread and thinking back to my two times riding, I'm convinced changing the final portion of the ride would really do the trick.

 

[jhastings74]

I think you're right TP.
After reading this thread and thinking back to my two times riding, I'm convinced changing the final portion of the ride would really do the trick.

Perhaps the 'longer and better' might simply be referring to a larger and more full merchandise location to step out into after you exit the ride.

But I sure hope not...

 

[TP2000]

Just got home and found that Al Lutz had a big update today about Disneyland/DCA, but there's news that relates to WDW too!

It seems this spring the Little Mermaid ride at DCA will be getting a bunch of changes and upgrades to animatronics, effects, etc. and that those changes will also appear in the WDW version opening in late 2012.

With plenty of new additions and details popping up all around the Resort over the next five months, the Imagineers still have a few tricks up their sleeve for DCA. The park operations management is thrilled with the Little Mermaid ride because it consistently pulls in 2,000 riders per hour with waits of 10 minutes or less, and its high capacity often allows on more riders in a day than Toy Story Midway Mania, or even the wildly popular Star Tours across the Esplande. But the Imagineers have decided to do some artistic tweaking to the people-eating ride this spring....

The full story about Mermaid from Mr. Lutz is at the link, under the Hairstray heading... http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al011712a.htm

 

[RSoxNo1]

Just got home and found that Al Lutz had a big update today about Disneyland/DCA, but there's news that relates to WDW too!

It seems this spring the Little Mermaid ride at DCA will be getting a bunch of changes and upgrades to animatronics, effects, etc. and that those changes will also appear in the WDW version opening in late 2012.



The full story about Mermaid from Mr. Lutz is at the link, under the Hairstray heading... http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al011712a.htm

I was going to post this as well - it sounds like the ice cream cone hair cut will be changed out in California to the wavy hair that's seen elsewhere. Perhaps that's what the person that was holding court in front of the walls a few weeks ago was referring to during Chris' interview.

It looked weird, but the whole animatronic hair thing seems to be really tough to pull off. No matter what it's going to look plasticy/rubbery, it's just a matter of how much.

 

[TP2000]

Perhaps that's what the person that was holding court in front of the walls a few weeks ago was referring to during Chris' interview.

It's now been explained that the person "holding court" (great description) in front of the walls last month was not an Imagineer and not an official spokesman. http://www.everythingwdisneyworld.com/2011/12/latest-fantasyland-expansion-updates.html

Instead that kid was just an hourly ride operator shift supervisor, called a "Coordinator", offering unauthorized and unapproved information when he should have been making sure the CM's at Dumbo got their coffee break.

Luckily, via the latest report from Al Lutz on changes and upgrades coming soon to the DCA version of Mermaid, these changes will also be cloned for the WDW version of the ride late this year as well.

 

[TalkingHead]

It's now been explained that the person "holding court" (great description) in front of the walls last month was not an Imagineer and not an official spokesman. http://www.everythingwdisneyworld.com/2011/12/latest-fantasyland-expansion-updates.html

Instead that kid was just an hourly ride operator shift supervisor, called a "Coordinator", offering unauthorized and unapproved information when he should have been making sure the CM's at Dumbo got their coffee break.
Luckily, via the latest report from Al Lutz on changes and upgrades coming soon to the DCA version of Mermaid, these changes will also be cloned for the WDW version of the ride late this year as well.

Just to underscore this, a coordinator is beneath a manager in the operations hierarchy, and in fact many coordinators are regular hourly-CMs who work some days as coordinators and other days as attractions hosts.

So this is virtually the equivalent of getting information from a bus driver.

 

[Mike730]

So this is virtually the equivalent of getting information from a bus driver.

Well how's that for a thread starter... At least he's kinda right about it being better than the DCA version because of the recently announced improvements. Well... it's better than the current version

Also we can debunk the rumor that it's "already finished" inside because.....

Luckily for Imagineering there was an extra animatronic figure available that was slated to be used in the Florida version of the attraction, and they will instead send that figure to Anaheim after it receives its new look and reworked hairdo. A third version of that figure will then be created for the Florida version, based on the new look now headed to DCA.

....according to this, the animatronics (or at least that particular one) aren't in place yet. In fact, she hasn't even been created yet. (hence the bold)

But the Imagineers have decided to do some artistic tweaking to the people-eating ride this spring.

If not already obvious, it seems like the 'new' version headed for WDW will be completed well ahead of time in DCA, so we'll be able to see exactly whats in store.