Pet Peeve: Mis-using the term "ride"

[ChrisFL]

Anyone else feel like the term "ride" gets thrown around too often for attractions where you don't GO anywhere?

I've seen things like Stitch Encounter/Alien Encounter, even Philharmagic being referred to as a ride even though it's really just a show.

Therefore, Carousel of Progress, though mostly a show, does have ride elements, so I think it fits both definitions.

I think it's laziness, instead of calling it an attraction, (which I believe is the preferred term for Disney officially) people call them "rides" as a general term but it bothers me as there's a lot of shows that have nothing to do with "riding" anything.

If you don't go anywhere or have a simulation of going somewhere, then it's considered IMO to be a show. Star Tours, Soarin', Flight of Passage are rides because you're having the effect of going somewhere and the seats move.

The really freaky part though that I really JUST thought of..... is if I think about the original Mission to Mars attraction, you're supposed to be simulating riding on a trip to Mars, though it's technically the same exact building and layout of the Alien/Stitch Encounter. The way it's presented is that it is a ride, though I don't know if they had other effects like seats vibrating to simulate motion.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Chef Mickey]

It's annoying, but not as bad as people just making up their own names for some of the best attractions ever.

"Let's go on the Haunted House and after that we'll hit that Pirate Boat Ride Thing."

 

[ChrisFL]

It's annoying, but not as bad as people just making up their own names for some of the best attractions ever.

"Let's go on the Haunted House and after that we'll ride that Pirate Boat Ride Thing."

You forgot getting a test pass for fast track

 

[Just4Pics]

Therefore, Carousel of Progress, though mostly a show, does have ride elements, so I think it fits both definitions.

Here's a question: Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, ride or show?

 

[cdd89]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, but I would take it a step further - I think the word 'ride' shouldn't be used at all in the context of any Disney attraction. A ride implies a thrill or motion based experience where the movement is the only (or primary) part of the experience - that only applies to a very small minority of attractions at WDW.

DINOSAUR, for example, may involve a 'ride' of sorts, but that is supplamentary (and I would argue secondary) to the experience of the show scenes themselves.

I know Disney themselves have used the term, but that doesn't make it right, especially as the gulf between 'Tier 1' parks (Disney, Universal, etc) and Six Flags etc continues to widen. I get the impression a significant percentage of the general public don't really undersatnd the difference between a Disney theme park and a Six Flags, other than that Disney 'has better rides' and 'more stuff to look at', and without wanting to sound elitist about it, there's an awful lot more to it than that. Using the term 'ride' interchangeably further contributes to that preconception.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Here's a question: Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, ride or show?

Mediocre air conditioned theater that lost all aspect of what the theater was meant for.. I'm one of those people who think they should have Brought back HISTA...But, that is me..

 

[Minthorne]

Meh, if you know what the person means why let it bother you? Now I'm going to ride Philharmagic!

 

[drizgirl]

Meh, if you know what the person means why let it bother you? Now I'm going to ride Philharmagic!

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I don't really care. Doesn't bother me.

 

[graphite1326]

Really? This is a discussion.

 

[larryz]

Really? This is a discussion.

An oldie, but a goodie, and it seems particularly appropriate this morning...

 

[castlecake2.0]

I just remember in our training we were told that we have "guests that experience our attractions" not customers that ride rides.

 

[ChrisFL]

Well for those who think this isn't a valid discussion, I do think it would be important for families with children who want to know which attractions are just shows vs. rides, in case there's certain types of rides they don't want to go on.

 

[21stamps]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, but I would take it a step further - I think the word 'ride' shouldn't be used at all in the context of any Disney attraction. A ride implies a thrill or motion based experience where the movement is the only (or primary) part of the experience - that only applies to a very small minority of attractions at WDW.

DINOSAUR, for example, may involve a 'ride' of sorts, but that is supplamentary (and I would argue secondary) to the experience of the show scenes themselves.

I know Disney themselves have used the term, but that doesn't make it right, especially as the gulf between 'Tier 1' parks (Disney, Universal, etc) and Six Flags etc continues to widen. I get the impression a significant percentage of the general public don't really undersatnd the difference between a Disney theme park and a Six Flags, other than that Disney 'has better rides' and 'more stuff to look at', and without wanting to sound elitist about it, there's an awful lot more to it than that. Using the term 'ride' interchangeably further contributes to that preconception.

A ride is still a ride, even if it's themed.

I don't think that most people feel Disney has "better rides" than major amusement parks, I'd say the opposite. People go to Disney because it's a different experience.

 

[danyoung56]

I've seen discussions over the years where people have stated that there is only one ride in the Disney parks - Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, I guess because the word "ride" is in the title. Everything else is an "attraction". I don't go that far, but I would never call The American Adventure or The Hall of Presidents or Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor rides. I don't let it bother me, but I tend to agree that a ride needs to have a moving component.

 

[King Panda 77]

Maybe if you used the terms
" ride an attraction "
And
" watch a show"

 

[Minnie Mum]

DINOSAUR, for example, may involve a 'ride' of sorts, but that is supplamentary (and I would argue secondary) to the experience of the show scenes themselves.

If DINOSAUR isn't a ride, I'll eat my hat. I think you're confusing it with EEA. Which (to me) falls in the same category as COP; a hybrid ride/show.

People seem to be getting their shorts in a knot over semantics, falling firmly within the definition of a first world problem. Someone else calling an attraction a ride or a show isn't going to change my level of enjoyment of that attraction.

And what about those offerings that are neither ride nor show? Tom Sawyers Island. The Boneyard. SOTMK. Wilderness explorers. What kind of angst and teeth gnashing can we unleash by trying to categorize these?

 

[NEmickeyfan]

You can hardly walk 10 feet at WDW without hearing someone say wacky things. You hear people call things by the wrong names or state goofy "facts" all the time.. (I once learned from a guest that Cinderella castle was made of styrofoam!! ... lol) Some of it used to bother me, but I have learned to make it part of the experience. I hear it, make a mental note, chuckle and move on. On the list of things that bother me at WDW... this one is not on it.

 

[Incomudro]

If DINOSAUR isn't a ride, I'll eat my hat. I think you're confusing it with EEA. Which (to me) falls in the same category as COP; a hybrid ride/show.

People seem to be getting their shorts in a knot over semantics, falling firmly within the definition of a first world problem. Someone else calling an attraction a ride or a show isn't going to change my level of enjoyment of that attraction.

And what about those offerings that are neither ride nor show? Tom Sawyers Island. The Boneyard. SOTMK. Wilderness explorers. What kind of angst and teeth gnashing can we unleash by trying to categorize these?

Yes, I can't see how getting into a ride vehicle that travels around and through show scenes doesn't constitute a ride?

 

[epcotisbest]

I logged on specifically to declare myself firmly in the "don't care" category and was going to explain why. But, while typing this reply I realized I don't care enough to even go into why I don't care.