PHOTOS - First look inside 'Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid'

[Pixiedustmaker]

it doesnt make sense to me why, with all the opportunity for this ride, they didn't come up sith something better than models rotating around a base to music. I think the ride will be nice, but there was definately potential for more. You would think based on the exterior of the ride that it would be and E ticket, but instead at best its a C ticket, and that is generous.

Here's what John Lasseter told Jim Hill he told a WDI executive regarding "ridiculously low-budgets",

"Okay, are you going to take it upon yourself to stand at the exit of this ride and explain to everybody who gets off the ride why it's successful because we stayed within the ridiculously low budget? Are you? If you are, I'm good. I'm in."

I think I know what ride were talking about here, probably Mermaid and why they don't want to repeat the mistake with Carsland. Mermaid opened in June 2011. D23 was in August of 2011, a couple months later, when Lasseter made this comment.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

On most days, Mermaid hits into that perfect sweetspot where demand and capacity pretty much fall in line. There's no pre-show like Mansion that results in large groups of people (and bottlenecks). It's demand isn't Pirates at Disneyland, but it's still solid enough. The parks need rides like this with large capacities that have a "decent" payoff. That's what Mermaid is. Most of Epcot is full of these types of rides, and before 1996, everything except Body Wars fit into this category. These aren't bad attractions to have in a park, they can please more than 50% of the guests that enter a park on any given day by virtue of being an elaborate ride with a short wait.

In terms of a sweet-spot for guests, a walk-on is a positive, but Disney probably perfers at least a 10-15 minute line, time to enjoy the queue and get some of the masses off the walk-ways. For Mermaid in MK, you can bet that they want that interactive queue filled with 20-30 minute wait time lines, taking warm bodies off the walkways (and out of other lines for the popular attractions). If Mermaid is a walk-on running at 50% capacity, it won't do much to decrease the crowds at all.

Well, I would estimate that DCA's Mermaid runs on about 50% capacity, much less when I boarded the clam shell as there was nobody else in line. Haunted Mansion has a long queue, but the doombuggies practically *all* get loaded with a 30 minute wait. When HM is a walk-on, you go straight to the elevator and you go down and get on a doombuggy while some go-by empty, hence no bottle neck per se. Guests love going on HM again and again, no so much with Mermaid as it doesn't have a lot of details, and there are a lot of weird stylistic choices.

I wouldn't rate Mermaid as being on the same level of Spaceship Earth, or even the old World of Motion. It's got 3 good animatronics, and everything else they sort of went cheap-o on, especially the second-half. Maybe MK's Mermaid queue will make the difference . . . but the ride just didn't seem like it was designed very well, they just lifted some scenes from the film, plopped in some screens and duplicate fish and that was it. Technically, Enchated Storytime with Belle has the best animatronic in MK at this point.

 

[muteki]

Not a good sign when you're hyping the exterior facade over the actual substance of the ride. They could have built a plywood mural for a couple hundred bucks if they wanted to give us a nice picture backdrop.

Don't give them ideas.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It is kinda funny, maybe next they can post this behind the scenes photo of the "new" Yeti being built for Expedition Everest,

LOL, Harold looks way too different from the yeti in Everest!

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

it doesnt make sense to me why, with all the opportunity for this ride, they didn't come up sith something better than models rotating around a base to music. I think the ride will be nice, but there was definately potential for more. You would think based on the exterior of the ride that it would be and E ticket, but instead at best its a C ticket, and that is generous.

I agree.

They pretty much copied the DCA plans for Mermaid, but these plans could have been enlarged as MK's mermaid sits on the periphery of the park, they could have doubled the size of the attraction, made it something on the scale of Disneyland's Pirates. DCA's Mermaid has a "notch" cut out of the side of it where the landmark Palace of Fines Arts in San Francisco was repurposed as Mermaid's entrance in DCA. They didn't need to leave this gap in MK's Mermaid, but they did! I guess it was too expensive to get an architect to design a building suited to MK . . . kind of short-sighted in my mind.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

The parks need rides like this with large capacities that have a "decent" payoff. That's what Mermaid is.

Mermaid is better than most rides in Paradise Pier, I would agree with that, but what DCA really needs is a new themed land, like Carsland. Mermaid may shine a little bit in the run-down carny atmosphere of Paradise Pier, but its not quite up to the standards of other Disney rides, IMHO.

Of course, everybody has a different opinion of Mermaid. I was in DCA when they had the castmember previews, and some of the castmembers' reaction to the ride were pretty lukewarm.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

LOL, Harold looks way too different from the yety in Everest!

Yeah, but at least Harold moves! They could splice footage of Harold into advertisements for Expedition Everest . . .

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

it doesnt make sense to me why, with all the opportunity for this ride, they didn't come up sith something better than models rotating around a base to music. I think the ride will be nice, but there was definately potential for more. You would think based on the exterior of the ride that it would be and E ticket, but instead at best its a C ticket, and that is generous.

Indy in Disneyland has a great queue, a lot of cool props, but a relatively small "temple" seen on the outside . . . its a great surprise when you get on the ride and its this massively detailed experience! Mermaid is sort of Indy in reverse, there is this massive show-building, and then all of the tacky decorations and poorly thought out scenes on the inside.

DCA's Mermaid is pretty grandiose, similarly so for MK's Mermaid.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Mermaid is better than most rides in Paradise Pier, I would agree with that, but what DCA really needs is a new themed land, like Carsland. Mermaid may shine a little bit in the run-down carny atmosphere of Paradise Pier, but its not quite up to the standards of other Disney rides, IMHO.

Of course, everybody has a different opinion of Mermaid. I was in DCA when they had the castmember previews, and some of the castmembers' reaction to the ride were pretty lukewarm.

DCA needs to basically start over with Hollywood Land. The whole land is off IMO. Another new land wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yeah, but at least Harold moves! They could splice footage of Harold into advertisements for Expedition Everest . . .

Good point.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

DCA needs to basically start over with Hollywood Land. The whole land is off IMO. Another new land wouldn't hurt either.

Yeah, I agree.

Monsters Inc., is a nice idea for a ride, but they re-used superstar Limo's ride cars and system. Sometimes the little tv's in the ride cars don't work (20 seconds of awkward silence), and you go through the ride so slowly that it loses any magic it had, everything looks like Monsters Inc. figures salvaged from a Disney store.

But you're right, the whole land needs to be re-done. If only the Red Trolly went through Hollywood land (making a circular loop, they could turn it into a 1930's Hollywood complete with a Brown Derby. Anything than the fake sound stages . . .

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

To me, whenever she says "Let me look into it" I read it as, "Let me find out if I am allowed to answer that".

Pretty much. She might also want readers to forget the question.

Its her job to be a moderator on the site, as opposed to folks who do it for free on fan sites. At one point she said there would be minor differences on the inside of the attraction, now they are identical but the exterior is supposed to be so much better.

When Disney Seas was opened, Disney didn't want Disney fans in the US to know about it, they don't advertise it in the US much, if at all. I'm sure if there are some upgrades, they don't want DCA guests to mull over the differences and conclude that their Mermaid is inferior.

 

[danlb_2000]

That isn't exactly true, Mermaid moves about 2,000 per hour, Pirates about 3,000+, yet Pirates has 30-45 minute lines in Disneyland during the summer. HM's line is around 30+ minutes in Disneyland during the busy times, and HMH, a lot longer. Mermaid has 5-0 minute waits AND often clam shells go by empty . . . folks could ride it twice but they don't.

I know, I just rode Mermaid about two weeks ago . . . plenty of empty clam shells in the middle of the day! The thing probably operates at only 50% capacity. Next time I go to DCA I'm going to video-tape the clam shells for a bit to prove to everybody that the ride is not super popular with most guests at DLR. After RSR opened, they gave these "free' fast passes to Mermaid just to try to get people to go there. Mermaid in DCA has no fast pass.

A well-known blogger (Al Lutz) has stated that Mermaid is super popular and a much needed "people eater", but I think he needs to think of all rides added to DCA 2.0 as being a big success as the APers complained to get them, in a way. Actually, Mermaid has disappointed, they had to make changes to the ride, and it still doesn't get the lines they thought it would. The second half of Mermaid in DCA is almost "unfinished" with poorly done scenes, I won't bring up the duplicate animatronics and plastic fish, and fish mobiles with plainly visible bars, but Lasseter *really* had to argue for more funds for Carsland after they built Mermaid, the company still wants to get by with doing stuff cheaply.

The question is, what were the Mermaid lines like after the initial opening rush, but before Carsland opened? Carsland is really sucking up the people in DCA.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

The comment got through...

I didn't accuse them of shenanigans, but still kind of surprised they posted it.

We've gotten into this debate before - I like the California attraction and think it will be a stronger ride than any other Fantasyland dark ride. However, the added capacity will keep lines low after the initial rush wears off.

I really like the exterior of the MK version and I'm really looking forward to bringing my camera around New Fantasyland. I think the visuals are more enticing than the attractions themselves.

I think we have had this debate before . . . its deja vu all over again. I guess everybody's got different opinions, though I agree that MK's Mermaid is a whole lot better on the outside than in DCA. I like BoG and Seven Dwarfs coaster best in terms of FLE . . . there are some thing about MK's Mermaid queue that I don't like very much, but we haven't seen the final product yet.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yeah, I agree.

Monsters Inc., is a nice idea for a ride, but they re-used superstar Limo's ride cars and system. Sometimes the little tv's in the ride cars don't work (20 seconds of awkward silence), and you go through the ride so slowly that it loses any magic it had, everything looks like Monsters Inc. figures salvaged from a Disney store.

But you're right, the whole land needs to be re-done. If only the Red Trolly went through Hollywood land (making a circular loop, they could turn it into a 1930's Hollywood complete with a Brown Derby. Anything than the fake sound stages . . .

Goodness, Monster's is so out of place, it's not even funny. It's a cute ride, despite the televisions sometimes, but it doesn't thematically fit its location and that bothers me. It should have been put somewhere else and a correctly themed attraction should have been out in Superstar Limo's place.

Yeah, no fake sound stages, please. If we're going to be touring sound stages, they need to be the real deal. A Brown Derby sounds like a good idea. I think another reason why I don't like Hollywood Land is because I live 15-20 minutes away from the real Hollywood, so the images I get from DCA Hollywood and real Hollywood clash.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

The question is, what were the Mermaid lines like after the initial opening rush, but before Carsland opened? Carsland is really sucking up the people in DCA.

Rode RSR about two weeks ago, there was a line for getting RSR Fast-Pass that stretched around to Carthay.

A line . . . for having the privilege of waiting in an hour long Fast Pass line later in the day.

Anyway, Mermaid was a walk-on for me then. I think it is currently averaging about 5 minutes, as posted outside the ride, though the main boards often list it as being 10 minutes. More guests could ride it as a lot of the clamshells go by empty, at least when I was there.

Crowds are low in DLR, I think RSR is now only 65 minutes stand-by.

The Bottom-Line: Carsland has done little, if anything, to boost Mermaid attendance, as far as I can tell. The outside of Mermaid in DCA looks like a Barnes & Noble, and the sign is so high up that a lot of guests don't notice it, (even higher up is King Triton), . . . it doesn't have the magical feeling of Carsland or Fantasyland.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

Goodness, Monster's is so out of place, it's not even funny. It's a cute ride, despite the televisions sometimes, but it doesn't thematically fit its location and that bothers me. It should have been put somewhere else and a correctly themed attraction should have been out in Superstar Limo's place.

Yeah, no fake sound stages, please. If we're going to be touring sound stages, they need to be the real deal. A Brown Derby sounds like a good idea. I think another reason why I don't like Hollywood Land is because I live 15-20 minutes away from the real Hollywood, so the images I get from DCA Hollywood and real Hollywood clash.

Agree.

It would have to be the Hollywood of decades past. I don't get why Monsters Inc. was put in Hollywood land . . . other than they hoped that it would 'save' DCA, and that Superstar Limo was a horrible ride.

The facades for Monsters Inc. is just painted particle board or metal sheets . . . and looks 100% fake behind it. I guess this is the "Hollywood" aspect of the ride that wasn't fixed when they re-did it.

 

[danlb_2000]

Rode RSR about two weeks ago, there was a line for getting RSR Fast-Pass that stretched around to Carthay.

A line . . . for having the privilege of waiting in an hour long Fast Pass line later in the day.

Anyway, Mermaid was a walk-on for me then. I think it is currently averaging about 5 minutes, as posted outside the ride, though the main boards often list it as being 10 minutes. More guests could ride it as a lot of the clamshells go by empty, at least when I was there.

Crowds are low in DLR, I think RSR is now only 65 minutes stand-by.

The Bottom-Line: Carsland has done little, if anything, to boost Mermaid attendance, as far as I can tell. The outside of Mermaid in DCA looks like a Barnes & Noble, and the sign is so high up that a lot of guests don't notice it, (even higher up is King Triton), . . . it doesn't have the magical feeling of Carsland or Fantasyland.

Yes, I experienced those same things back when I was there in July. I was actually implying that Carsland is reducing demand for Mermaid.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Agree.

It would have to be the Hollywood of decades past. I don't get why Monsters Inc. was put in Hollywood land . . . other than they hoped that it would 'save' DCA, and that Superstar Limo was a horrible ride.

The facades for Monsters Inc. is just painted particle board or metal sheets . . . and looks 100% fake behind it. I guess this is the "Hollywood" aspect of the ride that wasn't fixed when they re-did it.

Ugh, agree. The more we talk about it, the more it bothers me. I'm going to sort of get back on track.

I like Mermaid. Sure, the ending could have been MUCH better but I just take it for what it is. As technologically advanced as it is though, I prefer the Fantasyland Five dark rides and I'd take their charm over Mermaid or Monster's any day.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

Yes, I experienced those same things back when I was there in July. I was actually implying that Carsland is reducing demand for Mermaid.

Oh, well, the hope was that Carsland would give Disney the opportunity to reintroduce guests to the rest of DCA. This was the hope/focus behind "Project Sparkle", to clean up the rest of DCA and get guests to visit the rest of this park.

Certainly, more guests are pouring through the turnstiles, . . . Carsland is about 1/3 of a day, to half a day, depending on how much you want to see and the length of lines. After leaving Carsland, the hope was that the rest of DCA would see a resurgence in attendance/turnstile clicks. Some attractions probably benefited as overall DCA attendance is up.