News Primeval Whirl, Stitch's Great Escape and Rivers of Light permanently closed

[MrPromey]

I know that from the old imagineering guides they had. But I still feel like it wasn't the best choice. I get the homage. I still like the idea of a science based themed area in an nature animal theme park.

I think it was effective with the Hester and Chester gift shop but when everything else opened, it just overpowered the main theme. I mean, today, after passing through the Dig, that's what you see. The e-ticket ride is off to the side and largely hidden by growth* and could almost be missed by someone casually walking in.

It's actually kind of funny (not in a ha-ha way) to think that for a land devoted to dinosaurs in a park that is was focused on real, actual animals, the only part of the entire land that really does the dinos any justice is the queue for the Dinosaur ride.

Anyway, since the majority of the themed part of that land became the "tourist trap", that's effectively the face of Dinoland and similar to the way much of the original Californa Adventure didn't work, it turns out, that creating a "theme" to mimic a crappy shoddy experience that most pepole come to Disney to avoid, isn't the best of ideas.

I'm sure someone somewhere thought that being able to use a "theme" as an excuse to go cheap with attractions was a clever loophole but in the case of AK, it's the wart on Mona Lisa.

*Not to say the growth itself is the problem. It's obviously there in part to hide the massive show building the attraction itself is housed in.

 

[MrPromey]

... That was a whole lot of money that could have been used to make the Avatar boat ride longer or have more capacity!

Show of hands: Who here thinks the problem with the boat ride was that we needed more of that?

Sorry. Not trying to pick on you. I just couldn't resist - I think we are more-or-less on the same page.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

It just didn't 'draw' you in. Felt weird. Great floats though. Really cool designs.

Significant number of posters on these boards say they dislike IP, but here we had an example of Disney creating something non-IP, and this is the result.

I agree that it lacked draw, but I also think it is often tough to create draw when the audience doesn't get familiar characters.

WDW visitors usually want characters they know. People will sometimes make a few exceptions: thrill rides like coasters, stock characters like pirates, and a tiny exception for opening day/very long standing attractions like SE. But all thee exceptions still = something familiar.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Also, the general public is funny. The average person will be quick to say they don't enjoy something because of a lack of recognizable IP. But, when the attraction is good, the lack of IP does not even cross their mind.

But the opposite is also true...a mediocre ride cough*FEA*cough will have long lines if the IP is popular.

 

[JohnD]

I enjoy Animal Kingdom at night. Pandora and Expedition Everest are great at night and I like the Tree of Life. Even the safari is interesting at night, although I like it better during daylight.

AK is currently closing at 6pm even in October when I plan to go. That's still during daylight time. It's not even dusk until around 7pm then. So unless they extend the hours to even an hour past dusk, don't count on going at night any time soon.

 

[JohnD]

I'd like to see AK have a National Geographic touch applied since that channel was part of the Fox acquisition. They do a much better job of ethnographic exploration and the natural world as well as haven't to date been caught staging lemming mass suicides.

I'm kind of sad that ROL is gone, not because of the lackluster experience masquerading as a show, but the desert party which had some of the best small bites and drinks.

You make a good point. It has its own section on Disney+. NG is a perfect fit for AK.

 

[NelsonRD]

Have you ever seen the wildlife that took up residence around that lake or lived in it. Disney built it and those animals settled in....and then they destroyed it all to make that money.

It's funny how people pretend to care about the environment...but ignore everything Disney does to destroy it.
Then praise them for a meaningless and pointless gesture like a solar farm that won't power anything of substance in the parks, or getting rid of plastic straws even though Disney is no where near a VAST ocean.

Just to be clear. Are you really arguing that Disney caused irreparable damage to the environment by adding Rivers Of Light, and not continuing to support it? Would it have been okay if the show was still active? What are the metrics you are using to measure the loss of habit, and how is a 50mW power production not significant?

Talk about stepping over a dollar to pick up a penny....

 

[JohnD]

Just to be clear. Are you really arguing that Disney caused irreparable damage to the environment by adding Rivers Of Light, and not continuing to support it? Would it have been okay if the show was still active? What are the metrics you are using to measure the loss of habit, and how is a 50mW power production not significant?

Talk about stepping over a dollar to pick up a penny....

No. He's arguing that Disney added an unnatural-looking show pavilion to a large acreage of land that was already changed from its natural state and made into a theme park that looks natural.

 

[fractal]

I've actually grown to enjoy Primeval Whirl. Hopefully something better will replace.

 

[No Name]

The real sad thing here is they originally tried to avoid IP with RoL. They interpret the result as, “guests don’t want non-IP nighttime shows.”

That doesn’t explain the failure of the IP version too. Of course I have no doubt they’ll do mental gymnastics to come to whatever conclusion they’re looking for.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

AK is currently closing at 6pm even in October when I plan to go. That's still during daylight time. It's not even dusk until around 7pm then. So unless they extend the hours to even an hour past dusk, don't count on going at night any time soon.

I'm not going until November or December 2021, so hopefully they'll be back to normal hours by then (assuming it's safe to do so by then).

 

[FigmentJedi]

I think it was effective with the Hester and Chester gift shop but when everything else opened, it just overpowered the main theme. I mean, today, after passing through the Dig, that's what you see. The e-ticket ride is off to the side and largely hidden by growth* and could almost be missed by someone casually walking in.

It's actually kind of funny (not in a ha-ha way) to think that for a land devoted to dinosaurs in a park that is was focused on real, actual animals, the only part of the entire land that really does the dinos any justice is the queue for the Dinosaur ride.

Anyway, since the majority of the themed part of that land became the "tourist trap", that's effectively the face of Dinoland and similar to the way much of the original Californa Adventure didn't work, it turns out, that creating a "theme" to mimic a crappy shoddy experience that most pepole come to Disney to avoid, isn't the best of ideas.

I'm sure someone somewhere thought that being able to use a "theme" as an excuse to go cheap with attractions was a clever loophole but in the case of AK, it's the wart on Mona Lisa.

*Not to say the growth itself is the problem. It's obviously there in part to hide the massive show building the attraction itself is housed in.

Incorporating our irreverent kitschy love of dinosaurs alongside more serious scientific efforts within a land celebrating dinosaurs is actually a pretty good idea. But except for Cementosaurus, Dino-Rama is a really poor representation of the roadside attraction part of Dinosaur Americana and is more interested in Disney self mockery then anything else. Primeval Whirl's a shoddier version of the Dinosaur ride and Triceratop Spin's just a really nonsensical take on spoofing the Dumbo ride really hoping that the joke of a large flightless animal with distinctive head features being able to fly is enough.

 

[No Name]

Meanwhile money is spent changing the look of the female pirate over at PotC yet again.

Which will cost next to nothing.

 

[JohnD]

I'm not going until November or December 2021, so hopefully they'll be back to normal hours by then (assuming it's safe to do so by then).

Yeah. Right now, they only list hours through October 31. But, even for me, it's not like they haven't changed hours before.

 

[Parker in NYC]

I maybe looking too much into it, but does this mean a Dinoland retheme is coming?

No. If so, plan on 2030. Edited: Just for an announcement!

 

[rle4lunch]

Significant number of posters on these boards say they dislike IP, but here we had an example of Disney creating something non-IP, and this is the result.

I agree that it lacked draw, but I also think it is often tough to create draw when the audience doesn't get familiar characters.

WDW visitors usually want characters they know. People will sometimes make a few exceptions: thrill rides like coasters, stock characters like pirates, and a tiny exception for opening day/very long standing attractions like SE. But all thee exceptions still = something familiar.

Or it could be weak storytelling. Navi river is beautiful to look at, but what are you learning from it? Jack crap. So it's visuals are awesome, but it doesn't draw you in. And it's an IP.

As long as it's quality, it shouldn't matter if it's got someone recognizable or not.

 

[wdwmagic]

Are the midway games of Chester and Hester operating? If not, that means the spinner is the only thing open in that sub-land.

I could see them moving the spinner to somewhere else in the park with new decoration. It's cheap to operate and is one of the few rides people under a certain height can do.

Yes the spinner is the only thing operating.

 

[rle4lunch]

I maybe looking too much into it, but does this mean a Dinoland retheme is coming?

One can only hope

 

[wdwmagic]

Here is a look at Primeval Whirl today.

Cast were getting pictures in-front of the ride, although no walls yet.

Primeval Whirl overview

Primeval Whirl overview

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[JohnD]

Yes the spinner is the only thing operating.

View attachment 484308

Gotta love the social distancing stickers on the pavement -- in an area of the park no one will visit.