Real story behind the LS Sea Cabs closing?

[KevinPage]

I always hear people say this was a "budget cut" but I don't see how that is saving them mucy money at all.

Are they simply redesigning or redoing the cabs? And is it going on 1 year that they have been closed?

Thanks


Kevin Page

 

[mkt]

by not operating them, they save the money of paying the cast to operate them, thus, VOILA! budget cut

 

[RobFL]

Also, they don't pay maitenance to work on them, though it is said they must turn it on and run it every so often, otherwise the steel wheels would develope flat spots from sitting there.

-Rob

 

[Lord Alfred]

What I always wanted to know is:

Why do some of the "Hydrolators" that you ride to the base have the windows with the faux rock wall going by, and some of them have blank panels in that area. They've always been that way since I visited Epcot the first time in the 80's, so I doubt it's a maintenance issue. Why not design them all the same way?

As far as the seacabs are concerned: Any ride is better than no ride, regardless of how short or pointless it is, BUT The SeaCabs would have been a lot more interesting if there had been more to them than a trip of a few yards. It always seemed like a half-baked waste of money to me.

 

[Monorail Lime]

The Seacabs are supposed to help balance guest load and keep guests from staying in any one area too long. First guests wait in the "artifacts" queue, then stand in the movie theater, then descend to Seabase Alpha via Hydrolator, and lastly ride the SeaCabs before entering Seabase Alpha proper. Though you've been "in line" for upwards of 30 minutes you feel like you've already done a lot by the time you get to the main attraction.

If the crowds at the Living Seas were large this multi-stage queue system would prevent long lines from building up and let the guests enter the Seabase in small bursts rather than a continuous flow. Unfortunately the crowds at the Living Seas are nowhere close to what it was designed for so the Seacabs could be removed without affecting the flow of the attraction.

 

[AdLibSean]

What exactly did you see when you rode the sea cabs? I forget- is it still there, any plans to maybe open it back up?

 

[Rider]

Originally posted by Lord Alfred
What I always wanted to know is:

Why do some of the "Hydrolators" that you ride to the base have the windows with the faux rock wall going by, and some of them have blank panels in that area. They've always been that way since I visited Epcot the first time in the 80's, so I doubt it's a maintenance issue. Why not design them all the same way?

As far as the seacabs are concerned: Any ride is better than no ride, regardless of how short or pointless it is, BUT The SeaCabs would have been a lot more interesting if there had been more to them than a trip of a few yards. It always seemed like a half-baked waste of money to me.

Only the "down" ones have the rock walls.

The "up" ones never did.

 

[Main Street USA]

Basically, you rode the seacabs beneath and around the tanks. Pretty cool short little ride. I always wished it were longer.

 

[brian_gaudio]

When I was there in July a CM said that the Sea Cabs were Being revamped to be longer and that they were refurbishing them. The manatees are to come back soon too.

 

[Lord Alfred]

Originally posted by Rider
Only the "down" ones have the rock walls.

The "up" ones never did.

First - Why? Why get cheap on the way out? Might as well have them on both "up" and "down". Much better "show".

Secondly - Not all the "down" elevators have the rock wall. I know at least one of them does not.

 

[RobFL]

Because the effect doesn't work the same way backwards...

And as far as I know, all the down ones have rock walls.

-Rob

 

[kaos]

the manatee's were only there temporarily while they were being nursed back to be released into the wild. They were always presented that way.

Hydrolators-
"Down" has the rock walls.. All are identical.

"Up" does not, and it is due, as mentioned before, to the fact that the effect only works one way.

Sea Cabs-
How would they be made longer??? The aquarium is only so big...

 

[DisneyFreak721]

Well, dont the "Up" hydrolators have that little dome roof with the lightbulb and projected water effect to make it seem like you are going up, and the light bulb gets brighter, and the water gets wavier as if you were getting to the surface? I think I have this on tape somewhere.

 

[bgraham34]

Speaking of the hydrolaters. I was in one this past Jan. And a family was in there saying oh this is so fake and cheasy. We are not going anywhere. And another family got upset cause there daughter was crying because it was fake.

Some people just need an A*s whooping.

 

[thedisneyfan]

When I visited in May a CM at LS said that the seacab area was being redesigned as a walkthrough! This makes much more sense because it never really made sense to sit down and get all settled into the seacab and turnaround and get back up and get out two seconds later. In addition, its much better for the guests to take their time and get a better view of all the fish enveloping you as you walk around where the seacabs are (hopefully were) located. Hey it can be a budget cut and save money as long as it 1.makes sense and 2.makes the guests enjoyment much better!