Seven Dwarfs mine train won't be open until 2014

[marni1971]

2 years for a Kiddy coaster. Have they no shame?

 

[Oddysey]

I've heard a lot of weird theories as to why the Mine Coaster isn't opening until 2014. The strangest one is that "it wasn't part of the original FLE plan and so because it was designed later it's taking longer to build". That makes no sense to me because it's being built right now...and it's not like engineers are rushing to finish designing the inside as the outside is being built. It's my understanding that this ride was in development for many years and was being planned for Shanghai's part and then the opportunity arose to just use the same plans and put it in WDW too. So there was no design delay of any kind...it's just that it was put into the FLE when other things were taken out but when the ground was broken for FLE the Mine Coaster was indeed part of the plans at that point.

I personally think the delay in opening this is just to keep something as a last-hurrah, cherry on the sundae, for when the FLE is completed. This also means that people going to WDW in 2013 would have to come back again in 2014 to ride the Mine Coaster. I think Disney purposefully staggers the opening of big attractions like this to give people a reason to come back again a year later, having just missed the opening of the attraction in 2013.
I really bet the Mine Coaster will open in the summer of 2014, just in time for the busy period. And then I think in 2015 we'll see some new things open in Tomorrowland and Frontierland if the rumors are true. After that, looking into the future, DHS and DAK will get some love and exciting new things too, so every year the parks can boast a new addition.

I bet the Mine Coaster could be ready before 2014 but TDO doesn't want it to be.

I agree. Give people a reason to come back once the new fantasyland has been open for nearly two years. This way the park continues to get a boost when the initial excuberence of the new fanasyland wears off.

 

[dopeylover]

I was under the impression the coaster was always set for 2014, but I could be wrong.

 

[cba]

Shoot, I'm going next year and I was under the impression that I might be able to ride the mine train. Oh well. I might have to wait up to 2015 to ride it.

 

[MKCP 1985]

That's sorta why I save my pennies these days and can say that since early 2010 I have visited every Disney resort on the planet and taken two transatlantic cruises (one with DCL) and been to UNI/IOA numerous times and spent three weeks in France and Germany and almost a week in the UK and spent 12 days in Las Vegas and spent weeks in SoCal that didn't involve DL (although I've had five 'trips' there in that time span with a sixth coming in September) and spent 10 days in North Carolina and Virginia (including my first ever visits to BGW) ... and all the while with just a 3 1/2 hour drive seperating me from WDW and with admission paid for, I have spent exactly four days there this year.

My point isn't simply that I get around and some of you can too. It's that WDW is largely a bore these days and a pricey one at that. Much better to go elsewhere.

Disagree with the bore part. Walt Disney World isn't the only place to visit no matter where anyone lives and only the most obsessed limit their excursions exclusively to WDW, but it a great getaway. My parents and sister just returned from a visit and even though they have all been too many times to keep up with, they had another great visit and enjoyed the new Dumbo attraction and the new to them details at the Haunted Mansion. They loved being able to visit Epcot on an uncrowded Sunday.

Even though you tell us you have only "spent exactly four days there this year," most people on these forums would consider that great. And very few people who found it an expensive bore would spend that much time there. Don't lose perspective.

 

[lebeau]

They sure do love their accounting spreadsheets in Orlando, don't they?

 

[menamechris]

I have a few friends who work doing engineering and project work for WDW. They have all said the same thing. Disney spends millions of dollars by changing their minds. One friend told me he attended a meeting, they solidified construction plans, workers were given their orders - then halfway through the project it was halted - because someone further up decided they wanted it done differently or had changed their minds. He said it happens all the time - and it is just one example of how Disney wastes millions of dollars.

I have another friend who works in social media for Disney. She openly admits there is no direction, goal, or mission. They have been through 5 team leaders in a couple years, and she said it doesn't look like the division is anywhere near "getting it together."

As much as I would like to blame delays, lack of creativity, and lack of exciting things on some masterplan or strategic business move on WDW's part - I think it comes down to people (on all levels) not knowing what they are doing - or what they are supposed to be doing - or what they have the authority to do.

 

[tare]

 

[bethymouse]

A guy I met last week told me that he talked to a guy who was told by a former CM at DL that the mine ride will open Augus 3rd, 2017. The hold up is they can't decide if the ride should go clockwise or counterclockwise.

You're not serious are you?

 

[bethymouse]

Well, whenever it opens, it better be darn good! LOL!

 

[TaoBoxer]

I have a few friends who work doing engineering and project work for WDW. They have all said the same thing. Disney spends millions of dollars by changing their minds. One friend told me he attended a meeting, they solidified construction plans, workers were given their orders - then halfway through the project it was halted - because someone further up decided they wanted it done differently or had changed their minds. He said it happens all the time - and it is just one example of how Disney wastes millions of dollars.

I have another friend who works in social media for Disney. She openly admits there is no direction, goal, or mission. They have been through 5 team leaders in a couple years, and she said it doesn't look like the division is anywhere near "getting it together."

As much as I would like to blame delays, lack of creativity, and lack of exciting things on some masterplan or strategic business move on WDW's part - I think it comes down to people (on all levels) not knowing what they are doing - or what they are supposed to be doing - or what they have the authority to do.

This makes sense to me. Probably why DtD has been in disarray for all this time. Let me add that, I was told there was an engineering problem with the coaster itself.It was supposed to rock back & forth as well, but designers couldn't make that work.

 

[MarkTwain]

I have a few friends who work doing engineering and project work for WDW. They have all said the same thing. Disney spends millions of dollars by changing their minds. One friend told me he attended a meeting, they solidified construction plans, workers were given their orders - then halfway through the project it was halted - because someone further up decided they wanted it done differently or had changed their minds. He said it happens all the time - and it is just one example of how Disney wastes millions of dollars.

I have another friend who works in social media for Disney. She openly admits there is no direction, goal, or mission. They have been through 5 team leaders in a couple years, and she said it doesn't look like the division is anywhere near "getting it together."

As much as I would like to blame delays, lack of creativity, and lack of exciting things on some masterplan or strategic business move on WDW's part - I think it comes down to people (on all levels) not knowing what they are doing - or what they are supposed to be doing - or what they have the authority to do.

Here's a similar explanation a former Disney employee on this site once offered. I think it explains a lot as well:

Having worked for both WDI and Universal Creative I can answer your last question. WDI is made up of several layers of management and numerous useless job slots that each have to justify their existence. UC has some of that but not nearly as much. So not only does the company (and every paying theme park customer) have to pay for these jobs but they also have to subsidize the money these useless workers spend to justify their jobs at the expense of better quality attractions.


One example off the top of my head involved a mid-level mangager that had no business getting involved in any creative decisions. He decided that the color of some rockwork was off and had several new mockups ordered, costing thousands of dollars in manhours and materials, just so he could say he chose the new colors. In the end I believe one color was changed a slight shade that perhaps .0001% of the population would be able to identify. Believe me this is just one small example of a massive problem at WDI. The meetings, lunches, expense accounts and all the manhours wasted could be reduced significantly to result in a higher quality product since that money would be redirected toward the actual attraction.

...

The problems that the foregoing lead to are evident in the final product. But the new less than talented designers are not the only problem. The senior staff in many cases do not know how to be creative when faced with a smaller budget. They can only be very creative when design challenges occur knowing that the money will be there to help. Most of them have never had to work with regional park size budgets and therefore do not think in terms of entertainment value for every dollar spent.

...

Having said all that I'd like to point out that Universal Creative has many of its own problems. In fact I'd go so far to say that if it were not for Warner Brothers and J.K. Potter would have ended up several notches below its current quality rating. Many times when something works with Universal it is an absolute accident. Most of their design and production is outsourced and UC provides very little direction in their bid packages campared to when WDI uses vendors. That is one way UC gets away with smaller budgets but it will often times lead to muddled design and inferior product. Because UC relies on outsourcing so much and because they don't have an inhouse R&D department they are limited to what they can find with companies on their rolodex. Several harmful relationships with "favorite" companies have in many cases limited them when better options were available.

This, I suspect, was the leading cause for the American Adventure costume changeup - someone trying to justify their existence in a middle management position by "fixing" a problem that wasn't there. If someone were to do that mid-project, it would certainly delay the completion of its construction by a fair amount.

 

[muteki]

Just spreading the cost out over time, I guess.

They could get it done in a couple years, but rather pay for a little here, a little there.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I believe there are insufficient amounts of pixy dust and magic available currently, and owing to problems in the Chinese economy and scale backs in production the amounts required to meet the necessary levels to off set Potterism like expectations on a kiddy ride, part of the problem being Far Eastern manufactured pixy dust is not as strong.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I believe there are insufficient amounts of pixy dust and magic available currently, and owing to problems in the Chinese economy and scale backs in production the amounts required to meet the necessary levels to off set Potterism like expectations on a kiddy ride, part of the problem being Far Eastern manufactured pixy dust is not as strong.

Is that why I dont get the same high as before?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Is that why I dont get the same high as before?

No thats to do with the reduced additives in the turkey legs

 

[Jane Whalebones]

Its all good with me since my next visit will be 2014!

 

[Hakunamatata]

No thats to do with the reduced additives in the turkey legs

So you are saying, Disney is getting so cheap they are taking the additives out of their turkey legs? Thats it, im not going back until I go back next.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

part of the problem being Far Eastern manufactured pixy dust is not as strong.

I'm sure the lead content doesn't help either.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

So you are saying, Disney is getting so cheap they are taking the additives out of their turkey legs? Thats it, im not going back until I go back next.

Theyre so cheap that they are substituting turkey with gulls. I think they are supplied by Walmart.