Snow White to Close Thursday, May 31

[Lokheed]

If anyone is interested, I just posted this retrospective to my personal blog:

Snow Whites Scary Adventures - A Retrospective

It has links to the four part series about my son, as well as ride through videos of the original MK version, as well as ride through videos of all four currently operating versions.

In other news, again if anyone is interested, KenNetti (of KenNetti's Snow White's Scary Adventures - The Tribute) has actually flown here from Finland and is there in the park today, and will be there again tomorrow right up until closing. He'll be the guy lurking around that speaks broken English with a Finnish accent.

 

[marni1971]

Just a note to say I've produced a video of the original and current versions, for release in the next week or so. The current version has been fully covered from multiple angles with a Canon 5D Mk3 for amazing video quality.

 

[mickey2008.1]

Goodbye to a great dark ride. Glad we all got to ride it last year.

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[Californian Elitist]

Wow, this is really depressing. I've never been to WDW but I don't know what I'd do if Disneyland even THOUGHT about getting rid of this classic, much less actually doing it. I would probably have a mini anxiety attack, Fantasyland is VERY dear and special to me and Snow White was one of my favorite attractions to operate when I worked at the park (minus having to walk through the attraction ocassionally). This is terrible. To all those who will be visiting today and tomorrow, please enjoy yourselves and savor the experience.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Wow, this is really depressing. I've never been to WDW but I don't know what I'd do if Disneyland even THOUGHT about getting rid of this classic, much less actually doing it. I would probably have a mini anxiety attack, Fantasyland is VERY dear and special to me and Snow White was one of my favorite attractions to operate when I worked at the park (minus having to walk through the attraction ocassionally). This is terrible. To all those who will be visiting today and tomorrow, please enjoy yourselves and savor the experience.

You won't have to worry about that. Snow White was Walt's first hit, and DL is "Walt's Park". Your Fantasyland is very safe, I'd say. And well-maintained, too!! :sohappy:

 

[Californian Elitist]

You won't have to worry about that. Snow White was Walt's first hit, and DL is "Walt's Park". Your Fantasyland is very safe, I'd say. And well-maintained, too!! :sohappy:

Thanks for the kind words! You have a point but MK's Snow White still shouldn't be going anywhere. What about the space MK apparently never uses? They couldn't find ANY kind of dead space around to build this M&G? I really don't understand.

 

[aladdin2007]

Just a note to say I've produced a video of the original and current versions, for release in the next week or so. The current version has been fully covered from multiple angles with a Canon 5D Mk3 for amazing video quality.

Thanks so much, looking forward to it. :wave:

I guess someday will have to get myself out to Disneyland to enjoy some good dark rides, instead of meetngreet kingdom here.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Thanks for the kind words! You have a point but MK's Snow White still shouldn't be going anywhere. What about the space MK apparently never uses? They couldn't find ANY kind of dead space around to build this M&G? I really don't understand.

The popular thought is that they didn't want two different SW themed rides right next to each other.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The popular thought is that they didn't want two different SW themed rides right next to each other.

I hope this really isn't the reason behind everything. Disneyland does just that actually...twice! Dumbo and the Casey Jr Train are coupled along with the Teacups and Alice in Wonderland. The cast members call it Dumbo "mini land" and Alice "mini land." You would think Florida management would want more rides in MK. Stop getting rid of the classics, Florida management!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'm happy I got my two SW rides in, just a few months ago. I'm going to miss it!

Wow, this is really depressing. I've never been to WDW but I don't know what I'd do if Disneyland even THOUGHT about getting rid of this classic, much less actually doing it.

You wouldn't know what you'd do if they closed SW in LA? I suggest you do as we WDW'ers do: cry and moan that the park on the other coast is so much better managed.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

In this case the better ride is being lost. Disneyland's Snow White is not near as nice as WDW's. It's not awful, but it's a real shame that WDW's is going away. Hopefully they'll spend the $20 they'll save from not running Snow to repaint Peter Pan sometime soon - it can use it.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

In this case the better ride is being lost. Disneyland's Snow White is not near as nice as WDW's. It's not awful, but it's a real shame that WDW's is going away. Hopefully they'll spend the $20 they'll save from not running Snow to repaint Peter Pan sometime soon - it can use it.

I'm working towards my first trip to DL this year, but I've seen the Snow White ride there and I really can't see much that is better about WDW's. The ending is the only thing that really comes to mind. But otherwise Disneyland's seems much more impressive. Especially with the new digital map projections in several rooms.

Having visited Paris though in the 90's, they have both a great ride AND a great ending scene so i'd say that one wins.

I'll agree with Peter Pan though. I hope it receives some sort of major overhaul when Fantasyland expansion is done. This includes the queue and facade, but the ride itself as well. Again having ridden Paris' Peter Pan ride, it far surpasses WDW's IMHO.

 

[Lokheed]

The version at WDW runs a full three minutes, as opposed to two minutes at the other three versions. The Florida version is the only one that has a satisfactory ending - California and Tokyo both end abruptly with no resolution at all, while the Paris ending is better it is very brief and compact. Only Florida has Prince Charming actually waking up Snow White with Love's First Kiss, and then leading her away across the stone bridge to his shining castle in the distance. It is a *much* more satisfying ending.

As for quality, yeah, the other versions have whiz-bang modern sets and effects work whereas Florida relies upon good old-fashioned stagecraft and parlor tricks. To me that is more in keeping with the film, and resonates more fully.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I remember, whenever I worked unload for Snow White (at DL), either getting confused looks from people getting off the ride or people screaming for their lives before the ride was even over. I always got a kick out of hearing random screams coming from the ride.:lol:

Anyways, I remember some guests even asking me why the ride ended the way it did. At first I didn't know what to say but during training, I was told the guests were meant to be Snow White, hence the reason why she only shows up once during the entire ride, so I just piggybacked off thaat information and came up with this: since guests are supposed to actually be Snow White experiencing everything that happens to her (encountering the dwarves, the witch, running through the forrest, etc), it wouldn't make sense to have the ending that showed the prince waking her up, because she was asleep during all of this. All Snow White remembered was waking up and "living happily ever after", as it says on the giant book at the end of the ride. That's the reason behind the absence of the Prince kissing Snow White, and the mural of Snow White on the Prince's horse waving goodbye. Now I made this all up and I don't know if that's the actual reason why ours ends like that, but the guests bought it everytime.:lol:

 

[disney fan 13]

Just a note to say I've produced a video of the original and current versions, for release in the next week or so. The current version has been fully covered from multiple angles with a Canon 5D Mk3 for amazing video quality.

Can't wait to see it!

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

The version at WDW runs a full three minutes, as opposed to two minutes at the other three versions. The Florida version is the only one that has a satisfactory ending - California and Tokyo both end abruptly with no resolution at all, while the Paris ending is better it is very brief and compact. Only Florida has Prince Charming actually waking up Snow White with Love's First Kiss, and then leading her away across the stone bridge to his shining castle in the distance. It is a *much* more satisfying ending.

As for quality, yeah, the other versions have whiz-bang modern sets and effects work whereas Florida relies upon good old-fashioned stagecraft and parlor tricks. To me that is more in keeping with the film, and resonates more fully.

I always like riding SWSA in Disneyland as the line is often short and the ride is more mysterious looking than some of the other ones, plus it is a classic.

I can't wait to ride the Seven Dwarfs coaster, BUT I'm afraid I might be let down as it won't be on the scale of Splash mountain and all I have heard regarding show scene is the Dwarfs inside the mine and a possible appearance by the witch. Given that the coaster will be 3-4 minutes and mostly outside, it doesn't sound like enough time to tell much of a story.

I wish they had added an underground area to the ride to extend the length of the ride to 6-7 minutes and add in a lot of the scenes from SWSA, though plussed with new audioanimatronics. Snow White is still such a great film visually that so much could be done to make the film into a Fantasyland E-Ticket.

Having rides with Disney characters that only make cameos, such as Mickey and friends plastered on Paradise Pier in DCA, is a bad idea IMHO. While we don't know everything about the 7 Dwarfs Coaster, just having a cameo with the dwarfs doesn't replace the storytelling lost by removing SWSA, though the ambience of the new coaster will be very nice.

I am NOT a big fan of LM in DCA, so I still think that Disneyland's Fantasyland will "beat" MK's Fantasyland as the unique rides it has are:

Mr. Toad
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Alice in Wonderland dark ride
Snow White's Scary Adventures
Matterhorn


Maybe something will be added to the FLE in a second phase, as has been hinted, though MK seems to be playing by the "if we add a ride then we have to remove a ride somewhere", playbook.

 

[aladdin2007]

Regarding the above post, aside from the scene with the dwarfs in the mine, the rest of it looks like its just going to be a ride through some shrubs and trees. Would have liked for more scenes, animatronic critters etc, snow herself. But maybe they will surprise us and have more features in it when all is said and done that tell the story. But right now feeling its just going to be a couple of landscaped hills and pastures. :shrug:

 

[ToTBellHop]

I remember, whenever I worked unload for Snow White (at DL), either getting confused looks from people getting off the ride or people screaming for their lives before the ride was even over. I always got a kick out of hearing random screams coming from the ride.:lol:

Anyways, I remember some guests even asking me why the ride ended the way it did. At first I didn't know what to say but during training, I was told the guests were meant to be Snow White, hence the reason why she only shows up once during the entire ride, so I just piggybacked off thaat information and came up with this: since guests are supposed to actually be Snow White experiencing everything that happens to her (encountering the dwarves, the witch, running through the forrest, etc), it wouldn't make sense to have the ending that showed the prince waking her up, because she was asleep during all of this. All Snow White remembered was waking up and "living happily ever after", as it says on the giant book at the end of the ride. That's the reason behind the absence of the Prince kissing Snow White, and the mural of Snow White on the Prince's horse waving goodbye. Now I made this all up and I don't know if that's the actual reason why ours ends like that, but the guests bought it everytime.:lol:

I don't know that I buy that. Snow White was also asleep for the finale of the DL ride--she wasn't awake when the Evil Queen died. If it was truly from Snow White's perspective, it should go from the time she's offered the apple to when she wakes up.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I don't know that I buy that. Snow White was also asleep for the finale of the DL ride--she wasn't awake when the Evil Queen died. If it was truly from Snow White's perspective, it should go from the time she's offered the apple to when she wakes up.

That's actually accurate... It was designed as if you were snow white. I heard one of the first imagineers talking about that recently. But very few guests got it and wanted to know where Snow White was. Changes have been made since then. I'll try to find the article.

 

[mitchk]

Can't wait to see it!

:sohappy: Me too :sohappy: