Snow White to Close Thursday, May 31

[Mad Stitch]

Do we know what will be going in Town Square Theater once the Princess M&G has moved to where SWSA is now? I don't see why they couldn't just keep the Princesses there and open another dark ride where SWSA is.... I'm sure TDO has good reasoning for their move but it just seems like Fantasyland needs all the rides it can get IMO

It will probably remain an M&G for the fab 5 and other characters that got displaced by the Toontown removal. It just makes for better theme and story to have the princesses in the vicinity of the castle.

 

[JenniferS]

Do we know what will be going in Town Square Theater once the Princess M&G has moved to where SWSA is now? I don't see why they couldn't just keep the Princesses there and open another dark ride where SWSA is.... I'm sure TDO has good reasoning for their move but it just seems like Fantasyland needs all the rides it can get IMO

I agree. Leave the princesses in Town Square and revamp SWSA. Where's the petition? I'll sign it.

 

[Lokheed]

I feel your pain. My son has autism and just LOVES this ride. Don't know how he'll do...

Yeah, my son is autistic as well. It's a bit of an understatement to say he loves this ride. The only silver lining is that in the past few years he has been spending more and more time in other parts of the park. I know he is going to love the Little Mermaid ride when it opens, but it looks like there will be a gap of several months between SWSA closing and Little Mermaid opening. I honestly don't know how he is going to react. He just has no way of understanding. We will take him on the last night and make a big deal out of saying goodbye.

 

[the-reason14]

Not a fav of mine, but I think it's stupid that a ride is being transformed to a meet n greet. At the least change it to another ride, how many places can you already meet the princess? Anyways, whatever. :brick:

 

[HumblePirate]

I'm not denying that they're needed.

What I'm saying is that there's already a space for them in the Circus, and the Snow White ride building could be another ride.

While I agree that I would have loved to have Snow White be another ride, there's no way that they could have put the princesses in the circus area. I know they'll sometimes stretch theming a bit, but princesses have absolutely nothing to do with a circus.

 

[lebeau]

I'm not sure if people are aware of the full extent of the Fantasy Faire. It's not like they are just sticking the princesses in an empty building. Per Al Lutz:

"Late August is also the current timetable for shutting down the Carnation Plaza Gardens area to begin its remake into the newest version of Princess Fantasy Faire. That timing coincides with a similar project out at Walt Disney World, where they’ll be closing their Snow White dark ride to install a smaller and less ambitious version of what Disneyland is getting. But some of the set pieces and interactive technology tricks to be used in the Faire will be shared on both coasts, so it’s a project that is being paired together to shave some costs off both locations."

I know meet and greets are unpopular around here. And princess meet and greets are doubly so (irrationally so in my opinion). So I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. Just saying, they are going to put some show elements into this thing. It will be popular and I'm guessing the end product will be superior to a meet and greet shoe-horned into Main Street.

I'm sad to see a dark ride go and I feel for those of you who had an emotional attachment to it. But there is a huge demand for these meet and greets. And the Fantasy Faire promises to be very appealing to a large part of Disney's demographic. (Plus allow them a better opportunity to sell princess-related merch.)

I get the dissatisfaction. But you guys are making it out like this decision makes no sense when it actually makes a lot of sense depending on your point of view.

 

[Ignohippo]

It seems to me stye could find room for the "leftover" Princesses throughout the FLE, much the same way they have the M & Gs throughout the World Showcase at EPCOT. It would add more excitement to the area and give people more of a reason to walk around – dispersing crowds.

I'm not a big fan of SWSA at all, but I hate to see a dark ride go. I wish they'd keep the track layout and just design a new inexpensive dark ride. They don't need to spend hundreds of millions on every new attraction. Peter Pan is one of the most popular rides in the park. Not because it's the most technologically advanced but because it was done really, really well.

 

[Master Yoda]

I'm not sure if people are aware of the full extent of the Fantasy Faire. It's not like they are just sticking the princesses in an empty building. Per Al Lutz:



I know meet and greets are unpopular around here. And princess meet and greets are doubly so (irrationally so in my opinion). So I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. Just saying, they are going to put some show elements into this thing. It will be popular and I'm guessing the end product will be superior to a meet and greet shoe-horned into Main Street.

I'm sad to see a dark ride go and I feel for those of you who had an emotional attachment to it. But there is a huge demand for these meet and greets. And the Fantasy Faire promises to be very appealing to a large part of Disney's demographic. (Plus allow them a better opportunity to sell princess-related merch.)

I get the dissatisfaction. But you guys are making it out like this decision makes no sense when it actually makes a lot of sense depending on your point of view.

Now what have you been told about making rational, fact based arguments? We don't go fer that kind of thnken round here!

 

[RSoxNo1]

Hopefully it will mean that BTMRR will def reopen in time, surely they wouldn't want 2 major rides down at the same time.

Or maybe they would.......:shrug:

Let's not pretend for a second that Snow White's Scary Adventures is a major ride.

Twice the spinners = half the wait. :shrug:

Yes, but by not having it open at all you can't get on the attraction at all. If 1 spinner is ready, and guests are able to ride the single spinner while they're constructing the 2nd, what's the problem? It worked like that for 40 years.

To those people lamenting the loss of Snow White's Scary Adventures - you're entitled to your opinion. I agree that it should have been replaced by a ride, and ultimately it very well may be replaced by a ride in that location. That's prime real estate and it would seem that they would want a ride in that location.

Having said that, Meet and Greets have become a necessary evil for both Park Operations and those guests that prefer hopping from ride to ride. Having said that, it's often times the character interactions that resonate with guests. They'll remember an attraction as being "fun" or "cool", but they're far more likely to remember a character experience because they lend themselves to something far more unique.

 

[dreamfinder]

I still don't understand how meet n' greets have such a high operating cost. It's not as if on rides you don't have to have anyone there. Space Mountain is a perfect example.

Your average dark ride like SW, Pan, etc takes 2-4 people to run, the CMs running it are at the bottom of the pay scale, and the guests per hour numbers are fairly high. Meet n Greets can have around 3-5 CMs per character, some of which are at higher pay scales, and their guests per hour numbers are bad at best. The labor dollars per guest of a meet n greet can easily be 5-10 times that of a simple dark ride.

Exactly. I'd wager M&G's have a lower throughput than even the spinners. Figure 30 seconds minimum for each guest to walk up, greet the character, and then pose for a picture. Now admittedly some people will have a whole family in their group, so maybe get 4-6 guests in that same 30 seconds. But that is easily balanced out by the little kid who wants an autograph, hugs, dances, kisses, more hugs, and then a long slow wave goodbye. I've seen that Dumbo could push 600 per hour if they were lucky. So thats 10 guests per minute. Dumbo can run with 1-2 CM's, each character typically has 2-3 CM's per 20 minute set.
Yes, there was the initial outlay for the attraction, plus any maintenance that would need to be spread out over the life, but I would wager that most of the attractions on property have already recouped their investment.

Beyond that, I'm surprised that they are closing pre Mine train opening. Is there some urgent need for the space in the theatre? Does Mickey need another dressing room?

 

[lebeau]

Yes, but by not having it open at all you can't get on the attraction at all. If 1 spinner is ready, and guests are able to ride the single spinner while they're constructing the 2nd, what's the problem? It worked like that for 40 years.

Oh, I see what you were getting at now. Definitely having one operating while the other is completed is better than nothing at all.

Having said that, Meet and Greets have become a necessary evil for both Park Operations and those guests that prefer hopping from ride to ride. Having said that, it's often times the character interactions that resonate with guests. They'll remember an attraction as being "fun" or "cool", but they're far more likely to remember a character experience because they lend themselves to something far more unique.

Our family has many stories from previous trips that we like to tell over and over again. Many involve character interactions. Relatively few involve rides now that I think of it. Usually the ones involving rides are about someone falling asleep or getting scared.

 

[HM Spectre]

I know I'm probably going to be ridiculed for this, but I started to cry a little bit when I found out that it now has a set closing date. I've known for the past two years that this was going to happen eventually. I even rode Snow White's Scary Adventures 15 times during my past trip in January because I knew of its eventual demise.

However, the impact still hit me pretty hard. I have a really soft spot for classic attractions, especially dark rides, and to see this ride have the same fate as attractions such as Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and the World of Motion, it breaks my heart. It's even worse because it is being replaced by another stinkin' meet and greet.

I don't think anyone is going to make fun of you for saying this - it's a view shared by a lot of people. I absolutely love the classic rides and dark rides in particular. If I want a park full of thrill rides, I'll go to Cedar Point. If I want to meet and greet characters, I'll go to one of the absurd number of options the park already offers. What I love about WDW is the theming/storytelling and the dark rides are a great example of combining that storytelling with mild thrills for some fantastic entertainment. Classic rides aren't just exhibits at a "museum", they're perfect examples of what Disney does best.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Our family has many stories from previous trips that we like to tell over and over again. Many involve character interactions. Relatively few involve rides now that I think of it. Usually the ones involving rides are about someone falling asleep or getting scared.

The rides are what get people to the parks; but it's the other experiences that get them to come back.

 

[HM Spectre]

Our family has many stories from previous trips that we like to tell over and over again. Many involve character interactions. Relatively few involve rides now that I think of it. Usually the ones involving rides are about someone falling asleep or getting scared.

No one is disputing that character interactions are a very good thing and need to be a focus... but taking up space that could be occupied by attractions that appeal to everyone to put in what amount to Princess Drive-Thru's is entirely different. Meet and greet areas are an easy solution to making characters more accessible but in no way are they a great one.

 

[GLaDOS]

While I agree that I would have loved to have Snow White be another ride, there's no way that they could have put the princesses in the circus area. I know they'll sometimes stretch theming a bit, but princesses have absolutely nothing to do with a circus.

And they have nothing to do with MSUSA, and had nothing to do with Toontown.

And Fairies have nothing to do with Adventureland, but there they are.

 

[ttalovebug]

I've always understood the reasons for letting SWSA go, even though I ride it almost every time I'm at MK and will miss it. BUt I didn't think it would close so soon, and so far away from the opening date of the next Snow White ride. Is it really so urgent? And I can't help but feel that this project, like all others, will be delayed, and there will be an even bigger gap of time with no SW ride at all.

Again, I'm not questioning the removal, but the timing of all this. It doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Rob562]

In the back of my mind I'm just hoping that they're installing flooring and walls that at some future date can be easily removed and a brand new dark ride installed in that space. (Perhaps that's their intention in the long-run?)

I'd bet that the space in Town Square will go back to the backstage CM-use-only theater that it was being used for before the Princesses came in. The Princess room was always much more basic a setup than the Magician Mickey setup, and it felt very temporary.

Of course, I have dreams of some kind of a show in that soon-to-be-empty theater, where a CM magician and Mickey perform a short magic show with a couple tricks, and then you exit the theater to go meet Mickey "backstage" after the show.

-Rob

 

[Oddysey]

Snow White has a special place in my heart, and it scared the heck out of me in the 80's as a kid. Had to ride though it with my eyes closed. It has been toned down since, and is a bit less scary for children.

Ultimately, I am happy that it is being replaced by a superior ride even if we have to wait until 2013 for said ride. Snow White is the least technically impressive ride in the park, and while I appreciate for nostalgic purposes, it is time to go. Especially since there is a more than adequate replacement.

My only real sadness is that my 4 month old daughter will never get to experience a ride that left a big impression on me as a child. Even if it scared the heck out of me. Nevertheless, I am sure when she is big enough she will enjoy the mine coaster more than Snow White. She will likely even enjoy the princess M & G even though she will have to drag me to it. I really dont care for meet and greets, but it is not about me all the time and there seems to be a market for them.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Cool, can ride it right before it closes.

 

[coolbeans14]

I'm not totally surprised by this. I am a little surprised they didn't wait until most of the FLE is open, even if its not the mine train.

However this isn't a bad thing. If people want an idea of how this will look, check out the recently opened princess pavilion at Disneyland Paris. it is incredibly themed, and is done in much less space. Whilst we lose a classic, we gain something else that will be great.