Snow White to Close Thursday, May 31

[lebeau]

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.

How so?

 

[HM Spectre]

How so?

To me, meet and greets are the lowest form of character interaction there is... there's no exciting chance encounter, no meeting them at a breakfast for a nice conversation, no time for random silliness if you want to keep the line moving etc., it's just assembly line meet and greet. Wait in line, do your thing for 30 seconds, get a quick picture and autograph and check a princess off your list. Neeeeext!

There's little magical about that at all IMO. I understand that there's a demand for the stuff and that kids need to have some mechanism to see their favorite characters (a girl not being able to find her favorite princess is easily worse than not having a M&G so I can understand the thought behind them) but I just think there has to be a better way to go about it than the mall Santa model... especially when that model removes dark attractions from the park.

 

[Pete C]

At least this ride, like Mr. Toad, will live on at Disneyland. It would be much worse if these rides were lost forever. If they can only exist in one or the other, Disneyland seems like a more appropriate place for these classic Fantasyland rides.

 

[Tim Lohr]

At least this ride, like Mr. Toad, will live on at Disneyland. It would be much worse if these rides were lost forever. If they can only exist in one or the other, Disneyland seems like a more appropriate place for these classic Fantasyland rides.

Yeah I guess that's Disney's thinking behind this move, but it comes across a little cold hearted, like "people don't need the Country Bears in DL they can seem them in WDW"

What I don't understand is if they need Meet and Greet space why close down "ride space" when they've got that Tomorrowland Noodle bar which I haven't seen open in years

 

[lebeau]

To me, meet and greets are the lowest form of character interaction there is... there's no exciting chance encounter, no meeting them at a breakfast for a nice conversation, no time for random silliness if you want to keep the line moving etc., it's just assembly line meet and greet. Wait in line, do your thing for 30 seconds, get a quick picture and autograph and check a princess off your list. Neeeeext!

There's little magical about that at all IMO. I understand that there's a demand for the stuff and that kids need to have some mechanism to see their favorite characters (a girl not being able to find her favorite princess is easily worse than not having a M&G so I can understand the thought behind them) but I just think there has to be a better way to go about it than the mall Santa model... especially when that model removes dark attractions from the park.

It sounds like the Princess Fantasy Faire is an attempt to do something more than the "mall Santa model".

You acknowledge the need, so I won't argue that point with you. M&Gs are a necessary evil if you are going to look at them as an evil.

Since you acknowledge that the m&gs are needed, it seems like your issue (and that of many others) is the idea that a meet and greet is replacing a ride. But that's not what's going on. The 7 Dwarves are replacing Snow White. The meet and greet is just moving into an empty building.

And, let's face facts, there is no more ideal location for the Princess m&g than FL. People are always complaining about m&gs being shoe-horned into lands where they don't belong. Now people are up in arms because they are moving the princesses from MS to FL? :shrug:

 

[GLaDOS]

Since you acknowledge that the m&gs are needed, it seems like your issue (and that of many others) is the idea that a meet and greet is replacing a ride. But that's not what's going on. The 7 Dwarves are replacing Snow White. The meet and greet is just moving into an empty building.

I'm sorry, I've never bought that argument. The Mine Train is replacing empty space. Or the Mine Train, TLM, and BATB area is replacing 20K. Either way, the Mine Train isn't replacing that ride space.

The Meet and Greet is indeed replacing ride space.

And, let's face facts, there is no more ideal location for the Princess m&g than FL. People are always complaining about m&gs being shoe-horned into lands where they don't belong. Now people are up in arms because they are moving the princesses from MS to FL? :shrug:

There are other spots in FL that would work. Skyway immediately comes to mind. Have you seen the amount of land there? Seems like it would work.

And Storybook Circus is now part of Fantasyland. Stick them back there.

 

[lebeau]

I'm sorry, I've never bought that argument. The Mine Train is replacing empty space. Or the Mine Train, TLM, and BATB area is replacing 20K. Either way, the Mine Train isn't replacing that ride space.

The Meet and Greet is indeed replacing ride space.

Only if you insist on seeing it that way. But the intention was for the Mine Train to replace Snow White.

20K was replaced by nothing a long, long time ago. Clinging to that doesn't do a lot to validate your argument.

There are other spots in FL that would work. Skyway immediately comes to mind. Have you seen the amount of land there? Seems like it would work.

And Storybook Circus is now part of Fantasyland. Stick them back there.

Clearly they would be out of place in the Storybook Circus and you know that.

There are other plans for the Skyway station.

I get you don't like this plan. But it's not like the plan is inherently bad just because it doesn't appeal to your sensibilities.

 

[captainkidd]

I get you don't like this plan. But it's not like the plan is inherently bad just because it doesn't appeal to your sensibilities.

Of course this is speculation, but I have a feeling if you asked 10 random guests which they'd prefer - The majority would say leave SW open and ditch the character meet and greet. There really are other places they could do a M&G.

 

[Tigger1988]

Did someone in this thread really call SW a "major" attraction?

This one won't be missed by most park guests.

 

[CrescentLake]

And, let's face facts, there is no more ideal location for the Princess m&g than FL. People are always complaining about m&gs being shoe-horned into lands where they don't belong. Now people are up in arms because they are moving the princesses from MS to FL? :shrug:

I'm with you, this is the same forum that moans and complains everytime a new meet and greet gets shoe-horned into Adventure, Frontier, or Tomorrowland, (or even MS:USA). In my opinion, Princess Fairytale Hall is replacing an old, outdated, (rather lackluster :lookaroun) often skipped ride, and adressing the meet and greet problem. I get that people have an aversion to losing a ride to a meet and greet, but its a neccessary evil.

 

[jjharvpro]

I actually really love this ride so much..sad to see it go and be replaced by a M & G. I'm just glad I get to ride it one last time in a few weeks.

 

[lebeau]

Of course this is speculation, but I have a feeling if you asked 10 random guests which they'd prefer - The majority would say leave SW open and ditch the character meet and greet. There really are other places they could do a M&G.

If I asked 10 people I know, they would prefer you torch SW and not replace it. But that's neither here nor there.

I'm willing to bet if you asked a statistically significant sampling if they preferred FL pre-expansion (including Toon Town) and FL post-expansion, the overwhelming majority would prefer the newer version.

I'm also willing to bet the Princess Fantasy Faire will be a lot busier than SW was in recent years. And they will probably make more money selling princess trinkets as well.

Whether or not most guests would prefer ditching the meet and greet is debatable and really irrelevant. Disney knows they can't ditch the M&G (even if as Master Yoda pointed out they would probably like to.) They looked at their options and this is the one that apparently made the most business sense.

For the vast majority of guests, SW isn't going to be a major loss.

 

[captainkidd]

Did someone in this thread really call SW a "major" attraction?

This one won't be missed by most park guests.

Sadly, this is true. Still, a pretty cold move for Disney to close it before the new ride opens.

 

[RSoxNo1]

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

I know the inititial reports about Snow White closing included this rumor that they would leave the track in place and build a floor over the track.

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

I'm reluctant to admit that I'm completely onboard with those advocating replacing it with even the most simple form of meet&greet. The nostalgic in me will always have a spot for the old ride, but it was hardly amazing, the pinnacle of Disney craftsmanship or even a fan favorite like Toad was. YES, replacing it with a simple M&G is a poor substitute, but between the 7 dwarfs coaster, TLM, re-theming Toon Town, adding an extra spinner, Pete's Side show and so on, was anyone really expecting another ride any time soon with all the expansion going on at the MK? Heck, maybe MK still needs some work done, but they'd hardly continue fixing up Fantasyland when other areas need the work just as much.

I'll be sad to see it go, for a M&G especially, but it's the only logical step at the moment.

 

[David S.]

I know many here don't see it as a "major" attraction, but for me it is since it's in my WDW Top 10 and I actually prefer it over most of the "E-tickets".

As others have said, I'm happy Disneyland will still have this ride, although theirs does not have the elaborate payoff of the MK version's "Happily Ever After" scene, which is my favorite part of the ride.

On the bright side, I'm glad to finally know the timeframe for the closure so I can plan to get my last rides in, not just for Snow White, but for WDW in general - at least for a LONG time.

I'm also glad it is closing after the 24 Hour Leap Day, so I can experience it; and soon after the Fastpass changes, so I'll only have to deal with those for a few months.

I'm also glad it is closing before my AP comes up for renewal, so I will only have to suffer the indignity of renewing it once after the closure of my beloved Toontown, rather than twice!

It's been fun, WDW, it was a good ride, but as of May 31, 2012, I'll be heading west for greener pastures!

Adieu WDW, Hello Disneyland!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaDxk4XadC4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d4zKmVuZOI

 

[GLaDOS]

but its a neccessary evil.

But it's really not.

 

[CrescentLake]

But it's really not.

Well damn, now I'm convinced.

And I'm so sick of this "grass is always greener in Disneyland" crap on the boards lately. If you want to go to DL, no one is stopping you.

I'll be sad to see it go, for a M&G especially, but it's the only logical step at the moment.

Thank you. I'm not saying I agree with replacing an attraction with a m+g, but in this particular situation, its logical.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Well damn, now I'm convinced.

And I'm so sick of this "grass is always greener in Disneyland" crap on the boards lately. If you want to go to DL, no one is stopping you.



Thank you. I'm not saying I agree with replacing an attraction with a m+g, but in this particular situation, its logical.

That's not what people are saying. We all WANT to go to WDW. We are on a WDW site. But we want WDW to be taken care of at least as well as DL. WDW is meant to be the flagship property in the Disney empire (and it once was treated thusly). We all wish the management would see that, because presently they have an outstanding infrastructure of attractions generated over 4 decades that they need to do a better job of updating and taking care of.

What I find unfortunate in this case is that Walt famously bought so much land in central Florida so he would never find a shortage of space, and yet now we much remove a ride to fit in a meet and greet? Rubbish excuse. There is plenty of room at WDW for expansion (the tour guides like the point out that they have room for several more parks and many new resorts).

 

[pmaljr]

Well damn, now I'm convinced.

And I'm so sick of this "grass is always greener in Disneyland" crap on the boards lately. If you want to go to DL, no one is stopping you.

Thank you. I'm not saying I agree with replacing an attraction with a m+g, but in this particular situation, its logical.

Well, now I'm convinced I can't use the Disneyland argument anymore. LOL! :ROFLOL:

Dinseyland is completely across the country from where I live and it's hard to make a trip there without mortgaging the house. I went last year only because I had frequent flier miles. Otherwise, it costs at minimum $1000 more without paying for food. Just because DL exists doesn't mean I can no longer complain if WDW makes a terrible decision. That's crazy talk.

It's definitely never logical to replace a ride with a meet and greet, especially when the parks are littered with that stuff and only one SW ride, not to mention the fact that rides service more guests. If they were closing it after the new one was built, I could almost make myself understand, just a little. However, there is absolutely no logical reason to shutter a ride a year before the new one opens so a bunch of Jon Benet look-a-likes from the Bibbitty Bobbity Boutique across the way can get a pic with a princess. Disneyland's Fantasyland is by far a better experience now, and if you don't like hearing it, tough, because it's the truth and you will be hearing it more and more often now. I just don't understand why anybody would be happy to lose a classic ride to a meet and greet, regardless of the circumstances. At least replace it with another dark ride like Alice or Pinnochio!