-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
So was Toy Story Mania letting anyone on today for a soft opening?
- Thread starter djkidkaz
- Start date
Disneykidder
Well-Known Member
Hopefully all of the kinks will be taken care of by the time I arrive in August!!
I cannot wait!!
I cannot wait!!
wickedfan07
Member
I thought I read that the ride was soft opening daily starting tomorrow (Friday). Maybe I'm dreaming?
InsideOtherPark
Member
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tourism/article505462.ece
Marvel at the midway
By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, May 14, 2008 12:26 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAKE BUENA VISTA — Is it a ride that's a game or a game that's a ride?
Actually, Toy Story Mania! is both. But you can make your own judgment now that Walt Disney World is opening this garish, 3-D virtual shooting gallery at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
After Disney unveiled the attraction to the media Wednesday, it opens to the public Saturday.
Disney invested three years and more than $80-million creating the first pair of identical Toy Story Mania! rides that open within days of each other at Walt Disney World here and Disney's California Adventure at Disneyland.
"It's like nothing we've ever done before," said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World.
Housed in a copy of the Pixar Studios soundstage with oversized Green Army Men figures scrambling on the roof, the ride features Toy Story stars Woody, Buzz Lightyear and a realistic 5-foot-tall Mr. Potato Head robot.
It's all built on a scale that shrinks humans to the size of toys stashed under a kid's bed. If you're 5 foot 6, you're only 14 inches tall in a surreal forest of Lincoln Logs, massive Crayolas, Tinkertoys and 13-inch Christmas lights.
The action part bears some resemblance to the Buzz Lightyear ride or Men in Black at Universal Studios Florida. But this time riders aren't shooting laser beams at inanimate aliens hiding on a stage set.
Toy Story Mania! riders shoot virtual eggs, darts, balls and rings at a fast-paced, high-definition cartoon of a midway shooting gallery. The targets are plates, barnyard animals, water balloons and ring-toss hoops. Smells, sound effects, water spritzes and air guns cement the illusion that bits of stuff shot are flying back past your head. LCD screens in each tram keep riders' scores. For practice, the spring-loaded cannons on the lap-bars shoot virtual cream pies at targets held by Woody and Buzz, who end up wearing most of the misses.
The five-minute shoot-'em-up whisks trams past five carnival games. You get 30 seconds at each to rack up points and unscramble the tricks. Small targets are worth more. Hidden Easter eggs are worth big bonuses. But, like cheats on a video game, they become evident only after repeated trips. The last game is the easiest and racks up points the fastest because the designers wanted people to leave smiling.
Disney estimates patrons will shatter 1-million plates daily.
"I think Disney really nailed it," enthused Bob Henley, a vacationing 41-year-old homebuilding executive from Cooksville, Md., after he tripled his score by his third spin.
"The only thing they could do to make it better is make it longer," said his wife, Pam.
The ride is the most sophisticated Disney has built, run by 150 computers — 90 of them inside the trams — linked by a secure wireless network.
"We've done many of the parts before, but we never did all in one," said senior producer Chrissie Allen. "It turned out not as simple as we thought."
It's a tame enough ride so there is no minimum age. But lap-sitting is banned for kids.
For Mr. Potato Head, sardonic comic Don Rickles recorded a 750-word script that includes jokes, four songs and enough descriptive detail about people likely to be in the crowd ("You in the red shirt!") that a hidden operator orders phrases so there seems to be a personal dialogue.
Walt Disney refused to allow carnival games in his theme parks because he thought they made the place look tawdry. But that part of his legacy was relaxed when the company installed midway games at Animal Kingdom. So Toy Story Mania!'s creative team started their work playing every midway game at the Los Angeles County Fair in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
"I hadn't been there in years," said Lori Coltrin, Toy Story Mania! art director. "Now I don't miss it."
Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.
Marvel at the midway
By Mark Albright, Times Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, May 14, 2008 12:26 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAKE BUENA VISTA — Is it a ride that's a game or a game that's a ride?
Actually, Toy Story Mania! is both. But you can make your own judgment now that Walt Disney World is opening this garish, 3-D virtual shooting gallery at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
After Disney unveiled the attraction to the media Wednesday, it opens to the public Saturday.
Disney invested three years and more than $80-million creating the first pair of identical Toy Story Mania! rides that open within days of each other at Walt Disney World here and Disney's California Adventure at Disneyland.
"It's like nothing we've ever done before," said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World.
Housed in a copy of the Pixar Studios soundstage with oversized Green Army Men figures scrambling on the roof, the ride features Toy Story stars Woody, Buzz Lightyear and a realistic 5-foot-tall Mr. Potato Head robot.
It's all built on a scale that shrinks humans to the size of toys stashed under a kid's bed. If you're 5 foot 6, you're only 14 inches tall in a surreal forest of Lincoln Logs, massive Crayolas, Tinkertoys and 13-inch Christmas lights.
The action part bears some resemblance to the Buzz Lightyear ride or Men in Black at Universal Studios Florida. But this time riders aren't shooting laser beams at inanimate aliens hiding on a stage set.
Toy Story Mania! riders shoot virtual eggs, darts, balls and rings at a fast-paced, high-definition cartoon of a midway shooting gallery. The targets are plates, barnyard animals, water balloons and ring-toss hoops. Smells, sound effects, water spritzes and air guns cement the illusion that bits of stuff shot are flying back past your head. LCD screens in each tram keep riders' scores. For practice, the spring-loaded cannons on the lap-bars shoot virtual cream pies at targets held by Woody and Buzz, who end up wearing most of the misses.
The five-minute shoot-'em-up whisks trams past five carnival games. You get 30 seconds at each to rack up points and unscramble the tricks. Small targets are worth more. Hidden Easter eggs are worth big bonuses. But, like cheats on a video game, they become evident only after repeated trips. The last game is the easiest and racks up points the fastest because the designers wanted people to leave smiling.
Disney estimates patrons will shatter 1-million plates daily.
"I think Disney really nailed it," enthused Bob Henley, a vacationing 41-year-old homebuilding executive from Cooksville, Md., after he tripled his score by his third spin.
"The only thing they could do to make it better is make it longer," said his wife, Pam.
The ride is the most sophisticated Disney has built, run by 150 computers — 90 of them inside the trams — linked by a secure wireless network.
"We've done many of the parts before, but we never did all in one," said senior producer Chrissie Allen. "It turned out not as simple as we thought."
It's a tame enough ride so there is no minimum age. But lap-sitting is banned for kids.
For Mr. Potato Head, sardonic comic Don Rickles recorded a 750-word script that includes jokes, four songs and enough descriptive detail about people likely to be in the crowd ("You in the red shirt!") that a hidden operator orders phrases so there seems to be a personal dialogue.
Walt Disney refused to allow carnival games in his theme parks because he thought they made the place look tawdry. But that part of his legacy was relaxed when the company installed midway games at Animal Kingdom. So Toy Story Mania!'s creative team started their work playing every midway game at the Los Angeles County Fair in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
"I hadn't been there in years," said Lori Coltrin, Toy Story Mania! art director. "Now I don't miss it."
Mark Albright can be reached at albright@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8252.
scottinredstick
Member
We were there from 1-4p. And the cast members were telling everyone to come back at the end of the month. They did, however direct us to the line for Prince Caspian.
krankenstein
Well-Known Member
Cool! Thanks for posting the article. It makes me look forward to Monday that much more!
teebin
Member
Someone might tell mr albright that he wrote this looooong article and failed to mention the the attraction is in 3D. "Virtual" is not synonymous with 3D.
jedimaster1227
Active Member
But did the CM tell you why it shut down? Now that was an interesting sight! I was right behind the car in question when it happened...
Captain Chaos
Well-Known Member
Please do tell us... Share... Please...
jedimaster1227
Active Member
In brief, a kid fell onto the ride track/floor at the exit station, then her parent as well as several cast members jumped in after her. The whole ride was evac'd and shut down for the hour-though I don't know if they re-opened after I left. (Mind you, no one was injured. The little girl walked away only shaken by the experience and crying, but her father carried her out of the preview without any problems.)
I'll be writing a full article on the situation a little later...
ChrisFL
Premium Member
Adam, always at the right place at the right time (or would this be technically the wrong time?)
MagicalMonorail
New Member
Will FastPass be running during the soft opening?
I too was lucky enough to get a chance to ride TSM today. When we first got to the park we headed back there to see if it was open or not. To our surprise it was! It was a little after 9:30 and the line was only 10min.
After 5 minutes of moving through the line an announcement was made that the ride was being shut down and we had to leave . About an hour or so later (and a quick ride on Rock'n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror) we went back to find that it was running again. This time we were able to make it onto the ride. Unfortunately we left the park early so I'm not sure how much it ran today.
As far as the Fast Pass, all the distribution booths and clocks were set up, but it was all turned off. Personally I doubt they will be working for the soft opening, and if they do begin using them it won't be until closer to the opening. There's really no point of giving someone a pass for a specific time slot when it's anyone's guess as to whether the ride will even be operating then.
Anyways just thought I'd share my experience today. I definitely agree with everyone else in that this ride is a lot of fun. Perfect for the whole family!
After 5 minutes of moving through the line an announcement was made that the ride was being shut down and we had to leave
. About an hour or so later (and a quick ride on Rock'n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror) we went back to find that it was running again. This time we were able to make it onto the ride. Unfortunately we left the park early so I'm not sure how much it ran today.As far as the Fast Pass, all the distribution booths and clocks were set up, but it was all turned off. Personally I doubt they will be working for the soft opening, and if they do begin using them it won't be until closer to the opening. There's really no point of giving someone a pass for a specific time slot when it's anyone's guess as to whether the ride will even be operating then.
Anyways just thought I'd share my experience today. I definitely agree with everyone else in that this ride is a lot of fun. Perfect for the whole family!
flynnibus
Premium Member
Highly unlikely. With the soft openings the attraction can open and close at any time. Giving people return time windows would just lead to lots of unnecessary complaints if the ride is closed when they return, etc.
Generally the ride is only open for part of the day until they get reallly close to opening.
MinnieLee
Member
I guess I am one of the lucky ones! Went last Sunday for the passholder preview. Three times tried to get on but cast members turned us away and said that it had broken down. On the third attempt they told us that the last break down had shut the ride for over two hours. Finally, at almost the end of the day it was up and running with a 75 minute wait. It actually turned out to be 50 minutes but the details throughout the line are great and made the time go fast. When we finally did get to go on the ride, it was a blast and well worth it. Unlike Buzz Lightyear, you can see where you are "shooting". We were talking with other people on the line who were developing their game strategy for higher points. Great ride - Kudos to Disney!:sohappy:
ChuckFromCanada
Parrothead & Disney Fanatic.
Hi all, just got back from DHS and TSM was running, rode it ,loved it. It had about 20 mins standby but may have closed after our ride cars doors wouldn't open automatically at the end. Wife and I both thought it was well done and worthy of Disney's name. By the way the park is quite busy today.