SOFT OPENING WATCH - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Coaster

[DisneyArb]

Sounds like they expect it to be open for the 24 hour event, which makes sense.

 

[KatMaria]

Doubt it for soft openings for this week. They are still in testing and training phase.

 

[Kman101]

And just because cast and imagineers are saying it opens 'late May' doesn't mean it will. It could probably open up anytime they want it to (if the reported problems/issues/whatever are fixed). Of course they're going to say as late as possible. I don't know why people treat it as gospel. Just sayin' ....

 

[Ahall003]

Once again like people have been saying, I'd take anything a CM says with a grain of salt, if they were planning on doing a soft open tomorrow for example, they wouldn't even tell CMs because it would defeat the whole point of a soft open and draw in too many people at once. I don't see why they'd take down the plants for aesthetics that sounds lame...also a waste of payroll to have a human barrier all day I think.

 

[LithiumBill]

Which group will be happy, the people rooting for this to open or those rooting for it to fail?

Are there really people rooting for this to fail? I hope not... lol. I like the deabtes, but no one really wants this to fail - right?

 

[Sevier]

Don't over react.

Remember Dumbo's construction snafus?
Remember the problems with the Disneyland Monorail?

Stuff happens... and they fix it. This is why they test.

This.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Actually, for Enchanted Tales with Belle, I got to experience it about four or five days before the first MNSSHP back in September of 2012. They were running a random soft opening around Sept 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2012.

Even earlier than that actually. They were doing limited previews as early as August 30th.

 

[RSoxNo1]

What I am hearing is enough to give an ops CM an ulcer.

This was supposed to HELP with capacity problems?

Can't have as many trains on the track as expected?

 

[cw1982]

Can't have as many trains on the track as expected?

I think there was more talk after that post about this, and in fact, there is some kind of timing issue that is keeping them from having as many trains going at a time as they had hoped. One figure that someone threw out said that there would only be 800 riders per hour.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yea TSMM takes 30 mins top to move thru the line when there is no FP people coming in, they should nix the FP for that ride it would run a lot smoothly I'd think.

The wait time at DCA is regularly 45-60 minutes. I would imagine that would skew slightly higher (60-75) without FP at DHS.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Looking at the layout of the ride Disney has to be shooting for 3-4 train operation. 1 in the unload area, 1 in the load area, 1 in the lift 1 to mine area, and 1 on the lift 2 to unload area. Assuming a 2 minute ride wouldn't they have to dispatch a train every 40-45 seconds to maintain this? That would put capacity at 1800.

I think we were anticipating 1400-1500.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Doesn't appear we are getting soft openings today either. Spotted workers on the tracks and some left over construction equipment.

Leopards are working on the attraction?

 

[Ahall003]

The wait time at DCA is regularly 45-60 minutes. I would imagine that would skew slightly higher (60-75) without FP at DHS.

All I know is I can move through that line in a good 30-35 minutes with a full queue when the FP line isn't going steady

 

[rct247]

I don't see why they'd take down the plants for aesthetics that sounds lame...also a waste of payroll to have a human barrier all day I think.

They had a "human barrier" as a greeter with or without the plant walls (which are ropes now), because obviously people have questions and you can't just trust people to keep out. Disney trusts people to sit down and not jump out of rides, but it still happens believe it or not.

 

[flynnibus]

Once again like people have been saying, I'd take anything a CM says with a grain of salt, if they were planning on doing a soft open tomorrow for example, they wouldn't even tell CMs because it would defeat the whole point of a soft open and draw in too many people at once

They do have to tell CMs.. in the point of having them scheduled! The CMs know they will be operating.. but they don't know if they will open to the public or not per say.

And 'soft opens' are not about 'small crowds' - they are simply about training and shakedown. They manage crowds simply by turning people away and only taking people in for short periods of time. They don't need to be 'sneaky' about it to avoid crowds.. they don't like telling people because it usually is a 'right now' decision. But they have to be staffed and operational for that decision to even be made. So it happens typically when the staff is there, and testing and training.. and then they will open it up for 'test dummies' so they can run with real conditions.

 

[Bubbamel]

I took a pic of someone working the area where the fast pass entrance would be. Sorry for the photo quality.


Edit: many construction workers walking the mountain.

 

[Tom]

I took a pic of someone working the area where the fast pass entrance would be. Sorry for the photo quality.


Edit: many construction workers walking the mountain.

It's interesting that they're working this late at night. I guess they want to have everything 100%, so that the instant the repairs (if that ends up being true) are done, they can open.

 

[Bubbamel]

It's interesting that they're working this late at night. I guess they want to have everything 100%, so that the instant the repairs (if that ends up being true) are done, they can open.

Agreed. It even looks like one fastpass receiver is up.

Edit: it seems they were up earlier. I apologize for the misinformation.

 

[WDWFantasmicFan]

Agreed. It even looks like one fastpass receiver is up.

Edit: it seems they were up earlier. I apologize for the misinformation.

From what I saw on a photo yesterday, both FP+ scanners were up at the ride entrance. I'll try to find the photo...

Edit: see link: pic.twitter.com/moTjHBZreh

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

They just started to test with the cars on the tracks very recently. That they almost soft opened this quickly is nothing short of amazing. They have come along way since Test Track.

Consistent testing has been fairly recent but they've been running the trains off and on since October, I'd find it hard to believe after 6 months they are just now finding clearance issues but with them already moving the guardrail by the waterfall it seems possible.

PS. I'm at Disneyland right now and finally got to ride DL's BTMRR and all I can say is WOW!, they need to make these changes in WDW, it's much better. I love WDW because it's a more complete vacation but the more time I spend at DLR the more I prefer DL and DCA, with more rides, shorter lines, no planning needed, FP-, and all around better condition they are simply funner than the Florida parks.

I love the look of New Fantasyland and now that the walls are done 7DMT is amazing to look at, if they would show that much love to all the Florida parks they'd all be incredible!

Video of October testing... www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoNy_T1c-K0