Space Mountain 2.0 rumor update

[cmatt]

Ahem... Anaheim cloned the French version. It just wasn`t built at the time

i read that over at dlrp magic, it would of changed my whole perception of the studios if it was there already

still - driving down to check it out after it has opened :animwink:

 

[cmatt]

Let's see, for me all I want for WDW SM to get is new track sections to smooth it out and add new effects.

I heard the new rockets will have audio so I don't have to wish for that, all I wish is for new effects but same layout on both sides. If Disney can do that, then it will be better then DL's. (While the upgraded SM for DL is good, it's not the best since HKDL version blew it out of the water.)

Just to let everyone know, while yes it is possible for Sm building to hold a inversion, it's not going to be put in!

tbf it doesnt need an inversion.... nice to hear about their on board audio too :drevil: lets hope they have their own score for it too :shrug:

I am still for a singular track layout with the added benefit of a 'launch' system.... something similar to trotm at universal.... (except not as intense...) have the car move into a loading bay, where they get some sort of movie (like the one for mission space) reverse into a switch back which will then rotate them 180 degrees onto the launch track and 'shoot' to the top of the building and back down

... although that idea has been done at universal (so nil points for origionality), it would still be imho a viable option.

That said - only disney know whats going to happen, and they are keeping schtum about it :lookaroun

 

[Figment571]

I know that when SM was first opened it was at the top of the heap, the biggest of the thrills and now kids in my classes say, that it is a baby coaster. So I would think that there are two options, keep the same layout and give it a DL plus style refurb or let Disney regain their title of being able to make an incredible coaster. One that makes them respectable in the eyes of the Universal crowd but do it the Disney way!

Remember Walt said it was for parents and kids so that doesn't mean that everything has to be 100% 5 year old friendly. Look what AE was.RIP

 

[CarlHS]

There's little reason to bring in Vacoma unless you intend to replace the track. I say gut the whole thing a replace it with one awesome track.

The mentality on these boards that keeps popping up about 'the attendance at MK is high so it does not need anything, or the best thing so just patch it' is sheer stupidity. This mentality is the reason MK has not gotten a new E-Ticket since 1982.

When your attendance is up you reinvest some of that capital to stay on top. With those attendance figures it plain sucks to be at MK as a long-distance visitor, because the number of attractions is 1/2 to 2/3s that of Disneyland, so you just spend all of your time waiting on lines. Guest Satisfaction should determine the need for new rides and upgrades, not attendance. Satisfaction is clearly down and if real improvements and additions don't start happening, attendance will go down as well.

Disneyland has less attendance, yet finds to money to constantly plus and add at maximum quality, not low level patch jobs which seem to be the norm at MK. If it weren’t for Everest (and a few other recent adds) attendance would be down at MK (people traveling to see Everest come for a week and hit all the parks since they haven't been for awhile).

In 35 years of greater attendance, MK should have caught up to and surpassed DLC. It should be the best park, not just the most heavily attended. In half that time, Tokyo DL has pretty much passed MK for quality and content.

When they close SM down, MK will have 4 or 5 E-tickets running, pathetic compared to DLC's 9 or 10 E-Tickets (depending on how you count them it could be even worse).

It's too bad Islands of Adventure didn't hit MK's attendance really hard, then we could have gotten fire mountain and villain land and had a Magic Kingdom to be proud of, but basing your assessment of the park on attendance (instead of satisfaction), you are telling me the only way to get some Imagineering quality enhancements to MK is to boycott the park. Truly pathetic…..

Rant continues indefinitely, but text ends for brevity....

 

[Coggy]

... or let Disney regain their title of being able to make an incredible coaster. One that makes them respectable in the eyes of the Universal crowd but do it the Disney way!

Doesn't Everest, RnRC solve that problem? Everything at Disney doesn't have to satisfy the Universal crowd. Actually, I am sure Universal would LOVE to have the Disney crowd (bigger attendance) at their parks.

What about BTMRR? Should that be torn up and replaced? That ride is more tame to me than SM.

Everyone I know loves SM as it is. Why drastically change something that still draws the masses.

I believe they should leave it as is. The classics do have their place in plenty Aof people's hearts and minds. Disneyworld has something most parks don't. Lots of Land. Build the "Universal" rides in the other parks that still have expansion capabilities.

As for me, I don't ride the new "Universal" type rides at Disney (RnRC, Everest, Mission Space) because those rides make me dizzy. I stick with the classic rides and still get to enjoy the rides with my kids (teens). Something that really led Walt to build DL.

I've been to IoA once (without my kids). Went on the Hulk and Spiderman first and I was not right the rest of the day. Since then, I have never gone back and neither have my kids. I guess I am just not going to be a part of the "Universal" crowd. And, as long as I foot the bills for my kids vacations, they won't be a part of the "Universal" crowd either.

Thus, I am the perfect "Disney" demographic. The one who has the money and the one who wants to actually enjoy most rides with his kids.

As far as I am concerned, the further Disney stays away from the "Universal" concept, the better.

 

[Damien666]

Hmmmm...I can say everyone is making valid points on here.

As much as it would be nice to have a single non looping launched track, I think it would break away of being a family coaster into trying to compeate with the coasters at IOA. Remember, MK is a FAMILY park. While yes they have made stupid mistakes with unbalancing the kid friendly and Teen/Adult friendly attractions, I consider SM a family coaster.

One thing I really like about the current tracks is both of them please the families. I may be in the age range that loves Hulk and Dueling Dragons at IOA, but I still enjoy SM very much since the coasters are just plain fun. It can be considered the "Matterhorn" of MK.

Another reason why we will probably never see a new single track, the price. They would have to really gut the stations to make room for it, add that up with the new footers,track, effects etc...your paying more then getting new track, updated rockets and new effects.

Oh yes, there are two little words that the Genie said that Disney should pretty much follow. "Be Yourself"
You don't need to follow Universal's path to have great attractions, just do things your way and it can be a great success.

 

[Coggy]

When they close SM down, MK will have 4 or 5 E-tickets running, pathetic compared to DLC's 9 or 10 E-Tickets

How does that compare to Universal? Disney doesn't need to compete with itself. Especially when DL is several thousand miles away. You need to look at WDW as a whole, not it's parts. Between all 4 parks, I am sure WDW kills any other resort in the world as far as E-tickets.

It's too bad Islands of Adventure didn't hit MK's attendance really hard

Could it be that MORE people like what MK has to offer compared to Universal? Why would Disney try to emulate Universal, when what they already have keeps the competition at bay as it is? That's like saying Coke needs to change it's formula to keep Pepsi at bay. New Coke anyone? We see where that led Coca-Cola (back to it's original formula).

 

[JLW11Hi]

Could it be that MORE people like what MK has to offer compared to Universal? Why would Disney try to emulate Universal, when what they already have keeps the competition at bay as it is? That's like saying Coke needs to change it's formula to keep Pepsi at bay. New Coke anyone? We see where that led Coca-Cola (back to it's original formula).

So what you're saying is we should be afraid of change because it might bring about something of less quality and satisfaction?

The competition could have led to tons of new and awesome attractions. Unfortunatelly it just didn't go that way.

 

[Coggy]

So what you're saying is we should be afraid of change because it might bring about something of less quality and satisfaction?

Um, you could say that. I didn't say that. But since you bring it up. What about Tiki Birds? All I hear is how people love DL's Original Tiki and loathe WDW's revamped Tiki Birds. Same with Journey at Epcot. There are tons of people here who would rather the original. At least attendance at those attractions was probably a deciding factor in updating them. Space Mountain doesn't have the attendance problems those attractions might have had. Why change for the sake of change. There needs to be some reason to spend millions of dollars. Not this Roller Coaster Tycoon "armchair Imagineer" mentality.

One thing that Disneyworld has over Universal is a whole generation of parents who grew up with MK and are now spending money to revisit their "memories" of classic MK with their kids. Nostalgia. No amount of money Universal spends can buy that.

 

[cmatt]

Um, you could say that. I didn't say that. But since you bring it up. What about Tiki Birds? All I hear is how people love DL's Original Tiki and loathe WDW's revamped Tiki Birds. Same with Journey at Epcot. There are tons of people here who would rather the original. At least attendance at those attractions was probably a deciding factor in updating them. Space Mountain doesn't have the attendance problems those attractions might have had. Why change for the sake of change. There needs to be some reason to spend millions of dollars. Not this Roller Coaster Tycoon "armchair Imagineer" mentality.

One thing that Disneyworld has over Universal is a whole generation of parents who grew up with MK and are now spending money to revisit their "memories" of classic MK with their kids. Nostalgia. No amount of money Universal spends can buy that.

just because there is a small demographic of disney nuts that like the 'nostalgia' doesnt mean EVERYONE wants it to stay. imho parks should evolve - looking for creative ways to get bums on seats. Not hanging on to the past... in the uk its done alot differently. When i get round to going to thorpe park for example - it has changed into a different entity...

 

[Coggy]

just because there is a small demographic of disney nuts that like the 'nostalgia' doesnt mean EVERYONE wants it to stay. imho parks should evolve - looking for creative ways to get bums on seats. Not hanging on to the past... in the uk its done alot differently. When i get round to going to thorpe park for example - it has changed into a different entity...

Try to convince yourself that there is a "small demographic" of disney fans that keep coming back for the nostalgia. Here in America, nostalgia plays a big part.

Other parks HAVE to change because the attendance demands it. MK and especially SM attendance is not a problem. If it was, they would have added an E-ticket attraction in the last 20 or so years. They've actually taken out E-tickets (Submarine) and still crush attendance. Leave the "new" rides to the other 3 parks. Leave MK alone. If I want to ride the new SM at DL, I will go there. If I want to ride a launched SM, I will go to Paris.

 

[Lee]

If I want to ride the new SM at DL, I will go there. If I want to ride a launched SM, I will go to Paris.

And if you want to ride a rickety, raggedy, bumpy, cutting-edge-for-1975, sorry excuse for a Disney e-ticket, ride the current Space Mountain at MK.:wave:

Change (in this case, for sure) is unavoidable....and very welcome.

 

[erasure fan1]

Space mountain needs to change. I dont think it needs to become a universal type ride but it does need some big time work. If they only do 1 thing, they need to fix the track, its way to rough. I dont agree that the MK doesnt need a new E-ticket. I think it does, so refresh SM, and build something new. I think you should see an evolution to the parks. You can keep tradition while adding new and exciting attractions. I think at this point most people ride SM because its a classic not because its a great ride. I say bring it back to glory. You can keep the same basic layout with state of the art track tech. add some new killer effects and you have a fresh new ride that stays with the spirit of the old version.

 

[sknydave]

And if you want to ride a rickety, raggedy, bumpy, cutting-edge-for-1975, sorry excuse for a Disney e-ticket, ride the current Space Mountain at MK.:wave:

Change (in this case, for sure) is unavoidable....and very welcome.

Again, I enjoy the rickety, raggedy, bumpy, cutting-edge-for-1975, sorry excuse for a Disney e-ticket.

 

[basas]

And if you want to ride a rickety, raggedy, bumpy, cutting-edge-for-1975, sorry excuse for a Disney e-ticket, ride the current Space Mountain at MK.:wave:

Change (in this case, for sure) is unavoidable....and very welcome.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[Coggy]

And if you want to ride a rickety, raggedy, bumpy, cutting-edge-for-1975, sorry excuse for a Disney e-ticket, ride the current Space Mountain at MK.:wave:

Some people ride wooden rollercoasters because they like the out of control, "rickety, raggedy, bumpy" feel. I feel the same about SM at WDW. I just love the whole ride. By the way, ya'll are REALLY overstating the roughness of SM. I don't find it any rougher than RnRC (new technology). Actually, I feel more beat up after getting off of RnRC (head banger) than when I get off SM (which I don't feel beat up).

 

[Lee]

Some people ride wooden rollercoasters because they like the out of control, "rickety, raggedy, bumpy" feel.

That's fine for a woody...it goes with the territory.
But, it doesn't make sense for a simulated flight through space. Space Mountain, in my humble opinion, should be fast, smooth, and state of the art.

Anyway, we're getting down to arguing opinions which is pointless. The refurb is going to happen, regardless of how we bicker on these boards.

 

[raven]

I think the track needs to be replaced, not the layout. The track has definately seen it's days and a new track would make the ride much smoother but still keep the speed, quick turns and sudden drops that we all love. Obviously technology has changed since 1975 and WDI wants to update this attraction and has many reasons to...including safety features and reliability issues that you don't have on an older coaster. There are many ways to update technology without ruining a classic. For example look at all of the Audio Animitronics that WDI first made. Back in the day they were run by wires, cogs and gears on controllers and now they have been upgraded to complex computers. If this is all that WDI wants to do with SM than I say "go for it!"

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

The refurb is going to happen ...

:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[basas]

That's fine for a woody...it goes with the territory.
But, it doesn't make sense for a simulated flight through space. Space Mountain, in my humble opinion, should be fast, smooth, and state of the art.

Anyway, we're getting down to arguing opinions which is pointless. The refurb is going to happen, regardless of how we bicker on these boards.

Also keep in mind wooden coasters are made and supposed to have that 'out of control'/'fall apart' feeling. Space Mountain, themed to be high-tech, futuristic and state of the art most certainly was not made to feel that way.

Any word yet on what exactly the refurb will include? Personally, I wish they’d gut the whole building and start over. With the space in there (more than DL’s), they could create a great ride without being overly intense…