Spaceship Earth - my opinions of the refurb - very very dissapointing

[DisneyAnole]

If each one of us vandalize one screen the problem will be solved. There's the gift of feedback.

Thanks for the laugh. Of course, vandalizing the screens wouldn't fix anything. Disney would just run the ride with broken screens instead of repairing them. Wait a second...a 5 minute descent with nothing is better than 5 minutes with a cheap video game on an ATM screen! Let the vandalization commence!!

 

[ptaylor]

That's okay.

I think because the ride is interactive rather than just having guests sit in the car where everything happens around them, they need to test things early so they can have time to either fix problems or come up with new things. In fact, wasn't it rumored that they were having problems with the interactive portions so they had to delay the opening? I think they need time to test things out. I think historically, a lot of attractions can open up early because they don't run into these types of problems. Take Expedition Everest. I think if they thought the ride was ready when they opened it to passholders months before the official opening, but had drastic problems with the mechanics of the ride, you wouldn't have seen it open for so long before it's official date.

The ride is interactive only in a very primitive way. I am a software developer, and looking at what they have right now, it's nothing more than a touch screen application, with a bit of logic to play some video depending on the answers. It's a couple of days development for the system (obviously more for the animations).

 

[Enderikari]

If each one of us vandalize one screen the problem will be solved. There's the gift of feedback.

The mind of a two-year old = "it's not what I wanted so I am going to destroy it for others!"

Thanks for the laugh. Of course, vandalizing the screens wouldn't fix anything. Disney would just run the ride with broken screens instead of repairing them. Wait a second...a 5 minute descent with nothing is better than 5 minutes with a cheap video game on an ATM screen! Let the vandalization commence!!

Please tell me this is a joke and you don't really mean that? Otherwise, Paging security, let's hope the trespassings flow freely.
I mean, I would like to have at least a little respect for certain posters around here, but with all the whining about every little thing that Disney does, or didn't do, this place is starting to become more and more like WDW-hating MiceChat everyday, which is sad, because Steve is a much better webmaster that Al Lutz could ever be.

Me personally, I haven't been on Spaceship Earth yet, and I am going to wait until the attraction is actually open before riding it, same as I have for just about every other attraction as WDW. I don't agree with the soft opening, and this report only goes to show that Epcot really shouldn't have opened it yet.

Just my opinion. of course

 

[darthjohnny]

The ride is interactive only in a very primitive way. I am a software developer, and looking at what they have right now, it's nothing more than a touch screen application, with a bit of logic to play some video depending on the answers. It's a couple of days development for the system (obviously more for the animations).

That may be it. There might be more on the way that they need to test out, especially with that facial recognition technology. I don't know exactly what's going to happen, but I think we're going wait it out until everything gets up and running.

 

[kcnole]

In the past, we havnt really seen significant changes to attractions after previews, so I am guessing the same will be here.

While this may be apples to oranges I wouldn't say that we don't have a history of seeing significant changes after soft opening. MILF has gone through several significant changes in the hopes of getting it right. While the tenor of the show has stayed the same, the queue and almost the entire show has been rewritten several times to get it right. MILF is now a fairly decent C ticket (although it still doesn't really fit into the theme 100%).

So I'm going to continue to keep an open mind until this is officially open. I'll voice my complaints along with you, but I'm not ready to fire imagineers when all we currently have is incomplete information.

 

[Thelazer]

I AGREE 100%

I did actually make a point of talking to one of the WDI guys directly about how bad the video screen stuff was and how the lack of anything really cool on them was hampering what (overall) is a pretty good rehab job. Of course, I said this in a nice way. Now, let me expand on it a bit as yes, WDI does read this.

Overall, the rehab is good. The new sets, the AA's, the lighting is very top notch. The new music is 50/50, but since I was such a big fan of the old music I didn't really have high hopes for this. The music could have been a little louder; I did not hear it in all the scenes and that could also be part of why it just didn’t really do it for me. The narration by Judi, is well as much as I hate to admit this, it's what the average park guest would expect. It’s not to “Preachy” nor is it to “Corny” so no one will think it's too "Dull" or to "Stale" (words used to discribe epcot in the past.)

The big problem is, the ending!!!!

#1- my photo got taken at the start, but at the end... where was it?
#2- The BIG BLUE LED Matrix (even if it was stolen from a tradeshow booth at LDI.) It's so cool, that any fiber optic stuff after it just looks dull and bad.
#3- Where is the weenie?

I suppose your focus should be on the touch screens. But with a lack of anything really cool on the touch screens, why not look elsewhere. I was honestly expecting the touch screens to do something really nifty (Think I-phone cool.) Now, I'll give it a good chance that this was just a placeholder, that the facial stuff wasn't ready yet. So maybe there is something nifty in the works. I do hope so! Otherwise, wow.. well.. lets just go with it being a placeholder.

So in short. Turn up the music track, add more LEDs to the ending, add a "Weenie" and get better content on the touch screens. Oh and bring the overall light levels down about 5 to 9% in the ride. Plus, add a street backdrop so that the paper boy kid is looking out onto a street scene. If that is done, then this rehab should be just about right.

Jay

 

[DisneyAnole]

The mind of a two-year old = "it's not what I wanted so I am going to destroy it for others!"





Please tell me this is a joke and you don't really mean that? Otherwise, Paging security, let's hope the trespassings flow freely.
I mean, I would like to have at least a little respect for certain posters around here, but with all the whining about every little thing that Disney does, or didn't do, this place is starting to become more and more like WDW-hating MiceChat everyday, which is sad, because Steve is a much better webmaster that Al Lutz could ever be.

Me personally, I haven't been on Spaceship Earth yet, and I am going to wait until the attraction is actually open before riding it, same as I have for just about every other attraction as WDW. I don't agree with the soft opening, and this report only goes to show that Epcot really shouldn't have opened it yet.

Just my opinion. of course

Lighten up, old man. Disney will catch anyone who vandalizes SSE screens. What's that? There's no security cameras in SSE?! Ohh...well. Then. :fork:

 

[dxwwf3]

While this may be apples to oranges I wouldn't say that we don't have a history of seeing significant changes after soft opening. MILF has gone through several significant changes in the hopes of getting it right. While the tenor of the show has stayed the same, the queue and almost the entire show has been rewritten several times to get it right. MILF is now a fairly decent C ticket (although it still doesn't really fit into the theme 100%).

So I'm going to continue to keep an open mind until this is officially open. I'll voice my complaints along with you, but I'm not ready to fire imagineers when all we currently have is incomplete information.

Actually I hope that SSE follows MILF in that we see the official opening moved back. I know they want it open for the Spring Break crowds, but it seems that most people that have been on it seem unimpressed with the descent and if that is the general consensus from average guests as well, then I'm sure they will at least try to quick fix it, if not totally change the ending.

 

[dxwwf3]

I did actually make a point of talking to one of the WDI guys directly about how bad the video screen stuff was and how the lack of anything really coold on them was hampering what (overall) is a pretty good rehab job. Of course, I said this in a nice way. Now, let me expand on it a bit as yes, WDI does read this.

Excellent. Hopefully others will follow suit (if they feel the same way).

 

[DisneyAnole]

I AGREE 100%

I did actually make a point of talking to one of the WDI guys directly about how bad the video screen stuff was and how the lack of anything on the decent was hampering what (overall) is a pretty good rehab job. Of course, I said this in a nice way. Now, let me expand on it a bit as yes, WDI does read this.

Two points.

1. How do you know WDI is reading this thread?

2. Why would WDI need to read this thread? Why would WDI need to get guest feedback to tell them the descent stinks? Anyone with half a brain could tell that this wasn't an adequate finale to the ride. They should have known months ago that this wasn't going to be an acceptable ending for many guests. Hence, guest feedback should be obvious. I'll summarize it for them if they're reading this:

First half = Good. Second half = Bad.

It ain't rocket science.

Good grief, maybe I've overestimated the brilliant minds of Disney...

 

[Figment571]

wrong thread

 

[Thelazer]

Two points.

1. How do you know WDI is reading this thread?

2. Why would WDI need to read this thread? Why would WDI need to get guest feedback to tell them the descent stinks? Anyone with half a brain could tell that this wasn't an adequate finale to the ride. They should have known months ago that this wasn't going to be an acceptable ending for many guests. Hence, guest feedback should be obvious. I'll summarize it for them if they're reading this:

First half = Good. Second half = Bad.

It ain't rocket science.

Good grief, maybe I've overestimated the brilliant minds of Disney...

Considering that I talked at length with one of them today. I think I would know that they are in fact quite intrested in the feedback given. It's already well known that WDI does read this. Of course, no one will openly admit to it..

They do listen, they take notes and then sit around and read thur the notes, looking for major trends and overall feedback etc.
Same thing we do at my job (and no it's not WDI.. but it's rather close to it... just um down the I-4 a bit.)

It's also already well known that WDI does read this. They are not going to just show up with a screename "IAMWDI" and put up a post saying "hello everyone, tell me what you think..." but, they do read this (and are as always welcome to hire me as a consultant on this or any project)

(oh and no funny biz with someone registering the new IAMWDI screenname now... btw

 

[dxwwf3]

Considering that I talked at length with one of them today. I think I would know that they are in fact quite intrested in the feedback given. It's already well known that WDI does read this. Of course, no one will openly admit to it..

And I think it is important that they also know how happy just about everyone is about the majority of this rehab. The ending should be fixable and even if they don't touch it, the positive should far outweigh the negative of this refurbishment. Great work looks to have been done here and I hope people do not lose sight of that because of the disappointing finale.

 

[epcotpalms]

Good work has been done here. But....the ending is so bad you forget about everything you saw in the beginning. Please, please, please fix it!

 

[Figment571]

I agree ^ but I think that everyone believes that if they just point out the positive we will be left with a hot steaming pile of flash game.

 

[DisneyAnole]

Considering that I talked at length with one of them today. I think I would know that they are in fact quite intrested in the feedback given. It's already well known that WDI does read this. Of course, no one will openly admit to it..

My point is the feedback on SSE is obvious. The second half of the ride is bad. No kidding? That's the most obvious observation on here. Why do they need feedback that restates the obvious? Are they stupid? Are they too-far removed from the point of the attraction? It just sounds ridiculous that they need guests to tell them that the second half of the ride is a disappointment. :hammer:

I'd heard that "Disney" reads message boards, but didn't know if that was Park Ops people or WDI. Furthermore, I didn't know if it was wdwmagic they read or any of the other Disney boards.

 

[the-reason14]

While I agree with what most are saying, I just hope they dont close it during Jan. while Im there. One thing Im going to miss the most is the communications theme, I really enjoyed it and to me it all flowed together and made sense. But from the vid looking at the same AAs with a little subtle changes here and there, I still think of it as communication, but thats not what you get. I was disappointed from the vid aswell, but Im really just going to have to be patient for the most part.

 

[dxwwf3]

My point is the feedback on SSE is obvious. The second half of the ride is bad. No kidding? That's the most obvious observation on here. Why do they need feedback that restates the obvious? Are they stupid? Are they too-far removed from the point of the attraction? It just sounds ridiculous that they need guests to tell them that the second half of the ride is a disappointment. :hammer:

Well if they thought it was so obvious, they wouldn't have let guests ride it in the current state. Maybe they actually think it is a good enough ending or maybe they were testing to see if they could "get this one by" people without them caring much (which certainly doesn't seem to be the case online).

 

[Enderikari]

Lighten up, old man. Disney will catch anyone who vandalizes SSE screens. What's that? There's no security cameras in SSE?! Ohh...well. Then. :fork:

Well, I guess your argument completely invalidates mine and makes the destruction of property (any property) that isn't yours, morally defensible, as long as you don't get caught

 

[epcotpalms]

WDI and Epcot Leadership should close the ride for the next year if it takes that long to make the attraction correct and worthwhile!

I'm sorry people want to ride the attraction on their upcoming vacations but I'd rather see a quality ending then the the trash I witnessed today! (ending only)

As for people saying we are stating the obvious...I disagree. If it was so obviously bad to WDI why was it created? And even a better question is if it was so obviously bad why did they open it to their most important fans!!!!

Not so obvious I guess...