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

[Thelazer]

Well, the touchscreens... my feeling is that they may not have been a total waste of money. For example, the rumor of them using them to choose your own version of close caption in your own languge. That, alone would be a good justifcation of the money spent on them. It's just that they are not being used in the correct mannor in this current version of the rehab.

Jay

 

[dxwwf3]

the ending has always been terrible

I completely disagree. I think Tomorrow's Child succeeded with music and meaning and the most recent ending worked in just about every way (even though the technology aspect was outdated at this point).

 

[Thelazer]

"Please, go and read some of the mouse planet stuff about "Declining By Degrees"

Not only have I read Decling by Degrees, but I could point out hundreds of examples just from my last visit, last week. Sorry, I can point things out from overgrown trees to worn down garbage can signage. I can certainly shoot the breeze about the endless problems at what has become a corporate dumbed down Walt Disney World.

My point with the end portion of Spaceship Earth is that there was never much of anything to begin with. If for 25 years the descent has been underwhelming, I certainly wouldn't expect it to improve much.

Has anyone possibly entertained the notion that based on the layout of the descent area and the building plan that they created, they are limited in space and what they can do here? With such limitations, they believed that creating this interactive screen at least brought something new?

The ending has been lights and static figures. So, if we get some more lights and little effects to equal or be greater than the last version along with the interactive video screens, how could that not be an upgrade?

I also read a comment about people speaking highly about other recent redos on here including the River of Time refurbishment. Again, I must be reading the wrong threads. I saw countless complaints about the use of Donald Duck, getting rid of the old music, etc.

Okay.. But. The problem is. We didn't get anything that was even close to being equal with the old ending. It's NOT a upgrade, it's a STEP DOWN!
It's not even "underwhelming." At least with the old versions of darkness and blinky lights my mind could fill in what I did not see. Not here, I could not even do that, all I could do is push the touchscreen button and ask myself ? is going on.
That's where the problem is.

If the touchscreens would have been the only thing, with no fiber, or no leds and even a halfway decent video on them. It would have been an improvement. But, this isn't even close. I'll take the old static figures and fiber optic neon city anyday over this.

 

[wdwmagic]

To me the whole touch screen interactive idea just stinks of some pencil pusher sitting up high in the WDC, Siemens, maybe even WDI saying “INTERACTIVE, INTERACTIVE, INTERACTIVE….. That’s what the kids want, all these video games, INTERACTIVE is the way” Well here’s a thought, interactive is not the be all and end all, in fact I’ll go as far as saying it is not even the way of the future in the way people seem to be thinking it is.

You are dead right on this. I see it all the time in my job. People in high positions in companies, who really have no idea what they are doing insist on things like this as they perceive it to be the latest and greatest thing to happen to us. Very much like 100% flash sites VS good ole, usable HTML. A lot of the time you dont WANT to be interactive - you want to sit back, and enjoy the experience being presented.

 

[alphac2005]

Steve, you make an excellent point. As for my position on the video screens and the descent, I simply believe that we are looking at an area of the ride that didn't have much to start with, so there isn't much to do in order to add to it. That doesn't mean that I'm a fan of video screens. HOWEVER, your point that you just want to sit back and relax and not have the interaction is very solid and I totally agree.

With the '94 redo, I thought the end was lousy and a cheap way to go about things. Everything from the kids on the screens to the end became static figures. As underwhelming as that descent was, the most relaxing part was going backwards, looking at the lights, and hearing the wonderful score.

 

[SDav10495]

Agreed with Steve's comment about WDI's recent track record. A number of rehabs lately have been very good or excellent, and it's important to remember that these were, by and large, justly lauded by even the die-hard fans.

That's the thing about many die-hard WDW fans. Many other WDW-watchers are quick to flame them and label them "Disney haters" when they find fault with something at the parks, yet these same "haters" are among the most generous and appreciative in their praise when Disney really gets it right. Gasp--is it possible that these fans really love the parks? Is it possible that their ciriticism comes from a place of love and concern rather than vitriol and disgust?

Is it possible that many are now complaining not because they are nasty theme park queens who couldn't wait to dance over SSE's grave but because something is actually seriously wrong with this new rehab?

 

[Thelazer]

Agreed with Steve's comment about WDI's recent track record. A number of rehabs lately have been very good or excellent, and it's important to remember that these were, by and large, justly lauded by even the die-hard fans.

That's the thing about many die-hard WDW fans. Many other WDW-watchers are quick to flame them and label them "Disney haters" when they find fault with something at the parks, yet these same "haters" are among the most generous and appreciative in their praise when Disney really gets it right. Gasp--is it possible that these fans really love the parks? Is it possible that their ciriticism comes from a place of love and concern rather than vitriol and disgust?

Is it possible that many are now complaining not because they are nasty theme park queens who couldn't wait to dance over SSE's grave but because something is actually seriously wrong with this new rehab?

Yes it's very possible. There *IS* something wrong with this rehab and we all know what it is. The question at hand is does WDI/siemens care?
Maybe a quick email to siemens corp is a good idea at this point.

 

[dxwwf3]

As underwhelming as that descent was, the most relaxing part was going backwards, looking at the lights, and hearing the wonderful score.

And sometimes that's enough. I loved it and thought it had one of the best pieces of WDW music ever.

 

[vickyvale]

I have to say I've been very pleased with most of the Epcot "rehabs" (from Test Track to Nemo - yeah, I actually think Living Seas with Nemo is a very cute ride) and love the updates to POTC and the Mansion.

I think Disney has done a lot of great things under their new leadership - but yeah, they're bigger than many cities so we can always find things that need to be worked on.

Overall I love 99% of what they've done to SSE...but the descent just kinda ruins it for me. That's just my opinion. I also kinda believe they shouldn't be soft opening when wires and conduit are exposed and you can see through the scrim in several place -- just very bad show.

So I'll happily give my feedback to Guest Communications - how very impressed I am with the updated AA's and feel of the ascent, and how disappointing I find the ending. Who knows....the worst thing that could happen is that they listen or better yet surprise us in the final weeks of the rehab. :lookaroun

 

[DisneyAnole]

You can always download the Iron's narration and soundtrack and Mousebits, put it on your Ipod, and listen to it while you ride around SSE. Just turn up the volume to drown out Dench and the new score. That would at least work until the descent...

 

[the-reason14]

Yes, hopefully they can do something, but I still hope its open during my trip in Jan.

 

[Mr Bill]

You are dead right on this. I see it all the time in my job. People in high positions in companies, who really have no idea what they are doing insist on things like this as they perceive it to be the latest and greatest thing to happen to us. Very much like 100% flash sites VS good ole, usable HTML. A lot of the time you dont WANT to be interactive - you want to sit back, and enjoy the experience being presented.

I'm not sure if I could agree any more with this statement!

 

[alphac2005]

And sometimes that's enough. I loved it and thought it had one of the best pieces of WDW music ever.

Unfortunately, I don't think we're in the majority anymore. I see it on a daily basis, the parent texting while driving, the kids in backseat with the TV screens, the navigational system on. It's nonstop visual interactivity.

One thing we should all think about is the grand scheme of things and Disney's continual attempt to shed the not cool label when it comes to teens. Things like the interactive screen are a perfect example. They are playing to what they perceive is their audience and constant distraction is what most seem to crave nowadays.

Steve's point about companies adding things like interactive features because they think it's what people want and it's cool is dead-on. On the flip, though, like I stated, look at people today. It's non-stop, no attention span, and lacking intellectual curiosity. They get bored easily. I'd bet that a lot of focus group work went into this rehab and for them to figure out a balance to get our attention deficit world to be happy with the ride. I LOVE audio-animatronic attractions, they are the greatest, but I'm certain that countless kids today are totally bored by them and not wowed by the technology. They are more interested in their cell and PSP.

 

[DMC-12]

They are more interested in their cell and PSP.

Thats what i do at the airport. :lookaroun

 

[Thelazer]

Unfortunately, I don't think we're in the majority anymore. I see it on a daily basis, the parent texting while driving, the kids in backseat with the TV screens, the navigational system on. It's nonstop visual interactivity.

One thing we should all think about is the grand scheme of things and Disney's continual attempt to shed the not cool label when it comes to teens. Things like the interactive screen are a perfect example. They are playing to what they perceive is their audience and constant distraction is what most seem to crave nowadays.

Steve's point about companies adding things like interactive features because they think it's what people want and it's cool is dead-on. On the flip, though, like I stated, look at people today. It's non-stop, no attention span, and lacking intellectual curiosity. They get bored easily. I'd bet that a lot of focus group work went into this rehab and for them to figure out a balance to get our attention deficit world to be happy with the ride. I LOVE audio-animatronic attractions, they are the greatest, but I'm certain that countless kids today are totally bored by them and not wowed by the technology. They are more interested in their cell and PSP.

If ANY TEENS think the touchscreens on this ride are "Cool" then.. god.. well.... god we are all doomed. How can this be cool compared to say an IPhone, or a Nintendo DS, or hell.. god my cheap cell phone is more interactive and cool than what the current touch screens are.

Jay

 

[alphac2005]

Thats what i do at the airport. :lookaroun

HA! But I assume you can enjoy the animatronics and rides without being preoccupied by them at that time. Lots of people are just obsessed with the things all the time now. We saw so many kids dragging around Nintendo DS' at WDW last week. Why pay to bring your kid down if they are just going to walk around and play video games? Sorry, we take our four year old twins on 1000 mile trips with no more than a drawing pad and play toy, they do just fine.

 

[alphac2005]

If ANY TEENS think the touchscreens on this ride are "Cool" then.. god.. well.... god we are all doomed. How can this be cool compared to say an IPhone, or a Nintendo DS, or hell.. god my cheap cell phone is more interactive and cool than what the current touch screens were.

I agree, but the good old corporate types usually don't see the logic in that statement. It's like old people who try to act cool and young, it doesn't work. I'm sure many execs think the screens are cool.

 

[Thelazer]

Hmm.

I got it.

You use the touchscreen at the start of the ride to enter your name and info.
Then at the ending, everything goes blank. Your Nintendo DS lights up and is downloaded your photo and name from the ride. You then, can see others who are "Online" with you on the touchscreen. You can message them in real time using your DS. Then, you all can pick your own "view of the future" the screens go blank and your ride ends.

You walk out into "Project Tommorow" and on the screens are your faces, inserted into your view of the future that you just picked using your nintendo DS!

Jay

 

[DMC-12]

HA! But I assume you can enjoy the animatronics and rides without being preoccupied by them at that time. Lots of people are just obsessed with the things all the time now. We saw so many kids dragging around Nintendo DS' at WDW last week. Why pay to bring your kid down if they are just going to walk around and play video games? Sorry, we take our four year old twins on 1000 mile trips with no more than a drawing pad and play toy, they do just fine.

Oh yeah... the cell stays in my pocket (when on rides)... and once I get off the plane... the PSP stays in my luggage till I get back on the plane to get home..lol.

...and yes... I do and can enjoy a dark ride... w/o some *alleged* lame screen on descent...lol :lookaroun

 

[Figment571]

I'll go on record as a teen saying that that touch screen thing looks boring as ... hmm how should I put this so I sound hip and cool, that episode of that show yo man were it was all like WHAT! in that hizzy. Than that man got all dumb up. Man boi, that skraight up wak dawg!

Yes, and besides most teens find the cutesy stuff very boring and dull, they like realism. I am different than most and rather enjoy it but it has no place in SSE.