Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[Disneyhead'71]

I also hate the idea that Disney fanboys have ingrained in their head that seeing coaster track = awful! Hulk is very photogenic as it goes out over the lagoon. Rip Ride Rockit provides a cool backdrop for the concert stage. Or there's Manta, which looks beautiful paired with its surroundings and landscaping. Coasters also add visual kinetic energy and excitement to an area. Or California Screamin'.

The point is, when implemented well, there's nothing wrong with exposed coaster track.

Just give up.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Soooo.....less than a week away from the Expo, huh?

4 days to be exact, but at this point I think we can wait until after it's over before discussing the merits of what may or may not be announced.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I also hate the idea that Disney fanboys have ingrained in their head that seeing coaster track = awful! Hulk is very photogenic as it goes out over the lagoon. Rip Ride Rockit provides a cool backdrop for the concert stage. Or there's Manta, which looks beautiful paired with its surroundings and landscaping. Or California Screamin'. Coasters also add visual kinetic energy and excitement to an area.

The point is, when implemented well, there's nothing wrong with exposed coaster track.

Hulk at least justifies the coaster in the queue as being some sort of elaborate particle accelerator for Banner's latest attempt to free himself of the Hulk.

 

[Lee]

I am not sure about the vertical drop track.

More like a tilt...

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I'm not a fan of exposed coaster track at all. It's not just "Disney fanboys" that dislike it, i've heard Universal fans complain about how Dragon Challenge sticks out horribly and looks bad next to the rest of the Harry Potter elements.

It's not so much the track itself that's the problem (they can be painted to blend in fairly well within the environment), it's the exposed support beams and pylons that are the real issue at causing ugliness. I'm a huge advocate of hiding that crap behind rockwork or something similar. And yes despite my irritation at the things Disney does in general, I still praise them for doing this.

Would any Universal fan really turn their nose up at a retheme of Dragon Challenge presented similarly to this? (image courtesy of @RandySavage I believe, very nice work btw, love your site)-

This would have gone a long way to alleviate the clashing themeatics that Potter 1.0 suffers from (but still keep the same ride). You'd have a very hard time getting me to ride a more thrilling coaster like Dragon Challenge, but giving it a themed appearance like that would make me appreciate it far more. I'd at least want to try it in that form. And even if I couldn't handle that level of thrill, it would still be visually stunning and fit wonderfully with the land unlike it does now.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I do agree that Dragon Challenge is an ugly coaster, and that is because its just a huge mesh of grey supports in one contained area with little to no theming or landscaping to enhance it otherwise. Still, there are plenty other examples of coasters looking aesthetically pleasing and "natural" in their surroundings. Its not fair to compare Universal, Busch, and Sea World's coasters to Six Flags. Six Flags literally plops down coasters wherever they fit, sometimes over former parking lots sections.

 

[choco choco]

What matters is not the technology, but how it's USED and it's final effect in the attraction.

Ok, I'll say it. Universal's use of screens sucks. I recently took some relatives over to Universal Studios Hollywood. They hadn't been in some 20 odd years, and to say they were unimpressed and underwhelmed by the attractions would be an understatement. The Simpsons ride is a dud. The Transformers ride is incoherent and ugly (bare concrete and grey steel is poor theming, even if it fits your "story" well), and the less said about the Shrek thing, the better. I can't even believe they would consider another 3D simulator with Despicable Me, now it just seems like they are cheap and creatively bankrupt.

But the big disappointment was the Kong 360-3D/4D-Smellovision-whatever. Now we're not even comparing Universal to Disney, we are comparing Universal to its own past attraction. Relatives who decades ago remember being impressed by the giant physical Kong monkey and couldn't believe that it was replaced by yet another simulator screen. And it had the same problem as Transformers: visually incoherent, audibly incoherent, and not "immersive" by any definition of the word. That portion of the tram tour got less response than the decades old Earthquake bit with its real water and fire and train crashing through the station.

I myself hadn't been to Universal in many, many years, and even I left scratching me head. What's all the hype about this company, nobody in my group wanted to go back.

 

[TalkingHead]

I think Dragon Challenge is going to be even more fun with the Hogwarts Express train station that is being built so close to the ride path.

And the exposed track doesn't bother me. They did a good job generally keeping it out of sight from Hogsmeade. At least, I don't remember being distracted by it.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

PI couldn't sustain itself. Adventurers and Comedy were the worst offenders. Their performers were way too expensive for it to work long term.

I know this is SEVERAL pages old, but I just found this. Equity performers at WDW get paid less than $16/hour, and in 2008 it was even less (I believe around $13/hr). If that's the financial justification for sinking those places, someone pulled a fast one on their boss. The Equity contract is up for all to read on their website:

http://actorsequity.org/docs/rulebooks/Disneyworld_RuleBook_12-17.pdf

Now if it was DLR, the excuse would be more believable. DLR uses AGVA instead of Equity, and their performers make almost $27/hour.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

@Lee

I'm not a fan of exposed coaster track at all. It's not just "Disney fanboys" that dislike it, i've heard Universal fans complain about how Dragon Challenge sticks out horribly and looks bad next to the rest of the Harry Potter elements.

It's not so much the track itself that's the problem (they can be painted to blend in fairly well within the environment), it's the exposed support beams and pylons that are the real issue at causing ugliness. I'm a huge advocate of hiding that crap behind rockwork or something similar. And yes despite my irritation at the things Disney does in general, I still praise them for doing this.

Would any Universal fan really turn their nose up at a retheme of Dragon Challenge presented similarly to this? (image courtesy of @RandySavage I believe, very nice work btw, love your site)-

This would have gone a long way to alleviate the clashing themeatics that Potter 1.0 suffers from (but still keep the same ride). You'd have a very hard time getting me to ride a more thrilling coaster like Dragon Challenge, but giving it a themed appearance like that would make me appreciate it far more. I'd at least want to try it in that form. And even if I couldn't handle that level of thrill, it would still be visually stunning and fit wonderfully with the land unlike it does now.

That much Zsolt Hormay rock work would have cost more than the whole project did.

 

[TP2000]

Equity performers at WDW get paid less than $16/hour, and in 2008 it was even less (I believe around $13/hr).... Now if it was DLR, the excuse would be more believable. DLR uses AGVA instead of Equity, and their performers make almost $27/hour.

Which helps explain some of the "differences" we notice at Disneyland performances. There was quite a discussion on this topic a year or two ago, but it bears repeating and remembering when we start thinking about what could be brought from Disneyland to WDW.

Different properties use different levels of talent and pay scales. That has to be factored in to any decision by management regarding WDW entertainment.

 

[ctxak98]

I do agree that Dragon Challenge is an ugly coaster, and that is because its just a huge mesh of grey supports in one contained area with little to no theming or landscaping to enhance it otherwise. Still, there are plenty other examples of coasters looking aesthetically pleasing and "natural" in their surroundings. Its not fair to compare Universal, Busch, and Sea World's coasters to Six Flags. Six Flags literally plops down coasters wherever they fit, sometimes over former parking lots sections.

OK I get how a rollercoaster can be cool visually inside an amusement park, But at a theme park, I just feel that its lazy to have a track out in the open! By making the track green, adding a tube that shows a hulk transformation, and a mist tunnel does not make it themed. Now if the ride were to go through a testing facility as you being the hulk and smashing through walls and what not, Then yes that would be cool. Instead its a giant green coaster (which IMHO, is very rough)

I am not saying Disney is perfect at making rollercoasters by any means, but they do a good job of hiding the track as to working with the environment around you. Dueling dragons is horribly hidden and rip ride rocket.....come on. That one is six flags. It has no theme really and goes over backstage lots basically.

 

[doctornick]

Interesting... Thanks for the info, I had been under the impression it would be more in line with Everest's thrill level (if not more so). Dunno what made me think that, maybe descriptions of rumored motions it was supposed to have, but oh well. We'll find out soon enough.

I was under that impression as well, so I appreciate the info.

 

[lebeau]

I really hope the Smurfs 2 is the last of those movies. I heard Smurfs 3 is going to be some terrible Gargamel origin story that rips off Harry Potter with Gargamel as a kid being mocked at wizard school.

It's doing well enough overseas that Smurfs 3 will most likely still happen. Unfortunately.

 

[ctxak98]

Revenge of the Mummy. Have you ridden it?

still 1/4 is not a good number of coasters indoor!. Mummy is by far there best coaster/ride at Universal studios right now. And Spiderman is IOA's best ride. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

That much Zsolt Hormay rock work would have cost more than the whole project did.

I never said it would be cheap, just that it would look amazing. And it honestly would have been worth it. As it is, the coaster is hideous and stands out horribly from the rest of the expansion. That plus the exposed show building for Forbidden Journey are the only blights on an otherwise gorgeously designed expansion.

And who knows? They may correct this someday as they become even more comfortable at spending money on big projects. Potter 1.0 seemed to be a test of sorts for them to see whether big projects like that were worth building (even though it was enormously successful I still heard it went through budget cuts and was downsized somewhat). I'm sure the success of it has opened their minds to putting more money into bigger and better projects if Potter 2.0 is any indication.

 

[BryceM]

and when they do have animatronics, they are terrible. The motion is not remotely close to a Disney A100.

Jurassic Park River Adventure's T-Rex > Expedition Everest's Yeti

Hehe.

 

[ctxak98]

Competence or not - there is an inherent difference between the reliability between a large scale AA and a projected effect.

AA figures still win over screens, even if they take more maintenance. A screen yeti is nothing compared to the REAL yeti. it proves so in the ride itself. When we see the shadow of the beast for the first time, its a little eerie, but then we ACTUALLY see him at the end, and its frightening! (depending on if he is in A mode that is). Either way...actual physical elements are better! IMO

 

[ctxak98]

Jurassic Park River Adventure's T-Rex > Expedition Everest's T-Rex

Hehe.

t-rex????

 

[Disneyhead'71]

OK I get how a rollercoaster can be cool visually inside an amusement park, But at a theme park, I just feel that its lazy to have a track out in the open! By making the track green, adding a tube that shows a hulk transformation, and a mist tunnel does not make it themed. Now if the ride were to go through a testing facility as you being the hulk and smashing through walls and what not, Then yes that would be cool. Instead its a giant green coaster (which IMHO, is very rough)

I am not saying Disney is perfect at making rollercoasters by any means, but they do a good job of hiding the track as to working with the environment around you. Dueling dragons is horribly hidden and rip ride rocket.....come on. That one is six flags. It has no theme really and goes over backstage lots basically.

Actually, yes it does. But I am not going to get into the Realism vs. Impressionism argument again. Have fun riding your trains around a mountain.