Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

[Clamman73]

It's unlikely that the track reduction had anything to do with better figures being approved. Until very recently, even when the current track layout was already well under construction they were still planning to use the older less advanced figures. If the track reduction did have something to do with it, we'd probably have known about the more advanced figures a long time ago. As it stands, Lee saw the lesser figures just about a year ago, so it was clearly a last minute change and I see little logic in assuming the track reduction had much to do with the figures being upgraded. I'm glad they did upgrade the figures, but i'd much rather have had the original track layout AND the newer figures, it really shouldn't be too much to wish for both as even the original concept for the ride's layout wasn't anything that bold or daring from a design perspective. The longer track would not just have made the ride better and allowed for more outdoor show elements, it may also have added additional capacity as well (speculation on my part but a longer track would likely have allowed more trains on the track at once).

Here's again what the original track layout looked like apparently (though not identical to the concept art, it's pretty close)-

And the current version of the layout-

One does wonder who made the decision to give the ride more budget to upgrade the figures though at the last minute. It's actually shocking.

So annoying they could have had the longer track, and still be within the same area the mountain takes up.

 

[GoofGoof]

The fact that this is even a discussion point is a large part of the problem. The Disney of old would never have sacrificed one for the other, they would have built both.

Maybe so, but things were left on the drawing board even back in the 70s and 80s. I'm not saying it is t more common today, but it still happened.

 

[SJN1279]

The fact that this is even a discussion point is a large part of the problem. The Disney of old would never have sacrificed one for the other, they would have built both.

Nostalgia is a powerful drug.....and often inaccurate.

 

[Funmeister]

Is it possible the ride portion was shortened because the rocking trains were not exactly what they expected?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

So the original had a much shorter indoor show scene in favor of more helices?

There may have been more indoor show scenes actually than the final version originally, I've heard this mentioned by some people and insiders may have more info regarding that. Not exactly shorter so much that they just stretched the scene out in a linear fashion in a straight line. Think of it kind of like comparing the cavern scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean, California vs the Paris version. CA's is laid out in a straight line and would appear "longer" if you were to view just the track layout from above. Paris' cave scenes are effectively the same ones in essense, but the track layout is laid out where it's more curved and less of a linear straight line.

Though it's also apparent from the art that they originally planned to have more scenes and theming outside the mountain as well compared to the final. As for the inside parts, it's difficult to tell with just the track layouts Martin posted (I think both of which Lee originally posted years back), but the original track layout is actually fairly similar in complexity to the layout shown in the overhead concept art for New Fantasyland when the Mine Train was first announced. A bit different but there does seem to be some synergy between the art and original track layout and i'm guessing the art held some clues about what the original plans were. If that art is anything to go on for example, it looks like the cars weaved in and out of the mountain far more than the final version, meaning there may originally have been some more to see inside the mountain as well as outside.

Either way there would have been several instances where the track intersected with other cars. I'm guessing there was more to see inside originally, perhaps more than just one show scene. There was at least an extra scene outside of the dwarfs marching home across a fallen tree (which the cars appear to pass under). Not to mention what appears to be sparkling gems adorning the outside of the mine entrances, which probably would have been quite a sight when the sun went down (i'm still disappointed with how the ride looks at night on the outside, missed opportunity to add some better lighting and sparkling LED-lit gems around the place).

 

[Bairstow]

Is it possible the ride portion was shortened because the rocking trains were not exactly what they expected?

That's a thought.
Ride envelope clearance seemed to have been a major problem throughout the construction process.

 

[Cesar R M]

Yep. These look like the plans I was thinking of. The original plans had the ride being longer with more indoor show scenes. These plans had a longer track length, but less quality AAs. I don't think they upgraded the AAs because they shortened the track. Those probably were 2 independent decisions.

My only reason for bringing this up is I hear a lot of people say that Mine Train is good but it would have been better if they went with the longer layout. I totally agree with that as long as we still got the upgraded AAs, but what guarantee do we have that it would have happened. Plans change. Maybe with the longer track and more show scenes they wouldn't have upgraded the AAs. We will never know.

Is it possible the ride portion was shortened because the rocking trains were not exactly what they expected?

or perhaps it was too long for the intended kid level crowds? (aka too scary or heavy?)

 

[GoofGoof]

Is it possible the ride portion was shortened because the rocking trains were not exactly what they expected?

Possible, but I think the ride length was already shorten before major construction took place so they wouldn't have know about any issues with the rocking trains.

 

[StageFrenzy]

Nostalgia is a powerful drug.....and often inaccurate.

The only thing stronger is pixie dust and that's laced with nostalgia and dreams of princesses.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

If the tilting cars had any major problems with the original track layout then we'd be seeing far more drastic changes to the current layout as well i'm guessing. The final layout still contains the same KINDS of curves, intersections and helixes as the original. They simply reduced the quantity of those track pieces and shortened the track overall. Had the new vehicles posed any serious issues with the old track layout, then the same problems almost certainly would still be affecting the new layout. I'm pretty sure this was just a budget cut thing, same reason they reduced the outside theming.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I am curious that the swinging cars were one of the initial major talking points but seem non-existent in current marketing.

 

[Funmeister]

I am curious that the swinging cars were one of the initial major talking points but seem non-existent in current marketing.

I brought it up previously because the swinging cars was a huge aspect of the ride when it was first announced. Hardly mentioned at all, if at all, in anything you see about it.

 

[Lee]

So the original had a much shorter indoor show scene in favor of more helices?

No. You actually would have spent more ride time in the mine, which was a large room.

I've been told you would have entered it twice, possibly two trains in at once. Think the main scene of the Calico Mine At Knott's, but quite a bit smaller.

 

[stevehousse]

I find it quite ironic that everyone complains about no new rides being added to WDW and look, we have a new ride, yet still complain!

Guys, be happy we got anything new at all!

 

[FigmentJedi]

I find it quite ironic that everyone complains about no new rides being added to WDW and look, we have a new ride, yet still complain!

Guys, be happy we got anything new at all!

To be fair, I can easily understand people wishing that four year construction time had lead to a slightly better result. Personally, I'm in the like it camp, but they need to figure out how to spread the music throughout the ride more and I wish the log bridge was somewhere even if it didn't have dwarfs on it.

 

[Bairstow]

they need to figure out how to spread the music throughout the ride more

Tricky to do without onboard audio.
When the vehicle is as fast as a rollercoaster you're running up against the doppler effect.
Think of how awful their attempt to implement this at Space Mountain was.

 

[Nubs70]

I am curious that the swinging cars were one of the initial major talking points but seem non-existent in current marketing.

The amount of swing is dependent upon the mass of the contents of the car. Such that if you are in a car with Honey Boo Boo' s mother, the car will swing wildly as opposed to riding in a car with Honey Boo Boo herself. Therefore, it would be very difficult to load cars based on combined mass so it is easier to restrict the ability of the cars to swing.

 

[NoChesterHester]

The amount of swing is dependent upon the mass of the contents of the car. Such that if you are in a car with Honey Boo Boo' s mother, the car will swing wildly as opposed to riding in a car with Honey Boo Boo herself. Therefore, it would be very difficult to load cars based on combined mass so it is easier to restrict the ability of the cars to swing.

Right... But it still doesn't explain the change in focus of the talking points.

 

[flynnibus]

Right... But it still doesn't explain the change in focus of the talking points.

What change.. they keep mentioning it as a unique 'first of its kind' ride system.

 

[NoChesterHester]

What change.. they keep mentioning it as a unique 'first of its kind' ride system.

Perhaps I'm perceiving it wrong then. I just really haven't seen it mentioned much in the big opening hullabaloo.