Splash Mountain falling apart (literally?)

[marni1971]

So why the inconsistency in standards?

Holmes called the shots on HM, HoP and Space Mountain. One extreme to the other.

After Space, I'm told Burbank were less than pleased and vowed never go let it happen again for such a major overhaul. Add to that the embarrassing mess Splash had become this is one project where TLC was needed as much as ride engineering,

 

[the.dreamfinder]

That's what happens when you only come to work 3 days a week!

 

[marni1971]

I'm currently uploading a 1993 ride through. It's the oldest one I have to hand, that despite the quality will show the attraction less than a year old. For those intrested.

 

[Alektronic]

So why the inconsistency in standards?

What standards? SQS is the only dept with standards. Depends on the technicians, some are really skilled at their craft and take a lot of pride in their work and others not so much. It depends on management, they rarely check on anything especially if it is just related to the show.

Typical exchange between management and worker
"Is it fixed?"
"Yup"
"Good, just put some time on it and close the work order"

 

[openendedsky]

I'm currently uploading a 1993 ride through. It's the oldest one I have to hand, that despite the quality will show the attraction less than a year old. For those intrested.

That would be awesome, thank you!

 

[marni1971]

For anyone interested, Splash Mountain Orlando, 8 months old

 

[ParentsOf4]

What standards? SQS is the only dept with standards. Depends on the technicians, some are really skilled at their craft and take a lot of pride in their work and others not so much. It depends on management, they rarely check on anything especially if it is just related to the show.

Typical exchange between management and worker
"Is it fixed?"
"Yup"
"Good, just put some time on it and close the work order"

In most industries, quality almost always is a direct measurement of management's true commitment to quality.

Attitude usually makes a huge difference. If first-tier management's attitude is "Whatever, it's good enough", then quality suffers no matter how devoted the worker is. When first-tier management provides a poor attitude, the worker quickly learns "Why bother, no one cares."

However, even a great attitude often cannot succeed if not backed by budget. Budget (and the corresponding time) represents senior management's commitment to quality. Too many corporate leaders talk about quality and then slash budgets with the insulting directive "work smarter, not harder".

It seems to me that, when it comes to quality, WDW has a problem across all layers of management.

This from a company that used to set the Gold Standard in quality throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

I realize Eisner has his supporters but he really did create a "churn 'em and burn 'em" corporate culture in the mid-1990s that WDW still hasn't recovered from.

Bill Sullivan and Bob Mathieson (WDW's Old Guard) were forced to "retire" in the mid-1990s. Both men believed in the old WDW where show came before all else. It's as good of a period as any to pick as the start of the decline.

Glad the Splash Mountain refurb has shown what WDW is capable of. Now Disney simply needs to treat a few more dozen attractions the same way.

 

[openendedsky]

For anyone interested, Splash Mountain Orlando, 8 months old

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bairstow]

Looks like the brand-new figures had crisper and more expressive animation than even the post-refurb figures.
No surprises there.

 

[dupac]

In most industries, quality almost always is a direct measurement of management's true commitment to quality.

Attitude usually makes a huge difference. If first-tier management's attitude is "Whatever, it's good enough", then quality suffers no matter how devoted the worker is. When first-tier management provides a poor attitude, the worker quickly learns "Why bother, no one cares."

However, even a great attitude often cannot succeed if not backed by budget. Budget (and the corresponding time) represents senior management's commitment to quality. Too many corporate leaders talk about quality and then slash budgets with the insulting directive "work smarter, not harder".

It seems to me that, when it comes to quality, WDW has a problem across all layers of management.

This from a company that used to set the Gold Standard in quality throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

I realize Eisner has his supporters but he really did create a "churn 'em and burn 'em" corporate culture in the mid-1990s that WDW still hasn't recovered from.

Bill Sullivan and Bob Mathieson (WDW's Old Guard) were forced to "retire" in the mid-1990s. Both men believed in the old WDW where show came before all else. It's as good of a period as any to pick as the start of the decline.

Glad the Splash Mountain refurb has shown what WDW is capable of. Now Disney simply needs to treat a few more dozen attractions the same way.

I always wonder how a place with so many industrial engineers can have such poor quality. I mean half the jobs out there for IEs involve quality and continuous improvement.

I will say that I got an email that P&R is looking to hire full-time IEs as well as interns. Not CP but actual interns.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

For anyone interested, Splash Mountain Orlando, 8 months old

Wow, that thing looked good.

All I could think last time I rode Splash was how bored I was, wasting my time. Far too long a ride for that final drop. I didn't even realise anymore just how much was lost. In the end, I thought it was the showboat, some AA's, and other conspicuous stuff that I thought absent or malfunctioning. You never do realise just how much else is lost, what difference good sound and better AA movement can make.

 

[Yert3]

For anyone interested, Splash Mountain Orlando, 8 months old

This is the best video of SM on the Internet.

 

[nicknick553]

SM was evacuated today around 7:35 anyone know why? Just technical difficulties?

 

[Tom Morrow]

Rode it, it does look pretty great. A couple speakers still sound kind of busted, but overall everything is louder and more clear. Brer Rabbit's response to Brer Fox wasn't lining up which seems to happen a lot (like if Brer Fox says "roast ya!" Brer Rabbit should reply with "roast me if ya like" but instead says "skins me if ya gotta").

 

[unkadug]

SM was evacuated today around 7:35 anyone know why? Just technical difficulties?

Did it reopen while you were there?

Rode it, it does look pretty great. A couple speakers still sound kind of busted, but overall everything is louder and more clear. Brer Rabbit's response to Brer Fox wasn't lining up which seems to happen a lot (like if Brer Fox says "roast ya!" Brer Rabbit should reply with "roast me if ya like" but instead says "skins me if ya gotta").

Speakers are relatively cheap to replace, especially when they are near field speakers not meant to project for a long distance.

I have a feeling it's more than just that...probably a gain structure problem causing distortion, which in itself will lead to blown speakers.

That's a little more complicated for the average maintenance guy/refurb contractor to fix and would explain why certain speakers have not been replaced. Until you fix the cause of the problem... it's useless.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Brer Rabbit's response to Brer Fox wasn't lining up which seems to happen a lot (like if Brer Fox says "roast ya!" Brer Rabbit should reply with "roast me if ya like" but instead says "skins me if ya gotta").

Thats something I have noticed in the vids as well. Vast majority probably couldn't care less but it always annoys me when these audio parts dont sync properly.

 

[Yert3]

Thats something I have noticed in the vids as well. Vast majority probably couldn't care less but it always annoys me when these audio parts dont sync properly.

The vast majority probably don't even notice Br'er Rabbit. Most people don't even look at him, because they're anticipating the drop. Kinda sad that's the main reason why a lot of people go on splash. But yes, I always get extremely annoyed when things aren't in sync. The thing that annoys me the most is Br'er Frog being out of sync singing Laughin' Place. They just can't seem to fix that for some reason. They fixed Br'er Porcupine's loss of sync in the refurb. Why can't the fix Br'er Frog's? He was missing a long time before the refurb even happened. Yes, I know they remove AA's to fix them, but he was gone for quite a while. I actually thought they permanently removed him because they couldn't get him back in sync. In fact, I would have preferred if they did, because hearing him sing so far ahead or behind the song drives me nuts.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Did it reopen while you were there?

Speakers are relatively cheap to replace, especially when they are near field speakers not meant to project for a long distance.

I have a feeling it's more than just that...probably a gain structure problem causing distortion, which in itself will lead to blown speakers.

That's a little more complicated for the average maintenance guy/refurb contractor to fix and would explain why certain speakers have not been replaced. Until you fix the cause of the problem... it's useless.

That makes sense. It also isn't surprising - WDW has a problem with improperly balanced audio levels in many attractions and BGM areas, but its something that so few people pay attention to that it isn't normally discussed on here.

 

[BryceM]

For anyone interested, Splash Mountain Orlando, 8 months old

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Really impressed with the refurb, let's hope it stays this way!