News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[monothingie]

At the end of the day, it's an amusement park ride. All this academic/research BS is just fancy window dressing PR on a high profile re-skin.

The only thing that matters is that whatever they come up with has to be better in terms of quality and show than what they currently have. Which means they have some very big shoes to fill. If all we get is a lot of talk and very little to show for it in terms of what they actually implement, then it will be another Disney failure.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

EEEhhhhhh 50/50.

OK, maybe I'm being a little generous...AND some wishful thinking...

 

[mysto]

At the end of the day, it's an amusement park ride. All this academic/research BS is just fancy window dressing PR on a high profile re-skin.

New Orleans has a unique culture and feel all it's own. It's very old for an American city. I think there's a lot of aesthetic possibility in drawing on NOLA, story aside it might be beautiful. Here's hoping as I'm not a fan of the re-skin I wish splash could be grandfathered in.

 

[monothingie]

New Orleans has a unique culture and feel all it's own. It's very old for an American city. I think there's a lot of aesthetic possibility in drawing on NOLA, story aside it might be beautiful. Here's hoping as I'm not a fan of the re-skin I wish splash could be grandfathered in.

The most iconic rides and experiences at WDW were not dreamed up by college professors.

A recent example of this, is Harmonious. This show was created with talent from around the world and marketed as multi-cultural inclusive spectacular doesn't change the fact that it flopped with the public.

 

[WDWFanRay]

Inspiration from academics?? Sounds like a rip-snortin’ good time, to me!

(I went to college. ‘Exciting storytelling’ wouldn’t be the first words that come to mind….)

 

[Dear Prudence]

And even if the retheme is a dud or not, people, you can just not ride it. In both parks, it's basically out of the way and easily avoidable. No one is making you do anything.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Inspiration from academics?? Sounds like a rip-snortin’ good time, to me!

(I went to college. ‘Exciting storytelling’ wouldn’t be the first words that come to mind….)

My issue is that they did not cite any of the academics. :/

I would also like to know more about the actual ride.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

“Carmen Smith, Senior Vice President, Creative Development - Product/Content & Inclusive Strategies” good god, is this a branch of the government, the board of education or an entertainment industry?

 

[LittleBuford]

My issue is that they did not cite any of the academics. :/

I too am puzzled by the simultaneously lofty and vague claims they’re making for their research. Without specifics, it reads as spin more than anything else.

 

[Dear Prudence]

I too am puzzled by the simultaneously lofty and vague claims they’re making for their research. Without specifics, it reads as spin more than anything else.

Exactly. Saying who they cited would give them a lot of credibility! I think it would also assuage a lot of fears or concerns from people.

 

[WDWFanRay]

Look at the bright side…sometimes the power will go out and we can ride it in the dark

 

[monothingie]

I too am puzzled by the simultaneously lofty and vague claims they’re making for their research. Without specifics, it reads as spin more than anything else.

Maybe because it is just spin?

I mean it's not like they're going to do this on the cheap right.

4 out of 5 experts agree.

 

[LittleBuford]

The interior could be as empty as Avengers: Flight Force, and some people would probably still say it's better for whatever reason.

I don’t view it as a competition. Something that keeps getting overlooked in this discussion is that it’s possible (and indeed OK) to love Splash Mountain and want Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to be a worthy successor.

 

[seabreezept813]

I think this refurb will definitely happen just based on riding the ride and it’s current condition.

Splash Mountain has been left for dead.

First the whole ending sequence is about 95% intact with everything working as far as I can tell and looks amazing.

Everything before that not so much. Most of the recorded dialogue is out of sequence in all the other scenes, it’s noticeable and bad. Right before the drop there was noting said at all you just see a shaking Brer’ Rabbit and the Wolf animation with no context.

The biggest issue is the lighting. The ride is super dark. It’s like they turned off half the available lights.

I also noticed what I think looks like service hatches in the ceiling open as our flume flumed by. It has to be some kind of service door because it has a latch on it. I don’t think a guest can touch it but it’s noticeable right before the laughing place. Whatever this is it’s been open two days straight. Bad show.

Probably my final chance to ride this classic, my fondness for the perfect working version continues to grow I wish it could have gone out like my memories.

Also I did notice a couple generic looking SM circular pins at the shop after the ride two days ago. Don’t know if they are still there.

Yup rode it six times our last trip and I just kept telling my family they turn the lights off instead of fixing anything. Some work room was also visible in the last scene. And weeds on the outside were crazy. Blocked a good view of MK.

 

[LittleBuford]

Maybe because it is just spin?

I mean it's not like they're going to do this on the cheap right.

4 out of 5 experts agree.

Disney’s projects are not cheap. You may not like the results, but lack of spending isn’t the issue.

 

[monothingie]

But we don’t even know what product they’re going to give us. Your characterisation is based on a prejudgement—that they care more about optics than the actual ride—rather than on any available information.

Aside from some concept art, there is nothing about what most people care about....the actual "new" ride.

 

[monothingie]

Disney’s projects are not cheap. You may not like the results, but lack of spending isn’t the issue.

Quoted for posterity.

All of the newest additions to WDW have been cut or trimmed back. New Fantasy Land, Pandora, New and Improved EPCOT, and SWGE all had significant components cut or modified due to cost concerns and budget overruns.

But just remember, the real cheap ones are not WDI, they just overspend and under deliver.

The award for stinginess goes to operations. If you want something cut because of expense, they're the people.

 

[LittleBuford]

Aside from some concept art, there is nothing about what most people care about....the actual "new" ride.

I too would like more information about the ride itself, but that’s sort of the point: we currently have very little indication of what the final product will be, and therefore almost no basis at present to declare it either a success or a failure.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I don’t view it as a competition. Something that keeps getting overlooked in this discussion is that it’s possible (and indeed OK) to love Splash Mountain and want Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to be a worthy successor.

That’s where I am. I’m happy PatF is getting a ride. I just wish it was a new build at DHS.

The new ride will be in better shape than Splash has been in many years, so at least there’s that. Splash hasn’t been up to Disney standards for at least a decade.

 

[monothingie]

I too would like more information about the ride itself, but that’s sort of the point: we currently have very little indication of what the final product will be, and therefore almost no basis at present to declare it either a success of a failure.

We knew a hell of a lot more for ROTR, Tron, Runaway RR, etc way ahead of time. So either the project is really far behind in development....or nothing is being said because it won't be all that spectacular....Again this from the same WDI that share fine details of flooring tiles in projects years before they actually are completed.