SSE descent star curtain

[misterID]

What was originally planned for the 2007 descent?

This is a question for Martin, but from what I remember, it was supposed to be pretty awe-inspiring.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I have almost no doubt in my mind that the stupid questionnaire/ flash cartoon was originally planned merely as a post-show exhibit only, and due to last minute cutbacks, they said "screw it, put this on the on-ride screen and nothing else. Done. Whatever, who cares, we get paid the same either way" and there you have it, new SSE.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I have almost no doubt in my mind that the stupid questionnaire/ flash cartoon was originally planned merely as a post-show exhibit only, and due to last minute cutbacks, they said "screw it, put this on the on-ride screen and nothing else. Done. Whatever, who cares, we get paid the same either way" and there you have it, new SSE.

Installing touch screen video's (in 2007) in every car wasn't cheap.

There are many in Disney who are obsessed with 'relevance'. Always afraid Disney will be seen as outdated, old. And 'new media', of whatever form, is always seen as more dynamic, modern within Disney. 'Guests want interactive, or the new generation will be bored'.
The ticket to promotion is to be associated with 'new, young, digital, interactive', if only because everybody will side with it for fear of being labelled an out of touch old fart.

This is why so many new media initiatives managed to emerge on top the last two decades or so, despite being merely mediocre and not really driven by guest demand. From multimedia initiatives in the early nineties, to Disney Quest late nineties, to interactive screens in SSE, to many aspects of NextGen now.

 

[AndyS2992]

I used to be a defender of the current SSE descent as it was the only one I had expereinced and felt that it was fine and rather funny which made it amusing. However now looking back at the Irons version I now definitely see that there is a problem

 

[articos]

Installing touch screen video's (in 2007) in every car wasn't cheap.

There are many in Disney who are obsessed with 'relevance'. Always afraid Disney will be seen as outdated, old. And 'new media', of whatever form, is always seen as more dynamic, modern within Disney. 'Guests want interactive, or the new generation will be bored'.
The ticket to promotion is to be associated with 'new, young, digital, interactive', if only because everybody will side with it for fear of being labelled an out of touch old fart.

This is why so many new media initiatives managed to emerge on top the last two decades or so, despite being merely mediocre and not really driven by guest demand. From multimedia initiatives in the early nineties, to Disney Quest late nineties, to interactive screens in SSE, to many aspects of NextGen now.

Exactly correct. And exactly 2 months later the flash cartoons looked horribly dated and out of touch. Oops.

Those who haven't heard the Perrin narration, it's worth a listen. Martin did a great job of recreating the ride-thru with Vic's audio. I personally like Cronkite best, followed by Perrin and Irons. I'll skip over Judi entirely, her script makes me physically ill. Found this recently - some really clean footage and pretty much amazing in every way:

 

[PhilharMagician]

Got my fingers crossed on this, but I fear it will never come close to what it once was.

One of my fondest memories in WDW was on SSE entering the light tunnel at the top and listening to that great yet simple musical score and BOOM you exit into outer space. I was always in awe evey time I rode it. Of course the story was not over yet and during the decent more aspects of future communications were showcased.

The current version was interesting once and maybe slightly on the second time through, but now it is just a horrible distraction from the main theme of the ride which is supposed to be the history and future of human communications. It is not supposed to be about making a cartoon of where or how you may live in the future.

 

[muteki]

I've ridden them all and the last part of the ride has never been very impressive. Some loved it, I understand, but, it's a puzzle to me why! It was a few minor, very small, scenes but the computer screen putting you, personally, in the ride is much more fun. Some folks just don't like change at all.

I also seem to recall the star curtain has been there since it reopened to it's current incarnation. Unless, you are referring to some other place on the ride.

I loved the fiberoptic lighting in the last version. Watching it start off and bounce around that beautiful city model, follow you down the decent above you and eventually fly around that SSE model at the end...that was good stuff. Really closed off the ride well and represented the overall theme of that at&t version.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I loved the fiberoptic lighting in the last version. Watching it start off and bounce around that beautiful city model, follow you down the decent above you and eventually fly around that SSE model at the end...that was good stuff. Really closed off the ride well and represented the overall theme of that at&t version.

I do miss the city model. After the view of the earth it was my favorite scene.

 

[bcoachable]

Just wondering outloud... Maybe Disney made the new version bad to help court a new sponsor, who then could come inject new energy (and money) to revive the attraction..

 

[Enchantâmes]

Just wondering outloud... Maybe Disney made the new version bad to help court a new sponsor, who then could come inject new energy (and money) to revive the attraction..

The current version was made in part by Siemens the current sponsor...

 

[bcoachable]

tfrog said: ↑
Just wondering outloud... Maybe Disney made the new version bad to help court a new sponsor, who then could come inject new energy (and money) to revive the attraction..
The current version was made in part by Siemens the current sponsor...

Poor Siemens...

 

[Goofyernmost]

tfrog said: ↑
Just wondering outloud... Maybe Disney made the new version bad to help court a new sponsor, who then could come inject new energy (and money) to revive the attraction..
The current version was made in part by Siemens the current sponsor...

Poor Siemens...

Sorry, but isn't that exactly what just happened when the got Siemens to sponsor it. They spent more money on SSE than had been spent in years. My feeling is that most are just simply over-reacting to the changes and are super glorifying what was there before, which, in my mind, was anything but top notch entertainment. It was OK, sure! What they have today is OK. Personally, I like it better then the old way. It is more fun and it makes individuals an electronic part of the attraction. Way better then that boring stuff that we used to basically, just glance at, on the backward trip down the hill. I realize I will have a lot of opposition to my opinion, but, that's what I see.

 

[GLaDOS]

Sorry, but isn't that exactly what just happened when the got Siemens to sponsor it. They spent more money on SSE than had been spent in years. My feeling is that most are just simply over-reacting to the changes and are super glorifying what was there before, which, in my mind, was anything but top notch entertainment. It was OK, sure! What they have today is OK. Personally, I like it better then the old way. It is more fun and it makes individuals an electronic part of the attraction. Way better then that boring stuff that we used to basically, just glance at, on the backward trip down the hill. I realize I will have a lot of opposition to my opinion, but, that's what I see.

Yup. Gotta love Jib Jab level falsh animation being a huge element in the ride. How fun!

 

[Goofyernmost]

Yup. Gotta love Jib Jab level falsh animation being a huge element in the ride. How fun!

Think past your own experience and understand that many, many people would not understand what you are talking about. SSE was not built for you alone and it certainly was not built for those of us that ride it endlessly. I often wonder what the big deal about any portion of the ride is. Everything is unchanging yet you never hear about this getting stale or that becoming boring and yet in order to elevate the excitement of SSE it becomes necessary to ride it with the lights on almost to the point of folks wetting their pants.

There is not a part of the ride that conceivably could not be changed. My point is that the descent was and always has been the most tedious and non-inspirational of the whole ride. A little Jib Jab level of flash animation pulls folks into the experience and that is why I prefer it. It might be more huge then you think.

 

[GLaDOS]

You're totally right. I can't wait until we get screens in Pirates of the Caribbean that puts my picture into a pirate adventure. The ride has barely changed over the years, it's super boring.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

A little Jib Jab level of flash animation pulls folks into the experience and that is why I prefer it. It might be more huge then you think.

But I can make little JibJab animations right here in my lair in my mother's basement where I live. Including copy-pasting a personal mugshot and emailing the whole thing to all my friends (that'll be two, the three of us are a World of Warcraft clan).

http://www.jibjab.com/

Big sets with AAs, fiber optic futuristic cities, models of SSE floating through space...these I don't have here.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

You're totally right. I can't wait until we get screens in Pirates of the Caribbean that puts my picture into a pirate adventure. The ride has barely changed over the years, it's super boring.

I'd prefer that over the movie overlay of 'Where's Waldo with Jack Sparrow'.

 

[Goofyernmost]

And to think...I was told that I had blinders on! I will just say that if you think that my opinion branches out beyond the CURRENT TOPIC, I'm afraid you would lose a lot of money betting on it. But continue to twist the intent if it makes everyone feel better.

 

[aladdin2007]

Think past your own experience and understand that many, many people would not understand what you are talking about. SSE was not built for you alone and it certainly was not built for those of us that ride it endlessly. I often wonder what the big deal about any portion of the ride is. Everything is unchanging yet you never hear about this getting stale or that becoming boring and yet in order to elevate the excitement of SSE it becomes necessary to ride it with the lights on almost to the point of folks wetting their pants.

There is not a part of the ride that conceivably could not be changed. My point is that the descent was and always has been the most tedious and non-inspirational of the whole ride. A little Jib Jab level of flash animation pulls folks into the experience and that is why I prefer it. It might be more huge then you think.

The last versions descent was one of the most inspirational things in Epcot but as thats an opinion everyone has the right to agree to disagree...However the current version is anything but inspirational, they ripped out the heart and left it to decay and rott. It may get some laughs from people but thats hardly inspirational when you have crap surrounding you, insulation hanging above your head and scrap metal poles and panels everywhere that do nothing with dusty wrinkled curtains and pot lights. Way to go Siemens and Disney.

 

[Vader2112]

I'd prefer that over the movie overlay of 'Where's Waldo with Jack Sparrow'.

SHHH... They might hear you and turn it into the Death Star.