The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, one of WDI’s greatest achievements, lasts 3 1/2 minutes. Never heard, “that’s it?” at the end. It’s hard to maintain a singular, excited story for more than a few minutes on a ride. Disney’s longer rides typically feature little in the way of thrill and show a series of vignettes rather than one story. If the overall experience including the pre-shows and the ride are strong, the overall experience should be exceptional.
I like Navi River Journey and quite dislike Smuggler’s Run. Toy Story Land makes me gag. I think Mystic Manor’s art style is ugly but Galaxy’s Edge is beautiful despite having a borderline embarrassing sole attraction at the moment. Am I a blind brand loyalist too? Or maybe I just have varied opinions?
I’m looking forward to ROTR. I’m hoping for something like IJA: an impressive buildup before an inelegant and brief but rollicking ride stuffed with content. By the way, IJA is 3.5 minutes in duration and has 4 animatronics and somehow it’s considered one of the greatest rides of all time. I lowered my expectations for MFSR when Martin described it as Hogwarts Express for Star Wars fans, and the result barely even met those expectations. So far I see no reason to lower my expectations for ROTR, and even if it barely meets them, that would make it as good or better than Indiana Jones. That would be a serious achievement.
But just because there are 9 animatronics and not 100 it’s going to be trash? Have you people enjoyed any ride built since EPCOT Center opened? If the answer is no, your opinion is defensible and valid. But it ignores ToT, Indiana Jones, and FJ, and I haven’t seen so much disdain for those.
Once again...…..
Nothing has been directly experienced/seen by me. This is a collection of everything I've heard by people directly related to the project. I trust everything I heard/am writing is factual and correct, but you don't have to. I am a messenger. Please do not shoot the messenger.
*Below are details on each of the attractions scenes explained to me in person and written off of memory. Everything was explained in bits and pieces by several individuals, not in chronological order. I've pieced them together in what I think the order is... I could be wrong on the proper arrangement of sequences... but I'm almost positive that I'm right*
Everything I know about RotR @ DLR.... part 2
LOAD ROOM
The 3rd pre-show is now over. The solid wall next to you has been cut and destroyed by lasers (what is said to *apparently* be an extremely impressive practical effect) and you now find yourself in the next room with 2 droid powered vehicles, and 2 resistance dispatch cast members. Each detention cell has its own boarding room (4 total) w 2 vehicles.
*NOTE: Story time... each vehicle has an animatronic droid attached to the front. These droids did in fact belong to the first order but were just recently hacked by the resistance within seconds. This is a big problem.. these droids are clueless, don't know where they're going and will find themselves making wrong turns/getting us into sticky situations as they attempt to find escape pods.*
Dispatch System: Since there are 4 different dispatching rooms, there will be a virtual dispatch queue. Once both CMs push their dispatch buttons, the cars will enter a virtual queue and the vehicles will enter the attraction in the order they were dispatched.
Once dispatched, the vehicles will enter what is known as the disco/ballroom. They will be joined by 2 other empty vehicles (that belong to the first order) as our droids try to remain calm and pretend as if they're on the same team. Now what you wont know is that these empty vehicles are actually returning from unload to pick up more guests in their proper boarding rooms.
RIDE DETAILS AND SHOW SCENES
There are apparently many fast moving doors that will slam in your face as you make wrong turns. You will make another wrong turn and end up in the AT-AT room. Finn will be in animatronic form in this room, stormtrooper body, human face. The cars will separate and go their separate ways for a bit. Each of them will back into an elevator lift and will *aggressively* skyrocket upwards while being shot at with laser blasts (think mission breakout style launch). Each vehicle will have its own perspective of the AT-ATs while on the lift. The laser blasts will in fact appear to travel through thin air. The patents look confusing and the explanations on how this works weren't much better.. but from what I gathered, there will be dozens of rapidly moving fans spinning in show scenes that you wont see there. The fans will project laser blasts and when timed correctly in show lighting, will look like laser blasts in mid air. Think of those LED fans that can display holograms/images.
Once on the second floor, you'll accidentally enter on a private conversation between animatronic Hux and Kylo. They know about you breaking out. Kylo is angry and has been on the hunt to find you. Something happens and he notices the vehicle. The animatronic turns at you aggressively and all hell breaks loose.
You zoom out of there into the next room and suddenly Kylo is at the end of the hallway. He starts physically bolting, running towards your vehicle (this will be a very interesting practical/screen hybrid effect... I'll explain later). You are simultaneously moving backwards into an "elevator" and just as he is about to get you, the doors slam in his face at the last second. Your "elevator" simulates movement and you've escaped the confrontation.... so you think. Kylo jumps on top of your elevator and rams his saber through the ceiling just inches away from your face. He starts dragging the blade around the vehicle and creates burned metal gash marks across the ceiling (this will be a practical effect).
Now lets talk about that hybrid screen/practical effect. The running Kylo is actually a flat cutout that has a physical hand and saber attached to it. This cutout is attached to a fast moving sled on a track that will accelerate towards your vehicle. Kylo will actually be projected onto the cutout and will run towards you. With the projection and the physical hand, the line between screen and animatronic will be blurred. It apparently looks crazy with the lights on but will look great proper show conditions.
Next will come the gun room. The guns will jolt forward and blast into screens above you. Both vehicles will travel through the blasting guns like a game of frogger. You will feel the heat. vibrations of the gun blasts.
The finale is next... You are suddenly cornered by the last Kylo animatronic in the finale scene. You're almost at the escape pod when he catches you and you find yourself stuck with no other way to escape. Behind him is a giant window out to space. He uses the force to keep you from moving any further... Suddenly, in the window (screen) behind him, Poe comes flying in with his X wing and starts blasting the entire star destroyer. The room starts crumbling apart and giant (physical) pieces of building/rubble crash down in between you and Kylo. You've escaped his grip and now need to book it to the escape pods before the entire star destroyer falls apart with you in it. The escape pod is actually a simulator platform inside of a drop mechanism, surrounded by screens. Your vehicles quickly enter their own pods and you are suddenly ejected out of the star destroyer. This will be achieved with a drop down to the bottom floor. Not a "controlled" descent. A quick, thrilling, stomach lifting drop.
The video around you shows you crash landing into a giant metal cylinder recycling center on the planet of Batuu (there will be day/night mode). You will pull out of the pod and into the recycling site. This area is semi outdoors and has nice theming. You survived! You will unload and exit into the resistance forest. To give you a point of reference, once the unloaded vehicles are advanced from unload, they will enter the disco/ballroom and face the next set of guests before arriving back at load/detention cell.
Duration is said to be between 3:30-4 minutes
The end.
Aside from this I have some minor information on CMs and how they'll be scheduled to work as its a bit complicated.. but that's what I've heard about the actual attraction experience itself. If I hear more information, I'll be sure to share. I know we are all excited for this project to open. Sorry for the long posts.. I'm just here to feed the children.
In California, where the state government heavily regulates and monitors the operation of theme park rides and things like ski lifts and aerial tramways via Cal-OSHA, it breaks down about like this;
30-45 days for a small ride with a small crew of CM's to operate (and thus to train once the DOSH inspection is passed)
60-90 days for a big ride with a large crew of CM's to operate (and thus to train once the DOSH inspection is passed)
Disneyland's version is supposed to open on January 17th. They seem to be cutting it very, very close there. Maybe too close since a DOSH inspection by Cal-OSHA is known to take about a full week for a big ride.
But in Florida, where there is very little regulation or oversight of the operation of theme park rides or Skyliners (since there are no ski lifts in Florida), who knows? DOSH inspections simply don't exist in Walt Disney World. They are on their own out there, regulating themselves.
..that's why they (WDW) created the Reedy Creek Improvement District so they can skip any interference. Kinda scary actually but it eliminates red tape for them.
Why can’t he hold the opinion that NRJ is both too short and also aesthetically pleasing? Or is even the faintest praise of Imagineering’s latest work #BlindBrandLoyalty?
Why can’t he hold the opinion that NRJ is both too short and also aesthetically pleasing? Or is even the faintest praise of Imagineering’s latest work #BlindBrandLoyalty?
Nuance is not allowed here. You love something or you hate it. Seems myopic to me and I’m not sure I could write 22,000 posts if those were my only two choices, but some folks manage to scream from one thread to another.
a troll is a person who starts quarrels or upsets people on the Internetto distract and sow discord by posting inflammatory and digressive,
extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses and normalizing tangential discussion, whether for the troll's amusement or a specific gain.
He never has anything positive to say whatsoever, and his comment about Vi vs Jar Jar vs Vi is an obvious troll comment - Jar Jar is the worst, most offensive character to come out of Star Wars - millions of fans hate him. Vi Moradi is, at worst, nondescript and bland. The only purpose to make that ridiculous comparison is to inflame. I have yet to see anything constructive to come from that poster, or anything positive. Fits the definition of a troll in my book.
It's also off-topic in a thread about Rise of the Resistance.
I'm assuming the 9 number is related to the number of high-range motion characters. I assume if we start wading into storm-trooper count we'll get into the 40's real quick. My only question is that the number you'll actually see on your ride, or does that include duplicates; i.e. there are two Finn AA's, one for each car, does that count as 2 AA's, or 1 due to the rider only seeing one.
Why can’t he hold the opinion that NRJ is both too short and also aesthetically pleasing? Or is even the faintest praise of Imagineering’s latest work #BlindBrandLoyalty?
I agree many go into the extremes. I am far from a brand loyalist right now, but I agree with you. I think Navi is great, but far to short. If they added 30-40%, it would be an amazing addition. Much like Kali. It feels like it got cut to death.
He never has anything positive to say whatsoever, and his comment about Vi vs Jar Jar vs Vi is an obvious troll comment - Jar Jar is the worst, most offensive character to come out of Star Wars - millions of fans hate him. Vi Moradi is, at worst, nondescript and bland. The only purpose to make that ridiculous comparison is to inflame. I have yet to see anything constructive to come from that poster, or anything positive. Fits the definition of a troll in my book.
It's also off-topic in a thread about Rise of the Resistance.
I'm assuming the 9 number is related to the number of high-range motion characters. I assume if we start wading into storm-trooper count we'll get into the 40's real quick. My only question is that the number you'll actually see on your ride, or does that include duplicates; i.e. there are two Finn AA's, one for each car, does that count as 2 AA's, or 1 due to the rider only seeing one.
The tricky part here is we are now integrating projection onto AA to make something even MORE believable. Something that is not as impressive of a ROBOT as some on Pirates will nonetheless look better. I suspect 10 people could ride and claim 10 different responses to your question about the number of advanced AAs.
In what I’ve seen, which isn’t the whole ride, I’d approximate 50 moving figures. If we include droids...now we are near that 100 number. It’s an impressive ride.
But just because there are 9 animatronics and not 100 it’s going to be trash? Have you people enjoyed any ride built since EPCOT Center opened? If the answer is no, your opinion is defensible and valid. But it ignores ToT, Indiana Jones, and FJ, and I haven’t seen so much disdain for those.
The tricky part here is we are now integrating projection onto AA to make something even MORE believable. Something that is not as impressive of a ROBOT as some on Pirates will nonetheless look better. I suspect 10 people could ride and claim 10 different responses to your question about the number of advanced AAs.
In what I’ve seen, which isn’t the whole ride, I’d approximate 50 moving figures. If we include droids...now we are near that 100 number. It’s an impressive ride.
..yes it seems Disney is counting anything they can, towards the promised # of animatronics. ride car droids alone are 38, plus the 50 in the hangar is 83...then some Kylos, Finns, BB8, Nien Nunm, Mon Calimari...
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, one of WDI’s greatest achievements, lasts 3 1/2 minutes. Never heard, “that’s it?” at the end. It’s hard to maintain a singular, excited story for more than a few minutes on a ride. Disney’s longer rides typically feature little in the way of thrill and show a series of vignettes rather than one story. If the overall experience including the pre-shows and the ride are strong, the overall experience should be exceptional.
..that's why they (WDW) created the Reedy Creek Improvement District so they can skip any interference. Kinda scary actually but it eliminates red tape for them.
Well, it gets them out of municipal requirements (but they have their own, which is, in effect, municipal requirements).
However, RCID doesn't get them a pass on state and federal safety requirements. WDW is lucky that Florida is pretty hands off in that regard compared to California.
People never seem to realize that the only really "long form (15+ Minutes)" rides in 1982 were SE and WoM...A lot of people point to UoE, but that's not really accurate. You actually were traveling a bit over 6 minutes total and sitting in a parked car for rest of the time.
The total "experience times" could be quite long, but the rides have not really been that long.
I get the feeling Im going to get called out on this, but I cant think of a single ride from that period that was beyond the 10 minute mark of pure ride experience.
