Phroobar
Well-Known Member
How do you tell the difference? Seems like a normal day around here.
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The Miscellaneous Thought Thread
- Thread starter mickEblu
- Start date
Nland316
Well-Known Member
A major pinch point I’ve noticed lately is the pathway in between Alice’s queue and the teacups. A simple solution, inspired by the Dumbo queue widening project, is to close down that narrow pathway and expand the queues for both teacups and Alice. They can incorporate some hedge decorations/motifs ala Paris since that would essentially become an Alice “subland” of sorts.
In red, I indicated the area I’m talking about. Directly next to Mad Hatter store.
In red, I indicated the area I’m talking about. Directly next to Mad Hatter store.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
I was at a vintage store in LB today and I saw a thing with Rocket Rods on it. It was like I'd gone back in time to when it existed.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Have been at Disneyland the last couple days, and it does very much seem like a mistake. The volume on the dialogue is super low also.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Some observations from my two day Disneyland trip (April 1 and 2), in no particular order:
Perhaps I'm getting more jaded, but it seems like the quality of CM is continually declining. Many seemed disinterested and a bit over their jobs. Many seem extraordinarily casual and oblivious- an example were the two railroad conductors loudly discussing workplace drama throughout the entire Grand Canyon Diorama/Primeval World segment (was on the bench near where they stand).
While on the Columbia, I was telling a member of my group about Cascade Peak and the old Mine Train, showing photos and talking about what the area used to look like. I mentioned the twin sister falls on Cascade Peak and the "We call these falls the twin sisters, I reckon cause they're always babblin" joke from the Mine Train narration. A younger CM must've been listening- and said that they had to get rid of the joke because the twin sisters was similar to the twin towers and 9/11. It's well known that Disney is becoming increasingly more conscious about their jokes and visual gags, but that ride closed in the '70s and Cascade Peak was torn down in the '90s, so it had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11. Don't blindly listen to the CM's about Disneyland history folks!
Splash Mountain is in HORRIFIC condition. Missing figures, figures tweaking and doing things no animatronic should do, and completely static figures. Inconsistent and poor lighting on the outside and inside that desperately needs to be fixed. I asked a ride operator, and was answered with an "I know! We always hope they're gonna fix it after each refurb and they never do! I agree!". I gave a cast compliment for my Jungle Cruise skipper at City hall, since the skipper was actually good, and also mentioned that I noticed Splash Mountain was in bad shape. The CM responded "You have to understand, the ride is 20 something years old and those figures are even older". I face palmed so hard- Pirates is 52 and those figures work just fine. I can understand how budgeting works, and how Project Curb Removal and the Castle are sucking up the budget (perfectly justifiable reasons for the delay in a Splash overhaul)- but making apologetic and ignorant excuses to defend Disney is a bit ridiculous. I took a video of the reactivated and broken owl at the end of the ride, when I get a chance I'll upload to Youtube and share so y'all can see. Definitely looks like a mistake.
The Haunted Mansion is also in lousy shape- my first ride through, the Ghost Host narration was cutting in and out throughout the ride. I mentioned it to the CM at the end with the ignorant hope they'd flag the Doom Buggy or something to prevent others from riding it, but he didn't do anything. In one of my other ride throughs, whole chunks of the narration were missing on the buggy. Not looking good for the attraction's 50.
The Bao from the Tropical Hideaway wasn't good and ridiculously overpriced. I asked the CM if they were any good, and her response was "I like the Beef one" but her tone and demeanor made clear that she didn't like the others. I got a beef one- a bit small for the $7 and a bit flavorless. Glad I didn't get one of the others. Rosita's voicework is worse in person. That said, I like how it opens up that area, makes Adventureland seem more open and bigger than it was before.
The Main Street vehicles are delightful, and the CM's they have driving the vehicles are all delightful and knowledgeable. Definitely more of what you'd expect from a Disneyland CM, and it makes me want to experience the vehicles every time I go.
I never realized how important seeing the castle is for completing the feel of Disneyland. Not seeing the Castle, walking through it and hearing When You Wish Upon a Star playing made the trip feel less legitimate. I've never been overly sentimental about the Castle (the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain facades trigger a far stronger emotional reponse), but it's definitely essential and I'm hopeful that it's far better and revitalized after this rebuild.
That's all I can think of now, I'll post more if I think of anything else.
Perhaps I'm getting more jaded, but it seems like the quality of CM is continually declining. Many seemed disinterested and a bit over their jobs. Many seem extraordinarily casual and oblivious- an example were the two railroad conductors loudly discussing workplace drama throughout the entire Grand Canyon Diorama/Primeval World segment (was on the bench near where they stand).
While on the Columbia, I was telling a member of my group about Cascade Peak and the old Mine Train, showing photos and talking about what the area used to look like. I mentioned the twin sister falls on Cascade Peak and the "We call these falls the twin sisters, I reckon cause they're always babblin" joke from the Mine Train narration. A younger CM must've been listening- and said that they had to get rid of the joke because the twin sisters was similar to the twin towers and 9/11. It's well known that Disney is becoming increasingly more conscious about their jokes and visual gags, but that ride closed in the '70s and Cascade Peak was torn down in the '90s, so it had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11. Don't blindly listen to the CM's about Disneyland history folks!
Splash Mountain is in HORRIFIC condition. Missing figures, figures tweaking and doing things no animatronic should do, and completely static figures. Inconsistent and poor lighting on the outside and inside that desperately needs to be fixed. I asked a ride operator, and was answered with an "I know! We always hope they're gonna fix it after each refurb and they never do! I agree!". I gave a cast compliment for my Jungle Cruise skipper at City hall, since the skipper was actually good, and also mentioned that I noticed Splash Mountain was in bad shape. The CM responded "You have to understand, the ride is 20 something years old and those figures are even older". I face palmed so hard- Pirates is 52 and those figures work just fine. I can understand how budgeting works, and how Project Curb Removal and the Castle are sucking up the budget (perfectly justifiable reasons for the delay in a Splash overhaul)- but making apologetic and ignorant excuses to defend Disney is a bit ridiculous. I took a video of the reactivated and broken owl at the end of the ride, when I get a chance I'll upload to Youtube and share so y'all can see. Definitely looks like a mistake.
The Haunted Mansion is also in lousy shape- my first ride through, the Ghost Host narration was cutting in and out throughout the ride. I mentioned it to the CM at the end with the ignorant hope they'd flag the Doom Buggy or something to prevent others from riding it, but he didn't do anything. In one of my other ride throughs, whole chunks of the narration were missing on the buggy. Not looking good for the attraction's 50.
The Bao from the Tropical Hideaway wasn't good and ridiculously overpriced. I asked the CM if they were any good, and her response was "I like the Beef one" but her tone and demeanor made clear that she didn't like the others. I got a beef one- a bit small for the $7 and a bit flavorless. Glad I didn't get one of the others. Rosita's voicework is worse in person. That said, I like how it opens up that area, makes Adventureland seem more open and bigger than it was before.
The Main Street vehicles are delightful, and the CM's they have driving the vehicles are all delightful and knowledgeable. Definitely more of what you'd expect from a Disneyland CM, and it makes me want to experience the vehicles every time I go.
I never realized how important seeing the castle is for completing the feel of Disneyland. Not seeing the Castle, walking through it and hearing When You Wish Upon a Star playing made the trip feel less legitimate. I've never been overly sentimental about the Castle (the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain facades trigger a far stronger emotional reponse), but it's definitely essential and I'm hopeful that it's far better and revitalized after this rebuild.
That's all I can think of now, I'll post more if I think of anything else.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I’ll admit I was a pretty casual CM that barely had any theming spiels (I had a few up my sleeve). When I first started, I was that happy-go-lucky CM with a bunch of energy and smiles to go around. This started changing the more I interacted with guests and with my management team, which I hated. It’s hard to be happy and positive all the time when the guests don’t respect you and your management team treats you like trash. It didn’t take too long for my “have a magical day” greeting to turn into “have a wonderful day.” “Have a magical day” is fake and corporate anyway.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
BasiltheBatLord
Well-Known Member
A recurring nightmare of mine is Splash getting permanently rethemed due to a combination of futile maintenance efforts and PC madness.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
Frank Oz probably cared. Maybe not. I dunno. The ironic thing is that the animators on the prequels tried to match the puppet. But changing a puppet out is still not the same as erasing an actor's entire performance, as with Old Anakin.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
I would not mind seeing Splash rethemed to The Princess and the Frog...or Zootopia (critters!). I still stay a retheme will happen the moment all of social media realizes the ride is based on SotS and enough over-reacting celebrities and politicians make a stink about it. Not to be a consipiracy theorist, but is there a deeper reason Splash's AA maintenance is so bad? Is it because some people know a change is coming? As long as it's not Ewoks.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
I mean, I like the ride, the three main characters, and the music as much as anybody. But Splash is based on a mediocre movie (which, by the way, contains not a single singing goose, vulture or hitchhiking alligator) and the DL version doesn't exactly do a stellar job of telling its story. Especially with so much broken. Would a really good retheme based on another Disney film be the end of the world?
(EDIT)
Log enters building... "Whennnn I'mm huuumaaannn, as I hope to beeeeeeeee"....
Laughing Place becomes "Going Down the Bayou" and "Friends on the Other Side"
Finale becomes "Dig a Little Deeper." Voila!
(EDIT)
Log enters building... "Whennnn I'mm huuumaaannn, as I hope to beeeeeeeee"....
Laughing Place becomes "Going Down the Bayou" and "Friends on the Other Side"
Finale becomes "Dig a Little Deeper." Voila!
I think the bad maintenance is a combo of factors including low priority due to the pace of the attraction and the difficulty in upkeeping such a large amount of old AAs that for the most part are only a few years younger than POTC’s AA’s. Maybe the AAs for POTC being purpose built also increased their life span? Maybe Disney keeps prolonging the inevitable until they find the budget to replace some of the more key or troublesome AAs? Or maybe you re right and they re letting it rot until they figure out what they want to retheme it to. Sam the Eagle turns into Brer Fox turns into Nick Wilde (hope not).
I wouldn’t be surprised if Operations just views the attraction as a thrill ride and that is guests/ fans should just be happy we have AAs, elaborate sets etc..
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Rich T
Well-Known Member
Kidding. Sorta.
I think “story” is something that gets kind of misconstrued when we talk about Disney parks attractions. All of the best Disney attractions have very loose stories to no stories at all. The best attractions just put you in a great themed enviornment and let you just soak it up and figure it out for yourself.
And yes it would be the end of the world for me. Lol
Rich T
Well-Known Member
But Splash is different, in that it tries to tell one very specific story with a beginning, middle and end. And it tells it terribly. The Imagineers learned from their mistakes and improved the storytelling for WDW and Tokyo. DL Splash is still a great ride, but of the three Splash Mtns, it really does show its roots as a prototype/first attempt.
I’ll give you that Tokyo and WDW tell more of a linear story. I’m just not sold on the fact that that’s what they were trying to give us at DL. And if it was and they failed then it was a happy accident... for me at least. I like how the one at DL is like a fantasyland dark ride on roids. I like how it feels that you are actually inside a mountain - a setting which comes off more mysterious and otherworldly then the bright sunshiney days seen in the other versions. Also love the pace of DLs. I’ll let the boat rides be slow and meandering and like that the one log ride has some pace to it.
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SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
I don't think I've ever disagreed with someone this much on a Disneyland forum. Yes, it would be the end of the world.
