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The Miscellaneous Thought Thread
- Thread starter mickEblu
- Start date
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
Wow, I hadn't seen the new one. You are totally right.
I think I can predict that the insanity will set in fairly quickly.... :/
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
I'm typically not a fan of Jim Shore's work (the added embellishment isn't my style) but that Pinocchio piece is absolutely delightful.
Since I’m sharing my entire life story tonight. Here is the glass cabinet at my house in its current state. These are the lucky few times that have made it to the cabinet while the other 90% of my collection remains in various closets, wardrobes and drawers. I realized I have a character/ collectible piece representing all my favorite movies from the Golden Era except Peter Pan so I’m on the prowl for a nice Peter Pan piece. I’ll probably replace that WDW IASW hippo with it.
I agree. I kind of choose the Jim Shore pieces where the embellishment works with the IP or character. Seems to work with the Alice in Wonderland pieces. And Monstro was just too good to pass up.
Disney+ Pulls Peter Pan, Dumbo, The Aristocats, and The Swiss Family Robinson From Children's Profiles
Disney+ has removed several movies from its children’s profiles for the way that they negatively depict certain cultures. The Aristocats, Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson have all been given a 6+ rating. This basically has the same […]
dapsmagic.com
Couple things. Read the statement at the end. Why couldn’t they take this approach with Splash Mountain?
Also, is our friend on the Tarzans Treehosue thread right? Lol
Last edited:
Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
Now I'm wondering how long those stall doors in the Alice restrooms have been themed to playing cards. Semi-Original to '58 or 80's addition, guess I'll have to ask in the main Alice thread. lol
I would wager they re an 80s edition but I don’t know for sure. I’m glad one of my fave bathrooms and the most charming of them all isn’t on the list
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Blame Frederick Chambers.Disney+ Pulls Peter Pan, Dumbo, The Aristocats, and The Swiss Family Robinson From Children's Profiles
Disney+ has removed several movies from its children’s profiles for the way that they negatively depict certain cultures. The Aristocats, Dumbo, Peter Pan, and Swiss Family Robinson have all been given a 6+ rating. This basically has the same […]dapsmagic.com
Couple things. Read the statement at the end. Why couldn’t they take this approach with Splash Mountain?
Who dat?
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
A Disneyland cast member who first posted the idea for a Princess and the Frog retheme of Splash Mountain and got this big crazy mess started in the first place.
I really would hate to believe that’s why Disney did this but it could have been the cherry on top
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
That CM is not to blame for this.
Okee68
Well-Known Member
Attraction idea: "Escape from the Wicked Witch", the ideal Snow White dark ride.
The ride is essentially an alternate variation of WDW's 1971 Snow White attraction, in which riders were continuously pursued by the cackling, shrieking Witch through a series of grim, uninviting locations, but this time there isn't even a single reference to the character of Snow White. No reason to be misleading; this ride is all about the Witch, and the exterior façade of the Queen's menacing Gothic castle and macabre dungeon queue area provide all the context you need. Additionally, a handful of prominent warning signs strewn about make clear that the attraction may not be suitable for young, easily frightened kiddos.
Any good Fantasyland dark ride treats guests as if they are the main character, assuming the role of Mr. Toad or Alice or whoever else as their presence alone directly affects the actions of the characters within the attraction. The issue with Snow White in particular, however, is that it has simply never made sense for the titular heroine, and by extension the riders who are assuming her perspective, to be in most of the iconic locations from the film; remember that the only places Snow White visits in the original story that have also been featured as scenes in the dark ride are the castle courtyard, the scary forest, and the Dwarfs' cottage. Furthermore, most iterations of the attraction (extreme emphasis on "most" in our unfortunate timeline) are predominantly focused on the sinister exploits of the Evil Queen in her peddler's disguise with occasional appearances of the Seven Dwarfs, not the mundane tasks of a dainty homemaker who spends most of her time in one location.
Escape from the Wicked Witch, then, is a solution to the weird, inconsistent point of view riders have been made to assume in previous versions of the ride, as well as a long-awaited antidote to the 65-year-old complaint of the attraction being too scary, with too much Witch and too little (or no) Snow White, as now there is nothing vague about whether or not the ride contains frightening scenes or an overwhelming presence of the old hag; it very obviously does. The premise of the attraction is that the Magic Mirror has apparently deemed you the fairest in the land, not Snow White, and the Queen reacts accordingly. She goes through all the familiar motions of transforming into a cloaked peddler and brewing up her poisoned apple(s) and what have you, but this time, there are no issues of an inconsistent, wishy-washy rider perspective, as once again, Snow White is no longer part of the equation, and guests simply "play" themselves now.
The ride vehicles in Escape from the Wicked Witch are basically two-row benches constructed of fiberglass "wood" rendered in the same stylized, hand-carved fashion as the Dwarfs' furniture from the film. Their decorative engravings are not pleasant ones, however, as carved into these vehicles are skulls, hearts pierced by daggers, and menacing pairs of glaring eyes. As guests board their vehicles in the attraction's deathly, atmospheric dungeon of a loading queue (which contains no windows so as to not let in any natural light), the cold, disembodied voice of the Magic Mirror delivers the usual instructional spiel, and one last warning of the villainous Witch as if there are any guests at this point who have any doubts as to whether this is a creepy kind of attraction. From here, riders bang through a set of wooden doors in the grimy stone wall and begin their perilous journey. Here are the following scenes, each with a description and relevant information as to how it may be executed differently in order to accommodate the new gimmick:
Mirror Chamber
Riders first find themselves in a dark room featuring gargoyle sconces and several small, diamond-leaded windows revealing a night sky outside, before turning around and heading under a pointed Gothic arch. The Queen is positioned directly ahead on an angled, stepped platform embellished with curtains. Her back is turned to guests at a 45-degree angle as she confers with the Magic Mirror in front of her, her reflection clearly visible as she speaks. "Magic Mirror on the wall," she chants in a commanding demeanor, before spinning around in a sudden cloud of smoke and revealing herself as the black-cloaked, gravelly-voiced peddler, "I am the fairest one of all!"
Realistically, the Queen wouldn't let any witness to her dark deeds escape her vicinity alive, so in this version of the ride, she simply does not see guests as they move past her. Instead of looking directly at riders as she turns around as the Witch, she shrouds herself somewhat by shielding the lower half of her face with her sleeve, one eye closed and the other looking away from guests. This specific pose, in addition to the smoke, the general dim lighting of the scene, and the fact that the Witch's face is only visible for about two seconds make for a fairly convincing scenario in which she doesn't notice riders, allowing them to effectively sneak past her.
Guests make a sharp turn away from the Queen as she transforms into the menacing hag, and pass through another set of wooden doors into the next scene.
Dungeon
This is a twisting, gruesome corridor containing the classic skeletons, whether chained to a wall or grasping from the confines of a spider-infested cell, as well as the ghastly, tortured moans of, "Go baaaack..." and several instances of disorienting perspective illusions in the stone architecture. At the end of the scene, the animated shadow of the lurking Witch (whose sickly laughter is heard echoing from ahead) is seen projected onto a side wall, obviously coming from beyond an arched doorway on the wall opposite. At the same time, guests approach a large open doorway leading off into a warmly lit stairwell, but an iron portcullis slams shut in front of it, blocking the safe way out and forcing riders to instead veer to the side and under the arch, right into the chamber where the Witch resides.
Cauldron Lair
This scene is arranged similarly to the 1971 WDW variant, as before guests see the Witch herself, they encounter the raven, who is situated on a stone shelf alongside skulls, deadly potions, and books of dark magic. The bird is clearly startled to see guests, and to no avail he attempts to warn his nearby master of their presence by cawing several times and flapping his black wings. Riders then make a sharp turn into the direction of the Witch, who is stationed at her wicked laboratory, located in an arched alcove crowded by the usual test tubes, bookshelves, evil ingredients, and of course the oozing cauldron and massive spell book on its pedestal.
The old crone is fortunately facing away from riders as she pulls a newly poisoned apple out of the frothing, misty brew by its stem. "A special sort of death for our guests so fair..." she croaks as a thick coat of black drips off the bright red fruit. As guests pass by her cauldron, however, her cloaked figure turns toward them slightly, making for a clear profile view of her hideous, bony face as she delivers a grim cackle. Thankfully, she is too engrossed in her freshly spawned death device to notice riders sneaking past her in the dark, and guests quickly dart into the opposite direction, accidentally knocking over several wooden shelves stocked with bottled serums before narrowly escaping the lair through an iron-grate door.
Castle Moat
After a brief spell of darkness, guests find themselves outside the castle near its moat, surrounded by tall, marshy grass and engulfed in mist. Adjacent to riders, from under a dark archway at the base of the castle's masonry exterior, the Witch shoots forth in a small boat, still unaware of guests' presence as she focuses on whatever may be ahead of her, letting out a horrid, hacking laugh as she manages an oar with both hands. Clearly visible inside the boat is a wicker basket filled with apples, each one an unnaturally bright hue of red. Several large hollow logs submerged under the water below assume the appearance of crocodiles, even lunging forward and snapping their wooden jaws as guests advance past the misty moat.
Frightful Forest
The scene now shifts into one of a claustrophobic forest comprised of gnarled, looming trees with twisted, utterly monstrous faces embedded into their bark, which are illuminated from behind in ghastly hues of green and pale blue. With arm-like branches, the wooden devils grasp and claw at riders attempting to thread their way through, some even lurching forward. A colony of bats swarms through, scurrying just over guests' heads, and an owl with glowing red eyes screeches as riders approach it. More crocodile logs lunge and bite, and eerie, otherworldly noises come from sources unknown in every direction, not made any less unnerving by the dozens of menacing pairs of eyes staring from the darkness and following guests' movement.
Even having escaped all of these spooks, riders are still not in the clear. Right in front of them appears the Witch once more, this time fully playing up the façade of an old, unassuming peddler. With bulging eyes, a frightful grin, and a grimacing brow, the hag holds up her basket of bright red death for riders to see as they draw near, pointing at it with a skeletal index finger. "Like to try some delicious apples, dearies?" she offers innocently, almost in a whisper. Guests sensibly swing into the opposite direction, now darting straight toward the very first inviting sight within the attraction: the thatched-roof cottage of the Seven Dwarfs. The warm glow of a hearth fire emanates through its windows and seeps under the wooden front door, the latter of which creaks open to let guests inside as soon as they approach it.
Dwarfs' Cottage
The cottage in this attraction is arranged no differently than the standard, two-room "S-curve" cottage found in every single version of the Snow White ride since 1971. The original Claude Coats cottage scene featuring the Dwarfs scrambling for words on the stairs as they approached the shadow of a literal horned demon was a deliciously evil fake-out, but for Escape from the Wicked Witch I have decided to employ the Dwarfs as an active part of the story, having them interact with guests in a truly meaningful capacity. Guests' initial glimpse into the cottage is one devoid of dwarfs; the first of the two rooms contains their dinner table and various wood-carved chairs and other furniture, as well as a lit fireplace complete with a cooking pot of stew. The lighting inside the Dwarfs' home is dim; ultraviolet but rendered in warm tones of orange and gold. This first half of the cottage is illuminated fairly, with a bright glow radiating from the fireplace, but ahead, only candles fixed to the walls light the way.
Turning into the opposite direction, guests approach a wash basin cluttered with dishes, above it an open window out of which a handful of woodland animals peer, all focused intently on riders drawing near, with wide eyes and open mouths. A squirrel, chipmunk, rabbit, raccoon, and several blue jays are perched on the sill, and a deer stands outside behind them, only his head within the vicinity of the cottage. On the adjacent wall to the right is the wooden staircase, and on its landing appears the first dwarf, Sneezy. "We've got a visitor, fellas," he says breathily, holding a candle and rubbing his nose. Just ahead are the other six dwarfs, seated or standing on either side of guests. "An old peddler is after ya?" questions a beard-tugging Bashful, followed by a simultaneous interjection of "The Queen!" from a disconcerted Happy and a startled Sleepy, which causes the inexplicable Dopey to pop out of a large barrel with a shocked expression, the lid remaining flat on top of his head. "She's a mad witch, she is!" adds Grumpy, who raises a crooked finger high for emphasis. Finally there is Doc, motioning guests toward the back door as he stumbles over his own advice: "Better mide in the hi- Uh, hide in the mine! We'll hold her off!" With these promising words, guests head back outside, and for the first time in the history of the Snow White dark ride, the Dwarfs have actually committed to helping guests in their perilous situation.
Dark Woods
A brief scene lasting only about ten seconds, this section is very similar to the stretch of forest between the cottage and mine found in both 1983 attractions as well as the Paris version. Conditions here are dark, moody, and stormy, and the sounds of howling wind and rolling thunder are heard as guests approach a scenic mural of the Queen's castle looming in the distance under lightning-filled skies. Two silent, grimacing vultures are perched overhead on a limb, hunched over as they stare riders down, providing an air of impending doom in some way or another. Guests are not safe here, however. From behind the rocks, the crooked crone appears once again, wicker basket in hand, to deliver her sinister goods. "Don't be afraid!" she insists, this time with a less subdued, more unhinged demeanor, "Go on, have a bite!" Jolting away from the villainous peddler once again, guests escape the scene through the wood-timber entrance to the Dwarfs' diamond mine, embedded within the side of a rocky cliff.
Dwarfs' Mine
Here begins a dark series of claustrophobic underground tunnels fitted with many rows of wooden beams to the sides and above. Rock walls are studded with gems of every color and size, which glisten brilliantly under black light. The muffled sounds of thunder and wind are still heard from outside, while a distinctly discordant "twinkling" sound is heard reverberating from the shining minerals within the mine. Unfortunately for guests, there is at least one very obvious danger present within the confines of the underground shafts: The old timber supports of the place seem to be very near the end of their life as they creak loudly and incessantly, some even giving way down the middle and sagging dangerously close above riders' heads as they pass under. Alcoves lead off into separate corridors here and there, most littered with wooden mine carts on their tracks and kegs overflowing with precious jewels. Guests approach one shaft extending impossibly far into the distance, its timbers contorted in a most inexplicable fashion.
Passing into another tunnel, riders' worst fears are confirmed as the Witch appears right ahead of them atop a huge pile of rocks, leering down at them with a demonic glare. "I'll crush your bones then!" she hisses with maniacal laughter before shoving forth a loose beam. Timber supports, both vertical and horizontal, now give way one by one all around riders as they make their way through the next shaft, but each miraculously stops just short of collapsing completely. Quite obviously, the Evil Queen has abandoned her poisoned apples and is now vainly attempting to dispose of guests in a much more direct manner. Ahead, beyond the final collapsing beam, is another alcove in the mine leading off into depths unseen. Here, a mine cart filled with shimmering diamonds suddenly comes screeching forward on its rails, crashing into a pile of lumber on the ground before it can reach guests, who then veer off through a final set of timbers and escape the diminishing mine.
Stormy Climax
Guests emerge in the final act of the ride, a thorny, mountainous place where a torrential storm is blowing through. Thunder, rain, and wind punish the scene as guests approach a cliff sloped at a dramatic angle. The Witch appears atop its peak, cackling with perverse delight as she attempts to pry forth a boulder with a long stick. Beginning at the bottom of the cliff and advanced upward in single-file fashion are the Seven Dwarfs, Dopey at ground level and Doc closest to the horrid hag, carrying a lantern. The seven little men, struggling to proceed further, urgently discuss their predicament as they hold the peddler off: "Stand your ground, men!" "Don't let her get away!" "Look out!" As guests advance closer to the Witch's rock perch, it becomes clear that she is focused not on toppling the boulder onto any dwarf. "GOODBYE, DEARIES!" screams the deranged crone with a sadistic laugh as she manages to tilt the huge rock forward in guests' direction. In an instant, an ear-splitting bolt of lightning strikes the wicked Queen down where she stands, the bright flash illuminating her tortured, grasping silhouette as she gives a final echoing shriek of agony. Guests pass through a thorn-covered opening within the cliff face and continue into a black void, where only the muffled, fading sounds of rain and distant thunder are heard. The nightmare is over, and guests soon find themselves back in the queue area, ready to disembark.
Miscellaneous notes:
>This attraction contains no songs from the film, aside from several eerie or dramatic instrumental motifs restricted to the castle interiors and finale scene. Most scenes have no music at all, only atmospheric ambient sounds such as howling wind, chirping crickets, thunder, and creaking timbers.
>Modern audio-animatronic technology is employed here, and each character is animated with fluid, advanced movements.
>The Witch's voice is portrayed largely the same as it is in the film - gravelly, ominous, and almost genderless at times - rather than being an approximation of the insane, high-pitched Ginny Tyler performance from the 1971 ride.
>Excluding the wooden floor of the Dwarfs' cottage and the several small bodies of water found in the moat and scary forest scenes, the floor of each interior scene is painted entirely black.
>The ride lasts for approximately two minutes, just like any other version of the Snow White dark ride.
The ride is essentially an alternate variation of WDW's 1971 Snow White attraction, in which riders were continuously pursued by the cackling, shrieking Witch through a series of grim, uninviting locations, but this time there isn't even a single reference to the character of Snow White. No reason to be misleading; this ride is all about the Witch, and the exterior façade of the Queen's menacing Gothic castle and macabre dungeon queue area provide all the context you need. Additionally, a handful of prominent warning signs strewn about make clear that the attraction may not be suitable for young, easily frightened kiddos.
Any good Fantasyland dark ride treats guests as if they are the main character, assuming the role of Mr. Toad or Alice or whoever else as their presence alone directly affects the actions of the characters within the attraction. The issue with Snow White in particular, however, is that it has simply never made sense for the titular heroine, and by extension the riders who are assuming her perspective, to be in most of the iconic locations from the film; remember that the only places Snow White visits in the original story that have also been featured as scenes in the dark ride are the castle courtyard, the scary forest, and the Dwarfs' cottage. Furthermore, most iterations of the attraction (extreme emphasis on "most" in our unfortunate timeline) are predominantly focused on the sinister exploits of the Evil Queen in her peddler's disguise with occasional appearances of the Seven Dwarfs, not the mundane tasks of a dainty homemaker who spends most of her time in one location.
Escape from the Wicked Witch, then, is a solution to the weird, inconsistent point of view riders have been made to assume in previous versions of the ride, as well as a long-awaited antidote to the 65-year-old complaint of the attraction being too scary, with too much Witch and too little (or no) Snow White, as now there is nothing vague about whether or not the ride contains frightening scenes or an overwhelming presence of the old hag; it very obviously does. The premise of the attraction is that the Magic Mirror has apparently deemed you the fairest in the land, not Snow White, and the Queen reacts accordingly. She goes through all the familiar motions of transforming into a cloaked peddler and brewing up her poisoned apple(s) and what have you, but this time, there are no issues of an inconsistent, wishy-washy rider perspective, as once again, Snow White is no longer part of the equation, and guests simply "play" themselves now.
The ride vehicles in Escape from the Wicked Witch are basically two-row benches constructed of fiberglass "wood" rendered in the same stylized, hand-carved fashion as the Dwarfs' furniture from the film. Their decorative engravings are not pleasant ones, however, as carved into these vehicles are skulls, hearts pierced by daggers, and menacing pairs of glaring eyes. As guests board their vehicles in the attraction's deathly, atmospheric dungeon of a loading queue (which contains no windows so as to not let in any natural light), the cold, disembodied voice of the Magic Mirror delivers the usual instructional spiel, and one last warning of the villainous Witch as if there are any guests at this point who have any doubts as to whether this is a creepy kind of attraction. From here, riders bang through a set of wooden doors in the grimy stone wall and begin their perilous journey. Here are the following scenes, each with a description and relevant information as to how it may be executed differently in order to accommodate the new gimmick:
Mirror Chamber
Riders first find themselves in a dark room featuring gargoyle sconces and several small, diamond-leaded windows revealing a night sky outside, before turning around and heading under a pointed Gothic arch. The Queen is positioned directly ahead on an angled, stepped platform embellished with curtains. Her back is turned to guests at a 45-degree angle as she confers with the Magic Mirror in front of her, her reflection clearly visible as she speaks. "Magic Mirror on the wall," she chants in a commanding demeanor, before spinning around in a sudden cloud of smoke and revealing herself as the black-cloaked, gravelly-voiced peddler, "I am the fairest one of all!"
Realistically, the Queen wouldn't let any witness to her dark deeds escape her vicinity alive, so in this version of the ride, she simply does not see guests as they move past her. Instead of looking directly at riders as she turns around as the Witch, she shrouds herself somewhat by shielding the lower half of her face with her sleeve, one eye closed and the other looking away from guests. This specific pose, in addition to the smoke, the general dim lighting of the scene, and the fact that the Witch's face is only visible for about two seconds make for a fairly convincing scenario in which she doesn't notice riders, allowing them to effectively sneak past her.
Guests make a sharp turn away from the Queen as she transforms into the menacing hag, and pass through another set of wooden doors into the next scene.
Dungeon
This is a twisting, gruesome corridor containing the classic skeletons, whether chained to a wall or grasping from the confines of a spider-infested cell, as well as the ghastly, tortured moans of, "Go baaaack..." and several instances of disorienting perspective illusions in the stone architecture. At the end of the scene, the animated shadow of the lurking Witch (whose sickly laughter is heard echoing from ahead) is seen projected onto a side wall, obviously coming from beyond an arched doorway on the wall opposite. At the same time, guests approach a large open doorway leading off into a warmly lit stairwell, but an iron portcullis slams shut in front of it, blocking the safe way out and forcing riders to instead veer to the side and under the arch, right into the chamber where the Witch resides.
Cauldron Lair
This scene is arranged similarly to the 1971 WDW variant, as before guests see the Witch herself, they encounter the raven, who is situated on a stone shelf alongside skulls, deadly potions, and books of dark magic. The bird is clearly startled to see guests, and to no avail he attempts to warn his nearby master of their presence by cawing several times and flapping his black wings. Riders then make a sharp turn into the direction of the Witch, who is stationed at her wicked laboratory, located in an arched alcove crowded by the usual test tubes, bookshelves, evil ingredients, and of course the oozing cauldron and massive spell book on its pedestal.
The old crone is fortunately facing away from riders as she pulls a newly poisoned apple out of the frothing, misty brew by its stem. "A special sort of death for our guests so fair..." she croaks as a thick coat of black drips off the bright red fruit. As guests pass by her cauldron, however, her cloaked figure turns toward them slightly, making for a clear profile view of her hideous, bony face as she delivers a grim cackle. Thankfully, she is too engrossed in her freshly spawned death device to notice riders sneaking past her in the dark, and guests quickly dart into the opposite direction, accidentally knocking over several wooden shelves stocked with bottled serums before narrowly escaping the lair through an iron-grate door.
Castle Moat
After a brief spell of darkness, guests find themselves outside the castle near its moat, surrounded by tall, marshy grass and engulfed in mist. Adjacent to riders, from under a dark archway at the base of the castle's masonry exterior, the Witch shoots forth in a small boat, still unaware of guests' presence as she focuses on whatever may be ahead of her, letting out a horrid, hacking laugh as she manages an oar with both hands. Clearly visible inside the boat is a wicker basket filled with apples, each one an unnaturally bright hue of red. Several large hollow logs submerged under the water below assume the appearance of crocodiles, even lunging forward and snapping their wooden jaws as guests advance past the misty moat.
Frightful Forest
The scene now shifts into one of a claustrophobic forest comprised of gnarled, looming trees with twisted, utterly monstrous faces embedded into their bark, which are illuminated from behind in ghastly hues of green and pale blue. With arm-like branches, the wooden devils grasp and claw at riders attempting to thread their way through, some even lurching forward. A colony of bats swarms through, scurrying just over guests' heads, and an owl with glowing red eyes screeches as riders approach it. More crocodile logs lunge and bite, and eerie, otherworldly noises come from sources unknown in every direction, not made any less unnerving by the dozens of menacing pairs of eyes staring from the darkness and following guests' movement.
Even having escaped all of these spooks, riders are still not in the clear. Right in front of them appears the Witch once more, this time fully playing up the façade of an old, unassuming peddler. With bulging eyes, a frightful grin, and a grimacing brow, the hag holds up her basket of bright red death for riders to see as they draw near, pointing at it with a skeletal index finger. "Like to try some delicious apples, dearies?" she offers innocently, almost in a whisper. Guests sensibly swing into the opposite direction, now darting straight toward the very first inviting sight within the attraction: the thatched-roof cottage of the Seven Dwarfs. The warm glow of a hearth fire emanates through its windows and seeps under the wooden front door, the latter of which creaks open to let guests inside as soon as they approach it.
Dwarfs' Cottage
The cottage in this attraction is arranged no differently than the standard, two-room "S-curve" cottage found in every single version of the Snow White ride since 1971. The original Claude Coats cottage scene featuring the Dwarfs scrambling for words on the stairs as they approached the shadow of a literal horned demon was a deliciously evil fake-out, but for Escape from the Wicked Witch I have decided to employ the Dwarfs as an active part of the story, having them interact with guests in a truly meaningful capacity. Guests' initial glimpse into the cottage is one devoid of dwarfs; the first of the two rooms contains their dinner table and various wood-carved chairs and other furniture, as well as a lit fireplace complete with a cooking pot of stew. The lighting inside the Dwarfs' home is dim; ultraviolet but rendered in warm tones of orange and gold. This first half of the cottage is illuminated fairly, with a bright glow radiating from the fireplace, but ahead, only candles fixed to the walls light the way.
Turning into the opposite direction, guests approach a wash basin cluttered with dishes, above it an open window out of which a handful of woodland animals peer, all focused intently on riders drawing near, with wide eyes and open mouths. A squirrel, chipmunk, rabbit, raccoon, and several blue jays are perched on the sill, and a deer stands outside behind them, only his head within the vicinity of the cottage. On the adjacent wall to the right is the wooden staircase, and on its landing appears the first dwarf, Sneezy. "We've got a visitor, fellas," he says breathily, holding a candle and rubbing his nose. Just ahead are the other six dwarfs, seated or standing on either side of guests. "An old peddler is after ya?" questions a beard-tugging Bashful, followed by a simultaneous interjection of "The Queen!" from a disconcerted Happy and a startled Sleepy, which causes the inexplicable Dopey to pop out of a large barrel with a shocked expression, the lid remaining flat on top of his head. "She's a mad witch, she is!" adds Grumpy, who raises a crooked finger high for emphasis. Finally there is Doc, motioning guests toward the back door as he stumbles over his own advice: "Better mide in the hi- Uh, hide in the mine! We'll hold her off!" With these promising words, guests head back outside, and for the first time in the history of the Snow White dark ride, the Dwarfs have actually committed to helping guests in their perilous situation.
Dark Woods
A brief scene lasting only about ten seconds, this section is very similar to the stretch of forest between the cottage and mine found in both 1983 attractions as well as the Paris version. Conditions here are dark, moody, and stormy, and the sounds of howling wind and rolling thunder are heard as guests approach a scenic mural of the Queen's castle looming in the distance under lightning-filled skies. Two silent, grimacing vultures are perched overhead on a limb, hunched over as they stare riders down, providing an air of impending doom in some way or another. Guests are not safe here, however. From behind the rocks, the crooked crone appears once again, wicker basket in hand, to deliver her sinister goods. "Don't be afraid!" she insists, this time with a less subdued, more unhinged demeanor, "Go on, have a bite!" Jolting away from the villainous peddler once again, guests escape the scene through the wood-timber entrance to the Dwarfs' diamond mine, embedded within the side of a rocky cliff.
Dwarfs' Mine
Here begins a dark series of claustrophobic underground tunnels fitted with many rows of wooden beams to the sides and above. Rock walls are studded with gems of every color and size, which glisten brilliantly under black light. The muffled sounds of thunder and wind are still heard from outside, while a distinctly discordant "twinkling" sound is heard reverberating from the shining minerals within the mine. Unfortunately for guests, there is at least one very obvious danger present within the confines of the underground shafts: The old timber supports of the place seem to be very near the end of their life as they creak loudly and incessantly, some even giving way down the middle and sagging dangerously close above riders' heads as they pass under. Alcoves lead off into separate corridors here and there, most littered with wooden mine carts on their tracks and kegs overflowing with precious jewels. Guests approach one shaft extending impossibly far into the distance, its timbers contorted in a most inexplicable fashion.
Passing into another tunnel, riders' worst fears are confirmed as the Witch appears right ahead of them atop a huge pile of rocks, leering down at them with a demonic glare. "I'll crush your bones then!" she hisses with maniacal laughter before shoving forth a loose beam. Timber supports, both vertical and horizontal, now give way one by one all around riders as they make their way through the next shaft, but each miraculously stops just short of collapsing completely. Quite obviously, the Evil Queen has abandoned her poisoned apples and is now vainly attempting to dispose of guests in a much more direct manner. Ahead, beyond the final collapsing beam, is another alcove in the mine leading off into depths unseen. Here, a mine cart filled with shimmering diamonds suddenly comes screeching forward on its rails, crashing into a pile of lumber on the ground before it can reach guests, who then veer off through a final set of timbers and escape the diminishing mine.
Stormy Climax
Guests emerge in the final act of the ride, a thorny, mountainous place where a torrential storm is blowing through. Thunder, rain, and wind punish the scene as guests approach a cliff sloped at a dramatic angle. The Witch appears atop its peak, cackling with perverse delight as she attempts to pry forth a boulder with a long stick. Beginning at the bottom of the cliff and advanced upward in single-file fashion are the Seven Dwarfs, Dopey at ground level and Doc closest to the horrid hag, carrying a lantern. The seven little men, struggling to proceed further, urgently discuss their predicament as they hold the peddler off: "Stand your ground, men!" "Don't let her get away!" "Look out!" As guests advance closer to the Witch's rock perch, it becomes clear that she is focused not on toppling the boulder onto any dwarf. "GOODBYE, DEARIES!" screams the deranged crone with a sadistic laugh as she manages to tilt the huge rock forward in guests' direction. In an instant, an ear-splitting bolt of lightning strikes the wicked Queen down where she stands, the bright flash illuminating her tortured, grasping silhouette as she gives a final echoing shriek of agony. Guests pass through a thorn-covered opening within the cliff face and continue into a black void, where only the muffled, fading sounds of rain and distant thunder are heard. The nightmare is over, and guests soon find themselves back in the queue area, ready to disembark.
Miscellaneous notes:
>This attraction contains no songs from the film, aside from several eerie or dramatic instrumental motifs restricted to the castle interiors and finale scene. Most scenes have no music at all, only atmospheric ambient sounds such as howling wind, chirping crickets, thunder, and creaking timbers.
>Modern audio-animatronic technology is employed here, and each character is animated with fluid, advanced movements.
>The Witch's voice is portrayed largely the same as it is in the film - gravelly, ominous, and almost genderless at times - rather than being an approximation of the insane, high-pitched Ginny Tyler performance from the 1971 ride.
>Excluding the wooden floor of the Dwarfs' cottage and the several small bodies of water found in the moat and scary forest scenes, the floor of each interior scene is painted entirely black.
>The ride lasts for approximately two minutes, just like any other version of the Snow White dark ride.
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Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Uh, yeah, he is. Incredible how so many people believe it's just a coincidence that after he posted his idea for a retheme of Splash Mountain based on a film that Disney initially brushed off as a flop and ignored for years on Twitter, sparking a petition that for whatever reason gained a lot of media coverage, Disney announced the EXACT SAME THING. Unless Disney orchestrated the petitions, I'm calling bullcrap on their claim that they'd had this idea since 2019.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
My impression as an outsider looking in is that Disney does not care that much about its theme park CMs and doesn't seem inclined to listen to them much about ANYTHING, let alone an idea to change a very popular signature attraction. I don't think there is any single person that can be blamed for that, except perhaps the person who officially greenlit the change.
But honestly, CAN WE NOT in this thread? Don't we have enough Splash Mountain threads or threads that have turned into Splash Mountain threads or blame ____ for the Splash Mountain changes threads?
But honestly, CAN WE NOT in this thread? Don't we have enough Splash Mountain threads or threads that have turned into Splash Mountain threads or blame ____ for the Splash Mountain changes threads?
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
Funny how everyone who thinks Disney announcing the same thing that Frederick Chambers came up with is "just a coincidence" also just so happens to support the Splash Mountain retheme. I'm guessing THAT'S a coincidence too, huh?