The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[Rich T]

I really do need to drink more. Lol. Something to take the edge off. Alcohol gives me terrible heartburn. Smoking the green stuff gives me anxiety. I don’t do any of the things that other people do to relax or take the edge off. I also don’t like depending on anything. I’m pretty straight laced over here. As explained above, it’s not entirely by choice.

Thank you. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke (anything) either. No problem with others doing it (as long as they don’t drive), but stone cold sober has always been more fun for me.

 

[Too Many Hats]

The ride has indeed been problematic since the beginning. Problems with the logs delayed the opening day by several months, and one of the reasons was rumored to be test riders getting drenched. I remember checking the ride out during those delay months and seeing a test log cycling around with an odd, white temporary front that looked like they were testing different profiling sculpts to see how it effected the experience.

When it opened, everything seemed fine, though the “fixed” logs always felt clunky in the way they bumped their way along the flume and climbed the lifts with the grace of a drunk rhinoceros.

Then some parents let their kid crawl into the front cavity of a log, he bumped his head, and the bench seating was declared not straight-jacket-y enough.

The individual seat logs arrived, and getting drenched—the very thing that delayed the ride opening in the first place—became the new normal.

Appreciate the info! Such a bummer that the newer logs have taken them back to square one. I wonder if a redesign is possible.

 

[Too Many Hats]

THAT SAID, I can't say I cared for either of their coasters, particularly the Giant Dipper with those horrendous Morgan trains, which to me are ride ruiners. I remain mystified by California's somewhat-waning-but-still-significant-by-comparison-to-literally-anywhere-else insistence on using those coaster trains. I fully realize that they were in part designed for this ride, but to me that doesn't make them any less awful or insufferable. So I'll have a nice day of atmosphere, dark rides, and ring grabbing instead when I return.

Oh wow -- I'm curious, in what sense did the trains ruin the ride for you? I know Morgan trains can sometimes produce sort of a forceless ride experience (Dragon Coaster at Rye Playland comes to mind, among others), but I've always gotten a ton of airtime on Giant Dipper.

 

[Practical Pig]

Not having seen the apparently bright green artificial-looking fake grass HM lawn in person, I'm cautious in my judgment. Digital photography involves processing programming that often results in imagery that is "enhanced" over a personal live-view, with more vivid colors, aggressive sharpening (which can also distort color and brightness), etc. Also, monitor settings can distort color/brightness perception. I certainly hope the real eye-view isn't as cartoony.

The water savings generated by replacing these tiny postage-stamp parcels of real turf with phony are beyond minuscule compared to the enormous water footprint expressed by the resort. A tiny percentage of the run-off from the frequent power-washings would water these little bits many times over.

I'm a native Californian and I understand the drought issue. I live in the coastal Northern California sub-tropical Sequoia Sempervirens rain forest and haven't watered my lawn for years, much to its detriment, and I'm looking into replacement.

I'm thinking that the lack of promotional bragging about water conversation from Disney probably means that it's just being Chapeked as a cost-cutting measure. There's not enough conservation to brag about.

 

[mickEblu]

Next up for AstroTurf…

 

[Too Many Hats]

Yikes. What a bummer, to approach the iconic Disneyland entrance and see those construction walls.

That said, who in their right mind is going to Disneyland this week? It is going to be so, so, so hot. The poor tourists.

 

[waltography]

Yikes. What a bummer, to approach the iconic Disneyland entrance and see those construction walls.

That said, who in their right mind is going to Disneyland this week? It is going to be so, so, so hot. The poor tourists.

Taking a friend who hasn't been in a really long time this weekend right as it's about to hit 100+. Hoping the heat melts away the Labor Day crowds but man is it gonna be unpleasant.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Taking a friend who hasn't been in a really long time this weekend right as it's about to hit 100+. Hoping the heat melts away the Labor Day crowds but man is it gonna be unpleasant.

Yeah, an emptier-than-usual park may be the silver lining. But then again, it's Labor Day weekend, so who knows. You are braver than I am -- best of luck to you! Pack sunscreen.

I love Disneyland's outdoor queues/loading areas so much... unless it's 90+ degrees outside.

 

[brb1006]

Ron Logan who produced nighttimes (such as Fantasmic! and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth) just passed away.

 

[mickEblu]

I’m taking a couple of newlyweds (family friends from Italy) to DL on October 9th. They re in LA for 4 days and of course they want to go to Disneyland. It’s like the circle of life. My love for Disneyland was born on these trips in my youth when my parents would take fam/friends from Italy. Now I’m the host.

 

[brb1006]

View attachment 662557

I wish this movie got more love.

I'm still waiting on that movie to be available on Disney+. Danny has to be the cutest Disney Lamb I've ever seen. At least the film gained more love at Tokyo Disney Resort where they sold plushies of Danny during the Year of The Sheep/Goat. They even added a permanent statue of Danny at Westernland around the same period.

 

[brb1006]

SCREAMING

Speaking of Marie and Aristocats, I just got the first two books to an ongoing graphic novel series called "The Aristokittens" for my 26th Birthday!

The Aristokittens: Welcome to the Creature Cafe (Book 1)

And "The Aristokittens; The Great Biscuit Bake-Off" (Book 2)

For those unfamiliar, it's an ongoing children's graphic novel series by Jennifer Castle where Duchess kittens (Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz) are running a cafe for animals. I just got started reading the first book "Welcome to the Creature Cafe" last night before bed last night after eating my "Birthday Cookie Cake".

As of this post, I'm currently on chapter 4. The first two books were released April 2022 with the third book "The Fantastic Rabbit Race" releasing October of this year. I will discuss more on The Aristokittens later in this thread.

 

[brb1006]

The Marie teapot is terrifying, so it’s a no for me, but the rest… YES.

the designs on the cups and plates are DARLING.

yeah, IDK about that teapot.....

I'm sure The Mad Hatter or The March Hare might express interest in it. As long as The Dormouse isn't around.

 

[No Name]

I quite like the artificial turf, especially for areas people sit on. But I may be biased since I’m mildly allergic to the real stuff.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Oh wow -- I'm curious, in what sense did the trains ruin the ride for you? I know Morgan trains can sometimes produce sort of a forceless ride experience (Dragon Coaster at Rye Playland comes to mind, among others), but I've always gotten a ton of airtime on Giant Dipper.

Because every time I ride in Morgan cars, the bar, which is either not padded at all or isn't padded nearly enough, is already jammed into my leg before the ride even leaves the station or does anything. There isn't a higher position on the bar that would allow me to ride, so that's my option-bar jammed into thigh or no ride at all. Then once the ride begins I feel each and every bump, turn, jostle, you name it directly jammed into me. Not fun or comfortable. If it was just forceless I'd be fine with that, but alas it's just uncomfortable and painful instead.

And because of how the cars are designed, when we're boarding the cars I also have to deal with the added annoyance that for some reason the bars in each car are all on the same system, so if somebody else in a different row starts trying to put the bar down before I'm situated, the bar starts coming at me when I'm just trying to sit down. I shouldn't be affected by what little Johnny one row ahead of me is doing with his lap bar. That's just bad design.

I'm sure Giant Dipper would be a fun ride without the Morgan trains, but I absolutely cannot stand those trains and they simply do not work for me. And so unless they switch out the trains I will never, ever ride either Big/Giant Dipper roller coaster again-the only coasters in all of California that I have done that I would say that about.

 

[Rich T]

Because every time I ride in Morgan cars, the bar, which is either not padded at all or isn't padded nearly enough, is already jammed into my leg before the ride even leaves the station or does anything. There isn't a higher position on the bar that would allow me to ride, so that's my option-bar jammed into thigh or no ride at all. Then once the ride begins I feel each and every bump, turn, jostle, you name it directly jammed into me. Not fun or comfortable. If it was just forceless I'd be fine with that, but alas it's just uncomfortable and painful instead.

And because of how the cars are designed, when we're boarding the cars I also have to deal with the added annoyance that for some reason the bars in each car are all on the same system, so if somebody else in a different row starts trying to put the bar down before I'm situated, the bar starts coming at me when I'm just trying to sit down. I shouldn't be affected by what little Johnny one row ahead of me is doing with his lap bar. That's just bad design.

I'm sure Giant Dipper would be a fun ride without the Morgan trains, but I absolutely cannot stand those trains and they simply do not work for me. And so unless they switch out the trains I will never, ever ride either Big/Giant Dipper roller coaster again-the only coasters in all of California that I have done that I would say that about.

I generally have no problem with the Morgan trains, but I agree that having the two bars in each car connected to lower at the same time was an awful design choice.

More fun, however, were the PREVIOUS trains, red and blue, which I believe retired in the late 70s. They had bench seats, and—since Giant Dipper is designed to fling you forcefully from one side of the car to the other several times during the ride—it became a contact sport for you and your seat mate. And if you were riding solo, you could slide yourself back and forth to lean against the outer side on the fast turns. Combined with the airtime, it almost felt like you were surfing the track.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I generally have no problem with the Morgan trains, but I agree that having the two bars in each car connected to lower at the same time was an awful design choice.

More fun, however, were the PREVIOUS trains, red and blue, which I believe retired in the late 70s. They had bench seats, and—since Giant Dipper is designed to fling you forcefully from one side of the car to the other several times during the ride—it became a contact sport for you and your seat mate. And if you were riding solo, you could slide yourself back and forth to lean against the outer side on the fast turns. Combined with the airtime, it almost felt like you were surfing the track.

Sounds 100% better in every respect.

 

[brb1006]

Since Ron Logan passed away today, here's an hour long interview where he talked about the various nighttime entertainment he was involved with at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. It's seriously worth the watch.

 

[DrAlice]

Because every time I ride in Morgan cars, the bar, which is either not padded at all or isn't padded nearly enough, is already jammed into my leg before the ride even leaves the station or does anything. There isn't a higher position on the bar that would allow me to ride, so that's my option-bar jammed into thigh or no ride at all. Then once the ride begins I feel each and every bump, turn, jostle, you name it directly jammed into me. Not fun or comfortable. If it was just forceless I'd be fine with that, but alas it's just uncomfortable and painful instead.

And because of how the cars are designed, when we're boarding the cars I also have to deal with the added annoyance that for some reason the bars in each car are all on the same system, so if somebody else in a different row starts trying to put the bar down before I'm situated, the bar starts coming at me when I'm just trying to sit down. I shouldn't be affected by what little Johnny one row ahead of me is doing with his lap bar. That's just bad design.

I'm sure Giant Dipper would be a fun ride without the Morgan trains, but I absolutely cannot stand those trains and they simply do not work for me. And so unless they switch out the trains I will never, ever ride either Big/Giant Dipper roller coaster again-the only coasters in all of California that I have done that I would say that about.

You have described my husband's experience. He's pretty tall, so when we got off of it he said something like "come for the jammed knees, stay for the punch in the legs".

Neither my daughter nor I had that experience. I just loved the airtime! I could've easily ridden it several more times. hehe...

 

[PiratesMansion]

You have described my husband's experience. He's pretty tall, so when we got off of it he said something like "come for the jammed knees, stay for the punch in the legs".

Neither my daughter nor I had that experience. I just loved the airtime! I could've easily ridden it several more times. hehe...

Precisely. Some trains just aren't designed well for tall people and/or people with long legs.