The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[mickEblu]

Just checked the bonus material, and your blu-ray has everything important and more. The only thing missing is the "Virtual Tea Party," which was just a half-hour sing-along video with a live Alice and Hatter.

About the only things still missing from the Laser Disc are a radio interview with Walt and an option to watch the film with just the music and effects track. You've got the best release so far.

Good to know and thanks for checking!

 

[Rich T]

I don't know. All I do know is it was better with the 70s chintzy charm. The glowing eyes, the fortress of solitude and the static yeti with a strobe light.

I'm torn on Harold's new look, but I do like the new lift hill effect. Honestly, though, if they'd just lose the awful new ride vehicles, I wouldn't mind going back to the bare-bones exposed-structure interior the Matterhorn originally had!

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Eh I dunno bout that. The lift hill is undoubtably Better now with the yeti behind the ice effect. The AAs are better now. I did like the old growl more and I’m not a huge fan of the pile of trash.

You're on thin ice with me.

I'm telling you. Water that cold. Like right down there. It hits you like a thousand knives stabbing you all over your body.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Which is why I'm not looking forward to putting you on ignore.

 

[mickEblu]

Which is why I'm not looking forward to putting you on ignore.

Wait. This isn’t a quote from Titanic

 

[JD2000]

Disney needs to re-profile the Matterhorn's track already!

 

[No Name]

There's nothing stopping anyone from making an Alice in Wonderland ride. That's one reason Disney now calls their movies things like "Tangled" "Frozen" and "Gigantic." It started as a marketing concern, but as with anything Bob Iger, it's become a BRAND concern.

 

[Rich T]

There's nothing stopping anyone from making an Alice in Wonderland ride. That's one reason Disney now calls their movies things like "Tangled" "Frozen" and "Gigantic." It started as a marketing concern, but as with anything Bob Iger, it's become a BRAND concern.

True, and there's nothing wrong with anyone creating their own take on the story. What they *can't* do is use Disney's character designs or music, which are the elements that really make Disney's version so appealing and fun.

What makes the Blackpool version look like a rip-off (even though its interior is completely different) is the way they imitated Disneyland's two-story format with the ramp leading down. And I'm still wondering if Blackpool actually acquired the rights to legally use the Willy Wonka soundtrack in there!

 

[mickEblu]

Disney needs to re-profile the Matterhorn's track already!

Not sure what reprofile means In this case but wouldn’t they have to literally have to dismantle the mountain to do that?

Anyway I wouldn’t mind a smoother track and some more drops. After all you re in a bobsled so it would make a little more sense than going in circles... plus it would be more thrilling. I’m talkjng some drops like the one on Goofys Sky School.

 

[Rich T]

Not sure what reprofile means In this case but wouldn’t they have to literally have to dismantle the mountain to do that?

Anyway I wouldn’t mind a smoother track and some more drops. After all you re in a bobsled so it would make a little more sense than going in circles... plus it would be more thrilling. I’m talkjng some drops like the one on Goofys Sky School.

Well, there's that one under-the-bridge moment on the Tomorrowland track that just barely qualifies as a drop. Kinda.

What's unique about the Matterhorn is that the mountain was designed first with no thought about track placement, and then the man who designed the track layouts (I don't know his name; I'm sure someone here does, one way or the other he was/is brilliant) had to design the tracks to wind through the mountain avoiding the already-planned beams and girders! The bobsled tracks were designed "on the fly!" Isn't that just SO-O-O- wonderfully Walt-era Disneyland??? That's why "boost" sections are needed, and also why the ride has such an organic, unscripted feel to its two layouts.

I think the track layout should stay as is. It's a classic and there's nothing remotely like it anywhere else. It wouldn't be the Matterhorn if it changed; it'd be a new ride entirely.

 

[mickEblu]

Well, there's that one under-the-bridge moment on the Tomorrowland track that just barely qualifies as a drop. Kinda.

What's unique about the Matterhorn is that the mountain was designed first with no thought about track placement, and then the man who designed the track layouts (I don't know his name; I'm sure someone here does, one way or the other he was/is brilliant) had to design the tracks to wind through the mountain avoiding the already-planned beams and girders! The bobsled tracks were designed "on the fly!" Isn't that just SO-O-O- wonderfully Walt-era Disneyland??? That's why "boost" sections are needed, and also why the ride has such an organic, unscripted feel to its two layouts.

I think the track layout should stay as is. It's a classic and there's nothing remotely like it anywhere else. It wouldn't be the Matterhorn if it changed; it'd be a new ride entirely.

Hahah- are you talking about Bob Gurr or did he only design the vehicles?

Most of my affinity for the Matterhorn is due to to the exterior, the yeti (and his old growl), the unique ride vehicles and now the lift hill inlcuding that musty scent that’s been there since I was kid. The track layout isn’t really something that I’m particularly attached to although I appreciate its historical significance.

 

[Rich T]

Hahah- are you talking about Bob Gurr or did he only design the vehicles?

Most of my affinity for the Matterhorn is due to to the exterior, the yeti (and his old growl), the unique ride vehicles and now the lift hill inlcuding that musty scent that’s been there since I was kid. The track layout isn’t really something that I’m particularly attached to although I appreciate its historical significance.

Yes, it was Bob Gurr! And he had to learn trigonometry in the few months leading to this assignment! And he was afraid of coasters, but Walt made him go ride the one in Long Beach as research! But I was a bit off- I just reread the piece, and Gurr said that only the model of the mountain had been finalized when he started, so I'm sure he worked with the mountain engineers to make adjustments. In retrospect, that certainly sounds a great deal more realistic.

 

[Phroobar]

Yes, it was Bob Gurr! And he had to learn trigonometry in the few months leading to this assignment! And he was afraid of coasters, but Walt made him go ride the one in Long Beach as research! But I was a bit off- I just reread the piece, and Gurr said that only the model of the mountain had been finalized when he started, so I'm sure he worked with the mountain engineers to make adjustments. In retrospect, that certainly sounds a great deal more realistic.

It was also the first steel tube coaster. All the tracks were hand bent on site. It's amazing the ride works at all.

 

[Curious Constance]

If only they could do something about the Fastpass side of the mountain.

 

[JD2000]

Not sure what reprofile means In this case but wouldn’t they have to literally have to dismantle the mountain to do that?

Anyway I wouldn’t mind a smoother track and some more drops. After all you re in a bobsled so it would make a little more sense than going in circles... plus it would be more thrilling. I’m talkjng some drops like the one on Goofys Sky School.

It would have paid to be more specific. But that was meant to be a suggestion to re-profile only the most rough sections of track in order to get a smoother ride. I don’t personally believe the overall ride experience should change. And doing this shouldn’t be too extreme in terms of structural modification, re-doing rockwork, and such.

 

[Phroobar]

It would have paid to be more specific. But that was meant to be a suggestion to re-profile only the most rough sections of track in order to get a smoother ride. I don’t personally believe the overall ride experience should change. And doing this shouldn’t be too extreme in terms of structural modification, re-doing rockwork, and such.

Re-profiling the Matterhorn has been going on for years. What we have now is as good as it gets. It's just not designed like a modern coaster. You simply can't rebuild it like they did to Space Mountain.

 

[mickEblu]

It would have paid to be more specific. But that was meant to be a suggestion to re-profile only the most rough sections of track in order to get a smoother ride. I don’t personally believe the overall ride experience should change. And doing this shouldn’t be too extreme in terms of structural modification, re-doing rockwork, and such.

Why did they change from the old white bobsleds at all? Those seemed to work fine when I was a kid and I don’t remember the ride being so rough.

 

[Disney Irish]

Why did they change from the old white bobsleds at all? Those seemed to work fine when I was a kid and I don’t remember the ride being so rough.

Your body could handle the rough ride better when you were a kid?

 

[Curious Constance]

Does anyone else find it funny that those who don't choose an avatar photo now are forced to have the first letter of their name as their picture?

 

[mickEblu]

Your body could handle the rough ride better when you were a kid?

Possibly but it seems to be the general consensus that they were smoother ( including some people who were adults then). But I guess could say they re older adults now. Lol