The New SSE: One 9 year old's opinion

[Brian Noble]

Just got back from our annual February week, and had a great time.

I was a little apprehensive about SSE---even though we have young kids, it's one of our favorites, and a bit of a tradition. It was the first attraction we ever visited as a family in the Florida parks. This year, we didn't get to it until later in the week, after the trip was well underway and we'd been on the "big headliners" several times already. So, I wasn't sure how we'd react to the new version, as it is comparatively staid.

We really liked it---the improvements during the ascent were very nice. Everything worked on descent and during the post-show, which I'm sure helped. We found and emailed our postcard, played power city once, and just generally enjoyed ourselves. But, my nine year old daughter---the one who would be content power-riding RnRC and ToT all week long---said something I can't recall hearing in recent memory:

I want to ride that again, and I don't care how long the line is!

When I asked her what she liked, she talked about a few of the changes in the ascent and the film on the descent, but on our second trip, she was clearly anticipating answering a "new" set of questions for the film. Granted, she's not a Disney traditionalist, but still. Interesting, to say the least.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Interesting...That's something new:A child's perspective.

Good insight.Perhaps this refurb will be as meaningful for her as the old version was for us.

 

[bladerunner]

My kids love it but they want to know why the garage in the computer scene is in the dark. I agree you don't see much. There could be at least some mood lighting so that you could appreciate all the items in the garage.

Also, they want to know why the newspaper boy in the industrial scene is facing away. One of my boys says he is in time out.:ROFLOL:

 

[EPCOT.nut]

I found that riding the new SSE with different people each time makes it interesting. I rode during the SSE meet we just had yesterday and the 2nd time rode with SweetMagic and I couldn't stop laughing at the cartoon. It was very funny. Time is starting to erase what I missed in the descent of the old SSE and I am forming new memories with the new ending.

It's all good.

 

[wannab@dis]

Just got back from our annual February week, and had a great time.

Thanks for sharing your story. It's a reminder to us all the wide range of demographics that Disney has to take into account during attraction design.

 

[Pseybert]

I'm sure there are also a load of free flash games online that would hold your nine year old's interest. Oh! The magic of answering five different questions with different paths, and then watching yourself star in an e-harmony commercial, but with Siemens products. :brick:

Buy the kid a 20 Questions handheld game, which is by far more fun and mysterious than the new SSE.

 

[DisneyAnole]

I'm sure there are also a load of free flash games online that would hold your nine year old's interest. Oh! The magic of answering five different questions with different paths, and then watching yourself star in an e-harmony commercial, but with Siemens products. :brick:

To be fair, I don't think the descent videos advertise Siemens products. Not unless Siemens sells a suitcase that can pack itself and flying rocket cars.

Ahh...the future!!

 

[jakeman]

I'm sure there are also a load of free flash games online that would hold your nine year old's interest. Oh! The magic of answering five different questions with different paths, and then watching yourself star in an e-harmony commercial, but with Siemens products.

Wow, you hate SSE so much you're insulting a stranger's child's attention span.

Good show, sir.

Good show.

 

[lilclerk]

Good insight.Perhaps this refurb will be as meaningful for her as the old version was for us.

And that's what really matters to Disney, right? They've already got us coming for the rest of our lives, it's time to hook the children in :lol:

 

[Captain Chaos]

I'm sure there are also a load of free flash games online that would hold your nine year old's interest. Oh! The magic of answering five different questions with different paths, and then watching yourself star in an e-harmony commercial, but with Siemens products. :brick:

Buy the kid a 20 Questions handheld game, which is by far more fun and mysterious than the new SSE.

Good job.... You lower yourself to that of a 9 year old child.... Actually, I just insulted the 9 year old... Seems as if this his 9 year old daughter is smater than you... You pick on the daughter of one of WDWMagic's long standing members, as you are pretty new.... Stay in Universal or Sea World if you hate Disney so much... One less wasted spot online for those of us who appreciate what Disney gives us....

 

[goofyfan13]

Good job.... You lower yourself to that of a 9 year old child.... Actually, I just insulted the 9 year old... Seems as if this his 9 year old daughter is smater than you... You pick on the daughter of one of WDWMagic's long standing members, as you are pretty new.... Stay in Universal or Sea World if you hate Disney so much... One less wasted spot online for those of us who appreciate what Disney gives us....

His posts are more typically immature in any SSE thread, so it's really nothing new.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm sure there are also a load of free flash games online that would hold your nine year old's interest.

Of course there are. She's 9. She's reading the Artemis Fowl books, not Dostoevsky.

Nevertheless, it brings up an interesting question---who should Disney be designing for? The EPCOT Center purists, or the day-to-day guests visiting Epcot the theme park? It's clear who they are designing for, and has been for some time. Some folks aren't happy about it, but Epcot, the theme park, seems to be doing just fine. And, my family has found the changes to be improvements, even if some have been modest.

 

[joel_maxwell]

Thanks for sharing your story. It's a reminder to us all the wide range of demographics that Disney has to take into account during attraction design.

that is true. it is neat to hear the perspective of children. glad she liked it.

 

[sknydave]

I'm sure there are also a load of free flash games online that would hold your nine year old's interest. Oh! The magic of answering five different questions with different paths, and then watching yourself star in an e-harmony commercial, but with Siemens products. :brick:

Buy the kid a 20 Questions handheld game, which is by far more fun and mysterious than the new SSE.

Do you mean e-insurance?

 

[Timmay]

Of course there are. She's 9. She's reading the Artemis Fowl books, not Dostoevsky.

Nevertheless, it brings up an interesting question---who should Disney be designing for? The EPCOT Center purists, or the day-to-day guests visiting Epcot the theme park? It's clear who they are designing for, and has been for some time. Some folks aren't happy about it, but Epcot, the theme park, seems to be doing just fine. And, my family has found the changes to be improvements, even if some have been modest.

Nope...you get it, all right. A very vocal minority simply believe Disney should cater directly to them and nobody else.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Nope...you get it, all right. A very vocal minority simply believe Disney should cater directly to them and nobody else.

yea, the 5 or 6 of them are on this site.. The guilty shall remain nameless..

Brian Noble: I am glad your daughter enjoyed SSE... I am sure I will enjoy it once I finally get to see the refurbed edition in October....

 

[nibblesandbits]

Nope...you get it, all right. A very vocal minority simply believe Disney should cater directly to them and nobody else.

Totally agree...and I've been trying to get that sentiment forth that Disney does not build everything to appeal to every single person. They (usually) build what they believe the vast majority will enjoy. Disney tries to cater to the general public, not the Disney purists that are so often found on boards like these. And for the most part, I believe Disney does a decent job building attractions that do appeal to the general public. I may not LOVE every single thing they build myself, but guess what? There are people who do and as long as that number tends to be in the majority, those attractions aren't going anywhere or aren't being changed.

Brian...glad to hear your daughter enjoyed the changes. That's the reaction Disney was looking for, I'm sure. I can't wait to see the ride when I get to visit next time.

 

[cococola44]

but what is at the end of the ride exactly

besides the film, anything to see? any animatronics? anything?
or just the film with the questions

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't know. We were too busy watching the little film to notice.

))