The State of WDW attractions

[FERRARA12]

I haven't been to WDW in about three years now. I have been visiting with varying amounts of frequency since 1975 and when my girls were younger, we were there ALL the time. During the years prior to my most recent visit, quality was plummeting and prices were getting out of hand. What I did notice on that last visit was that some things were starting to look marginally better. Main Street looked fresher. The Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents were looking great after lengthy rehabs.

Since then I've been monitoring online and have heard mostly negative statements about the state of the Florida parks, a lot of it coming from the California fans, particularly Al Lutz, who seem to view comparisons between the two coasts as a competition. I have also read a lot of threads on this website about Splash Mountain AA malefunctions, the poor quality of the ride on Space Mountain, the staleness of Future World, etc. etc.

The purpose of my post is to ask specifically what attractions are in bad shape. I know a lot of people are angry about the abdication of responsibility on the part of WDW's management that has let quality slide at WDW over the years, but if you can provide a dispassionate account of where things are at, I'd greatly appreciate it. All of these lengthy rehabs must have added up to some improvements? No?

 

[devoy1701]

You can put Country Bear Jamboree on your list or malfunctioning attractions...apparently it's running a few minutes shorter than it used to all the sudden!

 

[mousehockey37]

I think Pirates could use some attention. When I was there at the end of August, they were having issues with the mist where Blackbeard/Davy Jones are projected. You could barely see the image. Just some of the stuff could use an upgrade or two to keep it "modern" with everything else. The little mermaid ride video is showing the modern technology with the moving eyes, mouths, and lifelike movements of the AAs, it might not be bad to put some of that newer tech into the older rides. Still keep everything the same, don't add or subtract, just upgrade.

In DHS, Muppetvision could use some major work. It tries to pull a Philharmagic, but it's nowhere close. The 3d needs work.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

Quick ones that come to mind...

Falling rocks on BTMRR
Yeti in Expedition: Everest
A vast number of effects on Dinosaur
Peter Pan needs cleaned up
Gangster car on GMR (unless it's been repaired since I last heard)
PhilharMagic & Soarin' films need remastered
SSE descent

There's a lot of others, I'm sure others will post. I tried to keep it at major things. You're correct though, MSUSA looks awesome, HoP & HM's refurbs have done very well. However, BTMRR just went down for a very lengthy refurb without the rock scene being fixed & I believe some insiders on here have said it will never be fixed.

 

[cba]

POTC and CBJ come to mind.

 

[Dan Gamblin]

A note about the Yeti on Expedition Everest... We spoke to city hall about it and the reason why the Yeti is no in working order at the moment is due to the fact that the hydraulics are that powerful on it it is currently causing structural damage to the mountain. They've gone back to othe drawing board to see how they can rectify it.

 

[mousehockey37]

I haven't been to WDW in about three years now. I have been visiting with varying amounts of frequency since 1975 and when my girls were younger, we were there ALL the time. During the years prior to my most recent visit, quality was plummeting and prices were getting out of hand. What I did notice on that last visit was that some things were starting to look marginally better. Main Street looked fresher. The Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents were looking great after lengthy rehabs.

Since then I've been monitoring online and have heard mostly negative statements about the state of the Florida parks, a lot of it coming from the California fans, particularly Al Lutz, who seem to view comparisons between the two coasts as a competition. I have also read a lot of threads on this website about Splash Mountain AA malefunctions, the poor quality of the ride on Space Mountain, the staleness of Future World, etc. etc.

The purpose of my post is to ask specifically what attractions are in bad shape. I know a lot of people are angry about the abdication of responsibility on the part of WDW's management that has let quality slide at WDW over the years, but if you can provide a dispassionate account of where things are at, I'd greatly appreciate it. All of these lengthy rehabs must have added up to some improvements? No?

Overall, it's just a shame that the top dogs are all about filling their own wallets (who isn't now a days) but instead of investing some money back into the park and fixing the things that REALLY need fixed, they're going down different routes. As others have said before, DVC's are going up like convenience stores.

The new Fantasyland is just about permanently opened, so that's a start, but as you've said, there's other things that aren't new that could use some help. EPCOT could use a boost. The world showcase is neat, but the main attraction is Illuminations. FutureWorld has the rides, but Nemo didn't really do anything for me. The projected images on the fish tanks was cool, but like I said, didn't do much otherwise. Spaceship Earth is just about due for a new scene of today's world, the last scene is from 80's/90s and it's now 2012.

I understand that some of the problems may not ever be fixed (Yeti, due to it being in the foundation of the ride) but for others, things are fixable. It just seems that merchandise and DVC and coming next year, themed weeks are going to be what sells the trips.

If you take note of the news threads, they're going to have stuff most weeks of the year, with some highlighted weeks being around Valentines Day, Pirate Week, 4th of July, Septembers Friday the 13th. The big thing with these weeks is the CHARACTERS you'll be able to meet with, not rides you can go on.

So with these themed weeks, it seems that Disney management knows the rides are in need of TLC but to get your attention away from it, they're going to bring out some older rare characters (some weeks) and have more availability to meet with others (princes around Valentines Day) in hopes that people will overlook the conditions of the rides.

 

[The MaD Hatter]

At this point, I think it would be easier to ask which rides are in good shape. I can't think of many attractions that wouldn't benefit from a general sprucing up and repair of broken effects. Star Tours came to mind as a ride that seems to be in pretty good shape currently. Of course, it got a major overhaul not too long ago.

 

[afar28]

SSE descent still has not been completed
Peter Pan looks pretty dusty and its like it hasn't been touched in awhile
Basically all effects on EE (Yeti is never as it was advertised, waterfalls are a guessing game weather they will work, and the mist barely works)
CBJ Just went under a 3 month refurb so I will assume it is better
Maelstrom has mold on the walls and it looks really bad
Splash Mountain is inconsistent, and the splash is not as big
There are others that I probably did not mention, but those are some

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Splash Mountain needs some serious rehab, which it is getting. The music was out of sync between rooms. Same deal with Imagination. The "disco yeti" on Expedition Everest needs to be fixed as well, but that will have to wait until the next time they do a major refurbishment on the entire thing. Illuminations needs an update. It's not the same as the original, but it still is getting old. Rock n' Roller Coaster has a tendency to breakdown, could use a refurbishment. And there's just some other things that you could e nit-picky about (some of the carpeting needs replacing in attractions, fresh coat of paint, etc.)

But there's been a lot done that's been REALLY good. The parks are not looking run down. Dumbo just got a facelift and a twin, Goofy's Barnstormer got new paint and a new name, Test Track is scheduled to reopen.

You know, you really can't compare Disneyland and WDW. They are very similar, and yes, it is a bit weird walking in Disneyland and having it be familiar but at the same time being really different. While Disneyland Park has it all over Magic Kingdom, I would say that overall, Disney World is better. But again, the two are different beasts, and while there are aspects of each that are better, I've learned to love both (though I grew up with WDW and will forever be loyal to it. And that guy has no room to complain about Space Mountain. For one, our Space Mountain is essentially their Matterhorn, and considering that their Splash Mountain was just crap compared to ours? Yeah).

I love Disney World, and forever will. Yes there is some stuff that needs improvement. But you know what? I'm just going there to enjoy myself and escape everyday life for a while. Besides, I can't complain. Star Tours was just redone, Space Mountain got a major overall a few years back, Splash Mountain is getting some love this January, Country Bears just got a fresh coat of paint, there's a new Zebra area soon to open on the Safari (they got rid of the narration completely) Test Track is brand new, and oh yeah, NEW FANTASYLAND! Disney is constantly refurbishing, and they have budgets. They do what is in dire need. You should go back. There's new stuff.

 

[cowanfamily]

I think this topic is already on about 1,000 other posts!

 

[RonAnnArbor]

There is a big difference between changes that are made, and things that need sprucing up.
For example the "splash not being as big" on Splash Mountain is a change, not a malfunction. The water cannons that would randomly make people wet were turned off due to customer complaints, not because they are broken. Getting splashed is fun. Getting soaked is not.

Similarly, there were changes made to BTMRR during its refurb, not that things were somehow left broken. The movement of the rocks was specifically changed because of the recent accident on the ride at Disneyland Paris. All of the parks stopped the rock effect and turned off anything that moves directly above you that could dislodge.

Things in the park look pretty much the same as they have for years. There are plenty of attractions that need refurb, and they do them as they have the time. They also have to make sure that they don't have several major headliners all closed at the same time, so they rotate it -- and it can take years to get to that attraction you think needs work. You think Disney doesn't know? Of course they do.

That being said -- the Gangster car hasn't worked for over a year at TGMR, and it still did not this past weekend.

 

[marni1971]

There are plenty of moving parts above guests on rides worldwide. BTM shaking rocks were switched off after 30 years since they didn't look for an alternative. Not to mention the other effect of falling rocks that were deactivated years ago. The caverns in BTM in WDW are dark too, months after the refurb.

Recently, the alioramus in Dinosaur was illuminated, audible, but static. Totally in your face and not working. Disgusting. No so long ago the ride would be closed until it was fixed.

Or look at the automated curtains in Energys theatre two. Not worked for years. Yet they work in millions of hotel rooms worldwide.

Space Mountain has burnt out bulbs in all its lift launch signs. They no longer Light up. Two years after its refurb.

Everests smoke effect was cut due to bad placement and poor choice. Energys is off more than on. Yet Revenge of the Mummy has 13 types of misting effect and they can make theirs work.

Just a few choice examples.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Maintenance is an issue and I miss small touches that I remember from childhood: I have two quick questions because I could have just missed them. I think #1 is gone for good, so younger people may not even have seen it to remember.

1. A long time ago, but does anyone remember on Peter Pan, that they used to have a dangling small Tinkerbell near the ride that used to bobble down from the ceiling? It looked almost the size of a Barbie but larger. It was hilarious. Just really cute. Then I went back and it was no longer there. Or I didn't see it.

2. This I might have missed because it must be on a timer. I forget the name at the moment, but the shop in Fantasyland. Does it still have the sound effects and glittery lights on the wall. I think it looks like Tinkerbell is moving around the store. Was it called the Tinkerbell Toy Shop?

Just wondering if anyone has any info about this. I never get to spend too much time in FLE each trip because we end up spending it elsewhere. A lot to this stuff I remember vividly when my parents took us every year. More from the 90's.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I haven't been to WDW in about three years now. I have been visiting with varying amounts of frequency since 1975 and when my girls were younger, we were there ALL the time. During the years prior to my most recent visit, quality was plummeting and prices were getting out of hand. What I did notice on that last visit was that some things were starting to look marginally better. Main Street looked fresher. The Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents were looking great after lengthy rehabs.

Since then I've been monitoring online and have heard mostly negative statements about the state of the Florida parks, a lot of it coming from the California fans, particularly Al Lutz, who seem to view comparisons between the two coasts as a competition. I have also read a lot of threads on this website about Splash Mountain AA malefunctions, the poor quality of the ride on Space Mountain, the staleness of Future World, etc. etc.

The purpose of my post is to ask specifically what attractions are in bad shape. I know a lot of people are angry about the abdication of responsibility on the part of WDW's management that has let quality slide at WDW over the years, but if you can provide a dispassionate account of where things are at, I'd greatly appreciate it. All of these lengthy rehabs must have added up to some improvements? No?

My advice is go for yourself and make your own judgments. To ask 100 people their opinion of any situation will garner 100 different opinions. There is only one way to know how you will be affected by whatever has happened, good or bad, is to witness it yourself and don't arrive at the parks with a preconceived notion of what you are going to see. The result may surprise you!

In DHS, Muppetvision could use some major work. It tries to pull a Philharmagic, but it's nowhere close. The 3d needs work.

How could Muppet Vision try to pull a Philharmagic when it was in place for years before anyone ever even heard about Philharmagic? Of the two, in my mind, the 3D effect in Muppets is less obtrusive and much clearer than Philharmagic, by a lot! I don't know if either one is digitized at this point, but I do know that I always feel like the lenses on my 3d glasses are dirty at Philharmagic and clear as a bell at Muppets. It's all in how we see things.

 

[Slobby Bobby]

Captain EO in Epcot doesn't need refurbishment, it just needs to go away. I took in two pairs of glasses to no avail. The picture was fuzzy and sometimes it was even cloudy. That thing is 25 years old.

 

[draybook]

I've not noticed many of the items listed here. How am I missing them?


And as far as EO goes, I would suggest seeing an optometrist. We watched it twice last month and it was just fine.

 

[Slobby Bobby]

Thanks for the flippant advice. I do see an optometrist regulary. I wonder if the other people that were complaining about it need to see optometrists as well, because gee we all have bad eyes.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

All in Florida I believe.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

There is no doubt that the 3D in Captain EO is blurry, no matter whose eyes you look at -- its old outdated 25 year old 3-D technology that really looked bad back then, it certainly doesn't look any better now. They sure as heck weren't going to update and digitize that old 3D print for an attraction that was only going to be there a few months. Its still there because its very popular, and because the new attraction isn't ready yet.