They ruined DL's Small World how much longer before they ruin ours?

[jakeman]

Meh, if there is one constant on this board is that people will be unhappy with any change.

Most complainers have an idea of how the parks should be in their head and if something changes and it doesn't match what is in there, it is shouted down with various irrational responses: greed, laziness, DVC.

Also a common thread with people that complain is a severe loss of perspective on what they are complaining about. This is a ride for children in a theme park. I remember when I rode it when I was 5, the first thing I did when I got out was compose a presentation on the cultural disparities in the global landscape and their effects on peaceful coexistance...or I went on Peter Pan...I can't really remember.

Another thing everyone tends to loose site of is that unless you work for the company, your opinion only matters when you speak with your pocket book. If you are really this upset with a change then stop going. Don't spin some tail of, "this is another step down a cheap path", just don't go. If you are so worked up that you can post multiple times on a message board, then compose a letter to the company detailing your issue and inform they will not be receiving your patronage any longer. Also, don't use the "we complain because we care" line either. That is a load of crap, you have a responsibility as a consumer to speak with your money, not whine on a message board like a petulant child.

Overall, it's a theme park. It has no responsibility other than to make the company money. The warm fuzzies, inspiration, or whatever you used to think you got when you went there was nothing more than marketing working on you. If it doesn't work any longer or the message has changed, once again it is your issue not the companies.

Take some responsibility as a consumer if you're that upset.

 

[ttalovebug]

Wow. Harsh. Is that really necessary? I sure don't see the need to go on the attack just because we disagree about small world. I definately don't take it that seriously, and don't appreciate the tone of your statements to me.

Stitch in SM? Apples and oranges, but no...I wouldn't like it, and have gone on record saying as much.

Name another kid's ride with a message. I can't think of one. Little kids neither understand nor care about any message that might be there.
And how exactly does my dislike for messages in rides exclude me from enjoying WDW, or specifically the MK? Again.... there aren't any messages there.

I did, when I was a kid. My parents helped me to see the message, I saw, understood, and learned. And I will do just that for my kids one day.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I did, when I was a kid. My parents helped me to see the message, I saw, understood, and learned. And I will do just that for my kids one day.

Agreed. We share the same upbringing and I too, will want to pass on this philosophy.

 

[ChimneySweep]

The warm fuzzies, inspiration, or whatever you used to think you got when you went there was nothing more than marketing working on you.

When the artists created the visuals and the music, it's true that they were given an assignment, but their inspiration didn't come from the calculated thought, "how can I design something that will make money for the company?".

It's obvious that this attraction means more to some of us than it does to others. It's a piece of entertainment that has achieved a certain status. It's very similar to a movie. There are certain films that hold a special place for some. They don't want their favorite films altered and kick up much more of a fuss than we do here about Small World.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to preserve the integrity of something that we have taken to our hearts.

Even though I don't like the idea, the new character dolls are not that bad. They blend in fine. I just don't think they belong there. At least I can be grateful that it's not something as awful as Tikki Room Under New Management. Just my opinion.

Since WDW's Small World recieved a major restoration in the recent past, I highly doubt they will add the new characters to it anytime soon, if at all.

 

[HMF]

:ROFLOL:

Guess it stands for multiple insults!

There is a logo somewhere featuring the Sorceror Mickey Hat at DHS .

 

[jakeman]

There is nothing wrong with wanting to preserve the integrity of something that we have taken to our hearts.

It's not yours to preserve.

 

[HMF]

It's not yours to preserve.

Yeah it's up to the people who don't care about it to preserve it.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

The big critcism is that this is an extremly blatant attempt to sell more cartoon merchandise as opposed to improving the quality of the show for guests and it adds more cartoon tie-ins in a park that has far too many already.

You're definitely not alone in that view. I just don't see it myself.

To me, a BLATANT attempt to hawk crap to consumers would be having the characters wearing the T-shirts or holding the mugs you can buy at the end of the ride. As it is, this seems like an aesthetic change that works in its own right, and which could also bring in some extra jack for the company through merchandise. No different from any other ride, the way I see it.

Maybe it's the fact that I'm reading Neal Gabler's bio of Walt and came across this photo a couple days ago, but I'm not really feeling the idea that trying to make a buck off characters represents a big break with the way things were done back in the day. :lol: :shrug:

 

[ChimneySweep]

It's not yours to preserve.

Wow. Thanks for that. Now I can cancel my order for all those new little wooden shoes, feathers, clock hands, and hippo lashes.

 

[jt04]

sorry I wrote that in a hurry I didnt mean to sound harsh. From the vids it doesn't look too bad I just have a few complaints (in-your-face jesse and woody and an annoying voice on ariel). Hong Kong's version looks nicer though (better lighting, set quality, charecters arent as in your face) I wish they would have gutted it and rebuilt it to be just like HK Disneyland's instead of going the lazy route.

I do strong disagree that rides shouldn't contain postivie messages that promote world peace, or in the case of Epcot Center exploring science and technology. People (kids AND adults) need inspiration in this world desperatly or we are never going to progress. Walt Disney wanted to inspire people and he did to an extant. Now adays it's difficult to find people like that so that in the future we can actually have space travel, gene therapy, better medical care, etc. It all starts from inspiration and its important that Disney does it even in a subtle way.

I just get upset when people say there should be no messages or inspiring elements in Disney attractions and that they should just be "mindless entertainment" (which has its place but I firmly believe the Disney parks should offer both).

Let me try to give you some inspiration. This is all amazing stuff and all these stories broke in the last week. If you know where to look there is plenty of reason to be optimistic.

http://www.gizmag.com/ebdi-ethanol-engines-surpass-gasoline-engine-efficiency/10929/

http://www.gizmag.com/3-led-light-bulb-lasts-60-years-and-could-end-battle-of-the-bulbs/10879/

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com...keena-enphase-introduce-ac-solar-panels-54665

 

[jakeman]

Yeah it's up to the peopl who don't care about it to preserve it.

You don't know how the people who made these additions feel. To say someone doesn't care without knowing them is rather presumptious.

Wow. Thanks for that. Now I can cancel my order for all those new little wooden shoes, feathers, clock hands, and hippo lashes.

You are missing the point. It's not about the changes; it's about how the community reacts to the changes and responsible consumerism. You can complain all you want about the loss of message and destroying the dreams of your children, but you are still going to go and you are still going to spend money. Until you remove your money from something you don't agree with, nothing is going to change in the way you like it.

 

[Enigma]

Let me try to give you some inspiration. This is all amazing stuff and all these stories broke in the last week. If you know where to look there is plenty of reason to be optimistic.

http://www.gizmag.com/ebdi-ethanol-engines-surpass-gasoline-engine-efficiency/10929/

http://www.gizmag.com/3-led-light-bulb-lasts-60-years-and-could-end-battle-of-the-bulbs/10879/

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com...keena-enphase-introduce-ac-solar-panels-54665

All steps in the right direction.

 

[Enigma]

I did, when I was a kid. My parents helped me to see the message, I saw, understood, and learned. And I will do just that for my kids one day.

Same here

 

[TP2000]

The only other issues with the Disneyland version are:

- Why didn't they do the complete gut and redo so it looks exactly like Hong Kong's which is very nice
-The America scene was really unnecessary as are the big and inyourface woody figures
-some AA's were replaced with static figures. Some AA's like a whole set of geese were removed altogheter to cut costs.
- Ariels singing voice JESUS

Other than that its a nice freshining up.

As someone who has actually been on the revamped ride five times now, twice just this afternoon, I think I can address your concerns.

1. I can only imagine the shrieks of horror if they gutted the original 1964 sets handcrafted by Blair and replaced them with cloned duplicates from a 2008 remake that is half the length of the original. And why bother? The ride looks fabulous as it is.

2. While I'm not sold on the neccesity of the new America room either, it's not that bad. And I would really caution anyone from judging what the staging, set design and scale of all of these figures are from viewing a three inch screen on YouTube shot by amateur photographers. The Woody and Jesse figures are actually the least noticeable in that scene when viewed in real life. The Indians up on the buttes are what catches your eye as you float towards them, and Woody and Jesse are scaled a bit smaller than the dolls and are easily overlooked. Life is not meant to be judged via YouTube.

3. I'm a Small World fan. No AA dolls have gone missing. None. All that changed was replacements or additions. The lone exception is the three corn cob Mexican marionettes that were replaced with Three Caballeros marionettes. Ariel is the same Mermaid redressed. Lilo used to be a static Surfer Boy. No other dolls were removed or changed. The following were ADDED, in order:

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell flying above London
Alice and the White Rabbit on the chess board in England
Cinderella and two mice in France
Pinnochio in Italy
Aladdin and Jasmine added to a new flying carpet in Arabia
Mulan and Mushu added on a new cliff in China
Pumbaa and Timon added to the pond in Africa
Flounder added next to Ariel in South Pacific
Dory and Nemo added to Australia
Stitch added in front of Lilo in Hawaii

In addition to those ADDITIONS, there are seven new AA dolls ADDED to America that never existed in the ride before; Two farmboys and one farmgirl in the Midwest Farm scene, one cowboy and three Indians in the Western scene, in addition to Woody and Jesse "toys" in the Western scene. All of the New Guinea and Rainforest AA's and animals were moved and staged in the large South Pacific room instead.

No geese are missing in the ride. In recent years only one goose honked next to the Dutch girl in Europe, and two to three geese honked next to her again in the Finale'. Now two geese have returned to Europe, and all three geese remain in the Finale'. Archival images from the World's Fair show three geese in Europe, but that hasn't been the case at Disneyland for quite some time. No other geese exist in the attraction, with a total maximum of six geese at any one time in the attraction.

4. I agree Ariel's singing voice is annoying. But it's always annoying. It's annoying to me on StorybookLand when your boat goes past Prince Eric's boat in the harbor. It's annoying to me in the movie. It will probably be annoying to me when the musical E ticket The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Adventure attracton opens in DCA in 2011.

But for me, that Ariel singing voice is the only time I can catch any change in tune or soundtrack on the new ride.

Al Lutz and Disney publicity made a big deal about weaving in the melodies from some of the movies when the Characters appear, but I just can't catch them. I've ridden the thing five times and I don't have a hearing problem. All I hear is the Small World song through very clear digital speakers that really envelop you in sound. Plus that annoying Ariel girly voice singing in the Mermaid scene. My first trip through I thought the soundtrack change had been ditched in favor of just replacing the speakers. But I was told the movie melodies are there, they are just woven into the title song so subtly that it is difficult to pick them out. For me at least, it was mostly impossible to pick them out.

Your mileage may vary. But I think it would help to see and hear this in real life. Perhaps a couple of times just to take it all in. It's really quite a very long ride (about 14 minutes at Disneyland) with a million new things to look at. I've never seen the ride looking better or fresher. :sohappy:

 

[tirian]

All I hear is the Small World song through very clear digital speakers that really envelop you in sound.

There's no such thing as a digital speaker, just digital sound sources.

 

[TP2000]

There's no such thing as a digital speaker, just digital sound sources.

Call it kitty litter if you want to, I don't care. All I know is that it sounds fabulous!

 

[tirian]

Call it kitty litter if you want to, I don't care. All I know is that it sounds fabulous!

LOL, I was being facetious for fun. :wave:

 

[jt04]

All steps in the right direction.

Your welcome

 

[TP2000]

LOL, I was being facetious for fun. :wave:

Okay. But now I have to go look up the word facetious. :lol:

 

[Enigma]

As someone who has actually been on the revamped ride five times now, twice just this afternoon, I think I can address your concerns.

1. I can only imagine the shrieks of horror if they gutted the original 1964 sets handcrafted by Blair and replaced them with cloned duplicates from a 2008 remake that is half the length of the original. And why bother? The ride looks fabulous as it is.

2. While I'm not sold on the neccesity of the new America room either, it's not that bad. And I would really caution anyone from judging what the staging, set design and scale of all of these figures are from viewing a three inch screen on YouTube shot by amateur photographers. The Woody and Jesse figures are actually the least noticeable in that scene when viewed in real life. The Indians up on the buttes are what catches your eye as you float towards them, and Woody and Jesse are scaled a bit smaller than the dolls and are easily overlooked. Life is not meant to be judged via YouTube.

3. I'm a Small World fan. No AA dolls have gone missing. None. All that changed was replacements or additions. The lone exception is the three corn cob Mexican marionettes that were replaced with Three Caballeros marionettes. Ariel is the same Mermaid redressed. Lilo used to be a static Surfer Boy. No other dolls were removed or changed. The following were ADDED, in order:

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell flying above London
Alice and the White Rabbit on the chess board in England
Cinderella and two mice in France
Pinnochio in Italy
Aladdin and Jasmine added to a new flying carpet in Arabia
Mulan and Mushu added on a new cliff in China
Pumbaa and Timon added to the pond in Africa
Flounder added next to Ariel in South Pacific
Dory and Nemo added to Australia
Stitch added in front of Lilo in Hawaii

In addition to those ADDITIONS, there are seven new AA dolls ADDED to America that never existed in the ride before; Two farmboys and one farmgirl in the Midwest Farm scene, one cowboy and three Indians in the Western scene, in addition to Woody and Jesse "toys" in the Western scene. All of the New Guinea and Rainforest AA's and animals were moved and staged in the large South Pacific room instead.

No geese are missing in the ride. In recent years only one goose honked next to the Dutch girl in Europe, and two to three geese honked next to her again in the Finale'. Now two geese have returned to Europe, and all three geese remain in the Finale'. Archival images from the World's Fair show three geese in Europe, but that hasn't been the case at Disneyland for quite some time. No other geese exist in the attraction, with a total maximum of six geese at any one time in the attraction.

4. I agree Ariel's singing voice is annoying. But it's always annoying. It's annoying to me on StorybookLand when your boat goes past Prince Eric's boat in the harbor. It's annoying to me in the movie. It will probably be annoying to me when the musical E ticket The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Adventure attracton opens in DCA in 2011.

But for me, that Ariel singing voice is the only time I can catch any change in tune or soundtrack on the new ride.

Al Lutz and Disney publicity made a big deal about weaving in the melodies from some of the movies when the Characters appear, but I just can't catch them. I've ridden the thing five times and I don't have a hearing problem. All I hear is the Small World song through very clear digital speakers that really envelop you in sound. Plus that annoying Ariel girly voice singing in the Mermaid scene. My first trip through I thought the soundtrack change had been ditched in favor of just replacing the speakers. But I was told the movie melodies are there, they are just woven into the title song so subtly that it is difficult to pick them out. For me at least, it was mostly impossible to pick them out.

Your mileage may vary. But I think it would help to see and hear this in real life. Perhaps a couple of times just to take it all in. It's really quite a very long ride (about 14 minutes at Disneyland) with a million new things to look at. I've never seen the ride looking better or fresher. :sohappy:

Well I haven't been on the attraction yet but Darkbeer listed several AA's missing or replaced with static figures in newest report on miceage front page so you may want to read that. Also from the youtube vid's you can clearly hear Golden Afternoon and bibbidy bopity boo playing at the same time as IASW.

Ariel's real voice isnt my issue. The voice in the ride sounds like Hannah Montanna trying to sing IASW or something. They could have done ALOT better.