News Tomorrowland love

[Absimilliard]

On the matter of Space Mountain at Disney World and Disneyland design, both were designed by Bill Watkins, imagineer extraordinaire and the father of the modern roller coaster. Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom was first and he was unhappy with the result. The Arrow style track bent with Arrow technology was not very smooth and he went in a different direction for Space Mountain at Disneyland. He invented a new design style called "Heartline Design" where the track in the turns is bent in somewhat odd directions that has the effect of keeping the guest center of gravity in the same spot throughout the curve. This was inspired by Bill Watkins experience in flying and the end result were curves much smoother than anything seen before. It worked out so well every steel roller coaster manufacturer use the concept today.

Interestingly, Disney has used 4 manufacturers throughout the years to build their Space Mountain: Disney World and 1977 Disneyland Space Ports were fabricated in-house. Tokyo Disneyland was built by a Japanese ride manufacturer, but so far, I have not been able to track down who did it. Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland are from Vekoma. 2005 Disneyland is from Dynamic Attractions, builder of rides such as Forbidden Journey, Radiator Springs Racers, Soarin' and many others.

 

[mergatroid]

Very interesting news, thanks.

 

[Bocabear]

Buried20kLeague- you stated that if they were to widen the vehicles there wouldn't be enough track space to accommodate Alpha and Omega.

WDW's Space Mountain originally ran side-by-side seating in the same rocket configurations on the same tracks as today.

I didn't believe it either. It's true. I've seen photos and read interviews with George McGinnis. Side by side seating was at Walt Disney Worlds Space Mountain at one time.

Completely untrue! Space Mountain originally had Bobsled style seating front to back , two per seat....which was awkward at best, and originally seat belts, no lap bar... the seatbelts were prone to coming undone during the ride... the lap bars that came later were much better.

 

[voodoo321]

I remember riding SM in the late 70's with the log flume style seats. I had to sort of sit on my brother's lap. It was uncomfortable and would even be worse being paired with a stranger.

Before Monday I hadn't ridden SM in almost two years. That experience,(severe braking, lack of effects) made me think it would be a waste of time this trip. My daughters wanted to do it so I relented and I was pleasantly surprised. It was a fun ride this time around. I didn't notice the brake zones as much this time so it felt quicker and working effects made it far more immersive. We even chose it as our last ride of the night.

I'm indifferent to the rock paint job. It looked great in photos but less so up close. My choice would be to remove them altogether but it's great that somebody is at least making an effort. I thought not only TL but the entire park appeared in much better shape.

 

[Rob562]

I remember riding SM in the late 70's with the log flume style seats. I had to sort of sit on my brother's lap. It was uncomfortable and would even be worse being paired with a stranger.

They did not sit strangers together.

-Rob

 

[FigmentForver96]

They did not sit strangers together.

-Rob

I would be ok depending on the stranger

 

[Haymarket2008]

The twitter user @Carouselof continues the interesting tweets by insinuating that Tomorrowland will be renamed Future World.......? Validity to this statement?

 

[spectromagic04]

The twitter user @Carouselof continues the interesting tweets by insinuating that Tomorrowland will be renamed Future World.......? Validity to this statement?

That guy was right about when the new COP sign, but his latest rumors have been questionable.

 

[Haymarket2008]

In the past few days @CarouselOf has stated that:
1) Guardians of the Galaxy has been shelved as a replacement of Energy in Epcot, and they are looking to put it in DHS (Not Tower of Terror).
2) Tomorrowland will be renamed to something along the lines of "Future World/Land"?
3) Tron will replace Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
4) Sugar Rush/Wreck It Ralph will replace Stitch's Great Escape

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

DHS is the best "fit" for Guardians they can get, but if this has any legitimacy I definitely hope it's not overtaking ToT. Martin has also re-confirmed that ToT is safe from this.

Though I also hope they've not fallen back on the early rumors of it going inside the Great Movie Ride building either. I'm mixed on the Mickey Mouse ride and saddened at the loss of GMR, but Mickey at least has SOME potential and can work there. GoG has no business there.

How about this unheard of new idea called an ADDITION to existing attractions for a change?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

He was definitely spot on about the CoP improvements. I couldn't tell if the father in scene 2 was switched to an A100 specifically (movement may have been a little better, but that could have been related to general maintenance and the figure probably isn't the best at showing off a lot of impressive movement anyways), but it's quite apparent that the figure was altered in some way and has a slightly different shape. The audio and lighting (especially in the rotating side scenes) were also much better.

While I don't wish to make assumptions given my appreciation for his CoP info, it's the Tron proposal that makes me skeptical. I dislike the Buzz ride and would be open minded about a Tron ride replacing it, but Buzz IS a popular ride attached to a very popular and extremely marketable IP. Tron not as much with the cancellation of its cartoon and shelving of the third movie, not to mention Tron Legacy supposedly underperforming if not flopping financially. I'm not so sure Disney execs would be on board with Tron replacing Buzz. Perhaps it IS a plan that imagineering pitched, but i'd have a hard time imagining it getting the green light.

 

[WDWTank]

He was definitely spot on about the CoP improvements. I couldn't tell if the father in scene 2 was switched to an A100 specifically (movement may have been a little better, but that could have been related to general maintenance and the figure probably isn't the best at showing off a lot of impressive movement anyways), but it's quite apparent that the figure was altered in some way and has a slightly different shape. The audio and lighting (especially in the rotating side scenes) were also much better.

While I don't wish to make assumptions given my appreciation for his CoP info, it's the Tron proposal that makes me skeptical. I dislike the Buzz ride and would be open minded about a Tron ride replacing it, but Buzz IS a popular ride attached to a very popular and extremely marketable IP. Tron not as much with the cancellation of its cartoon and shelving of the third movie, not to mention Tron Legacy supposedly underperforming if not flopping financially. I'm not so sure Disney execs would be on board with Tron replacing Buzz. Perhaps it IS a plan that imagineering pitched, but i'd have a hard time imagining it getting the green light.

I'd be disappointed if buzz got replaced anyway.... It's super popular and the wait times are usually 30 min/above. Also, not every ride has to be based off of a movie. I understand that the latest management somehow thinks that, but that's not the case with Disney. Look at Everest, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and even Big Thunder Mountain, there is no tie in to a movie/ vice versa and wad'ya know, the ride's a hit! Personally, my Ideal tomorrowland would have Space Mountain, Alien Encounter to replace Stich, and some sort of E/D ticket 4d theatre show with live actors to replace Monsters Inc. Keep the industrial, metal exterior theming because it's simply awesome EDIT: I forgot pirates and mansion have films based on them. But they were made many years after they first opened to the public.

 

[DinoInstitute]

While I don't wish to make assumptions given my appreciation for his CoP info, it's the Tron proposal that makes me skeptical. I dislike the Buzz ride and would be open minded about a Tron ride replacing it, but Buzz IS a popular ride attached to a very popular and extremely marketable IP. Tron not as much with the cancellation of its cartoon and shelving of the third movie, not to mention Tron Legacy supposedly underperforming if not flopping financially. I'm not so sure Disney execs would be on board with Tron replacing Buzz. Perhaps it IS a plan that imagineering pitched, but i'd have a hard time imagining it getting the green light.

I'm inclined to believe there's some validity to it since earlier in the thread marni suggested the possibility of Tron there:

There's been mutter of a Tron something for that area. And no, not the coaster. Maybe an overlay of Buzz? Regardless, nothing is green lit.

 

[fngoofy]

I know. And given the cause and possible result from last time I'm surprised it's been allowed to happen again.

Mr Blue Bird in the finale was also static for two weeks but I digress....

He's been static longer than that. We were down the week of 09/10 and he was static (and silent) all week.

 

[wdwgreek]

If tommorwland becomes future world, what does future world become? Discovery world?

 

[FigmentJedi]

If tommorwland becomes future world, what does future world become? Discovery world?

If they had the balls to go all in on rebooting Imagination in the style of the comics, retheme all of Future World to Academy Scientifica-Lucida.

 

[gmajew]

If they had the balls to go all in on rebooting Imagination in the style of the comics, retheme all of Future World to Academy Scientifica-Lucida.

Thinking we will get some surprises when it is all said and done... Remember Marni is not sicken by the plans for epcot.

 

[*Q*]

If tommorwland becomes future world, what does future world become?

Tomorrowland.

 

[Speedy71]

Walked into the queue, took a sniff, walked out. I'm allergic to mold. I know it when I smell it. It makes me very ill, so I got outta there in a hurry!

 

[Jones14]

Just got off of Space. I'm sad to say that the improvements have not extended to this ride. Chipped paint and broken games in the queue, many projections were static, incredibly dim, or both, and the music was barely audible at best. The ride seems to get rougher every time I ride, too.

The rocks look great in person, though, and the Stitch audio is still playing on the Peoplemover.