News Tower of Terror to operate at reduced capacity due to an extended refurbishment

[drizgirl]

Maybe the increases in prices will be passed on so that attractions get the attention they deserve...

 

[ToTBellHop]

Maybe the increases in prices will be passed on so that attractions get the attention they deserve...

Bahahahahahahahaha

 

[RSoxNo1]

So is the refurb over?

 

[180º]

It doesn't work like that. Changes to show programming, require approvals and also require imaganeering to be there. Then there is testing, and sign off and such. A maintenance guy just can't go in and tweak a ****. Okay YES a maintenance guy COULD, but if that change is not in line with current show directive, then well someone's job is at risk.

That said, are there folks in the creative helm at Imagenering, who are supposed to do show quality checks.. and could push the issue, and coordinate with maintenance and arrange overnights etc. YES.. But will the paperwork needed trip them up, make it impossible and most likely not worth it.. well yes that to.

However, perhaps you could get entertainment to throw some money into the pot, by doing a temporary overlay (such as Haunted Mansion Holiday in DL) that tends to give a reason / excuse for those creative types and those maitnaince types to find some time to work on ahem.. little details.

Great post. One thing I’d argue is that Haunted Mansion Holiday has been detrimental to the attraction’s upkeep. It’s in a constant state of sloppy show quality compared to Florida’s much better-maintained Mansion.

 

[Tom Morrow]

It doesn't work like that. Changes to show programming, require approvals and also require imaganeering to be there. Then there is testing, and sign off and such. A maintenance guy just can't go in and tweak a ****. Okay YES a maintenance guy COULD, but if that change is not in line with current show directive, then well someone's job is at risk.

That said, are there folks in the creative helm at Imagenering, who are supposed to do show quality checks.. and could push the issue, and coordinate with maintenance and arrange overnights etc. YES.. But will the paperwork needed trip them up, make it impossible and most likely not worth it.. well yes that to.

However, perhaps you could get entertainment to throw some money into the pot, by doing a temporary overlay (such as Haunted Mansion Holiday in DL) that tends to give a reason / excuse for those creative types and those maitnaince types to find some time to work on ahem.. little details.

Yes, we know it's not like turning up the volume on a TV.

Still, no excuses. It's been bad for literally a decade.

Whoever is in charge of the show quality for Tower of Terror is either:

1. unfathomably inept
2. disgustingly uncaring
3. actively being vindictive

The Tower of Terror cast have begged for years and years for the audio to be fixed and it never, ever happens. Some a-hole suits show up and either ignore them or says "it sounds fine to me!"

 

[Kram Sacul]

In order for there to be show quality the people in charge have to know about showmanship.

 

[marni1971]

The corridor issue is that the film projection was replaced with digital projection. Film is capable of very deep black. Digital is not unless you are using Dolby Cinema or IMAX ultra high end laser projectors. It isn't worth the 6 figure additional cost per corridor and those didn't exist yet when they made the change anyway.

The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.

Any idea if Paris (2007) is digital?

 

[ToTBellHop]

So is the refurb over?

No. It continues through at least late August (thus the Fastpass nightmare...)

 

[Purduevian]

I don't think anyone would complain if they shut ToT down for a few weeks to make the necessary repairs. I don't care if it's overnight or over a few weeks honestly.

I think you are very wrong... and that is the problem. TDO doesn't want to shut down an E-ticket for any extended period of time because people will complain it's down on their once in a lifetime trip.

 

[DanielBB8]

“The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.”

How is OLED realistic? Aside from fact it’s even less reliable than LCD, a lot more expensive, and screen burn-in issues.

It’s more realistic to just let technology get cheaper and install it at the next cycle. Best to wait at least the second generation.

 

[Kram Sacul]

Any idea if Paris (2007) is digital?

It’s a video projection. Same as what the DCA version had. The gray black levels aren’t as noticeable though because it’s supposed to be the end of the hallway with the elevator doors.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I think you are very wrong... and that is the problem. TDO doesn't want to shut down an E-ticket for any extended period of time because people will complain it's down on their once in a lifetime trip.

All speculation. How is anything supposed to get done if there is a fear of shutting down an attraction for a refurb?

 

[larryz]

so your saying there way too much red tape that enlarges simple tasks and managment decisions to take decades...ok so when can we start firing these people?

List of management of The Walt Disney Company - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Bureaucrats gotta crat.

 

[MaximumEd]

All speculation. How is anything supposed to get done if there is a fear of shutting down an attraction for a refurb?

I think people use the excuse that TDO is worried about offending once in a lifetime guests too much. It has less to do with that and more to do with the fact they don’t want to spend a dime on anything they don’t have to until backed into a corner or find something with immediate ROI.

 

[DisneyCane]

“The only realistic solution is if a large enough OLED TV is produced. OLED can do very deep black as well. An actual LED screen (like a stadium jumbotron) would also work but also be cost prohibitive.”

How is OLED realistic? Aside from fact it’s even less reliable than LCD, a lot more expensive, and screen burn-in issues.

It’s more realistic to just let technology get cheaper and install it at the next cycle. Best to wait at least the second generation.

Realistic from the standpoint of that it can produce "pure black" which normal digital projectors and backlit LED screens can not.

If the by waiting for costs to come down you mean for high end laser projectors, that isn't going to happen anytime soon (at least not a significant reduction). They are very low production volume niche products that use expensive components.

I don't know about IMAX laser but Dolby cinema projectors use two stages of imaging chips to cut the unwanted light out of the dark parts of the screen. This adds complication and cost to the design of the light engine and requires twice as many DLP chips.

 

[DanielBB8]

Realistic from the standpoint of that it can produce "pure black" which normal digital projectors and backlit LED screens can not.

If the by waiting for costs to come down you mean for high end laser projectors, that isn't going to happen anytime soon (at least not a significant reduction). They are very low production volume niche products that use expensive components.

I don't know about IMAX laser but Dolby cinema projectors use two stages of imaging chips to cut the unwanted light out of the dark parts of the screen. This adds complication and cost to the design of the light engine and requires twice as many DLP chips.

These high end Imax projectors come down in cost quickly, but they are still quite expensive. Of course they are niche products because they sell in low volume, but when theaters make their move at the next overhaul, prices will drop again, which means the prices will remain same with better quality. It’s realistic for Disney to only consider a move at the next infrastructure upgrade. There’s no need to solve a problem that few notice.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I think people use the excuse that TDO is worried about offending once in a lifetime guests too much. It has less to do with that and more to do with the fact they don’t want to spend a dime on anything they don’t have to until backed into a corner or find something with immediate ROI.

100% with you. I personally think that's why TDO (or execs like $hapek) has no problem spending money on new IP experiences - they think they'll get a nice return in regards to merchandising, advertising, etc. They refuse to spend some dough fixing up the classics like Space Mountain, Yeti, Dinosaur, ToT.

I'm hesitant to call Disney apologists Pixie Dusters (or whatever the term is. lol), but you have to be a certain type of person to defend Disney's choice NOT to repair or fix attractions that sorely deserve it.

 

[DisneyCane]

These high end Imax projectors come down in cost quickly, but they are still quite expensive. Of course they are niche products because they sell in low volume, but when theaters make their move at the next overhaul, prices will drop again, which means the prices will remain same with better quality. It’s realistic for Disney to only consider a move at the next infrastructure upgrade. There’s no need to solve a problem that few notice.

They haven't come down in cost that much and there are only a handful of IMAX laser projectors in the world and somewhere around 200 Dolby Cinema projectors.

There will be no large scale replacement of digital projectors in cinemas for the foreseeable future. They will be replaced on a one by one basis when they break down. The only reason they were installed en masse the first time is that the studios subsidized the conversion to digital.

Besides, except for the Dolby Cinema and IMAX with laser screens, no other screens use projectors (xenon or laser light source) that can produce the black levels required to make the ToT hallway projection look right.

 

[marni1971]

It’s a video projection. Same as what the DCA version had. The gray black levels aren’t as noticeable though because it’s supposed to be the end of the hallway with the elevator doors.

Thank you. Although it is very noticeable (or not) since the blacks are just right after the corridor disappears.

Whilst on the topic, the libraries still have CRTs. Very refreshing.

 

[TrojanUSC]

I don't think anyone would complain if they shut ToT down for a few weeks to make the necessary repairs. I don't care if it's overnight or over a few weeks honestly.

Except the beauty of ToT is that it is two, completely different rides under one roof. Echo and Foxtrot. One can run while the other is completely gutted, show-wise. Workmen can be doing work all day long while the other side functions and guests are none the wiser. How they could spend this much time on maintenance repairs and not "plus" some of the show elements is beyond me, especially with all the attention the park is about to get in August.