Walt Would Have loved Mission Space!

[ISTCrew20]

I dont know how many of you kew this..But Walt thoght he played a BIG part in the space program. Way back, Walt had aired a Space movie on Wonerful World Of Disney. Acouple days later, president Kennedy called Walt and asked for a tape. A year or two later, Kennedy announced there would be an expedition to Space. "WE CHOOSE TO GO" , were the closing words used in his speech, and is the slogan for MS

 

[TheDisneyBoy]

Even today, if you ask many people. the most exciting and attractive rides are the dark rides (HM, PofC, etc.). I don't think Walt would have liked Mission Space because all it is, is a very expensive centrifuge....something that AMUSEMENT PARKS have had for years. Ok...so it has nicer queuing areas, and Gary Sinese (sp?) doing the pre-show...so what. The whole thing looks so cheesy. Quite frankly, I would rather have something more inspirational, like Horizons....a nice look into the future without losing my lunch! Do away with the thrill rides please! If you want rides that scare children, and many adults away, go to Six Flags!

 

[ISTCrew20]

Originally posted by TheDisneyBoy
Even today, if you ask many people. the most exciting and attractive rides are the dark rides (HM, PofC, etc.). I don't think Walt would have liked Mission Space because all it is, is a very expensive centrifuge....something that AMUSEMENT PARKS have had for years. Ok...so it has nicer queuing areas, and Gary Sinese (sp?) doing the pre-show...so what. The whole thing looks so cheesy. Quite frankly, I would rather have something more inspirational, like Horizons....a nice look into the future without losing my lunch! Do away with the thrill rides please! If you want rides that scare children, and many adults away, go to Six Flags!

You feeling OK?...just listen to the music, and tell me thats not inspirational

 

[Dayma]

I respect the TheDisneyBoy actually said something negative about this ride. I never hear anyone say anything negative about it....

Well i have one negative thing to say.....Whats with the CM's outfits? They look worse than Star Tours. Couldnt they come up with something better say like the jumpers that were worn in the original Alien movie. Its hard to take them seriously wearing those horrible outfits....imo

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Re: I like the idea...

Originally posted by ToTallToSlow112
I like the idea of thrill rides it offers fun for the older members of the family. But i don't understand why WDI can't design a ride like the Haunted Mansion any more. Given the many movies they have to choose from why can't we have an Aladdin dark ride or a Alice in Wonderland dark ride. The Haunted Mansion is tame but still offers amazment at every turn of your Doombuggy, providing fun for all ages. Maybe after Everest WDI will focus on something more Disney-like

i completely agree! sure, thrill rides seem to be the big ticket these days, but there's always room for more classic dark rides! and unfortunately, the sweet little, calm attractions seem to becoming extinct in the Disney parks....especially Epcot!

now, on to the topic....i'm not sure how Walt would feel about M:S...my sister got to ride it this past week, and she gave me a step by step review of the whole thing. a LOT of people are going to be excluded from this ride...including me. there's no way i can handle that thing! 4 straight minutes of spinning at God-only-knows what speed?! definately not something i could handle! of course, there are the usual exclusions of injuries, illness (or proness to such things), and pregnancies. then of course, small children. and the seats are so small that people over a certain size are asked not to ride...so in other words, you have to be almost as physically fit as an astronaught to ride. and you know how on other thrill attractions, they light hearted tell you the warnings? not this one! the castmembers make sure you know that this ride is quote "very physically demanding"! they want you to know that they're VERY serious with these warnings and they want to make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into! personally, i think i'll stick with the gift shop!
so, i think Walt would appreciate a ride that gives you an experience like no other, but i'm not so sure he'd like the idea of splitting up the family, which is exactly what this would do!
maybe families HAVE changed, but does that mean the idea of keeping a family together and letting them be able to ride the same things has to change as well?

 

[Dayma]

so, i think Walt would appreciate a ride that gives you an experience like no other, but i'm not so sure he'd like the idea of splitting up the family, which is exactly what this would do!

Very well said. I am kinda nervous to ride this thing also. My wife already said after reading the reviews on this site that there is NO way she would get on that thing and she goes to Cedar Point and rides everything.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Re: Re: I like the idea...

Originally posted by Dizknee_Phreek
i completely agree! sure, thrill rides seem to be the big ticket these days, but there's always room for more classic dark rides! and unfortunately, the sweet little, calm attractions seem to becoming extinct in the Disney parks....especially Epcot!

now, on to the topic....i'm not sure how Walt would feel about M:S...my sister got to ride it this past week, and she gave me a step by step review of the whole thing. a LOT of people are going to be excluded from this ride...including me. there's no way i can handle that thing! 4 straight minutes of spinning at God-only-knows what speed?! definately not something i could handle! of course, there are the usual exclusions of injuries, illness (or proness to such things), and pregnancies. then of course, small children. and the seats are so small that people over a certain size are asked not to ride...so in other words, you have to be almost as physically fit as an astronaught to ride. and you know how on other thrill attractions, they light hearted tell you the warnings? not this one! the castmembers make sure you know that this ride is quote "very physically demanding"! they want you to know that they're VERY serious with these warnings and they want to make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into! personally, i think i'll stick with the gift shop!
so, i think Walt would appreciate a ride that gives you an experience like no other, but i'm not so sure he'd like the idea of splitting up the family, which is exactly what this would do!
maybe families HAVE changed, but does that mean the idea of keeping a family together and letting them be able to ride the same things has to change as well?

This is a minor thread drift, but, if you keep your head straight, looking only at the screen, you have no idea your spinning. If the warning signs didnt tell me it spun, I would have no idea it actually did. My dad wont go near the Teacups, but he loved this. The goal of this ride is to provide you with an amazing experience, not to get you sick. A little side note, your not spinning the whole ride, and if you are, it slows down alot, cause the faster you spin, the more your positive G's you experience.

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Re: Re: Re: I like the idea...

Originally posted by ISTCrew20
This is a minor thread drift, but, if you keep your head straight, looking only at the screen, you have no idea your spinning. If the warning signs didnt tell me it spun, I would have no idea it actually did. My dad wont go near the Teacups, but he loved this. The goal of this ride is to provide you with an amazing experience, not to get you sick. A little side note, your not spinning the whole ride, and if you are, it slows down alot, cause the faster you spin, the more your positive G's you experience.

small correction...you ARE spinning the whole time. or, at least when you finally start spinning, you don't stop. and it doesn't slow down...that's how you get the feeling of weightlessness. before my sister got in line, she asked the CM at the beginning of the line what exactly happens and he said 'it spins you fast...really fast. for 4 straight minutes...fast.' or at least that's how she said it to me. and i didn't ride it, just for the record, but by what my sister said, you feel like your whole face is being blown back, they distort the image on the screen at times to make you experience what the astronaughts go through. she said that there was a mom and 2 kids in line, and the kids were bawling and telling their mom how much they didn't want to get on there and how scared they was. and the mom told them 'look, i'm really scared too, but it'll be ok.' so this thing scares even adults to death! and it doesn't matter if you know whether you're spinning or not...it doesn't change the fact that it's extremely physically demanding on the human body...i can tell that this is some serious stuff cuz they wouldn't make such a huge deal out of the warnings! and i never said the point of the ride was to make people sick...that's not Disney's style, we all know that...but that doesn't change the fact that it's gonna happen with this ride...and from what i can tell, it's gonna happen quite often.
now, please, don't read my message wrong. if it seems like i'm upset or anything, i'm sorry, i don't mean to sound that way. i'm really not. i know people are going to perceieve this attraction in different ways. some people won't think it's that big of a deal in terms of getting sick from it, and will get off it just fine, turn around and get straight back on it (my sister was in line with a CM who had rode it 5 times within 2 hours...we saw him the next day and he said he had ridden it 10 times) and then there will be others, such as myself, who'll never be able to ride it. and just so you guys will know, i value my sister's opinion of rides. she can ride RnRC and TOT multipule times in one day without any complaints (i, on the other hand, am a different story) so if she says that one ride on something will ruin the rest of the day, then i know it'd be pretty ugly for me! so i'm just telling you all what i know from her and her experience on the ride.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I like the idea...

Originally posted by Dizknee_Phreek
small correction...you ARE spinning the whole time. or, at least when you finally start spinning, you don't stop. and it doesn't slow down

Not to burst your bubble or anything...but if its spinning at the same speed the whole time, you would have the same pos g's from liftoff applied to you the whole ride. Ride it, and then tell me im wrong

 

[pax_65]

Back on Topic...

I think Walt would have loved Mission Space. As was already mentioned, Disney's goal is to have a place where families can have fun TOGETHER.

But here's where families have changed today: Because of the thrill rides that kids have experienced in places like Cedar Fair, Six Flags and Universal, that's what they are looking for when they go to an amusement park. Ask a parent of a teenager what their kids wanted to do in Florida. Most teenagers are BORED in Disney parks, especially in EPCOT.

But remember, we're talking about riding together... so we're not talking about creating ultra-puke-inducing thrill rides like Hulk or Superman - because parents wouldn't want to ride it. Instead, it's about re-inventing the concept of thrill rides, just as Disney has done for years. Would you call Splash Mountain just a "flume"? Would you call Space Mountain just a "coaster"? Mission Space is the next generation "simulator" but it's far more than that.

Jon

 

[General Grizz]

What are you talking about? If he was alive today, he probably wouldn't be near a condition to ride it! Looks like his daugthers would go off on the ride while he stays back...

They may as well have been on that carousel, too, while Walt ate peanuts thinking about a brand new park where parents and children could have fun together... :lol:

In all seriousness, I may not be able to experience Mission Space - so I can't judge yet! But it's very impressive!! I will try to get my family to videotape it for me when we go down...perhaps the post-show will be fun.

 

[Dayma]

But here's where families have changed today: Because of the thrill rides that kids have experienced in places like Cedar Fair, Six Flags and Universal, that's what they are looking for when they go to an amusement park. Ask a parent of a teenager what their kids wanted to do in Florida. Most teenagers are BORED in Disney parks, especially in EPCOT.

Everyone keeps saying families CAN ride together but before your kids are 40" or 48" its kinda hard to get them on TOT, RnR, M:S.

My point is for kids below the age of 8 its getting hard to get them on rides..

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I like the idea...

Originally posted by ISTCrew20
Not to burst your bubble or anything...but if its spinning at the same speed the whole time, you would have the same pos g's from liftoff applied to you the whole ride. Ride it, and then tell me im wrong

**This is Dizknee Phreek's sister**

I rode M:S on 6/11/03. By chance, Disney had called its M:S castmembers in for a test run that night and they were allowing guests to test out the attraction, post-attractions, and gift shop. At first, I debated getting on the attraction because of the constant warnings of castmembers at the entrance: "This ride is VERY physically demanding and is not for everyone." They reiterated time and time again that anyone wishing to ride the attraction should read ALL warning signs before getting on the ride. On the warning signs, it said that if you have heart problems, are prone to neck and back problems, do not like enclosed spaces, get motion sickness easily, do not like loud noises, have high blood pressure, are pregnant, that they highly suggest you not board the attraction. Also said that the sizes of people might prohibit them from riding (i.e. if you're really small, you can't ride and if you're severly overweight you can't ride). The ride also simulates visual disorientation that astronauts would experience, thus adding to the feeling of motion sickness you might encounter.

I talked with a castmember for quite some time before making my decision to ride. He had told others before me that the ride spins you "really fast" and that it lasted for 4 minutes. I asked him if the ride spins for the entire 4 minutes and he said, "Yes, the pods spin for the entire length of the ride, which is 4 minutes." My mom, who has a difficult time riding Star Tours w/o getting motion sick, asked the same man about M:S. He said if she had trouble with S.T., that M:S would most definitely tear her up.

So after hearing castmembers say dozens of times that "this attraction is not for everyone" and that it's not for the faint at heart, I decided to go ahead and try it out. It wasn't quite as bad as I anticipated. You don't necessarily get the feeling of "spinning" the entire time, but you know it has to be spinning to simulate the feelings you experience. Lift-off, zero-gravity, a sling-shot around the moon, crash landing on Mars, teetering on the edge of a cliff... It's pretty cool everything you experience. The pre-launch videos also showed simulations of what you would experience. Computer renderings of the pods showed how they spin extremely fast to simulate what astronauts experience. Now that I look back on it, it was a great ride...but right afterward I was seriously debating if I'd ever ride it again. It took me about 3 hours to get over the light-headedness I experienced from it.

Here's my suggestions: If you can handle rides like Star Tours, Body Wars, Rock 'n Roller Coaster...then you should try out M:S. But if you're afraid you might get a bit sick after it, be sure to ride it at the END of the day when you can go back to the hotel and sleep it off. Also, don't eat a big meal (or maybe even a small meal for that matter) before riding it.

The ride is definitely NOT for everyone...but I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it out (and I only had to wait 5 minutes to ride it!) God bless Disney's sneak preview nights Oh, another addition: when guests asked the castmembers if the ride was open, the response was: "No, we're not open. We don't open until August 15. But come on in anyway for a preview."

Since I don't frequent this board as much as my sister, you can email me at AmandaS_19@yahoo.com if you want to talk more M:S. It would be cool to hear what other people thought of the preview experience!

 

[pax_65]

Originally posted by blackride
Everyone keeps saying families CAN ride together but before your kids are 40" or 48" its kinda hard to get them on TOT, RnR, M:S.

My point is for kids below the age of 8 its getting hard to get them on rides..

I agree, but you have to be reasonable. My daughter is 6, she's been over 40 inches for a year or two now and has ridden Splash Mountain, TOT, TT, etc. She couldn't ride before that, and I wouldn't have wanted her too anyway. But I would certainly miss those rides if they were gone. There are still a lot of rides we could ride together - many more than you'd find at Six Flags or Universal.

So I still think Disney does a great job of creating rides a family can enjoy TOGETHER. The thing is, if you design a ride that a child under the age of 6 can ride, you will probably lose older kids in the process. You can't make every ride the favorite of every person in the family, but you can mix things up to appeal to everyone so the whole family has a great time together. I think that's what they are trying to do in EPCOT and I applaud the effort.

Jon

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Originally posted by blackride
Everyone keeps saying families CAN ride together but before your kids are 40" or 48" its kinda hard to get them on TOT, RnR, M:S.

My point is for kids below the age of 8 its getting hard to get them on rides..

exactly! and even when they've reached the minimum height, i'm sure there's lots of kids that are like me (or how i was when i was a kid, anyway) and are just too afraid to ride those types of rides. and by the time they're teenagers, a lot of times, parents start getting high blood pressure or what-not.
but at the same time, pax, you do have a good point. it's nearly impossible to please every member of the family with just one ride. but my concern is how much Disney seems to be focusing all the 'grown-up' rides in one or two parks...and in one area of those one or two parks. i dunno, maybe Disney knows how it'll all work in the long run, but to me, the parks aren't looking balanced. Epcot and MGM in particular. and what REALLY concerns me is how Disney can't seem to make a quality dark ride anymore. and maybe it's just me, but what happened to the Haunted Mansions and the Pirates of the Caribbeans? the dark rides with endless details? they've seemed to quit making environments in dark rides...now we're getting Winnie the Pooh and FJIYI. i'm hoping i'm making sense here.
my point is, yes, they need the thrill rides. but they also don't need to lose sight of the type of attractions that put them on the map...which, imo are dark rides. and on top of that, highly detailed dark rides. something that will make you feel like you're a part of that ride and not just passing through it, if you get what i mean.

 

[Bayou_Tigerfan]

The issue isn't necessarily whether or not everyone in a family can enjoy a ride.

There are a good number of rides that I enjoy with my family, but those aren't necessarily my favorite attractions. I really want to go to WDW to ride Test Track, Splash Mountain, and now Mission Space -- and to see Illuminations.

For me, that's what gets me excited. I enjoy many other attractions at WDW, including many of the slow dark rides, but would be taking my family to WDW this winter without the attractions I mentioned? Probably not.

 

[Dayma]

Bayou_Tigerfan just being curious. How old were you when you first went to WDW? I myself was about 6. I think when most people grow at at WDW so to speak they almost appreciate the non thrill rides more...like i said just being curious..

 

[Bayou_Tigerfan]

I would have been 5 or 6 when my parents first took me in the late 1970's. When we moved to San Diego the next year, I still remember riding Space Mountain and the Matterhorn in Disneyland when I was 7. Even then, the "thrill" rides were my favorites. I still remember the red eyes of the Snowman, and I haven't been back to Disneyland since.

I made additional trips to WDW in 1987 and when I was in college in 1993, and then again last December with my wife and baby daughter.

My wife likes WDW well enough, but she would probably like to go only every 5 years or so. My daughter is only 18 months old and isn't harassing me for another trip yet. :lol: So if we go again this fall/winter, it will be because I want to go.

Obviously, I like the slow dark rides beacuse we can do them together as a family. I loved seeing my daughter's face in IASW; she loved it even though she was only 12 months old. I loved watching her squeal with delight at Fantasmic. I loved that she "had" to have a Figment toy after riding JIYI.

I don't want to minimize the joy I feel as a father in taking my child to WDW, but we probably wouldn't go back this year unless I really wanted to go for myself as well. Mission Space and the other rides that I enjoy are going to bring me back.

 

[Dayma]

I don't want to minimize the joy I feel as a father in taking my child to WDW, but we probably wouldn't go back this year unless I really wanted to go for myself as well. Mission Space and the other rides that I enjoy are going to bring me back.

Funny thing is IASW and POTC are the rides that keep me going back