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What ride needs a refurbishment the most?
- Thread starter Scuttle
- Start date
DrummerAlly
Well-Known Member
Test Track is in dire need of refurbishment. We were there in July and it was a major disappointment - especially from something that used to be one of my favorite rides! It seemed like a lot of elements weren't working or were actually missing from the ride. It was the last ride we rode before leaving WDW and were pretty sad.
The Muppet Show & Mickey's Philharmagic could both seriously benefit from some video upgrades.
The Muppet Show & Mickey's Philharmagic could both seriously benefit from some video upgrades.
Disneydreamer23
Well-Known Member
Carosel of Progress, I think the guy looks fake compared to the new ones they made Ex- Barack O Bama. Also in the last one that supposed to be new day and age it looks old to me too!
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Splash Mountain and Peter Pan get my votes. But especially Peter. With the current technology available, think what a flight through London at night, then on to the second star to the right and straight on 'til morning, could REALLY be like...
Well, now I have to add the Great Movie Ride. It's so forgettable now that I...forgot it.
A major refurb and rethink is desperately needed for it IMO.
Also, Journey into Imagination. I never saw the original in person, just on Youtube. But I've seen the current one, and yikes. Awful!
Well, now I have to add the Great Movie Ride. It's so forgettable now that I...forgot it.
A major refurb and rethink is desperately needed for it IMO.Also, Journey into Imagination. I never saw the original in person, just on Youtube. But I've seen the current one, and yikes. Awful!
RonAnnArbor
Well-Known Member
Hmm...as someone who has been going to WDW a couple times a year for the last 30 years, I can say that the rides that HAVE to be refurbished, have pretty much all been refurbished. There is a difference between refurbishing and "redoing" -- hence, the person who suggested COP -- that has already been refurbed several times, and I don't expect any type of animatronic refurb.
As a point of reference, I have never seen WDW do a refurb unless the ride doesn't operate properly, runs in B-mode more than 50 percent of the time, or just becomes obsolete. That is different from being old-fashioned.
So -- my thoughts on refurbs:
Country Bear Jamboree -- the show positively creeks -- the animatronics all need oiling and rebuilding, they are louder than the music. The sound system is awful. The slide projections outdated decades ago. The music is no longer PC.
Peter Pan's Flight -- the lights are burning out; the effects don't work well in relation to how the cars are now jerking through the attraction, and the mechanics themselves need to be rebuilt, along with the load/unload system to match the newer system they now use on the ride in Paris and other parks.
Buzz Lightyear -- half of the cars have guns that misfire; the targets don't read the "shots" properly in over half the ride; the effects don't operate properly.Targets don't move, or are burned out.
Stitch's Great Escape -- just plain old needs to be gutted and replaced with anything - anything but what is currently there.
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Test Track -- car technology has come so far since the ride opened, that it really needs a complete overhaul.
Soarin' -- The screens are water damaged and dirty; the prints have dirt in them; the odor-effects don't work in half of the seats. The movie is being redone, but the actual hardware needs to be refurbished.
HISTA -- This is currently replaced by Captain EO, but when the attraction is replaced, it needs both a new movie as well as hardware repairs.
The Universe of Energy with Ellen -- What we know of dinosaurs over the last 20 years no longer matches what you see. The world of energy itself has changed significantly since the film was made. Ellen is no longer 28 years old. Bill Nye is a non-entity. The animatronics need repair.
--------------------------
Studio Tram Tour -- There is basically nothing left of this attraction. It either needs a complete refurb with new attractions/new scenes (see Paris's version for what you can do with some money and ingenuity). Rumor has it, it's gone within the next couple years completely. If not, it needs a complete makeover.
--------------------------
Its Tough to be a bug -- The print is worn, the hardware inside the theater no longer works properly
Expedition Everest -- the effects need to be fixed; the building interior is leaking light; the water/smoke effects aren't triggered properly by passing trains; the Yeti needs to be relit, at a minimum, even if it never moves again. This is the most problematic refurb on the list, since it is one of the two headliners at Animal Kingdom and single-handedly tripled park attendance since it opened...and yet it will need to go down for a few months for a refurb, a financially risky thing right now.
As a point of reference, I have never seen WDW do a refurb unless the ride doesn't operate properly, runs in B-mode more than 50 percent of the time, or just becomes obsolete. That is different from being old-fashioned.
So -- my thoughts on refurbs:
Country Bear Jamboree -- the show positively creeks -- the animatronics all need oiling and rebuilding, they are louder than the music. The sound system is awful. The slide projections outdated decades ago. The music is no longer PC.
Peter Pan's Flight -- the lights are burning out; the effects don't work well in relation to how the cars are now jerking through the attraction, and the mechanics themselves need to be rebuilt, along with the load/unload system to match the newer system they now use on the ride in Paris and other parks.
Buzz Lightyear -- half of the cars have guns that misfire; the targets don't read the "shots" properly in over half the ride; the effects don't operate properly.Targets don't move, or are burned out.
Stitch's Great Escape -- just plain old needs to be gutted and replaced with anything - anything but what is currently there.
-------------------------
Test Track -- car technology has come so far since the ride opened, that it really needs a complete overhaul.
Soarin' -- The screens are water damaged and dirty; the prints have dirt in them; the odor-effects don't work in half of the seats. The movie is being redone, but the actual hardware needs to be refurbished.
HISTA -- This is currently replaced by Captain EO, but when the attraction is replaced, it needs both a new movie as well as hardware repairs.
The Universe of Energy with Ellen -- What we know of dinosaurs over the last 20 years no longer matches what you see. The world of energy itself has changed significantly since the film was made. Ellen is no longer 28 years old. Bill Nye is a non-entity. The animatronics need repair.
--------------------------
Studio Tram Tour -- There is basically nothing left of this attraction. It either needs a complete refurb with new attractions/new scenes (see Paris's version for what you can do with some money and ingenuity). Rumor has it, it's gone within the next couple years completely. If not, it needs a complete makeover.
--------------------------
Its Tough to be a bug -- The print is worn, the hardware inside the theater no longer works properly
Expedition Everest -- the effects need to be fixed; the building interior is leaking light; the water/smoke effects aren't triggered properly by passing trains; the Yeti needs to be relit, at a minimum, even if it never moves again. This is the most problematic refurb on the list, since it is one of the two headliners at Animal Kingdom and single-handedly tripled park attendance since it opened...and yet it will need to go down for a few months for a refurb, a financially risky thing right now.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
There are rides that need maintenance, and there are others that need to be redone from scratch or revamped heavily.
Maintenance-
- Expedition Everest
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Dinosaur
- Test Track
- Great Movie Ride
Redo-
- Imagination (gut it and redo it right, hopefully will be done since they're teasing us with Dreamfinder)
- Carousel of Progress (something reminiscent of the original at DL)
- Peter Pan's Flight (use newer tech and more like DLP, longer with more scenes from the movie)
- Winnie the Pooh (not a terrible ride, quite good, but should be more like Tokyo's with awesome tech)
- Maelstrom (needs to be longer and just cleaned up heavily)
- Spaceship Earth (finish the ending and remove the corny bad "Create Your Future")
- Universe of Energy (dunno what to do, but remove Ellen at least)
- Stitch's Great Escape
- Backlot Tour (either redo it or demolish it and create something else and better)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (i'd like for them to finally restructure it into something more like DL or Paris, preferably Paris, maybe even create a "Port Royal" Adventureland town with a pirate theme along with an actual pirate ship to explore and a pirate cave ala Skull Rock)
- Fantasmic (good but corny and without a cohesive narrative like at DL)
- Illiuminations (i'd like something like they had in the 90's that encompassed more of the individual countries)
Maintenance-
- Expedition Everest
- Big Thunder Mountain
- Dinosaur
- Test Track
- Great Movie Ride
Redo-
- Imagination (gut it and redo it right, hopefully will be done since they're teasing us with Dreamfinder)
- Carousel of Progress (something reminiscent of the original at DL)
- Peter Pan's Flight (use newer tech and more like DLP, longer with more scenes from the movie)
- Winnie the Pooh (not a terrible ride, quite good, but should be more like Tokyo's with awesome tech)
- Maelstrom (needs to be longer and just cleaned up heavily)
- Spaceship Earth (finish the ending and remove the corny bad "Create Your Future")
- Universe of Energy (dunno what to do, but remove Ellen at least)
- Stitch's Great Escape
- Backlot Tour (either redo it or demolish it and create something else and better)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (i'd like for them to finally restructure it into something more like DL or Paris, preferably Paris, maybe even create a "Port Royal" Adventureland town with a pirate theme along with an actual pirate ship to explore and a pirate cave ala Skull Rock)
- Fantasmic (good but corny and without a cohesive narrative like at DL)
- Illiuminations (i'd like something like they had in the 90's that encompassed more of the individual countries)
Hot4Hudgens
Member
The Great Movie Ride. PRONTO.
redshoesrock
Active Member
Peter Pan. Badly.
ob1thx1138
Member
I have not been to the parks nearly as much as most of the people on here having first visited as a child once in the 80's prior to MGM opening, once as a teen in 93, and then once again last summer with my own family. So I guess I am more of a "normal guest in that I am just getting into the fanatic phase (my 16 year old makes fun of me checking this web site so often and being "way too into disney world")
So on our visit last summer here is what I took away:
Dinosaur was a wreck. I noticed several of the effects not working and then when I got home I learned of several more (I did not know the bird thing was supposed to sweep down at you).
The yeti actually looked pretty cool in what I assume was disco mode or maybe B mode. (I was there the week of and the week before the 4th of July so someone could tell me what mode it was in then). I would love to see it in A mode though.
CoP was just as kitschy as I remembered it, but it did look a little more worn than I remember from my earlier visits.
Peter Pan was the same way, just seemed like it needed to be freshened up a bit.
UoE was more of the same story the film was obviously old and dirty, and the dinosaurs needed some detailing. I don't remember noticing the walls so much in my earlier visits. was the show darker back then?
SSE wow, what a let down. Half the ride is now a computer game that would fit in better at innovations. This was disappointing.
The Seas with Nemo, was a joke, the effect was cool, but it was so short and a one trick pony that it seems like it was just thrown together. This would be really cool in a full size attraction that included AAs and more scenes. And the entire pavilion seems smaller than I remember. I mean they shut down the entire lower level that you had to ride an elevator down to!!!!
Imagination. A cute attraction, but a mere shadow of what I remember the original to be. I doubt we will be doing this one on the next trip.
So on our visit last summer here is what I took away:
Dinosaur was a wreck. I noticed several of the effects not working and then when I got home I learned of several more (I did not know the bird thing was supposed to sweep down at you).
The yeti actually looked pretty cool in what I assume was disco mode or maybe B mode. (I was there the week of and the week before the 4th of July so someone could tell me what mode it was in then). I would love to see it in A mode though.
CoP was just as kitschy as I remembered it, but it did look a little more worn than I remember from my earlier visits.
Peter Pan was the same way, just seemed like it needed to be freshened up a bit.
UoE was more of the same story the film was obviously old and dirty, and the dinosaurs needed some detailing. I don't remember noticing the walls so much in my earlier visits. was the show darker back then?
SSE wow, what a let down. Half the ride is now a computer game that would fit in better at innovations. This was disappointing.
The Seas with Nemo, was a joke, the effect was cool, but it was so short and a one trick pony that it seems like it was just thrown together. This would be really cool in a full size attraction that included AAs and more scenes. And the entire pavilion seems smaller than I remember. I mean they shut down the entire lower level that you had to ride an elevator down to!!!!
Imagination. A cute attraction, but a mere shadow of what I remember the original to be. I doubt we will be doing this one on the next trip.
progroupie
Member
Yes. It is not that hard to add a new coat of dayglo paint and some fresh tinfoil to the volcano.
duchess1576
Active Member
MansionGoer13z
Active Member
Like your annalysis Ron. Seems like a very long laundry list for Disney. In all honesty, at the pace they go to do the refurbs, We'll all be dead or too decrepit to visit Disney.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
:lol:
I actually don't mind Peter Pan. Yeah, it's old and COULD use an update, but in a way, that's part of it's charm.
- Country Bears needs a new sound system.
- Carousel Of Progress needs maintenance on the AA's.
- Someone mentioned making Maelstrom longer. While I agree that would be nice, it's impossible unless they gut the building and start from scratch. Not gonna happen.
- Splash Mountain simply needs to be cleaned more often. There was a time when Disney went through each ride every day to clean up trash left by some of the "guests" who live in barns. They clearly don't do that any more.
- Test Track. There are so many things not working on the ride, it's embarrassing.
- Astro Orbiter. Clean the rockets. It looks like a ride at a traveling fair.
- Every movie attraction. Someone needs to inform Disney of this new thing called Digital Technology.
ArtieJim
Well-Known Member
I agree with Carousel of Progress, as much as I love it. I remember riding it when I was in the late 80's/early 90's and thinking the ending was so cool because it reminded me of the future scenes from Back to the Future Part II. Now it looks like, well, the future scenes from Back to the Future Part II. Not as cool looking in the 21st century.
Also, Stitch's Great Escape just needs to start over completely. I think they should just gut the building and do another Buzz Lightyear/TSMM type ride. Or why not throw a Tron ride in there?
Also, Stitch's Great Escape just needs to start over completely. I think they should just gut the building and do another Buzz Lightyear/TSMM type ride. Or why not throw a Tron ride in there?
NewfieFan
Well-Known Member
Peter Pan (need I say more?)
Indy Speedway - this is being discussed in another thread! And I think it needs to stay but it needs a completely new look (from the cars, to the track, everything).
Journey into Imagination (well the whole pavilion really).
Actually, these are not so much refurbishments but complete overhauls!
Indy Speedway - this is being discussed in another thread! And I think it needs to stay but it needs a completely new look (from the cars, to the track, everything).
Journey into Imagination (well the whole pavilion really).
Actually, these are not so much refurbishments but complete overhauls!
Thrill Seeker
Well-Known Member
Big Thunder Mountain is my top choice. Many of the effects aren't working (some for obvious reasons) and it just looks musty and old. Yeah, I know that is in some ways part of the theming, but it really badly needs to be refurbed. There is talk that a refurb is in the works for Thunder, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
The Great Movie Ride, Test Track and Mission: SPACE come shortly after.
GMR needs a lot of work done to improve all of the scenes, an updated script and perhaps some new elements to make it fresh again. I'd personally like to see some new films added in the ride.
Test Track needs general maintenance and maybe some updated tech. Other than that, it's fine.
Mission: SPACE should take a cue from Star Tours and include randomized new missions to other destinations besides Mars. In addition, general maintenance needs to be done badly and the Advanced Training Lab needs to be redone from scratch.
I would also include Peter Pan for a general sprucing up and Carousel of Progress for sprucing up and a new final scene.
The Great Movie Ride, Test Track and Mission: SPACE come shortly after.
GMR needs a lot of work done to improve all of the scenes, an updated script and perhaps some new elements to make it fresh again. I'd personally like to see some new films added in the ride.
Test Track needs general maintenance and maybe some updated tech. Other than that, it's fine.
Mission: SPACE should take a cue from Star Tours and include randomized new missions to other destinations besides Mars. In addition, general maintenance needs to be done badly and the Advanced Training Lab needs to be redone from scratch.
I would also include Peter Pan for a general sprucing up and Carousel of Progress for sprucing up and a new final scene.
MickeyPeace
Well-Known Member
Refurbishment meaning maintenance or repair- I will go with Country Bears Jamboree.
Those bears have all seen better days. Keep the attraction but refurb.
Those bears have all seen better days. Keep the attraction but refurb.
kangaand2roos
Member
Journey into Imagination. I remeber when it use to be good when I was a kid. It makes me sad that there is never a line because it's that bad and my kids refer to it as the smelly dragon ride.
JIMINYCR
Well-Known Member
Country Bear Jamboree. In the past there's been a lot of peoples opinions about how tired looking, outdated this exhibit is and how it is one area they wouldn't hesitate to pass by. It's a good fit with the Frontierland theme but needs help. A good refurb and updating script will do wonders for this place.