Why didn't The Little Mermaid ride turn out like this?!

[MerlinTheGoat]

Never been to Uni but I have always had an itch to see the Seuss area in particular. Why??? Nostalgia!!! I looooved Dr. Seuss books as a child and I really had fun reading them to my children when they were little. We'd laugh and laugh! So, nostalgia isn't limited to Disney. There's nostalgia anywhere as long as ya look for it and feel it. Right?

Yup.

Though again, the reasons we like these rides is just because they're plain good (or if we dislike them, it's because they're bad). You can get by without nostalgia if your ride just happens to be awesome. Nostalgia can be an added plus obviously, but it's not absolutely necessary by any means. Besides, what is nostalgia anyways? What is nostalgic today was once new at one point in time. And what is new today is going to end up being nostalgic in the future.

For example, the original Journey into Imagination was completely original and wasn't based on nostalgia. It was just a fantastic ride in of itself, oozing with quality and charm. It didn't rely on any nostalgia to endear people to it. Basically all of Epcot's original rides were like that, though I single out Imagination because it could have passed for an amazingly elaborate Fantasyland ride (it creates its own original characters and everything). And what do you know? It was so good that people are nostalgic for it now.

On the other hand, i've a huge nostalgic connection to Toy Story, grew up with all the movies and love all of them. But I really dislike Toy Story Mania because I just don't think it's a very good ride.

Also a huge fan of Little Mermaid as it's a movie I grew up with. I think the ride is decent and good, but a bit underwhelming.

 

[luv]

Maybe it's because I loved TLM so much. Maybe it's because I was holding a grudge against Disney for not giving Ariel a decent ride for so long...she did them so much for them and deserved one! Maybe I was just so happy that she FINALLY got something.

But I was happy to hear about the ride coming and pleased as punch with it!

Could it have been more cool and amazing? Of course.

But for what it is - a simple little-kiddie dark ride - it's really a wonderful ride! The "Under the Sea" part is very cool. It's fun. It's cute. I have no complaints.

I've been underwhelmed by the FLE. I was expecting more, I guess.

But I do not hold my disappointment with the FLE against TLM ride...which is a happy little experience, IMO.

 

[Bairstow]

The version that is there now is strange in how it ends. After Ariel sells her voice to Ursula, she kisses the guy and they get married while Ursula is "shocked" in the background. Basically this version of the story condones the fact that Ariel sold her voice and made it look like she did the right thing. There is an alarmingly huge gap in the story that my wife and I commented on the very first time riding it in preview. It was kind of a let down because we were some of the first people in that park before it officially opened and rode it a couple of times with no lines, and that was the thing that left the biggest impression on me.

Thinking of it further, Ursula almost looks like a victim that Ariel used and then had "zapped" lol.

This is somewhat explained by the fact that Scuttle the seagull is essentially "narrating" the ride.
What you see on the ride is meant to be his version of the story.
We're to understand that he may not be a completely reliable narrator either, as at the end of the ride he says something to the effect of, "At least, I think that's what happened."

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I said nothing of the sort about "they only like Disney if they don't like Uni", nor do I have a clue what that is even supposed to mean by that accusation...

Whether you find it rude or not, it comes off as irrational to dismiss Universal because it "lacks magic, pixie dust and childlike wonder". Those are something you'd see as marketing buzzwords for an advertisement for a Disney product, not actual objective reasons for liking/disliking something. As stated, Universal has dark rides (not just coasters), darn good ones for that matter that are easily on par with (or better than) Disney's own.

Words like magic, pixie dust and childlike wonder are a result of the feeling you get when presented with a quality experience, but it's the objective quality that are driving these emotions. Being Disney doesn't automatically make something magical (there's a lot of crappy Disney experiences in fact). Anything with that classic Disney level of quality (regardless of where it came from) can inspire a sense of magic and wonderment.

Quality also is not exclusive to Disney in the theme park world, or even Universal for that matter (Efteling in the Netherlands has it for example).

Quote your post:

Someone would have to have some kind of irrational dislike against anything not Disney to be unable to see that.

You called me irrational , and indicated I hated anything but Disney. So I'll take your opinion that I am irrational and stand with millions of other Disney fanes that feel Disney parks are the best. I don't accept your opinion that because of this we hate other parks, we only think Disney is best.

I was simply expressing my opinion that Disney is better, and yes better in many ways then Uni. I believe the real magic and pixie dust is at Disney. The kids I see at Uni don't have the wonder in their eyes and joy like when they meet Mickey or Donald. They are more toward Teens, which is what Uni markets too.

Again I said most rides were Thrill rides, not coasters.

There are of course other great parks, Tiffily Gardens in Copenhagen for one, Playland rye, Bush Gardens in Williamsburg is a beautiful park but it to is mostly thrill rides. I grow up at Freedom land in NYC was great the first 2 years and was a Disney rip off


With the exception of Potter, I find UNI mostly just thrill rides and miss the old Universal Studio version of the orginial park. Today you have most rides based studio shaped box buildings. Bush in tampa is not at all good. Sea World I have not been to in years so I won't comment.

Now I have spoken politely to you, I expect the same.

However all we can due is agree to disagree.

Maybe you should go to UNI someday and make your opinion real? I have been there 2 times over the years..........plan on bring some family in May to see Potter.


AKK

 

[acishere]

This is somewhat explained by the fact that Scuttle the seagull is essentially "narrating" the ride.
What you see on the ride is meant to be his version of the story.
We're to understand that he may not be a completely reliable narrator either, as at the end of the ride he says something to the effect of, "At least, I think that's what happened."

He fell asleep about halfway through the movie and woke up 5 minutes after Ursula was defeated apparently.

 

[Sped2424]

While mermaid has its rough spots I think we all are missing the fact that it was built to be a traditional dark ride much to the tune of the rest of the fantasyland dark rides. Like I said the ride does have its rough spots, for example the issue I have with the ride is the fact that most backstage areas are visible and real great rides tend to keep that hidden. Unfortunately for mermaid they didn't really go for a dark ride which was not going to do the ride any favors and creates the issues that many on here have noticed. Many people feel the ride went flat after kiss the girl where we are rushed into the finale which I can also agree was far too speed up. What I think they forget is how memorable that climax to the film was from the almost wedding straight to Ursula getting impaled by a ship. Another real issue is how they handled certain scenes, like part of your world and of course the extremely memorable reprise which is completely absent from the ride. Its leave people wanting more from the ride which in all reality should have been treated as a dark ride e ticket. So I think the ride is a good addition to the line up of dark rides, definitely not pathetic but certainly not given the treatment this film should have had. However the version in the video has many similarities to the current version it is most certainty superior from the vehicles, to the show scenes but my only issue is how certain scenes don't really follow one another that well.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

It's sad a ride from the 1960's has better animatronics. Even if they weren't wanting to use the same type of AA's from pirates or HM, it looks lazy (perception) that they didn't. Didn't feel like they pushed the envelope at all, same old same old crap from TDO imo.

 

[Sped2424]

It's sad a ride from the 1960's has better animatronics. Even if they weren't wanting to use the same type of AA's from pirates or HM, it looks lazy (perception) that they didn't. Didn't feel like they pushed the envelope at all, same old same old crap from TDO imo.

while I can agree about a lot of stuff about the ride having issue the AA's are not one of them and are by far the best part of the ride, from Ursula to Ariel they are all wonderfully done. And might I add they are also very advanced as well especially the type of materials used for Ursula and Ariel. Many in the under the sea part are simple as they should be but this ride does boast some wonderful AA work. From Ariel's hair in the part of your world scene moving as if it was under water to Ursula bouncing along and her handwork with the song even to Sebastian singing on a clam shell all the major AA's are great. Besides the art style used for those other rides would never fit in the with the artistic style of this movie, I have a lot of issues with this ride for sure but the AA's are not one of them.

 

[Bairstow]

It's sad a ride from the 1960's has better animatronics. Even if they weren't wanting to use the same type of AA's from pirates or HM, it looks lazy (perception) that they didn't. Didn't feel like they pushed the envelope at all, same old same old crap from TDO imo.

The full AA figures on Mermaid are much more advanced than the original Pirates figures.
There's just far less of them.

 

[Sped2424]

The full AA figures on Mermaid are much more advanced than the original Pirates figures.
There's just far less of them.

Exactly!

 

[Fox&Hound]

I'll never understand the hate for this ride. Sometimes I think the internet has allowed us to become more cynical and jaded. When we see the progress at every step people become obsessed with what a ride could be or should be that they cannot handle what gets actually made.

My wife and I both loved this ride and were blown away by the queue, loved the AA's, jammed to some classic music, and had a blast.

People hate too much....

 

[Bairstow]

I think a lot of the disappointment stems from the notion that New Fantasyland was to be Disney World's response to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
People expected the Little Mermaid to be counter to Forbidden Journey.
It was really only meant to replace Snow White's Scary Adventures.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think a lot of the disappointment stems from the notion that New Fantasyland was to be Disney World's response to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
People expected the Little Mermaid to be counter to Forbidden Journey.
It was really only meant to replace Snow White's Scary Adventures.

I don't think anyone honestly believed NFL was to compete with Potter, and it most certainly wasn't supposed to. Whoever believed that was delusional.

In regards to Mermaid's animatronics, they are far more advanced than those from the fifties.

 

[Bairstow]

I don't think anyone honestly believed NFL was to compete with Potter,

I can't say for sure what people believed, but this idea was advocated a LOT in this very forum.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

This version looks a little dark and even though in the existing version Ursula's role isn't explained too much this video focuses on her too much. I do like the Little Mermaid ride but I wouldn't wait more than 10 minutes for it. It is certainly themed a lot nicer on the outside at WDW than at California Adventure. It is relaxing and I like the illusion of going under the sea when we travel backwards.

 

[jaklgreen]

[quote="Sped2424, post: 5617357, member: 86754for example the issue I have with the ride is the fact that most backstage areas are visible and real great rides tend to keep that hidden.

This is my issue too. Not the style of the ride or the AA but the way you can see the ceiling and the transitions need a lot of help. The fact that older rides of this type do a better job of hiding the backstage just shows that they put this ride up fast and with cost being the deciding factor. I am disappointed in the ride because I know they can do so much better with the details, it is like they are loosing the pride that went along with how Walt Disney wanted things presented.

 

[Goofyernmost]

[quote="Sped2424, post: 5617357, member: 86754for example the issue I have with the ride is the fact that most backstage areas are visible and real great rides tend to keep that hidden.

This is my issue too. Not the style of the ride or the AA but the way you can see the ceiling and the transitions need a lot of help. The fact that older rides of this type do a better job of hiding the backstage just shows that they put this ride up fast and with cost being the deciding factor. I am disappointed in the ride because I know they can do so much better with the details, it is like they are loosing the pride that went along with how Walt Disney wanted things presented.

Coming from people that undoubtedly never got to ride the Skyway over MK. Everything backstage, rooftops, 20K, everything was visible. Didn't seem to bother anyone too much. The ride made it worth it and as soon as your feet hit the ground you tended to forget about what you had just seen anyway.

 

[FettFan]

I've only seen the youtube POV of the ride, but I think what is a let down for me is the Ariel Animatronic.

For me it just doesn't really look like her, and looks like a bad toy version.

The Little Derpmaid.

 

[DManRightHere]

It can't be too dark...it's a kid ride!!

The quee is awesome, the octopus lady is awesome, and the talking bird is funny. Not to mention it is not a super short ride.

The biggest problems I have with this ride is the little mermaid looks weird in most of the scenes and the fish on the wall as you enter the party room need to be animatronic or move in some way!

I think it is ok for a kid ride but no I would not wait long to ride.

 

[DisneyBeatles]

This video is something somebody built in a game called Roller Coaster Tycoon 3. It's a really cool game actually. But this is not an official Disney video idea. thing. Someone made this up in the game and made their own custom content. At least I'm 99% sure.