Zootopia Coming To Shanghai

[BrianLo]

So it's like Ratatouille 2.0. similar kind of ride, but with animatronics and a better integration of screens and physical sets, though there are still several points where your vehicle just parks in front of a large screen where you can see the ceiling and floor.

Also, ride ends with the vehicles dancing a bit. The signature of Disney trackless dark rides lol.

I don't want to watch it. Better than Rat... worse than MMRR and Mystic Manor? Or on the closer side to one of those two.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I don't want to watch it. Better than Rat... worse than MMRR and Mystic Manor? Or on the closer side to one of those two.

IMO, based on the video, worse than Mystic Manor, but better than Runaway Railway.

 

[RandySavage]

Regarding the naked, steel Spiderman Vekoma rumor, that's always been a head scratcher... Why would they consider putting something like that in that location, which would negate the Treasure Cove, Fantasyland, Zootopia vistas/placemaking. A heavily-themed mountain coaster of some sort always made sense, adding a 'natural' berm & supporting visual layer behind Seven Dwarfs and PotC...

Hopefully, saner heads will prevail and it won't be a big naked coaster (or worse, a huge sky-blue box) in that pad.

***
Regarding Zooptopia, even on video and with language barrier, to my eyes, it looks like a much better, bigger-budget Ratatouille (more sets, a bunch of AAs and better set-screen integration) and even has some advantages on Mystic Manor in that there is a thrill element via simulated chase & drop, though hard to tell how effective the complete package is without being on the ride.

The land's exterior with the puppets in windows and other sfx looks impressive . My only critique is they chose to make the city curbless, though I get why.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I feel like on paper it should be the better ride, but it sort of looks, awful?

The execution, pacing, and plot of the ride look really weak, but I obviously haven’t ridden it so I’m not going to jump to conclusions, but it does give regional theme park more than Disney/Universal despite some pretty great sets.

I feel like you as a rat scurrying under the kitchen makes sense with a clear plot: escape from Skinner. In this case, it’s trying to stimulate high speed chases on screens with static sets around them. I just don’t think what they were trying to do works as a ride. It doesn’t really feel like a ride, like you compare it to Mystic Manor, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, even Runaway Railway, and this just looks like nothing on it will stick with you, it doesn’t feel “tight.”

I know I’m about to get flamed.

It works for me with the large screens that envelope you, but the first scenes in the ice area do not work for me. It makes no sense that you’d have this chase starting, your vantage point, and being able to watch it play out the way it does.

overall it’s very detailed, great sets, great AAs, a few issues.

 

[Casper Gutman]

IMO, based on the video, worse than Mystic Manor, but better than Runaway Railway.

I'd disagree - I think it lacks some of the cleverness of MMRR but compensates with AAs. I'd say they're roughly equivalent.

My main takeaway is that Disney continues to be unable or unwilling to create elaborate, multi-AA scenes with significant depth, the thing that established their reputation in rides like Pirates, HM, and the Epcot classics. Its still one AA in front of a wall.

 

[RandySavage]

It works for me with the large screens that envelope you, but the first scenes in the ice area do not work for me. It makes no sense that you’d have this chase starting, your vantage point, and being able to watch it play out the way it does.

overall it’s very detailed, great sets, great AAs, a few issues.

That was also my question: when the vehicles are still and the moving alongside the snowmobiles, is the rider supposed to be in a train? Why are they moving at parallel speeds? Couldn't tell.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

That was also my question: when the vehicles are still and the moving alongside the snowmobiles, is the rider supposed to be in a train? Why are they moving at parallel speeds? Couldn't tell.

From what I can tell, yes you are supposed to be on a a train.

 

[Mikomike12]

Something is bothering me but I don't know what...

perhaps the giant naked animals segment? /s

 

[RandySavage]

From what I can tell, yes you are supposed to be on a a train.

Ah.. I rewatched and you can hear a train whistle. Makes more sense.

I have no idea what's going on with the harem stripper(?) elephant & hippo, but the 2nd videorecording (above) has a spotlight which spoils the surprise. In the first video, the rider gasped when the naked elephant & hippo suddenly appeared... hah.

 

[Disney Analyst]

That was also my question: when the vehicles are still and the moving alongside the snowmobiles, is the rider supposed to be in a train? Why are they moving at parallel speeds? Couldn't tell.

OH. That nuance was lost on the video for me.

 

[Timothy_Q]

I think it looks like a MUCH better Rat, there are tons more physical sets and lots of actual animatronics

I'd rather the screens were used just to expand the existing rooms instead of being chase scenes but overall feels like a very solid trackless dark ride that was missing at SDL

 

[Casper Gutman]

Maybe that’s what it is. It just doesn’t have that cleverness or “wit” of previous rides. It just seems so surface level.

Just because it has more sets doesn’t mean it’s better “written,” errr, a better ride. Pirates for example is nothing without its cleverness regardless of its intricate sets and AA count. There’s more going on than just scale, you have to execute on it well too.

Yes, Zootopia is very much, "here is a single character from the movie doing the thing they did in the movie." Same with the settings - "here is a setting from the movie." No "wit."

 

[ryno1982]

I feel like on paper it should be the better ride, but it sort of looks, awful?

The execution, pacing, and plot of the ride look really weak, but I obviously haven’t ridden it so I’m not going to jump to conclusions, but it does give regional theme park more than Disney/Universal despite some pretty great sets.

I feel like you as a rat scurrying under the kitchen makes sense with a clear plot: escape from Skinner. In this case, it’s trying to stimulate high speed chases on screens with static sets around them. I just don’t think what they were trying to do works as a ride. It doesn’t really feel like a ride, like you compare it to Mystic Manor, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, even Runaway Railway, and this just looks like nothing on it will stick with you, it doesn’t feel “tight.”

I know I’m about to get flamed.

Nah, I agree with everything you said, especially the regional park vibes.

 

[Haymarket]

Nick and Judy's eyes seem to look much better than in the OP. A relief.

 

[thequeuelinelectures]

So am I seeing it right that there is no physical drop? You seem to exit on the same level you enter in so it's just a screenbay ala the Runaway Railway waterfall

 

[Brer Panther]

I just watched the video. The first half of the ride is good, if a bit too reliant on screens, then in the second half it turns into another "park the riders in front of a screen multiple times" ride. As a whole, the ride's a bit too reliant on screens - the animatronics all look good, but the screens make the attraction feel a bit empty and flat. It's definitely better than Ratatouille or Runaway Railway, if nothing else.

View attachment 750834

I thought Disney decided to stop with the projected faces (or in this case, projected eyes).

In this case, it’s trying to stimulate high speed chases on screens with static sets around them. I just don’t think what they were trying to do works as a ride.

It's not a bad idea for a ride, it just doesn't work with the trackless ride system. Trackless ride vehicles more very, very slowly. It becomes especially obvious when the ride parks in front of or crawls by a screen with frantic animation projected on it. The big empty rooms don't help much either.

I think this ride would've worked better as a busbar.

 

[IMDREW]

Ranking this lower than Ratatouille is definitely a take I don't understand. 'Videoscreen: the ride' vs nice animatronics, cool sets and a drop (if I'm not mistaken). I do agree that the police station decor does not look like Disney quality and more like regional asian theme park, but to me the rest of it looks like great fun. And I do love visiting all the characters and settings of the film. I'd be bummed if we were only to visit the urban city part of the movie.

 

[Haymarket]

A bit more at the end of this one. Looks good!



More details (e.g., scenes of the queue, including Judy's desk at work, the prison, etc.):

 

[IMDREW]

Because there’s more to rides than just scale? Execution matters. If it was that surface level anyone could make a ride, it in reality it’s an art form, and just seeing characters/places from a movie does not make for a ride.

While I agree with that statement, Ratatouille does not succeed in those regards imo.

 

[Brer Panther]

Honestly, having actual animatronics automatically puts it above Ratatouille as far as I'm concerned.