Zootopia Coming To Shanghai

[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.

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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.):

 

[Henry Mystic]

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.

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.

 

[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.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Zootopia the movie was just such a total miss for me, so I have basically no interest in the property itself. And while I totally lose interest any time the ride stops in front of a projection dome and pretends something's happening, I will say I think more rides of late could stand to take notes from the design of this ride. The amount and quality of physical sets and animatronics are refreshing, though of course I would have liked even more. Little hard to tell from Youtube, maybe I'd have more quibbles in person (I'm still dubious of those first Judy and Nick animatronics), but overall I feel somewhat pleasantly surprised. And that's from me with no love for any of the locations or characters.

From video alone, this feels closer to what I think Ratatouille and Runaway Railway should have been. Zootopia looks pretty seamless, while the seams on Rat and MMRR shockingly visible. Rat in particular needed Animatronics and better screen integration, while MMRR needed better set design since almost every scene feels like a warehouse rather than a cartoon. But here lots of the scenery here feels rich and involved. Makes you wanna walk around and take it in rather than just whiz by.

It ain't perfect, but I think I appreciate this more than I expected to. But keep it away from Animal Kingdom, please.

 

[No Name]

it does give regional theme park more than Disney/Universal

…

I know I’m about to get flamed.

Yeah you’re going to get flamed… what regional theme parks are you going to? This ride screams Disney in every way lol.

 

[McMickeyWorld]

The theme of the area looks pretty good.

 

[McMickeyWorld]

 

[BrerFoxesBayouAdventure]

From video alone, this feels closer to what I think Ratatouille and Runaway Railway should have been. Zootopia looks pretty seamless, while the seams on Rat and MMRR shockingly visible. Rat in particular needed Animatronics and better screen integration, while MMRR needed better set design since almost every scene feels like a warehouse rather than a cartoon. But here lots of the scenery here feels rich and involved. Makes you wanna walk around and take it in rather than just whiz by.

IMO, Runaway Railway's biggest flaw is that it's confined to a previous attraction's show building. Had it been produced from the ground up instead of being a GMR reskin, we probably would've gotten something a lot more satisfying in execution. The bulky ride vehicles do not do the concept justice at all, like the ones for other trackless rides such as Hunny Hunt and Ratatouille are much more compact. You could make an argument that MMRR is a people eater with its massive vehicles, but honestly I'd prefer vehicles that could manuver around better over capacity eaters.

The ride already feels empty as is with the lack of animatronics and you watching what's projected onto the wall, the ceiling having absolutely nothing to disguise it just makes that emptiness more blatant.

 

[Timothy_Q]

IMO, Runaway Railway's biggest flaw is that it's confined to a previous attraction's ride-system. Had it been produced from the ground up instead of being a GMR reskin, we probably would've gotten something a lot more satisfying in execution.

Runaway Railway is neither a reskin of GMR nor does it use the same ride system

The only thing they have in common is the show building they're in

 

[Haymarket]

 

[DavidDL]

Maybe I'm just jaded but I wasn't particularly impressed by the ride-thru video. I understand riding it and watching it are two different things entirely but still. I guess it's a combination of me being spoiled (having experienced stuff like Spider-Man, Transformers, Ratatouille, Runaway Railway and Rise of the Resistance over time) and a lack of interest in Zootopia as a franchise.

Personally, each moment of Zootopia just had me thinking, "Oh, just like on *insert previously mentioned attraction*. Or, *insert previously mentioned attraction* looks like it did this moment better already. -and the "nudist" animal segment felt particularly weak/creepy/unfunny/just all around unnecessary to me.

 

[DCBaker]

Video of Josh D'Amaro interacting with the new Duke Weaselton Audio-Animatronic.

 

[DavidDL]

That looks great. Hopefully it doesn't fade into Yesterland too quickly.

 

[brb1006]

 

[DCBaker]

More on the Duke Weaselton Audio-Animatronic.

"Duke is a demonstration of the next iteration of robotic technology, which Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development (R&D) and Disney Research first displayed earlier this year at the South By Southwest (SXSW) conference. At SXSW, Disney Imagineers unveiled an untethered, dynamic robotic character on skates that could steady itself and even perform a somersault — movements humans can relate to that generate emotional connections with the bunny character.

With Duke, Imagineers have combined the ability to do all kinds of dynamic maneuvers, with our expertise in building expressive, animated faces. Now that Duke can speak, naturally he’s weaseled his way into a stage show! This is just another example of how Disney is taking creativity to new heights through technological breakthroughs in storytelling.

While we can’t tell you many of the details of how Imagineers brought Duke to life, or where you might see similar robotic technology in the future, we can share with you one secret: to pull off this achievement required not one, but two robots working together in sync. Not only was Duke a robotic figure, but so was the kiosk itself!"

Duke Weaselton Makes Surprise Appearance at Zootopia Grand Opening in Shanghai Disney Resort

Disney is taking creativity to new heights with this demonstration of the next iteration of robotic technology featuring Duke Weaselton. Learn more about this surprise and delight moment at the Zootopia opening event at Shanghai Disney Resort.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

 

[Haymarket]

Opening coverage

 

[DavidDL]

Am I crazy or is there a lack of actual food options in the land? Everything I've seen/been able to find is some sort of dessert item (popsicles, donuts, cookies, etc.) or ODV snacks (popcorn, cotton candy). Maybe the decision to exclude actual meals was made so folks wouldn't wonder why they were eating a cow/chicken in the world of Zootopia?

Even with that limitation, I still feel like they could have whipped up something yummy that could have been served. Salads, curry/rice dishes, or something with fish/shellfish all immediately come to mind without breaking lore within the land.

I do love how lived-in the area feels. It's rich with so many little details and movement. I also think the queue for the attraction is really neat. I was honestly more impressed watching the walkthrough of the queue than the actual ride.