Opinions on the "El Rio Del Tiempo" theme.

[Ariel Mae]

I am pissed about it.

No, I'm so mad, I refuse to go on it.

Donald Duck? Sure, it's Mexican, but...okay, cute for kids, but what was wrong with "El Rio"? I loved "El Rio". Sure, the videos were old and in need of update, but the ride was cute, relaxing, calm, and adorable.

 

[Mickmse2002]

I am pissed about it.

No, I'm so mad, I refuse to go on it.

Donald Duck? Sure, it's Mexican, but...okay, cute for kids, but what was wrong with "El Rio"? I loved "El Rio". Sure, the videos were old and in need of update, but the ride was cute, relaxing, calm, and adorable.

Why so upset?

 

[Cobra B.]

Have to agree. Loved it too. DD hums that song all the time. She's gonna be crushed.

 

[kribit]

The music is cute...perhaps they'll leave it.

 

[Epcot242]

I agree. But does anyone know to what degree they changed the boat ride? I was thinking that they kept it the same but just had a movie before it and just tossed Donald Duck in a few sections of the boat ride. They better not lose the song though, or change it to have DD sing it. It's such a classic. Plus, it was nice that it never had a line, even in the busiest of times. Now it'll probably be a decent wait to get on, which isn't bad for Disney, but for us El Rio fans?

But who knows, maybe it'll be good?

 

[Another Voice]

Why so upset?

A land of amazing beauty - from lush rain forests filled with increadible creatures to deserts the drop right into seas filled with hammerhead sharks and giant squid.

A land with cultures ancient, dating back thousands of years, mysterious and little known to North Americans - yet so advanced their cities drawfed London, Paris and Rome at the time.

A land with a troubled history, but a mix of cultures from all over the world - each with its own meaning and traditions. A culture that held influnece over a third of the current United States, a culture that now represents the largerst immirgrant group in the U.S.

And of all of this - of jaguars and jade and pyramids and Cortez and the most populated city on Earth - all of this and Disney could only come up with a cartoon duck from a movie no one's seen in fifty years?!?!?!?!

Once again Disney has proven it can't create anything people want to see. All they can create are commericals to sell plush dolls, trading pins and DVDs.

 

[Mickmse2002]

Once again Disney has proven it can't create anything people want to see. All they can create are commericals to sell plush dolls, trading pins and DVDs.

Have you seen the new changes to the attraction yet or is this just premature ranting?

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

I'm saving my opinion until I see it.

Honestly though I don't think it could have made the ride any worse. It was in terrible need of updating; I think everyone can agree on that. I do love the "fireworks" so I hope those stayed.

 

[Ariel Mae]

Why so upset?

Because "The River of Time" was one of my favorite rides.

Now, it's gone. Like with "Horizons", "World of Motion" and the original "Figment".

Take away the classics, take away the beauty.

 

[Ariel Mae]

A land of amazing beauty - from lush rain forests filled with increadible creatures to deserts the drop right into seas filled with hammerhead sharks and giant squid.

A land with cultures ancient, dating back thousands of years, mysterious and little known to North Americans - yet so advanced their cities drawfed London, Paris and Rome at the time.

A land with a troubled history, but a mix of cultures from all over the world - each with its own meaning and traditions. A culture that held influnece over a third of the current United States, a culture that now represents the largerst immirgrant group in the U.S.

And of all of this - of jaguars and jade and pyramids and Cortez and the most populated city on Earth - all of this and Disney could only come up with a cartoon duck from a movie no one's seen in fifty years?!?!?!?!

Once again Disney has proven it can't create anything people want to see. All they can create are commericals to sell plush dolls, trading pins and DVDs.

Well said.

 

[Mickmse2002]

A land of amazing beauty - from lush rain forests filled with increadible creatures to deserts the drop right into seas filled with hammerhead sharks and giant squid.

A land with cultures ancient, dating back thousands of years, mysterious and little known to North Americans - yet so advanced their cities drawfed London, Paris and Rome at the time.

A land with a troubled history, but a mix of cultures from all over the world - each with its own meaning and traditions. A culture that held influnece over a third of the current United States, a culture that now represents the largerst immirgrant group in the U.S.

And of all of this - of jaguars and jade and pyramids and Cortez and the most populated city on Earth - all of this and Disney could only come up with a cartoon duck from a movie no one's seen in fifty years?!?!?!?!

Once again Disney has proven it can't create anything people want to see. All they can create are commericals to sell plush dolls, trading pins and DVDs.

And you feel the existing ride exemplified all that?

 

[Another Voice]

And you feel the existing ride exemplified all that?

Certainly much more than a cartoon parrot chasing after a cartoon duck to get to a concert - yes.

As much as everyone likes Disney, there are millions and millions of well adjusted, normal, job holding, vacation going adults that don't need to see a brand's character in every facet of their lives. There are normal people out there that enjoy the real world as much as the fantasy world. There are real adults out there that can be entertained above the level of an eight-year old.

That is what Epcot was supposed to be about - Disney quality entertainment for older childern and adults. There is no reason to stick cartoon characters in the Mexico pavilion. Sure, it might please the fans who dress up their cats like Tinker Belle, but for regular people there's enough interesting going on in that country that we don't need the phony, the fake and the cheesy.

Plus, it would also be nice - for a change - to see Disney actually stretch their creative muslces once on a while. Having Donald do pratfalls in Cancun is easy and it's lame. Presenting the Aztec's culture would be a challenge and far, far, far more interesting.

 

[Mickmse2002]

As much as everyone likes Disney, there are millions and millions of well adjusted, normal, job holding, vacation going adults that don't need to see a brand's character in every facet of their lives. There are normal people out there that enjoy the real world as much as the fantasy world. There are real adults out there that can be entertained above the level of an eight-year old.

This is a pretty good slam on many Disney patrons. Are you suggesting that I am not one of these well adjusted, normal, job holding, vacation going adults?

 

[Ariel Mae]

As much as everyone likes Disney, there are millions and millions of well adjusted, normal, job holding, vacation going adults that don't need to see a brand's character in every facet of their lives. There are normal people out there that enjoy the real world as much as the fantasy world. There are real adults out there that can be entertained above the level of an eight-year old.

Very well said, Voice.

There's one thing in entertaining customers, but there's another in separate entertainment values.

Disney is not, nor was it ever, just for kids. It was a family place.

This puts a childlike atmosphere on the ride. Sure, families can still go upon the ride, but those who will truly enjoy it will be the kids.

Certainly much more than a cartoon parrot chasing after a cartoon duck to get to a concert - yes.

As much as everyone likes Disney, there are millions and millions of well adjusted, normal, job holding, vacation going adults that don't need to see a brand's character in every facet of their lives. There are normal people out there that enjoy the real world as much as the fantasy world. There are real adults out there that can be entertained above the level of an eight-year old.

That is what Epcot was supposed to be about - Disney quality entertainment for older childern and adults. There is no reason to stick cartoon characters in the Mexico pavilion. Sure, it might please the fans who dress up their cats like Tinker Belle, but for regular people there's enough interesting going on in that country that we don't need the phony, the fake and the cheesy.

I doeth agree, again.

Plus, it would also be nice - for a change - to see Disney actually stretch their creative muslces once on a while. Having Donald do pratfalls in Cancun is easy and it's lame. Presenting the Aztec's culture would be a challenge and far, far, far more interesting.

I agree!

And you feel the existing ride exemplified all that?

A duck certainly doesn't.

What's next? Mulan in China?

Aladdin in Morrocco?

 

[HarambeGuy]

Very

What's next? Mulan in China?

Aladdin in Morrocco?

Just calibrating my sarcasm meter...you're making a disparaging remark about the face characters meet & greets that already exist, yes?

 

[Ariel Mae]

Just calibrating my sarcasm meter...you're making a disparaging remark about the face characters meet & greets that already exist, yes?

Far from it. Those are external features, not always around, not permanent.

What is being done is internal and quite 'permanent', or easily undone, not completely redoing a ride and taking away the classic.

What I meant was, "What's next? Changing the China movie to a scene from Mulan?"

 

[wdwguide]

I am pissed about it.

No, I'm so mad, I refuse to go on it.

El Rio grew on me over time. I didn't like it at first and really came to enjoy it. I am also not a huge fan of using Three Horny Birds to headline the new attraction. Still, I will go on it when it opens for three reasons:

- This attraction remake has been in the pipe for something like eight years now if I am not mistaken. That was plenty of time to say goodbye to the old ride.
- Disney's track record on new and remade attractions has been fairly decent lately. For every four, one is a huge hit, two turn out to be a nice addition, and one is a huge screwup. That's much better than it was during the Pressler/Eisner dictatorship.
- Boycotting a single ride isn't going to accomplish anything but deprive me of an experience with an incredibly low opportunity cost (a few minutes of my time) that has a small but significant chance of positively surprising me. If it sucks, complain. Negative feedback prompting negative press is how several Disney flops quickly disappeared from the face of the earth.

 

[raidermatt]

We saw Chip and Dale frolicking on Disney's replica of China's Temple of Heaven.

So apparently nothing is off limits.

I don't think I agree with the 1 huge hit, 2 nice addition, 1 huge screwup ratio.

Regardless of how they execute this change, I still have a problem with the concept. There is simply no need for them to have become so reliant on characters, other than a lack of confidence in their own creative ability.

 

[EUROPACL]

We saw Chip and Dale frolicking on Disney's replica of China's Temple of Heaven.

So apparently nothing is off limits.

I really don't think there is not a place in WDW where you can't spot Chip and Dale. I'm pretty sure they sold me a hotdog and coke once. I think that its the standard backup costume for employees that need one....CM from Tower of Terror spills something on his shirt on break, no problem give him a Chip and now your Elevator operator is Chip.

 

[cybertheo]

I am saving my opinion till I ride the new 'one' as well... However, I loved the old ride. I always called it 'El Rio Del Racist' due to the blantant stereotypes and I thought it was just a hoot. Donald is a good choice because he doesn't speak english very well or much and will be somewhat universal and I have always thought the three caballeros were cute.