7 Dwarves Mine Train totally underwhelming

[BeachClub2014]

Yes it is for the younger kids. I guess everyone is wanting another thrill ride in MK!

Perhaps some people's expectations of the ride are guided by Disney's description. Disney lists the ride as a Thrill Ride and the "age interest" as being for kids, tweens, teens, and adults. This is the same language they use for other roller coasters and thrill rides. Notwithstanding what some posters say here, Disney calls it a thrill ride and maybe that fuels expectations?

 

[jodifla]

Perhaps some people's expectations of the ride are guided by Disney's description. Disney lists the ride as a Thrill Ride and the "age interest" as being for kids, tweens, teens, and adults. This is the same language they use for other roller coasters and thrill rides. Notwithstanding what some posters say here, Disney calls it a thrill ride and maybe that fuels expectations?

Yes, you have something here, I think. For me, I was anticipating it be a travel-worthy ride. You know, like people will make plans to go see this ride -- like they do for Harry Potter. I know countless people who go to Universal, driven by Harry Potter.

I was expecting a showcase ride, like the Cars ride in Disneyland, or Space Mountain, or the Matterhorn.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I agree about Lumiere. He's the only reason worth watching that show for us. I adore him.

The dwarves IMO are on par with the Buzz Lightyear animatronic from the ride queue. State of the art 12 years ago perhaps. eck, even the cars in Radiator Springs Racers are more advanced. I hate to sound like a broken record, but the ride Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland actually has state of the art animatronics and special effects. We have NOTHING even close to that here which is a dang shame. Maybe the Frozen ride will step it up.

As far as 7D, on our future trips we will attempt to hit it at park closing but won't feel bad if we never get on it again. Good news for the rest of the folks who love it! Fewer people in line right?

To me, the beauty of the AAs is that the faces look animated, just like in on-screen animation. That's one reason why I felt that they brought the characters to life. I do see the similarity with the Buzz AA, though. I happen to love that particular AA.

As for Mystic Manor and RSR, those are E Tickets. Mine Train was never intended to be an E Ticket. But, to my eyes, the AAs in 7DMT are as impressive in their own way as the car AAs in RSR.

You're entitled to your opinion, and your mileage may vary.

P.S. (and completely irrelevant aside): Your cat looks almost exactly like ours.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Yes it is for the younger kids. I guess everyone is wanting another thrill ride in MK!

Right. Mine Train is a huge hit with its target audience: young kids and their parents. That's why I see it as a home run for Disney.

Yes, you have something here, I think. For me, I was anticipating it be a travel-worthy ride. You know, like people will make plans to go see this ride -- like they do for Harry Potter. I know countless people who go to Universal, driven by Harry Potter.

I was expecting a showcase ride, like the Cars ride in Disneyland, or Space Mountain, or the Matterhorn.

Again, 7DMT is not an E Ticket. Most "showcase" rides are E Tickets. Mine Train is the final piece of New Fantasyland, and NFL as a whole has scored a big hit with its target audience. To me, that means a lot more than the opinions of some posters on Disney boards. If it's working in the parks, then it's working.

 

[Peepster]

Who are those folks you are referring to? I have seen many comments about the ride theming, or length, or less fun than anticipated or "worthy" of waiting in long lines for. What a ride is "supposed to be" can be widely interpreted, even for those of us who bothered to find out what the attraction was all about before riding.

BeachClub2014, my statement was not well put and I apologize for that. While I'm certainly not immune to Disney's short comings, I have been noticing lately on the DIS boards that WDW visitors seem to expect more from new attractions than they are supposed to deliver. You were very right in calling me out on the fact that many, like you, knew what to expect.

 

[Jennasis]

To me, the beauty of the AAs is that the faces look animated, just like in on-screen animation. That's one reason why I felt that they brought the characters to life. I do see the similarity with the Buzz AA, though. I happen to love that particular AA.

As for Mystic Manor and RSR, those are E Tickets. Mine Train was never intended to be an E Ticket. But, to my eyes, the AAs in 7DMT are as impressive in their own way as the car AAs in RSR.

You're entitled to your opinion, and your mileage may vary.

P.S. (and completely irrelevant aside): Your cat looks almost exactly like ours.

What cat? Ooooohhhh..the one in the sig? LOL. Took me a sec.

 

[BeachClub2014]

BeachClub2014, my statement was not well put and I apologize for that. While I'm certainly not immune to Disney's short comings, I have been noticing lately on the DIS boards that WDW visitors seem to expect more from new attractions than they are supposed to deliver. You were very right in calling me out on the fact that many, like you, knew what to expect.

Thank you, that was very gracious and I appreciate it.

I do expect a lot from new attractions, and not necessarily more than they are supposed to deliver. I expect new rides to be imaginative, cutting edge, fun, exciting with a little dose of the unexpected. Because that's what the magic of the mouse has been and is supposed to be. Perhaps, in this case, my expectations were too high. I dunno. I based my expectations on the promo's and propaganda piece Disney put out. Especially the piece on one of the cable channel's (can't recall which at the moment) that showed the imagineer's hard at work creating a whole new, never seen before ride car that would swing back and forth, promising a ride like you've never had before. Not so much, in my opinion. So, after having experienced this ride, I am underwhelmed. I wasn't knocking the attraction, I am truly happy for those that love it, as that means they will spend a lot of time there and not on BTMRR.

 

[bcrook]

Yes, you have something here, I think. For me, I was anticipating it be a travel-worthy ride. You know, like people will make plans to go see this ride -- like they do for Harry Potter. I know countless people who go to Universal, driven by Harry Potter.

I was expecting a showcase ride, like the Cars ride in Disneyland, or Space Mountain, or the Matterhorn.

Perfect! This is exactly the right answer. That is the problem. It is a nice little attraction, but not a showcase ride. We did plan a trip to Disneyland mainly to visit cars land. And we weren't disappointed. You nailed it!

I also didn't expect a "thrill" ride but something as good as potc or splash or haunted mansion. It could have been...

Great thread and your posts within are awesome.

 

[Goofey Drool]

I always liked the old mine train ride...has it changed that much? It used to be a very gentle coaster ride that lasted about 2 minutes. I understand that its been re-named and some scenery changes but is the coaster different? Just wondering why the change in attitude for a ride that's been around for 20+ years. We last went to MK over 3 years ago.

 

[DisneyOma]

I always liked the old mine train ride...has it changed that much? It used to be a very gentle coaster ride that lasted about 2 minutes. I understand that its been re-named and some scenery changes but is the coaster different? Just wondering why the change in attitude for a ride that's been around for 20+ years. We last went to MK over 3 years ago.

Seven Dwarves mine train is a new attraction in Fantasyland, not to be confused with Big Thunder, which is still in Frontierland

 

[Boo Bear]

I love 7DMT and it's one of my favorites. I don't understand why people are so negative about it. My only complaint is that it's very brief. I've noticed that it's not nearly as popular as it was last year. This past July, it was more reasonable to ride standby than it was last Christmastime. Not by much, but it's still not as impossible as it used to be.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Perfect! This is exactly the right answer. That is the problem. It is a nice little attraction, but not a showcase ride. We did plan a trip to Disneyland mainly to visit cars land. And we weren't disappointed. You nailed it!

I also didn't expect a "thrill" ride but something as good as potc or splash or haunted mansion. It could have been...

Great thread and your posts within are awesome.

As I mentioned a couple times already...you're comparing 7DMT to E Tickets, and Mine Train is not an E Ticket. That's like comparing a short story to a novel, and then wondering why the short story doesn't have the same scope and breadth.

Yes, it's a nice little attraction -- like most D Tickets. Most of the attractions in Fantasyland are nice little attractions. They're not Mansion, Pirates or RSR. And they don't have to be.

Not everything has to be an E Ticket.

 

[BeachClub2014]

As I mentioned a couple times already...you're comparing 7DMT to E Tickets, and Mine Train is not an E Ticket. That's like comparing a short story to a novel, and then wondering why the short story doesn't have the same scope and breadth.

Repeating something doesn't necessarily make it true. Country bear Jamboree, It's A Small World, Jungle Cruise and the Monorail were all "E" ticket rides at one point. They obviously aren't in today's world. So what definition or criteria are you applying to suggest that 7DMT ISN'T an E-ticket attraction? Just curious how you arrive at that conclusion?

 

[WillAustin]

The thrill level depends on where you sit. It's not a "thrill ride" in the teen/adult sense, but the back is far more thrilling than the front.

 

[tcherjen]

I enjoyed it.. I was able to get a FP for it on our last day of our upcoming trip. Decided to forgo the MK and go to EPCOT instead.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Sorry, double post.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Repeating something doesn't necessarily make it true. Country bear Jamboree, It's A Small World, Jungle Cruise and the Monorail were all "E" ticket rides at one point. They obviously aren't in today's world. So what definition or criteria are you applying to suggest that 7DMT ISN'T an E-ticket attraction? Just curious how you arrive at that conclusion?

People are repeating the same arguments over and over in this thread, i.e., "well, 7DMT is not (insert names of E Tickets here)"

There are no hard and fast definitions for an E Ticket, but we know it when we see it. It mostly has to do with the scope of the ride. Usually, they are big rides with multiple show scenes. They are almost always longer than two minutes, unless they are fast moving coasters. The quality may vary, but they are not "nice little attractions".

Is Peter Pan an E Ticket? What about Pooh? Obviously not. They are not on the scope of Mansion or Splash or RSR.

 

[BeachClub2014]

People are repeating the same arguments over and over in this thread

Definitely agree with you here.

I haven't seen too many posts suggesting that the ride is, or even should have been an "E-Ticket" ride, but rather the theme of opinions that the ride is less than many people expected and they are underwhelmed because it is too short, lacks creative theming, etc. I am in that camp. The other side of the spectrum keeps suggesting that those of us that are underwhelmed are wrong because we apparently expected too much, misperceive it as a thrill ride (even though Disney calls it that) and don't understand the demographics that is targeted for the ride.

I just think if someone is going to tell someone else their opinion is wrong, then they should be arguing that point with solid facts on their side.

 

[Davey Jones II]

The most indisputable fact is that the ride is a hit with the people it was targeted at: kids and their parents. It accomplishes exactly what it was intended to do. I call that a success, even if some people have complaints.

It's not even a question of right or wrong. If you don't like the ride, fine. You don't have to like it. I'm not arguing that anyone "should" like this ride. But comparing it to rides like Splash and Mansion is comparing apples and oranges.

This is a Fantasyland ride, and it's primary audience is the little ones (although many adults enjoy it, too). The kids clearly love it. Most complaints are coming from adults who didn't feel that it met their criteria. Well, sorry, but the kids were the ones the Imagineers kept in mind when they designed this attraction.

 

[BeachClub2014]

The most indisputable fact is that the ride is a hit with the people it was targeted at: kids and their parents. It accomplishes exactly what it was intended to do. I call that a success, even if some people have complaints.

I am not sure the assertion that Disney only targeted the ride at kids and their parents is accurate. The attractions page on the Walt Disney World website would seem to dispute that fact. I do agree 100% with you that the ride is a success from a ridership standpoint; there ain't no empty mine cars going down the track. But I haven't seen anyone dispute that it's a popular ride or lacking in success.