Bet -- When will Disney create a ride to equal Spider Man and Harry Potter?

[rutgers1]

I am not saying that many people here don't have rides that they like more at Disney. I love Pirates of the Caribbean. But I think most would agree that Disney doesn't have anything quite as "cool," immersive, or technologically mesmerizing as Spider Man and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

I am hoping the new mine car coaster in Fantasy Land will be that ride, but I don't think so. I am also hoping that the Star Tours refurb takes that ride up a notch. As it stands, that ride pales in comparison to Spider Man and the Simpsons ride....two rides that kind of give you that same "in the movie" feel.

 

[ChrisFL]

Rumors are that the Shanghai Disneyland plans will have some very cool things and at least one of which might be coming to WDW...


...end of line

 

[perdidochas]

I am not saying that many people here don't have rides that they like more at Disney. I love Pirates of the Caribbean. But I think most would agree that Disney doesn't have anything quite as "cool," immersive, or technologically mesmerizing as Spider Man and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

I am hoping the new mine car coaster in Fantasy Land will be that ride, but I don't think so. I am also hoping that the Star Tours refurb takes that ride up a notch. As it stands, that ride pales in comparison to Spider Man and the Simpsons ride....two rides that kind of give you that same "in the movie" feel.

I was underwhelmed by Spiderman. I didn't get immersed in it. FJ, though, was awesome.

IMHO, Soaring is pretty close to as immersive as FJ, without being almost too much. I felt a little claustrophobic in FJ.

 

[plutotek]

I was underwhelmed by Spiderman. I didn't get immersed in it. FJ, though, was awesome.

IMHO, Soaring is pretty close to as immersive as FJ, without being almost too much. I felt a little claustrophobic in FJ.

Never understood the fascination w/Soaring. DW likes it, but I think it's on the same level as Maelstrom and the Mexico boat ride. I think Spiderman is to FJ as any of the mountains (except EE) is to RNR

 

[TheWeasel]

Never understood Soaring either. I think Monsters Inc. "Door" ride has potential.

 

[Disco]

Never understood the fascination w/Soaring. DW likes it, but I think it's on the same level as Maelstrom and the Mexico boat ride. I think Spiderman is to FJ as any of the mountains (except EE) is to RNR

Amen, it's nothing special IMO.
Reflecting on it I think my major hang up is that it feels like a commercial (for California). The other is that it cuts abruptly from scene to scene. Make some smooth "hidden" transitions, drop California only destinations and put some spectacular scenery flybys like the Grand Canyon or the pyramids. Also put different random flight plans in to increase re re-ridability.
Think it would improve this ride 100%.

 

[skiingfast]

Amen, it's nothing special IMO.
Reflecting on it I think my major hang up is that it feels like a commercial (for California). The other is that it cuts abruptly from scene to scene. Make some smooth "hidden" transitions, drop California only destinations and put some spectacular scenery flybys like the Grand Canyon or the pyramids. Also put different random flight plans in to increase re re-ridability.
Think it would improve this ride 100%.

I think if Soarin was less about Hang Gliding(a common sport on the Pacific coasts bluffs) it would be more universal to people who haven't been all over California.

Of course it's a prime example about a "One Disney" ride that does not transfer across resorts.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Spiderman is rather old news now when it comes to rides. Got on once and found no need to ever do it again.
And I'll never get on that Potter thing so I'm not able to comment.

But maybe I'm not the sort of guy you'd want commenting at all--I miss all the OLD rides (World of Motion, Horizons, etc etc). Bring them back and I'd be happy

And yes, I know it's now a thrill ride world out there and Disney will probably have to do a bit of something in that regard. I just hope they don't overdo it.

 

[Figment632]

Until Iger is gone never Hong Kong DL expansion is being slashed as we speak. Mystic Manor is going to loose it's trackless system and be given an omnimover.

 

[DCTooTall]

Never understood the fascination w/Soaring. DW likes it, but I think it's on the same level as Maelstrom and the Mexico boat ride. I think Spiderman is to FJ as any of the mountains (except EE) is to RNR

Maybe it's because it's the closest we get to experiencing our beloved Horizon's Orange smell at Epcot now?

 

[jerivera]

Soaring is so well liked because it's a refreshing break from walking all over the park or standing in line for 20-120 minutes.

A very refreshing break.

'nuff said.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

Soaring is so well liked because it's a refreshing break from walking all over the park or standing in line for 20-120 minutes.

A very refreshing break.

'nuff said.

I have seen Soarin's queue time at 120 minutes or more. Way too long to wait for a 4 minute ride. I love Soarin, I think it's great. I just won't wait 120 minutes for it. Or any ride for that matter.

 

[Disco]

I have seen Soarin's queue time at 120 minutes or more. Way too long to wait for a 4 minute ride. I love Soarin, I think it's great. I just won't wait 120 minutes for it. Or any ride for that matter.

Ah, I get the attraction name now. You are "Soar" for waiting "In" line for a crappy commercial simulator ride of California.
JK, I actually don't hate it that much, the open air load and hanging process is very imaginative IMO. Just wish it didn't end up being another ho-Hum simulator experience after that.
That and the lines can be pretty crazy for it too.

 

[Big]

I'm on board with the "soarin isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be" crowd, but I will note that if you can con your way into the front row that takes you the highest, it adds a teeny "umpf" to the ride that makes it a bit more enjoyable.

Admit it. We all love Soarin because either before or after it you can ride Living With the Land and see those NINE POUND FREAKING LEMONS!!!!

 

[DC7800]

We all love Soarin because either before or after it you can ride Living With the Land and see those NINE POUND FREAKING LEMONS!!!!

I love Living with the Land, and the lemons are indeed fascinating; I may relunctantly put up with Soarin', but that's as far as it goes.

 

[harmonium]

Sorry, I know it has already been said before, but the Spiderman ride was ho hum. That rides needs updating. The video is too grainy. Simpsons and HP however are great rides that do not have an equal at WDW.

We do Soarin twice every trip. I hope in the future they have different scenes or places to "fly" over, but as it is we enjoy it.

As for being immersed in a ride, WDW has more of an immersed feeling than a handful of immersive rides. I really feel like I am "away" from reality when I am at WDW and I feel like I am at an amusement park while at Universal.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Sorry, I know it has already been said before, but the Spiderman ride was ho hum. That rides needs updating. The video is too grainy. Simpsons and HP however are great rides that do not have an equal at WDW.

We do Soarin twice every trip. I hope in the future they have different scenes or places to "fly" over, but as it is we enjoy it.

As for being immersed in a ride, WDW has more of an immersed feeling than a handful of immersive rides. I really feel like I am "away" from reality when I am at WDW and I feel like I am at an amusement park while at Universal.

You may feel spidey is "ho-hum" but you are in a minority, no matter what posts here may indicate. It was state of the art at its inception and disney has still not matched it or even attempted to.

I enjoy 'Soarin'" too and I like the video. I would love for each incarnation to be different but it isn't and I won't be holding my breath for WDW to make a change. I'll be dead by then.

We always felt "immersed" at Disney Parks too, especially when the kids were younger but as I get older the lines between what the the companies (WDW & Universal) are actually giving us are blurring. You are supposed to feel all magical and nostalgic at WDW - They spend a lot of money convincing the guests this is what we're getting and they do it both subliminally and over the top. We all have fallen for it on some level.

But a funny thing is happening as the next generation grows older. Many kids, who are products of trips to Universal as well as WDW, who are starting to have families or will be having families soon are going to have this nostalgia and warm and fuzzies toward Universal more and more. Disney is getting stale. Hey, lots of kids don't care about Snow White, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, etc. They aren't relevant. So beyond the built in affection of the 'old folks,' Disney's natural advantage is going to fade ESPECIALLY if WDW continues to trail Universal in product development.

These are just my opinions, of course. But over the past 25 years I've gone from WDW fanatic and apologist to seeing things through my own eyes rather than just seeing things the way they would choose me to (which was through my childrens eyes). Universal is not WDW but they are not trying to be and WDW is not Universal and they're not trying to be. But they're both after our dollar and this past year Universal kicked Disney where it hurts most (the financial sheet and the ego).

 

[Josh Hendy]

Amen, it's nothing special IMO.
Reflecting on it I think my major hang up is that it feels like a commercial (for California). The other is that it cuts abruptly from scene to scene. Make some smooth "hidden" transitions, drop California only destinations and put some spectacular scenery flybys like the Grand Canyon or the pyramids. Also put different random flight plans in to increase re re-ridability.
Think it would improve this ride 100%.

It's a very pleasant ride, but even though I had a fastpass on the one time that I rode it (3 or 4 years ago) it was by far the longest wait I have ever had in EPCOT for any ride, and it was by far the worst queue I have ever seen (reminiscent of the back corridors of a mall where the bathrooms and offices are located). The location is also bad, out on a fringe of the park between 2 totally unrelated pavilions.

I agree about cutting from scene to scene. When I saw this attraction I wondered why they didn't try harder to disguise the cuts more, by flying in and out of clouds or something. Maybe the CG technology wasn't available back in the day, but nowadays they could CG the entire movie if they wanted to.

Also, I really don't get why they show what is basically the same IMAX movie ... year ... after year ... after year. It doesn't look like it was all that expensive to film. About 5 minutes of 70mm IMAX film made from a helicopter, and 5 seconds of a CG golfball. Why wouldn't they go out and film a new one, say, every year or every 2 years at the very longest? They could move the different films around between parks, even bring them back to the same park every once in a while. Every IMAX theatre changes its movies regularly, why not Soarin? There is new digital technology now (see the Blue Planet nature documentaries) where they do tracking and flying shots that are un-freaking-believable. Maybe the HD format doesn't match up well with the projector/screen combo at Soarin, but they should at least take this kind of film as a source of ideas and energy to improve on their little movie about California.

As for Spiderman ... it didn't do much for me (the 3D and the motion made me rather nauseous) but I can appreciate why so many people consider this to be a stupendous ride, above and beyond practically any 3D attraction at WDW. And HP from what many people are saying is a big step above and beyond Spiderman. I don't think that WDW should try to emulate the scariness/thrill/whiplash effects of the best rides at Universal (Hulk, Ripsaw, HP, Spiderman, Mummy, Rip Ride Rockit ...) but within their chosen niche, they seem to have stagnated for the last several years. Ever since Expedition Everest, IMHO. The Fantasyland expansion looks very promising, but I think they should be announcing and working on a few more new rides in the other parks as well, and try to regain their spot at the leading edge.

 

[ASteelersMidget]

I like Soarin with the exception of a few things.

1: If you are in the front, you see the top of the screen. while in row 2 or 3, you get the lovely view of peoples feet

2: the same movie over and over again is starting to get old

3: the wait is long, and the que is borring

as for why no spiderman ride, i think it's because of disney's target audience.

They are trying to design rides for their target audience which i believe to be young kids and families with young kids.

for this reason they are focusing more on attractions to please their target audience, not as much big thrilling 3D motion simulators

 

[jade1]

Soarin is OK (we wont do without FP), we hit it once or so every other trip. But any ride you can recreate in your garage (anybody still have that utube video?) isnt that impressive IMO.

That said WDW will eventually wake up and get impressive new attractions.