BTMRR refurbished ?

[jkh36619]

Anyone know what was done on the latest refurb? The ride seems different.

 

[pangyal]

We didn't notice any changes other than that the ride was smoother overall. We were hoping for the DL effects.

 

[jkh36619]

OK. Maybe it's in my head but it seems slower and "less thrilling" to me

 

[Blue32]

OK. Maybe it's in my head but it seems slower and "less thrilling" to me

Did you sit toward the front of the train? I hate sitting toward the front on BTMRR because it feels much slower than in the rear of the train.

 

[Shroog]

It definitely seems different to me too. We just went on it last Sunday, with the time before that being June 2015. I remember a part in the ride where you went over 2 quick hills in a row that made you come out of your seat a little-it was lots of fun, but that wasn't there when we rode it on Sunday.

 

[pangyal]

It definitely seems different to me too. We just went on it last Sunday, with the time before that being June 2015. I remember a part in the ride where you went over 2 quick hills in a row that made you come out of your seat a little-it was lots of fun, but that wasn't there when we rode it on Sunday.

That part is definitely still there! I think it must depend on where you're sitting.

 

[Shroog]

That part is definitely still there! I think it must depend on where you're sitting.

I felt one of the hills, but I don't think there were the 2 in a row, unless you are right-maybe it depends on where you are sitting. I know the first time we rode it on Sunday, we went when in the afternoon and we were near the front, and then we rode it an night and were near the back, and the ride at night was TONS better!

 

[mike_71]

From what I can tell, there is new lighting on the bats, lighting at the top of the climb cave, and new lighting package on the mountain itself

 

[AngiTN]

Just an overall sprucing up of everything. The ride didn't change

 

[stinkpickle]

So it doesn't have the same effects as the one at DL?

 

[AngiTN]

So it doesn't have the same effects as the one at DL?

nope

 

[stinkpickle]

nope

In that case, I'm glad we didn't wait in line the day it reopened.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

They still did a really good job, though! The exterior was repainted in a more vibrant color scheme, the effects were slightly plussed in the first lift hill (new bat lighting scheme and much stronger waterfall that gets you wet unless you lean into the center of the car), there's a new nighttime lighting scheme, the blast/geyser effects have been slightly plussed, and there was an overall basic sprucing up. The trackage was not replaced, so it feels as delightfully rough as ever versus the controversially smooth new trackage at DL, and the side-to-side bunny hops are still there--and as awesome as ever--as the train passes through Tumbleweed.

Unlike the DL and DLP Big Thunder refurbs, MK's version did not get the burning-fuse/dynamite-explosion effect added to the final lift hill. But that's likely because the projection-mapping effect is very finicky and takes a long time to install. The effect was installed at DL and DLP while their mountains were down for around a year and a half, each. TDO won't allow headliners to be closed for that long in Orlando. It's the same reason why the MK Space Mountain refurb brought us off-ride audio and no change to the re-entry tunnels, instead of new rockets with on-board audio systems and those snazzy Anaheim/Hong Kong-style re-entry tunnels.

 

[rteetz]

They still did a really good job, though! The exterior was repainted in a more vibrant color scheme, the effects were slightly plussed in the first lift hill (new bat lighting scheme and much stronger waterfall that gets you wet unless you lean into the center of the car), there's a new nighttime lighting scheme, the blast/geyser effects have been slightly plussed, and there was an overall basic sprucing up. The trackage was not replaced, so it feels as delightfully rough as ever versus the controversially smooth new trackage at DL, and the side-to-side bunny hops are still there--and as awesome as ever--as the train passes through Tumbleweed.

Unlike the DL and DLP Big Thunder refurbs, MK's version did not get the burning-fuse/dynamite-explosion effect added to the final lift hill. But that's likely because the projection-mapping effect is very finicky and takes a long time to install. The effect was installed at DL and DLP while their mountains were down for around a year and a half, each. TDO won't allow headliners to be closed for that long in Orlando. It's the same reason why the MK Space Mountain refurb brought us off-ride audio and no change to the re-entry tunnels, instead of new rockets with on-board audio systems and those snazzy Anaheim/Hong Kong-style re-entry tunnels.

DL! And DLP were closed for over a year because they completely redid the track and everything.

The projection effects were planned to happen at MK during this refurb but they were then cut for an unknown reason. I doubt it was because the projection effects are finicky. They work fine at DL and now DLP.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

DL! And DLP were closed for over a year because they completely redid the track and everything.

The projection effects were planned to happen at MK during this refurb but they were then cut for an unknown reason. I doubt it was because the projection effects are finicky. They work fine at DL and now DLP.

They aren't--or weren't--at DL. They were very finicky at DL and problems with the effects caused multiple delays in re-opening the ride after the refurb. Then post-opening, they often didn't work or mis-timed themselves (especially the explosion.) This was the source of a lot of consternation and also a lot of discussion in the DL forum in 2013 and 2014. I visited multiple times during the refurb and after it ended and followed those discussions on here throughout that time. DL eventually had to go back and slightly re-Imagineer the explosion effect. I assume they applied lessons learned for the DLP refurb. However, adding the effect was time-consuming and wasn't simple, and that was part of the discussion at the time in the DL forum (among other places online where people groused about the refurb and its timetable.)

If the effect was planned and them removed from the plans for the recent MK refurb, that would fit exactly the pattern of what happened with the Space Mountain refurb, which was discussed in detail here on the WDW side of things, with many people complaining that major planned elements were suddenly removed. The consenus which some CMs confirmed here was that the elements (in particular, on-ride audio and profile changes to the tracks) were canceled due to value-engineering by Budget--i.e. cancelled due to cost--going against the wishes of Imagineering.

Some here saw that as a symptom of the way Meg Crofton was managing WDW at the time, with an overemphasis on bean counting and throughput instead of show. I had hoped those kind of decisions ended when George Kalogridis took the helm. In fact, I expect if the effect was pulled, it might have been due to this year's Shanghai-instigated budget cuts. Kalogridis has done so much to put the spotlight back on show in the past three years.

 

[rteetz]

They aren't--or weren't--at DL. They were very finicky at DL and problems with the effects caused multiple delays in re-opening the ride after the refurb. Then post-opening, they often didn't work or mis-timed themselves (especially the explosion.) This was the source of a lot of consternation and also a lot of discussion in the DL forum in 2013 and 2014. I visited multiple times during the refurb and after it ended and followed those discussions on here throughout that time. DL eventually had to go back and slightly re-Imagineer the explosion effect. I assume they applied lessons learned for the DLP refurb. However, adding the effect was time-consuming and wasn't simple, and that was part of the discussion at the time in the DL forum (among other places online where people groused about the refurb and its timetable.)

If the effect was planned and them removed from the plans for the recent MK refurb, that would fit exactly the pattern of what happened with the Space Mountain refurb, which was discussed in detail here on the WDW side of things, with many people complaining that major planned elements were suddenly removed. The consenus which some CMs confirmed here was that the elements (in particular, on-ride audio and profile changes to the tracks) were canceled due to value-engineering by Budget--i.e. cancelled due to cost--going against the wishes of Imagineering.

Some here saw that as a symptom of the way Meg Crofton was managing WDW at the time, with an overemphasis on bean counting and throughput instead of show. I had hoped those kind of decisions ended when George Kalogridis took the helm. In fact, I expect if the effect was pulled, it might have been due to this year's Shanghai-instigated budget cuts. Kalogridis has done so much to put the spotlight back on show in the past three years.

I don't think the projection affects are currently a problem. I could be wrong but MK could have easily added them if they wanted. They do all sorts of projections these days from spaceship earth, to GMR, to Main Street at DLR.

The space mountain refurb that was supposed to happen at WDW was going to be a total rebuild of the ride. This is still needed as the ride is not in great condition.

Many people are easily blaming Shanghai for everything. It's not just Shanghai. Avatar is way over budget. MyMagic+ cost way more than expected and is still costing them money. We are talking billions. Paris has also been part of it as well. Shanghai is definitely a key piece in this but not the only piece.

It's not just Crofton or Kalogridis, the cost cutting and trying to nickle and dime comes from the top. The head of parks and resorts came from consumer products with no parks experience at all. His job is to continue to increase profits without increasing spending.

We will see how long they can keep Star Wars on budget. Iger gave it $1 billion on each coast. If they can stay in that I would be pleasantly surprised.