Can Anyone Recap How Ariel Opened in Summer 2011?

[Delilah1310]

Hello. We are planning a trip in early June with extended family.

With the possibility that Carsland *MIGHT* be opening, I was curious to read up a bit about how Ariel opened last summer -- I'm thinking it might be handled the same way??

After an opening date was official, was there a "soft" open?
Did they do anything special as far as resort guests getting passes?
Did it open at regular hours, or was it back of any early entrence options?

thanks in advance for any details you can recall.

 

[sonnyjane]

Hello. We are planning a trip in early June with extended family.

With the possibility that Carsland *MIGHT* be opening, I was curious to read up a bit about how Ariel opened last summer -- I'm thinking it might be handled the same way??

After an opening date was official, was there a "soft" open?
Did they do anything special as far as resort guests getting passes?
Did it open at regular hours, or was it back of any early entrence options?

thanks in advance for any details you can recall.

I want to first preface everything I say by saying that Carsland may be ENTIRELY different. Little Mermaid is a single, fast-loading ride whereas Carsland is an entire "land", with the Radiator Springs Racers being the main attraction.

That said, yes, when Little Mermaid opened, it had soft openings prior to the official date. They did both special AP preview events as well as general public soft openings for people that happened to be in the area. I want to say this started about two weeks before the official opening.

For a while they offered special FP's to people staying at the on-site resorts to come up whenever they wanted, but eventually that morphed into the ride being open 30 minutes earlier for resort guests only. I don't think that will happen with Carsland because it would be logistically much more complicated, but that's my opinion of course.

Truth be told, very little is known about the opening - certainly there is no date - and therefore any promotion that might be offered to guests staying on-site is a mystery.

 

[skiingfast]

After an opening date was official, was there a "soft" open?
Did they do anything special as far as resort guests getting passes?
Did it open at regular hours, or was it back of any early entrence options?

It soft opened for CMs, and APs.

Last summer Fall and post Christmas they gave and are giving resort guests two FPs to use on any attraction. This was intended for LM and ST though LM didn't need it days after opening.

LM opened with the early entry into DCA at 9am. Only resort guests could ride until almost 10am the official park opening.


LM is not a good example to use for this summers opening of Carsland. LM is not an E ticket attraction and has very high capacity. It went down to a low line super quick because, people didn't want to ride multiple times, and it could handle crowds easily.


ST had huge lines for most of the summer. FP for it went super fast. It had some abnormal ride restrictions because of the high demand for it.


Carsland is hard to predict. DCA is going to be a very different park next summer. It been changing a lot since adding TSMM, then WoC then LM. Basic park operation are changing there.

DCA already got longer hours, and may need more hours. It may have enough crowds to do a real MM like DL does. Carsland will be very busy. The three attraction will each probably have long lines. Rock Spring Racers will have FP, and may have a 120-180 minute wait.

 

[sonnyjane]

LM is not a good example to use for this summers opening of Carsland. LM is not an E ticket attraction and has very high capacity. It went down to a low line super quick because, people didn't want to ride multiple times, and it could handle crowds easily.


ST had huge lines for most of the summer. FP for it went super fast. It had some abnormal ride restrictions because of the high demand for it.

Thanks for mentioning Star Tours. I was going to say in my first post that Little Mermaid probably isn't a good comparison, but ST is much closer. Star Tours had a more competitive "soft opening" if you will, in that AP holders had to enter a contest to get to see a preview at a predetermined date and time (and NO, not everyone won, because I entered and didn't get one hehe). Then, ST would open randomly throughout the day in the week or two that they were also doing the AP previews and some general admission guests were able to snag a soft opening ride as well. Guests staying on-site got 2 FP's for any ride and a vast majority of them went to ST (as was anticipated). ST ran out of FP's by the afternoon on most days since opening (sometimes as early as an hour after opening!). I think the Racers at Carsland will be like this for the summer - running out of FP's quite early and a 120 min. wait would certainly be a reasonable expectation.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

It may have enough crowds to do a real MM like DL does.

We've been seeing Disney rumor people like Al Lutz suggest that possibility for a while now. I know I've certainly been thinking that Disney might finally have enough demand to make MM for DCA a desirable guest option. Interestingly, when we were entering DCA a couple of days ago, a CM reached up to turn the sign above the entry turnstiles from ENTER to EXIT. I got to see all the gate labels roll by as he did that, and MAGIC MORNING was one of them, so they have the signage installed already for whenever they want to pull the trigger on this. A small thing, but telling; at least they're looking ahead this time.

 

[sonnyjane]

Interestingly, when we were entering DCA a couple of days ago, a CM reached up to turn the sign above the entry turnstiles from ENTER to EXIT. I got to see all the gate labels roll by as he did that, and MAGIC MORNING was one of them, so they have the signage installed already for whenever they want to pull the trigger on this. A small thing, but telling; at least they're looking ahead this time.

Cool!

 

[skiingfast]

Interestingly, when we were entering DCA a couple of days ago, a CM reached up to turn the sign above the entry turnstiles from ENTER to EXIT. I got to see all the gate labels roll by as he did that, and MAGIC MORNING was one of them, so they have the signage installed already for whenever they want to pull the trigger on this. A small thing, but telling; at least they're looking ahead this time.

That is a good sighting.

I've never thought to look up, but perhaps when entering DCA between 9:30 and 10am does it say MM?

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

That is a good sighting.

I've never thought to look up, but perhaps when entering DCA between 9:30 and 10am does it say MM?

We never went between those hours last week, so I don't know what current practice is. I'm pretty sure but not positive that it didn't display MM at 9:30 when the old turnstiles were in use; I think it just said Enter.

 

[skiingfast]

We never went between those hours last week, so I don't know what current practice is. I'm pretty sure but not positive that it didn't display MM at 9:30 when the old turnstiles were in use; I think it just said Enter.

That is my though too, maybe this came with the new turnstyles. I just never have looked at the sign on them. Maybe this subject coming up here will provoke someone to look closely in the next few weeks.

 

[Delilah1310]

Thanks for the insights.
I just wanted to get an idea of the kinds of things Disneyland has done in the past.
But I know you guys are right -- this is a bit of uncharted territory.

I wish our trip could be later in the year, but if nothing is quite ready yet, then we'll just have to come back some other time.

thanks everyone!

 

[Huff]

Mermaids soft opened prior to AP'ers schedule preview. On the days we visited it was open off and on during each day. Never knew when it might be open, just had to wander by and see.

Same with Star Tours. We rode it several days prior to the AP event. Pretty much the same story with all new ride openings. Soft openings are unannounced and hit or miss during any given day.