Differences between DLR and WDW coasters?

[anonymousegirl]

Hi all,
I remember hearing that when the Imagineers put in the coasters at WDW they "weenied" them to appeal to more guests. Is this or was this ever true? I rode Splash at DLR back in the 80s and I remember hating the drop, and when I re-rode it at WDW this past summer, I didn't hate it at all.

So my question is for those who have ridden Splash, Space, and BTMRR at both parks, how do they compare?

Also, I know that Space at DLR just finished a huge overhaul. Can anyone tell me what Disney changed?

Thanks

 

[bumbershoot]

I can only speak about what Iv'e read, but I have read that Space at the two parks don't compare at all. That including the different "car", Space at WDW is more like Matterhorn than Space at DLR. Shaky, not sitting side by side, etc.

And that's all I know.

But I've never heard that they "weenied" the coasters at WDW....

 

[LavenderPeach]

I don't know if they "weenied" the coasters at WDW but I know that Space is a lot different at WDW than at DLR (at least it was 8 years ago). We thought it was more like the Matterhorn. It had the same type of cars as the Matterhorn where you ride one in front of the other and it had the same type of jerky track that gives you a headache. I can't comment on the other ones because DH had a cold the day we went to the Magic Kingdom at WDW and we didn't go on very many rides.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I think some of it has to do with the ride configurations. You have to remember that in WDW, they had more physical room to build, so the mountains are physically larger and more spread out and there is more space to make the attraction a bit longer or less compact. You notice that in the sizing of the canals in Splash. Pirates is a great example of that too, as there is more space between the boat and the scene at WDW.

Splash
seating:
DL - one behind the other / WDW - side by side (gives you security of someone to grab onto) also allows for increased capacity/numbers of guests per hour

BTMR
different track configurations and scenery:
DL - more compact - little town at the end / WDW track loops out over RoA.

Space
Seating:
DL - side by side / WDW - one behind the other
Track:
DL - new rehab to tubular steel - very, very smooth and much zippier. Enhanced darkness - they sealed all light leaks and it's much darker now. Sound system in cars with themed music. Single track.
WDW - older track - a bit jerkier - can't remember soundtrack also 2 tracks entwined in the same building for better capacity.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Disneyland's new Space Mountain is spectacular. They replaced the entire track and have a new sound system and music. Very, very smooth and very fast. Before the refurb, the difference between the two basically came down to personal preference, but now the consensus is that Disneyland's Space is superior. WDW's is good, but Disneyland's is better.

As for BTMRR, I rode it once at opening in WDW and thought it was very slow, but that may have been because it had just barely opened. My brother rode it later and told me that the second time it was much faster and more like the Disneyland version we're used to.

I think Splash is the same height at both parks. WDW's version apparently runs a little bit slower than Disneyland's though.

As far as "weenieing" the attractions more at WDW, the show buildings for all of these are virtually identical at both parks, so I'm not sure I understand what you mean. In fact I think Disneyland has far better show buildings than the MK, especially in Fantasyland.

 

[HydroGuy]

IMO, of the three none are identical but BTMRR is the closest in experience. I have a slight preference for the one at MK.

Splash Mtn is different and to most people (including me) seems longer at MK but I understand that is an illusion because it moves more slowly than at DL. Most people seem to prefer Splash at MK over DL.

Space Mtn is the most different and the DL version is much better by my and just about everyone else's account. The improvements were discussed very well by Yellow poster above.

Other coasters at the resorts for completeness:

DLR - Matterhorn, California Screamin, Gadget's Go Coaster. Mulholland Madness should also be mentioned. It is similar in some respects to Primeval Whirl as far as being "carnival-like" and not well-themed.

WDW - Expedition Everest, Rock N Rollercoaster, Goofy's Barnstormer. And Primeval Whirl is a coaster of sorts.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I agree with Hydroguy on Mullholland Madness vs. Primeval Whirl. You can really tell that they were built by the same company. With the exception of PW being bigger due to having 2 tracks and the spinning cars (once again due to the need for higher capacity and having more land to build on), the tracks have fairly identical components in design. Just more stuff for you too look at while trying not to puke!

In regards to the theming, I do think the top of Mullholland does give me a taste of the "drive off the road if you're not careful" feeling I get everytime I drive the actual road Mullholland. (Problem is, with the road, I get the PW puking thing as well! )

I liked Bumbershoot's comparison between WDW Space and Matterhorn. The ride vehicles are mostly identical (except that Space has more seat dividers). The ride/track feel is very similar, with the exception of the obvious changes in the build/shape of the track layout.

I think Splash's slower feeling comes from the increased size. Both systems rely on the well-timed drops to propel the boats through the transition canals. At WDW, they have more horizontal canals to get you around the increased mountain diameter, so the physics of the "push energy" that you get from the drops is reduced during the trip around the mountain circumference, as well as the larger boat size. In the smaller environment of DL, with it's shorter time between drops and smaller boats, the same drop force propels you farther and faster.

Is my science geekdom showing?

PS - I like Barnstormer better than Gadget's only because of the theming. I think Barn is a bit zippier and love the chickens when they are squawking! But - maybe it's because I tend to get spit on by the frogs every time!!!!

 

[anonymousegirl]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am not very mechanically-minded and I can barely spell Physics, much less understand them, but what I meant by the term "weenied" is whether the Imagineers designed the WDW coasters to have less of a stomach-wrenching drop ratio on Space, Splash, and BTMRR. Does that make more sense?

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

I understand what you mean now. Actually, I feel the gut drops more on WDW than DL.

I think BTMR has more of a drop/airtime on that 2nd to last hump - the one that kicks you down under the rocks than the one here.

The bigger boats of WDW Splash give more weight, so a faster drop.

On Space at DL - you tend to zip through the track a bit smoother and faster and it isn't as high on a final drop as WDW.

Yep - I would say the rides are spunkier at WDW.

 

[JaneJetson]

We love Space Mountain at DL. We HATED Space Mountain at WDW. It was the first ride we went on when we got there. We also picked up fast passes for later. After we went on it, we gave our fast passes away. It was awful and PAINFUL. It's similar to the Matterhorn, but the I don't think the Matterhorn is as painful.

Space Mountain at WDW has no music. It was just blah. Not a fan.

 

[JaneJetson]

IMO, of the three none are identical but BTMRR is the closest in experience. I have a slight preference for the one at MK.

Splash Mtn is different and to most people (including me) seems longer at MK but I understand that is an illusion because it moves more slowly than at DL. Most people seem to prefer Splash at MK over DL.

Space Mtn is the most different and the DL version is much better by my and just about everyone else's account. The improvements were discussed very well by Yellow poster above.

Other coasters at the resorts for completeness:

DLR - Matterhorn, California Screamin, Gadget's Go Coaster. Mulholland Madness should also be mentioned. It is similar in some respects to Primeval Whirl as far as being "carnival-like" and not well-themed.

WDW - Expedition Everest, Rock N Rollercoaster, Goofy's Barnstormer. And Primeval Whirl is a coaster of sorts.

I think Mulholland Madness has a decent theme. Primeval whirl is dinosaur themed but doesn't have much to see (which is fine because you're spinning and can't see much anyway.)

It's not a "coaster of sorts." It is a coaster. A wild-mouse coaster. I actually really enjoy wild mouse coasters...especially the ones that spin.