Disappointed in seven dwarfs mine ride!

[Angel Ariel]

As it stands right now....that's what I've been told by CMs who worked in AK. Can they change it going forward? Sure. I just think that so few attractions can function when it's dark in AK, that they had fewer guests. I'm sure that when the new stuff is up and running, the ability to watch guests will be improved.
Most animals weren't out and about after sunset...which made AK pretty boring. You couldn't do the trails, no safari. With the new stuff coming, things will change.

I agree ak was boring after dark...imo, that's why they close it earlier. The park is a ghost town by 5, and it probably.doesn't make much sense to staff it for the very few number of people there.

That , to me, is different than it being too.difficult to keep an eye on guests.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Sorry, but I don't think I'm sticking up for Disney. If some don't have an issue with it they have to be drinking the Kool-Aid? Disagree. I don't think it is a short coming. I get the kind of theme park experience I'm looking for at WDW. I don't think that makes me a sheeple. Perhaps my expectations are lower than yours. So be it. You're entitled to your opinion....and that's exactly what it is, your opinion. Doesn't make you right, or wrong. I know what I want in a theme park. When WDW no longer meets that need, I'll go elsewhere.

As for 'the animals need to go to bed at 5pm' goes? I think it's a much more basic thing than that. I truly believe it's hard to monitor behavior of guests after dark in that park. I have to believe that's one reason they started closing the park so early. I could be way off base here though. Disney can pretty much do what they want...it's their resort. If people don't like the way disney does things, and they don't want to be there, they don't need to go, whatever the reason.

I guess your quote hits the nail on the head. Your expectations are lower then mine.

Why do I have such high expectations you might ask? I think it is mainly due to the fact that innovation,technology, cleanliness, great value for the money are the reason's why Disney became #1 in the first place. Now myself and many others associate Disney with the terms ripoff, dirty, old, over hyped, and penny pinching.

I hope someday Disney will learn their lesson for all of their cost cutting measures in the past 10 years but I doubt it. The masses keep on coming in droves and are rewarding them for what they have done.

 

[DavidNYC]

I hope someday Disney will learn their lesson for all of their cost cutting measures in the past 10 years but I doubt it. The masses keep on coming in droves and are rewarding them for what they have done.

So if the massess are coming in droves rewarding them for what they have done, do you think that perhaps your expectations about what Disney needs to do may be off rather than everyone elses . . .?

Disney has learned their lesson - record crowds and record profits. I don't love every decision Disney makes and anyone here with a post count about 50 is not your average Disney visitor and will have more complaints about things that don't personally suit them - but you cannot deny that Disney knows what they're doing.

 

[rastuso]

So if the massess are coming in droves rewarding them for what they have done, do you think that perhaps your expectations about what Disney needs to do may be off rather than everyone elses . . .?

Disney has learned their lesson - record crowds and record profits. I don't love every decision Disney makes and anyone here with a post count about 50 is not your average Disney visitor and will have more complaints about things that don't personally suit them - but you cannot deny that Disney knows what they're doing.

You can deny that disney knows what they are doing. For short term, they are doing things that don't hurt them. Long term, however, no on knows if they are doing the right thing. The fact that two parks that used to not draw, combined, what the lowest Disney Park drew are now poised to perhaps draw more individually than Disney's worst. And Disney has NOTHING big on the horizon (C'mon, Avatarland is Soarin' 2 and nice scenery, nothing to change vacation plans over).

Will Disney drop to number 2 in Orlando, of course not. Will their kidnapping plans still continue to work? That's definitely an unknown.

-Jason

 

[Bob Roberts]

So if the massess are coming in droves rewarding them for what they have done, do you think that perhaps your expectations about what Disney needs to do may be off rather than everyone elses . . .?

Disney has learned their lesson - record crowds and record profits. I don't love every decision Disney makes and anyone here with a post count about 50 is not your average Disney visitor and will have more complaints about things that don't personally suit them - but you cannot deny that Disney knows what they're doing.

My expectations are based on what Disney has done in the past to get to the top in the first place. I believe the sole reason why people are coming in droves is due to the "keeping up with the Jones" high entitlement, high consumption, live beyond our means society that is pushed down our throats on a day to day basis. Vacations are now considered a status symbol, and due to all the cheap available credit as well as family's not being afraid to go into serious debt, compounded with lack of incentive for savings these days, leads to record numbers for Disney.

You are correct about Disney knowing what they are doing right now. They capitalize on this YOLO society and are relying on their good name from the past and using it to their advantage to nickel and dime customers as well as cut corners all around.

Now will this help them in the long term? Only time will tell, but if I was a betting man I would say no.

 

[freediverdude]

I thought the mine train was cute, makes you smile, although a bit short. What really bothered me was the lack of merchandise afterward. Disney is leaving a lot of money on the table here. No mine train t-shirt, had to hunt down the only pin available with a cast member. Some dwarf and Snow White merch in the Pooh shop, but just the normal stuff they always have. I was all set to buy a $30 t-shirt, or if it was a really nice shirt, they could have gotten $40 out of me. The t-shirts would have been selling like hotcakes if they made one and put them out near the entrance/exit somewhere. No die cast ride vehicle, no nothing. Lot of money left on the table by Disney merchandising there.

Oh, but of course there's a DVC kiosk built into the mountain instead.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Why don't you buy a Magic Bands t shirt? They have lots of those suckers in stock.

 

[Davey Jones II]

They don't scare me, but I can't ride things like the hulk without getting a neck and headache. I don't enjoy them anymore.

This is but yeah...The Hulk is a rough ride. I tried it twice, and couldn't wait for it to end. It pains me to say that, because it's a superbly designed thrill machine. But the damn thing rattles and really gives me a headache. I really think it needs a refurb.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Same here. On a hot humid day, my vision can start to black out during the first few inversions on the Hulk.

Yes!! I did come close to passing out on that ride! And I've done every ride at Magic Mountain, so I'm not a roller coaster weakling!

 

[DOOM1001]

This is but yeah...The Hulk is a rough ride. I tried it twice, and couldn't wait for it to end. It pains me to say that, because it's a superbly designed thrill machine. But the damn thing rattles and really gives me a headache. I really think it needs a refurb.

You should have ridden it in the first few years it was opened,it was very smooth,agree that it has gotten rough over the years.Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge however still feels like it did when new.

 

[DisUniversal]

Why don't you buy a Magic Bands t shirt? They have lots of those suckers in stock.

Do they really have such a thing?

 

[surferdave]

Do they really have such a thing?

I think the kid in the Mine Train commercial who shoots the dorky look at the older girl over the top of his sunglasses should be wearing one of these.

 

[sonofanarchy]

I think the kid in the Mine Train commercial who shoots the dorky look at the older girl over the top of his sunglasses should be wearing one of these.

Why in the world would anyone want to wear, let alone spend money on one of those shirts?

 

[rastuso]

Why in the world would anyone want to wear, let alone spend money on one of those shirts?

Well, I'm sure they are a great price at no more than $19.99. And you can pay for it WITH your band!!! How great is that?

-Jason

 

[FlipHipster]

Why in the world would anyone want to wear, let alone spend money on one of those shirts?

I'm waiting for the one that says "My theme park spent $1b and all I got was this lousy bracelet."

 

[pixie08]

I haven't personally been on it yet but a few friends of mine (all Disney die hards) all expressed disappointment as well!

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I wonder if Universal will still be laughing if/when Disney pulls the Marvel plug out from under them...

That being said....you were apparently mislead or uninformed if you thought this was a thrill ride. This is nothing more than a family attraction dark ride themed to a mine train. It was never sold as anything else. It was never mentioned it would contain more scenes than what is inside the mine. Never mind the fact there is another scene after the mine. We shall ignore that fact.

In fact at no point do I ever remember the the expansion listing tons of thrill rides for fantasyland. If you want to go to an amusement park go to an amusement park. Disney is in the business of themeparks. I can live without all the rollercoasters and I actually like rollercoasters but I don't go to Disney for rollercoasters. I can stay a heck of a lot closer to home for rollercoasters just as good as anything Universal offers. If I went to Universal it would be for its themed attractions.

Agreed. I am a huge Universal and a huge Disney fan. Outside of a few rides at each park (Space Mountain, EE, Dinasaur,RRRC, etc.) Disney is solely theme rides (and even those faster rides still have a theme to them). I go to Universal for one reason and Disney for another.

 

[Bob Roberts]

The Magic Band t-shirt personally tells me how much intelligence Disney thinks their customers have. What a joke, a t-shirt promoting a GPS tracking device on your arm that monitors your every move. I find the whole thing offensive and its a breach of the United States Constitution.

 

[LBIJim]

The Magic Band t-shirt personally tells me how much intelligence Disney thinks their customers have. What a joke, a t-shirt promoting a GPS tracking device on your arm that monitors your every move. I find the whole thing offensive and its a breach of the United States Constitution.

Well, Disney is quite accurate in estimating the intelligence of a significant percentage of its guests. At least half the stuff they sell is useless junk yet it flys off the shelves. And with Magic Bands, it's not like people are actually PAYING for any of the crap.

Jim

 

[Bob Roberts]

Well, Disney is quite accurate in estimating the intelligence of a significant percentage of its guests. At least half the stuff they sell is useless junk yet it flys off the shelves. And with Magic Bands, it's not like people are actually PAYING for any of the crap.

Jim

You are correct about useless junk flying off the shelves at Disney. I shake my head when I see young family's buying things they will never use again and are most likely going into high interest debt while doing it.