Disney no longer coming up with original ideas for rides

[skier_pete]

Synergy...movies sell parks...parks sell movies...it's the circle of life.

The fact is, rides not based on existing IP is generally the exception, NOT the rule. The early stuff at Disney was all based on concepts that Walt worked on in his movies or TV shows. (The Matterhorn was for instance based off of the filming of "Third Man on the Mountain".)

And some of the more "recent" attractions were based off original ideas. Soarin' and Expedition Everest are about 10 years old, and not based on existing properties.

However, I think it is less and less likely. The idea of selling people to come to Disney World for a new "generic space ride" is a much harder sell than if you tell people there building a "Star Wars Land". Likewise, Disney brass I'm sure feels that if they had spent half a billion dollars to add Beastly Kingdom to AK would have not sold people on coming to the park, yet Avatar will hopefully do the same trick.

(Of course, Universal is not much different. Have they opened something outside of Rip Ride Rockit that is not based on iP?)

 

[lockedoutlogic]

So we have "the queues are amazing".

Right... I don't actually disagree... Disney is great at queues.

But queues are basically still a line...it can only be so much of the experience...

And joe rohde queues gobbled up funds over at that park like nobody's business...they cost us rides - to be honest.

And if Disney wants us to "experience the queues"...why did they spend every minute since ak opened coming up with two systems to attempt to circumvent them?

Gotta set the bar a little higher here.

Have to judge everest at best as an incomplete. And honestly - I really like the ride with the moving yeti.

It would be like splash without the "laughing place" sequences of the tower of terror without the corridor fade...

Nobody would put up with it - and everyone knows it.

 

[rteetz]

So we have "the queues are amazing".

Right... I don't actually disagree... Disney is great at queues.

But queues are basically still a line...it can only be so much of the experience...

And joe rohde queues gobbled up funds over at that park like nobody's business...they cost us rides - to be honest.

And if Disney wants us to "experience the queues"...why did they spend every minute since ak opened coming up with two systems to attempt to circumvent them?

Gotta set the bar a little higher here.

Have to judge everest at best as an incomplete. And honestly - I really like the ride with the moving yeti.

It would be like splash without the "laughing place" sequences of the tower of terror without the corridor fade...

Nobody would put up with it - and everyone knows it.

I agree but I don't know what it was like to experience the yeti. It was under construction still when I went in 2005. Then I wasn't back until 2012.

 

[umichigan10]

the way I look at it, quality is quality when it comes to attractions. Whether it be based on an IP or not, if it has the quality storyline and execution it's good to go in my book. I think we've seen glimmers of this in the mine train (very good theming, could use some more length in my book) along with the overall theming of the fantasyland expansion. But I agree with a pp, it's not imagineerings fault in the big picture, but the suits who limit whether or not we get a quality, jaw dropping attraction

 

[Astridia]

Agreed. when we were there last we rode Winnie the Pooh. The music was playing but none of the animitronics were moving and the the ride's narrative was off. When we got off the ride I notified a cast member. But according to him, they already knew about this, Well if that was the case, why were they still loading people onto the ride? Why wasn't it shut down?

I feel like the park managers think their guests are too stupid to notice the differences.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

They're pulling in too much money to care at this point. The days of customer service, maintainence and real innovention is over. Unless there is another travel lull or people start moving away from Disney it's not going to change.

 

[Astridia]

They're pulling in too much money to care at this point. The days of customer service, maintainence and real innovention is over. Unless there is another travel lull or people start moving away from Disney it's not going to change.

I think this is a WDW problem. I don't see these types of failures happening at DLR. But unhappily, I agree with your assessment.

 

[I M Fearless]

I have to disagree on the way queues are managed. I feel they very much can and should be a part of the ride...

The stretching room at HM is essentially part of the queue for the ride. The same with ETWB.

If they introduce mini pre-shows into the queue or movement through scenes, they could manage throughput of people onto the main part of the ride, while incorporating a build up to the attraction as part of the line.

They seem to be building this into new attractions and I think the retro fit of elements to PP and BTM are positive.

I agree that running a ride with elements missing is poor show. I rode BTM in March at night and the whole flooded town scene was in darkness, the phosphorescent pools were in darkness. It was more like riding Space mountain than BTM. Again when I informed a cast member at the end of the ride he said "yes we know"

Look at the state of the river boat at DLP to see how bad things can get. I am astonished to see how Disney have left that thing decaying in plain sight of paying guests.

 

[Astridia]

I have to disagree on the way queues are managed. I feel they very much can and should be a part of the ride...

The stretching room at HM is essentially part of the queue for the ride. The same with ETWB.

If they introduce mini pre-shows into the queue or movement through scenes, they could manage throughput of people onto the main part of the ride, while incorporating a build up to the attraction as part of the line.

They seem to be building this into new attractions and I think the retro fit of elements to PP and BTM are positive.

I agree that running a ride with elements missing is poor show. I rode BTM in March at night and the whole flooded town scene was in darkness, the phosphorescent pools were in darkness. It was more like riding Space mountain than BTM. Again when I informed a cast member at the end of the ride he said "yes we know"

Look at the state of the river boat at DLP to see how bad things can get. I am astonished to see how Disney have left that thing decaying in plain sight of paying guests.

I didn't see the queue on PP, but I don't like the new interactive queues on HM, Pooh , and Soarin' I don't think installing video games constitutes theming. AT DCA, the Soarin' line has pictures of aviators and their historical significance underneath the photos.. IMO, that's well themed.

 

[I M Fearless]

I think this is a WDW problem. I don't see these types of failures happening at DLR. But unhappily, I agree with your assessment.

Disneyland went through this phase of deferred maintenance in the 90's and it was only when attendance suffered that a change in management brought about a new direction in the way these sorts of issues are resolved.

All indications are that DLR attendance is growing year on year.

But, and it's a big BUT, attendance is not a problem at WDW, if anything they could increase prices , loose quality and loose some attendance and it would be an advantage to them.

 

[I M Fearless]

I think elements like the library scene in ToT make the ride so much better, I like the things they've added to Pooh, I think if you consider the target audience it works well, the same for the Dumbo re theme.

I just wish they would keep everything working rather than letting things go on not working properly.

 

[Astridia]

I think elements like the library scene in ToT make the ride so much better, I like the things they've added to Pooh, I think if you consider the target audience it works well, the same for the Dumbo re theme.

I just wish they would keep everything working rather than letting things go on not working properly.

I shouldve been more speciifc on Pooh. The play area is great, but those video screens are Meh.

 

[I M Fearless]

Yes, I agree, they are my least favourite part of it, but I would think once in a lifetime visitors may take momentary interest in them. I don't mind as long as the theming doesn't detract from the attraction, I think the "through the mirror scene" and effect in ETWB is really good and adds a lot to the overall experience.

I think these little mini scenes in the queue add so much to the attraction.

 

[cjparker0110]

I don't know that there is much for me to add but I'll comment with a few thoughts:

As others have stated, rides based on IP are going to sell and attract. They also feature endless tie-ins with DVD, t-shirts, toys, etc. This is marketing 101 and Disney does it well.

I realize Expedition Everest was not based on IP, but it was based on previous ideas: the Yeti is well known and Mt. Everest is well known. Put together that combo on a roller coaster sells because people are interested in both.

For me, I really don't care if the ride is based on a Disney movie, or some completely original idea. What I care about is the ride experience and the theme carrying throughout the queue to the exit. Disney does this better than anyone else. It doesn't matter if it's Muppets, Nemo, Star Wars, Toy Story....Disney does it right.

That said, I didn't know the Yeti doesn't work. That's a bummer. When I last rode it (2007) he worked fine. He was for sure 75% of the thrill of that section of the ride. Without him, it is a waste IMO. Yes...it's a fun little thrill ride either way, but I've been on bigger, better, faster coasters that I find MUCH more thrilling. But the theme are what make that a good coaster. It's kind of like Space Mountain. Have you ever been on it when the lights are on? It's dumb. But with the lights off it is an amazing ride! The theme is what makes a ride.

Is the best work done when there is a blank slate? Maybe. Maybe not. The Seas with Nemo and Friends is a FAR better attraction than the Living Seas ever was. And there they had to make a ride fit in a preexisting attraction...that is even more of a limit than the usual IP based ride faces.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

The changes to the queues are not about theme but about distraction. With the stand by times increasing its about keeping people from focusing on how long they are waiting and less on the show. It's their way of saying "Sorry you couldn't get a FP+ for 7dmt but the line is really cool".

 

[rteetz]

Agreed. when we were there last we rode Winnie the Pooh. The music was playing but none of the animitronics were moving and the the ride's narrative was off. When we got off the ride I notified a cast member. But according to him, they already knew about this, Well if that was the case, why were they still loading people onto the ride? Why wasn't it shut down?

I feel like the park managers think their guests are too stupid to notice the differences.

That is TDO for ya.

 

[rteetz]

I have to disagree on the way queues are managed. I feel they very much can and should be a part of the ride...

The stretching room at HM is essentially part of the queue for the ride. The same with ETWB.

If they introduce mini pre-shows into the queue or movement through scenes, they could manage throughput of people onto the main part of the ride, while incorporating a build up to the attraction as part of the line.

They seem to be building this into new attractions and I think the retro fit of elements to PP and BTM are positive.

I agree that running a ride with elements missing is poor show. I rode BTM in March at night and the whole flooded town scene was in darkness, the phosphorescent pools were in darkness. It was more like riding Space mountain than BTM. Again when I informed a cast member at the end of the ride he said "yes we know"

Look at the state of the river boat at DLP to see how bad things can get. I am astonished to see how Disney have left that thing decaying in plain sight of paying guests.

DLP is a different ballgame. That was owned by SCA Euro Disney and they didn't really put much of anything into that park. Finally now that Disney owns it they will do something.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Does it really surprise anyone that they won't fix the Yeti when the solution to the broken paperboy in Spaceship Earth was to spin him around so he's selling to a dark alley?

 

[rteetz]

Does it really surprise anyone that they won't fix the Yeti when the solution to the broken paperboy in Spaceship Earth was to spin him around so he's selling to a dark alley?

Well the yeti is much more complex than the paper boy. That being said there was a time when if something didn't work it would be taken down immediately. TDO doesn't like refurbs because then they have guests complain about the rides not being open. Look at pirates as an example started as a 4.5 month refurb now down to 3. Phil Holmes was told it needed six months and of course he wouldn't allow that. It's all about those once in a lifetime visitors because that's where the most money comes in.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

Well the yeti is much more complex than the paper boy. That being said there was a time when if something didn't work it would be taken down immediately. TDO doesn't like refurbs because then they have guests complain about the rides not being open. Look at pirates as an example started as a 4.5 month refurb now down to 3. Phil Holmes was told it needed six months and of course he wouldn't allow that. It's all about those once in a lifetime visitors because that's where the most money comes in.

That was really kind of my point. When you start letting the relatively small things go you have no hope of getting the big things taken care of.