El Rio del Tiempo to undergo lengthy refurbishment

[mitros]

IMHO, it's a shame that several folks have said, and it has been said before, on other El Rio threads, that they only go on the ride to get out of the sun, and because there is no line. We love it! And because of the "no line" thing, we have actually stayed on the ride for several go-rounds in a row. Just stayed in the boat after everyone else gets out, and we ride again and again all by ourselves!
El Rio del Tiempo is one of our all time favorites, just as Horizons was. I can see a Small World type re-do, fresh paint better sound system, but I woudn't go much beyond that.

 

[DogDawg]

"...I hope they don't change that looping groovy pool bar scene......"

I agree. Nothing says Disney more than the swingers in that hot tub!

3 Caballeros? Bring it on. My DS loves Donald Duck. Besides, IMHO Anything short of turning off the A/C will be an improvement. Now if we could work in a float thru margarita bar.......

 

[Ariel Mae]

Please don't change it, please don't change it.

 

[Paul in CT]

IMHO it's long overdue. We haven't been on it in years because it is so outdated and really wasn't that good when "new".

 

[Uncleromulus]

At least is IS a ride in "ride-challanged" World Showcase---.

 

[MJMcBride]

Ah, nothing says Mexican culture and tradition like Donald Duck.

Maybe. But this ride was far from a classic in my mind. And far from a good representation of Mexican culture too.

 

[raidermatt]

Maybe. But this ride was far from a classic in my mind. And far from a good representation of Mexican culture too.

It was a far better representation than Donald Duck. True, it emphasized the pieces important to most resort tourists, but that's to be expected considering the way things work with the financing of the pavilions (which is another, larger issue)

That said, I have absolutely no problem with an update, and I'm not calling the attraction a classic. But World Showcase isn't the place for character tie-ins. Future World isn't either, for that matter.

Certainly we aren't saying that Disney no longer has the ability to create entertaining attractions without the synergistic cross-promotion of character franchises being involved, are we?

 

[grumpy.uncle]

"...I hope they don't change that looping groovy pool bar scene......"

I agree. Nothing says Disney more than the swingers in that hot tub!

3 Caballeros? Bring it on. My DS loves Donald Duck. Besides, IMHO Anything short of turning off the A/C will be an improvement. Now if we could work in a float thru margarita bar.......

Or how about replacing the water with margarita. You could float thru a giant margarita river and they could change the boats to look like giant limes. You would get a souvenir margarita glass when boarding and just scoop as much as you could consume during the ride. I guarantee it wouldn't be the emptiest ride in world showcase after the word got out. In fact, it would require a Fastpass.

 

[MJMcBride]

That said, I have absolutely no problem with an update, and I'm not calling the attraction a classic. But World Showcase isn't the place for character tie-ins. Future World isn't either, for that matter.

I don't necessarily agree with you here. I don't mind the Nemo tie in with Living Seas, especially Turtle Talk. I don't mind seeing characters in the WS pavillons. At least, I know my daughter loves them.

 

[FigmentJason]

I actually loved this ride the way it was. They better keep the catchy song. I'd rather they mess with Figment again and make that like it once was.

 

[Disneybag]

Any idea when this is supposed to occur? I rode it on Saturday and none of the CM's had a clue about a rehab (no big surprise though)...

 

[Todd&Copper]

This ride really could use an update, and maybe, I don't know, an actual focus?!?!?
They should reimage it so that Pato Donaldo and his Amigos journey through different parts of Mexico, keeping the ruins and Aztec stuff in the beginning, and maybe the birds can hit on the swingers in that groovy bar scene, and instead of those old salespeople film strips, maybe Donald and the birds can be fighting about something (like the song in Saludos Amigos where the other two constantly top Donald, and there is that hottie chick that they all have eyes for) . Definitely keep the song, though. It is awesomely annoying.

 

[raidermatt]

I don't mind the Nemo tie in with Living Seas, especially Turtle Talk. I don't mind seeing characters in the WS pavillons. At least, I know my daughter loves them.

I'm sure your daughter loves them, just as the vast majority of children always have.

I'm not disputing that.

I'm saying that there are other reasons to try to create attractions that do not rely on character tie-ins, and those reasons should outweigh the plusses of using characters in every section of every park, as is quickly becoming the case.

Looking at it another way, its not about whether Nemo's Living Seas is "good", for example. Its about whether character tie-ins make sense given a park's or land's "charter", and given the need for variety across the resort.

Now, if we think that Disney is no longer capable of entertaining both you and your daughter, for example, without using character tie-ins, then I suppose it makes sense to use them anywhere and everywhere.

But if we are going with that assumption, that would have to say a lot about how far Disney has fallen, wouldn't it?

 

[dbm20th]

Now, if we think that Disney is no longer capable of entertaining both you and your daughter, for example, without using character tie-ins, then I suppose it makes sense to use them anywhere and everywhere.

But if we are going with that assumption, that would have to say a lot about how far Disney has fallen, wouldn't it?

Maybe, and I think this is how I feel as well, but let me play devil's advocate here. Could also be saying alot about the poor staying power of some of these early Epcot attractions? The point of them was to educate and entertain, but did they really do that? I mean, did El Rio Del Tiempo educate anyone about Mexico? Was the old Living Seas ride at all entertaining? Just a thought...

 

[MJMcBride]

Maybe, and I think this is how I feel as well, but let me play devil's advocate here. Could also be saying alot about the poor staying power of some of these early Epcot attractions? The point of them was to educate and entertain, but did they really do that? I mean, did El Rio Del Tiempo educate anyone about Mexico? Was the old Living Seas ride at all entertaining? Just a thought...

No and no. But I did like that old "Deluge" movie

 

[Another Voice]

Could also be saying alot about the poor staying power of some of these early Epcot attractions?

The point of the EPCOT Center pavilions was to entertain first, then educate. It’s a task that, in my opinion, most of the succeeded at. ‘The Living Seas’ did both extremely well – the original pavilion was stunning in its diversity, the size and number of interactive exhibits, and in showing the wonder of the oceans. From the lock-out chamber (with live demonstrations of equipment) to the marine mammal tank (where you could talk with the trainers and scientists) to the tide pools (where you could touch the animals) to main viewing area where you could ask questions of the divers in the water – it was a brilliant show.

How – the full show was short lived. Budget cut after budget cut was forced through all of EPCOT. The lock out chamber was closed, the cutting edge exhibits weren’t updated, and in the main tank scientist were replaced by tourists to make a couple extra bucks.

The master plan for EPCOT Center called for each pavilion to be replaced and redo every ten years. But the people who made that rule were thrown out – instead Disney’s management refused to spend the money. The pavilions became stale and old. The few changes that were made were cut-rate and simplistic.

Instead of keeping EPCOT Center bright and interesting, Epcot was dumb-downed because that was cheaper to do.

The problems don’t have anything to do with the shows or even the concept of the park. Instead they reflect a management decision to narrow WDW’s audience and exclude adults to squeeze easy money. EPCOT Center was successful because it brought an entirely new audience to WDW; now there’s very little there to interest anyone without a cat named ‘Tinkerbelle’.

 

[MJMcBride]

Instead of keeping EPCOT Center bright and interesting, Epcot was dumb-downed because that was cheaper to do.

How is it cheaper to redo an exhibit instead leaving it as is? How is it cheaper to redo World of Motion and build Test Track? How is it cheaper to redo Universe of Energy? Or demolish Horizons for Mission Space? You want to say they're "dumb downed". ok. But cheaper?

 

[raidermatt]

How is it cheaper to redo an exhibit instead leaving it as is? How is it cheaper to redo World of Motion and build Test Track? How is it cheaper to redo Universe of Energy? Or demolish Horizons for Mission Space? You want to say they're "dumb downed". ok. But cheaper?

Because they did nothing when things should have been updated.

Those things you mention were the response after the stagnation had taken full effect, and there was no choice but to do SOMETHING.

The pavilions stagnated due to updates that didn't occur. Eventually, guests lost interest. Then, the blame was not placed on the lack of updating, but rather the weakness of the original pavilion. So, since people supposedly didn't like the original concepts anymore, gimicks and thrills were seen as necessary to revitalize Epcot.

And look at World Showcase... Why so few real attractions? Why no new countries? Why so few updates to existing attractions?

Does it make Epcot a better park to not spend money on these things? Of course not... its just cheaper.

Then, when an attraction like Rio gets old enough, the blame is misplaced again, and the only solution is to add characters.

 

[Another Voice]

Instead of getting a new show about 'Energy' - we get a figure of some cheesy sitcom star stuck in the middle of the old show. Is that a "new show" to keep guests interested - or something cheap to market as "new"?

Why knock down 'Horizons' to build 'Space' - why not both? That was the original plan for EPCOT all along. As far as know, people are interested in both space and the future - not one or the other.

While the replacement of 'World of Motion' with 'TestTrack' wasn't cheap - it sure did drop a couple dozen I.Q. points. Instead of at least trying to be entertaining, interesting and fun - it's so much easier to give everyone the same thrills you can experience on I-4. "Cheap" can mean talent and effort spent as well as dollars.

It's not easy to make science and learning fun. It takes talent and hard work to make the wonders of space really interesting - it so much easy just to spin teenagers around until they puke. "Cheap" means Disney doesn't even try anymore. Instead of creating something that really works, that really pleases - their focus is on doing just enough to get you to hand over your wallet.

Again - the whole point behind Walt Disney World was that it was supposed to be a vacation destination for everyone. There used to be enough there so that everyone could find something to do. Children enjoyed the Magic Kingdom, adults could have a real vacation at EPCOT Center.

Now every where you turn it's become a commerical for Disney products. Before a normal adult that wanted to learn something about the ocean could enjoy 'The Living Seas'. Now it's a commerical for DVDs and plush aimed at children and undemanding parents. Nemo is fine in a place like the Magic Kingdom but stuffing him in EPCOT or cramming Donald into a Mexican restuarant seriously damages WDW's market potential.

 

[2Xited4Disney]

Why we are on the Edutainment subject...


I deffinately think Epcot has been dumbed down ALOT. But on the other hand many exhibits in Animal Kingdom have sprouted to teach us the same things that were once taught at EPCOT, you can learn about animals, ask a trainer questions, learn about Africa Cultures, Learn about Tibettan Cultures


(please notice I only mentioned, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Africa, and Asia, the other sections do little to educate)