Fate of Spaceship Earth?

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by JMD
I loved World of Motion, but Test Track is better. I loved Horizons, when we used to go to Epcot that was the first ride we went on every time. But Mission: Space is better. I would hate to see SSE go, but I'm sure whatever they replace it with will be much better.

I respectfully disagree for a couple of reasons. One of Walt Disney's main reasons for creating Disneyland was to make a place where families could go and do things together rather than the kids going on the rides while the parents sat on a park bench. Every time you take away a World of Motion and replace it with a Test Track, you make the park a little less family friendly. World of Motion was a wonderful ride that could be enjoyed by everyone from infants to grandparents. Same for Horizons. Now you've got 2 thrill rides in those spaces which millions of visitors can't ride because they are too short, too scared or too disabled. Families with young children can skip right past what used to be 2 popular attrations. If we lose SE, there won't be much left for families to do in FW. The wrecked Imagination by redoing it. They tore out the ride at Living Seas. And they closed Wonders of Life most of the time. So all that's left is Energy and The Land. Somehow that $50 admission fee doesn't seem like a great deal for families anymore.

Personally, I disagree with you because I think M:S isn't very good. I think it was way overhyped and the only reason I am likely to ride it in the future is to accompany DD until we're comfortable sending her on her own. And DW will sit out because she thought it was lousy too.

Yes I'm a Disney old-timer but what's wrong with that? I've spent 22 weeks of my life and thousands and thousands of dollars there. I think my opinion should count too.

 

[cobbler]

I love Spaceship Earth and hope it stays! I like to do those rides because we can do them as a family. With a 3 year old, well test track and all that we just can't do.

But I swear I am cursed with that ride everytime we are on the decent back down and going backwards, I am at the steepest point and the darn thing stops evertime I swear.

 

[canda]

The only way to get SE by 2007 is if they started right away, and that they already have the exact plan worked out.

From what I understand, the track is part of the structure of the three main parts.

look how long it took to fix the old horizon's building before they could even build the ride.

Soarning has gone quick because it's a clone, and a new building.

and Everest is taking 3-4 years to build.

What gets me is, that WDW has the most land of any theme park in the world, and they will tear down something to put a new ride in. I'm not an imagineer, so I really don't know, I really wish they would work on the WDW-Dine phone lines.

 

[JMD]

Originally posted by disneysteve
I respectfully disagree for a couple of reasons. One of Walt Disney's main reasons for creating Disneyland was to make a place where families could go and do things together rather than the kids going on the rides while the parents sat on a park bench. Every time you take away a World of Motion and replace it with a Test Track, you make the park a little less family friendly. World of Motion was a wonderful ride that could be enjoyed by everyone from infants to grandparents. Same for Horizons. Now you've got 2 thrill rides in those spaces which millions of visitors can't ride because they are too short, too scared or too disabled. Families with young children can skip right past what used to be 2 popular attrations. If we lose SE, there won't be much left for families to do in FW. The wrecked Imagination by redoing it. They tore out the ride at Living Seas. And they closed Wonders of Life most of the time. So all that's left is Energy and The Land. Somehow that $50 admission fee doesn't seem like a great deal for families anymore.

Personally, I disagree with you because I think M:S isn't very good. I think it was way overhyped and the only reason I am likely to ride it in the future is to accompany DD until we're comfortable sending her on her own. And DW will sit out because she thought it was lousy too.

Yes I'm a Disney old-timer but what's wrong with that? I've spent 22 weeks of my life and thousands and thousands of dollars there. I think my opinion should count too.

I understand what your saying and I know where you're coming from. And I never said there was anything wrong with Disney Old-Timers. My point was that they are the only ones that are really attached to the old rides. You may have spent 22 weeks of your life there, but I never said you're opinion doesn't count. I've spent probably triple that in Disney, so my opinion counts too.

I know what Walt's ideas for the parks were. You can say that thrill rides make the park less family friendly, but what lines are always the longest at Epcot? Which rides run out of the fast passes first? Test Track and Mission Space.

What about MGM? Its the same for Tower of Terror and Rockin Roller Coaster.

People today go to the parks for the thrill rides. Bottom line. If they didn't Disney wouldn't build them. If they didn't Disney wouldn't replace the "family friendly" rides with more modern, technologically advanced thrill rides.

 

[patrickbrian184]

I have heard the Nextel rumor flying around for awhile. It was correctly stated earlier when one poster said there was talks about putting a thrill ride inside, but the ideas were shelved. I think may just be doing a bit of rehab.

 

[Karibeth19]

Originally posted by JMD
You don't see first time visitors or little kids get excited about this ride.

My 7 yr old DD LOVES this ride and has since we first took her to Epcot when she was 5. She always wants to ride it 3 or 4 times whenever we are in FW. My entire family would really be upset if they changed it. I really miss WoM and Horizons, even though I do love Test Track and M:S, and losing SE would just be too much!

 

[SoCalKDG]

I respectfully disagree for a couple of reasons. One of Walt Disney's main reasons for creating Disneyland was to make a place where families could go and do things together rather than the kids going on the rides while the parents sat on a park bench. Every time you take away a World of Motion and replace it with a Test Track, you make the park a little less family friendly.

Lets see, family in their 50's, there with their kids in thier 30's, along with their 6 year old and 9 year old grandkids, having a great time on Test Track. Take a look at the UOG and their reviews and polls, and you will see this is a popular ride across the board, all ages.

My daughter loves log rides because of the drops, and enjoys rides that go fast and the air blows in her face. She is 2 1/2. She won't be able to go on TT because she is only 39 inches, but next year she will be able to(along with Splash mountain and Soaring).

The key is to have a variety of rides that appeal to all age groups. Thats why the MK is so popular. In Epcot you have many many rides that are considered slow moving. Adding some additional rides that move a bit faster helps appeal to everyone.

Disney takes so many polls and does numerous studies that they know what the majority of people want out of a park. While that may not always be what we want, its usually what the vast majority of people want.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by JMD
What about MGM? Its the same for Tower of Terror and Rockin Roller Coaster.

There is one BIG difference with these 2 attractions. They were added to the existing park. They didn't replace other attractions. I would have been thrilled if they added Test Track and Mission:Space to EPCOT and kept Horizons and World of Motion. But instead of keeping the family attractions and adding something for the thrill seekers, they removed the family ones.

People today go to the parks for the thrill rides.

I think that's true of some people but not the typical WDW guest with young children. There are tons of parks around the country where teens and other thrill seekers can have a ball. But there are very, very few places where the whole family can enjoy the rides together without the kids being too scared or the parents being too bored. That has always been the appeal of WDW and Disneyland.