Getting rid of Little Red at AK

[Douglas Dubh]

Are we talking about when the gangster/cowboy takes over your car until they get to the Indiana Jones scene?

That's the one.

 

[Zurg]

I thought it was there in case all the real aminals hid from the hot mid day sun and there was no real animals to be seen. Kind of a back up plan so the guests see something.

Never did anything for me one way or the other.

 

[ToddS]

AV --

My sincere thanks for yet another thought-provoking post. It's a side of this discussion that I never would have considered!

 

[All Aboard]

Scoop. As Joe Perry is heading out of the recording studio, he pauses and turns back to the microphone and asks, "Chris, could you grab my black Les Paul?"

Sometimes there is a CM (an honest to goodness live one) "tidying up" in the recording studio who acknowledges Perry's request (with a head nod and wave) and grabs a black guitar off a stand and heads out the door with it as the crowd shuffles into the parking garage.

 

[HB2K]

The warden position is not essential (like the "Chris, grab my black Les Paul" at RRC). The scene will remain (how could it cost less money to physically remove all of that equipment?)
The position is not gone for good, I'm sure. "Chris" has come and gone with the seasons, as do the pre-show spielers at RRC

It's this type of thinking that is driving the place into the ground. Chris was a part of the RNR pre-show story. He was a plus added. When I see the show now, I notice a difference. I grant that not everyone does, but once you see it once, the next time you go it's a gaping hole. Enough of these potholes have developed around the complex to be noticable. It's sad.

There are too many areas where management takes this stance (It's not essential). It's not essential to make a roller coaster simulate space travel either. What's next, turn on the lights in Space since it's not essential for a guest to ride a roller coaster?

 

[d-r]

Um, spoiler warnings I guess if there is anyone out there who still hasn't ridden rnrc - An afterthought note, sorry about the bad jokes, I'm bored.

Scoop-
In the preshow of the rock-n-roller coaster at MGM studios, guests into a building that is themed as a recording studio, for example there are classic tour posters on the walls, gold records (even some big 10-inch records), etc. Guests enter a room that views into a recording studio, which looks as you would expect with musical instruments, microphones, etc. If they are going with the full crew, there is a cast member in there who is dressed as a sound tech guy. The cm is checking out the instruments, looking at things, acting busy. Across the "studio" from the guests, as if in the recording booth, they view a video of the band Aerosmith, who welcomes them on their visit, but who are on they are just about to leave on their way across town for a rock-n-roll show (ain't that a *****). It is supposed to look like the band is behind the glass in the booth. Joe Perry (I think) says something like "Chris, can you get my black Les Paul, please" (something like that, going on memory here) and a cast member, who is acting like a sound guy in the studio itself, responds to the video by saying "OK" or something like that, goes to a guitar that is on a stand there, picks it up, and takes it out the door, as if to bring it to Joe. "Chris" is a pretty smart name in case the dude looks like a lady, because the CM could be male or female.

The band's "manager" is trying to hurry the band along, but Steven Tyler doesn't want to disappoint the fans - he tells the manager to get a limo to take the fans to the concert, and, as if one of the guests suggested it, says something like "I love that idea, get them some back stage passes." Pretty amazing. The manager is no angel and seems a little jaded, but she gets an attitude adjustment. The band leaves to get into their limo as their manager orders a limo for us the guests over the cell phone, looking out as if towards the guests she says "...you better make that a super stretch."

Then the guests walk this way and enter into the ride loading area, themed as a parking garage. The roller coaster itself is themed as a limo, so once all the guests are back in the saddle, the coasters take off with an amazing burst of speed. We really get the lead out. It is a crazy ride through the freeways on the way to make it to the concert on time, accompanied by Aerosmith music, as if it is being broadcast from the show. I think there are four different music tracks, it may seem like more, but it is really the same old song and dance. There is some sweet emotion (OK I AM REALLY REACHING HERE, BUT IF YOU THINK I'M GOING TO STOP, DREAM ON) as you go through a couple of inversions, you'll have a three mile smile. Get a grip because it is livin on the edge, and if a push comes to a shove and you get your head tossed around like a rag doll, you'll be cryin' and get sick as a dog. But if you've got what it takes, it's love in a roller coaster. Just let the music do the talking.

If the cast member isn't in the booth, the video is the same with Joe (I think that is who it is) asking for the guitar - but it doesn't really matter because it goes right by guests who haven't noticed it before. I was saying the same thing about little red - without the cm there with the ak-47 or whatever waving you along, you would still see the jeeps and know that little red was saved and the poaches caught - if you expect that guy, you will miss him (I've seen it before without that guy, and you notice it. Of course I always pay attention because I don't want to miss a thing. At first I thought, Disney, stop messing around, are you outta your head? don't get under my skin, something's gotta give. But when I had a chance to think about it, I realized that every last child and adult had a great time, even without it).

One lat thing - if I've opened pandora's box or reached some critical mass and you feel that you need to draw the line, you can write me a letter.
DR

PS I think I told you guys about wdw trainset toys I have stored in the attic at home. I'll be glad to get home so I can play with all those toys in the attic.

 

[BRERALEX]

first time i did the ride there was no cm there to wave at us. I think it wasnt til the second or thrid time i rode i saw the cm and thought it was cornier with him. wasnt there a animotronic figure there was once too

 

[wdwguide]

"Chris" was composited into the film a while ago; he responds to the request with "I'll get it for you, man".

 

[DisneyKidds]

Here's a little blurb that you won't hear on the safari – the latest research from now shows that elephants call each other by name. They have extremely complex vocalizations (most of which at a frequency lower than what humans can perceive) which travels for miles in open spaces. Those calls are far more complex than just "danger" or "come here", but may express concepts and emotions. It's even long been realized that elephants have a concept of life and death, of the passage of time, and immensely strong family bond. Let the implications of that roll about your head for a moment.

Wonderful, fascinating tidbits I always wanted to know about pachyderms. Thanks much.

It is wonderful that you want people to have this real life, actual, realistic knowledge about elephants. We are supposed to be entertained by the reality of it all, the research, the statistics - all this realistic, real life stuff that should entertain us. Sounds great.

Now tell me why we knock Mission:Space because it is too realistic and doesn't give us the 'entertainment element' that a theme park attraction should provide. Why can't we be entertained by the realism of the M:S pod and experience of briefly feeling what an astronaut feels, just like we are supposed to be awed by being told of the communication patterns of pachyderms?

 

[raidermatt]

Now tell me why we knock Mission:Space because it is too realistic and doesn't give us the 'entertainment element' that a theme park attraction should provide. Why can't we be entertained by the realism of the M:S pod and experience of briefly feeling what an astronaut feels, just like we are supposed to be awed by being told of the communication patterns of pachyderms?

Its not an either/or situation. The concern is that M:S MIGHT BE sacrificing the "entertainment element" and instead relying on the physical portion of the "realistic experience". Sort of like if the pachyderm communication was included because they found a way to make it really loud, and sacrificed other show elements. Yes, those physical aspects can be an entertaining part of the show, but that's not all we want in attractions of this kind of scope.

KS takes some liberties with a "realistic safari experience" by arranging the animals so they can be seen with much more frequency than one could on a real safari. Similarly, M:S could take liberties with a "realistic astronaut experience" by providing visuals that might be beyond what can be seen in a "real simulator". (Maybe it does, but this is just the concern at this point). This would seem particularly appropriate for M:S, since its set in the future.


On the "Big Red" issue, I don't really have a problem with the storyline, but I agree the experience could have been something more. However, if they are sticking with the story, the CM at the end does add to the experience.

This maybe a cut that very few really have a problem with, but its a result of the same philosophy that drives cuts that more DO have a problem with.

The truth is, everytime i go to rnrc and "Chris" isn't there, I miss him - "Chris will you get my les paul" and nothing happens, really, I don't think that new comers notice it at all, however. There is no loss of show for them, imho.

But of course its a loss for them. If something that adds to the show is removed, the experience is diminished. Not knowing your experience is diminished doesn't change that. Your experience was diminished from a 99.5 to a 99.2, for example. For those who never saw "Chris", their experiene was a 99.2 from the beginning. Its just part of this "what can we get away with" mentality.

 

[YoHo]

I realize AK get knocked for being Just a Zoo, but In this case, the point of the ride is to see the animals. A part that is far too short in my humble oppinion. And even when I was a teenager, I prefered to be educated in a subtle way, not with a baseball bat.
Heck, I'm not bothered by the Animotronics or any of that, and I don't mind the Little Red part staying, but I WOULD like more time to see the animals.




....Funny, San Diego's Wild Animal park doesn't need Audio Animatroinic Elphants in danger from poachers to educate and rake in the guests, hmmm. Must be those Wacky Californians.

 

[All Aboard]

My take on Little Red. For a first-time ride on the attraction, I think it adds to the experience. It creates a story on an attraction that otherwise wouldn't have much of one. The speeding Jeep, the live actor and the animatronic are all well placed in my opinion. I even enjoy the communication over the radio. I've got no problem with them philosophically.

However, it does punish the repeat guest. Honestly, after many trips through the Safari at this point I'd prefer it not to be there.

So, as I sit here on the fence... Perhaps as a story element it's not all that strong. On JC, I still look forward to the Captain telling me that Chief Nami will trade two of his heads for one of mine. On KS, I don't look forward to the final chase anymore.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Its not an either/or situation. The concern is that M:S MIGHT BE sacrificing the "entertainment element"

It's not a matter of either/or, but being consistent in what it is you think should provide the "entertainment element".

It appears that regaling us with realistic tales of how the sensitive elephants make one another weep is supposed to be entertaining substance. There is no need for embellishments for entertainment purpose. In short, reality IS the entertainment. With M:S it doesn't appear that is the case. With M:S we need more than reality. We need artistic liscence and liberty applied to reality to make the reality entertaining.

I'm fine with educating us more about elephants, without the "unrealistic" sideshow. I can also accept the same with respect to M:S. However, if one believes that reality is not enough in M:S, I don't see how it can be with a bunch of "talking" elephants.

 

[Another Voice]

The problem with both Little Red and 'Mission: Space' is that they miss the real wonder and the real magic of their subject matter.

The "magic" of a safrai is not racing across the landscape chasing the bad guys - it's seeing animals as they truely are, to see how they really live and understand their true place in the world (and that it's not so different than what our place is).

The "magic" of space is not being squished while being twirlled about - it's that there are real world that are more bizzare, more beautiful and more wonderous than anything we can imagine (and that those worlds are just around the corner).

There is so much more that could have been done and so many wonders that could have been presented. Gawking at caged animals and being trapped inside a spin-n-puke are easy. It lacks imagination, it lacks wonder - it lacks joy.

It doesn't matter how lifelike the robot elephant moves or proper placement of the switches inside the spinning "rocketship" - realism without meaning has no purpose.

Little Red serves no purpose.

 

[d-r]

"There is so much more that could have been done and so many wonders that could have been presented. Gawking at caged animals and being trapped inside a spin-n-puke are easy. They lack imagination, they lack wonder - they lack joy."

Can't speak for mission:space, but I really disagree about the safari - Lacks wonder and joy? Jeesh, come on!

 

[YoHo]

Seriously though, whether or not someone likes the "show" element of Little Red is an entirely subjective issue that'll have this thread going in circles in perpetuity.

I would suggest to you that far fewer people question any of the show elements in say Haunted mansion, or Pirates, or Jungle cruise.

There are people that may not like the ride, but nobody questions any aspects of the show.

doesn't it say something remarkable that people are questioning Little red.

 

[Eyesnur]

doesn't it say something remarkable that people are questioning Little Red

Yoho, no it doesn't. It has only to do with who gave us Pirates, HM & JC versus which mgmt. team gave us KS (and little Red). Were it Walt's baby there'd be absolutely no discussion

 

[raidermatt]

It appears that regaling us with realistic tales of how the sensitive elephants make one another weep is supposed to be entertaining substance. There is no need for embellishments for entertainment purpose. In short, reality IS the entertainment.

I don't see where anybody said "tales of weaping elephants" was the only thing KS should have been about. The criticism was that KS could have included more of the types of things AV describes (or other things nobody has mentioned), and instead went with Big Red / Little Red.

This is in no way contradictory to the concerns expressed about M:S.

The point was not that KS was not realisitic. Nor was the criticism of M:S only that it was too realisitic.

 

[raidermatt]

Yoho, no it doesn't. It has only to do with who gave us Pirates, HM & JC versus which mgmt. team gave us KS (and little Red). Were it Walt's baby there'd be absolutely no discussion

Nice try Nostrad....er, I mean Eyesnur.

The reality is, if the Little Red story didn't have Disney's name stamped on it, there'd be very few defending it (or PW).

 

[Eyesnur]

Matt, as Scoop implied, you say potato, I say ... Well, anyway, say what you will but there will be no proof either way. But the fact is none of you guys embrace anything with a hint of an ME stamp on it. Heck M. Voice won't even give ME credit for brokering the deal with Pixar or for hiring Katzenburg for brokering the deal.

It has to stop somewhere and the intentions and what has been delivered by KS would warm the cockles of Walt's heart faster than a summers day at Voices beach house...

My lone wonderment is my frend GCurling who is able to listen to the JC spiel over and over and yet gets bugged by the Little Red sequence. It all seems the same to me.

And Mr. Matt, invoking PW into the discussion (at this point) of these truly quality and/or classic offerings, in hopes of further showing Eisner's ineptness, is nothing more than mud in the water...KS educates, entertains and gets you close to the animals. Is more really needed?

Lastly, M. Voice's desire for further education could be incorpoated in the guides speech but how long before this becomes a bore as well? And worse an educational bore! Besides all of these "facts" are available to guests at the AK in the right venue.