Hi folks,
Last night's press event was a lot of fun. Saw the premier of L!M!A!.......it's an okay show. The pacing needs to be a bit faster, I think. They do four or five stunt scenes, lasting around 30-90 seconds each. The show goes on for around 30 minutes, however, so there's a lot of setup time between stunts. If they can find a way to set up faster for each stunt, I think it'd improve the show....I'd give it 3.5 stars out of 5.
Soarin' is fantastic. For your first ride, try to sit on the top row, as the initial view is really breathtaking. (Sitting on the middle or bottom row, you can see feet dangling from the riders above you, which distracts from the sensation.) The attraction also has olefactory effects, so you smell pine scent when flying over forests, oranges when flying over citrus groves, and sea spray when flying over the water. Well done. The attraction's capacity seems to be around 1,300 - 1,500 people per hour, so I think FASTPASS might be the way to go for this attraction. Unfortunately, the FASTPASS booths are located inside the pavilion, and down the stairs, so it's a bit of a walk just to get basic information on wait times and FP returns.
Sunshine Seasons refurb looks good, and some of it is now self-serve.
Small World looks bright and shiny. I wasn't able to tell that the audio had been improved - must be the acoustics in the building - but the ride is just as good as it ever was. (Does anyone leave this attraction saying "Now...how did that song go again?") The entrance has moved slightly, closer to where the exits are, and this should help with congestion when crowds are larger.
I'm doing a walking tour of the MK later today with some of Disney's technology people. And the Soarin' press event is later this evening. If I can get back to the Media Center to post updates, I will.
Len