It shouldn't be hard to improve ___ (cheap technology = easy fixes)

[mmcguire]

Given the huge improvements and vastly lower costs in technology since WDW opened, what do you think could be greatly improved for a relatively low cost?

I'll start. Since high-definition is so pervasive & high-quality digital projectors relatively cheap nowadays, it shouldn't cost much to improve the movies at the beginning and end of the Great Movie Ride! There's just no good reason for those sequences to be of such poor quality -- especially in a purported 'movie studio'!

What say you?

 

[Robo]

Given the huge improvements and vastly lower costs in technology since WDW opened, what do you think could be greatly improved for a relatively low cost?

I'll start. Since high-definition is so pervasive & high-quality digital projectors relatively cheap nowadays, it shouldn't cost much to improve the movies at the beginning and end of the Great Movie Ride! There's just no good reason for those sequences to be of such poor quality -- especially in a purported 'movie studio'!

What say you?

"Relatively cheap" can mean $50,000 for a reliable large-format industrial digi-projector.
That is a very WIDE area.

But Disney has been converting the "smaller" film-playback effects to digital video,
over the past few years.

I'm sure that they will get to replacing the larger-format images, over time, if the budget makes sense.

 

[d1gitman]

Given the huge improvements and vastly lower costs in technology since WDW opened, what do you think could be greatly improved for a relatively low cost?

I'll start. Since high-definition is so pervasive & high-quality digital projectors relatively cheap nowadays, it shouldn't cost much to improve the movies at the beginning and end of the Great Movie Ride! There's just no good reason for those sequences to be of such poor quality -- especially in a purported 'movie studio'!

What say you?

I'll second that idea and more. There is no reason that every attraction with electronic images doesn't have HD images in them. It is pretty annoying to see blurry, low resolution images. Make me want to watch my 80" of 1080p at home instead.

 

[mmcguire]

"Relatively cheap" can mean $50,000 for a reliable large-format industrial digi-projector.
That is a very WIDE area.

Oh I know - I work in tech. I also understand that $50k is a lot of money to you & me, but when other rehabs run in the millions, $50K is really a pittance for the improvement it would bring. Heck, it would probably cost that much to paint the walls in the building.

 

[webstah]

I have to disagree.
Too many of the older movies have been retouched, and colorized.
I really appreciate seeing the movies as we would have seen them when they were run in the movie theaters of old.

 

[Stittsville]

Here's a low cost item.

When we were there in May 2007, there was a talking garbage can in Tomorrowland. You could spot the guy doing the actual talking, because he had his hand up to his mouth for a long time. I think they should disguise his device inside a largish cell phone casing, so he doesn't look quite so suspicious.

Assuming this bit of magic hasn't already been cut... <sigh>

 

[Robo]

Here's a low cost item.

When we were there in May 2007, there was a talking garbage can in Tomorrowland. You could spot the guy doing the actual talking, because he had his hand up to his mouth for a long time. I think they should disguise his device inside a largish cell phone casing, so he doesn't look quite so suspicious.

Assuming this bit of magic hasn't already been cut... <sigh>

That's PUSH.
He's still in Tomorrowland.

See PUSH HERE.

And, I'll bet the cost of a wide-format digi-projector that at least 92.68% of the guests that see PUSH totally
miss seeing his "helper."

 

[secretpantssam]

Here's a low cost item.

When we were there in May 2007, there was a talking garbage can in Epcot. You could spot the guy doing the actual talking, because he had his hand up to his mouth for a long time. I think they should disguise his device inside a largish cell phone casing, so he doesn't look quite so suspicious.

Assuming this bit of magic hasn't already been cut... <sigh>

That's a good idea...and it seems pretty easy.

 

[Stittsville]

That's PUSH.
He's still in Tomorrowland.

Oh yeah, it was Tomorrowland. I will edit my post.

 

[Viper4194]

I'll give you a couple....

1) A HD upgrade to Star Tours (surely not cheap, and according to the rumors board, coming soon, but long overdue)

2) I think either digital or more prevalent information about wait time for rides throughout the park. I like the charm of a person doing the slate by hand at DHS but the digital center in Epcot is more efficient. In a park that is as expansive as MK, I could use a monitor telling me it's an hour wait at BTRR before I leave Tommorrowland to go over there to wait for it.

3) Notations on menu on snack stands as for what's including in the dining plan. I can deduce most of stuff but it'd make that easier probably for the CMs as well.

Your thoughts?

 

[Robo]

A HD upgrade to Star Tours (surely not cheap, and according to the rumors board, coming soon, but long overdue)

Your thoughts?

An upgrade to Star Tours has been "coming soon" since 1992.

 

[Robo]

2) I think either digital or more prevalent information about wait time for rides throughout the park. I like the charm of a person doing the slate by hand at DHS but the digital center in Epcot is more efficient. In a park that is as expansive as MK, I could use a monitor telling me it's an hour wait at BTRR before I leave Tommorrowland to go over there to wait for it.

They have actually tested systems that offer ride info via:

A- Portable Video Game consoles.
B- Cell phone text messages.

Neither have gone into implementation but something is likely
on the horizon before too long.

 

[d1gitman]

based on Lucas' history, i don't think there will be a snowball's chance that HD will be coming to Star Wars attraction, at least not until his franchise is released in HD (blu-ray?). my guess is he is still working on releasing them in the LaserDisc format (historical reference for you tech junkies)

 

[CarolA]

Well...

how about a RELIABLE WORKING hotel booking engine on that useless website!

How much do you think that would cost? Apparentely more then Disney wants to spend!

 

[Robo]

...my guess is he is still working on releasing them in the LaserDisc format (historical reference for you tech junkies)

I actually own The Empire Strikes Back on LD... 12" of silvery magic!

 

[d1gitman]

I actually own The Empire Strikes Back on LD... 12" of silvery magic!

Robo, somehow I should have guessed you had one. That makes two people I've known in my life that owns a LaserDisc, my brother being the other one.

 

[Robo]

Robo, somehow I should have guessed you had one. That makes two people I've known in my life that owns a LaserDisc, my brother being the other one.

If it makes a TV picture, I have it in my
Basement of Wonders.

 

[LiteBrite]

That's PUSH.
He's still in Tomorrowland.

See PUSH HERE.

And, I'll bet the cost of a wide-format digi-projector that at least 92.68% of the guests that see PUSH totally
miss seeing his "helper."

Hey Robo, did you know that 86.34% of all percentages are made up on the spot?

 

[urbandonovan]

How about improving Tomorrowland by getting rid of Stitch's Great Escape. That'd rock.

 

[Robo]

Hey Robo, did you know that 86.34% of all percentages are made up on the spot?

That's only true 99.44% of the time.