MK Rides cut short?

[TiggerEyes]

I was talking to a colleague of mine who brought his family to MK the last week of December. He told me that it was so crowded that many rides had been either speeded up or were cut short. For example, he said that Peter Pan's ride went faster than than the soundtrack, and Cinderella's Gold Carousel only circled three times.

I'm wondering if this is typical of Disney rides during busy times? I will probably be going to WDW during the holidays this year, and would like to know ahead of time if this is what I should expect.

Thank you!

~TE

 

[luvmy2sams]

We were in Disney from December 20th to January 2nd and didn't experience this at all.

 

[markºoº]

I would believe this is unlikely. Many rides are continuously loaded (ie without stopping) and those rides already run about as fast as I think they can. Maybe a few attractions they can shorten like the carousel or the tea cups but I really doubt it.

 

[SDSorority]

I don't know why this caught me as being funny- I can just picture the vehicles zooming... ah.

 

[WDSearcher]

Virtually all of the rides are automatically run. The CM hits the "go" button and the ride follows it's prescribed path and timeline. Unless the ride needs to stop for some reason, the CM has no control over speed. All of the rides also have safety variances. Peter Pan CAN'T go faster than it's approved for.

I think maybe your friend spent a significantly longer time in line than in other trips, and so the rides seemed shorter / faster by comparison.

 

[TiggerEyes]

Virtually all of the rides are automatically run. The CM hits the "go" button and the ride follows it's prescribed path and timeline. Unless the ride needs to stop for some reason, the CM has no control over speed. All of the rides also have safety variances. Peter Pan CAN'T go faster than it's approved for.

I think maybe your friend spent a significantly longer time in line than in other trips, and so the rides seemed shorter / faster by comparison.

Well, I can see where maybe PP's Ride might have somehow gotten out of sync with the soundtrack, but wasn't really going any faster, but he was counting only 3 spins of Cinderella's carousel while in line. I can ask him if he remembers any other examples.

~TE

 

[bradk]

however.

the lengths of it's a small world and pirates of the caribbean CAN be controlled. it's one of the selling points of the water system. they can actually control the speed the boats are propelled along and so you are very likely to get a longer small cruise during non peak times than busier (although it's only a couple of minutes difference).

and somehow the pirates pileup at the end never seems to go away.

 

[CindyIsMyFave]

Funny you mentioned - I said the exact thing to DH on NYD after we rode Cindy's Carrousel. I swear that ride was shorter -- sad thing though, it wasn't that busy at all. Although they could have set it up to be shorter ahead of time in anticipation of the crowds . . . .

 

[Robo]

For example, he said that Peter Pan's ride went faster than than the soundtrack...

Well, I can see where maybe PP's Ride might have somehow gotten out of sync with the soundtrack...

Peter Pan does not have a "synced soundtrack."

Each vignette inside the attraction has its own continuously looping audio effects.

So (for instance,) if you are flying over Nana and her doghouse, you hear Nana barking and howling.
That audio only plays through speakers in that area.
If you are flying near the Hook and Pan sword fight, you hear the audio of that scene.
That audio only plays through speakers in that area.

No way for any of these to go out of sync with the ride vehicles.

 

[Andyjo0930]

Some of the rides may start automatically. We were at the Halloween party this past year and we went on the Haunted Mansion. There was a pretty long line and they were trying to get us in as fast as they could.... the "stretching" of the room already began before the doors were even shut.

 

[mom2rtk]

Heck, if they shortened up the barnstormer any, you could just walk right by and say you did it!!!

 

[doconeill]

3 revolutions of Cindy's Carousel would be, what, 30 seconds? I seriously doubt that was true but an exaggeration based on perception. It could have been shorter than typical, but there is NO WAY it was only 3 revolutions.

 

[Robo]

there is NO WAY it was only 3 revolutions.

Three Revolutions:

 

[maxiesmom]

Three Revolutions:

LOVE IT!!!!!!

 

[mousefan215]

Heck, if they shortened up the barnstormer any, you could just walk right by and say you did it!!!

So true!

 

[doconeill]

Three Revolutions:

OK, I'll admit...IASW feels like it could have lasted through three revolutions...

 

[ICan'tWait]

Three Revolutions:

 

[DisneyDadof3]

3 revolutions of Cindy's Carousel would be, what, 30 seconds? I seriously doubt that was true but an exaggeration based on perception. It could have been shorter than typical, but there is NO WAY it was only 3 revolutions.

Actually, one of the days we rode it after Christmas (27th maybe) was only 3 maybe 4 times around. I looked at my wife and said "that was short." We had rode it earlier in the trip and it seemed very lengthy, but not the last time we rode it on our trip.

 

[seashoreCM]

3 or 4 revolutions from start up to full stop, or did it get up to speed first and then go 3 or 4 times around and then slow down?

Dumbo, Aladdin's Carpet, Triceratops Spin, and Astro Orbiter run about 1-1/2 minutes from start up to full stop. At least on the first 3 all the elephants, etc. rise to full height for a moment near the end of the ride.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

 

[doconeill]

Another thing about Cindy's Carousel, and really all of the rotating rides, is that it typically takes longer to load/unload than the runtime of the ride itself...shortening the runtime doesn't buy a whole lot of time.