New Posiden's Fury is much better

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Gary

If you have previously worked with Tony Baxter, are you a former Imagineer? Is there a small tribute in the Posiden's Fury script as you included a "Professor Baxter"?

I much prefer the new version to the old version, by the way. I found it was much easier to get involved with Taylor's story than it was with Timekeeper's story, despite the show building and effects being largely the same.

Regards

Rob

 

[Gary Goddard]

I have never seen someone so DETERMINED to tear down things as you. The negative energy you expend -- all in the hopes of proving your point - is really sad. I hope that you can at some point in your life, turn your energy to trying to be positive and maybe, creating some ideas of you own. At this point, I can see all of my attempts to speak to you - seriously - about what kind of thinking went into the creative choices, was a waste of time. You are on these boards to be critical, and crass, and catty. That is not what I am about.

And even in your attempt to tear down the show yet again, the links you provided actually show that some of these people liked the show and approved of the changes.

I really can't take anything you say -- at this point - serious. I do get your basic message - you preferred the old show to the new one. Fine. We disagree.

 

[Gary Goddard]

The answer is yes - I was an Imagineer back when we were working on the concepts and plans for EPCOT and the WORLD SHOWCASE - I was just out of college. Tony had been there for a number of years, and was completing the design model for THUNDER MESA at the time. It was great time to be at W.E.D. (that was the name at the time) -- Al Bertino, Marc Davis, Herb Ryman, Claude Coats, X. Atencio, Bill Justice -- everyone was still there -- these were the GUYS - -the one's who created Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The "young punks" were me, Phil Mendez, Steve Kirk, Tony Baxter -- it was a pretty cool time.

Anyway - it IS a coincidence that the Professor's name is Baxter isn't it?

I do appreciate your comments, and I am glad to hear that you liked the show.


Gary

 

[johare]

I have never seen someone so DETERMINED to tear down things as you

And I've never seen someone so DEFENSIVE as you. Why don't you listen to other peoples opinions instead of belittling them when they aren't as impressed with your work as you think they should be? The new Poseidon's is not bad, it's just not better than the old one...in my opinion. If you are really Gary Goddard, I can understand how you would be defensive of your project, but don't you think it's better to listen to people instead of criticizing those who don't agree? I'm sure even the creator of JIYI would defend his work, but hopefully he would also learn what he could do better next time.

And even in your attempt to tear down the show yet again, the links you provided actually show that some of these people liked the show and approved of the changes.

Exactly! Some like the new show some like the old. From what I've read it's about 50/50 and if half of the people do prefer the old show what did Universal gain with the rehab?

I really can't take anything you say -- at this point - serious. I do get your basic message - you preferred the old show to the new one. Fine. We disagree.

And why couldn't you say that from the beginning? Instead you chose to belittle my opinion and try to make it seem like I didn't know what I was talking about because I didn't like your attraction. I'm not there as a professional theme park critic or to try to analyze what went into an attraction, I'm there just to enjoy the park and it's attractions. I happened to enjoy the original Poseidon's Fury more (as do about half the people) and find the new show a little campy and Taylor annoying. Why is that so wrong?

 

[johare]

Gary,

Just one quick question. Based on others comments and reviews (not just mine), is there anything you would change on the current Poseidon's Fury and if so what?

 

[SpaceMountain_uk]

I loved the water tunnel part. I was amazed how do they do that part?

 

[johare]

Here's a good link if you are interested in seeing a little bit about how the water vortex in Poseidon's Fury works...

http://popularmechanics.com/science/sports/1999/7/outdoing_disney/index2.phtml

 

[kellymonaghan]

I've been doing some globetrotting, so I'm coming in a bit late on this. But I must say I'm impressed.

And as a fellow writer, I have to hand it to Gary for having the gumption to stand up and fight for his vision. The pride and prickliness are very familar to me. if you're not Gary, you're doing a brilliant job of impersonating a writer!

In a much earlier post, Gary, you asked for constructive suggestions, so here goes my attempt to play editor. Please forgive my presumption:

What if there were TWO rooms after the vortex? The first, which people would enter after the vortex, would look like an ominous trap in which the guests were in imminent danger of drowning. Water would be dripping from the ceiling, the walls could buckle, perhaps random jets of water would squirt out onto the guests.

This room would then fly away for the main show.

The SECOND room would appear at the end of the show. Perhaps it could be a room under excavation by another of Professor Baxter's assistants (the "off-duty" Taylor?) who would say something like, "We'd given you up for lost! Better get out quick before something else goes wrong. There are strange forces at work here that we don't understand."

Obviously, this could only work if there is enough room in the fly space to accommodate two versions of the post-vortex chamber. It might also require the hiring of another actor, another cost consideration.

Just a thought.

 

[Gary Goddard]

Kelly,

Thanks for the suggestion. Let me explain again- there were certain "givens" on this assignment: First, you have to use the existing building - you can't add rooms or change the nature of the basic experience (e.g. a "walk through"). Second, the budget did not allow for creating entirely new rooms. Third, we had to accomplish all the changes and get the new show on its feet. And 4th, we couldn't add a cast member - the original show was based around ONE actor - we had to leave the operations budget the same as we found it.

So - the challenge in this case is take the existing format, the existing number of cast, the existing show equipment, and then to do something dramatically different that really makes the show more entertaining that previous versions. (Remember, there were two other attempts to enhance the show by doing exactly some of the things mentioned by other people here on the message boards. Its not that those changes didn't make a difference, is just they were not of a magnitude to change the overall perception of the attraction.)

I love a good challenge. As I said before -- while this is not how I would have designed an attractino based on Poseidon had I been brought on to do it originally, I think it's a great new story and that it meets all the parameters I had to work within. And I want to be clear that I am not making excuses - I like the show a lot - I just saw it again two weeks ago - in fact I saw it five times with five different audiences who all seemed to like it a lot.

But, I do appreciate your ideas and its a unique approach to the finale. By adding another room though, you do add more time to the show, and yet another transition from room to room - so you have to think about what that timing does to the overall capacity of the show. That's another thing you have to always keep in mind when creating these shows - you have to keep capacity up so that it gets the proper number of people per hour through the gate.

Its certainly a challenging medium to work in -- we have more rules to deal with than any other entertainment medium -- in film, theatre, television you have a great deal more flexibility in how to tell your stories. You don't have to worry about capacity issues, fire exits, safety rules that require you to look at head room for all effects, etc. etc. --

Anyway - again, thanks for the comments ---

 

[Mrsmom88]

My family and I just went through P. Fury in August and it was my absolute favourite!! It was our first time to IOA and we were all very impressed with the presentation and special effects. I think some may being taking this "attraction" a wee bit too seriously. It was good. clean fun and I hope they keep it exactly the same for our next trip. Our "Taylor" was excellent!!!!!!!!

 

[Gary Goddard]

THANKS!

Its great to get positive feedback and to know that you and your family enjoyed the show.


Gary

 

[brerfox65]

Hi Gary

 

[joharefan]

Hi Gary

Callen’s poo

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Wow! Reviving a 20+ year old zombie thread about an attraction that just closed permanently to say "hi." Great choice for a first post.

 

[brerfox65]

Wow! Reviving a 20+ year old zombie thread about an attraction that just closed permanently to say "hi." Great choice for a first post.

You are grumpy by birth

 

[keishashadow]

You are grumpy by birth

Welcome to the DIS

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

You are grumpy by birth

But Happy by choice.