News Round Up 2016

[skier_pete]

I think you are missing one piece of evidence. In Disneyland there are 5 dark rides (Pinnochio, Snow White, Peter Pan, Toad, AiW) and 2 outdoor kid rides (Casey and Storybook). So, Peter Pan is 1 of 5 dark rides, and if you include Small World, Dumbo, Mad tea Party, and Carousel you are looking at 1 of 11 kid rides. Then you have Matterhorn for coaster. Then we have Toon Town with a Gadget's coaster and Roger Rabbit spin (another dark ride).

In Magic Kingdom, IF you include Storybook Circus, you have 3 dark rides (PP, Pooh, and Ariel), Small world, Mad Tea Party, Goofy, Dumbo. So PP is 1 of 3 dark rides and 1 of 7 total rides. Then you have 7DMT for coaster and you are done.

So tally up the totals... 7 dark rides in and around FantasyLand in Disneyland. 3 in MK - including Ariel which arguably isn't a "dark" ride but we'll include it. Edit: For those keeping score - 14 rides in FL and TT in Disneyworld. 7 rides in FL and SC in MK. So 1/2 the rides in more space.

The issue is focus. Its not space (MK has more space between Fantasyland and Storybook). What you have in MK that you con't have in Disneyland is Meet and Greet's, Shops, and Character dining. Snow White DR was converted to a meet and greet. Enough space for 2 dark rides in NFL was used for character dining and greeting. A space large enough for a dark ride is used for shopping.

Clearly a decision was made to focus on other items in MK. We all know that. But I think there is demand (nostalgia, different, whatever the reason) for dark rides. And MK just does not meet that need.

That seems like more than one piece of evidence! I agree with all your points. (Well - I am not sure why you wouldn't consider Ariel a dark ride - because there's no blacklight?) There are numerous reasons why PP has longer lines in Florida than it does in DLR.

However, in terms of popularity, I would still argue that it is the most popular dark ride in DLR is well. Just as you point out, there's a lot more ride draws there to absorb the extra crowds hunger for kids/dark ride. You didn't even include Pooh as another dark ride elsewhere in the park

 

[skier_pete]

And yet while Ariel is technically more advanced (anamatronics etc.) Peter Pan is by far the superior ride in terms of atmosphere and storytelling. Neither are WOW, but one is good and the other is meh.

And I'm not saying that through nostalgia. I first rode it less than a decade ago as an adult.

Peter Pan's popularity is really due to the unique ride mechanism - the flying to Neverland conceit. It's why it is and will likely always remain the most popular of the dark rides in either park. (Probably why Ariel feels "meh" - the Omnimover rides vehicle feels so tried and true now. The unique bit to that...that you are travelling "under the sea" is sort of poorly translated in the ride too.)

 

[Budshark]

That seems like more than one piece of evidence! I agree with all your points. (Well - I am not sure why you wouldn't consider Ariel a dark ride - because there's no blacklight?) There are numerous reasons why PP has longer lines in Florida than it does in DLR.

However, in terms of popularity, I would still argue that it is the most popular dark ride in DLR is well. Just as you point out, there's a lot more ride draws there to absorb the extra crowds hunger for kids/dark ride. You didn't even include Pooh as another dark ride elsewhere in the park

One big piece of evidence?

I don't consider Ariel a dark ride in the same sense I don't consider Nemo and Friends a dark ride. Its certainly borderline, but maybe my issue is the same as others have mentioned - it lacks the immersiveness.

When you are in Pooh, or PP, or TWR, or Alice or any of the "classic" dark rides you are generally separated from others. You are immersed in the story. You are flying through Neverland, you are in an out of control car, you are riding through the Pooh story. You are positioned with scenes all around you, other vehicles are hidden or unseen. You can look left or right and see something different. You control your view of the story. I feel like I've ridden dark rides a hundred times, and every ride is unique. Ride Ariel once - and I've seen 100% of the show. Maybe there are hidden features, but it just isn't immersive storytelling.

Clamshell rides (including HM) you are presented with a scene. You are positioned to look directly at that scene. Behind you is a wall. You see the same thing every ride. That, to me, is a very different experience. I tend to see them as something other than "dark rides".

 

[Budshark]

Peter Pan's popularity is really due to the unique ride mechanism - the flying to Neverland conceit. It's why it is and will likely always remain the most popular of the dark rides in either park. (Probably why Ariel feels "meh" - the Omnimover rides vehicle feels so tried and true now. The unique bit to that...that you are travelling "under the sea" is sort of poorly translated in the ride too.)

I went back to look at Touring Plans, but I can't figure out how to get 2011 Snow White wait times. I can see however PP was down below 45 minutes.

If memory serves - and many of you have better memory than I do - SWSA was perhaps not equal, but very close to PP wait times (80-90%) and PP was significantly less than it is today (typically in the 30-45 min range). Granted they did not have FP+, but they did have FP at that time.

Anyhow, I agree. PP is and continues to be the most popular dark ride. However, I also submit, that the lack of Dark Rides in MK is part of the reason it is artificially so high. This was made infinitely worse with the removal of SWSA being replaced with Ariel, which in my definition and opinion, does not meet the dark ride criteria that TWR, SWSA, Pinocchio, etc have.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I agree that wdw Peter pan has a longer line because of fp. I've waited in lines at emh that seem long, but I'm always on very quickly since the line moves continuously.

Personally, I'd take an old fashioned dark ride over something new and flashy any day.

The thrill for me is being a part of the story.

 

[rteetz]

News

Theron Skees promoted to DCL creative leader. This is likely to do with the new ships.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt-...e-creative-leader-for-disney-cruise-line-.htm

 

[eXo]

One big piece of evidence?

I don't consider Ariel a dark ride in the same sense I don't consider Nemo and Friends a dark ride. Its certainly borderline, but maybe my issue is the same as others have mentioned - it lacks the immersiveness.

When you are in Pooh, or PP, or TWR, or Alice or any of the "classic" dark rides you are generally separated from others.

That's an arbitrary definition. A dark ride, by definition, is "an indoor amusement ride on which riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects."

Small World, even though you have back to back boats, no story, and tons of lighting, is still a dark ride. It is also considered a "classic". So to say all the 'classic' dark rides immerse you in the story is a bit of a push.

 

[Budshark]

That's an arbitrary definition. A dark ride, by definition, is "an indoor amusement ride on which riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects."

Small World, even though you have back to back boats, no story, and tons of lighting, is still a dark ride. It is also considered a "classic". So to say all the 'classic' dark rides immerse you in the story is a bit of a push.

Thats why I explained my definition and owned it.

You can define them as all kinds of things... I could say Small World isn't a dark ride because it doesn't have specially lit scenes.

So call it whatever you want - I'm saying a 360 degree track based ride that involves the rider being "in" the scene is different than a track based ride where the rider is positioned and scenes are in a 180 degree field of view. The main Ariel scene is borderline, but the rest of the ride definitely is positioned on 1 side vs. all sides.

So we can call it 360 ride vs 180 ride...

 

[rteetz]

News

Not much was revealed in the live chat except for the capacity will be around 5000 guests a show and the seating will be divided in two villages.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...s-rivers-of-light-chat-with-creative-team.htm

 

[Spacedog1975]

News

Not much was revealed in the live chat except for the capacity will be around 5000 guests a show and the seating will be divided in two villages.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...s-rivers-of-light-chat-with-creative-team.htm

That's considerably smaller than Fantasmic. No wonder they'll need to run it 3x nightly.

 

[rteetz]

That's considerably smaller than Fantasmic. No wonder they'll need to run it 3x nightly.

Even then on a busy night there is going to be a lot of people who don't see the show.

 

[Topper]

An article I wrote if you are interested.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/why-everyone-should-do-a-rundisney-event/

Doesn't seem like a rumor or news to me. Are we all allowed to post links to articles we have written, regardless of the topic?

 

[Budshark]

Doesn't seem like a rumor or news to me. Are we all allowed to post links to articles we have written, regardless of the topic?

The owner of the thread and moderator is... strange item to single out based on all the other off topic posts that are on here (especially everything written by me)

 

[rteetz]

Doesn't seem like a rumor or news to me. Are we all allowed to post links to articles we have written, regardless of the topic?

I am sorry, I was just mentioning it in case someone was interested. There have been plenty of off topic things posted in this thread before. I didn't post that it was news or a rumor either.

 

[rteetz]

News

I am very excited to see this show.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I'm cool with it. This is kind of news roundup/chat/discussion.
It's also Disney oriented. He didn't point us to his Amway page.

 

[rteetz]

Photo Update

Disney Springs update

http://www.laughingplace.com/w/articles/2016/03/08/disney-springs-update-2/

 

[Eoghann]

Doesn't seem like a rumor or news to me. Are we all allowed to post links to articles we have written, regardless of the topic?

Heads down everyone, the thread police have arrived!

 

[Eoghann]

Ok, I will no longer post my articles in this thread unless they relate.

Please, continue to post your articles on this thread.

1) it's your thread
2) there's an established policy on the thread of allowing leeway and somewhat off topic posts
3) the other poster is annoying to me so...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The thing about PP... it is one of the longest lines in MK. It has a decent but not crazy line in DL.

But I do find it humorous that the "original" PP doesn't have anywhere near the lines that MK has (and DL version is better!)

Not sure about that - we were in Disneyland in October and the line for PP was longer that I have ever seen it at WDW ... never got under 45 mins the entire time we were there and that was mid-week