SDMT Soft Opening Lookout Post

[BridgetBordeaux]

It's moving steadily because there are no FP+ people filing in ahead of you. That will all change soon enough................

 

[Airb330]

Ride is broken. Wait time said 60.

Splash is down too and we had a fp+ for that at five. :/ they said we could use it at space anytime, so we'll see. The app would only let me change it to worthless rides not the mountains.

 

[Airb330]

Ride is broken. Wait time said 60.

Splash is down too and we had a fp+ for that at five. :/ they said we could use it at space anytime, so we'll see. The app would only let me change it to worthless rides not the mountains.

Splash was back up and we rode it. Got in line for SDMT at 6:27, wait time said 60. How are people getting fast passes for it?!

 

[BigAlsGal]

Ride is broken. Wait time said 60.

Splash is down too and we had a fp+ for that at five. :/ they said we could use it at space anytime, so we'll see. The app would only let me change it to worthless rides not the mountains.

Yes if the ride you're suppose to ride breaks down when your appointed time arrives you will get an email telling you that you can ride any of the rides listed in the email at ANY time of day so if you notice this about to happen don't change the fastpass. Just wait till its time then it will roll over to an any ride any time fastpass. It was really cool.

 

[mesaboy2]

Splash was back up and we rode it. Got in line for SDMT at 6:27, wait time said 60. How are people getting fast passes for it?!

Where did you see that they were?

 

[Airb330]

Where did you see that they were?

I saw a good amount of people going through the FP+ entrance.

I was off the ride by 7:10, so far less than 60 minutes!

 

[mesaboy2]

I saw a good amount of people going through the FP+ entrance.

I was off the ride by 7:10, so far less than 60 minutes!

Were they scanning MagicBands, did you notice? Or is it possible they were CMs? Or maybe they were using both queues to keep guests from spilling outside into the walkways? I'm not aware of any FPs being offered for this before Wednesday and don't understand how they possibly could be given the ride's soft-open status.

 

[Cais]

We used a readd for a ride yesterday, and folks were using the DAS too. Probably what was happening.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Airb330]

Were they scanning MagicBands, did you notice? Or is it possible they were CMs? Or maybe they were using both queues to keep guests from spilling outside into the walkways? I'm not aware of any FPs being offered for this before Wednesday and don't understand how they possibly could be given the ride's soft-open status.

Most I don't think we're scanning anything.

I did see a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids) scan their bands and walk on as I did. I was baffled. Couldn't see the Mickey if it lit up. Maybe they had a fp+ earlier for a ride that broke down? I'll try to look later on. This is our only day in the parks on our short trip.

 

[DisneyFamily123]

We used a readd for a ride yesterday, and folks were using the DAS too. Probably what was happening. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

What is readd? DAS? Thanks.

 

[sunkissed4]

Could have been rider swap too. There were many DAS and rider swaps being used last night when we were there. DH waited an hour in line and I waited 2 minutes with rider swap. Poor guy!

 

[2goofykiddos]

Yes we got a rider swap. Our son is tall enough but it scared him the first time. Wait was posted at 60 on in 30.

 

[Chuckers]

So, I got to ride it Friday afternoon and in reality, it's okay.. it's not great.

It is way overhyped and the whole gimmick of the 'rocking' cars was not there.. and we were in the back seat.

Friday night I actually got to talk to a "suit" about the ride. (Sorry, I don't remember his name, but he was not a regular cast member operating the ride) He asked my opinion and I told him exactly how I felt. The middle section was great, the coaster part was tamer than Barnstormer. I told him that I had heard that they could control the swing of the cars (to which I got a silent reply) and I told him that they need to loosen them just a little. That the whole draw was the swing of the cars and there was none.

I also told him that I rode the car in the bright sunlight of the middle of the day and I could see almost nothing in Snow's cottage at the end of the ride. I could only see blurry shapes in the last window.. I think Doc is there. He was disappointed because he said that's an amazing view in the cottage. I told him I would ride it again, but it's not worth a 60+ minute wait.. maybe 30.

Also, (and I didn't tell this to the gentleman I talked to) while the middle section is fun.. it's disappointing, too.. it's NOT audio-animatronics. It's video presented on a moving mannequin. Ariel's Undersea Adventure is pretty bad, BUT Ursula is AMAZING.. the sync with Sebastian is great... the video I saw of ETWB makes me never want to go see it live, but Lumiere and the Wardrobe are really fun to watch. THAT's what I want to see in a Disney ride... The Dwarfs don't look real and that takes away from the middle section.

Just my thoughts.

 

[DebbieB]

I rode it twice yesterday - shortly after the 6:00am opening with little wait and around 3:00 am with about a 60 min wait. I really enjoyed it. I do agree that the cars are not comfortable.

 

[Mom2darlingboys]

I envy your patience.

I think people just don't get it. The poor CMs at the front only know what they're told during a soft opening. I don't know how they keep their patience either.

Agreed. We spoke with a few and mentioned to them that they probably had the least enviable job in the parks the days we were there. They were all very pleasant, and were telling people the ride might or might not re-open that first day - stating that even they did not know. We thought that was fair enough.

It was the two managers who would appear periodically and tell people there would be no further testing, they had all they needed. These two were the ones we took exception to. They yielded the little power they had toying with people gathered at the entrance.

 

[chapie1968]

so basically, as I predicted, this ride was all hype. Everything I have seen from video over the last few months have made be completely underwhelmed. It looks like another HUGE waste of money by Disney. Well, at least they have another "mountain" in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[chapie1968]

Yep, sure did. Just because the ride was mediocre doesn't mean we didn't want to ride it. They have after all been flaunting and flogging it, and taunting us with it for the past three years. And we ride mediocre rides all the time at Disney and quite enjoy ourselves.

But it wasn't that we didn't get to ride that bothered me. Nor was it that they cut the line directly in front of us, although that was admittedly disappointing. And, having been among the first of the general public to ride has a certain cache, which would have been nice to experience.

It was the way it was managed. We were outright lied to. Repeatedly and vehemently. They told us they UNEQUIVOCALLY would not be doing any more testing that day. They were VERY clear about the fact that they had all the data they needed (which I am certain they had weeks ago) and then to see and hear them testing again later that day was frustrating and completely unacceptable to me. It was like the bourgeoise doling out crumbs to the poor. Insulting. Even my kids sensed it and were disgusted by it.

We were at the 24 hour event today, and ended up riding it. The 180 minute posted time was actually 35 minutes, and we were the ones to deliver the red card. Walked by twice, and the same sized line boasted the same wait time throughout the day. Again, i don't like having my chain yanked.

And my initial impressions about the ride itself were right. It was mediocre - I'm not sure why that proclamation upsets people. It is a glorified Barnstormer certainly not worthy of the hype. The theming and animatronics in the cave were the best part, but it was not much of a ride. Many will like it I am sure - I've said before that Disney could charge you $50 to set you on fire and there'd be a lineup out the door. For us, it's a once and done kind of ride. We have not been overly impressed with VOTLM or ESTWB either - we'll stick with the classics, thanks.

Which means more of SDMT to go around for everyone else, especially the die-hard Koolaid drinkers. I love Disney, but I do feel like we need to hold them accountable for the things they do wrong. And lying to and manipulating guests feels less than magical to me.

Do you understand..IT WASN'T OPEN YET!!!!!!

IF they do tests or soft openings for a day, an hour or a minute that is a bonus for you. You act as if since you were there YOU WERE ENTITLED to ride it, which you weren't. You could have got back in line when they re-opened it and they could have cut the line off right in front of you again. And, they don't owe you any explanation, THE RIDE IS NOT OFFICIALLY OPEN.

 

[2goofykiddos]

Wow there's a lot of negativity on this thread. I thought it was a great ride for the whole family, which is better than the previous Snow White ride If you want thrill rides I thought everyone knew Disney is not about that.

 

[mrsmomo]

I gotta tell you as far as hype goes I live in south Florida and if it wasn't for these boards I wouldn't know this ride existed!

On that note I'm still excited to ride. Got a fastpass for this coming Wednesday than I'm hoping to get in the standby line late like around 10-11 pm so I can try it during the day and the night.

 

[vavalynn2]

My sister and her husband are the first in line waiting right now. Cms said there was a delay and they will ride soon.