WDW's Coaster Phobia

[JimmyV]

Several threads have been started bemoaning the fact that the 7DMT did not meet expectations, and people are quick (and accurate) in pointing out that any expectations of a thrilling coaster were misplaced. Let's address a different question. Why won't Disney add a true, modern, thrilling coaster to any of its parks? Perhaps the "it doesn't fit with the overall theming" works for the MK. But with four parks and expansion going on at a couple of them, isn't there room for one, single, solitary world class coaster? RnR isn't bad. And it draws huge crowds. So it is a tough sell to suggest that Disney's demographic doesn't want or need such rides. As has been pointed out in the "Disney is the attendance king" thread, there is far more attendance crossover with Universal than there is uniqueness in client base. The people who go to IOA on Tuesday don't all of a sudden despise coasters when they enter a Disney park on Wednesday. Imagine what a true kick-butt coaster could do for the image of the future. They aren't that expensive compared to some of Disney's higher cost attractions. Add some external theming and wham! You have a buzz-worthy new attraction. Isn't there room for one honest to goodness thrill coaster that is equal to what its neighbors offer? When Sea World has coasters that put Disney to shame, isn't there room for one new thrill ride? Somewhere?

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

Several threads have been started bemoaning the fact that the 7DMT did not meet expectations, and people are quick (and accurate) in pointing out that any expectations of a thrilling coaster were misplaced. Let's address a different question. Why won't Disney add a true, modern, thrilling coaster to any of its parks? Perhaps the "it doesn't fit with the overall theming" works for the MK. But with four parks and expansion going on at a couple of them, isn't there room for one, single, solitary world class coaster? RnR isn't bad. And it draws huge crowds. So it is a tough sell to suggest that Disney's demographic doesn't want or need such rides. As has been pointed out in the "Disney is the attendance king" thread, there is far more attendance crossover with Universal than there is uniqueness in client base. The people who go to IOA on Tuesday don't all of a sudden despise coasters when they enter a Disney park on Wednesday. Imagine what a true kick-butt coaster could do for the image of the future. They aren't that expensive compared to some of Disney's higher cost attractions. Add some external theming and wham! You have a buzz-worthy new attraction. Isn't there room for one honest to goodness thrill coaster that is equal to what its neighbors offer? When Sea World has coasters that put Disney to shame, isn't there room for one new thrill ride? Somewhere?

Modern thrilling roller coasters are big and ugly and can't tell a story!!!! Hope that helps!!

 

[JimmyV]

Modern thrilling roller coasters are big and ugly and can't tell a story!!!! Hope that helps!!

You obviously haven't been to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. They have great looking, themed coasters. Would EE tell less of a story if its highest drop were 3 times higher? How about California Screamin'? Why is that a Disney-approved coaster, yet they won't put something like that in Florida. Is WDW unworthy of a coaster the likes of CS?

 

[mesaboy2]

You obviously haven't been to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. They have great looking, themed coasters. Would EE tell less of a story if its highest drop were 3 times higher? How about California Screamin'? Why is that a Disney-approved coaster, yet they won't put something like that in Florida. Is WDW unworthy of a coaster the likes of CS?

Seems to me RnRC is on par with CS. I haven't seen CS in person (fixing that this weekend), but I have seen RnRC and if it were outdoors I imagine it would be more impressive.

To answer your original question, I just don't think Disney is interested in going beyond CS, RnRC, or EE's intensity. I think they recognize other theme parks specialize in them and have no desire to compete with that niche head-to-head. They seem to be okay with their current strategy.

 

[goin' again!]

California Screamin' isn't trying to tell a story, it's just part of the theme of Paradise Pier. It fit's perfectly there but would not fit into say the themeing of HS.

But I agree about EE. I'd love a huge drop

 

[Jennasis]

As others pointed out, Califormia Screamin' is a coaster, so Disney doesn't necessarily have a prblem...they just haven't found the right fit for it at WDW.

I'm remembering seeing plans at one point for a "dueling" coaster that was Star Wars themed...one side yourode in an x-wing and the other side was a tie-fighter. Maybe we'll get something of this sort when/if Star Wars land ever happens.

 

[CAS239]

I love Expedition Everest and Rockin Rollercoaster. But I would also love having more coasters and thrill rides.

I'll ride any Rollercoaster out there..so I'd love to have some intense rides at Disney. Hopefully one day there is a more adult thrill park amongst Disney

 

[DoughR]

California Screamin' is one of my favorite coasters but it fits the theme and adds a nice backdrop to WoC. I wouldn't mind more intense coasters as long as it has a solid soundtrack and they at least attempt to theme them a little.

 

[Brian Noble]

Why won't Disney add a true, modern, thrilling coaster to any of its parks?

Because it over-shoots their demographic. Mission:Space is a good data point on this. Most of the adrenaline junkies I know really like M:S. But, it's a $100M dud in terms of guest demand. It has *never* drawn well in Epcot, to the point that they had to neuter half of the ride just to get its numbers high enough to justify its existence. Yes, some people get sick on the ride, but I went through a phase of motion sickness a few years back and even during that time I could ride Orange with no hassles.

Another example: Tower. It's a tier 2 attraction for a reason.

You could argue that building more thrill rides would give them critical mass to attract enough people to justify them, but they get better ROI by serving their demographic. 7DMT has wait times consistently double anything else in the park, despite the fact that some call it "disappointing." TDO is laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Steven41782]

I always just figured Disney knows that we drive/fly past 2 or 3 cheaper amusement parks with more intense rides on our way to WDW. I think choices are good and more thrilling choices are fine, but I can get that at Six Flags. That being said, I would be stoked if they announced a new coaster.

 

[Brian Noble]

California Screamin' is one of my favorite coasters

Amongst hardcore coaster fans, Screamin' is a solid, but somewhat middle-of-the-road coaster.
http://www.ushsho.com/detailedsteelrollercoasterpollresults2013.htm

It's ranking (#113) is right around Everest (#110) but well behind both the "real" coasters at Sea World, Manta and Kraken, as well as the Dragons and Hulk at IOA.

I like to think of Screamin' as the steel coaster sampler pack. It has a little bit of everything: a launch, a "traditional" lift (done magnetically, but at chain-lift speeds), a simple inversion, a run of airtime hills, and a twister section to finish. None of the elements are outstanding, but I can't think of another coaster that brings all of them together.

 

[DOOM1001]

You obviously haven't been to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. They have great looking, themed coasters. Would EE tell less of a story if its highest drop were 3 times higher? How about California Screamin'? Why is that a Disney-approved coaster, yet they won't put something like that in Florida. Is WDW unworthy of a coaster the likes of CS?

I so totally agree with you,Busch Gardens in Williamsburg is such a beautifully themed park that if you just put some Disney characters walking around the park there would be no reason it couldn't pass for a Disney park,the one in Tampa is nice but the neighborhood around it doesn't help but the Virginia one is perfect.Maybe an Apollo's Chariot or a Griffon are too extreme for a Disney park but take a look at Verbolten that replaced Big Bad Wolf,it's a nicely themed coaster but not that extreme,it's something that's thrilling but most people can easily ride.I haven't ridden 7DMT but I'm not surprised it's not what most people expected,I knew a year ago it would be a tad more thrilling than a true kiddie coaster but I show the POV video of the ride to family and they're amazed that it's not as thrilling as what they expected.I think a coaster like a Revenge of the Mummy or what I expect the new Potter Gringotts ride to be is what most people would hope Disney builds more of in the future.I mean I ride Mummy with my 64 year old mom 4,5,6 times in a row without getting tired of it, or the ride making you sick.

 

[JimmyV]

But I agree about EE. I'd love a huge drop

Maybe we'll get something of this sort when/if Star Wars land ever happens.

But I would also love having more coasters and thrill rides.

I'll ride any Rollercoaster out there..so I'd love to have some intense rides at Disney. Hopefully one day there is a more adult thrill park amongst Disney

I wouldn't mind more intense coasters as long as it has a solid soundtrack and they at least attempt to theme them a little.

That being said, I would be stoked if they announced a new coaster.

See? The interest is definitely there. You can't convince me that Imagineering couldn't make it work, theme-wise. What theme does Primeval Whirl have? A coaster the likes if California Screamin' would fit into the carnival atmosphere of roadside Dinoland just as much as it does at Paradise Pier.

 

[DOOM1001]

Because it over-shoots their demographic. Mission:Space is a good data point on this. Most of the adrenaline junkies I know really like M:S. But, it's a $100M dud in terms of guest demand. It has *never* drawn well in Epcot, to the point that they had to neuter half of the ride just to get its numbers high enough to justify its existence. Yes, some people get sick on the ride, but I went through a phase of motion sickness a few years back and even during that time I could ride Orange with no hassles.

Another example: Tower. It's a tier 2 attraction for a reason.

You could argue that building more thrill rides would give them critical mass to attract enough people to justify them, but they get better ROI by serving their demographic. 7DMT has wait times consistently double anything else in the park, despite the fact that some call it "disappointing." TDO is laughing all the way to the bank.

I agree with you on Mission Space,I think Disney needed to add the non spinning version to get more riders.I'm as big a thrill junkie as anyone and although I like the G's the spinning version gives you my problem with the ride and why i don't ride it frequently is I simply find the ride boring.Now calling Tower of Terror a tier 2 attraction that's just wrong,in my eyes TOT is the best ride at WDW,the theming is amazing,the ride is thrilling and most people can easily ride it and it's always like a group experience since you experience it with about 20 others.

 

[GillianP1301]

I'm a roller coaster fanatic, the higher the better and I will travel to get to the good ones. So I would definitely welcome a modern gigacoaster at Disney and I think they could come up with a way to successfully implement one in one of the non MK gates. However, I'm not sure it the return on investment would be there for Disney. One great coaster is not going to make you a coaster destination overnight, you kinda have to go all in or not for that to really work and WDW is just not ever meant to be a major thrill ride destination. I don't think the market needs them to be that either. I really do think their capital dollars are better spent on enhancing the "show" and sticking with story telling over thrill.

 

[surferdave]

A well maintained coaster is a beautiful thing. They don't need a bunch of fake rock built around them to be great looking.

 

[JoeA]

Because it over-shoots their demographic. Mission:Space is a good data point on this. Most of the adrenaline junkies I know really like M:S. But, it's a $100M dud in terms of guest demand. It has *never* drawn well in Epcot, to the point that they had to neuter half of the ride just to get its numbers high enough to justify its existence. Yes, some people get sick on the ride, but I went through a phase of motion sickness a few years back and even during that time I could ride Orange with no hassles. Another example: Tower. It's a tier 2 attraction for a reason. You could argue that building more thrill rides would give them critical mass to attract enough people to justify them, but they get better ROI by serving their demographic. 7DMT has wait times consistently double anything else in the park, despite the fact that some call it "disappointing." TDO is laughing all the way to the bank.

Uh, died. Some people died.

 

[Brian Noble]

True, but the ride was a dud in terms of guest draw well before that.

What's more, people die after riding other thrill rides as well---typically due to latent health issues, which also happens to be the case for the two fatalities on M:S. But they don't have the intense media scrutiny that Disney does.

 

[JoeA]

True, but the ride was a dud in terms of guest draw well before that. What's more, people die after riding other thrill rides as well---typically due to latent health issues, which also happens to be the case for the two fatalities on M:S. But they don't have the intense media scrutiny that Disney does.

Agree on both points, actually. Media contributed and in general I don't think people like rides that are that "claustrophobic".

 

[NorthernBuckeye]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w78FASvQvGA

How about a StarWars theme to Gatekeeper?