Will the Sneetches ride ever open?

[BarryHom]

If you have visited Islands of Adventure, you may have noticed a track that winds all over Seuss Landing. You may have wondered what ride it is and where you can queue up for it. Put away your room key and don’t try to find a Universal Express pass for it. The ride may never open.

The Sneetches ride, also known as Sylvester Monkey McBean’s and His Very Unusual Driving Machines, was basically an overhead tour of Seuss Landing. The ride followed the story of the Sneetches. Guests choose to travel in cars along the Plain Belly side or the Star Belly side. The paths took different directions, but told the same story. Guests could bump other cars and make Suessian sounds.

The ride slated to open with the park in 1999, but it didn’t. The sign outside the ride once said that it was opening in 2000. Then the year was changed to 2001. Finally, the sign was painted over and no year is currently there.

Why didn’t the ride open? Many rumors circulated. One rumor said that the electrical system was mis-wired. Another rumor mentioned that Circus McGurkus may hold a problem. The Sneetches ride ran through Circus McGurkus. Since the ride was not enclosed, guests could spit or drop items onto the diners below. The diners could, in retaliation, toss food at the passengers above.

The main reason why the ride may never open is because of evacuation problems. If the ride were to break down, there is not easy escape route to evacuate guests. The park would need to bring in cherry pickers to reach the guests. This would be a long and unpleasant process. The ride would have also had the lowest throughput in the park, even lower than Pterandon Flyers. Pterandon Flyers has a throughput of about 170 guests per hours. Thus, the wait time would be extremely long.

Will the ride open? It’s doubtful. However, sometimes you may be able to see a car with a Seussian character in it run along the track. During Grinchmas, the ride queue is turned into the Grinch’s Lair, a meet and greet area for the Grinch. You can see part of the ride. The queue area also has scenes from The Butter Battle Book.

 

[sneetch]

that's sad. I was hoping that this ride would eventually open. I love the sneetches.

 

[sneetch]

that's sad. I was hoping that this ride would eventually open. I love the sneetches.

 

[acmepreach]

I took some time last February to wonder around and see how far I could get. The story of the sneetches is really pretty interesting. The way the ride is themed is terrific. Of course, I think cat in the hat is one of the best rides at IOA. I wondered through the que area and you can see how the lines could work. A simple way to adjust the ride is to enclose the cars and widen the track for breakdowns. That could be done but I don't think that is the problem. I think it has to do with low capacity. It is a ride similar to the T-flyers and they were a disaster in the beginning. It just doesn't make sense to do this right now. It does add some legend and history to the park.

 

[Paris]

I have seen the Wedway, err, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, evacuated once -- I can see where it would be a problem without the wider walkpaths next to the track.

However, this type of ride is everywhere.

Paramount King's Island has it:

And I saw a special on Parc Asterix in France where they have a foot-pedaled inline overhead track attraction. The same evacuation issues can be said of every single skyway still in operation. I don't think the mechanics were such that it would be a constant malfunctioning attraction.

And while Pteranadon Flyers has no choice but to accept its capacity restraints -- given the stress of the weight on the track, you CAN make the Sneetch cars a bit longer, Wedway-style almost, and there wouldn't be a capacity problem if you are able to load and dispatch a dozen or two folks at a time.

 

[Paris]

Oh, and as for the Circus McGurkus passthrough, if the park ever thought that would be a problem it could put up a glass or plastic wall -- the way Wedway has as it cuts through public places. As for the stalled cars, surely there must be a way to pad the vehicles with bumpers and allow to shift the vehicles into neutral so that they could be bumped back into the entrance if it ever did come to that.

It's a shame because the infrastructure is there, the egg on the face is still there, and that would be the fourth ride/fifth attraction in Seuss Landing and, in my opinion, truly complete a great island.

 

[CINDY-LOU]

We just returned yesterday (3/28) and asked one of the workers about the Sneeches ride . She said they could never get it to work properly and it would never open but remain as a display. Then we went over to the Cat in The Hat but it was closed because they could not get the lights to work.! They gave us a E-pass to ride it later which worked out fine for me!!!! CINDY-LOU

 

[Horizons16]

Paris

You have a very good idea with that one. Like the Diesel rescue for the monorails in disney. Thats a good point.
~STeve

 

[locoexw]

So what is the "thing" between One Fish and the Cat in the Hat? Looks sort of like an iceberg, maybe?

 

[rocketman23]

That'd be Mt. Crumpit, and no it's not really related to the Driving Machines. It is only open during Grinchmas and is an ice slide for the kids, nothing that incredible.

 

[Snow Brite]

We LOVED Suess Landing. I think it was really one of the best spots in all of Orlando. Everything there was terrific from Red Fish Blue Fish, o the Cat in the Hat, to having Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast and the Suessousel (sp???) and my kids favorite was If I ran the Zoo.
But we wandered around for quite a while trying to figure out where that ride started. You can see it above and my kids reallllly thought it looked like fun! So we looked and looked and finally realized the entrance for the Sneetches was it and it wasn't working. All three days we woudl check back...

Now we know!

Jennifer

 

[the Dark Marauder]

McMonkey McBean will Never open. ever. it will only be used as decoration. every now and then you can see a car with suessian characters on it riding on the track. the big iceberg is Mount Crumpit, only open during Grinchmas. it's a fun slide, epsecially if it's been slicked down recently. then you can go ZOOMING!

 

[the Dark Marauder]

anyone ever been to the Orlando International Airport? cuz if you have, then you know how you have to take a monorail-type shuttle from one side to the next. take a guess who built that...

 

[Mr. Carni]

Originally posted by the Dark Marauder
anyone ever been to the Orlando International Airport? cuz if you have, then you know how you have to take a monorail-type shuttle from one side to the next. take a guess who built that...

Did they go out of business, too? I understand the Co. who designed McMonkey went belly up (and with no stars on their bellies!)

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Disney built the momorail-shuttle you take at OIA.

 

[Deevan]

Just a side note... Reports are that before and after hours they have been testing vehicles with members of management on McMonkey McBean's. The ride system still works fine, and has been upkept by Universal's technical services department. So maybe there is a future for this ride?

Jason

 

[the Dark Marauder]

the *supposed* rumor is for it to open by Christmas.

 

[rocketman23]

This Christmas??? That doesn't seem accurate at all if that's what it means. They have snow machines by the track and the queue is the Grinch's Lair. An employee from Universal told me at IAAPA that they may look at opening Driving Machines before any new rides open at IOA, but I doubt it'll be that soon if they try it.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

when i heard that i was like "no way" and i am highly doubtful on it opening that soon. sometime next year, possibly, if at all next year...

 

[USFFan8814]

I would LOOOVVVEE to see this open! I want to ride it!