Walt Disney World and Disneyland(s) Discussion

[cokebabies]

Harry Potter land was great, but the same as 2009 (though slightly less crowded this time). They really should've thought through crowd size more. The whole area is way too small ... and the shops are ridiculously small. Ride made me a bit sick ... moreso than even Mission Space ... but, that's a problem with me, not the ride.

I have an iron stomach with rides. The first time I did Mission Space, I was a bit loopy, because it was a such a weird and new experience, but didn't get sick.

I kept doing the HP ride on single rider, and by the fifth or sixth time, my stomach felt pretty odd. So since I consider myself pretty sturdy with those kinds of rides, I could easily see a normal person getting jacked up by it.

Universal Studios is looking a bit dated. The Mummy Coaster is the best ride in Universal, though a bit short. They really need a new big-time franchise to reinvigorate that park. Shame they got rid of Jaws, Kong and BTTF. Islands of Adventure is much better than Universal. My 5yo son is a bit young for most thrill rides ... but forced himself onto Jurassic Park (its his favorite movie). Came off it and said "That was awesome!! But ... I don't want to do it again." Heh.

I love USF, but agree. I don't GAS about Transformers the movie, and knowing it's a Spider Man clone is a shame. Spider Man is an unbelievable attraction, but I don't need part 2 of it in a park right next door. Especially since it's replacing a classic attraction.

USF's "dated" feel sort of worked for it, when it had Kong, Jaws, ET (I know that's still there), and other older film-related attractions. But with it's "new" rides, it just makes the older stuff look that much older.

 

[Coheteboy]

I know many of you know why Transformers is identical to Spider-Man but I'll explain again for those who don't.


Universal was preparing for the possibility that they would need to replace Spider-Man with something... and the ride technology wasn't present in Hollywood, so they made Transformers with the thought that it would completely replace Spider-Man when the time came. Florida would have Spider-Man, Hollywood would have Transformers.

I suppose that they loved Transformers so much that they would just clone it straight over in Orlando and bet Disney once again by having something new, giving the Universal Studios side an extra attraction.


But yah, it does leave the problem that there's two identical rides that would need to be replaced or changed eventually... and because of the placement of the film screens, it would have to be relatively similar.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

I have an iron stomach with rides. The first time I did Mission Space, I was a bit loopy, because it was a such a weird and new experience, but didn't get sick.

I kept doing the HP ride on single rider, and by the fifth or sixth time, my stomach felt pretty odd. So since I consider myself pretty sturdy with those kinds of rides, I could easily see a normal person getting jacked up by it.

I guess "sick" may be an overstatement. Flight simulators tend to screw with me a bit. Not enough to make me genuinely sick ... but enough for me to be ready for the ride to end. Potter and Mission Space were the only two that affected me to the extent that I wouldn't get right back on given the opportunity (actually had the opportunity on Potter because it stopped mid-ride). Within a few minutes, I'm fine ... went right from Mission Space to lunch at The Land.

I love USF, but agree. I don't GAS about Transformers the movie, and knowing it's a Spider Man clone is a shame. Spider Man is an unbelievable attraction, but I don't need part 2 of it in a park right next door. Especially since it's replacing a classic attraction.

USF's "dated" feel sort of worked for it, when it had Kong, Jaws, ET (I know that's still there), and other older film-related attractions. But with it's "new" rides, it just makes the older stuff look that much older.

The problem with USF is that they keep closing down their classics and opening new rides that don't quite live up. There is value in the classic attractions -- Kong and Jaws particularly. The Mummy is a great ride ... but I'd rather they had left Kong up, and found somewhere else to put The Mummy.

Instead, they replace timeless attractions with not-so-monumental franchises that will probably need to be replaced again in a decade when the movies are done and long-forgotten. Transformers, MIB (which is a great ride, actually). Simpson's land is good enough. But, for some reason, they leave up Feivel's playland. Can't figure why.

It ends up being an unthemed park of scattered unrelated attractions from fleeting franchises ... rather than a well-themed park with timeless attractions -- maybe occasionally updated, but not torn down -- and some new fresh stuff. Its just a really scatterbrained park at the moment.

Like I said ... they really need a big-time franchise to build around. They have some great stuff in The Mummy, T2, Despicable Me and Disaster. They ought to find a way to re-introduce Kong and Jaws. Then, find a fan-obsessed franchise to add to the park to draw a crowd. Potter's done. No Star Wars, Avatar, or Marvel/Avengers -- Disney owned. Maybe Abrams Star Trek, Hunger Games, or DC/Dark Knight/Man of Steel attractions (don't know if those are owned by Six Flags, but adding a Gotham/Metropolis area similar to the Marvel IOA area would be awesome).

SnakeDoc

 

[cokebabies]

I guess "sick" may be an overstatement. Flight simulators tend to screw with me a bit. Not enough to make me genuinely sick ... but enough for me to be ready for the ride to end. Potter and Mission Space were the only two that affected me to the extent that I wouldn't get right back on given the opportunity (actually had the opportunity on Potter because it stopped mid-ride). Within a few minutes, I'm fine ... went right from Mission Space to lunch at The Land.

Well of course. I could have a 110 degree fever and be skipping over to the The Land for lunch. Best quick service place in WDW.

The problem with USF is that they keep closing down their classics and opening new rides that don't quite live up. There is value in the classic attractions -- Kong and Jaws particularly. The Mummy is a great ride ... but I'd rather they had left Kong up, and found somewhere else to put The Mummy.

Instead, they replace timeless attractions with not-so-monumental franchises that will probably need to be replaced again in a decade when the movies are done and long-forgotten. Transformers, MIB (which is a great ride, actually). Simpson's land is good enough. But, for some reason, they leave up Feivel's playland. Can't figure why.

It ends up being an unthemed park of scattered unrelated attractions from fleeting franchises ... rather than a well-themed park with timeless attractions -- maybe occasionally updated, but not torn down -- and some new fresh stuff. Its just a really scatterbrained park at the moment.

Like I said ... they really need a big-time franchise to build around. They have some great stuff in The Mummy, T2, Despicable Me and Disaster. They ought to find a way to re-introduce Kong and Jaws. Then, find a fan-obsessed franchise to add to the park to draw a crowd. Potter's done. No Star Wars, Avatar, or Marvel/Avengers -- Disney owned. Maybe Abrams Star Trek, Hunger Games, or DC/Dark Knight/Man of Steel attractions (don't know if those are owned by Six Flags, but adding a Gotham/Metropolis area similar to the Marvel IOA area would be awesome).

SnakeDoc

When I heard they were closing Kong to put in ROTM, I was raging. I don't like The Mummy, so to get rid of a classic attraction for a new attraction based on a property I don't care for, it was disappointing. Then I went on it, and it became possibly my favorite attraction ever. But they haven't had that kind of success with their other replacements. And yeah, if they could have kept Kong and put ROTM elsewhere, that would be win-win.

I thought Disaster was a very successful re-design. Agreed on MIB - probably my favorite "shooter" ride.

USF's problem is that Universal's monstrous acquisition, Harry Potter, went to IOA. That's a once in a lifetime license, and they used to to make an incredible park even better. But USF suffers even more by comparison.

While they won't get a license even close to Harry Potter's appeal, they definitely need something iconic - current or not, to build around. The Simpsons was a great property to land, but I think a) it's not enough and b) they haven't done enough with it. I haven't seen the newest Springfield stuff, but they need to theme that land to Seussland levels.

 

[crows]

I know many of you know why Transformers is identical to Spider-Man but I'll explain again for those who don't.


Universal was preparing for the possibility that they would need to replace Spider-Man with something... and the ride technology wasn't present in Hollywood, so they made Transformers with the thought that it would completely replace Spider-Man when the time came. Florida would have Spider-Man, Hollywood would have Transformers.

I suppose that they loved Transformers so much that they would just clone it straight over in Orlando and bet Disney once again by having something new, giving the Universal Studios side an extra attraction.


But yah, it does leave the problem that there's two identical rides that would need to be replaced or changed eventually... and because of the placement of the film screens, it would have to be relatively similar.

I don't understand the problem with two rides that are similar. I don't really get that.

If you think about it every roller coaster is technically the same.

And Disney has a lot of rides that are exactly like one another.

The Nemo ride is exactly like the new Little Mermaid ride. just like the Peter Pan Ride, they feel the same to me.

pirates or the Caribbean and Haunted house feel the same, So does Spaceship Earth

The Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios pretty much feels the same as Spaceship Earth or Pirates of the Caribbean, gain.

I mean, They look different, but you are technically riding a car and looking at robots move.

I love those rides by the way. I am not saying those rides suck. I really love Spaceship Earth and Haunted Mansion. I like the rides but they are technically very very similar.

So when I heard so many people saying they don't like Transformers because it is a clone of Spiderman, it makes me think, How come no one complains about the Disney rides? (I don't mean anyone in here, I mean people that were writing on Universals' Facebook page or other blogs etc)

 

[cokebabies]

I don't understand the problem with two rides that are similar. I don't really get that.

If you think about it every roller coaster is technically the same.

And Disney has a lot of rides that are exactly like one another.

The Nemo ride is exactly like the new Little Mermaid ride. just like the Peter Pan Ride, they feel the same to me.

pirates or the Caribbean and Haunted house feel the same, So does Spaceship Earth

The Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios pretty much feels the same as Spaceship Earth or Pirates of the Caribbean, gain.

I mean, They look different, but you are technically riding a car and looking at robots move.

I love those rides by the way. I am not saying those rides suck. I really love Spaceship Earth and Haunted Mansion. I like the rides but they are technically very very similar.

So when I heard so many people saying they don't like Transformers because it is a clone of Spiderman, it makes me think, How come no one complains about the Disney rides? (I don't mean anyone in here, I mean people that were writing on Universals' Facebook page or other blogs etc)

All of the similarities you mention are tenuous at best. Pirates, Mansion, and Spaceship don't even share the same kind of ride vehicle.

The issue with Universal's similarities are that they are two marquee attractions using the same ride framework. It would be like if they had Test Track in Epcot, and a "jungle race" ride in Animal Kingdom using the same exact cars and track structure.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

All of the similarities you mention are tenuous at best. Pirates, Mansion, and Spaceship don't even share the same kind of ride vehicle.

The issue with Universal's similarities are that they are two marquee attractions using the same ride framework. It would be like if they had Test Track in Epcot, and a "jungle race" ride in Animal Kingdom using the same exact cars and track structure.

Dinosaur in AK and Indiana Jones in DL use the same ride vehicle and track layout. Then again, they're 2000 miles apart ... and there's enough difference in the content of the rides that they seem completely different (though I haven't been to Disneyland in a decade-and-a-half).

There isn't even much difference in the content of Transformers or ASM ... its pretty much the same fight scenes, with the same effects. The only real distinction is, in Transformers the ride vehicle is actually a character in the show ... though it isn't exploited quite as well as it could've been.

I was hoping for something that was a cross between Spider-man and Harry Potter ... with the 3-D video thing blended with real animatronics.

SnakeDoc

 

[Coheteboy]

I don't understand the problem with two rides that are similar. I don't really get that.

If you think about it every roller coaster is technically the same.

And Disney has a lot of rides that are exactly like one another.

The Nemo ride is exactly like the new Little Mermaid ride. just like the Peter Pan Ride, they feel the same to me.

pirates or the Caribbean and Haunted house feel the same, So does Spaceship Earth

The Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios pretty much feels the same as Spaceship Earth or Pirates of the Caribbean, gain.

I mean, They look different, but you are technically riding a car and looking at robots move.

I love those rides by the way. I am not saying those rides suck. I really love Spaceship Earth and Haunted Mansion. I like the rides but they are technically very very similar.

So when I heard so many people saying they don't like Transformers because it is a clone of Spiderman, it makes me think, How come no one complains about the Disney rides? (I don't mean anyone in here, I mean people that were writing on Universals' Facebook page or other blogs etc)

Disney has a lot of rides that are similar... but not exactly like one another.

Many use the same modes of transportation or ride vehicles but their track layout is different, along with the subject matter.

As Cokebabies mentioned, Universal's two rides: Transformers: The Ride and The Amazing Spider-Man.... are IDENTICAL in vehicles and ride interaction. The placement of the screens are the same, the motion is the same (maybe slight differences but not much). EVERYTHING is the same.... because Transformers was designed to REPLACE Spider-Man entirely if for some reason Universal couldn't keep Spider-Man in their park.



Dinosaur and Indiana Jones Adventure have the same track but each ride if you remember is a different experience. Your vehicle will tilt one way or pause at another, making each ride slightly unique. I'm less concerned about that because you can sit in different seats and see different things. When everyone in the vehicle is watching the same 3D movie, there's nothing different about that experience. It's exactly the same.



Disneyland has Finding Nemo and Little Mermaid ride too... but at least with Finding Nemo you're riding a Submarine rather than another clam.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Completely unrelated ... I did get to see the new MagicBands in action at WDW ... wristbands with RFID chips that replace park tickets, fastpasses, Fastpass+, photopasses, room keys, dining reservations, etc.

I didn't have one, personally. They're apparently in limited use for people staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contemporary, but will be rolled out at WDW later this year. They look nice and durable. People who had them could simply waive them in front of a Mickey-ear thing at the front of the park, or fastpass kiosk, or fastpass entrance, or whatever ...

Looks like it would save the hassle of having to shuffle through a pocket full of fastpasses, ticket/roomkeys, photopasses, etc. to do anything.

SnakeDoc

 

[cokebabies]

Ew, I don't know about those.

I thought they were going to be more like those silicon bracelets you see, where it's a thin rubber tube with a little oval at some point on it.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

I rather liked the look of them. I wouldn't wear one of those dainty silicon things anyway ... and I figure they'd be more likely to break.

SnakeDoc

 

[cokebabies]

I've never worn one, but someone on my hockey team does, and I figure if it can hang through that, a Disney trip would be no problem.

But I don't have too much of a problem either way. When you go to WDW, the switch in your brain telling you not to wear stupid stuff and do stupid things gets turned off.

 

[Shropt]

I've beta tested them twice. They are extremely convenient but kind of uncomfortable to wear. They are especially nice in the pool as you don't need to worry about losing your room key. The size is partially because they actually have a battery inside of them (lifespan of about 2 years).

 

[crows]

Disney has a lot of rides that are similar... but not exactly like one another.

Many use the same modes of transportation or ride vehicles but their track layout is different, along with the subject matter.

As Cokebabies mentioned, Universal's two rides: Transformers: The Ride and The Amazing Spider-Man.... are IDENTICAL in vehicles and ride interaction. The placement of the screens are the same, the motion is the same (maybe slight differences but not much). EVERYTHING is the same.... because Transformers was designed to REPLACE Spider-Man entirely if for some reason Universal couldn't keep Spider-Man in their park.



Dinosaur and Indiana Jones Adventure have the same track but each ride if you remember is a different experience. Your vehicle will tilt one way or pause at another, making each ride slightly unique. I'm less concerned about that because you can sit in different seats and see different things. When everyone in the vehicle is watching the same 3D movie, there's nothing different about that experience. It's exactly the same.



Disneyland has Finding Nemo and Little Mermaid ride too... but at least with Finding Nemo you're riding a Submarine rather than another clam.

I understand that Spiderman and Transformers are the same, but the way I see it Transformers coming to UNI was a good thing.

I mean, The way I see it, Transformers didn't replace anything. It wasn't like when King Kong was lost or JAWS now,
Transformers took the place of a building that was closed down, ( I know it might not mean much, but at least it really didn't replace something else.

And even if the two rides feel identical at least it is something new to do at Studios. That park really needs more rides or new shows or something, it feels extremely dated.
I don't know, I still don't see it as a bad thing, Sure they could have done something cooler, but I think the ride will help make Studios feel a little better

 

[Coheteboy]

I understand that Spiderman and Transformers are the same, but the way I see it Transformers coming to UNI was a good thing.

Oh definitely, it's a good thing regardless. They're giving Disney some solid competition and that's great for everyone.

I took a bunch of shots at Disneyland the last few wweeks so I'll start posting those soon.

 

[cokebabies]

Did Transformers not take the place of Amity Island?

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Did Transformers not take the place of Amity Island?

My understanding is that Amity was shut down for another Harry Potter land -- connected to the IOA one by train -- to help alleviate the crowds. New shops, etc.

Transformers is open. Amity is still under construction.

SnakeDoc

 

[crows]

Did Transformers not take the place of Amity Island?

Transformers took over the old Xena building that was closed for years and couldn't be used for anything. It was literally just wasting away. So they just added the ride where that building was.

As for Amity Island, this is what is coming next:
Diagon Alley (stores, restaurants etc)
roller coaster ride inside Gringotts Wizarding Bank,
the Hogwarts Express connecting both parks. (The train will have screens on all the windows to show you a video while you ride)

 

[cokebabies]

I knew the USF HP area was eating a bunch of Amity, but I didn't realize it was the whole space.

My negative feelings regarding Transformers have been downgraded from "annoyed" to "meh".

Do we know how the logistics of the new HP addition will work. Like, if you buy a 1 day 1 park ticket, can you only do each park's HP attractions?

 

[Darth Waller]

As for Amity Island, this is what is coming next:
Diagon Alley (stores, restaurants etc)
roller coaster ride inside Gringotts Wizarding Bank,
the Hogwarts Express connecting both parks. (The train will have screens on all the windows to show you a video while you ride)