Living Seas Ride Thru What Happened???

[QuickGold]

Exactly, they know it's an easy way to bring people in. But to me, it lacks creation. It's just the old standby.

That's true but the rides that have been re-done recently to include characters, such as Stitch and Living Seas, were done to help dull attractions. With news of DL building a Monsters Inc ride, I have some hope that will turn out nicely.

[rdeacon]

Any ride that needs to stock barf bags in every seat isn't a winner in my book. Not a lot of folks can ride it, I'm one of the few I know that doesn't get sick on that one. I've ridden it and have to say I was not all that impressed with the overall ride experiance. And from what I've heard and seen the crowds are light for Mission Space - much lighter than what was hoped for...

Horizons needed some updating (like that end movie sequence) but with some work like that it would have been a solid ride again.

Which part were you not impressed with? I think they did a kick ass job of recreating lift off and the g-forces that I assume come with space travel.

As for the light crowds.. think most people just chicken out due to the 50,000 warnings they give you before you get on the ride.


You wanna be a astronaut then you have to suck it up!



Rich

[rdeacon]

rdeacon
Most of those rides you mentioned are in Fantasyland. They work well there.

But look at attractions like Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, BTR, POTC. They aren't movie/character based and are among the most popular attractions.

Good point Sub... touche

I guess it depends on how they approach the "Character Theme" redesigns. If its just a sad attempt to sell merchandise then shame on Disney, ie just slapping Nemo on the Living Seas to sell more Nemo stuff.

If they approach the project with a theme and and open mind then good things could come of a Character Themed attraction, ie Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.

Disney has to insure that WDW can be identified by its core audience, kids. So the Character Themes make sense, its just how they approach it.

Rich

[rdeacon]

Got some info on the Sea Cabs when I was there last week. I talked to a cast member and she told me that the Sea Cabs are still there and they have not destroyed them. So that is good news. She didn't know when they where planning to do anything with them..she told me the imagineers are pretty tight lipped about current projects... and that she is hoping for a Nemo based theme for the Sea Cabs.

I have to say I was impressed with the Nemoization on the Living Seas. I know the last time i was there they just basically stuck Nemo stickers over everything, it was very hap-hazard. Now they seem to have themed the living seas area very nicely. Turtle Talk with Crush is cool for the youngsters. The area where the large Bruce photo opp is nicely done too.

It has increased the foot traffic in those areas that where very slow prevously. I have photos of the Nemoization. I will work on putting up a website with the soon.


Rich

[Disneynut]

Great news on Sea Cabs!

[RiaLucia]

I know the topic has taken a turn away from speculation, but I just wanted to throw in that eagle4life69 had it right. The ride at the Living Seas shut down because the Living Seas lost its sponsorship.

I did the Disney college program in 2002 and worked custodial all throughout the Future World West area. I have personally seen the cabs still in place, just not in operation. It's really kinda creepy...

[eagle4life69]

Yeah I Was right. but figure that fish have to eat you need special people to keep it running and if a sponsor doesn't see that the show is good for them and is just a waste they will say nope no more for me and pull out.

I know the topic has taken a turn away from speculation, but I just wanted to throw in that eagle4life69 had it right. The ride at the Living Seas shut down because the Living Seas lost its sponsorship.

I did the Disney college program in 2002 and worked custodial all throughout the Future World West area. I have personally seen the cabs still in place, just not in operation. It's really kinda creepy...

If you missed what I wrote here it is

I wonder Could it be Money?

[rdeacon]

Yeah I Was right. but figure that fish have to eat you need special people to keep it running and if a sponsor doesn't see that the show is good for them and is just a waste they will say nope no more for me and pull out.

I know the topic has taken a turn away from speculation, but I just wanted to throw in that eagle4life69 had it right. The ride at the Living Seas shut down because the Living Seas lost its sponsorship.

I did the Disney college program in 2002 and worked custodial all throughout the Future World West area. I have personally seen the cabs still in place, just not in operation. It's really kinda creepy...

Why would they stop the ride if the sponser pulls out????

Space Mountain didn't close when FedEx pulled out, and Universe of Energy is still working without Exxon-Mobile.

What's the deal?


Rich

[RiaLucia]

Why would they stop the ride if the sponser pulls out????

Space Mountain didn't close when FedEx pulled out, and Universe of Energy is still working without Exxon-Mobile.

What's the deal?

I suppose every ride has different operating costs, and loss of sponsorship hurts some attractions more than others.

[G2-4T]

Esp if repairs came just as the sponsor left and there was a short fall in the expect cash flow. I suspect this is partially what happened and it has just sat on the back burner since that time...

Another aspect, it isn't a critical part of the ride or park so it could be put off. Yeah, it is cool but won't close the entire LS area down just because the SeaCabs are down. Meanwhile to actually take UE or Space Mtn out of service just because of a lack of sponsor would be like shooting themselves in the foot, one is a huge crowd eater [look at the capacity of those cars!] and the other is a E-ticket ride [and has one heck of a line in the busy season]...

[js3901]

even tough it won't kill the ride, it definately hurts the experience. Disney is FAMOUS for themeing in their parks. Everything in a specific attraction is geared to IMMERSE you in a new and different experience. Part of the experience in LS is the Hydrolator descending and the sea cab ride to Seabase Alpha. Now, it's just, "Walk through these doors and you're magically underwater and wlak out these doors and *POOF* you're magically transported back on land." While the interior of the LS is nice and you do get a good experience, there's nothing there anymore to IMMERSE you in the experience. And THAT is a shot-in-the-foot for Disney. Especially WDW...

[G2-4T]

even tough it won't kill the ride, it definately hurts the experience. Disney is FAMOUS for themeing in their parks. Everything in a specific attraction is geared to IMMERSE you in a new and different experience. Part of the experience in LS is the Hydrolator descending and the sea cab ride to Seabase Alpha. Now, it's just, "Walk through these doors and you're magically underwater and wlak out these doors and *POOF* you're magically transported back on land." While the interior of the LS is nice and you do get a good experience, there's nothing there anymore to IMMERSE you in the experience. And THAT is a shot-in-the-foot for Disney. Especially WDW...

You don't have to tell me, I love how they truely get you into atmosphere and feel, not just "here's a ride". That is what makes it so much different than any other theme park out there. No one else can do it quite like them.

It is a poor choice to close it but in context with what all else went on at the same time I guess we're just lucky it isn't closed completely or some trendy ride... "Ride the nuclear sub simulator and get violently ill!"

Still, it would seriously improve the pavilion to bring back the "Wedway imitator" [CM quote from when it was running]. With out it you really are just dropped into SeaBase Alpha, not taken to it...

[vfxpro]

True, with all the room they have at WDW they should always build new and not remove anything

Thats my biggest beef with disney. WDW is taking the disneyland approach to expansion. Tear it down. When in reality with the 50 square miles of property they can afford to do anything. For example what if instead of tearing down Horizons, they put Mission: Space in the same pavilion? So you have 2 attractions in one pavilion? Same with the GM pavilion. They could have had World of Motion spill into the TransCenter (like it did) and then have the entrance to Test Track on the other side of the TransCenter. Imagine that? A pavilion that keeps the crowds indoors. You could get a fast pass for Test Track and ride world of motion while you wait. They should do the same for Universe of Energy. Too bad the latest rumor is to gut that ride and replace it with the new Monsters Inc attraction. Why not expand the energy pavilion and put the monsters inc ride adjacent to the current attraction? I dig the wonders of life pavilion but seeing how it is oper 3 days a year, they may as well incorporate that building into the energy complex and have monsters in there. Heck you could bring back the bikes since they are energy themed anyhow. It p*** me off to think that they could care less about their actions.

[vfxpro]

I did the Disney college program in 2002 and worked custodial all throughout the Future World West area. I have personally seen the cabs still in place, just not in operation. It's really kinda creepy...[/quote]

[/quote]

It's true. They are very much still there. It's not a function of whether or not they can afford to run any attraction. Think about it. Disney is the only park that gets outsiders to pay for it's attractions. It's a brilliant business decision. You charge tickets, you charge for food and merchandise, your attractions are paid for. Big $$$. It's not that Disney cannot run the attraction, it's that they choose not to. Remember this current version of Disney worries about next quarter, not next year. If it were up to Eisner the attractions would be replaced with more stores. Attractions DO NOT make money. (I know everyone will argue this) But they don't. They get people in the park, but they stop you from spending cash. The fast pass allows you to spend the least amount of time away from the cash registers. Don't think for a second that Disney cares one bit about how many rides you do in a day.

Disney releases a lot of rumors to cover up their decisions. Horizons had and still has a HUGE fan base.. The building WAS NOT crubling in on itself. Its a business move. Shut down the attraction for a while, spread the rumors. Let things cook for a while and don't deny anything. I was there when they started to take the building out. The building was made to last according to several Architects I talked to. It was made out of steel. It took 6 hits with a wrecking ball just to inflict damage.

Along with the rumor of bringing back the seacabs is replacing the film at the seas with a sea based 'star tours' type attraction. That will at least bring people back into the building.

[vfxpro]

This is probably just one of those Internet rumors but I heard they were having trouble with leaks (nothing big) and there were annoying drips on the riders.

The drips could have been an interactive part of the ride.......

I doubt they had the leaks... the lexan is sooo thick plus the water pressure on the glass would prevent any leaks. Plus if they had leaks on the ride.. why not the viewing areas?


Sounds like an internet rumor to me

There were no leaks in the ride. Period. This is a classic example of Disney letting rumors run wild. The point is they are cheap. The only BAD thing that the seas had was in the very beginning of the attraction they had a hard time keeping the sea life alive. This was due to Disney being too proud to bring in outsiders. Because of this situation Disney surrounded itself with the best of the best for AK.