Declining by Degrees

[Cheshire Cat]

I think EE could have been a lot better. Right now it's like a maelstrom on wheels: it's fun, it goes backwards and it's way too short. If they had given extra time and money, they could have made the ride a bit longer and maybe added more elements inside the mountain rather than pitch black during the backwards segment.

[js3901]

what kind of elements do you expect INSIDE a mountain? You go deep enough into any cave in the world and it'll be too dark for you to see properly.

I don;t think the ride is that short compared to any other rollercoaster. how long do you expect to sit there strapped in?

[MansionButler]

Expedition Everest is a kick ass ride with some great theming.

It's not particularly innovative, though. It's just a well-themed rollercoaster that does a couple tricks which have been done elsewhere. (I haven't actually been on the attraction, but I've seen the video. It does look fun.)

The great Disney attractions over the years usually took advantage of either cutting edge tech or used old tech in brand new ways.

Unless I'm missing something Everest seems to be just the Matterhorn plus Paris Indy, with a nice queue. Spider-Man basically reinvents the dark ride and opens up new worlds of possibility.

Everest does have a few new specs as far a s roller coasters. Nothing as revolutionary as Spider-Man, but it is cutting edge. I believe you can find some information at rcdb.com

They also actually do a reasonably good job of maintaining Spider-Man. If an effect isn't working on the first day of a trip, it's almost always fixed the next day. Contrast that with Disney attractions where they'll actually let guests ride when the flesh is hanging off an audio-animatronic, exposing the gruesome metal and plastic guts underneath.

Whoah! Which park do you have in mind?

Trust me, at least in Adventureland and Liberty Square, we'll go down for much, much less.


And, by the way, for those of you who wish you could help the parks but realize blogging doesn't make a dent, I do have a suggestion: talk to cast members. Believe it or not, our managers talk to us and listen to us (WDW knows what they're doing when hiring people to be in charge). And alot of us do care about the parks, but see less of the details than you do because most of our time ends up being at our one little attraction. There was probably a full month where I never saw Tomorrowland or Fantasyland, let alone the rest of Liberty Square.

Talk to cast members. Not all of us care, but I'm sure you could find out who does pretty quickly. And when you find that cast memeber, mention (don't complain) something that happens to be wrong or out of place. It's certainly far from a guaranteed method of fixing the bugs, but it certainly can't hurt and we have a direct and frequent line of communication to those who can fix most of the bugs. And usually an interested reciever.

[js3901]

MansionButler, If I went into one of the parks (say MK) and found quite a few things I see wrong, and I make a list (on paper) to give to a CM who cares, how well would that be received?

I have a list in my mind from this last trip I went on (in early December). It's still fairly fresh in my mind. I plan on going back this coming December, and I'll see if these things are fixed. If not, I plan on making a written list and giving/mailing it to someone. I just don;t want to be laughed at/told to p*** off (or likewise) because I bring a laundry list of problems (many are easily fixed) that need to be solved.

I'd probably point out the Declining by Degrees column as well, at least some of the things mentioned...

Also, if I do happen to mention something easily fixed (like the eyelashes of some of the dolls in IASW), how quickly does something like that typically get fixed?

[Cheshire Cat]

[quote]what kind of elements do you expect INSIDE a mountain? You go deep enough into any cave in the world and it'll be too dark for you to see properly.
[/quote]

I don't know exactly, but maybe something to the equivalent of the stalagmites on btm or the crystlas on the matterhorn. At least some visible rock walls.

[MansionButler]

MansionButler, If I went into one of the parks (say MK) and found quite a few things I see wrong, and I make a list (on paper) to give to a CM who cares, how well would that be received?

Not very well. You should probably approach a cast member individualy who's in the area of responsibility. For instance, if there's something wrong with the Tikis talk to a Jungle Skipper. A written list is the kind of thing that would do best at City Hall.

I have a list in my mind from this last trip I went on (in early December). It's still fairly fresh in my mind. I plan on going back this coming December, and I'll see if these things are fixed. If not, I plan on making a written list and giving/mailing it to someone. I just don;t want to be laughed at/told to p*** off (or likewise) because I bring a laundry list of problems (many are easily fixed) that need to be solved.

You certainly wouldn't be laughed at, but a list is something that belongs more at City Hall. I do know that complaints are all read (often to us, as well as compliments), so if a light bulb next to the Diamond Horseshoe is burnt out it might honestly not be addressed unless it's mentioned in a letter.

However, if you go to a Pirates cast member about something wrong in Tomorrowland, not much is going to happen. And they won't laugh in your face, but they'll probably giggle afterwards.

I'd probably point out the Declining by Degrees column as well, at least some of the things mentioned...

Also, if I do happen to mention something easily fixed (like the eyelashes of some of the dolls in IASW), how quickly does something like that typically get fixed?

Depends on the problem. The problem is given to DACs as quickly as it's mentioned. However, some stuff is actually less easily fixed than you'd think, and over the course of the night they have a LOT to get to. Sometimes they can't get to everything.


When Madame Leota is down, she's fixed quickly and the ride is closed until she is fixed. If some part of a Pirate is off, it could actually take days.

[Sarah Turp]

I thought EE was new and inventive.

The Paris Indy coaster goes backwards

Yes the Paris Indi rollarcoaster does goes backwards, but its kind of a one way deal. Depending on the year it has been made to go either forwards or backwards, but it doesn't do both while you are on the ride, unlike EE.


I agree that Universal is nowing doing some really good rides, some of whch supass some of the Disney ones, but Disney still does have some very orginal rides, and still have by far the best theming and storytelling. Walking aroung Universal you could be at any number of themeparks, but a disney the themeing in the land around you tells you its a disney park. I think that this is just as important as the originality of the rides when it comes down to a unique themepark experience.

[acp]

The Paris Indy coaster goes backwards

Yes the Paris Indi rollarcoaster does goes backwards

No it doesn't. They changed it again last year to go forwards again as it originally did.

[Captain Schnemo]

...the flesh is hanging off an audio-animatronic, exposing the gruesome metal and plastic guts underneath.

Whoah! Which park do you have in mind?

The particular instance I'm thinking of was seeing the kid's face completely ripped off on Horizons. Granted, it's not fair to compare IOA's signature attraction to one Disney was purposely neglecting, but there's no excuse for that level of decay.

...I do have a suggestion: talk to cast members.

In that instance, we mentioned it to the CMs as soon as we got off the ride and they just said "We know".

Management knew about the situation, but was having them run the attraction anyway. During those couple of years, it wasn't unusual for the Omnimax screens to be dead, whole sets full of broken down animatronics and dropped audio for half the ride.

I always mentioned those things, and the CMs always knew about them, but they still kept running guests through.

I stopped at City Hall and Guest Relations (about things big and small, positive and negative) enough times that it started bothering friends I'd visit with, and I never got a response that wasn't a form letter.

Right now, the problems are much greater than anything maintenance could solve. Putting singing cartoon fish in Future World and unfunny, unfuturistic monsters in Tomorrowland can't be cured a new coat of paint, a socket wrench, or any amount of TLC.

Walking aroung Universal you could be at any number of themeparks, but a disney the themeing in the land around you tells you its a disney park.

I would agree with you regarding Universal Studios, which is lame and boring, but I think most IOA islands easily surpass just about anything in MGM and hold up to all but the most amazing of Disney theming elsewhere.

The disjointed toon island is an exception. That thing's just a giant mess of who cares.

[Cheshire Cat]

The thing I find most unbearable about Disney's new methods for cutting corners and saving money is that the company was built on risks and teetering on the edge of bankrupcy all the time. Walt never cared about the money and just wanted to make people happy and give people a good time (if it wasn't for Roy, the compnay probably would have gone bankrupt eons ago). Disney has built a solid foundation with fans, the media, and nostalgia. They could easily take more money risks and put more money into anything they do (namely the theme parks). Whether an idea sinks or floats, they'd easily be able to recover from it just because of the foundation the company has. I think that they are (slowly) finally realizing this.

[TikiTikiRoom]

My family and I traveled to WDW i believe last February as a graduation gift to me. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely as we were staying in Disney's latest resort, Saratoga Springs. (it's really nice by the way...give it a shot). Anyways, regarding the cleanliness and awesomeness of WDW, my family and I didn't really notice anything wrong with the park. Sure, WDW is getting old (old as in years), but it's still a GREAT place to vacation too especially during the cold wintery seasons of February.

[subsonic]

My family and I traveled to WDW i believe last February as a graduation gift to me. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely as we were staying in Disney's latest resort, Saratoga Springs. (it's really nice by the way...give it a shot). Anyways, regarding the cleanliness and awesomeness of WDW, my family and I didn't really notice anything wrong with the park. Sure, WDW is getting old (old as in years), but it's still a GREAT place to vacation too especially during the cold wintery seasons of February.

Yeah, this is what bothers me about Disney. The casual visitor doesn't notice these things. So, Disney can get away with subtle changes. This is what the article is about. If Disney cuts corners too much the decline will get noticed but by that time it will be too late. Only the hardcore notices these things. In fact, even I didn't notice that many of these "issues" when I visited WDW.

I notice them all over the place at DLR.

[js3901]

In fact, even I didn't notice that many of these "issues" when I visited WDW.

I notice them all over the place at DLR.

Dr. Ravenscroft and I started looking for things like this when we were down there in December. After reading the column as well as seeing the pictures, along with seeing these things in person, was kind of a drag. we enjoyed ourselves, sure, but it was kind of harder when we saw these things. and when I lost my hat on Splash Mountain. but, that's another story...

[subsonic]

we enjoyed ourselves, sure, but it was kind of harder when we saw these things.

Yeah, it wasn't a big issue unless I was thinking about the deficiencies. I'm just worried that all of them will add up and then we'll have a totally poopie park.

[TikiTikiRoom]

I would think Disney would be good at keeping up with updates and new paintjobs. It's not a total loss, guys. There are still 3 other parks besides Magic Kingdom. Not to mention waterparks and all the resorts to go check out.