Lap bars for Splash Mtn.

[Wizzard419]

Ah, you can blame John Hench for the attraction designs I think.

I'll get you directions to his grave so you can spit on it.

[mindflipper]

Nothing disrespectful like that; I just want a logical reason why they thought it was an improvement to decrease rider capacity???

[Wizzard419]

I didn't notice earlier, how much did splash's capacity go down?

[mindflipper]

Not Splash, and you're right - I keep thinking of Space Mtn in reverse. It's hard for me to ever believe that WDW got a ride before DLR ever had (usually its always the other way around). So in both cases - Splash Mtn and Space Mtn - when they built the next one after its original, it went from single row of riders to two-seaters. And it looks like in both cases, the original can't be retro-fitted to take the two-seaters. Looks like Splash Mtn. and Space Mtn. do have a lot in common.

[Wizzard419]

It might have been that when they come up with the concepts they think "single row is far more thrilling", the ride opens and is a hit but also takes forever to get on. So they redesign a larger car that is less of a thrill.

I know that there are stats out there about them but I think the drops are all similar (tokyo and WDW opened a day apart so they may be exactly the same) but the single row version always feels a lot steeper and longer than the newer counterparts.

[mindflipper]

I felt the opposite. When I did finally ride Splash Mtn at DLR, I felt underwhelmed and thought WDW was more steep. For all I know, they're probably identical.

[momeja]

Looking at one of my old books, "Disneyland: The First Quarter Century", I can see from the photos that DLR's Space Mtn. did indeed open with double-seating cars. Then why? WHY? What idiot decided to build WDW's years later with the single row cars?!? If WDW had double-seating cars like DLR, the lines would be shorter and there would be no need for silly interactive queue lines. Would it not be better to spend the money at WDW to upgrade SM to double-seating instead of putting in those stupid interactive queue garbage?

Maybe they thought the single-seat was more rocket-like?!

That's what I've always thought. I actually like the single rider cars for Splash at DLR. There's something more "log-flumey" about them, since they remind me of the old log flumes that Splash is based on.

The thing about Splash is that it was the first ride designed for WDW, not DL. It was Eisner's brainstorm to start encouraging more people to visit WDW, so it was intended for it to open at WDW first. I think the reason Space opened at WDW first had more to do with technical difficulties at DL, although I'm not sure about that.

As for the single-seat/double-seat issue, I think the decision probably had more to do with space availability than anything else, especially since Splash was designed for WDW but has double-seats, so it wasn't a "which one was built first" issue. DL's spacing is tighter than WDW's. I know that doesn't explain Space, but I think it explains Splash.

[MansionButler]

Not Splash, and you're right - I keep thinking of Space Mtn in reverse. It's hard for me to ever believe that WDW got a ride before DLR ever had (usually its always the other way around). So in both cases - Splash Mtn and Space Mtn - when they built the next one after its original, it went from single row of riders to two-seaters. And it looks like in both cases, the original can't be retro-fitted to take the two-seaters. Looks like Splash Mtn. and Space Mtn. do have a lot in common.

Space was designed for Disneyland (while Walt was still around!), but opened at World. Meanwhile, Thunder Mountain was designed for WDW, but opened first at DL.

Got Tower of Terror first, too, when thinking about major attractions.

I like WDW's low-slung ride system with nothing to the sides of you much more than DL's, and I'll take the capacity hit (which is, if I remember correctly, almost completely negated by the having two tracks). I'd be all for smoother tracks and more comfortable seats, but I never want to have bigger rockets.

[theBIGyowski]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but doesn't DLR's Space Mountain only have one track...and one loading area? So the fact that the cars hold twice the people is canceled out by the fact that there is only one track.

So I doubt DLR's Space Mountain is much more efficient...if it is at all.

I will say this...I got a lot wetter on DLR Splash Mountain than I ever have in WDW.

[Amy]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but doesn't DLR's Space Mountain only have one track...and one loading area? So the fact that the cars hold twice the people is canceled out by the fact that there is only one track.
So I doubt DLR's Space Mountain is much more efficient...if it is at all.
I will say this...I got a lot wetter on DLR Space Mountain than I ever have in WDW.

Why did you get wet on DLR Space Mountain?! Did someone have a protein spill in your rocket?

[theBIGyowski]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but doesn't DLR's Space Mountain only have one track...and one loading area? So the fact that the cars hold twice the people is canceled out by the fact that there is only one track.
So I doubt DLR's Space Mountain is much more efficient...if it is at all.
I will say this...I got a lot wetter on DLR Space Mountain than I ever have in WDW.

Why did you get wet on DLR Space Mountain?! Did someone have a protein spill in your rocket?

hahaha!

I meant Splash Mountain!

(shuffling off to edit my post...)

[cccmouse]

I am perfectly fine with the lap bars. I'm actually surprised that it has taken this long. I am sure Disney has a whole team of people that do nothing but look for places and situations that are potential lawsuits just waiting to happen. A ride like Splash Mountain with no type of restraint device in place is begging for the very type of trouble that Disney has already seen. If everyone who entered the Disney parks used plain old common sense that would be one thing, but a sad observation that I have made in my 49 years of life is that there are alot of stupid people in this world.

[mindflipper]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but doesn't DLR's Space Mountain only have one track...and one loading area? So the fact that the cars hold twice the people is canceled out by the fact that there is only one track.
So I doubt DLR's Space Mountain is much more efficient...if it is at all.
I will say this...I got a lot wetter on DLR Space Mountain than I ever have in WDW.

Why did you get wet on DLR Space Mountain?! Did someone have a protein spill in your rocket?

When I read it I thought theBIGyowski may have meant he wished he had more absorbent underpants - I guess it "Depends" on what he had meant!

[theBIGyowski]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but doesn't DLR's Space Mountain only have one track...and one loading area? So the fact that the cars hold twice the people is canceled out by the fact that there is only one track.
So I doubt DLR's Space Mountain is much more efficient...if it is at all.
I will say this...I got a lot wetter on DLR Space Mountain than I ever have in WDW.

Why did you get wet on DLR Space Mountain?! Did someone have a protein spill in your rocket?

When I read it I thought theBIGyowski may have meant he wished he had more absorbent underpants - I guess it "Depends" on what he had meant!

I will admit that after riding Space Mountain 5 times in a row...you get a little weak in the stomach...especially the older version that was much rougher. One of the few perks of getting to MK when it opens...when there is a little bit of rain. You get lines no longer than 5 minutes...and throw in a Fast Pass and it gets even better.

[mindflipper]

I've done it where I will get a Fast-Pass, get in the stand-by line if it's 30 mins or less, and ride it. Then when I get off, it's time for Fast-Pass, and then get back on the ride again.