The subs and peoplemover

G2-4T · Post by **G2-4T** » Dec Sun 12, 2004 4:54 pm

Rumor has been flying around that the subs are coming back and with the latest testing sightings it looks to be true. So does anyone out there know what is going on with them? Supposedly a Finding Nemo theme I heard but no specifics or dates...

Also - anyone out there know if there are plans for the peoplemover track? That was a great ride and with the new Space Mtn, Buzz, etc. it would be touring some nice new attractions plus the cruise through the new Autopia, etc. It is so lonely just seeing it sit there [though I don't miss the Rocket Rods, the few times they really worked they were annoying...]

And both of these would do wonders for Tomorrowland, bring some life back into it! I can't even imagine what it is like with SM closed - and I thought it was empty before...

DISNEYman · Post by **DISNEYman** » Dec Sun 12, 2004 11:58 pm

^It isn't a guarantee the subs are coming back, but if it is, it looks like it's going to be a Finding Nemo overlay.

It's disheartening seeing those tracks just wasting away. If only Rocket Rods wasn't plagued by breakdowns and budget cuts.

I'm sure Matt Ouimet has thought about what he could do with the track, but unless they figure something else out, it looks like the only thing they can do is bring back the Peoplemover.

However, I did have a question, was that line for Rocket Rods always there? You know how it went underground and up a flight of stairs to the loading platform? I wanted to know the possibiliity of the same idea being employed to the Starcade. After all, that Arcade isn't very aesthetically pleasing, why not do away with it and implement a new line?

Post by **subsonic** » Dec Mon 13, 2004 1:13 pm

A rumor I've heard is making the track to Peoplemover the queue for Space Mountain. I doubt this though. But it would be cool to do.

DISNEYman
Before Rocket Rods there was Circle Vision. There's always been a tunnel from Circlevision all the way out behind Space Mountain. I believe with Rocket Rods they tapped into that tunnel for it's queue.

bartman454 · Post by **bartman454** » Dec Tue 14, 2004 3:05 pm

From my rumor sources I have heard nothing is being done with the Rocket Rods/ Peoplemover track for now. As for the subs, apparently Ouimet is really pushing it but he is going to have to wow Eisner because they will need a lot of cash in order to rehab the subs and the capacity for a Nemo attraction wouldnt be huge.

Jack

G2-4T · Post by **G2-4T** » Dec Tue 14, 2004 11:15 pm

Thanks Jack. I would think that they wouldn't be running the subs if something wasn't going on - it isn't cheap to rehab all that track and related basic operating systems for subs to just move around with no one on board. It would need a retro-future theme or something to keep it going in my mind, you're right - Nemo would not hold the appeal in a long term vision.

Sure hope they bring back the Peoplemover in some fashion , Rocket Rods was a lame idea with even worse engineering.

Post by **subsonic** » Dec Wed 15, 2004 12:53 pm

I made a post over at Mouseplanet that went a little something like this:

Besides the fact that we miss [Peoplemover] and Disney shouldn't have replaced it with Rocket Rods. Even by today's standards something like the Peoplemover is futuristic. Sure, the drive technology could be improved. In fact, it has been at WDW, where it floats on a magnetic track (but is still pushed by tires).
But, it is still futuristic. If you look at movies as old as Logan's Run or newer ones like the Incredibles they have those exact type of things.

All they would need to do is make it all magnetic where it's as smooth as butter, transform them into some cool looking pod shaped things, air conditioning, strips of electrolumenicent tape on the sides, and maybe some LCD touch screen interactive facts about Tomorrowland which would produce repeat ride throughs. If I saw something like that moving around Tomorrowland I'd definatly see future.

It seems to me that Disney always needs to build Extreme stuff (Tower of Terror, Mission:Space) to keep their guests entertained. But when you look at POTC or HM those rides aren't extreme yet always yeild long lines. Disney needs to quit meeting expectations and start exceeding it. It takes money to make money.

G2-4T · Post by **G2-4T** » Dec Wed 15, 2004 7:18 pm

Thanks for the report Sub - that is the right idea there! And from an engineering stand point very do-able and no special technology adaptations would be needed. Plus the basic infrastructure is already there with the track [besides the required rehab but at least it isn't all new].

Enough with the extreme rides, seems to me the old classics are darn popular with visitors of all ages...

vote_stomper · Post by **vote_stomper** » Dec Wed 15, 2004 8:01 pm

subsonic wrote:Besides the fact that we miss [Peoplemover] and Disney shouldn't have replaced it with Rocket Rods. Even by today's standards something like the Peoplemover is futuristic. Sure, the drive technology could be improved. In fact, it has been at WDW, where it floats on a magnetic track (but is still pushed by tires).
But, it is still futuristic. If you look at movies as old as Logan's Run or newer ones like the Incredibles they have those exact type of things.

All they would need to do is make it all magnetic where it's as smooth as butter, transform them into some cool looking pod shaped things, air conditioning, strips of electrolumenicent tape on the sides, and maybe some LCD touch screen interactive facts about Tomorrowland which would produce repeat ride throughs. If I saw something like that moving around Tomorrowland I'd definatly see future.

so are you saying something like, Jurissac Park Tour thing(from the movie), meets peoplemover, meets some crazy idea that no one has thought of yet?

Post by **subsonic** » Dec Thu 16, 2004 12:22 pm

Yeah, like the Jurassic Park tour (from the movie) except futuristic.

Fantasrick · Post by **Fantasrick** » Dec Fri 17, 2004 7:00 pm

They should bring 'em back.

kronk's angel · Post by **kronk's angel** » Dec Wed 29, 2004 10:11 am

subsonic wrote:I made a post over at Mouseplanet that went a little something like this:

Besides the fact that we miss [Peoplemover] and Disney shouldn't have replaced it with Rocket Rods. Even by today's standards something like the Peoplemover is futuristic... But when you look at POTC or HM those rides aren't extreme yet always yeild long lines. Disney needs to quit meeting expectations and start exceeding it. It takes money to make money.

Really excellent points. I *so* agree.

I think the Peoplemover brought "story" into tomorrowland, which is an important (and very "Disney") thing, explaining Tomorrowland and the future. What story?

When a person walks around the park (clockwise) they are more-or-less traveling through the past, experiencing a story. And in any story or experience, a good ending is crucial. It caps the theme and energizes the listener/viewer/user to Disneyland's theme is more or less one of progress throughout civilization's history, and finding meaning throughout it (eg. Carousel of Progress, a very popular track on Subsonic, along with Spaceship Earth).

Not to get too professor-ish, but the parks are more or less like a secular version of an ancient temple -- wherein one symbolically walks around the world/universe, through time, so that ideally one can envision the future at the edifice's culminating highpoint (like a Buddhist temple, or the Sistine Chapel leading from man's creation up to the Final Judgment).

A lot of people don't visit temples nowadays, or understand the significance of their architecture, but the Disney parks follow the same pattern. Epcot in particular, at least if you enter from the resort/World Showcase side.

Again, more-or-less.

Which is why a sucky Tomorrowland is so disastrous. "Welcome to the future, where everything won't work, and really, not much is going on," is not the future one envisions after a trip through history/Disneyland. And which is why the imagineers *must* exceed our expectations with Tomorrowland's vision of the future, just as our astute moderator suggests. It needs to be the best area in the park -- a tall order -- and suggest the great big beautiful tomorrow -- the utopia -- that awaits.

Of course they could just give up (as at WDW/MK) and change the theme (to one of imagination rather than progress). Or throw in more stuff like Alien Encounter as if to say the future is gonna suck.

Um, this is a really long post. Back to work!

G2-4T · Post by **G2-4T** » Dec Wed 29, 2004 11:45 am

Very good evaluation there - hard to put it much better than that! It is very much about the story and it is lost in the new Tomorrowland. The Peoplemover did tie the land together and with that missing it is losing some of the continuity.

Even the WDW Tomorrowland is a good story teller of the Tomorrow that was dreamed of but never was. Considering how fast tech. moves it is hard to keep ahead of the times. And it's still a focal point of the park, esp at night with the neon lights, wild architecture, and all of that which is still part of the vision of tomorrow... Plus the TTA still operates with its linear induction drive which is still futuristic by today's standards.

Oh yeah, good take on the old Alien Encounter

eagle4life69 · Post by **eagle4life69** » Dec Wed 29, 2004 12:31 pm

Here's An Update look through these pages and you'll find more shots of the Subs

Post by **subsonic** » Dec Wed 29, 2004 1:07 pm

At least Alien Encounter is very futuristic. I felt it fit the theme well.

kronk's angel · Post by **kronk's angel** » Dec Fri 31, 2004 3:49 am

Yes, Alien Encounter is futuristic. I did see people crying coming out fairly often, though.

I just listened to the track "disneyland - tomorrowland - peoplemover - promotional" and was struck with how much the original imagineers weren't making some sort of fun make believe thing -- they seemed sincerely convinced that they had just invented/popularized the *real* transportation systems of the future.

They weren't portraying the future, they were making it.

What a difference now...

Subsonic Radio

The subs and peoplemover

The subs and peoplemover

People Movers