Originally Posted By dlkozy Just returned from the DLR and went to Monsters for the first time-WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY! Didn't anybody that had the power bother to look at DL and SEE what makes a great ride? The ONLY thing clever about that ride is the very end with the Secretary who interacts with the departing guests. What a WASTE of money!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA When we rode for the first time over Thanksgiving holiday, we breezed right by Roz -- she said something when she was behind us. I was 'eh' about 'Monsters, Inc.' -- the queue is absolutely abysmal, boring, concrete queue with steel railing. Some slapped together posters. The ride itself, yeah okay.... I didn't like noticing all the mechanisms and figures from the old ride. Oh, that's where Regis used to pop out, now it's a monster. There's Drew Carey, Jackie Chan [I think in the same location and in the same position], just dressed as those Hasmat guys. I did like the door sequence -- very fun. People complained so hard about 'Superstar Limo' -- but this is essentially the same ride. They've added 'Monsters' as the theme, and now everybody likes it. Now, it's a 'good' ride. And we wonder why all the new attractions have animated characters shoved into the theme.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA By the way dlkozy, did you happen to catch the Block Party Bash at DCA? Oh man, what a mess that thing is. Again, Disney management couldn't wait to get rid of 'Eureka!' at DCA, and they seem to just love this pile 'o poop. Noisy, hyper-active, and beyond over-the-top, we felt that 'Block Party' was a real loser. The show starts out at a 9.5 in energy level and noise, and just gets louder. They start with dancing and singing old disco songs, and then grab bouncing balls, and confetti, and jump on trampolines, and run around in circles and smile bigger and leap around on stilts and scream louder... The only thing left to do was to have everyone throw up on the street, or light each other on fire to top the excitement level. What a mess. I just don't get who this appeals to.
Originally Posted By Park Hopper "The only thing left to do was to have everyone throw up on the street, or light each other on fire to top the excitement level." You mean they haven't ALWAYS done that?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip You left coasters can ship Monsters Inc out to Disney World any time you want. WDW visitors aren't as danged sophisticated as you guys and we would actually enjoy it. I thought it was a great little dark ride. The story was told well and the Doors sequence was one of the best scenes in any Disney darkride. I never saw SuperStar Limo, but I really can't see why you feel that Monsters is bad just because it uses the same track. I'll agree about the queue, but then that is typical of most recently built Disney queues. I think Disney stopped caring about queues about the same they introduced Fastpass. If a significant portion of visitors now bypass the queue, why spend any money on it? I don’t agree with that line of thinking, but I think it is there. I still think you are being way to harsh on a nice little ride. Sure it's no 'E' ticket, but it is a very enjoyable 'C'.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Again, Disney management couldn't wait to get rid of 'Eureka!' at DCA, and they seem to just love this pile 'o poop.>> Dare I say that at least one resident of Merced has good taste (note, I didn't say which one!) ;-) But I do actually enjoy Monsters Inc ... it's a nice little dark-ride ... much better than Pooh certainly.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I liked Monsters, especially the door scene and the restaurant scene. But I think it could be improved several-fold simply by spending a LITTLE more money and making the "focus" character of each scene be a more sophisticated figure, not be so static, and at least having the mouth match the audio. Roz is more articulated, and works. Even the scene where Randall is being hit on the head and changing colors works better because it's not static. But when you see the big Sully character "talking" and yet nothing moves, it detracts. It's less necessary in the FaL dark rides, where you're so close to the sets. In the more spacious Pooh and now Monsters, static characters are much more noticeable. If they'd "plus" it so that just the major "focus" character in each scene is more sophisticated, that would help it a lot, IMO.
Originally Posted By BlueOhanaTerror >>>The ONLY thing clever about that ride is the very end with the Secretary who interacts with the departing guests.<<< I enjoy the ride, it's no big shakes, and could definitely be plussed in various ways, such as Dabob2 suggested. But Roz' "interactivity" has never impressed me. Apparently I always ride when the person speaking through Roz/operating, has gone to lunch. And I get no sense of her actually being "in the moment."
Originally Posted By RoadTrip My wife and I rode Monsters 4 times when we were at DL this summer. Three of the times I did have the feeling that she WAS talking to us. At first I kind of dismissed it thinking she just said stuff that was generic enough that it would apply to a good 75% of the people that went by. Then we rode Monsters within a few minutes of when we'd last gotten off (no line). As we rode past Roz she said "You... back again already?" Now I BELIEVE! LOL
Originally Posted By dlkozy >>>"I think Disney stopped caring about queues about the same they introduced Fastpass. If a significant portion of visitors now bypass the queue, why spend any money on it?"<<< I doubt that FP will be needed for Monsters much anymore. There were a whole 5 people in line with us this past Wed. People will be bypassing the queue all right-there's no line. And if I could think of a way to send you Monsters, RT, I would gladly pack it up and even slap a big red bow on it for ya!
Originally Posted By BrnardM Yes, I think fastpass is about over. When I went to Disneyland last, Space and Splash were the only rides that had them open.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA We used FastPass on Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and Soarin' Over California. I was glad to see that Pirates isn't using it anymore.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <WDW visitors aren't as danged sophisticated as you guys and we would actually enjoy it.> No argument there...
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt ^^LOL! For the record, I though Monsters was okay. But then again, I thought SSL was okay too.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Me too Hans. I guess my point is that 'Superstar Limo' wasn't as bad as all that. 'Monsters, Inc.' is fine, but it's not THAT much better than 'Superstar Limo.' Does that make any sense at all?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<WDW visitors aren't as danged sophisticated as you guys and we would actually enjoy it.>> Speak for yourself, Trippy. BTW, you got indoor plumbing yet?
Originally Posted By jonvn SSL was fine. I don't know what was so wrong with it. The Monster Inc ride is just another C coupon dark ride. And at that level, it's ok.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<BTW, you got indoor plumbing yet?>> Well, my neighbors have it but I'm holding out. I mean do you REALLY want people doing that INSIDE your house?? I think I'd just as soon keep where I cook and where I do Number Two in totally separate places.
Originally Posted By Dznygrl I said this somewhere in another post, but I think the reason that Monsters, Inc. fails as a really great ride is because it doesn't put YOU right into the action like all the other classic Disney dark rides do. In Pinocchio, YOU'RE the one trying to escape from Stromboli/Monstro/etc. to get back home. In Snow White YOU'RE the one the witch is trying to lure with the apple. In Alice, YOU'RE the one falling down the rabbit hole and getting chased by the queen. Mr. Toad...does there even need to be an explanation? You get my point. Monsters Inc. is just all this stuff happening AROUND you instead of TO you. Makes for a pretty static, boring ride. The Roz effect is pretty cool though. She liked my glasses and wanted to trade.
Originally Posted By oc_dean In other words you're saying it's more of a "passive" journey ... as apposed to one that involves some interactivity?
