Originally Posted By Doobie This topic is for discussion of the March 20th sotry and interviews with Imagineers Alec Scribner and Marc Sumner. This interview is at: <a href="News-ID502340.asp" target="_blank"><a href="http://LaughingPlace.com/News-ID502340.asp" target="_blank">http://LaughingPlace.com/News- ID502340.asp</a></a>.
Originally Posted By Superstar Limo No room for expansion? man, they could have done a lot with Condor Flats
Originally Posted By Daannzzz Thanks for the interviews. While I find Soarin a very pleasent ride, I personally beleive it to be only a D ticket attraction. I am, however, fascinated by the mechanical aspect of the actual ride mechanism and reall appreciated the comments about how it came to be.
Originally Posted By Jugglefire The only way to describe this attraction in words is outstanding, other than that, words just cannot express the feeling you get when you step off of this ride. If you had to pick one reason to go to DCA, it would be this ride. Definitely don't miss out on this one. A special thanks to the creators, Imagineers, and everyone involved in creating this experience that me and my family will never forget.
Originally Posted By Superstar Limo I would have to agree with Jugglefire. The feeling you get when you get off Soarin' is amazing. You can't really describe it, it's just great. And isn't that feeling what should make it an E Ticket?
Originally Posted By Dlmusic There were a few red flags that came up as I read this interview: First from the press release: >And then a group of younger aviation >enthusiasts found out that the old test >site was still around. The hangar is >now home to a new generation of fliers, >and their logo stands out among all the >faded images of years gone by. This >group of dedicated aviators developed a >sort of "flying theater," a simulator >in which everyone can experience the >exhilaration of flying. It was designed >by the best young aeronautical minds, >and then installed in the revered >Condor Flats hangar. No offense, but this is a terrible back story. No wonder I find the attraction flat. A simluator themed to a simulator? Wow, how original. The no expansion comment seemed to directly aruge Tim Delaney's (sp?) comment about each area having pockets. Was he referring to the greater 3 lands? If so, that certainly sounds like bad planing. >We really wanted the imagery to be the >show and as I programmed the ride >system I really tried to make it very >transparent and invisible to the >guests. I wanted it to compliment the >imagery that was on the film because if >the guests start thinking "wait, no, I >see how I'm moving," now I've taken >them away from the beauty that is on >the screen. No offense, but this exactly my biggest problem with the attraction. Why is it such a problem if they designed it with it in mind? >I wish we'd known it was going to be >this popular. I think we would have >thought about how we were going to >queue people through the area and >develop it a little bit differently. >Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad it >is this popular but I think if we'd >known we would have approached the >design of the land a lit different Why didn't they know that the only technologically advanced ride would be so popular? Doesn't that seem odd to you? I could have told you from day one that Soarin' was going to be the most popular. Not because I'm so smart, it's just the trend at Disney theme parks.
Originally Posted By jonvn Hindisight is always perfect. If we could all go back in time, we'd all be geniuses. But we can't, and we have to figure things based on the information at hand.
Originally Posted By disneykid52 Soarin is an E++ ticket!!!!!!!! Can't imagine how anyone could call it a D ticket ride. Went on it three times. Loved it. The interview was very entertaining and informative. That was quite a mental picture of the imagineer pulling his model built with an erector set out of the paper bag and showing it to folks. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall. Great job guys!
Originally Posted By woody Its a E-ticket ride, but it suffers from a number of flaws that ruin the experience and can demote it to a D. 1) Dust. Ugly and interferes with experience. I watched the Travel Channel on Theme Parks with the Spiderman attraction which uses air filters to keep out the dust. Soarin' needs that!!! 2) Last row and outside seats have the worst views. You see the bottom and sides of the screen. 3) Needs smoother takeoff transition. When seating, you see a blue screen. That is unnecessary. It should have a closed hangar door that opens to the sky when the ride starts.
Originally Posted By jonvn Dust is bad, if you see it. We went on this early in the day, and did not notice this problem. We also did not mind sitting in the back, while it's not the best view, it is acceptable to at least me. The last thing is a good idea. That would have been a nice effect.
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA I love the criticism of 'Soarin' because of the desire for it to be a more literal flying experience. "A hangar door opens and you fly out of DCA -- you fly through cloud transitions between scenes..." I'm just sitting here shaking my head in disbelief. DCA gets criticized for being a "reality" park -- but it sounds like you want more reality. Maybe the whole thing could be in 'real time' -- the hangar doors open, you could just fly over DownTown Disney, over the Indiana Jones show building, over the backstage area of Disneyland, go North on the 5 Freeway a few miles and then fly back -- all in real time. Look at the cars, look at the traffic, look at the construction still happening on the Santa Ana Freeway. "I can smell the exhaust fumes! -- cool!!" They could even provide oxygen masks, because, you know, the altitude and all... A real genuine flying experience.
Originally Posted By damon63 I thought that this attraction was supposed to be a movie not a flight simulator.
Originally Posted By DL-2000 ::Can't imagine how anyone could call it a D ticket ride.:: Soarin' really isn't all that incredible, IMHO. The most exciting part of the ride is the initial "launch". After that it's just an IMAX travelouge with some scents thrown in for good measure. D ticket sounds like a good descriptor.
Originally Posted By AladdinAZ OK, for more reality: Would anyone like to see this in 3D, like the 3D movies Imax does?
Originally Posted By BrigmanMT No, I like the ral;isticnes. I just wish that the changes were a little less abrupt. What if they had the seats all lean back a little more and then you fly up into a cloud, when you come back down you are in a new location. You get the feeling of the initial takeoff and it is more realistic. Personally I think it is a D ticket. I am not saying that simulators are not immersive but I think none created yet surround you in the story enough to be an E ticket. Spiderman sounds like it could but I have never ridden it. Same with Stormrider. Star Tours comes pretty darn close.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<What if they had the seats all lean back a little more and then you fly up into a cloud, when you come back down you are in a new location. You get the feeling of the initial takeoff and it is more realistic.>> The abrupt transitions are annoying. I went on an early pre-opening preview ride and was told that the film wasn't complete yet. I guess that I was told wrong.
Originally Posted By EeyorE64 >Why didn't they know that the only technologically advanced ride would be so popular? Doesn't that seem odd to you? I could have told you from day one that Soarin' was going to be the most popular. Not because I'm so smart, it's just the trend at Disney theme parks. Dlmusic, remember, these were the same ppl who thought Superstar Limo would be liked. Hehe, just kidding.
Originally Posted By dshyates One great thing about soarin' is that it can be changed and updated by just shooting a new film and reprogramming the seat movements. I would not be surprised if DisCo. was shooting a 3-D film that includes smoother transitions as we speak. Also the ride technology is not theme specific so a version could be placed in each Disney park by just shooting a new film. While I do think it is the best and most interesting attraction in DCA, I don't think it is a great E-Ticket, but it is a fantastic D-Ticket. Spiderman spoiled me, now that's an E-Ticket. A new 3-D film would take it to the E-Ticket level. Maybe Disney was afraid to have a 3rd 3-D film in one park, when this ride can do fine in standard IMAX, but is the main attraction at Bugs and Muppets.
Originally Posted By DL-2000 ::One great thing about soarin' is that it can be changed and updated by just shooting a new film and reprogramming the seat movements.:: Yeah, the same thing could be said for Star Tours, and when was the last time they updated that?
