Originally Posted By mousermerf Any suggestions or ideas..? Really, is there anything that can be done to save that sinking ship?
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy For 90% of EPCOT guests, the ship is not sinking. They've freshened up the elements of the old show that were most memorable. If the interactive screens turn out to be a dud, it won't be that much different than the old version. The primary attraction of SSE has always been the very idea of a ride inside this massive geosphere. The show elements of the ride have never lived up to the engineering marvel of traveling to the top of the geosphere and back again. For the average tourist, the new show will be just the same as the old one. All they wanted to do was go inside the sphere, and I would venture to say that most guests find what's inside to be less than inspiring compared to their favorite roster of thrilling attractions like Test Track and Soarin.
Originally Posted By mousermerf Well, while you're reveling in denial, i think i'll try to find a solution. Is mediocre really ok for you? Anywho.. any real solutions?
Originally Posted By mousermerf In 1994 or in 2007? Because when it was revealed it was well received and much beloved. The fact that it would need work is no surprise - that's built into Epcot's sponsorship and financial plans. But that doesn't mean it's ok to make it mediocre by 2007 standards. Heck, i dont think this would be entertaining by 1994 standards.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy I've ridden the 1982 version, the 1994 version, and will probably get to the 2007 version someday. It was always a weak attraction. A ride-through wax museum. I always found the ride system and engineering of the geosphere to be fascinating -- but the show elements of the attraction itself were never all that compelling. Horizons and WoM were much better representations of this genre of attraction.
Originally Posted By magnet I know how to fix SSE. Here are some suggestions: 1. End the ride at the top of the sphere. You can only get to the bottom by sliding down a firehouse pole. How do the cars get down? Details, details.... You also get to hear a recording of the Batman theme on the way down the pole! 2. The track literally ends at the top of the sphere and the cars run off the end and freefall into total darkness. You are saved by a small pool of water at the bottom, but only if you hit it juuuust right.... What about the car behind you? Again, don't focus so much on the details.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip SSE is without a doubt one of WDW's best attractions. Now that I see what you guys like and don't like some of your other posts make a little more sense to me. There just ain't no accounting for taste!
Originally Posted By pheneix No one who really cares about the art of storytelling is going to be happy with SSE unless it has an ending that fills us with pride about the progress we have made while giving us hope for our future. And none of the Disney Theme Park junkies are ever truly gonna be happy unless they put Tomorrows Child back in the descent of the ride. You know what? If they want to fix this mess they are gonna have to do both. BTW, WDI has done some guest satisfaction measurements on this ride. The results have not been pretty.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<BTW, WDI has done some guest satisfaction measurements on this ride. The results have not been pretty.>> I truly find that hard to believe. I've always felt it was the epitome of Epcot at its best. That is why I was very happy to find out that the attraction was to be renewed without being changed much. As far as I'm concerned it is Epcot's version of Pirates. SSE just totally blew me away when I first saw it in 1991, and it has remained my #1 Epcot 'must do' ever since.
Originally Posted By pheneix The ending is garbage. Its art style, musical score, hell, everything, just clashes with the rest of the ride. It doesn't even plug Siemens products, and their name is on the front door! There was a lot of great work done on this ride, but the ending is the last thing people will ever remember about SSE, and quite frankly it is so bad it taints the entire experience.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Let's face it. The final part of that ride has never been anything more than a way to get you from the top back to the bottom. The emotional peak of the ride is when you see "spaceship earth" at the top. Everything else is nothing but the after cigarette. You might as well just drop everyone straight to the bottom like a mini-ToT and give the folks a little thrill.
Originally Posted By leobloom Oh, the descent has always never been important? That's a good reason not to try to improve it. Even if they didn't want to plus it, they didn't have to minus it.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "It was always a weak attraction. A ride-through wax museum" Funny - to me SSE is the 3rd best thing at Epcot (my fav non Disneyland park) after IROE and the American Adventure. I love the message of SSE and it is definately in my top 10
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "SSE just totally blew me away when I first saw it in 1991, and it has remained my #1 Epcot 'must do' ever since" Agreed - I would much rather ride SSE than anything at DAK, DHS or the MK!!!
Originally Posted By jonvn What's to be done? Nothing. It's not something that we can do anything about, so might as well get used to it.
Originally Posted By pheneix Some dude on WDWMagic suggested vandalizing the screens. I wouldn't say there is absolutely NOTHING we can do, just not anything constructive that will actually make a difference.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy Anyone who would suggest destructive acts over a theme park attraction suffers from a severe mental illness. That is just not logical thought progression for normal people.
Originally Posted By pheneix Indeed. I didn't say I condone the action at all. But something to think about nonetheless is what all these guests are going to see when these touch screens start getting excessive wear and tear. I work with touch screens every day and the shelf life is only about 8 months or so, and I know my equipment will not see 10% of the use that SSE's will on a daily basis. I really want to know what B mode for this ride will consist of, as right now there is nothing in that tunnel but black curtains and insulation.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << I work with touch screens every day and the shelf life is only about 8 months or so, and I know my equipment will not see 10% of the use that SSE's will on a daily basis. >> You must not get to work with very good equipment. I work with touch screens every day that have been in place for 10 years without much noticeable wear and tear. I suspect guests will be hard on these things, but that doesn't have to be the hardest problem to solve.
