Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>You win Ferret. That picture!<< I've got to give credit where it's due: it came from occasional-LPer -em's blog. She has a bunch of great photos (mostly from WDW, but other locations too, taking familiar locations and getting new and interesting angles on them <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://hyphenem365.blogspot.com/">http://hyphenem365.blogspot.com/</a>
Originally Posted By DBitz2 >>I do the same with the Thor actor. I mean, Chris Hemsworth has got to be one of the best looking people EVER born. Anyone that has to try and look like him is going to have a real trying battle!<< Hemsworth was filming a movie in the building in downtown LA that I work in last year. One of my coworkers rode in an elevator with him, much to the jealousy of the rest of us. I got even, though, when he was on a plane I was on last summer and passed within inches from me going down the aisle to the men's room. (No, I didn't follow him there!) Back to the real topic, I can't wait to ride Big Thunder and see how the rumored enhancements came out as well as seeing Big Thunder looking all freshened up.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt The dynamite explosion in the finale scene sounds great. I'm hoping there the DPB posts some behind the scenes video footage.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance "I got even, though, when he was on a plane I was on last summer and passed within inches from me going down the aisle to the men's room. (No, I didn't follow him there!)" I would have busted the door down.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance Just saw this posted on Facebook by a Disney cast member that got to preview BTMR. " While new flying bats and LED lighting inhabit the first cavern show scene the trains pass through, and new lighting and audio has been installed throughout the ride, it’s the final lift hill that received the most thorough work from WDI. Gone is the old earthquake scene with shaking rockwork and swinging lanterns, and in its place is a new plotline entirely. That final lift hill is now the scene of a mine explosion and fireball that uses digital mapping technology to project realistic looking flames onto roiling clouds of high pressure fog (think the spray can effect from It’s Tough To Be A Bug). Add in an all new booming audio system and some mechanical props that help set up the explosion, and that final lift hill is rumored to be quite noticeably more intense for riders than the old earthquake scene. Cast Member testing continues through March 8th, with a tentative opening date to park guests now pegged for March 17th. However soft openings with the new show effects turned on could begin as soon as next Monday. With so many other attractions closed for refurbishment, Disneyland desperately needs the ride capacity of over 2,000 riders per hour that Big Thunder can pull in. They can’t get this ride back up and running soon enough."
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance Thought of you when I read that Darcy, hope its open for your trip!
Originally Posted By monorailblue That quote from the supposed Cast Member's blog is lifted directly from MiceAge's March 4 Disneyland update. 'Round these parts, that warrants only instant and full denunciation, it seems.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I never said it was from a blog by the way, I said a cast member posted it on Facebook.
Originally Posted By doombuggy it was a CM on micechat that said Thunder wouldn't open back in Sep......ssssoooooo there yah go.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros But CMs are notoriously unreliable sources of information regarding rumors. Most of them have far less insider knowledge of what's going on in the back room than your average internet dweeb. They may be well intentioned, but for the most part they're not involved with any high level decisions That said, I was always suspicious of Big Thunder's refurbishment schedule, which was originally planned for something like 8-10 months. When they replaced the track in Space Mountain, it took about 2 years; granted that site was more constrained, but they're comparable. I was not even remotely surprised when the opening was pushed back "due to fall restraint" installation, yet actual vehicle testing didn't begin for many more months after The new effects sound like they could be realy cool, and I hope they work well. It's always been an awkward spot, since there's supposed to be so much suspense, but after you get over the hill, the drop is so inconsequential. It's especially bad in the front half of the train, where you're slowly lowered down the length of the drop in a plain cave while the cars in the back are still climbing the hill. I don't know if there's any way to fix that, but perhaps this will take the focus off of it some
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I'm always surprised how much you get thrown around on BTMR. Last time we went it was my son's first time riding it. I was sitting next to him and my daughter sat in front of us. Of course I was smashing into him the entire ride. He was so little, lol. We were all laughing so hard the entire ride. It was so much fun! Can't wait to try the new version!
