Originally Posted By Dabob2 <"Really? Soarin' is one of the most overrated attractions in my opinion and not even in my top 10 list of attractions. It has essentially no theming or storyline and its only gimmick is the cool technology"> It really doesn't need them. The experience is (to me, anyway), just SO dang pleasant. It's the only ride I can think of anywhere, Disney or otherwise, that's simultaneously relaxing and exhilarating. That's not an easy combo. And I believe it took over "favorite WDW attraction" from TOT in guest surveys for that whole resort, so that says something about how most people feel. Not everyone, but that's what makes the world go round (me, I was never THAT crazy about either of the TOT's I've ridden, so there you go. As someone mentioned about Indy, one of the reasons was the short ride time, even with the longer version.)
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<davewasbaloo: FWIW - Cars is the only announced part of the makeover that has me wanting to jump on a plane to see it. I love Cars, love the desert, and the idea of racing at the end is great. To me, I would be more likely to hop in a plane to ride Cars than JTTCOTE - although I like the concept of both, Cars seems like a more fun concept. And to me, it looks like the best addition since Soarin' which was the best addition since Splash Mountain IMHO.>> When you compare the whole experience between Nemo/Volcania at TDS and it’s associated attractions with Carsland and it’s associated attractions at DCA, I would go for Volcania over Carsland.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Different strokes, but with Discoveryland a short drive away for us, the Carsland, is a different exeperience for us.
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<TDR_Fan: “And to me, it looks like the best addition since Soarin'†Really? Soarin' is one of the most overrated attractions in my opinion and not even in my top 10 list of attractions. It has essentially no theming or storyline and its only gimmick is the cool technology (and even that gets old).>> Wile the experience is somewhat worthwhile, the presentation is lacking. If it weren’t for the size of the facility, that ride would have popped up in every mall like the simulator rides did years ago. Just sit people in their seats and show a film. Even the overall experience varies on the ride. If you don’t get the center section (and optimally the front row center) the view is distorted and not as good. The historical Disney Magic is to make the ride system invisible to the guest and have the show develop from before loading the vehicle. Soarin’ just walks you down a corridor and loads you in a huge machine with seats. There’s no attempt to circumvent belief to make you feel you are actually loading onto some sort of high tech hang glider.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<It's a good show, but one of the few rides I don't get excited about. And when it comes to Sinbad, I should be interested. The reason I don't get excited by it is the "Small World" type look of the ride. It tends to scream too kiddie. This is one of a few decisions that OLC has made that were possibly bad. Perhaps if they would have went forward with the original concept of a more realistic Sinbad? An earlier proposal was to have it be like an Arabian POTC with more detailed characters and surrounding. This was one of the few instances where OLC decided to cut cost. The question is, did it cost them guest going to see the attraction?>> Unfortunately, I think the ride would be even more unpopular if they had gone for the POTC style approach. The Japanese like the cutesy design and that's why it's a small world was almost always more popular than POTC, which only got long lines after they added Jack Sparrow (which the Japanese are simply fanatic about). Plus, I don't think they would have been able to cram as much visual detail had they used life sized AAs and sets. I don't know, I like Sindbad as it is. A perfect mix of IASW and POTC.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<Different strokes, but with Discoveryland a short drive away for us, the Carsland, is a different exeperience for us.>> Except Mysterious Island still has that Jules Verne charm and atmosphere that's been ripped from Discoveryland.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <There’s no attempt to circumvent belief to make you feel you are actually loading onto some sort of high tech hang glider. > And I would say that you don't really need it. There's always SOME suspension of disbelief required in any Disney attraction. You're getting into a freight elevator on TOT? Really? What "freight elevator" in the world is nothing but 3 rows of seats, with seat belts attached?? (With a panel that the attendant has to check to make sure all are buckled?) You're "hurtling through space" on Space Mountain? Really? What real-life rocket has you load onto a clearly visible (in the load area) roller coaster track? Yet, I can and do suspend the disbelief necessary and Soarin' is no different. Though a lot of people put an awful lot of stock into the "pre-show" elements of a given attraction, I think a lot of that emphasis is overblown. One is ALWAYS conscious that one is at a Disney theme park going on a ride. The real suspension of disbelief can not begin until the thing actually starts, and the teen girls in front of you in the queue stop talking about what Britney was wearing and how this guy Josh at their school did NOT say that to his now-ex-girlfriend Tiffany. Pre-show and queue elements are nice and can set a mood, but to me they're mostly window dressing. I love the Indy queue to take an obvious example, and it's a lot better than if they'd just built switchbacks like in the early days of DL, but I'm always conscious I'm in the Indy queue, listening to the trivial banter of my queue-mates, or indulging in my own. When the ride starts... THAT's when the meat of the thing kicks in, and when Soarin' starts, it's one of the most pleasant experiences Disney has ever come up with. Sure, the queue could be better. But the ride itself is simultaneously relaxing and exhilarating, and they haven't come up with anything else that does that.
Originally Posted By bartholomewneff 2001DLFan said: "When you compare the whole experience between Nemo/Volcania at TDS and it’s associated attractions with Carsland and it’s associated attractions at DCA, I would go for Volcania over Carsland." That's because you're trying to compare them, DLFan. DCA should not try to be TDS. In fact, it's not. WDI is not trying to recreate DisneySEA here. They're trying to give California Adventure its own identity. It would be like comparing two sisters after one got a makeover. " Yeah she's pretty, but boy is her sister a knockout!" or even "I love Pirates, why can't Autopia be as good as Pirates. When given the choice between the two, I pic Pirates". Duh... I don't want TDS recreated where DCA is. It can't and it couldn't be. Perhaps someday they'll create a DisneySEA stateside like the one proposed for Port DIsney in Long Beach, but until that day comes let's enjoy the unique aspects each park has. So when DisneySEA comes to WDW as a fifth gate or hawaii or whatever, if ever it does, lets be glad that the Disneyland Resort is finally getting a world class second gate. It's not TDS. The Makeover wasn't trying to turn it into DisneySEA, it was trying to turn it into Disney quality.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Well Hans, while DAK is not perfect, they came far closer to getting it right than DCA." There's so certainly no arguing that point, however, DAK's shortcomings proves that getting it right isn't some simple formula handed down from on high.
Originally Posted By mstaft ^^Agreed, Hans. In my opinion, DAK got away with its humble attraction count because of its phenominal atmosphere. DAC could not get away from its humble attraction account because of it's poor environment (GRR and area not withstanding).
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<bartholomewneff: 2001DLFan said: "When you compare the whole experience between Nemo/Volcania at TDS and it’s associated attractions with Carsland and it’s associated attractions at DCA, I would go for Volcania over Carsland." That's because you're trying to compare them, DLFan. DCA should not try to be TDS. In fact, it's not. WDI is not trying to recreate DisneySEA here. They're trying to give California Adventure its own identity. It would be like comparing two sisters after one got a makeover.>> I wasn’t indicating that there was supposed to be a comparison between DCA and TDS. I was pointing out the relative experiences between the aforementioned environments and attractions. It’s the depth of engagement of the two areas that I was comparing.
