Originally Posted By ChiMike >> I've long said that the queue for Test Track is more interestig than the ride itself.<< WoW! Because I think SGE presents the use of imagination far better than the queue for Test Track. Don't get me wrong, I don't like Test Track either, but the queue is one of the worst set-ups, first acts, whatever you want to call it, for a Disney attraction that I have seen. And, also, yes, I have to say you were very lucky Labuda. I have never seen Test Track as a walk-on. Which in turn helps prove my point that M:S is even a bigger failure (financially and critically).
Originally Posted By BlazesOfFire Test Tracks line was way way way way way far out the door on Sunday that I didnt bother riding, and i didnt get a fastpass because I had one for Soarin already. The wait was nearly as long as Soarins atthe time (50 for soarin, 40 for TT)
Originally Posted By t1lersm0m <<And, also, yes, I have to say you were very lucky Labuda. I have never seen Test Track as a walk-on. Which in turn helps prove my point that M:S is even a bigger failure (financially and critically). >> When the park was only open to WDW resort guests on August 13, 2004, the day Hurricane Charley hit WDW, TT had over a 60 minute wait, so I find it hard to believe it is ever a walk on, unless the whole park is dead.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 TT ALWAYS has lines. Usually, considerable ones. Soarin has helped a bit, but TT is popular. Of course, so was WoM. It just cycled thru an amazing number of guests per hour because of its ride system and capacity. TT, OTOH, is always breaking down and has a fraction of the hourly thruput. MS has never had lines much longer than 20-30 minutes whenever I've been there since it opened. It is in no way the success Disney hoped for.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad I have seen Test Track with a walk on line just this March. I was so shocked that I even took a photo of the missing line! The thing that was funny about it was the standby line was empty and the fastpass return line had like 35 people standing there, evidently, because they had fastpasses they didn't realize they could walk on in standby. Oh and as a footnote, Mission:Space was also without riders at the time. I remember posting about this somewhere back in March, how do you search posts using Google?
Originally Posted By t1lersm0m ^^Was the rest of the park empty also? I've never been on TT, but I know from reading these boards that is is one of Epcot's most popular rides. So the only way I can imagine it being a walk on is when the entire park, and possibly WDW resort, is empty. We wanted to try it on August 13, 2004, but we weren't willing to wait the 60+ minutes when the rest of Future World attractions were walk-on.
Originally Posted By bloona ^^^^^^^^^Oh that's my wedding anniversary, maybe everyone went to ride test track to celebrate it for me??
Originally Posted By bloona ^^^^^^^^^Oh that's my wedding anniversary, maybe everyone went to ride test track to celebrate it for me??
Originally Posted By DVC_dad lol @ bloona! Yes the park was pretty sparse. One of our regular times to go each year is the first week of March and we have had great luck with shorter lines during that time for about 4 years running now.
Originally Posted By t1lersm0m <<lol @ bloona! Yes the park was pretty sparse. One of our regular times to go each year is the first week of March and we have had great luck with shorter lines during that time for about 4 years running now. >> I'll have to keep that in mind as Tyler's birthday is March 3rd, so a birthday trip would be cool. But I think the next trip will be a December trip to see the holiday decorations.
Originally Posted By leemac <<MS has never had lines much longer than 20-30 minutes whenever I've been there since it opened. >> That is the case now but I remember being there when the soft previews began in the July and running every room it was a 120-150 minute wait. It was similar around the October opening too. I have only seen M:S FastPasses be distributed quicker than TT on two occasions. Oddily both were New Year's Eve. TT holds the record for the longest wait time I have ever seen. It was 320 minutes (and that was an accurate time). The queue was back past the Odyssey. Incredible. And people waited for it. Indy at DL around the May opening and throughout that summer used to regularly post 240 minutes. Even on the busiest days I've not seen it even close to that anymore. Space on the other hand....
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>That is the case now but I remember being there when the soft previews began in the July and running every room it was a 120-150 minute wait. It was similar around the October opening too.<< I don't doubt it. It makes complete sense that there was a build-up during premiere opportunities. Roughly I have visited Future World 40 different times since M:S opened (2004, 2005, 2006) and I have never seen a longer standby wait than 15 minutes. Which I would assume is an overestimate. On a Friday night of President's day weekend the first year it was open it was a walk-on. I'm sure there are points (running on reduced capacity, new years) when it is crowded, but I have found overwhelmingly that it is normally a effortless wait. Every visit that I check it I only need to turn my head and see an older ride, TT, having 90 min. waits. Which helps justify my position that VR rides are bad choices. Not trying to be a jerk Lee, I know your a fan of Fitz. I would love to see how it's ride counts stack up against Test Track and Horizons. (Not Horizons on it's last leg, unadvertised, off the map, after being shuttered for months) Disney has already waived the white flag with the new system. Anything to get bodies on it. >>I have only seen M:S FastPasses be distributed quicker than TT on two occasions. Oddily both were New Year's Eve.<< Fastpasses sold out quicker? -or- faster Fastpass return time because of lower demand? Not that I should talk, but I can't determine what you are getting at. In my experience FP for M:S has never really been needed, I haven't noticed it sold out like I regularly see Test Tracks.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Which helps justify my position that VR rides are bad choices. >> I'm not a huge fan either. I must be the only person who doesn't love Spiderman. I think it is okay but like most Universal experience it leaves me feeling sick (Back to the Future is the worst for me). <<Not trying to be a jerk Lee, I know your a fan of Fitz.>> It wasn't under his watch so no biggie. He is a good friend so I know my POV lacks objectivity there. Funnily enough the show writer is now writing for Adventures by Disney (Bob Zalk). I was surprised by that when I bumped into him last year. Susan Bryan is still with WDI. I do love Mission:SPACE but can appreciate it isn't the most inclusive of experiences. I saw the attraction go through so many gyrations (no pun intended) and the goal was a better tie with NASA which all became worthless when they grounded the shuttles. They had planned so many opportunities to work with them (including an interactive space museum for Epcot) that never materialized. M:S never cost as much as people have surmized. It came in under budget after the contractors were removed from the project but that doesn't mean that the money couldn't be used elsewhere. That said I hate Horizons with a passion. And Tom was a Show Writer on that so maybe I do have some objectivity!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <<<Which helps justify my position that VR rides are bad choices. >> I'm not a huge fan either. I must be the only person who doesn't love Spiderman. I think it is okay but like most Universal experience it leaves me feeling sick (Back to the Future is the worst for me). < Count me in on the non VR fans for the most part-- I too do not care for Superman and the only ride that consistently makes ( made ) me more ill than Back to the Future was Body Wars ( for whatever reason - as Star Tours does not) ....
Originally Posted By vbdad55 Also, while I really enjoyed WoM -- Horizons was just Ok for me....I thought it was over rated...but that is just one man's opinion, nothing more..was somewhat boring.
Originally Posted By danyoung >That said I hate Horizons with a passion.< You...gasp....ahem....HATE Horizons??? I'm aghast! NOBODY hated Horizons, did they? Just curious as to the source of your hate. Horizons was one of my alltime favorites - a perfect blending of ride system and Disney storytelling. It totally captivated my imagination from the first time I experienced it, and I miss it very much (especially when I look at the disappointing Mission: Space attraction in its place). >Also, while I really enjoyed WoM -- Horizons was just Ok for me...< It's funny, my reaction was just the opposite - Horizons was da bomb, while WoM was just OK. Still cool, but not the top of my list.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 ^^^^^^^^^^^ I'm a car guy ( I like TT ) - so that probably makes the difference
Originally Posted By leemac <<Just curious as to the source of your hate. >> Dan it bored me senseless. It was like a weird CoP that had no coherent storyline, ugly ride vehicles, set pieces that didn't look futuristic at all and don't get me started on that stupid "pick your environment" ending. Everything about it was unoriginal from the queue area to the AAs. I never got whether it was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek or not. It just felt like such a cop-out. It was like MK's TL although longer and with very uncomfortable seats. WoM didn't excite me either. A talking museum exhibit. A totally passive experience that didn't inject anything. Loved the building though and the Transcenter was always cool (even if I'm not a car guy). I always believed Epcot was at its finest when it was educating and injecting Disney storytelling into the mix. WoM was just a history exhibit. No real first-person experience.
Originally Posted By danyoung So lee, another just curious - how old are you now and how old were you when you first saw Horizons?
