Originally Posted By serendipityaey Disney sent a team of imagineers, last week, to the park my husband's family owns, Enchanted Forest, to look at one of our rides. It's like Buzz, but it's trackless, I guess we're the only park in America to have this. Very exciting, but of course, my day off. From what I hear, tho, they were great. I haven't been keeping up with Toy Story news - maybe they're looking into this for that ride, or is it too late for that? I didn't mention it last week; I wasn't sure if I was supposed to talk about it, but there was a little blurb in the paper, so all's fair
Originally Posted By Nobody Here's the mentioned "blurb". <a href="http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070820/BUSINESS/708200308/1040" target="_blank">http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs .dll/article?AID=/20070820/BUSINESS/708200308/1040</a> It must have been kind of neat having the big boys come and check out a toy they didn't have yet.
Originally Posted By Nobody Oops. I didn't realise this was already in Laughing Place's own Current Headline section.
Originally Posted By serendipityaey It was very neat because they were so nice and complimentary. My sister (who got to work that day, lucky told me they even tried to pay to ride the rollercoaster
Originally Posted By Indigo I grew up in Portland and loved going to the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't as great as going all the way to Disneyland, but it had its own charm and I was never bored there. I'm so happy it continues to exist and, from everything I've heard, get even better.
Originally Posted By DlandDug I went to Enchanted Forest just once, over 30 years ago. It was a pleasant, if low tech, little park. Guess it's changed, eh?
Originally Posted By serendipityaey Yeah, there's been a change or two in the past 30 years... Just the storybook trail when you came? Sounds like Disney's looking to replace the ride system for Mr. Toad's with the ETF trackless system, and maybe more of the indoor rides, eventually.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << Sounds like Disney's looking to replace the ride system for Mr. Toad's with the ETF trackless system, and maybe more of the indoor rides, eventually. >> Don't count on it. There is specific language in the California theme park regulations that essentially require mechanical restraints, i.e. tracks, for theme park rides. Disney could theoretically build trackless ride systems, but the liability would be tremendous if there was an accident. This is the primary reason why the TDL Honey Hunt attractions hasn't been duplicated in the United States.
Originally Posted By serendipityaey Hmmm, it seems like a lot of trouble to come all the way up here to look at something they wouldn't use. WDW Tower of Terror - the cars move through the twilight zone sans track, right? Also, I was under the impression California state did not regulate theme parks, at least in the past, although something changed recently. I can't remember if it was Florida or California. And I could be totally wrong about all of this except they did tell us that was what they were looking at our ride for.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << And I could be totally wrong about all of this except they did tell us that was what they were looking at our ride for. >> I'd venture a guess that they were on a fact-finding mission to see if any WDI patents were being used without permission/payment.
Originally Posted By serendipityaey ^ That's quite cynical. And I take offense on behalf of ETF and Disney. Certainly, we couldn't develop that type of technology. ETF Ride Systems is an established European company. I don't think either company has any cause for concern, and Disney has bought ride systems before, as well as making their own.
Originally Posted By serendipityaey And why would they patent technology that's as good as illegal in California?
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy Disney's trackless technology was developed before the California theme park laws went into effect.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy Of course, if they used another company's trackless system, they might theoretically shift the liability to the ride system manufacturer in the event of an accident.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy It's not illegal in California. It's just the way that the regulations are worded, it would be an attorney's dream to have someone get hurt on a trackless ride system. Florida has been considering similar theme park regulations, but the parks lobby has defeated them thus far. Disney has pretty much shied away from anything very risky in Florida, though, in anticipation that the laws could pass in the near future.
Originally Posted By berol They might want to put it in France or Hong Kong instead of California. I bet Disney is in some sort of talks with the company which said go to Oregon and check one out.
Originally Posted By serendipityaey ^Disney doesn't run the parks outside of the US. "I bet Disney is in some sort of talks with the company which said go to Oregon and check one out." Pretty much, yeah.
Originally Posted By serendipityaey Also, the cars are relatively light and easy to move around, no force of weight or momentum; and they've worked really well.
Originally Posted By berol Oh, I thought it was just Japan for non-Disney running. Shows you what I know.
