Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest-ID-76447.asp" target="_blank"><b>Latest: OrSen: Disney's Planned New Roller Coaster to Proceed at Dwarf speed</b></a> <p>The Orlando Sentinel's Daily Disney talks to Imagineer Eric Jacobson about the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train to glean more details on the coaster being created for the New Fantasyland.</p>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I knew this was going to be a kiddie coaster. Tsk tsk. Disney you can do better than this.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt BOOOOO!!! I better be fun then!Seriously, BTMRR is about as lame a coaster as I can take.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper We're surprised at this...why? We knew it was going to be a smaller coaster. <<Seriously, BTMRR is about as lame a coaster as I can take.>> Blasphemy. BTMRR is a terrific coaster with a great layout.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I highly disagree. BTM is a much better, and much more creative coaster than Everest. Of course it's just my opinion.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 This quote made me want to hurl: <<"It's much more appropriate that they'll be in Fantasyland rather than Toontown. It's going to be adjacent to the castle and part of that royal experience," Jacobson says.>> I just don't get kids today at all! When I was little, I had absolutely zero interest in meeting the characters. I just don't get the mania? Is it because parents today hype it up? I mean, if I was a child and the choice was between waiting in line to get a picture with Mickey, or going on Pirates, I know which I'd choose.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I just don't get kids today at all! When I was little, I had absolutely zero interest in meeting the characters. I just don't get the mania? Is it because parents today hype it up? I mean, if I was a child and the choice was between waiting in line to get a picture with Mickey, or going on Pirates, I know which I'd choose.>> Honestly, the princesses were not what they are now back in the day. I'd say it's the past 10 years where the princesses have become insanely popular. And Mickey has basically always had a huge line. I remember having to wait a while for him back in the day.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<And Mickey has basically always had a huge line. I remember having to wait a while for him back in the day.>> I'm thinking back to the 1980s when I was a kid, and I honestly don't remember lines for the characters. Granted, I wasn't interested in them much so I may have missed it, but I just don't remember anything for Mickey like there is today. I honestly think it has something to do with marketing - meeting Mickey has become some kind of selling point for a trip to WDW - something kids feel they need to do. I just don't understand it though - why would I want to visit some guy in a costume when I can be riding Space Mountain? I mean, if I happen to see a character walking around and we take a quick photo that's fine, but to actually wait in an hour line - no thanks!
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I'm thinking back to the 1980s when I was a kid, and I honestly don't remember lines for the characters.<< Going even further back, to the 60s and 70s, the characters were out and about with no cast member escort. One popular thing for bratty kids to do was kick the characters in the rump. I saw this happen many times. But wait in line? Autograph books? Nah.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer I was never one to foam over the characters either... I think I met Darkwing Duck.. once. And yeah, I am fine with this being more ride than thrill. More chances for detail and show scenes.
Originally Posted By brotherdave Outside of a possible "obligatory" photo with Mickey with the kids, our family has never had any interest in the characters. It was always fun to "bump" into one while walking through the park, but we would never wait in a line to meet them. We have some fun memories of meeting characters like Goofy or Captain Hook somewhere in the parks, but that was just happening upon them, never at a meet and greet. I still prefer that method over the "meet and greet" concept. It was spontaneous and fun, never planned.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Back on the subject of the Mine Train ... I don't understand the griping over it not being fast enough. This is suppose to be a FAMILY attraction .. Not a teen/20s "Six Flags" thrill ride. Remember .. this ain't your typical "rollercoaster" type "Thrill". This is a richly themed "Disney" experience. If it runs too quickly .. how are you going to be able to see the indoor "show" sequences? I think it was a mistake to use the word - rollercoaster, with this ride. The way they are describing this - This is a MINE TRAIN with a little "zip" to it. I think we, also, need to strike all comparisons off our heads with Disney's "other" Mine Train ride .. that does emulate a rollercoaster - Big Thunder. I'm expecting this to the next generation Casey Jr. Circus Train, after "drinking" one regular sized Espresso!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "This is a MINE TRAIN with a little "zip" to it." That sounds like a description of Big Thunder to me. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that WDW doesn't think big any more. Most of the good stuff seems to be happening at DLR now. This new coaster idea seems like a waste of time and effort.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Outside of a possible "obligatory" photo with Mickey with the kids, <<< .... .......... .................... I've never even met Mickey.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Back on the subject of the Mine Train ... I don't understand the griping over it not being fast enough. This is suppose to be a FAMILY attraction .. Not a teen/20s "Six Flags" thrill ride.<<< WDI is calling it a "Aspirational Ride"
Originally Posted By brotherdave >>I've never even met Mickey. << And if we or the kids didn't meet Mickey, it wouldn't "ruin" our trip, either. Meeting Mickey (or any other Disney character) is just a "bonus" to the fun. And one we would never, EVER queue up for in a "meet and greet". If we were to just happen by a character, there's always time for a quick "hug & photo" (you know, a photo from your OWN camera that you're carrying instead of the ones that are taken by the Photo Pass CM's???). Although, I have to admit on one trip, when my son was only 3, we found Mickey at a "meet & greet" at Disney/MGM Studios. The only reason we actually used it was there was only one other family in line and the CM out front asked us if we would like to meet Mickey without a wait. We were in and out in less than 5 minutes, but got a great memory with my son hugging the "Big Cheese" himself. Needless to say, it was a "magical" moment for him (and for us), but I relate this to just happening upon a character. We had no plans to do this, we just lucked into it. That is and always will be the best way to meet the characters - as an unplanned surprise!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>(you know, a photo from your OWN camera that you're carrying instead of the ones that are taken by the Photo Pass CM's???).<< Well, if you want the best of both worlds, the PhotoPass CMs will take their pictures, and then they'll take some with your camera. That way, they get to make the motions like they're trying to sell you something, and you get to keep the pictures for free. And since it's the PhotoPass folks taking the pictures, they usually come out very nicely! And a fun tip for meeting characters in the Studios (though it may no longer be valid, with the new parade): on days where the parade is cancelled due to storms, which can occur frequently in Florida, go into the Animation building. There will be tons of random characters in the lobby area (you can sneak in through the back if you don't want to watch the film), and almost nobody around. We did this on our last trip and met over a dozen characters (including several in groups, like Mr & Mrs Incredible with Frozone, and really random ones like Radcliffe and Prince John), with no more than 3 groups ahead of us in any of the lines. It was a very productive 20 minutes, and more than filled our character urges for the trip.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I think it is entirely appropriate that a "coaster" in Fantasyland be on the mild side. I remember posting on LP a while back that I thought BTM was a lame coaster. I was wrong. I rode it last week and really paid attention to the entire experience rather than just looking for a big drop. The views and details are great, the caves make mighty fine lift hills, and the helixes offer a pretty fair thrill. I now rate it ahead of Space Mountain.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I think it is entirely appropriate that a "coaster" in Fantasyland be on the mild side." I think something with at least the thrill of the Matterhorn Bobsleds or a mad mouse coaster would be the idea for Fantasyland. If they really want to appeal to boys then at least give them something with a little kick to it. Instead what it appears they're doing is building an elaborate tricked out kiddie coaster. I'd be surprised if this thing is more than 45 - 60 seconds long.
