Originally Posted By leemac <<***Lee I highly recomend next time your out in Orlando, if you have some time free from work to head down to Universal and check it out. Its a fantastic attraction and I rate it high.*** Not to speak for him, but I think he doesn't care about Universal much.>> 100% right, X. I'm not much of a casual theme park visitor at all - Disney is typically as far as it goes for me. I haven't visited any Universal park since IoA opened and I'm not likely to return any time soon. They just don't interest me at all. Thanks for the advice though Malin. I'm sure it is enjoyable for most casual visitors. It just doesn't interest me at all. Besides I'm rarely in WDW these days. More exciting stuff happening elsewhere.
Originally Posted By Mr X Hard to imagine a Disney fan not liking SOME of the Universal stuff (SpiderMan, ET, and Terminator spring to mind), but overall I can understand not really being into it (I guess). To me, it's sort of "Disney lite", but at the same time also sort of "Disney extreme" with some of their best attractions such as Spidey, Hulk, and some other top line stuff. What they do lack, for sure, is the immersive vibe, and also stuff to do for all. I wouldn't bother taking my daughter there until she was a teen, unless she really wanted to for some reason.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Hard to imagine a Disney fan not liking SOME of the Universal stuff (SpiderMan, ET, and Terminator spring to mind), but overall I can understand not really being into it (I guess).>> I can completely understand people getting worked up over SpiderMan - it did nothing for me (I hated the queue area and found the attraction very jarring and incoherent) but then I'm far from a comic book fan. I did detest ET though - just a sickly experience and that end sequence was as trite as they came. I haven't seen Terminator or Shrek but then I'm not a fan of either franchises. Ultimately I'm not a movie studios park kinda guy. They do nothing for me if they are just lifting popular properties into a theme park environment. I'm also not a thrill ride fanatic - I never visit Magic Mountain as I just don't enjoy intense coasters. Attractions like Screamin' and Everest are enough for me. Disney isn't about attractions for me. It is the sum of the parts that makes the day so fulfilling compared with other parks.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Disney isn't about attractions for me. It is the sum of the parts that makes the day so fulfilling compared with other parks.<<< Never a truer word spoken. Hence why I get grumpy when the focus is on attractions/character licences.
Originally Posted By barboy Based on history I thnk it's safe to assume Lee's description of Monsters Inc. is 'money' once again. I have yet to see him wrong/mistaken on material fact. Therefore, I think in this case I can go ahead and compare the two based on his info and my multiple times on MIB--- if nothing else just for fun. MIB and Monsters known similarities: 1) futuristic/sci. fi. looking attraction facades 2) 'dark ride' format on track whereby guests are grouped in small cars/buggies/vehicles(as opposed to 'omnimover' like HM, Buzz or clam mobiles) 3) extensions of existing movies from '01 and '02 respectively 4) interaction/guest involvement 5) hidden monster/alien targets in **windows, mailboxes and trash cans** 6) approx. 80 fully realized AA's for Monsters Inc. I've never counted but MIB has more than I have seen in any attraction anywherevery, very large, fully develpoed sets. 7) ride vehicles travel **city/urban streets** complete with vegtable and fruits stands 8) nighttime environment/setting Yep, blatant ripoff if ride idea
Originally Posted By wangaroa Yee, striklee a Dizney sickophant, friends. Thas why he always in the know, gots that kind of arrowgants bout the info, can't speck him ta show respeckta Univizzle. Thas whack.
Originally Posted By leemac <<1) futuristic/sci. fi. looking attraction facades>> Is the facade for MIB futuristic? Seems strange considering the movies occur in modern day NYC (for their entirety, don't they? I haven't seen either in years).
Originally Posted By barboy Something else.... I fully believe that Monsters Inc. will be far better than MIB and I can't wait for its opening; this attraction has a very real chance of being Disney's finest ride yet.
Originally Posted By barboy //Is the facade for MIB futuristic?// very much--- about as futuristic/sci fi as any attraction can be
Originally Posted By barboy ///6) approx. 80 fully realized AA's for Monsters Inc. I've never counted but MIB has more than I have seen in any attraction anywherevery, very large, fully develpoed sets./// I sure butchered my #6 I should have written: monsters may have 80 fully realized AA's but MIB, too, has easily the most I have ever seen in any attraction anywhere.(I don't count small world since those dolls barely move and are diminutive) And MIB's sets(which should have been a separate point for #7) are extremely large as well---might well be the same height as Main St. in the main show building but I haven't been on it lately to verify. Since forced perspective is used I beleive MIB goes 3 'stories' also, but again I need to ride it to verify.
Originally Posted By SuperDry I've only been on MiB once, and it was in 1999 or so during my only visit to USF. Both me and the people I was with all commented at the time that the front entrance and the feel of the area felt like DL's Tomorrowland *used* to feel like, and that it was one of the first things we had ever seen outside a Disney park that was up to Disney standards.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney USF is the only Universal park I havent been to yet, although I been to IOA. Honestly, I like them all, although USH is the weakest one in terms of being a theme park and NOT worth $65 lol, but the attractions have gotten better over the years. But USJ is simply AMAZING and will probably be there again next year. I had a friend commented once on the MIB ride and she said it wasnt all of that when she did it, but more curious now since most of you seem to like it, so maybe one day will make it back to Oralando to see the ride and that park. And I agree with Mr. X, these type of shooters are fun, but feels like more of a fad than anything. I like Buzz enough in all the theme parks except Paris and I rode TSMM a few times this summer. I certainly like them for what they are, but they are more 'filler' rides than main attractions to me. I dont bother with Buzz unless its 20 min wait or less which explains why I only done it once at TDL lol. TSMM I stood in line for the first time naturally, but dont see myself waiting more than 30 mis for, but I hear thats now the average wait anyway (gotta love DCA lol). I just like a ride where I can like not DO anything . Just sit there and enjoy the show. I know the interactive part makes it more interesting for a lot of people, but you take that part away and you realize there isnt much of a ride itself. I guess I'm more a movie fan than a video gamer if you get my drift. Anyway, I AM excited for this attraction. I dont know much about it other than from what I read here and havent really kept up with it much, but do plan to see it next year . And if Lee is right, it will be cool to have a ride you can enjoy without actually playing along as well, so that be nice!
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<I like Buzz enough in all the theme parks except Paris>> Oops, I meant I like all of them and RODE them all EXCEPT the one in Paris. I dont want anyone thinking I had anything against Frenchy Buzz ;D.
Originally Posted By barboy ///Ok and Universal has never done this('ripoff') to Disney in the past./// ///In your opinion. I've not experienced Men in Black but the fact that they are both interactive and feature aliens is hardly enough to justify your "blatant ripoff" claim./// You and Lee sound defensive when you don't need to be. I'm not attacking Disney here(in fact I'm terribly excited to check out Monsters Inc. because it looks to be one serious E ticket) just offering an observation. I know 'blatant ripoff' connotes negativity but I thought it was the most accurate description since there is comprehensive overlap between the two(and we know that Disney competes with Universal and vice versa)--- so much that I'm a bit surprised that others on here haven't brought it up before me(or if they have I missed it).
Originally Posted By barboy ///As for me, I don't think it's all that great./// Ya, me too--- most of my lack of excitement about MIB Alien Attack comes from the fact that I never liked the movies one bit. ///Just Buzz on Steroids, imho (and funny someone should bitch about the TDL ride being a "blatant copy" when the Universal Ride was a shameless copy of a Disney idea in the first place lol)./// Now I'll be the first to say Disney's Buzz must have stirred up Universal to create an answer and the two rides have some key overlaps but at the same time have many more important dissimilarities. I would not call it a ripoff OVERLAP: movie based sci fi theme interaction/scoring laser shooting dark ride close in age DIFFERENCES: omnimover vs independent ride vehicles few AA's/'flats' vs fully realized multiple AA's one track vs two tracks mounted gun vs liberated gun guests can rotate each pod vs predetermined vehicle orientation 'cartoon' setting vs 'real life' environment
Originally Posted By barboy MORE KEY DIFFERENCES: outer space setting vs city streets ordinary scope and scale of sets(D ticket)vs blockbuster/superheadliner/very large sets(E ticket)
Originally Posted By Malin *** 100% right, X. I'm not much of a casual theme park visitor at all - Disney is typically as far as it goes for me. I haven't visited any Universal park since IoA opened and I'm not likely to return any time soon. They just don't interest me at all. Thanks for the advice though Malin. I'm sure it is enjoyable for most casual visitors. It just doesn't interest me at all. Besides I'm rarely in WDW these days. More exciting stuff happening elsewhere. *** To be fair I'm not the biggest Universal Studios fan either. When I do visit Orlando next month I'm only dedicating one day to the park, and thats only because of a combined package I brought with the Blue Man Group. If it wasn't for the new Simpsons attraction I would had only ended up buying the tickets to see the show. While I do enjoy some of the Universal attractions, like MIB, Mummy and SpiderMan, I don't enjoy the overall experience that much. Disney will always have something over Universal when it comes to offering a proper experience although I do feel the need to support Universal too, the park is not Disney, but its no Six Flags either.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara Isn't the exterior of the Men in Black attraction designed after the New York State Pavillion at the 1964-65 World's Fair? I believe so. I enjoyed it, but it's disappointing to never score high enough to see the big deal at the end.
