Originally Posted By MPierce I still believe that Nemo, and Crush brought life back into a dying pavilion. It was headed the way of WOL.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I still believe that Nemo, and Crush brought life back into a dying pavilion. It was headed the way of WOL.>> Definitely. But the draw isn't the same as it was a few years ago.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> >>...but do none of you have a problem with the big blue screen that stares at you when you load?<< << Hmm. Lack of theme in a loading area... makes an inherently bad attraction? Guess we can rule out the Haunted Mansion. Not only can I see those awful OmniMovers in loading, but ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ATTRACTION! And Pirates of the Caribbean is supposedly loading us into our boats outdoors, but every time I look up I see the ceiling. BAD SHOW! Tower of Terror falls apart when I am forced to SIT DOWN in an elevator-- and worse yet, wear a seat belt. It's just wrong-- and bad theming. Point being, of course, that you get out of it what you choose. Name any attraction, past or present, and I can tell you exactly why it's just not all that. For Soarin', some see nothing more than a big screen. Period. Others see a great, immersive experience where AFTER going through a rather dull queue line and enduring the boarding procedure (Thanks for the peppy safety spiel, Patrick!), the actual ride is a home run, time after time. >> Your logic is faulty, my friend. Terribly faulty. HM DOES make an attempt to theme the loading area (or maybe you missed the cobwebs on the lights and the eerie statues, etc etc. Pirates DOES make an attempt to theme the loading area. Tower DOES make an attempt to theme the loading area (and the seatbelt remark is stupid; it's a safety issue. Notice I never complained about Soarin's seatbelts.) Soarin', however, DOES NOT make an attempt to theme the loading area. The blue IMAX screen is staring you right in the face when you walk in to get onboard. It's not themed to be anything other than a big blue screen. So, sorry. Soarin's loading area doesn't hold a candle to the classic E-tickets.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> For Soarin', some see nothing more than a big screen. Period. Others see a great, immersive experience where AFTER going through a rather dull queue line and enduring the boarding procedure (Thanks for the peppy safety spiel, Patrick!), the actual ride is a home run, time after time. << I gotta single this out as one of the most desperate arguments of all. >> some see nothing more than a big screen. << Right... >> Others see a great, immersive experience << Really? The blue screen is a great, immersive experience? Didn't know that.
Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey Maybe the blue screen is an abstract representation of the blue sky you see when you look out of an airplane .
Originally Posted By Christi22222 >>Meh...I wouldn't call it "way" popular. It probably makes it's numbers, but from what I understand it doesn't exceed expectations.<< Yeah, that was clearly not based on actual statistics! lol However, it is based on the anecdotal evidence that many of my neighbors and friends skipped that pavilion altogether before. Now it is considered a must see. I probably need to give Crush some credit for that as well I suppose.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Maybe the should add a few clouds to the blue screen to make it more realistic???
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>I've never thought of myself as any type of design guru. But I've never seen the current entryway to Epcot as anything but cool. I think the obelisks (I refuse to call 'em tombstones, cuz they simply don't look like tombstones to me!) look very futuristic, and the fountain fits right in with the whole design of the plaza. I could always use more greenery, but the Epcot entryway has never even come close to bothering me.<<< They aren't obelisks, either...They are more like a parallelogram. I don't know though, I don't find dry and arid looking marble to be futuristic. Maybe if there was more greenery like in the old plaza...
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Hmmmm....do you believe in fairies, too? Nemo's not leaving there, ever. They don't care if it fits or not. It's a way popular ride. And most people think - ocean, fish - it fits! I'm sorry. But I enjoy your jovial persistence! (And even understand your point.)<<<< Hah! Thanks. But I do think that it will become unpopular, at some point. It has to get old and tired after a while, and hopefully, that will be when it changes itself out.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>I still believe that Nemo, and Crush brought life back into a dying pavilion. It was headed the way of WOL.<<< That's not life, IMO. It's just people. real "life" in that pavilion would have to be based in the fact that it's putting something out that fits in EPCOT, AND has people. Right now, it's like a vegetable to me... Functioning, but without thought or soul. Spirit, if you will...;-)
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> And Pirates of the Caribbean is supposedly loading us into our boats outdoors, but every time I look up I see the ceiling. BAD SHOW!<<<< Uhhhmmm...Actually, if you look up in Pirates you see wonderfully projected clouds. It DOES work.
Originally Posted By Christi22222 >>Right now, it's like a vegetable to me... Functioning, but without thought or soul.<< Wow! I am only just beginning to learn the depths of your passion on this subject! Someday you will have to educate me on the real purpose and intent of EC (or direct me to an old thread or book, etc). I was a big Disney visitor to both coasts growing up, but took a time out during high school, college, and immediate post-college, and therefore missed all the beginnings of EC. I saw it for the first time in 1997. So I really don't feel qualified to talk about it the same way I do the MK. I was late to the party and missed the heyday.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Wow! I am only just beginning to learn the depths of your passion on this subject! Someday you will have to educate me on the real purpose and intent of EC (or direct me to an old thread or book, etc). I was a big Disney visitor to both coasts growing up, but took a time out during high school, college, and immediate post-college, and therefore missed all the beginnings of EC. I saw it for the first time in 1997. So I really don't feel qualified to talk about it the same way I do the MK. I was late to the party and missed the heyday<<< Christi, it's embarrassing, honestly, how much of my thought goes into this...stuff. LOL. I can attempt to "educate" (that makes me sounds like I really know my stuff- Wow.) now on EPCOT, and attempt to do so quite simply. It was to be a place based on the facts, and history, and the future of the REAL world we live in. The only thing Disney about it was supposed to be it's level of showmanship, it's quality, and it's way of presenting what would be mundane and commonplace topics and making them exciting. And honestly, it worked. Putting on rose tinted glasses (Or Disney-tinted, in this case) was a great and optimistic way of showcasing the future of technology and science and world history and culture. It's a very original, very daring, very intelligent way of entertaining and presenting something that wouldn't normally be found in a theme park. This is coming from someone that grew up in the 90's, and only just witnessed the heyday. I saw EPCOT Center at it's very end, and probably best part. I remember the big switch to Epcot'94, and actually liking how different it felt, but still in touch with it's message. EPCOT, now, is still based off of these original ideas, but it's strayed in the way it communicates them- or in some cases, like Nemo and TT, doesn't even touch on what the park is based in- The Future. That said, it's still Disney's most daring and original idea since Disneyland.... but it's just not kept up to that standard any more. Still is great, and has the it's original idea guiding, it though. It's just stumbled here and there. If things ever change in WDC, and we start to get away from synergy ( Maybe when Iger, the Weatherman, departs) we can see a swing back to the original type of story that EPCOT Center was so good at.
Originally Posted By CaptainMichael Let us not forget the purpose of this thread: everyone's favourite attraction fails at doing its one function perfectly because they fail to maintain it properly. I have yet to ride it without large black objects flying..er...Soarin' across the screen. This shouldn't happen. The attraction gets the numbers, it should get properly maintained OR solve the problem like they've seemingly done at DLR!
Originally Posted By Christi22222 Does this just not happen at DCA so we assume it's been fixed? Or do we know that it has been fixed, and TDO just won't do it? And frankly, I think TDO has proven repeatedly that "getting the numbers" just reinforces their decisions to blow off basic maintenance. If they can not do it, and people still go, why do it? Seems to be SOP in Orlando these days.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Let us not forget the purpose of this thread: everyone's favourite attraction fails at doing its one function perfectly because they fail to maintain it properly. I have yet to ride it without large black objects flying..er...Soarin' across the screen. This shouldn't happen. The attraction gets the numbers, it should get properly maintained OR solve the problem like they've seemingly done at DLR!<<<< Winnar. But some EPCOT Center Rhetoric never hurts.
Originally Posted By dshyates TDO uses the excuse that it gets the numbers so why put money into it AND the excuse no one goes in there so why put the money into it. So it is a no win situation for the attractions at Disney World.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>TDO uses the excuse that it gets the numbers so why put money into it AND the excuse no one goes in there so why put the money into it. So it is a no win situation for the attractions at Disney World.<<< Exactly right. We need to have a MAJOR change in WDW for something to happen. Be it a major change in APs that actually complain, and care about the parks, instead of those that come and accept mediocrity, or management actually starts to give a damn.
Originally Posted By danyoung >Be it a major change in APs that actually complain, and care about the parks, instead of those that come and accept mediocrity...< And theres' the attitude that I can't stand and totally reject, as if I don't care about the parks because I accept them in their current state. Look, I agree with most of us that WDW needs to put more into upkeep of existing attractions while developing a new generation of E tickets that feature completely original stories and no synergy whatsoever. That said, I still have a great time at WDW, I don't look at what's there as mediocre for the most part, and I don't think that I'm letting anybody down by not complaining about every little thing. EE, you seem to indicate that it's one or the other - if you're not on board with all the negativity, if you're not protesting to Disney every chance you get, you're somehow a defender of mediocrity. And I'm saying that it's totally possible to have a terrific time at the parks while still acknowledging room for improvement.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>EE, you seem to indicate that it's one or the other - if you're not on board with all the negativity, if you're not protesting to Disney every chance you get, you're somehow a defender of mediocrity. And I'm saying that it's totally possible to have a terrific time at the parks while still acknowledging room for improvement.<<< I know, that's exactly how I am. I never have a bad time in Disney.I love going. But it is really a shame that more people don't speak up and say what they see and feel is wrong with the parks. If you keep quiet, that's the mediocrity being accepted. But, it's also important to compliment, and gush when need be...which I do. I wish I could compliment Disney more often. But my critique of the parks has nothing to do with the basic level of enjoyment I have there. If I didn't have fun, I wouldn't be going, or posting. Don't understand why negative comments are automatically met with being tarred and feathered as a "negative". Or, as I like to say...Doom and Gloomer. You can Doom and Gloom, but still have fun! ;-)
