Originally Posted By alexbook >>>I didn't realize that all Walmart customers shared the same sense of humor. :-(< When used in this sense, the term Walmart crowd implies a homogenous group. (They'll cringe at that description.)<< My point exactly. I'm sure that some Walmart customers are ignorant yokels. Others aren't. How do you feel when people make ignorant, bigoted, derogatory comments about Disney customers?
Originally Posted By mousermerf Well, i dont insult all Disney customers - jut the ones who have the audacity to insist that SSE is up to par as far as Disney's own self professed quality levels are concerned.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***And the ride vehicles don't clunk and clang through the ride?*** I thought they always did that.
Originally Posted By -em < went and rode SSE today to see what the fuss was about... and Im still lost... Are the triangles the dozens that are on the ceiling during "return to earth" that add texture to the otherwise flat ceiling? I also looked and didn't see any massive show failure with cords etc ITS DARK! But I did find the best deal *ever* on a snack- Giant Pickles for a buck! too bad its temporary... -em
Originally Posted By mousermerf Oh no!!! Pickles are a DLR thing - which i find hideous and bizarre. We need holy water and crosses to keep those out of the parks.
Originally Posted By MousDad I have no problem with the videos, when they work. It's when they aren't functioning properly that they are a joke and a letdown. As a fanboi, would I rather be swept into an grand and erudite fangasm of sophistication and awe? Sure. But there is no doubt in my mind that even with the descent in its ??? state, that the current version of SSE is more appealing to guests than it has ever been.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Having ridden SSE a few times, I concluded that the quality and alignment of the "heads" on the cartoon bodies was in direct connect with where and at what angle you are sitting at the time the photo is taken. If you are leaning over to one side, the picture will not line up. So blame yourselves if it isn't perfect. As for the trip back to earth...since day one it has been less then top notch. If one cannot get fulfillment out of the first three quarters of the ride maybe you are pretty hard to make happy. The new ending takes your mind away from the idea that you are going backwards in what seems like a straight down direction. BTW, the "Walmarting" theme is starting to be really tiresome. It means nothing, it never has meant anything. It is bigoted and smacks of class and status distinction and is uttered mostly by people that can be convinced that paying more for the same item makes them better than others. It just makes them seem more easily duped then most of the "common folk" that would utilize a WalMart. Maybe one should find a new, meaningful way to put Disney down.
Originally Posted By mousermerf Walmarting has nothing to do with prices and everything to do with pride, quality, and presentation. Target is a very similar store, but you dont see anyone complaining about the Target-ing of the parks. Target has some level of quality standards. The average Walmart is a total dump. I shop at Walmart for things I need at Walmart but I'm not going to pretend it's well kept, that the workers give even half a crap, or that I'd ever consider the products I buy there to be top quality goods. I don't buy house paint from Walmart because it's low quality and cheap. I don't buy most clothes from Walmart because they're low quality and cheap. While there is a level of style that is desperately lacking from Walmart, above all it is cheap and ends up costing more in the end to fix or repurchase. Precisely the problem that Disney has lately.
Originally Posted By joe80x86 Back to the actual ride, I think the thing is that the ride has always climaxed at the top and that was basically the end of the show. Now since the top has always been the climax and there appears to me to be no room for additional shows along the way back down it leaves 3 choices. 1) (The Old Way) have a basically black nothing doing trip back to the bottom. 2) (The Current Way) have some whimsical interactive/semi-entertaining thing in your car. 3) Put a unloading zone at the top and make you ride down an escalator to the bottom. (Perhaps merf would prefer this) Of course I beg forgiveness for my "good enough" mentality. I realize things could be better but sometimes good enough really is good enough.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost That is exactly what I was trying to say before I got sidetracked into that endless Walmart discussion. What else can you do with it after you have seen the top and Spaceship Earth.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I've heard that at the top you aren't even REALLY in SPACE!! The earth you see isn't really earth at all... just a projected image. I'm so disappointed. Talk about the Targeting of Epcot!!
Originally Posted By leobloom I didn't remember the "old way" being a backwards trip down a black tunnel. Or was that hyperbole, Joe? By the way, how exactly are the screens supposed to work when you have two people using one screen that asks questions that vary from person to person? Lazy and lame, WDI.
Originally Posted By mousermerf The "old way" was not a black tunnel - it never was. I can't believe people are saying that. It had elaborate set pieces and lots of special effects.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Put a unloading zone at the top and make you ride down an escalator to the bottom. (Perhaps merf would prefer this)*** That's actually not a half bad idea...it would be particularly cool if there were some observation platforms on the way down around the dome and sci-fi areas (unable to be seen from the ride vehicles, of course).
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<BTW, the "Walmarting" theme is starting to be really tiresome.>> You sound like some of my friends at TDO. I think it hits too close to home. <<It means nothing, it never has meant anything.>> Oh I beg to differ, my friend. It speaks to a LCD product ... a dumbing down/simplifying/homogenization ... and if it didn't mean anything (nope, not giving that trade secret away!) <<It is bigoted and smacks of class and status distinction and is uttered mostly by people that can be convinced that paying more for the same item makes them better than others. It just makes them seem more easily duped then most of the "common folk" that would utilize a WalMart. Maybe one should find a new, meaningful way to put Disney down.>> I think people who shop at WalMart shouldn't. I think WalMart is a vile corporation that has done more to reduce the quality of life for the American worker than any other over the past 15-20 years. I think it takes advantage of the poorest and least educated people out there. I think it is the exact opposite of true capitalism because it uses it might as a way to destroy all competition by actually selling at a loss to put people out of business. It refuses to allow workers to unionize and it tells them how they can get benefits from the government so it can avoid providing them. I can't stand the company. But I'd rather talk about Disney. ~Vermont was better before WalMart invaded~
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Pickles are a DLR thing - which i find hideous and bizarre. We need holy water and crosses to keep those out of the parks. >> Pickles are great. Pickles have been available at MK and FW dating back to the 1970s. I can't imagine a burger without pickles. ~Not a world I want to live in~
Originally Posted By leemac <<Lazy and lame, WDI.>> You have to remember that SSE has a sponsor and that sponsor wanted a way to link the attraction to the post-show area where they have the opportunity to integrate their products into the mix. SIEMENS can't integrate their products into the attraction as it is a historical presentation so there needs to be an incentive to get guests into Project Tomorrow. Under AT&T's sponsorship it was easy to add the decent setpieces as it tied to the attraction overall and the progress of communication. That doesn't tie into any of SIEMEN's key products as they aren't in telecommunications as much as they used to be. It couldn't be an overt commercial. I'm not saying that the decent is the best possible solution but you need to consider that someone other than WDW was paying for the changes. Sponsors want much more than just marquee titles now. Personally I think that the post-show area is better than any other I've ever seen (like the original Transcenter). All of the games were engaging and educational.
