Originally Posted By oc_dean .. and after some thought ... no offense to Floridians .. but I feel a "Soarin'" type ride needs iconic pieces that have some good vertical stature to them. Too much of Florida is flat. How many times in a 5 minute attraction can they circle around around the Kennedy Space Ctr.? Or the Florida Keys? Little note: For those of you who've watched some of Esther William's old Swimming MGM Musicals (one shot in Florida) ... and "This is Cinerama" .. with some breathtaking views of certain gardens .... Florida truly has a beauty of it's own. But for a Soarin' ride where a glider is "supposedly" atleast 200 feet above ground level ... I don't know. :/?
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>... the attraction is there because it is a GREAT attraction and a GREAT weenie. << Sorry, It's not a weenue.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA See how silly we are? We're discussing a theme park attraction. P
Originally Posted By danyoung >bananas.......... yes rain forests..... yes wind............. yes sun/moon......... yes rocks............ yes Main Street USA.. no one of these things doesn't belong here-< Soarin' goes over orange fields. Soarin' goes over wooded areas. Soarin' goes over Yosemite and looks down on a hang glider. Soarin' flies over a rocky coastline. I'll give you that the flyover of DL has nothing directly to do with The Land. But that's such a tiny element of the attraction. And all of the other elements do plenty to overcome that thematic shortcoming. Coastlines? Wooded rivers? Orange fields? Surf? Mountainous countryside? All elements of "the land" that make up the film.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA What would the cost be for an all-new film for 'Soarin' at EPCOT? In Disney Dollars, probably like $30 million or something. So, yeah, they make a print of the existing movie, [cost $10,000.00] put it in 'The Land' -- make people feel that it's showing different 'land' and boom -- new attraction for EPCOT.
Originally Posted By WDWs Future High School called, they want their drama back >.> I'm sure you can discuss, and even disagree, without insulting one another..geez! Anyway, I enjoyed the video. Simply because I'm from Florida and have seen and been to a lot of those locations. I don't think the person created it thinking it was the most astounding replication ever created. However, just the idea of Soarin' videos from other destinations is intriging in itself. I, too, love the musical score created for the ride and will continue to tell my friends about the attraction..who are usually in awe of the whole idea. I've never heard anyone at the actual park come off the attraction and complain about any one detail. Sure, it is always a long wait, but most guests that I have heard feel it's worth the wait!
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>I've never heard anyone at the actual park come off the attraction and complain about any one detail.<< I have. Especially when DCA opened. I would disagree with most criticisms, but to say that it is universally adored is a little to Sweet for me. I would say that I highly doubt it will maintain these large queues full of people seven years from now like Test Track still does. New film or not.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <Actually NO. (but you missed the joke as usual) I'd take Nemo and Soarin Over CA over M:S anytime.< I haven't even been on Nemo yet and yet I know I agree. <Forgive him. He is from Minnesota ....< Fawlty Towers flashback, forgive him...he is from Barcelona !
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <This is just a random thought that came from one of the posts way back, but what would you guys think of an attraction based off of the Soarin' technology that wasn't a film? It could be a "dark ride" (even though it wouldn't have to be dark or black lit) using a suspended system like Peter Pan.< I'm thinking the chase scene from Monsters's Inc. - with the doors !
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <Even Walt put Matterhorn right there in Fantasyland. Just what part of Matterhorn is fantasy?? < For me the fantasy is that they would have put a matterhorn type ride in Fantasyland in WDW instead of a playground.
Originally Posted By Charliedontsurf The orange fields might be the only scene which is totally devoted to the land. All other scenes(as far as I remember) show people doing activities. Even the spectacular views of Yosemite Falls are violently interrrupted by hang gliders. As for the ocean scene-- it doesn't even belong--- it needs to move on over to its neighboring pavilion.
Originally Posted By WDWs Future <<I have. Especially when DCA opened. I would disagree with most criticisms, but to say that it is universally adored is a little to Sweet for me.>> Maybe I should have been a bit more specific...I've never heard any guests at Epcot's Soarin' have any complaints of this kind. Unfortunately, I would not know about DCA and their setup, since I've never been. So, maybe not universally, but instead the majority do not feel the same way. <<I would say that I highly doubt it will maintain these large queues full of people seven years from now like Test Track still does. New film or not.>> I dunno, I'd like to think that this one can stand the test of time. I think it's still too early to tell..unlike with attractions such as Misson:Space. This is an attraction that nearly everyone can enjoy and an addition such as a new film, could bring people back; like a sequel to a (good) movie. It's not your typical attraction that you just experience anywhere. I'm sure there are plenty attractions that people thought wouldn't be a success in the long run, and yet still have crowds of people at them today. <<As for the ocean scene-- it doesn't even belong--- it needs to move on over to its neighboring pavilion. >> I guess that would also mean that the boats in Living With The Land should be disposed of as well...I think that's taking it just a little too far. I'm sure if the entire film was just showing landscapes, people would find even new complaints with it. *sigh*
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>I dunno, I'd like to think that this one can stand the test of time. I think it's still too early to tell..<< It's not. For people who have seen how these parks work for decades, how guests react to them, how and more importantly Why each attraction is designed the way it is ... it is not too early to tell. Test Track, with all of it's faults, has maintained it's long lines because of what is offered near it and what the ride experience offers. Soarin' with it's dependence on a ride system that cycles, a ride system that simulates, and a need for a virtual film that offers the same presentation - on each cycle, will have less repeatability for the guest in years to come. Which is fine. Which is normal. But it is a critique on the attraction. Five years from now people will still make POTC or SPLASH must-dos. Soarin' not so much. It's just the nature of that type of attraction. >>I'm sure there are plenty attractions that people thought wouldn't be a success in the long run, and yet still have crowds of people at them today.<< Yeah? Let's have one, I'm interested.
Originally Posted By danyoung >Test Track, with all of it's faults, has maintained it's long lines because of what is offered near it and what the ride experience offers.< I'm not so sure that you're not over-representing Test Track's popularity. Last few times I've been there the line was about 20 to 30 minutes. Still respectable, but nowhere near the 90 minutes it drew early on (and that Soarin' is regularly drawing now during its honeymoon).
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>I'm not so sure that you're not over-representing Test Track's popularity. Last few times I've been there the line was about 20 to 30 minutes. Still respectable, but nowhere near the 90 minutes it drew early on (and that Soarin' is regularly drawing now during its honeymoon).<< I don't think I am. But I would say, that again, the lines don't represent what is actually occuring. SO in this case I would probably need to reword what I am trying to say. For instance, Test Track's lines and FP availability have a lot to do with it's capacity and reliability. So, in the last few posts, I would theorize that 7 years after opening Test Track still operates to capacity crowds where as Soarin' 7 years from now will not. It is understandable that Soarin', initially, would have days where it (in relation to it's capacity %: TT) has a higher demand than TT.
Originally Posted By danyoung I guess we're in the land of conjecture now, Chi. I'd bet if Disney updates Soarin' with a new movie in 2 or 3 years, its popularity will remain high.
Originally Posted By ChiMike I just don't think so. Just like I don't think a new film in Star Tours will do much other then a short-term blip. Disney underestimates their guests. I don't believe guests are going to get too worked up about a new film. When it comes to cycle-VR rides the proof is in the ride system. Barring all new cabins with new movements, a film is going to do little for Star Tours. Which is probably why it hasn't been a top priority. I think the same will go for Soarin'. It just doesn't have the longevity that circuit rides dealing with realized 3d environments do. If I was wrong, Mission to Mars would still be with us.
