Several of what could be the nation's top theme park attractions really could use some TLC. Poor show quality is ruining what could be some fabulous rides. But which is the most egregious example? What's the top show maintenance problem at a major U.S. theme park attraction?
Fixing the light levels on Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur?
Getting the Yeti fully functional on Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest?
Restoring all the show effects on Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure?
Repairing the audio and restoring the decor on SeaWorld Orlando's Journey to Atlantis?
Smoothing the ride and freshening the theme of Disney Hollywood Studios' Rock n' Roller Coaster?
You tell us:
Let's hear your argument, in the comments. And, as always, have a great weekend and thanks for reading Theme Park Insider!
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What I'd suggest is that RnRC in DHS gets a refurb to have a similar on-ride experience to it's brother over in Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris. The Paris theme is very similar, the only difference is that instead of going to the concert you're in it. The attraction features lots of lasers and other cool special effects that would really enhance the ride experience over at Walt Disney World.
As for the Yeti, they should get around to fixing it, but if you have never been on it before, you could swear that that Yeti is moving. I actually am impressed with the Disco Yeti, still scary!
I also think fixing the Yeti will bring the attraction down for awhile, something AK I gather can't afford since people are coming for, well, Everest.
I also very much disagree with Paris's version of RnRC. I personally hated that version and liked going through stylized CA. Personally, I think it should have been put at DCA instead of Superstar Limo
I have never had any problems with the light levels on Dinosaur. Is this a recent thing?
I also never noticed the lighting problem for Dinosaur. The only problem I see, which is a design flaw of both it and Indy is that you can sometimes see the car in front of you. I find it less of a problem on Dinosaur than Indy.
voted for fixing Indy in DL. It is such an awesome ride, but sad to see so many effects not working.
Expedition Everest is a lost cause -- they'd have to completely dismantle the Yeti, rehab him outside the building, do some major reconstruction on its foundation, and then re-install him to make him work again. I've heard rumor that it would require a 4-6 month downtime (or more), which I doubt WDW would be willing to do, ever.
Indiana Jones Adventure gets my vote. The environment and ride experience still hold up after all these years -- yet it's a shame to see so many show effects not working, turned off, or never completed (like the first "levitation" room, right before the gates of doom -- saw them work once pre-opening, then never again due to HVAC/LN2 issues). It's a classic in the true sense of the word, and has NEVER gone down for a major rehab -- a few small ones, but nothing significant.
Journey to Atlantis (Orlando) is a great ride, and would probably be second on my list. Lots of fun gags that have been left dormant.
Rock n' Roller Coaster wouldn't benefit from a show rehab at all -- it's the coaster that's the problem. Those Vekoma launch loopers aren't aging well -- the last time I rode them in Paris and WDW last year, they were surprisingly (and very uncomfortably) rough, much rougher than they've ever been in the past. And the Paris one had *most* of the concert lighting FX turned off. This might be third on my list, but it would involve some major ride rehab too -- although I fear it's the track that's the problem, not the cars themselves.
Dinosaur - one of my favorites and have never had an issue with the light levels.
Are you going to complain that Space Mountain is too dark now???
My honorable mention refurb would go to Star Tours - totally outdated, but sounds like they have a plan in place.
Turn your strobe lights on…
Get your disco balls spinning…
Raise you hands high above your head and put them together for… The Dance Club Yeti!!!
Tonight’s special guest will be singing his classic rendition of an old favorite, The YMCA.
Y - E - T - I
You have to vote for the Y - E - T - I
Give the techies a call
Or the Yeti will fall
And the lawyers will have a ba-all
Y - E - T - I
We have to vote for the Y - E - T - I
I know he’s a load
Just ask Disney’s Joe Rohde
That’s why he's always in B Mo-ode
Y - E - T - I
We all must vote for the Y - E - T - I
He’s been standing all day
Just cause Disney won’t pay
What else do I have to say-ay
Y - E - T - I
Please all vote for the Y - E - T - I
Thanks, DCY, you DA MAN...err..SNOW-MAN!
(Shame on Disney for letting this problem continue for going on three years without a solution.)
I voted for Indiana Jones, although that ride is receiving some ongoing TLC during off hours. A close second would be Everest. If they have to take the Yeti out in order to fix him, then why not substitute another, static yeti while they work on the AA? That way, they don't have to close the ride at all until they're ready to work on the foundation, maybe as part of a general refurb? I remember how awesome the yeti was in A mode, that roaring beast swiping at you as you passed. Disney please please make it happen again!
As for Rock n' Roller, I didn't find it too rough at all when I rode it multiple times (5-6 times in one day!) last May.
Besides, Robert loves it when I copy and paste from my old posts. He calls it paying homage.
Can someone give some details on what Journey to Atlantis is supposed to be? I haven't ridden it for a few years, but I was decidedly unimpressed with the storyline (the ride itself is solid). What's not functioning there and how is it affecting the attraction? I see comments about it, but no one is really going into what's been lost.
Oh, and how the heck did Great Movie Ride miss the cut on this poll? That ride needs an enormous amount of help before I'll ever bother getting on again.
I think that Dinosaur is a bit of a write-off. I find the motion too jerky and annoying. It doesn't feel one bit like a jeep driving through a landscape. The movement doesn't seem logical but feels more like random computerized lurching from point to point. I would scrap it and either build a big, sprawling, high-speed type of ride like Test Track, or else go small, low-speed and atmospheric like Haunted Mansion. Either one could work very well with the theme.
Incidentally, I think that a similar problem exists on the Simpsons ride at USF which always makes me nauseous. Simulated motion has to look and feel Newtonian, if you know what I mean. A coaster feels "real" because it obviously has to conform to the ordinary laws of physics and these happen to be what one's eyes and brain expect. When you have computerized servo-thingies capable of moving a ride in any direction, the designers should be more disciplined and should try harder to keep people's inner ears from being disoriented. It's not just for wusses with weak stomachs, but it's the difference between a satisfying and thrilling illusion and a jerky, phony "experience".
And speaking of coasters ... could RnR be fixed up to give more of an illusion of traveling down a highway? Other than the initial takeoff it never really felt like a road trip to me. Maybe they could bring up the light levels or add more roadside lights/props or something. That would improve it for me. But they're highly constrained by the compact layout and tight curves. Revenge of the Mummy is a better approach because the combo of slow and fast sections gives a longer and more satisfying ride and allows a much more elaborate story to be told. And a very cool queue too!
There seems to be a pattern here... Animal Kingdom animatronic malfunctions. The Yeti is frozen. The pterodactyl in Dinosaur is frozen. Perhaps it's easier to model humans than mythical creatures or prehistoric animals?
Are they perfect in simulating the movement appropriate for the situation? No, but I feel that they do a good job, especially the Simpsons ride. The technology behind motion simulation only continues to improve.
I certainly feel that putting a ride like Dinosaur on an omnimover would be a huge mistake; it's supposed to be a wild ride through a prehistoric jungle, not a leisurely sightseeing tour. A Test Track kind of system wouldn't make much sense, either.
TPI rocks!!
Can I also vote for Six Flags over Georgia.
90% of those coasters need a tear down and rebuild for being too old, unmaintained and too rough.
Rock'N'Rollercoaster has a great launch, but after that the atmosphere and effect are laking.
JTA is a great ride, but many times I've seen elements down & audio too low. With the "Cold" season coming up here in Fl it would be a great time to fix those, especially as Manta is now up and running.
Dinosaur is a great ride, I've never seen an issue with it. I like that its very dark and certainly adds to the effects.
Yeti is great ride. For anyone whos not seen the Yeti move, it doesn't matter, but for us who have seen it, it certainly adds to the thrill level.
We went back on again a couple of hours later -- and all you could see was the lights of his eyes. I rode with people who had never ridden it before, and told them that they missed an important part of that ride.
I never noticed anything different with Dinosaur - was scary as every -- and Rock N Roller Coaster actually seemed fairly smooth this time around!
Face it, that much ballyhooed Yeti lunge is like a thick layer of rich chocolate icing on a moist and delectable cake. Without that icing, Everest is a severely diminished attraction.
I'd just got back for SFOG too, so maybe I noticed how rough it was because SFOG is a rib cracker of a park!
Indy is my favorite ride... Period. The best combination of theme and thrills that has ever been made. Even in its' reduced state, there is still much to savor. Nevertheless, it is sad that significant portions of the ride have deteriorated. Now why didn't I choose this ride. Current rumors say that not only is a refurbishment planned for Indy, but a full-blown update. So, Indy looks like it will be getting some tender loving care very soon.
I have only been on Atlantis twice since it opened. I think it is a terrific attraction as is. I do agree that, like Dudley, it has some softly themed spots. Particularly on the lift in the back where you can see the cars driving by. Can't speak for any changes since it opened, but I do enjoy it the way it is.
I've been on both RnRC and Dinosaur dozens of times throughout the years and can't discern any major differences since they both opened. Dinosaur has always been dark and RnRC still is a very smooth ride to me. Love them both the way they are.
My disappointment in Everest has been expressed on here before. It is my least favorite of the Disney coasters. The coaster itself is quite basic and the on-ride theming is minimal. I would love to see an update on top of fixing the Yeti. Both helixes could stand to have some visuals implemented. Unfortunately, like someone above said, don't expect refurbishment for sometime. The Animal Kingdom has a dearth of attractions and their headliner will not go down for months until the Beastly Kingdom opens. It is going to be awhile folks.
At MK they could rip out the Speedway and have all kinds of prime real estate for an uber new attraction (Space Mountain 2: The Inverted Voyage!). I wouldn't miss that midway cars-on-a-rail experience one bit.
Sorry for all the questions, but I've only braved that bad boy twice. I'd like to get some idea on whether I dare ride it again in the future, and whether some seats are less head jarring than others. Thanks!
Besides, those Tomorrowland "race cars" poke along pathetically providing a pretty ho-hum experience for most participants (how 'bout that alliteration!). Furthermore, the ride's 54" height requirement excludes the small children you mentioned who might actually enjoy the chance to "drive". Heck, Test Track is a much better version of a cars-on-a-rail ride, and it only has a 40" height requirement. Now, there's an E-ticket attraction parents can enjoy along with their kids!
I also voted for Indy. It's just become half of what it used to be.
Perhaps some of the props/scenery/buildings/parts can be shipped to DLR for their use?
U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name
The Beatles - Helter Skelter
Bon Jovi - You give love a bad name
The Who - Won't get fooled again
Journey - Anyway you won't it
your welcome to add to the list or criticize (this not a list of my personal favorite songs so I won't be offended..... but I'd choose the U2 song out of these. I think Where the Streets have no name would be awesome as it hits it's peak in the opening if it took off then).
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(Although the Yeti is a pretty big ride element to leave faulty for so long.)
Seaworld needs to rehab Journey To Alantis from top to bottom - no major changes, just freshen it all. I remember being wowed by it's flume/coaster combo but now it just looks shabby.