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Thread: Midway Mania - Much Ado About Something!

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  1. #1
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    Midway Mania - Much Ado About Something!

    So I just had an unexpected cast preview of Toy Story Midway Mania and, let me just say, I was HIGHLY impressed! I mean, I like BLAB and all, but after riding that Buzz now seems almost boring I don't want to give away much in the way of spoilers and whatnot, but wanted you all to know that I truly think this ride will live up to its hype. IMHO, it has more repeatability than any ride I have ever been on and I can see people coming to DCA and spending their entire day on this attraction. Vehicle movement is very smooth, the guns are quite easy to use (I was a little wary when I saw they were stationary like the guns at BLAB in WDW, which I don't like), and the games themselves are just plain fun. There were still a few glitches when I rode, but I was wowed and can't wait to go again tomorrow!!


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    Quote Originally Posted by PanFan View Post
    So I just had an unexpected cast preview of Toy Story Midway Mania and, let me just say, I was HIGHLY impressed! I mean, I like BLAB and all, but after riding that Buzz now seems almost boring I don't want to give away much in the way of spoilers and whatnot, but wanted you all to know that I truly think this ride will live up to its hype. IMHO, it has more repeatability than any ride I have ever been on and I can see people coming to DCA and spending their entire day on this attraction. Vehicle movement is very smooth, the guns are quite easy to use (I was a little wary when I saw they were stationary like the guns at BLAB in WDW, which I don't like), and the games themselves are just plain fun. There were still a few glitches when I rode, but I was wowed and can't wait to go again tomorrow!!


    OH WOW!!!! I can't wait!!!!!

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  3. #3

    So, in your opinion, the YouTube video of TSMM in WDW doesn't do the ride justice?


  4. #4
    -=椺²°`¯13¯`°²º¤æ=- Another Dimension's Avatar
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    How could any video of any 3D/4D attraction ever do the attraction actual justice compared to experiencing it in person?


    Mickey's PhilharMagic, The Amazing Spiderman (Uni) and DarKastle (Busch) all look really un-impressive on video ... and they are by far the highest rated and most popular 3D attractions on earth, year after year.


  5. #5
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    The video gives you a fairly accurate picture of what the ride is like, though WDW's queue is more elaborate and I like our costumes much better than theirs. The games it showed were the same ones I played today, though there are others I didn't play that aren't in the video either. But Another Dimension is totally right that there's no way a two-dimensional video can do justice to an attraction like this. Moving from game to game is almost as fun as the games themselves, but you don't get to feel that sensation just watching the screen. You also miss certain show effects like

     
    the blasts of air when something pops in your face.
    And this attraction is first and foremost meant to be interactive. That most important dimension is completely missing when you're not the one pulling the trigger.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Another Dimension View Post
    How could any video of any 3D/4D attraction ever do the attraction actual justice compared to experiencing it in person?
    I should have added the [obvious question] tags around my original post. I agree completely, and I'd even go further and state that no video can completely capture the essence of any ride. One must experience the ride itself to get the full effect of what the imagineers were aiming to accomplish.

    It's just that I've seen a lot of Disney fans write off the attraction as bogus because it utilizes video screens, no AA's, lack of sets, etc. all based on their experience from watching a video of the ride. I think it's only fair to reserve judgement until one has ridden the attraction.

  7. #7
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    People already being negative and judgmental over something that they haven't ridden/seen-for-themselves yet? Ooh hell no! That's crazy talk!

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  8. #8
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    Wow, my right arm is tired! I rode TSMM 10 times this morning with my best friend. When we got there it was 101, but neither of us were working today so we waited around until it was back up. We played right-handed and we played left-handed; we played for points and we played for accuracy; we completely wore ourselves out and had a total blast doing it! We even found the hidden Mickeys! After 10 trips in a row (and 2 more later this afternoon), I still say this ride is amazing and absolutely has the repeatability factor. The only problem is that my arm is now complaining (and has been since about the 5th trip), but that won't be so much of a problem when the attraction actually opens and I have to wait some time in between rides. I can definitely see people exiting the attraction only to get back in line. It doesn't need animatronics or elaborate show scenes to be a fantastic ride. It's not quite an E-ticket, but I would easily give it a D.

    I would like to correct something I said in my other post, though. There are only five games. I had thought I saw other games that I didn't get to play, but it turns out that there are two different tracks you can go on but both play the same games. They are identical to the ones shown in the WDW video.

    In my many rides today, I did notice some things I didn't catch in my single ride yesterday.

     
    Not only are there blasts of air, but when the right targets are hit, there are water effects as well. Nothing major, but a little more than the misting you get at HISTA. Also, if there's a delay in vehicle movement, the game you just finished pops up, only the targets are worth 0 so no one gets an unfair advantage in their score because they got stopped.


    One note for those with motion sickness:
     
    There are some spinning effects as your vehicle moves between games. I don't think you ever make a complete 360, but it is pretty fast. I don't have issues with motion sickness, but after 12 rides today, I can see how it may make someone who does a little woozy.


    After my 10th ride today, it broke down again. I have the worst luck with getting evacuated on rides--it very rarely happens to me and when it does I'm always within sight of the station. Although that held true today (we were one car away from the station) we still got to experience a full evac. The procedure is quite neat!
     
    First off, there are two cars that can rotate independently attached to each other by a platform. As you're coming up on the station, the doors to your car open to a big drop, so they manually rotate the cars so you can step onto the platform. Then they release stairs from the platform so you can get to the ground.


    There can be up to 20 vehicles on the track at once, each carrying up to 8 players. The station can load 2 two-car vehicles at the same time. It's not an omnimover per se, but the cars more or less move and stop at the same time and if there's a delay in dispatching, the cars inside don't move past the game they just finished until the station moves. There's a completely separate loading and unloading area for special assistance guests so they can take as much time as they need getting in and out without slowing down or backing up the attraction. There is no height requirement, but there are individual lap bars so there is no lap sitting. Babies must be able to sit unassisted (like on Roger Rabbit).

    A CM said that their hourly capacity is around 1500, which is pretty good. I can't think of any attractions with this count off the top of my head, but to give you an idea, Nemo is 950 while IASW and HM are both 2250. It will move faster than Peter Pan, but about half the speed of POTC.

  9. #9
    -=椺²°`¯13¯`°²º¤æ=- Another Dimension's Avatar
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    Thanks for the updates and more info PanFan!



  10. #10
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    TV Commercial

    I saw the commercial tonight during the lakers telecast on KCAL Channel 9 in Los angeles. The TS characters are trying to sneak into DCA and set up their midway. A guard almost catches them when Squeeky gets stuck in the door. Lots of other fun things, and a brief glimpse of one or two games. I also understand the merchandise shop at the end of the attraction is already open.

    I almost forgot - official at the end of the commercial is June 17th opening.

    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

  11. #11
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    Cool! I'm so behind on my DVR I probably won't see the commercial until after it's already officially open! It sounds really cute.

    Is it just me or does there seem to be a lot less traditional advertising for this attraction than there was for Nemo? It seems all media attention has been more or less from newspaper/magazine articles rather than commercials and billboards (though it appears that's starting to change). Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but it seemed like they were building up anticipation for Nemo a whole lot more and a whole lot earlier than they have been for TSMM. I mean, it seems that a lot of people I've talked to don't know much (or anything at all) about TSMM while it was hard to find anyone who didn't know Nemo was coming months before it opened (if only they could spread the word that IASW is closed so easily!)


  12. #12
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    And yes, the merchandise shop is open. That's where the exit is (surprised?), though the shop itself is really small and the exit staircase is right next to the shop exit so you won't have to fight your way through browsing tourists to get out (a la Star Tours). The funniest part about yesterday was being deposited on stage after our ride. See, a bunch of us went right after work. We had to enter the ride from backstage and were told it was fine to wear our costumes. I wish I had a picture of the conglomerate of costumes there were at the gates and in the queue! There was a bunch from FL, some pirates, a Splash hostess, quite a few submarine operators, custodians, plaids (tour guides), chefs with their aprons and hats on, servants in the Haunted Mansion, Toonies, you name it! And we all had to exit the attraction on stage. I don't think I've ever felt more out of place in my FL costume than I did at the far end of Paradise Pier!


  13. #13

    Thanks for the update!! It sounds like a blast! We're a competative bunch, so I can totally see my family spending a lot of time on this ride.

    Are they only letting employees ride, or if you're in the right place at the right time could you get to ride it? I didn't enter the AP preview contest, since I can't make it there that week, but we'll be there the week of Memorial Day.


  14. #14
    Fun is wherever you find it... olegc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PanFan View Post
    Is it just me or does there seem to be a lot less traditional advertising for this attraction than there was for Nemo? It seems all media attention has been more or less from newspaper/magazine articles rather than commercials and billboards (though it appears that's starting to change). Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but it seemed like they were building up anticipation for Nemo a whole lot more and a whole lot earlier than they have been for TSMM. I mean, it seems that a lot of people I've talked to don't know much (or anything at all) about TSMM while it was hard to find anyone who didn't know Nemo was coming months before it opened (if only they could spread the word that IASW is closed so easily!)
    egads - could it be that it's due to DCA connections instead of Disneyland?

    sorry - had to throw that one in. truthfully it seems they are taking some longer view press tours and articles - maybe because it's such a brand new attraction. they don't want to overhype it since it has no loyalty or nostalgia (old subs) or connection to high popularity (pirates). And - it's such a brand new technology (I think they will win their patent they applied for) that the word will spread fast.

    BTW - I would LOVE to have seen that scene with all the costumes at the exit. For those of us Disney geeks who don't mind a little backstage/onstage mixup it would have made a very interesting photo op.
    "[Disneyland] has that thing - the imagination, and the feeling of happy excitement - I knew when I was a kid." - Walt Disney

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    Quote Originally Posted by PanFan View Post
    Cool! I'm so behind on my DVR I probably won't see the commercial until after it's already officially open! It sounds really cute.

    Is it just me or does there seem to be a lot less traditional advertising for this attraction than there was for Nemo? It seems all media attention has been more or less from newspaper/magazine articles rather than commercials and billboards (though it appears that's starting to change). Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but it seemed like they were building up anticipation for Nemo a whole lot more and a whole lot earlier than they have been for TSMM. I mean, it seems that a lot of people I've talked to don't know much (or anything at all) about TSMM while it was hard to find anyone who didn't know Nemo was coming months before it opened (if only they could spread the word that IASW is closed so easily!)
    just a note on advertising, I drive by 2 billboards and a sign at a bus stop every day that are advertising for it. One of the billboards has been up like that for probably a month at least, the other two signs are more recent. These are in the bay area.

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    I totally agree on the whole advertising thing. Nothing like Nemo. That little fish was EVERYWHERE! I wonder if it's because of WALL-E? Since they were coming out about the same time? I saw those billboards everywhere in the sacramento area...

    Ellis Family Mommy, Jamie

     

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by PanFan View Post
    Wow, my right arm is tired!
    I can second the painful arm symdrome. Went on the WDW soft opening yesterday and i'm assuming the rides are identical so my comments should hold. Did a few goes round with immediate exit and reboard (maybe 5 min wait time) and my arm got pretty tired. This may actually help the queues when the ride opens for real, cos people will get tired and the ultra competitive of us will go away for a rest so as to not let the score suffer.

    I found i improved my score each time, more because i got used to the aiming, but got slower each time cos my arm was tired.

    Still, the ride is a real blast. i really liked the touch of the scoreboard at the end - it showed the top 3 of the day and the top score for the month. Top score for the day was 234,000. My best was 145,000 something and i was really trying hard. (I'm guessing the top scores were CM's who'd had a lot of practice).
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  18. #18
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ILoveDisneyMagic View Post
    Are they only letting employees ride, or if you're in the right place at the right time could you get to ride it? I didn't enter the AP preview contest, since I can't make it there that week, but we'll be there the week of Memorial Day.
    Yes, it's for DL CM's only. Not even outside vendors who work in DL but aren't employed by Disney can ride. You have to enter from backstage (the walls are still up in Paradise Pier) and they are very strict about checking each person's ID as they enter the queue. It was an unannounced preview that I found out about yesterday at work and it's only going through tomorrow. The real cast preview (where we have to get tickets for ourselves and dependents) isn't even until June 5-8, so this was quite an unexpected surprise for me! As a regular guest I definitely wouldn't expect any previews or soft openings before that. There are still a number of glitches to be worked out before they open it up to the masses (for me, the "Hold Time" game came up A LOT; sometimes a game would stop midway through; twice one of the games didn't work at all; and, like I said, it completely broke down twice while I was there today). At the end, they sometimes asked us what we thought of the ride and if anything went wrong. They are still very much in a testing period.

  19. #19
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PanFan View Post
    The real cast preview (where we have to get tickets for ourselves and dependents) isn't even until June 5-8, so this was quite an unexpected surprise for me!
    I thought they were officially opening at the same time on both coasts? WDW is opening May 31st.

    I REALLY enjoyed it (at WDW), even with a 2 hour wait on the first day of AP previews! I like that (like PanFan said) you can play for accuracy or points, though I only tried for points (using the shoot and aim philosophy, as opposed to the aim and shoot approach!) Even though it replaced my favorite attraction at WDW, I am very pleased with what they've done with the space.
    Cathy

  20. #20
    I have roasted marshmallows! PanFan's Avatar
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    Our official opening is June 17th. I had thought they were opening the same time as well, but evidently not. Unfortunately, there's no way to email your photo/score to yourself like on BLAB, but you could always take a picture of it I guess (it shows on a screen in your car, not just on the 3D screen). I got my best score when I returned after a long break from the 10 in a row (170,100), but it quickly diminished (though 161,300 is still very respectable) because of how tired my arm was. As of Friday, the best score of the day and the month was 347,000.


  21. #21
    As a regular guest I definitely wouldn't expect any previews or soft openings before that.

    Oh, well. Now I have an excuse to go in October.

  22. #22
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ILoveDisneyMagic View Post
    Oh, well. Now I have an excuse to go in October.
    Amen to that!

    I'm always hoping there will be something new for each of my visits! And especially for my DL visits that are a year or two apart, it's not hard for that to happen!
    Cathy

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  24. #24

    I saw the TV ad mentioned earlier in the post and they call it "Toy Story Mania", no mention of the term "Midway". This is definitely a local spot because they identified it with DCA opening June 17. I thought WDW's version was Toy Story Mania and ours Toy Story Midway Mania, but I've seen some pictures showing the signage of WDW's and it also has Midway in the title (spelled out in blocks), so what gives with the DL TV spot? And the pin that's available now also just calls it Toy Story Mania! The confusion continues...

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  25. #25

    Midway Mania preview

    I too was able to ride Midway Mania the other night (last Friday). I have to say that I was not really excited about this ride since I'm not that big a fan of the shoot-em-up style (and we've already got Buzz Lightyear at Disneyland). But I really enjoyed this ride and am looking forward to riding again. The queue is going to be VERY long for this come summer time. All those shade structures along the coaster launch are for extended queue and it will be popular. There is NOT going to be any Fastpass for this attraction (a good thing in my opinion).

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