No more beach balls at Luigi's Flying Tires

[AVP]

I noted in the Update today that there were fewer beach balls in use at Luigi's Flying Tires this weekend, but this morning saw that the balls have been removed entirely.

The cast members have a cute story about the balls going "on vacation," to Italy to celebrate with the Olympic athletes, but when pressed admit this could be a "really, really long" vacation.

Personally I'm thrilled with this change. I've never really liked the way the beach balls shift the focus away from the ride itself and turned it into a beach ball fight. Still, I know kids just love the beach balls, and I can admit that they added a certain kinetic element and color to the ride.

What are your thoughts? Are you happy to see them gone?

Adrienne

[candles71]

I thought they were a distraction. They did however get people to lean to try to get one, thus making the tire go. I was there the day before opening and this seemed to be a problem, cause people can't read signs, don'tcha know.

[AnotherJenny]

I haven't actually been on the ride yet. But when I was watching it a few times, I saw people just holding the beach balls for most of the ride. It didn't look that fun to me that people would just sit there and hold the ball so that 1. it's hard to move around them and 2. you can't even play with the beach ball because they didn't learn how to share in preschool like the rest of us.

[shawnman]

we are heading out for a trip later this month, our first since cars land. i have to say i was really looking forward to throwing a beach ball around. i am sure the ride will still be fun, but it is a bummer i can't experience it with at least a few beach balls. they did look like fun.

[TTFN92]

I'm glad they are gone. I, too, thought they were a distraction.

[AVP]

Disney's official comment to cast members about the change says simply, "We regularly make modifications to our attractions to provide our Guests with the best possible experience, and look forward to introducing new creative elements in the future."

AVP

[Andrew]

Disney's official comment to cast members about the change says simply, "We regularly make modifications to our attractions to provide our Guests with the best possible experience, and look forward to introducing new creative elements in the future."

Since this is in DCA they can't trot out the "Disneyland will never be completed..." quote.

I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to experience Luigi's with the beachballs (still haven't been on it, haven't been back to SoCal since the Cars Land opening) but from what I hear it was more distraction than anything else.

[shna]

I'm glad they're gone. They were too big and heavy to actually "play with" - and I'd rather not have a projectile flying at my face (or my daughter's face) when I'm trying to steer a tire. I got sort of hit in the face (glancing blow rather than a full-on face-smaxh) when DD and I rode, and it wasn't pleasant. I wouldn't be surprised to hear someone had gotten hurt. If they had been smaller, lighter beach balls (like the ones people annoy others play with during a baseball game), I wouldn't have minded them.

[olegc]

i know - make hanging gates of soft material, similar to what they use in kayaking in the olympics, and see how many points you can get by steering your tire through multiple gates.....

i am ok with them being gone.

[Kikiknz]

A friend of mine did in fact get hurt on the ride. He was carrying the beach ball as he got in the tire and did not see a fabric portion on the tire. He stepped down thinking it was part of the tire and fell breaking his elbow. Needless to say they are happy to see the changes.

[pixar]

Load time should decrease with beach balls out of the equation now.

[danyoung]

I always thought the beach balls were the wrong solution to the problem. The problem was people were having a hard time learning how to maneuver their tires. So management comes up with something else they could do - throw beach balls around. Now that the instructional signs are up, and people are actually learning how to drive the tires, the balls are no longer needed (not that they were ever needed!).

I did the Tires one time, and had no trouble at all making my tire fly across the table. It was really a lot of fun, and I had lots of room to scoot around while everyone else was bunched up and trying to get their hands on a beach ball!

[houseofmouse]

I haven't been on them either but I am glad to hear they are gone. I kind of figured they would disappear one day and the balls would be around for the opening of the ride to see how they fit in. Also no surprise people actually forgot they were on a ride and were just trying to play with the beach balls. I want to ride without the distraction.

[KarenW2]

The beach balls were way larger than those originally used back in the 60's and there were fewer of them then, so they weren't as hard to deal with as the 2.0's version.

I'm glad to hear they're "on vacation" and I hope they don't return!

[cstephens]

If they had been smaller, lighter beach balls (like the ones people annoy others play with during a baseball game), I wouldn't have minded them.

[OT] I'm just giggling at your comment. I hate when people bring beach balls to a baseball game too. I came to watch the game. If you didn't, why are you here? Stay away and go somewhere that you can play with your beach ball without interrupting my ability to enjoy the baseball game.[/OT]


I think the beach balls added a very nice splash of color, and for that reason, I'll miss them. But people seemed to focus too much on the beach balls, which was made worse by the CMs being apparently instructed to play them up. The first time we rode it, people were paying some attention to the balls, but not as much. Within several days of the ride opening, we noticed that CMs were actually giving each group of people in a tire a beach ball before the ride started, and when the CM tried to do that to us, we declined and the CM seemed utterly shocked. Too many people focussed on trying to grab a tire while the ride was operational, which is mostly futile unless you have long orangutan arms. If you can get the balls to bounce first, that helps, but otherwise, it doesn't work. We would generally try to "herd" the balls against a fence and then ram them, trying to get the balls to bounce over the fence. With the balls gone, then the ride goes back to being like bumper cars, I guess - is that what they originally intended?

[Jodi]

Load time should decrease with beach balls out of the equation now.

THIS!!

I was thinking this when we were in line, just that if everyone was not so concerned about getting a ball, they could get going faster, and the CMs had to navigate around them, and ask people to move the to check seat belts.
My kids had fun with the beach balls, but I could take them or leave them.

[pcrazy99]

I'm going to miss the beach balls. My daughter and I had no problem with maneuvering our tire and catching a beach ball or two. Now we will only ride it if the wait is fifteen minutes or less. If not we'll skip it.

[shna]

The beach balls were big enough that I don't think my daughter would have been able to get her arms around one far enough to hold it. I couldn't easily hold one. I'm almost positive I'll like the ride more now. Not sure I'll be able to get DH to ride (he thinks it looks dumb) - but DD & I can have fun on it!

[THpoohbear]

I am glad to have the beach balls gone. However, my 3 year old will be quite sad, that was of course his favorite part. So I feel sad for his disappointment, but am still glad to not have to deal with them anymore.

[Teddi]

My kids are not happy. Neither is DH. I am. Split household.

[Disneylandfanguy]

I am very glad that the beach balls are gone. I always felt that they were intrusive.