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disneyscott
09-23-2002, 08:55 AM
Of all the space at disney I feel the Autopia has out lasted its WOW. Look at the amount of land there plus if the could ever get the land of submarine Voyage to add we might have one great tommorow land after all.

The budget for that ride must be sky high too. All of the ride opps, the gas and the maintance. If that ride left would people be sad or would a better "E" ticket ride ease the pain.

When Knotts got rid of there car ride the got a great rollercoster, what would you like done with all that space?

mousey_girl
09-23-2002, 08:59 AM
All I know is that my son LOVES this ride. He can't wait until he is tall enough to ride by himself (with the way he is growing could be sooner than I think :eek: ).

My only real clear memory of DL has to do with the Autopia and I would hate to see it go.

Ghoulish Delight
09-23-2002, 09:04 AM
Have you seen the line for Autopia? Except during to off-season, it's still one of the most popular attractions in the park. Kids love it. I'd suspect a lot of families especially would hate to see it go. I know I have a soft spot for it. It's also one of the few things that was IMPROVED with the Tomorrowland "upgrade." For those of us who like Autopia, the revamp was a welcome change.

As for operating costs, it can't be that high. Those cars can't use more than a gallon of gas a day each. There is no pricey track upkeep, it's just a long slab of concrete. There's no building to light and aircondition. Vehicle maintance is pretty much limited to tuning a lawnmower engine. Yeah, it's got a lot of staff, but that's about it. Plus, it's sposored, so that's where much of the maintanance money comes from anyway.

Lani
09-23-2002, 09:11 AM
Considering it's part of Tomorrowland, I am kind of surprised they chose to use gas-powered engines. Electric cars would've been so much quieter and futuristic.

That said, the attraction is quite popular, and if closed, I'm afraid there would be little left of Tomorrowland at all!

MammaSilva
09-23-2002, 09:15 AM
Considering it's part of Tomorrowland, I am kind of surprised they chose to use gas-powered engines. Electric cars would've been so much quieter and futuristic.
Yeah but then they would have had a very hard time convincing Chevron to sponsor it don't you think? But I agree, electric powered hoover type (at least apperance anyway) vehicles would have been more "TommorowLand" .. but that aside, my daughter would be devestated if autopia were to go away, it's the only place she will ever be able to "drive"

refurbmike
09-23-2002, 09:29 AM
While I would hate to see it go, I would have to agree that it's just about exceeded it's time. Cars are not of the future; there should be something to replace it or integrate it into the lagoon somehow?

Side Note: Does anyone else have a problem keeping your foot on the gas the whole time? My leg starts hurting after a while.

disguy
09-23-2002, 09:55 AM
I rode it friday and had to keep pushing my leg with my hand. It does get to hurt after a bit :)

disneyscott
09-23-2002, 09:55 AM
I want ot agree that I would go to that ride and see if i was tall enough but that was 25 years ago. Before the go cart tracks that are out there, before it was somthing you could ever do on a arcade game and it was cool.

I dont think it will every hold the pure love the the 30 somthing generation held for that ride

I do also agree that the foot petles are very hard to hold down and even though my 8 year old it tall enough he cant hold the petel down the whole ride

Ghoulish Delight
09-23-2002, 10:07 AM
Originally posted by disneyscott
I want ot agree that I would go to that ride and see if i was tall enough but that was 25 years ago. Before the go cart tracks that are out there, before it was somthing you could ever do on a arcade game and it was cool.

I dont think it will every hold the pure love the the 30 somthing generation held for that ride
I'm not old enough to have gone pre-guide track. And I still loved it as a kid. Despite your rather cynical comment, kids do understand the difference between reality and a video game. There is still something undeniably cool about being able to drive a real car, with a real motor, and a real steering wheel. Even if it is on a track. All evidenced by the always long line.

mad4mky
09-23-2002, 10:21 AM
I personally can't stand the ride...and could care less if it went. (It is better than WDW's Magic Kingdom's though...and for some reason, I can't remember Disneyland Paris's...)

But, my kids LOVE that ride...and I am sure I did as a kid. They love feeling like they are really driving. So, as much as I hate riding it...I go for my kids. It is one of their highlights of going to Disneyland.

So for them, I think it should stay around...until my youngest is 16...then they can get rid of it;)

teri
09-23-2002, 10:29 AM
Originally posted by mammasilva
.. but that aside, my daughter would be devestated if autopia were to go away, it's the only place she will ever be able to "drive"

Yep, same situation for my son.

(The one at Bonfante Gardens is much nicer, BTW.)

hbquikcomjamesl
09-23-2002, 11:30 AM
I've never ridden it. I rode the counterpart at Knotts two or three times, in my teens, and rode the fully-track-guided electric "antique car" ride there (the one that, at one time, got the name "Tijuana Taxi," because it's in Fiesta Village) many times but the closest I ever got to riding Autopia was over 30 years ago: I, and my dad, got about halfway through the queue, then I changed my mind about riding it. He was, as I recall, a bit irritated about spending so much time in the queue for nothing.

Having Autopia in Tomorrowland just reinforces the absurd notion that fossil-fuel-powered automobiles are a thing of the future, rather than a thing of the past. That notion's already hard enough to fight in Southern California: consider how hard it was to get MetroRail built, and how the plans to extend the Wilshire branch of the Red Line, and to run an East LA line out of Union Station, had to be shelved, and how much resistance the Orange County Centerline trolley project is getting. Remember how, when the Blue Line was still under construction, the naysayers said it would get so little use that it would be cheaper to pay the would-be passengers to drive the freeways? That it would be plagued by muggings? Try riding it now: at peak hours, the trains are so packed, they had to expand the stations to handle 3-car trains.

Cadaverous Pallor
09-23-2002, 02:06 PM
I love Autopia. I don't know why, but I love it. And I know that plenty of kids love it too. A ride this popular should not have a debate over whether it should go.

I agree that it is not a "futuristic" ride. I think the idea is that these children that are driving in Autopia are the drivers of the future. A child's vision of tomorrow includes being able to drive a car! :)

I loved the redo and would miss it, misplaced theme or no. And Lani, from what I understand, fully electric cars would be prohibitively expensive.

hbquikcomjamesl
09-23-2002, 03:18 PM
from what I understand, fully electric cars would be prohibitively expensive.
Not exactly. While a highway-worthy electric vehicle is certainly several times more expensive than a hydrocarbon-burning equivalent, this isn't a public highway. The Knotts ride I mentioned earlier (as well as Mr. Toad, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, and Snow White) uses individual electric motors in the vehicle, receiving power and guidance from a rail running down the center of the track (also much like the Wgasa Bush Line trains of the San Diego Wild Animal Park). It certainly wouldn't be that difficult or expensive to convert the center "limit rail" of the Autopia track to supply power while allowing the individual guests as much control as they have over the existing Autopia cars, and in an electric highway car, the major part of the expense is providing a battery with a high enough energy density at a low enough bulk and weight that the car can get out of its own way, at highway speeds, without having to spend an hour on the charger for every fifteen minutes of use (try driving an electric Zamboni sometime!).

Unfortunately, the popularity with kids seems to be specifically tied, for now, with the idea of a hydrocarbon-burning beast, and with a more personal "tomorrow," i.e., their own perceived future of learning to drive.

It wasn't something I especially looked forward to (I didn't take driver ed until my senior year of high school, a senior in a room full of sophomores), and last year, as soon as it became practical for me to take MetroRail to Hollywood Bowl, I jumped at the chance, even though it meant a longer trip time.

Dave Z
09-23-2002, 03:21 PM
No, I don't think it should be closed, but take that rail out of the center!

I am lucky (read old) enough to have driven the cars as a kid before the rail was there and you could actually steer without hitting the curb. I still remember how grown up I felt.

My 10 year old dtr still likes it but I have to push the pedal (yes, it hurts me too :) )

cemeinke
09-23-2002, 04:52 PM
The Autopia is way too popular to shut down. But seeing all that space, plus the sub Lagoon, and Motorboat lagoon, you could put a whole new land there.

I think they should just move the Autopia out of Tomorrowland and into DCA where it would be perfectly themed in our car-culture state.

Tref
09-23-2002, 05:08 PM
I would not miss Autopia. I understand its a really popular ride, though I haven't traveled its lil' precious roads in many a painted moon. Get ride of 'er, says I. Takes up too much val-uable Disney land @ Disneyland.

Tear 'er up!


I remain,

Laffite
09-23-2002, 05:39 PM
I find myself enjoying Tiki Room more than I enjoy Autopia. I think Autopia isn't much of an attraction for those that's already driving on the "big Autopia" (ie I-5). But I guess kids still enjoy it. As long as there is a audience, why take it out? but an overhaul to upgrade the cars wouldn't hurt.

Moving Autopia to DCA is actually a good idea....to me anyway :D

Sailor Butterfly
09-23-2002, 05:46 PM
I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but what would be put there? It would just be more empty (and unused) space in Tomorrowland. :(

I for one, love Autopia. It's the only ride in the park now, where you and another person can chat and not worry about ruining the show for anyone else. I never understood why it's thought that only little kids would enjoy it. I like how it is themed now, and really enjoy being able to hold a private conversation with my boyfriend.

Morrigoon
09-23-2002, 06:14 PM
Autopia would be well-themed for DCA. But until DL uses the space it's already got in TL effectively, there's no reason to move Autopia.

Perhaps when the time comes, one of the car companies that make electric or hybrid vehichles will sponsor a complete rebuild of the attraction over at DCA, complete with easier-to-pedal electric cars that pass representations of famous California landmarks (drive-thru redwood tree, a smaller GG bridge, Santa Monica Pier, etc)

But there's no reason to touch it until they've done something useful with Circlevision and the CoP building.

Laffite
09-23-2002, 06:40 PM
Originally posted by Morrigoon


But there's no reason to touch it until they've done something useful with Circlevision and the CoP building.

Well you can say that to everything :(

LegolandMC
09-23-2002, 06:49 PM
I, for one, don't care how long the ride has been there. It is one of the most popular attractions among younger children. They get to drive! They never get to do that! Even once I got my drivers license a long time ago, I still loved this ride.

It's a Disneyland classic. Not everything that gets old has to go. If that's the case, let's rip out the castle. ;)

Tigertail777
09-23-2002, 07:20 PM
I have always thought a neat Jetsons style update would be cool: make it feel and seem as if the cars are flying over a city of hte future or something. Could be fairly easily done inside a show building utilizing dark ride technology, and still have it so you can control driving it. It needs to be more futuristic to be in Tomorrowland, but there is no need to scrap it altogether. there's my 2 cents!

Sailor Butterfly
09-23-2002, 07:33 PM
Originally posted by Morrigoon
Autopia would be well-themed for DCA. But until DL uses the space it's already got in TL effectively, there's no reason to move Autopia.

Perhaps when the time comes, one of the car companies that make electric or hybrid vehichles will sponsor a complete rebuild of the attraction over at DCA, complete with easier-to-pedal electric cars that pass representations of famous California landmarks (drive-thru redwood tree, a smaller GG bridge, Santa Monica Pier, etc)

But there's no reason to touch it until they've done something useful with Circlevision and the CoP building.

Exactly. Why make TL even more desolate?

I like your idea for a revamp, cars and California go together, really nice scenery, it would be quieter, and would add another "family" attraction. The cars could even look like classic cars such as a Woody, a Caddy, a VW bug, and so on. :D

Morrigoon
09-23-2002, 07:52 PM
But, again, no reason to until they use the space they have in TL already.

And no, ripping it out is NOT an option, kids LOVE this ride, and unlike bumper cars or most "stock" mini-vehicle attractions, Autopia cars are large enough for parents to ride WITH their kids.