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View Full Version : Thrill Rides @ Disneyland



stitchhead
01-01-2004, 09:41 AM
As you know, Disneyland has a limited amount of thrill rides such as Indiana Jones, Space Mountain, Matterhorn, etc. Even though these rides are exciting and are loved by many tourists and pass holders that never get tired of them, many locals say that Disneyland needs a makeover with coasters and thrill rides. So in other words they want rides like the ones at Magic Mountain or Knotts Berry Farm. In my opinion, the park has a good balance of everything.

Kiddie Rides - Mr. Toad, Snow White, Peter Pan, etc.
Thrill Rides - Star Tours, Indiana Jones, etc.
Water Rides - Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, etc.
Roller Coasters - Matterhorn, Space Mountain, etc.
& Shows - Tiki Room, Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, etc.

This balance definately makes it a diverse park with at least one thing everyone will like. Finally, some people that ive heard at Disneyland (and talked to) say that they should take out the kiddie rides and put in more thrill rides. My, opinion, I think the park should stay the same as it is. So, should the kiddie rides stay or go? & should the park add more thrill rides and roller coasters Magic Mountain style.:confused:

Darkbeer
01-01-2004, 09:57 AM
Well, right now, two major "thrill rides" are down for refurb, not helping the mix...

I don't think they should eliminate the kiddie rides (Well, with the exception of Pooh, which shouldn't have been built in the first place, at least not that version, in that location...)

But I do think that the next major NEW attraction should be on par with Indiana Jones, a thrill ride that is themed....

Darkbeer's wish list....

In no particular order...

Fix up the Enchanted Tiki Room, inside and out (Yes, get new thatching!!!!) but don't change the show....

Place a new attraction in the Festival of Fools area....

Place Philarmagic in ToonTown (By placing the theater in the backstage area, and build a pathway)

Figure out a new attraction for the Sub Lagoon/Motor Boat Cruise area, a large space for something new...

Innoventions - GONE!!!!! Replace it with a AA show, based on the Carousel of Progress theory (Multiple stages, seating moves to allow viewing all the stages)... New script though....

The return of a People Mover like ride.....

Upgrading the Monorail to the new track standard, and then new Monorails....

Find a use for the upstairs of StarCade...

A new Movie to replace HISTA

Upgrade Star Tours to Digital projection, plus a new movie, and some plussing to the queue.

Find a way to open Space Mountain for the 50th BD (July) and not November or later.

Return Astro Orbitor to the top of the PeopleMover loading area.

Build a tunnel between DCA and DL, to avoid security checks...

DCA changes is another thread......

screamin4ever
01-01-2004, 11:18 AM
I'm guessing the locals calling for these changes are teenagers and adrenaline addicts. Teenagers grow up and do we really need the Magic Mountain demographic in Disneyland?

Yes I lived at Magic Mountain as a teenager and stayed away from Disneyland until my late teens when I saw that there was more to life than mania and adrenaline. I'm sure many families were thrilled that I took myself and my hormone-filled friends somewhere else.

I don't want any "X-treme" garbage ever near the Disneyland Resort. Yes that includes the mistake of the "X-Games" at DCA last summer.

Fantastic attractions like Indy absolutely. I even like Screamin' as my name implies, but I don't want the highest, fastest, whatever....est at Disneyland.

Look at which park draws the most people and makes the most money in California. I think Walt knew what he was doing. Now the boneheads who approved Dinorama, the magic carpets of Aladdin, and parts of DCA obviously were part of a sad time in Disney history when "Good enough for Six Flags" mentality ruled.

A turn away from Six Flags practices and back to Walt's Way will only make the Dineyland Resort better.

Darkbeer
01-01-2004, 01:11 PM
Here are a few thoughts on DCA.....

Add a pre show to Soarin', a pre show to Who Wants to be a Millionaire, add shade and monitors to the Hyperion queue area.

Put something new into the SSL building, and this time, take some time, effort and money in designing the attraction...

Place a new show in the Backlot Stage....

Redesign the amphitheater area to make a larger permanent stage, and much more seating, also with a shade structure.

Figure out how to place an attraction in Bathroom row (and not an arcade...)

Get rid of Golden Dreams, and replace it with an attraction, not just a movie....

Then the major stuff, convert Heimlich's into a dark ride, and increase loading per minute with multiple tracks and loading stations.

Totally redo the Paradise Pier/Route 66 area, place E-ticket dark ride(s)in the area, Mulholland Madness and other stuff needs to go!

Place a second bar in the Hollywood area.... ;) (Need something close to ToT to get a beer:fez:

Saratoga75
01-01-2004, 10:42 PM
I agree with Stitchhead, Disneyland has a good balance of everything. Though I dont go on them, kiddie rights should stay!!! for all the youngsters, grandparents, and anyone else who wants to go on them! Absolutely agree with "screamin4ever" I don't want any "X-treme" garbage near or at the Disneyland Resort. . . anyone who wants that take the I-5 North from Disneyland to Valencia get off Magic Mt. Parkway and enjoy yourself. . (remember no metal objects in your possesion when you walk through the metal detectors at the front gates). . "darkbeer" agree with you on everything. . some ride needs to be put on the peoplemover track!!! figure out a new ride for the sub lagoon area!! Get Space Mt online earlier than late 2005!! etc etc. . if they eventually ran out of room. . I'd be willing to sacrifice the Jungle Cruise for a new ride. .Isnt Indiana Jones (a great ride) sitting in the area that use to be part of the jungle cruise.

jerhow
01-01-2004, 11:48 PM
Hi, Stichhead. Interesting analysis. I think we should distinguish between "thrill rides" and "E-Ticket" attractions.

Now, granted one of the characteristics of an E-Ticket is it's thrill component, but rides like Indiana Jones and Space Mountain have just as many youngsters that ride them as adults.

I think when people like myself say there needs to be more E-Tickets, it's because we get frustrated that Disney will put a low-moderately priced Whinnie the Pooh or Buzz Lightyear D-Ticket attraction in every couple of years, but the resort is only treated to one E-Ticket every, what, 10 years? (Indy was the last to open in 1995.)

I was at the park on New Year's Eve, and while in line for the Matterhorn, a nice family from Kansas with a teenager asked me which are the best thrill rides to go on. With Space Mountain and Thunder Mountain out of commission, the only rides with an E-Ticket thrill component that they could go on were Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, and Splash. That's 3 rides for your teenager vs. dozens of D-tickets and kiddie rides for families with young ones.

To me, this shows that while there are many attractions for the youngsters to go on, Disneyland needs to invest in those big-budget E-Tickets to attract the more adult crowds, now more than ever!

sambo
01-02-2004, 12:41 AM
More E-ticket for sure. But ABSOLUTELY NOT on the "thrill" coasters. Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Star Tours, and Indiana Jones supply ample thrills for young and old alike, without being the highest, fastest, loopingest, ride in town.

Those rides fit with Knotts, Six Flags, and other "imitator" themeparks. The reason for Disneylands continued success is because of the ability of the family to share in the adventure - not just the crazed young adults...

ModHatter
01-02-2004, 01:36 AM
Thrill rides would put some Adventure in DCA. Frankly, having the duplicate rides "for the kids" was needlessly redundant. And with ToT coming, MaliBoomer can go away. Away, I say, away! Thrill rides should, by definition, thrill.

I always wonder what happened to those little Gravitron-type attractions. It seems like Disney could put a cool one in DCA, complete with an AA operator and other special effects.

Disneyland exists for magic, not cheap thrills. BTMRR can go, or be morphed back into a thrillride version of the train it replaced. Geysers, blacklit caverns, waterfalls. But Matterhorn, SM, Indy, and in my book Splash Mountain are about as "thrill"-oriented as DL should get.

Loric
01-02-2004, 01:41 AM
Originally posted by ModHatter


I always wonder what happened to those little Gravitron-type attractions. It seems like Disney could put a cool one in DCA, complete with an AA operator and other special effects.



That'd be Mission: SPACE at Epcot, and it's not exactly getting rave reviews from the media.

ModHatter
01-02-2004, 02:52 AM
Originally posted by Loric
That'd be Mission: SPACE at Epcot, and it's not exactly getting rave reviews from the media.

Naw... I see what you mean, but part of the fun of the Gravitron was seeing the floor drop beneath you, being able to see the people "floating" across from you, etc.

I rode Mission: SPACE in November, and it was sort of disappointing. It was claustrophobic, and the "interactivity" that was supposed to make it like a new ride each time seemed phony. Maybe it wasn't, but I didn't have enough interest to ride it again and find out.

A nice, low-profile Gravitron done in DCA, with some Disney magic thrown in, would be fun. But lately the Disney folks seem to be trying so hard to reinvent the wheel that they imagineer all the fun out of it.

Demigod121
01-02-2004, 08:37 AM
SSL is history - dunno why it is still listed as 'closed indefinitely'...

Rumor has it (from CMs) that they will be getting a clone of Rocking Roller Coaster...or at least some kind of coaster ride.

Just a rumor, tho.

-Demigod
(Who actually RODE SSL!)

Kuzcotopia
01-02-2004, 09:00 AM
They need a big new E ticket thrill ride at Disneyland. Maybe something that combines the speed of test track with a fantasy theme. Journey to the Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea is a good place to start, but it's not QUITE right for Disneyland.

But they need to ADD attractions to the mix, not lose kiddie rides.

I'd LOVE to see a modern thrill-simulation themed as a sequel to Adventures in Inner Space, that sends you into a super-conducting super-collider!

Also, They should turn the Wonderbra theater into an indoor theater and run Philharmagic there. It's a natural fit right between Fantasyland and Toontown!

sediment
01-02-2004, 09:09 AM
I agree that the kiddie rides can't leave. Current SOP is to close attractions without replacement. (SuperStar Pooh notwithstanding.) Can a thrill ride be put into the "castle"? Probably not.

It's not a thrill park. To become one would lead to competing with the existing ones. Business is easier when your product is unique (and demanded).