PDA

View Full Version : Thoughts from last visit 5/31



Normouse
06-02-2005, 09:48 PM
I enjoyed riding the Columbia, since it is one of the rides I don't often go on.

I was amused when an elderly lady was looking into the Main Street window displays, and when she came to a box of obviously painted wooden candies she said, "Oh my, don't those look good!"

A mother in the entry room of the Haunted Mansion mistakenly explained to her daughter that they were in a giant elevator, and then the door to the real elevator room opened up in front of her.

Has anyone seen a listing of all the pirate figures on the Pirates ride, or all of the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion? I have my own favorites, but I would love to compare mine with someone else's.

It's nice to see the new movie depicting the history of Disneyland, but I miss Mr. Lincoln.

Isn't it about time that the Grand Canyon diarama be refurbished. The animals look like weatherbeaten rejects from the Natural History Museum.

... and forget the Winnie the Pooh ride! What a waste of space.

GrumpyUTboi
06-02-2005, 10:12 PM
Hey back off the Pooh ride! When you have ridden that ride 27 times mostly in a row and watched the video countless times with a 3 year old, then you will really appreciate it. My son LOVES the pooh ride and he can't wait to go on it again and again and again.

Normouse
06-04-2005, 04:25 PM
I agree that Winnie the Pooh might be fine for small children, but it doesn't exactly fit into Walt's plan for entertaining the adults as well. The story is not very dynamic, and the figures three-dimensional, but very stiff and brightly painted. It is similar to the way all of the dark rides changed after the Fantasyland renovation in the eighties.

disneyperson
06-04-2005, 04:31 PM
My favorite ghost in the graveyard is the mummy. I love his voice and he's so cute. I liked him better when he used to be smoking a cigarette,but he's still great sitting there stirring his tea and making small talk.

Normouse
06-04-2005, 04:36 PM
I enjoy watching the ghosts enter the ball through the coffin-like entry.

On pirates, I think it's funny to see a Chinese man watching across from the auction scene.

I also like the gruff pirate with a gun in the same scene.

Also, the new floating Madame Leota is really neat.

MouseWife
06-04-2005, 05:36 PM
Hey back off the Pooh ride! When you have ridden that ride 27 times mostly in a row and watched the video countless times with a 3 year old, then you will really appreciate it. My son LOVES the pooh ride and he can't wait to go on it again and again and again.

*MouseWife raises her hand*

I have to agree and totally understand your sentiment about the Pooh ride.
My son loved Pooh the shows, movies, books, characters were all part of our lives for some years. It's been some time so now going reminds me of when he was little and that special time in our lives.

But, to adults, yeah, I think it can be viewed as dull. Unless you go on with your kids and make them sit in front and sit in back with your sweetie. ;)

*same parental feelings, this time 'guilt'*

The Buzz Lightyear ride. We went without the kids and we LOVED the ride. Our picture was sent to us but we could never view it. But, we saw it there outside of the ride and it was so funny. We were totally into the shooting targets. We had so much fun but felt so guilty. We know that will be a ride the kids will ride over and over again trying to beat their scores.

The Mouse Is Back
06-04-2005, 05:58 PM
I agree that Winnie the Pooh might be fine for small children, but it doesn't exactly fit into Walt's plan for entertaining the adults as well.

The operative phrase being "as well".

Walt never intended for there to be no rides designed primarily with the kiddies in mind, just that there would be plenty of rides and attractions for both kids and their parents.

Look at it this way...as long as there are so many rides with height requirements (therefore leaving out lots of kids), there should be at least a few rides that are for little kids only. And all the little kids do love the Pooh ride (including the one posting this ;) ).


-Allegra-

Emma
06-04-2005, 06:15 PM
I agree that Winnie the Pooh might be fine for small children, but it doesn't exactly fit into Walt's plan for entertaining the adults as well. The story is not very dynamic, and the figures three-dimensional, but very stiff and brightly painted. It is similar to the way all of the dark rides changed after the Fantasyland renovation in the eighties.

I love the Pooh Ride. My last "all adults" trip, my girlfriends and I must have done that ride 10 times. Some of my favorite rides in the park are these Fantasyland rides, and I'm 26.

So I resectfully disagree. ;)

disney jones
06-04-2005, 06:30 PM
...Isn't it about time that the Grand Canyon diarama be refurbished. The animals look like weatherbeaten rejects from the Natural History Museum.please clarify for me or some one else help.

the train ride thru there was just down for a few months, and it's obvious the primeval scene at the GC was refurbed .... and it looks great!! i've never seen it look so good and the colors and dinosaurs are so much more vibrant!

i can't be absolutely certain say the same about the modern, natural world diorama scene of the modern GC right before that. To me, it looked a bit better, but the difference definitely isn't as noticable as the primeval scene - i only have assumed it too got a nice refurb in the last two months too. we rode it last week, and we rode it again this past Thursday. Any other opinions or facts on this part of the ride?

mkcbunny
06-04-2005, 11:39 PM
Although I do not love Pooh, I feel a bit defensive of it because it has some great effects for a dark ride: rain, boat-feel, projections. It's too short, but I think it's pretty well done. My big criticism is that it doesn't feel very Pooh.

Other comments agreed and made me laugh. LOVE Primeval World, and the stuffed/GC dirama does need some work. Still love it, tho.

Normouse
06-04-2005, 11:41 PM
Another beef I have with the Winnie the Pooh ride is that they took out the Country Bear Jamboree, which was truly fun for kids and adults alike, and now we are left with Winnie the Pooh.

coronado_g
06-05-2005, 02:09 AM
One way to tell for sure if the Grand Canyon Diorama has been refurbished -
Has the glass panel with the gunshot wound been re-placed? If not, will it ever? We've been looking at that round wound for too long and I hope, hope, HOPE it's finally been fixed!

bradk
06-05-2005, 02:18 AM
i know someone else will have a better response for it because i can't find any info regarding whether the glass of the diorama was ever replaced, but just as a point of interest, they would have readily replaced the glass at haunted mansion after it had been shot (they do even in fact have a replacement pane of glass on standby), the only problem with that is that the pane of glass is so large, they initially had to install it through the then non-existent roof, so replacing it would mean removing the roof altogether and putting a sticker over it seemed a better literal band-aid.

Normouse
06-05-2005, 10:15 AM
I believe the bullet hole has been repaired, and I agree that the Primeval World looks very nice now. I always wished that the dinos at the beginning didn't have bright red eyes. It sort of destroys the attempts at realism in the rest of the scene.

My main problem is with the present day diorama, which really does look very tattered. The same animals have been there forever, and they could use a little spiffing up.

MouseWife
06-05-2005, 11:55 AM
I agree with your opinion that it looks outdated.

But, that is sort of what is cool, something original. And, it is sort of cool to show the kids what used to be top notch. I mean, when we were kids it was totally awesome!!

And on the other side of the coin, can you imagine how upset some people would be if they did change it?

I mean, I thought too, how old this looks, but, I dug it at the same time.

DangerMouse
06-05-2005, 12:58 PM
As of Thursday, June 2, the bullet hole was still there. I didn't notice any major changes to Grand Canyon diarama myself, but then again, when I get on the train, I tend to rest my eyes and not focus on anything other than my throbbing feet! ;-)

PragmaticIdealist
06-06-2005, 07:33 AM
One of the main reasons the Grand Canyon diorama exists is because of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad.

The Santa Fe used to be the sister railway to the Disneyland Railroad, and the Grand Canyon was one of the major destinations or detours along the larger railroad's route.

One could think that the A.T. & S.F. is still the spiritual sister to the D.R.R., but, officially, that notion is not the case. So, I would not mind having a new finale to the Grand Circle Tour, unless Burlington Northern Santa Fe happens to have an interest in renewing the former company's relationship with Walt Disney.

The diorama happens to be the largest in the world, and it does happen to feature the largest painting in the world. But, the finale to the Grand Circle Tour should probably relate more to Disneyland as a whole.