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View Full Version : What does soft opening mean?



gailirene
12-10-2006, 07:06 AM
I'm relatively new to this board. I've learned a lot though and can usually figure out the "Disney slang". People keep talking about a "soft opening of the Matterhorn". Does that mean trying it out to see if there are any glitches?

Thanks.

Gail

P.S. I even had a dream the other night about being hired as to work on the Indiana Jones ride; but really, I'd prefer to work on POTC!

Leap for Joy
12-10-2006, 07:20 AM
Usually when a ride is in refurb there is a date posted for its re-opening. A soft-opening is when they open before that date. When it happens it is usually limited and you might wait in line and then not get to ride. Also, they may be working out some of the details with the show elements, so what you see could be slightly different from how it will be a few days later.

Darkbeer
12-10-2006, 08:34 AM
Another thing with Soft Openings, it more than likely won't be open the entire day, they open it for a few hours for testing, and then shut it down (if it works for the entire testing period,, many times something goes wrong and they closer earlier than expected).

Basically Disney doesn't announce the attraction is open, only if you are lucky enough to be walking by and seeing it is open that you get to ride.

Remember that when you read something like the Matterhorn is open, just because it is open for a few hours doesn't mean that it will be open a few hours later, or the next day.

So this Friday, you should expect to see the Matterhorn open all day (unless there are mechanical issues), but Monday thru Thursday, you might get lucky, but no real guarantees.

potzbie
12-10-2006, 10:42 AM
To make an analogy ...

In theater, (live stage productions, and Hollywood film industry movies) there is an "opening night."
What is "opening night"?
It is the official, fixed, publicized date that a show is performing.

But many shows have "previews", and tickets are sold for previews; and the audience sees essentially the identical show as the full-price patrons see on "opening night".
What is the difference beween a "preview night" and "opening night"?
The show producers do not invite (do not "comp") reviewers and the celebrity big-wigs for previews. The producers reserve the right to make changes, and to use the preview audience as a "test" for things like punchlines to gags, and reaction to songs, scenes, gimmicks, and the like.

To complete the analogy:
At DISNEYLAND, a "soft opening" is an unannounced "preview night", where they allow real people in, without fanfare, without publicity, for the purpose of "testing out" their staff, their equipment, their queue management, as well as audience reaction.

Example: I am sure that the newest ride, "MIKE AND SULLY TO THE RESCUE" (DCA) had the final "scene" character ("Roz") who speaks to the exiting guests, try out various lines (scripted or ad libbed) to see the reaction of the guests, before making that line a permanent part of the "show". When DCA's "M.A.S.T.T.R." opened officially, the management knew what worked, what didn't, what not to do, when to do it, etc.
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I know first hand that sometimes a script which reads fine will not work when certain performers do the line. And vice versa, certain lines which read like ordinary mild humorous response will get a big response if delivered well, in a comedic way, with comedic timing.

Here is an old example of "timing" or "context" which changes an ordinary line into a punch line, from a television rerun which I noticed a couple of years ago. -- On the old CBS TV show, "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" (co-starring Mary Tyle Moore), there is a dialogue which goes like this, between Laura Petrie and some guest to the home of the Petries, an actor playing a minor character, which I no longer remember the details of:

MARY TYLER MOORE: "Would you like to sit down?"
CHARACTER ACTOR: "Thank you."

Now, the line, "Thank you," got laughs. -- It was a punch line.
How was that possible?
It was the delivery, and the timing, and the context.
A good comedic actor can take "material" (text of a script) and maximize its effectiveness.
The set-up, of course, was important to make the line pay off.
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At Disneyland, I am sure, some gag lines of JUNGLE CRUISE "work" with some "skippers" and don't "work" with other "skippers".
I've seen this. -- Lines fall flat when delivered by Skipper X and those same lines 'work" when delivered by Skipper Y.
(Sample gag I've seen "work" and not "work" depending on the Skipper: "We are now securely docked. Get out. -- Oh, that was rude of me -- PLEASE get out.")

So, that is a round-a-bout way of saying, "A soft opening is necessary for the producers and/or management to assay the quality of their show, and to get feedback, and to make changes, before making the details permanent, and inviting a mass of people to to the show/ride."

flipboitwo3
12-10-2006, 08:11 PM
^^ he hit it on the spot. and he used an adequate analogy since disneyland is supposed to be a "show".

Opus1guy
12-10-2006, 08:30 PM
A soft opening for me usually means that when I finally get to the front of the line...someone in management decides to do a test of the EVAC proceedures and the ride suddenly goes down.

It's just my luck.

;)