Photo TR - Magic Kingdom - Splash Mountain Reopens!

[Wallfan]

One of the reason I like Knoebels, their food prices. Very reasonable.

 

I understand big parks like this will have high food prices. Just have to deal with it.

[thrillrider]

The thing with food at an amusement park, is that I understand that it's going to cost more, but the quality should be half way decent as well.

 

Disney, universal, busch, knobles, kennywood, and even "some" six flags foods all seem to do a good job with the food quality and prices . The only park chain that I find the food horrid and the prices way too high is cedar fair parks.

 

One of the things that we look forward to at Disney is the food. Every time we go, we like to try out a different restaurant(s). I would say that 95% of the food locations that we have eaten at disney, have all been great. We have only had one bad meal at animal kingdom.

 

Looking at all these great pictures, makes me want to start booking our next trip to Disney for this july.

[samisthabomb]

Food prices at Dollywood are very reasonable, especially for the portion size! I haven't been to WDW in 8 years; I really need to get back out there! Disney should give you free food for what you pay just to get in one of the parks!

[thrillrider]

I totaly forgot about the awsome food at dolllywood. They have some of the best food i n or out of a theme park.

[cfc]

Yeah, I don't quite get the bitching over food prices. Parks are always inflated, but this hardly seems excessive. Have you seen the Cedar Fair food prices lately!?!?

 

Tell me about it. The last time I checked, KD was charging 17 bucks for two slices of average pizza and a Bud Light. Disney is reasonable by comparison, and the food is better.

 

Now, getting back on topic, if the lapbars are comfortable and keep morons from getting out of the logs and walking around in the mountain, I'm all for them.

[ginzo]

Now, getting back on topic, if the lapbars are comfortable and keep morons from getting out of the logs and walking around in the mountain, I'm all for them.

 

I still think Disney ought to look into the option of putting a hungry grizzly bear inside Splash Mountain. If the morons hire lawyers, the bear can take care of the shysters as well.

[A.J.]

Now, getting back on topic, if the lapbars are comfortable and keep morons from getting out of the logs and walking around in the mountain, I'm all for them.

They are, for lap bars anyway. You just get in the seat like you would have done from opening to 2010, then pull down the bar. I still had plenty of room to keep a rather large waterproof backpack with my Mac and its cables between my feet. It's not like Dudley-Do-Wrong where you have to be a contortionist to get in the log and remove several body parts to get out.

 

I still think Disney ought to look into the option of putting a hungry grizzly bear inside Splash Mountain. If the morons hire lawyers, the bear can take care of the shysters as well.

There already is a hungry bear in there, but Br'er Bear isn't really that smart.

[cfc]

^I thought they were going to need a cutting torch to get me out of Dudley Do-Right.

[A.J.]

Part IV - Tomorrowland

 

After romping through the wilderness (?) of Frontierland with eight or so hours left in my day, I decided to skip today and head for tomorrow (Get it? Tomorrow? As in Tomorr...never mind).

 

I personally really like Tomorrowland because I'm a big fan of progress, but I think it's always the most drab-looking section of the park to me whenever I visit. Maybe it's all the gray from the theming, but it all just looks drab. The splashes of color from the ride logos really do this section of the park huge favors.

 

Before I dove into the big attractions in Tomorrowland, I decided to take a tour:

 

On the WEDWay Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover!

The Peoplemover is a great way to explore Tomorrowland in its entirety without having to walk everywhere. It's great if you have never been to the Magic Kingdom before, because it's very informative.

 

Apparently, Walt Disney had quite a vision for the future:

 

It's the Community of Tomorrow!

Just looking at it, I think it's a great concept. Not sure how it would be built to today's standards, however.

 

Of course, no Peoplemover update would be complete without a picture of Space Mountain...

 

...on the INSIDE!

The ambient music inside Space Mountain really makes the trip through on the Peoplemover a little less scary, especially for children. Back when I visited Magic Kingdom in 2007, my poor little sibling was scared for her life when we went through and heard a train whoosh by. Now, you can say, "hey, there's a cool ride going on up there".

 

HOWEVER...the refurbishment of Space Mountain has eliminated any opportunity to snap a photo of the unloading platform from the Peoplemover. There is now a large wall in the place of the old window, unfortunately. We'll have more on Space Mountain a little later.

 

After getting off the Peoplemover and seeing the wonders of space travel right before my eyes, I was driven to travel to space and save the universe from anything in my path. Unfortunately, the being known as the evil emperor Zurg is quite scary. Not to worry! Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!

 

My hero!

UNFORTUNATELY...Buzz said that he was staying behind to coordinate the mission from Star Command (What a [censored]!) Guess who had to face down Zurg? This guy, that's who.

 

This was my craft. It was an XP-37 Space Pod with twin ion cannons powered by a Crystolic Fusion power unit and 360-degree spin function. BOSS.

Only ion cannons work to defeat Zurg's minions, so that made flash photography utterly useless and redundant.

 

The battle was so taxing, so intense, so brutal - that Star Command prohibits me from talking about it. However, they did let me take a photo of my galactic ranking...

 

...which makes me a GALACTIC HERO! Take THAT, Luke Skywalker and your "force"! I have Star Command on my side!

After my triumph over Zurg in a dinky little space pod, I decided to upgrade to a slightly more powerful vessel to aid me in my intergalactic journey:

 

The Astro Orbiters!

The Tomorrowland Intergalactic Authority is much nicer than Star Command. They even let me take my camera on my ship with me so I could chronicle my journey! Unfortunately, I need more training.

 

WARNING! Aerial photo FAIL ahead! Turn back now if you are uneasy!

 

AAAAHHH! The horror!

The Intergalactic Authority passed me anyway. One of the officers told me this:

 

"Where you're going, you don't need cameras."

 

The final leg of my training was upon me! It was time to conquer the ultimate training test - the legendary Space Mountain!

 

Dun dun dun...

Wait a minute, you can't see it. Hang on a second...

 

DUN DUN DUNNNN!

The first test in my final training was navigating my way through the complex space station known as Starport Seven-Five. Along the way, I was informed that I needed to memorize ten maps of local star systems to aid me in my journey.

 

At least they play soothing ambient music while you are in the corridor!

After I memorized the star system maps, I was told to take part in a mock space simulation where I had to deliver fuel to a local station. The Intergalactic Authority prohibited me from taking photos of the actual gamepla...I mean...training, but I was allowed to show the general public how the mock vessels were controlled.

 

It's an interesting system. You merely touch the buttons and the simulation responds. The left and right buttons change angle, and the center one pushes your vessel forward. The buttons are overly sensitive, however.

After I completed the simulation with flying colors, I was cleared for my final mission! I was going to go into space!

 

SPACE!

 

SPAAAAAAAAAACE!

 

In case you didn't know, Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom is actually two separate tracks intertwined within each other, and that the trains are two cars with three people sitting inline in each car.

 

Subject one - the refurbishment. Personally, this refurbishment has done more wonders for the ride's atmosphere than the ride itself, and you can take that as a good thing or a bad thing. The ride has gone from a modern (for the 1970s) space travel theme to a retro theme which is most apparent in the ride's music and on the poster in the front of the Magic Kingdom. The ambient music played throughout the interior of the mountain really makes the ride a lot more exciting than it was before the refurbishment. The only thing I do not like is that you can tell where the speakers are along the track. When it comes to the theme, if you've ridden Space Mountain before the refurbishment and refuse to ride it now because "it's the same old ride", you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

Or, you may not be, which brings me to subject two.

 

As a roller coaster, both sides are pretty much the same as they were before the refurbishment. They are still fantastic little coasters by any standard. While they don't have many large drops and not much airtime, the sides of Space Mountain are still wicked fun for anyone.

 

However, being the same is not as much of a good thing. Both sides are a little rough at times, and the Omega side (the right side as you are going up the lift or looking at my Peoplemover photo) is rough a lot of the time. The Omega side's laterals are not very good for a skinny person like myself either, and I was thrashed about during the ride.

 

Also, the first time I rode the Omega side this trip, I had sat in the front of the second car, placed my backpack in the small space next to my foot and wrapped the strap around my ankle. About halfway through the ride, I glanced down and saw my backpack dangling halfway out of the car (Thankfully, it was the top half - all the straps were still in the car). I reached down during all this thrashing and got my backpack in the car and held it down for the rest of the ride. I was in a crouched-over position for the rest of the ride, and when I came off the ride I was a little motion-sick.

 

Since then, when I ride Space Mountain with my backpack I wear it backwards (with the "pack" forward) and hold onto it for the ride.

 

I gave the Omega side a second chance, and it was much more fun since I didn't deal with my backpack, but it still thrashes about!

 

Both sides of Space Mountain are still very re-rideable, especially when waits are short. I ended up riding a total of four times (two on each side) before deciding that I was burning daylight.

 

I am human! Fear me, you robot slave!

Also, in case you didn't know, the right wall of the last moving floor room in the exit is a giant green screen.

 

Pretty cool, huh?

I didn't notice it at first, because it fits in with the ride's theming and sky blue/lime green color scheme! Pretty slick if you ask me.

 

With my training complete, it was time for me to explore the rest of Tomorrowland. Ironically, all the attractions I had yet to do in Tomorrowland (save for the speedway) were shows. I personally liked that, because it meant I could sit down.

 

After seeing the Community of Tomorrow on the Peoplemover, I was curious to see exactly what Walt Disney was thinking. Coincidentally, I never saw the Carousel of Progress show when I came to the park in 2007. So...

 

...There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow...

I got in line, and noticed something strangely peculiar...

 

AAAAH! The doors are moving away! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!?

In case you didn't know, the Carousel of Progress is a rotating theatre! There are six seating sections that rotate around a static, circular stage that's divided into six sections.

 

I thought the show was pretty cool at first. However, the very last scene (won't spoil it) is quite cheesy.

 

After seeing the progress of human technology, I decided to check out the progress of alien technology, more specifically prisoner transport systems:

 

This is NOT the Stitch we all know and love.

Apparently, these aliens have their own language that we don't know about:

 

Blap bleep blorp?

Also apparently, their leader doesn't like being made fun of:

 

Durrrrrrrr...

Okay, okay. Let me sum this review up in a few simple words:

 

THIS. SHOW. SUCKS. [censored]. I don't even know where to begin!

 

The stupid shoulder harnesses are incredibly painful! The signs said that they would automatically stop when they touched your shoulders. Mine didn't. Mine wanted to go further, and when you have boney shoulders being pressed on by an inch-wide block that's hard as a rock, it's painful! I actually had to push upward on the harnesses to get them to stop. To make matters worse, the dark part where Stitch "bounces" around the room made the restraints press hard again, and I was forcing them upward for pretty much the entire show. The seats were also uncomfortable, with no sort of backrest I wasn't sure to sit up or sit back.

 

Which, I understand the need for a restraint system because there are lots of moving parts in the room such as a huge ray gun up top, but a simple locking lap bar would have been perfectly fine!

 

As for the show itself, it sucked, but nowhere near as hard as the restraints. I actually found it funny when Stitch talked through a speaker close to another rider, and it scared her! But, other than that, the show was incredibly dull for teenagers like me. Little kids would probably wet their pants.

 

I think they should gut the inside of the entire building and put a cooler show in there.

 

THIS is a cool show:

 

Life's a joke, right?

Want to know what's even cooler? When you submit a joke for the show, Disney will say it's theirs forever! Isn't that awesome?!?

 

[/sarcasm]

Apparently, Monsters don't like scaring people anymore...

 

...except for Roz. She's scary.

Now, for the show.

 

Like I said, this is a cool show! I'm fully aware that there are people backstage who tell the monsters what to say, but it's still pretty cool! The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't "feel" like you're watching a comedy show. From any angle, you can clearly tell that they are screens - everything is just flat. Perhaps adding 3D for a refurbishment would add more "depth" to the visuals of the show.

 

One more shot for the road.

Speaking of roads...

 

I gots a neeeeeeed for speeeeeeeed.

 

I can, without a doubt, say that in my opinion, the Tomorrowland Speedway cars are the WORST cars in history.

 

The cars don't accelerate, they lurch forward.

The cars don't steer, they just go where they want to.

When you hit the center railing, the rubberized wheel spins insanely fast, and burns blisters on your hands.

The car is left-hand drive, but the accelerator pedal is controlled by stretching your right foot to the passenger side.

 

Any more criteria you wish for me to evaluate?

 

DEATH!!!

Even with my ridiculous road test, I was able to keep the car steady in a straightaway section:

 

Exclusive Speedway PEE-OH-VEE!

After the driv...I mean...rid...I mean...torture, I was able to get a photo of a rather large mass of cars sitting still with no drivers.

 

But wait, why could this be?

Well, I can show you!

 

They're reconstructing the last turn on the track!

Lines have been unusually long for a while, because only two lanes of the four are open.

Finally, I'll show you an example of how our world can achieve peace:

 

Through the wondrous connection of cars that are incredibly terrible to drive!

After I was done at the Speedway, I toured Tomorrowland looking for fun stuff to do to pass time.

 

I found Push the Talking Trash Can...

 

...'s cousins.

I found some food prices to yell at...

 

...but now I appreciate the quality of food I am getting for the price.

I found the legendary Cool Scanner...

 

...but when I stepped under it, it said I wasn't cool. Sadface.

Then, I went back to Space Mountain and went inside the Video Arcade.

 

What lies within?

Inside the Video Arcade, I found what could be the greatest time-waster EVAR...

 

...UNFORTUNATELY, I didn't have four tokens.

I resisted the urge to buy tokens by...leaving.

 

I still had a good three-and-a-half hours before the Magic, Memories, and You started at 7:45pm. I didn't know what to do with myself, except to get the heck out of Tomorrowland, because I was getting sick of it.

 

Parting shot of the Astro Orbiter. Look at all the space trainees! I was one of those!

Coming Soon!

The Mad Hatter that ISN'T Johnny Depp!

Toontown Fair's last hurrah, for real this time!

The BEST projection show on the side of a castle larger than Disneyland's...IN THE WORLD.

AND...fireworks fallout!

 

Stay tuned!

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

Which, I understand the need for a restraint system because there are lots of moving parts in the room such as a huge ray gun up top, but a simple locking lap bar would have been perfectly fine!

 

The show's effects come mainly from the restraints. The positioning of the harness allows for the "breathing" effects (and the licking effect if you remember Alien Encounter). A lap bar may be more comfortable, but it doesn't provide for the same show experience.

[A.J.]

The show's effects come mainly from the restraints. The positioning of the harness allows for the "breathing" effects (and the licking effect if you remember Alien Encounter). A lap bar may be more comfortable, but it doesn't provide for the same show experience.

Right, so that the effects can be positioned appropriately on the guest's body. I get it! Unfortunately, the first time I visited Magic Kingdom was 2007.

 

IMO, that still doesn't excuse how painful they are on small people. Maybe if they were padded more softly?

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^Yeah, I didn't like how the restraints were when I first tried out Alien Encounter (One of the only things I hated about it). Stitch didn't improve the restraint design at all.

[samisthabomb]

The Carousel of Progress is one of my favorite rides in the entire resort. It really strikes me as unique and pretty interesting. Great photos (except for that aerial shot fail, my eyes are bleeding now )!

[CoasterLuv]

so is the stitch attraction the old "alien attact" attraction?

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^ Kind of. Alien Encounter closed in 2003 to be refurbished into the crap version there now.

[A.J.]

Great Escape's predecessor was called the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.

 

Even though most people who have seen Alien Encounter think that it should return to the park, I do not.

 

I didn't want to mention this in the trip report, but before I got on Space Mountain Alpha the second time, there was a situation between two parents and a child who didn't want to ride.

 

I was lined up to get in seat 3 (first car, back seat), and I was next in line. There was a group of five riding ahead of me. There was a teenager in the front, a small little girl in the middle, another teenager in the back, a grown man in the front of the second car, and a grown woman in the middle of the second car. The back seat was left empty.

 

The little girl had been ordered by the man to sit down in her car, and she hesitantly sat down and pulled down the bar. She began to tremble and cry. When the cast member was going back to the dispatch control panel, she took notice of the little girl crying. She asked the little girl if she wanted to get off the ride, and the little girl said yes. They opened up her lap bar and she began to crawl out.

 

Meanwhile, the man in the fourth seat became furious. He yelled at the little girl, "get your [censored] back on the ride", and the little girl let out a crying "noooo". The man also yelled at the cast member to put the girl back in the seat. The cast member said a stern, "if she doesn't want to ride, she doesn't have to" as she gave the little girl to another cast member to wait with her at the unloading zone.

 

I personally am glad the lap bars lock as soon as you pull them down, because if they hadn't, the man would've gotten out of his car and probably done something cruel to the little girl.

 

That man is the kind of person who makes me glad Alien Encounter was replaced with a show adults would think is boring. The Magic Kingdom is a place where children are the guests of honor, and being dragged on a terrifying ride or show against their will is absolutely wrong.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

I guess you're right. Magic Kingdom just was not the place for a show like Alien Encounter.

 

I still think the attempt by Disney to appeal the attraction to kids ultimately failed. That type of attraction is just not meant for children though. Kids will get scared when they are strapped into a chair in a dark room getting stuff sprayed at them.

 

Also, keep in mind Alien was created specifically to appeal to the teens/adults to make Disney have a wider appeal to people of that age. Alien Encounter simply did its job too well, and terrorized adults and traumatized kids.

[The SETGO Guys]

The Carousel of Progress is one of my favorite rides in the entire resort. It really strikes me as unique and pretty interesting.

 

I could not agree with you more! The Carousel of Progress is my favorite ride of all time!

[the ghost]

^^ While I never went on the original(had been to WDW but had never been to magic kingdom at the time)I have heard many call it the scariest thing ever put into a theme park, including any haunt event. I have had friends who have ridden it, however, and I know one of them calls it his favorite ride anywhere , despite that it scared him to tears when he rode.

 

^^^ Dinosaur kinda fills in that position now. As I said, I have never ridden Alien Encounter, but dinosaur is probably the scariest dark ride I have ever been on. Hell, I rode it 2 summers ago, and even though it didnt scare me per say, a lot of it was CRAZY LOUD, and some of the dinos made me jump. Also I did ride it as count down to extinction when I was in second or third grade, and I remember it being terrifying. People always take their kids on rides even if they dont want to ride, cause a lot of people just suck. Its like when you see people with kids or toddlers at a haunt event(like the lady with a 3 and a 5 year old in from of us for corpses at hhn ) and you just kind of ask yourself "WHY!." I mean I love theme parks as much as or more than the next guy, but you often see the stupidest people there!

[jenseib]

This is such a great review. Thanks so much. I love your humor.

I have never been on the Carrousel of Progress yet either. Some day I want to give it a chance.

And I haven't been on Stitch, but did go on the Alien Ancounter when it was there......OMG!! That was the scariest thing I have ever done. My frined and I had taken her 17 year old brother and along with our screams...he was screaming too...like a little girl.

I'm not sure what Stitch kept, but that Alien got lose and would breath on your neck, and touch you and the blood was splattered. It was so cool, and creepy. We had no idea what to expect when we went in and we were amazed when we came out.

[A.J.]

I'm not sure what Stitch kept, but that Alien got lose and would breath on your neck, and touch you and the blood was splattered. It was so cool, and creepy. We had no idea what to expect when we went in and we were amazed when we came out.

 

The in-ear audio and neck fans were kept and are still used. When the lights go off and Stitch "bounces" around, he sounds like he's right in front of your face.

 

Water is used as well. In the beginning of the show when Stitch is teleported in, he spits in two directions (I believe the Stitch animatronic was the very first audio-animatronic to spit water), which seem innocent but "cut off the power" to the room.

 

As a technical production, Stitch's Great Escape is very good. However, as an experience, it's mediocre.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^I was at Barnes and Noble the other day flipping through WDW guide books. Out of curiousity, I decided to see how they rated Stitch's Great Escape. Out of about a dozen guides, only ONE said it was good. Every other guide gave it a rating under two stars.

 

As one guide said, "Disney touting this attraction as child-friendly was about as accurate as Enron's book-keeping."

[Brandy524]

Great reports!

 

I've never seen Stitch, but I did do Alien Encounter back in high school. I'm a big chicken and it terrified me! I don't know how I ever let my friends talk me into going on it. I thought it was fantastic, but definitely too intense for younger guests.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^Well it depends on their threshold of fear. I don't get scared easily, so I liked Alien Encounter. However, I also saw grown men coming out of the theater with tear stains on their faces. People just need to understand their limits.

[the ghost]

^ There is a huge difference though. In other scary things its something your watching, or people are jumping out at you. I never experienced alien encounter, but Stitch made me VERY paranoid. It is just odd to be in an experience while confined to a chair with no way out, no way to run, and incredibly different. Now, I am in no way speaking highly of stitch, and stitch is not scary, but given the right technology and it would BE TERRIFYING. There is no way to test your fear limit without trying this first hand, because if the seats were the same as stitch it felt very real, and although it was annoying, smelled like $hit(stupid chili dog), and the restraint system was awful(stupid jumping stitch) the attraction was kinda cool in an aspect that I would love this ride if it had been ANYTHING else. It drove me CRAZY cause I like Stitch as a character, liked the animatronic Stitch bits, but as an attraction as a whole 2 thumbs DOWN!