The Future of E.T. Adventure

[tielo]

I'm happy the ride stays but I hope it'll get a huge update.
Scene 1) Better animated cops and facial expressions. The car should drive more organically out of the bushes.
Scene 2) The city could do with texture mapping making the city more alive with cars and some animated water.
Scene 3) Star tunnel could use more "universe" and simulated speed.
All of the next scenes could use updates on the aliens and some extended backdrops using screens.
I'm ok if the end scene changes and no names are mentioned. The whole process, having a non American name, never worked for me anyway and it takes up a lot of team members and because of that costs a lot of money better used for upkeep.

 

[Ryan]

I'd like if they got rid of that cringes, "Look! They got ET!" as if everyone knows his name. At least add "the" before the name as if they're just referring to him as an extraterrestrial. The way it is right now is just extremely cloying.

Also please get rid of the synthesized score. It's very cheesy and while it probably worked with the off-brand (yet ambitious) Universal in 1990, it doesn't fit anymore.

 

[Ashhanbre]

I don't mind them getting rid of the "names" part if it makes everything else better. I do agree that this would be a great time to really update the ride and make it shine.

 

[Mad Dog]

The times that I've been on the ride that they were having issues with ET, and ET didn't voice the names, the attraction ending seemed anti climatic and lacked the completeness that ET voicing the names gave it. I'm all for refurbs like Tielo mentioned, with the exception I think the names should stay....I still remember back to the first time I took my GF on the ride. The highlight of the attraction to her was when she heard her name mentioned at the end. It brought a tear of happiness to her eye.

 

[Obi Ubamba]

I know it's a bit dated, but I like the classic feel of ET. As more and more of UO rides are screen-based, the old-school feel of ET is a nice alternative.

 

[UAN17]

It's absolutely vital for the park at this stage. It was shut for maintenance when I visited this summer, leaving only the Mummy, Rip Rockit and MIB that aren't screen based. This park is suffering in terms of the overall experience it offers at the moment, due to the direction they've taken over the past 2-4 years.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I like how they used the old preshow's ET footage and just spliced in new Spielberg for the current preshow. Grainy film ET and pre HD widescreen Spielberg is a weird combo.

That was because the only working ET Animatronic had deteriorated beyond repair

 

[belloq87]

Also please get rid of the synthesized score. It's very cheesy and while it probably worked with the off-brand (yet ambitious) Universal in 1990, it doesn't fit anymore.

I hear where you're coming from, but if we get rid of it, we're getting rid of the only score arrangement John Williams ever wrote just for a theme park. Jaws, Indy, Star Tours, Jurassic Park, and Harry Potter all use/used his themes, of course, but either rearranged by someone else or taken right from the movie score cues. E.T. Adventure's score is unique in that regard.

 

[ChrisFL]

I thought E.T. had 3 different pre-shows over the years...I could be wrong.

Also, I'm pretty sure the starfield section was changed a few years after it opened as well...though it can definitely use some better new effects.

 

[Freak]

I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that ride is safe…at least for a while. It's a very unique dark ride and the last surviving original attraction since grand opening. I feel like I'm seven years old again every time I ride this back when Hollywood still had this. That being said, I'm baffled as to why they won't refresh this. They could very easily market this as a bonus for next year. They should update the effects and call up Garner Holt to restore the animatronics.

 

[Ryan]

I hear where you're coming from, but if we get rid of it, we're getting rid of the only score arrangement John Williams ever wrote just for a theme park. Jaws, Indy, Star Tours, Jurassic Park, and Harry Potter all use/used his themes, of course, but either rearranged by someone else or taken right from the movie score cues. E.T. Adventure's score is unique in that regard.

I didn't say rewrite it, we can always get an orchestra to re-record it!

 

[JawsVictim]

Personally wish they would replace ET in favor of more Nitendo attractions. I'm going to ride it this weekend to see if it's as dated as I remember.

BTW, not totally heartless here; loved the attraction as a kid. But, since nearly all classic USF attractions are now gone, I'm in favor of a replacement.

 

[Joel]

Yeah, that was the time the 20th anniversary was so I believe you are right.

Since they've ditched the whole "ride the movies" aspect since, they need to drop Spielberg from the pre-show and just make it a straight "Save E.T. and take him home" ride.

also Spielberg may be one of my favorite directors, but watching him "act" in the pre-show is cringe worthy.

 

[Ryan]

ET love must all be nostalgia. The ride itself screams discount Disney. The queue is lovely, but then you go thru a tunnel that has plastic wrap on all the sides for "themeing" and it's 100% downhill from there. And those AAs are terrifying.

I just so wish they could at least give it the refresh it deserves.

 

[shiekra38]

ET love must all be nostalgia. The ride itself screams discount Disney. The queue is lovely, but then you go thru a tunnel that has plastic wrap on all the sides for "themeing" and it's 100% downhill from there. And those AAs are terrifying.

I just so wish they could at least give it the refresh it deserves.

You know, I agree, and then I look at Peter Pan, Carousel of Progress and even Small World....I think it is on par with all of those attractions...especially if it gets an update

I guess it gets brownie points because it is one of the only rides there that you don't have to wear 3D glasses on

 

[Ryan]

A bit apples and oranges there. CoP is a show with a hokey sitcom script, Small World has a deliberate visual asthetic and is also based and somewhat faithful to its fairground origins, and Peter Pan may be short, but it's far more of a consistent experience. ET is bigger, but is a mess nowadays. Not to say that everything at Disney is better than it, not at all, but it's definitely dated in representing what it's supposed to be.

 

[shiekra38]

A bit apples and oranges there. CoP is a show with a hokey sitcom script, Small World has a deliberate visual asthetic and is also based and somewhat faithful to its fairground origins, and Peter Pan may be short, but it's far more of a consistent experience. ET is bigger, but is a mess nowadays. Not to say that everything at Disney is better than it, not at all, but it's definitely dated in representing what it's supposed to be.

ET is certainly not as magical as it was in the 90s, but I wouldn't count it out as a discount Disney experience as it brings a lot of good elements to it

Peter Pan, for me, just doesn't hold a candle to ET

I'm not saying ET doesn't need a refurb, because it does..

 

[Mad Dog]

Peter Pan at MK has a new queue that is better than the ride itself. The ride screams outdated, dirty & cheap. It's really only good due to the IP and nostalgia. ET needs refurbed, but in it's present state is heads above MK's Peter Pan. We usually go to MK in Oct. & April/May, during the moderate crowd season. COP has always been a walk on when we're there and the theater way under 50% capacity. COP is enjoyable but really outdated. It's a Small World is probably in the best shape of those three MK attractions. It usually has a fairly short, but steady, line when we go. The attraction seems to be in decent shape. My personal observation is that ET, even in it's present state, is better than Pan or COP, and about equal to IASW.

 

[Joshua Porter]

Peter Pan is a bad ride, IMHO. I rode it last year on our trip and really it held no childhood emotion for me. I am fully aware it probably won't be replaced for a long long time, decades even (if ever) but I would not be bothered if it left.

ET is a far better ride. Yeah, it has flaws, but I will still ride it every time. However, I would understand it being replaced. I don't think that will happen though until Nintendo is popular to the point it needs an expansion.

 

[Ryan]

ET is certainly not as magical as it was in the 90s, but I wouldn't count it out as a discount Disney experience as it brings a lot of good elements to it

Peter Pan, for me, just doesn't hold a candle to ET

I'm not saying ET doesn't need a refurb, because it does..

Compared to the rest of Universal nowadays, it definitely comes across as that.