Of course they would close it for refurb/construction over the two separate trips I am planning this year. Oh well. On the plus side, I won't be getting soaked from that ride those trips.
Future of Toon Lagoon
- Thread starter Galaxy Defender
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- Jul 24, 2018
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- Aug 7, 2018
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Im 23 now, but since I was 13 we've been vacationing to UOR (I haven't been for 3 years though!) and since I was 15, every single trip Dudley's was closed. Its been nearly 9 years this winter since I've rode Dudley's. Was a classic for my fam and I every trip, I certainly plan to ride that one this winter assuming its open when I am in town.
It always closes for a month in the winter for refurbs....Good luck on getting it timed right this year. Love that ride, though it might be tough on a chilly day. :thumbsup:
- Aug 7, 2018
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True, it just always seems to be closed the month I was there lol. Going to be there last week of January so I kind of am expecting it to be closed again, but we shall see. Id assume they'd have at least 1 of the 3 water rides at IOA open.
Sometimes I think the animatronics are just crap and need to be replaced completely
- Dec 21, 2016
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Speaking of Dudley... that room before you board the logs might be like my least favorite que space in Orlando... it's so akward, dark, smells funny, wet... Did I say dark?? And I'm sure I would appreciate the talking wall animals if they weren't so hard to hear and so creepy to look at in their half working form.
It's very odd for sure...I would rather wait completely outside
- Jul 24, 2018
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I absolutely love Dudley as an attraction but that queue is miserable. It just feels so... wet..
Dudley just seems so cheap to me. Kinda like they went 90% on theming and then just decided to stop in some crucial parts.
- Jul 24, 2018
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I'd argue they were shooting to replicate the show...which was very cheap. I think it works when everything is in good repair. Last few times I rode it the ride looked really good. But when AAs are missing or inoperable, I agree the ride just doesn't work.
When you have a similar flume ride that aims to be highly themed and tell a story along the way in Splash Mountain, it's hard to look at Dudley and say they did the best they could've. Of course Splash is a high bar to meet, but it was also built almost 10 years earlier.
I think the two are aiming for very different things. Splash is a lavish Disney E-ticket dark ride in the style of Pirates...mixed with a log flume. Dudley is aiming for a more traditional log flume style experience with some storytelling thrown in here and there.
Splash is clearly the better ride, but I don't think it's a 1:1 comparison with Dudley, which is still a really good ride.
Dudley is tongue in cheek just like the cartoons it's based on. They even point it out with the "Scenic Overlook" followed by "Overlooked Scenery" sign showing a backstage area.
Love Dudley. It's really just like the cartoons I grew up on were. It's fun, thrilling and gets you wet as all hell. It really shouldn't be compared to Splash Mountain, which is a completely different type of flume ride. Splash has the greatest show scenes, but you really don't get wet on it. It's more Pirates of the Caribbean than thrilling wet flume. ....and...by the way....Splash Mountain is my favorite Disney ride, so it's not like I'm partial to Dudley. They are just too different in style to be compared. They are both great fun attractions.
The Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott’s is also more traditional and still beats Dudley by a mile. The ride itself is from 1969 but has received updates to make it better and better over the years including new animatronics in 2013. Universal has no excuse here especially when they built Popeye right next door.
If all someone cares about is a tall drop and how wet you get though then sure Dudley is amazing even though JP also has a tall drop and you can get drenched on Popeye along with superior show scenes
- Jul 24, 2018
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I think Dudley is more about atmosphere than show scenes. Sure, the show scenes aren't exactly impressive, but the dialogue and everything else are very funny. I feel like I'm in the cartoon when I'm on it.
