Theming isn’t separate from ride experience. It’s very much part of it.
Future of Toon Lagoon
- Thread starter Galaxy Defender
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Ok. Take the exact same flume of Splash Mountain and remove everything around it. Would you say both experiences are exactly the same with or without the theming or no?
Splash Mountain is my favorite Disney attraction. I could ride it all day...But, it's not much of a thrill water ride. I rarely get more than a few drops of water. Dudley completely soaks me....a few times over for good measure. It's a very thrilling, and funny, true water ride. ...The two attractions really shouldn't even be compared. They're apples and oranges except for the boats moving above water.
The comparison I was making wasn’t to Dudley, it was Splash Mountain to a theme less Splash Mountain flume.
I’m making the point that theming is very much part of the ride experience.
- Jul 27, 2015
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Journey to Atlantis (Orlando) is the best “ride” of the three flumes, followed by Dudley then Splash. Theming matters.
The theming on Dudley is trash. Sorry not sorry.
- Oct 10, 2017
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I honestly believe that replacing Toon Lagoon is a mistake. It’s a fun water area for families. If anything they should just update the actual toons. Get Kung Fu Panda in there or something. But hey that’s just my humble opinion.
The theming on Dudley is in the style/tradition of those Jay Ward cartoons. Very tongue in cheek humor. One of my favorite ride "moments" is the "Scenic Overlook" sign followed by the "Overlooked Scenery" sign with the view to the backstage area. It's so completely in character for the source material.
- Feb 15, 2012
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Can’t believe we’re having this discussion again but....
Dudley has a more thrilling experience but I prefer Splash. Also Dudleys theming is good but there are lots of gaps/exposed steel that make it feel cheap. I want to see Dudley’s jokes executed on a full scale. As it stands Dudleys execution is the same as Kings Islands flume.
Dudley has a more thrilling experience but I prefer Splash. Also Dudleys theming is good but there are lots of gaps/exposed steel that make it feel cheap. I want to see Dudley’s jokes executed on a full scale. As it stands Dudleys execution is the same as Kings Islands flume.
- Jun 21, 2016
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You’re insane on this one Dave.
We rarely get transformative rides that take everything we know about a ride system and turn it on it’s head. Tower of Terror is one of those. Spider-Man is one of those. And Splash is one of those.
We thought we knew was a drop tower was beforeToT turned our idea completely on its head.
We thought we know what an Motion based dark ride was until Spider-Man showed us differently. Rides like FJ, RotR and Shanghai Pirates don’t exist without Spider-Man changing the game with its integration of physical and digital.
We thought we knew what a flume ride was until Splash Mountain turned our idea completely on its head. Dudleys doesn’t exist without Splash.
I’d argue that Splash, ToT and Spider-man can never be overrated. They changed everything we knew about entire ride systems.
That’s like saying we can’t compare Popeyes and Kali River because one gets us soaked and the other doesn’t. Different ride experiences and takes doesn’t exclude them from comparison. Hagrids should be compared with Tron, for example.
They’re absolutely perfect comparisons, even if they have different ride experiences. One just went with significantly less theming and more thrills and the other went with significantly more theming and less thrills.
I get the jokes and stuff and appreciate them. But as Joe said, there's way too many gaps and exposed spots along the ride that just can't be ignored.
The gaps are certainly what kill it for me. You can see the potential the ride has when the theming is there so it's frustrating when it just... stops.
- Aug 7, 2018
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Ya I mean honestly I wouldn't shed a tear if this became LOTR in some capacity. I love this area but its the one I spend the least amount of time in/$ in. Not much for me to shop around for really, only offers water rides, so there isn't a ton of variety here. Its a fun themed area but there's just so much room for improvement here. I feel once EU opens this land might be a bit more glaring compared to the rest of Universal Orlando Resort.
With anything potentially being re-developed, it's always sad, but usually it's for the best. I miss Jaws and Merlin Woods, but their replacements are superior. As long as anything replacing an existing land or attraction is in some way better, it's an understandable sacrifice if they re-develop.
Personally I love Toon Lagoon. I think it's clever and well done, but if there's a better thing to replace it, I'll survive.
Personally I love Toon Lagoon. I think it's clever and well done, but if there's a better thing to replace it, I'll survive.
Also, people actually spending money in the land would be a HUGE change for IOA. People mostly pass through or ride the water rides and then it's on to the next land. People stopping at a shop or even the quick service restaurants (they're the worst performing in the resort) is a rare thing. This is partially bc the main quick service in the land is slightly hard to find, but also because people don't have an attachment to the land in the way they do to something like LOTR.
- May 5, 2012
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They were installing a chiller or something back there recently, but I haven't seen/heard anything else
Personally, I'd rather just demo Dudley's and put in a dark ride. But that's coming from a person who hates log flumes. :bolt:
- Jul 27, 2015
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If they made it a trackless variation of Mr. Toad’s, and left it themed to Dudley (or expand it with Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and George of the Jungle), Universal would have a cannon of a response to Runaway Railroad.
I feel a redux of Cat would be a good "response" if you will to Runaway Railroad.
I'm still on the side of thinking Dudley is campy, fun, and has a unique drop & finale
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