Remy's Ratatouille Adventure

[Nick]

This angle really destroys the Eiffel Tower forced perspective for me. It looks like a miniature on top of a building.

That's because it is a mini on top of a building.

But I mean, would we rather there NOT be a new D-ticket level ride (some may consider it a low-end E) in World Showcase, or no? Sure, the Eiffel Tower isn't nearly as convincing from this angle, but France is by far the best pavilion in all of WS now imo.

I know many will disagree, but I actually think that the Skyliner fits the Courtyard quite nicely and adds kinetic energy it otherwise wouldn't have had. Paris does have Gondola systems like this, so it's not even like that's out of theme, really.

 

[Alicia]

I think they put that covered section over the center of the new area to help block the view of the Eiffel Tower as seen from right below it at least, where the view would’ve been the absolute worst.

 

[tielo]

Paris does have Gondola systems like this, so it's not even like that's out of theme, really.

I had to look this up (I don't remember there ever been cable cars in the past 3 times I have been in Paris) but presumably they will get them this year for the far (and modern) outer regions of the bigger Paris city. So it still doesn't match the comic version Paris (that clashes wildly with the tourist kitsch version around the corner) who both are vaguely resembling the inner-city or Paris. But lets be hones Disney has kicked view lines out of the window when they started to build high rise hotels to pollute the horizon decades ago so it's fine.

 

[BBPH]

Wow

 

[Viator]

This is dumb.

I'm sorry, but this is really freaking dumb.

 

[Grabnar]

This is dumb.

I'm sorry, but this is really freaking dumb.

I don't know, Oct seems about right for when travel/parks will be starting to normalize with minimal covid prevention measures; they'll need something to draw people back by then.

 

[Scott W.]

I don't know, Oct seems about right for when travel/parks will be starting to normalize with minimal covid prevention measures; they'll need something to draw people back by then.

I know that a new ride has an appeal but is opening it a few months earlier really going to tarnish that? Not to mention, most regular guests probably won't have been on Minnie and Mickey'or RotR.

 

[Grabnar]

I know that a new ride has an appeal but is opening it a few months earlier really going to tarnish that? Not to mention, most regular guests probably won't have been on Minnie and Mickey'or RotR.

True, but those are both in HS. At this point other than Instagram walls and increasingly expensive food festivals Epcot is pretty lacking in things to do, so a new ride to pull day guests over there is needed.

I think they're banking on not needing it to drive sales for over the summer, but maybe needing an extra marketing point for the fall/winter packages.

 

[Tbad556]

I know that a new ride has an appeal but is opening it a few months earlier really going to tarnish that? Not to mention, most regular guests probably won't have been on Minnie and Mickey'or RotR.

I'd assume it's two things:

1. The parks really don't need assistance with attendance during Spring Break (as seen here) or Summer.

2. October 1st is the 50th Anniversary of WDW. Perfect opportunity to begin the "18 month" celebration rather than open it during an already busy season.

 

[Scott W.]

True, but those are both in HS. At this point other than Instagram walls and increasingly expensive food festivals Epcot is pretty lacking in things to do, so a new ride to pull day guests over there is needed.

I think they're banking on not needing it to drive sales for over the summer, but maybe needing an extra marketing point for the fall/winter packages.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This does not bode well for anything else.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

The right time to open it would have been at the crest of the Ratatouille musical craze.

Also I don't think there's anything inherently meaningful about attending during the 50th anniversary that will make people decide to take their trip?

EDIT:

This does not bode well for anything else.

I'm shocked that Universal is somehow doing more marketing for their 2021 addition and that Disney doesn't even want to match it with a new addition of their own. Either they think they don't need Rat for summer attendance or they think 2021 is already a wash.

 

[HandsomePete]

This does not bode well for anything else.

If your parks are already hitting capacity and your numbers look good for the summer, why would you open it?

Believe it or not, that quarter starting in October is the busiest time at WDW - they need something for that more than the summer.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Thought this was an interesting thread:

 

[HandsomePete]

Thought this was an interesting thread:

Except the fire marshall capacity of the common areas is 100% worthless as measure of how many people you can let in the park when people are wanting to go on rides.

38,500 is a normal midweek day pre-COVID.... you do that with half-capacity rides and you get Christmas to New Years wait times on every ride. Literally the whole park would be lines snaking around.

The flip side of the Rat coin is that they think they’re going to let X people in over the summer and they know they can hit it without marketing a new ride.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Except the fire marshall capacity of the common areas is 100% worthless as measure of how many people you can let in the park when people are wanting to go on rides.

38,500 is a normal midweek day pre-COVID.... you do that with half-capacity rides and you get Christmas to New Years wait times on every ride. Literally the whole park would be lines snaking around.

Yeah that part seems specious unless you think people are mostly going to Epcot for food and shopping (which...I guess lots of locals are). I was more so pointing out his general comment on 'financial short-termism'.

 

[Nick]

As I have said many, many times (and it seems to just fall on deaf ears), Disney absolutely does NOT want another MMRR situation. If this ride opened in May or something, it wouldn't do anything except bring the locals out who are going to come anyway, which would be another blown ride opening in their eyes.

It seems they are considering this summer a wash and just waiting until the fall when most should be vaccinated and it's even possible that Disney will be lifting some restrictions by then.

 

[belloq87]

Not a fan of sitting on this until October 1st... particularly because I was targeting an October 2nd - 9th trip and really don't want to have to deal with a ride in its opening week.

 

[BBPH]

 

[belloq87]

Martin over on Magic has indicated the ride could easily be open now if they wanted it to be.