So, it took about 2.5 hours, but I did the thing. The line was moving really fast up until the ride breakdown, which lasted around 45 minutes + about 25 minutes of just getting through the backup of FP people. Knowing the layout of the queue now, I think I was on pace to get through the ride in under 90 minutes.
Anyways, I really enjoyed it. It's not a ride that will leave your jaw on the floor like Rise of the Resistance, but it IS a very charming ride that gave me some Roger Rabbit vibes. The ride is virtually like stepping into a Mickey Mouse cartoon - it was as if we were transported into a cartoon world (which is sort of the vibe that the cool pre-show was giving off). No, there's nothing that really looks too much like you're wearing 3D glasses (although there are a few spots where it's convincing), but I don't hold that against the ride as the way the ride plays with depth perception in general is such a huge plus to the attraction.
The animatronics... I heard some chatter about them not quite looking right beforehand, but had forgot that - until I saw Mickey and Minnie at the beginning of the ride. Something was off and I think it's the angle we're seeing them from or the projections are coming from maybe? The Mickey and Minnie at the end look perfect, which was weird. I thought Daisy and Pluto looked fine. I wasn't expecting the dome projection sequence that lasted maybe 15 seconds. With little to no motion base, I thought that was actually a waste and it made the ride instantly a bit too similar to RotR. I need another few rides to catch some of the details and hidden things like the nods to GMR. I have a fastpass for Saturday with others who will be going for the first time so i'll be interested to see their reaction.
I had heard a few reactions going in. A lot of “it’s cute!”. I didn't understand if that was a good thing or a backhanded compliment until riding. It just fits perfectly as a descriptor for the totality of the experience. If you've watched any of the new Mickey Shorts, this is just like hopping on inside and becoming part of the adventure. The art style throughout the attraction really helped with giving that feeling.
Looking at this, ROTR, M&M & Ratatouille are going to feel really similar, all opening back to back to back. But in a good way, though redundant.
You are correct that these rides are going to be compared simply because they all are trackless, have similar RVs, and segments in front of screens. So opening back-to-back-to-back will only amplify this. I was impressed with how large the "trains" were. I saw many seating 5 in a row and they weren't squished.
These three seem closer to the same feel than Spidey & Transformers ever felt.
This is where I disagree. I didn't feel like this ride was all that similar to RotR much at all. The tone is WAY different which is really a big thing. While RotR is constantly wowing you, MMRR is making you smile throughout. Families especially seemed to love the part with Daisy and I found it to be refreshing. The only thing that even made RotR cross my mind at all during the ride was the dome simulation sequence that was about 20 seconds.
Tone matters. Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Small World both use the same ride system and Spaceship Earth and Little Mermaid are both Omnimovers. Despite the same similarities in ride system, those are completely different experiences and for the most part, I feel pretty similar here. I have no idea how Rat will fit into the equation, but it's also in another park so a little less worry. But my larger point is that we should be less worried about the Ride System, and more focused on the actual rides themselves. As long as they are differentiating from each other enough and even appealing to different age groups (imo, MMRR will be a much bigger hit with kids than RotR and RotR is the winner with teens and adults), that's all that matters.