Shanghai Disneyland

[ChrisFL]

I think I figured it out? Spoiler tagged just to be safe.

Spoiler

It looks like a version of the pepper's ghost effect. The skeleton is actually reflected off of an angled mirror or pane of glass (look at the angle of the ship's mast leaning toward the boat, and the large empty space between the riders and where Jack is standing). I'm not sure if it's a physical skeleton (which would be "standing" on it's side outside of the rider's view) or just a projection, but either way they throw a little sparkly effect on the reflection, change the lighting to illuminate the AA, and presto, we have a Jack Sparrow AA.

That's my thought anyway. I love when they use old-school effects in new ways.

With that, just being creative here, it would be kind of cool if we saw more of the original POTC scenes with the skeletons and they all come to life as we pass by, like the prisoners and the dog.

 

[DanB89]

With that, just being creative here, it would be kind of cool if we saw more of the original POTC scenes with the skeletons and they all come to life as we pass by, like the prisoners and the dog.

It would definitely be cool, and it would fit the story of dead men telling tales. Would be neat if they added something like this to the skeleton scenes at the Florida and California POtC's as well. One can dream.

 

[Honor_Knight]

Here's a full ride video for Soarin. It looks like the same film will be in all the parks as they went with a location neutral big city firework ending instead of one for each of the parks.

I thought the whole point of Soarin' was to showcase the amazing landscapes of this planet, not to clutter it up with CGI enhancements like what Lucas did with his "special" editions of his SW trilogy. Tatooine looked just fine without CGI dewbacks roaming through the frame. Let's lose the CGI elephants and other distracting elements, Disney. Embarrassing.

 

[misterID]

Really, I don't mind the cgi elephant and orca, its a fun interactive element for the rider, but the fake landscapes and landmarks are ridiculous.

 

[Tobias]

Taking a look at the videos, while Pirates does have some impressive moments, I'm not exactly understanding the praise that this is one of the best Disney attractions/attractions period. I agree with JungleSkip that between Jack and Jones it's rather dead, and it does make the pacing rather odd/off. I'd love to ride it someday, but personally I don't think it's on the level of Indy, WDW's Tower of Terror or Spiderman. (Especially considering all three of those don't have dead spots in their pacing.)

As for Soarin' over the Horizon, admittedly this shocked me more then Jack's appearance in Pirates. It looks like a downgrade, it really does. I just rewatched a video of the original Soarin' and the differences in overall quality is shocking. With the original you get wonderful scenery with maybe a little CGI for some segments, meanwhile with this thing you get some great scenery, and others with a lot of CGI distractions, and in the case of the Taj Mahal segement...no sight of anything real in it.

 

[quinnmac000]

Taking a look at the videos, while Pirates does have some impressive moments, I'm not exactly understanding the praise that this is one of the best Disney attractions/attractions period. I agree with JungleSkip that between Jack and Jones it's rather dead, and it does make the pacing rather odd/off. I'd love to ride it someday, but personally I don't think it's on the level of Indy, WDW's Tower of Terror or Spiderman. (Especially considering all three of those don't have dead spots in their pacing.)

As for Soarin' over the Horizon, admittedly this shocked me more then Jack's appearance in Pirates. It looks like a downgrade, it really does. I just rewatched a video of the original Soarin' and the differences in overall quality is shocking. With the original you get wonderful scenery with maybe a little CGI for some segments, meanwhile with this thing you get some great scenery, and others with a lot of CGI distractions, and in the case of the Taj Mahal segement...no sight of anything real in it.

I realized how not impressive it was when i watched it later. But I think it was due to the fact its new and seemingly fresh which I think is what is happening to a lot of people.

 

[misterID]

POTC is boss. And I'm not even experiencing it live with the new fancy boats and their tech tricks, but off a phone cam on youtube. Mystic Manor is another ace dark ride. They're just not doing this stuff in Florida. Hopefully Avatar and Star Wars are killer.

 

[JungleSkip]

I realized how not impressive it was when i watched it later. But I think it was due to the fact its new and seemingly fresh which I think is what is happening to a lot of people.

To be clear, I don't think Pirates isn't impressive. I think there's a ton of cool crap in there. But that middle portion just seems to draaaag.

 

[JungleSkip]

POTC is boss. And I'm not even experiencing it live with the new fancy boats and their tech tricks, but off a phone cam on youtube. Mystic Manor is another ace dark ride. They're just not doing this stuff in Florida. Hopefully Avatar and Star Wars are killer.

I think MM looks waaaaaaaaay better than Pirates does. I'd put MM (admittedly from a video) in the Indy/Spider-Man level of attraction. I'd consider this Pirates (again, from video) in the next tier.

 

[quinnmac000]

To be clear, I don't think Pirates isn't impressive. I think there's a ton of cool crap in there. But that middle portion just seems to draaaag.

Essentially for me the battle between the two ships with the screen in the background (There is a fatal flaw in that scene however which potentially could take people out of the immersion) and the ending where they are going backward as the ship or whatever seems to explode and sink were the only two moments that are staying with me as WOW moments other than that I'm over it.

 

[misterID]

I think MM looks waaaaaaaaay better than Pirates does. I'd put MM (admittedly from a video) in the Indy/Spider-Man level of attraction. I'd consider this Pirates (again, from video) in the next tier.

There was a big debate on magic once if MM would fit in AK. I think it would, but a bigger possibility to me would be if one day they refurbed WDW's HM with this tech and ride system and the kind of effects they can do now... I would love to see it. It would be worth losing the nostalgia for a HM/MM hybrid. These Asian parks are opening all kinds of possibilities.

 

[JungleSkip]

There was a big debate on magic once if MM would fit in AK. I think it would, but a bigger possibility to me would be if one day they refurbed WDW's HM with this tech and ride system and the kind of effects they can do now... I would love to see it. It would be worth losing the nostalgia for a HM/MM hybrid. These Asian parks are opening all kinds of possibilities.

I'd rather see HM stay as-is and put Mystic Manor in Adventureland. I think they could survive in the same park comfortably.

Also, I think WDI has shown they're unable to update Mansion well in the past 5 years.

 

[Disneyhead]

After hearing all the Ooohhhhs and Aaahhhhhss about SDL PotC and then watching the videos, I can't help but be reminded about how much I am not a fan of Anamatronics. I think Davey Jones looks like hell! Did they use coat hanger wire in his squid-beard?

And am I the only one who, after Disney previewed the Na'vi AA, thought, "Ewww, looks like bugs crawling around under the skin."?

 

[Scott W.]

Here's a full ride video for Soarin. It looks like the same film will be in all the parks as they went with a location neutral big city firework ending instead of one for each of the parks.

I'm pretty certain that's Shanghai at the end.

It looks like you fly towards the 3rd tallest building. I imagine that the Disney World and Disneyland finales will still be in place.

Is that a 'hidden Mickey' as well in the fireworks?

I think that's the building you're flying towards.

Shanghai World Financial Center - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[WAJAS]

I'm pretty certain that's Shanghai at the end.

It looks like you fly towards the 3rd tallest building. I imagine that the Disney World and Disneyland finales will still be in place.

Is that a 'hidden Mickey' as well in the fireworks?

I think that's the building you're flying towards.

Shanghai World Financial Center - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That actually makes a lot of sense because Chinese citizens won't be as familiar with DisneyLand and would respond better to there own city.

Disney World never had its own finale. You flew over LA and through the DisneyLand fireworks.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

It's still not a bad length though. I'd love to see something similar come stateside. Maybe replace RnRC although you'd obviously have to remove the inversions.

How this and other Disney attractions end up in foreign countries and not here is beyond me. Which is exactly why I'm in no rush to get back to Disney. That BS they have there now isnt worth $100 a day.

 

[misterID]

After hearing all the Ooohhhhs and Aaahhhhhss about SDL PotC and then watching the videos, I can't help but be reminded about how much I am not a fan of Anamatronics. I think Davey Jones looks like hell! Did they use coat hanger wire in his squid-beard?

And am I the only one who, after Disney previewed the Na'vi AA, thought, "Ewww, looks like bugs crawling around under the skin."?

I have extreme screen fatigue, and they rarely, rarely look good to me, but I'm impressed with how screens are utilized in Pirates along with the AA's. I think it pretty much proves my belief they play well off each other. Hell, the Jack Sparrow AA in our Pirates is incredible to me.

 

[JungleSkip]

How this and other Disney attractions end up in foreign countries and not here is beyond me. Which is exactly why I'm in no rush to get back to Disney. That BS they have there now isnt worth $100 a day.

This is the big, centerpiece attraction for the park. Complaining that WDW doesn't have it would be like a SHDL fan complaining that their park doesn't have Kilimanjaro Safaris.

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

This is the big, centerpiece attraction for the park. Complaining that WDW doesn't have it would be like a SHDL fan complaining that their park doesn't have Kilimanjaro Safaris.

ok

 

[Scott W.]

That actually makes a lot of sense because Chinese citizens won't be as familiar with DisneyLand and would respond better to there own city.

Disney World never had its own finale. You flew over LA and through the DisneyLand fireworks.

The last time I rode, it was Disneyland and just assumed. That's actually ridiculous they kept that for the WDW version.