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Zootopia (SDL)

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I was not impressed as it reminded me too much of MMRR. However, one thing that doesn't come through is the motion base of the ride. If it does have better range of motion (similar to Spiderman), this ride could be really special and could signal a marked increase of Disney ride potential. I am still underwhelmed by trackless vehicles and have a bias towards rides with a busbar (this bias is based on a perception that trackless rides are less dependable).
In the very brief moments where you can see the other vehicle, it doesn’t look like it’s moving that much at all. At least to me. On a motion base like Spider-Man, you have to be elevated pretty high to accommodate the range of motion and these look pretty low-to-the-ground.
 
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Well...call me impressed that looked really fun

While I don't need this ride...I would not mind a ride like it over at DLR as part of Disneyforward.
 
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I swear, if they didn't actually do motion bases for the heavy screen sections...
I'm glad someone else had this thought! The POV makes it seem like there's little movement during those sections. The screens also do not look like they're wrap-around like the waterfall on MMRR, so I wonder how immersive they really are.
 
I think it looks fine and if it comes to the states that would be awesome and if not that’s okay as well. Seems like the typical track ride that Disney builds these days so nothing really out of the box game changing.
 
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I'm glad someone else had this thought! The POV makes it seem like there's little movement during those sections. The screens also do not look like they're wrap-around like the waterfall on MMRR, so I wonder how immersive they really are.

The lack of a motion base on Runaway Railway is frankly embarrassing. It always feels like the scene is broken or unfinished, so while I'm sure it reduces the ride's budget, complexity, and downtime, I don't think it was a worthy sacrifice.
 
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The lack of a motion base on Runaway Railway is frankly embarrassing. It always feels like the scene is broken or unfinished, so while I'm sure it reduces the ride's budget, complexity, and downtime, I don't think it was a worthy sacrifice.

Imagine if the vehicle tilted side to side or tipped forward to simulate going over the waterfall, along with wind blowing against you. Will be anxious to read or watch an actual review of the ride.
 
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The ride looks fine, but as others have mentioned, this looks like it reuses a lot of tricks that the other recent trackless darkrides have used, so this isn't one I'd be clamoring for to show up stateside. The best parts are the Nudist Colony which has an amusing use for its gag, and the fact it loops back to the strip district which utilizes the trackless tech well. And the Gazelle AA.

Other than that, it's just a lot of what we've seen before, with a bit better set dressing. And I'm not fond of sections which really scream for a good motion base, but I don't think this has one for it.
 
The lack of a motion base on Runaway Railway is frankly embarrassing. It always feels like the scene is broken or unfinished, so while I'm sure it reduces the ride's budget, complexity, and downtime, I don't think it was a worthy sacrifice.
Yes. Generally, an actual ride on an attraction is multiple times better than a POV of that attraction. Though MMRR was OK, I was a little disappointed, since it didn't seem a much better experience than the POV was. It really needed a motion base and more physical sets, since the experience was basically just watching screens on both sides while travelling down the pathway. Really not all that different of an experience from watching all the USO screen attractions. The attraction ended up not meeting my expectations. OK but not great. I thought the Great Movie Ride was a much more satisfying experience.
 
I just watched a much better POV posted on themeparX.

  • I am impressed with how well the screens blend with the surrounding sets.
  • They did a great job blending the ceiling of the building throughout the ride.
  • Given the placement of the final gazel AA, I wonder if there is a B mode for that scene. Does the AA drop into the ground? I didn't see any seams on the platform.
  • I still can't get over an elephant doing the spread eagle in a Disney park.
After watching the new video, I hope they can import it to DHS at least. This ride is very well done.

Here's a much better-quality video for those interested.
 
I just watched a much better POV posted on themeparX.

  • I am impressed with how well the screens blend with the surrounding sets.
  • They did a great job blending the ceiling of the building throughout the ride.
  • Given the placement of the final gazel AA, I wonder if there is a B mode for that scene. Does the AA drop into the ground? I didn't see any seams on the platform.
  • I still can't get over an elephant doing the spread eagle in a Disney park.
After watching the new video, I hope they can import it to DHS at least. This ride is very well done.

Here's a much better-quality video for those interested.

While it looks OK, the problem with it at DHS would be the Universal Studios scenario. While all three attractions are fine, the sameness experience of MMRR, RotR, and an added Zootopia in the same park, that has very few actual rides, would be a negative. That's the sort of thing that got USO in trouble. Better for Zootopia at either AK or MK where there's no similar rides. if Disney is going to repeat it. .
 
I just watched a much better POV posted on themeparX.

  • I am impressed with how well the screens blend with the surrounding sets.
  • They did a great job blending the ceiling of the building throughout the ride.
  • Given the placement of the final gazel AA, I wonder if there is a B mode for that scene. Does the AA drop into the ground? I didn't see any seams on the platform.
  • I still can't get over an elephant doing the spread eagle in a Disney park.
After watching the new video, I hope they can import it to DHS at least. This ride is very well done.

Here's a much better-quality video for those interested.

If they do have to import this to Florida, I think the best placement would be Animal Kingdom. Yeah I said it. If it was in DHS, it would just feel too similar to Rise and MMRR.
 
Beyond that...? I can live without it. Seems very much like a "Greatest Hits" ride incorporating a little Runaway Railway, a little Rise of the Resistance, and A LOT of Ratatouille.

That seems to be every new ride we've gotten lately. Very few envelopes being pushed as of late, although I'd strongly consider Rise to be a near-perfect attraction.

I don't know if we're a real contender for Zootopia here. Zootopia merch sales were strong in China well before it was built. Not sure there's many Nick or Judy plushies being moved stateside.
 
While it looks OK, the problem with it at DHS would be the Universal Studios scenario. While all three attractions are fine, the sameness experience of MMRR, RotR, and an added Zootopia in the same park, that has very few actual rides, would be a negative. That's the sort of thing that got USO in trouble. Better for Zootopia at either AK or MK where there's no similar rides. if Disney is going to repeat it. .
I think we're more likely to see a reskin/reimagining of Mystic Manor for Encanto in AK, personally. Same concept, though.
 
A bit of unfortunate news today, as the ride had an incident of a child jumping out of the ride vehicle to retrieve a dropped headband, and getting struck by one of the vehicles.

New Zootopia Ride Closed After Child Reportedly Jumps from Vehicle, Gets Run Over

Definitely hoping the best for the kid, and I feel this could've been prevented if the restraint was an individual seat belt a la' Rise of the Resistance, and not a single lap bar for the whole row. Though what puzzles me is I could've sworn trackless darkrides have very sensitive floors that stop everything when a foreign object falls on it, but clearly that wasn't the case here as the child was reportedly walking around on the floor before they were struck.

*UPDATE* - Much to my surprise, they've reopened the ride the very next day, just cautioning folks to follow all safety guidelines.

 
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