Primeval Whirl construction pictures

[space42]

Head on over to http://www.wdwmagic.com/dino-rama.htm and see the latest construction pics of the new coaster.

Check out the themeing and attention to detail! Wow!

 

[All Aboard]

Saw it in person the day before yesterday and it looks like it's going to be alot of fun. In order to fit the Chester and Hester theme, it's going to have to be corny. I'm fine with that. WDW could have made Dinoland like Jurassic Park at IOA. Instead they chose another theme. I think it's imaginative and unique. GC, duck, here come the flames.

 

[space42]

hehe, no flames here. I too saw it in person 2 weeks ago. However, the coaster wasn't as visable as it is now.
I just don't think the theme fits with the rest of dinoland. I looks out of place to me. Even with the backstory (that most guests will not know about).
My friends who were with me (none of them read the DIS) all agreed that Dino-rama looks out of place in AK.

$.02
Jerry

 

[All Aboard]

I think the theme fits perfectly. Other than the Dino Institute, the rest of Dinoland is a modern day dino dig with typical tourist trap stuff to help fund the dig. Actually, I think the Dino Institute is now out of place with the rest of the land.

 

[Mickey76]

Is it me or does the roller coaster resemble one that you would see at a carnival? Hopefully, the ride is better than it appears to be.

Mickey76

 

[space42]

Is it me or does the roller coaster resemble one that you would see at a carnival? Hopefully, the ride is better than it appears to be.

You see, that is the theme. It is themed to be a cheap roadside carnival. So, yes it is just like the mouse coasters at carnivals. The one plus is that it has "rider controlled spinning cars" which should add a little more thrill to it.


uggg.. at least its only a small section of the park. Not like over at DCA where their carnival is a large part of the park!

 

[Mickey76]

Space42, sorry, I didn't realize that was the theme until I later saw another post talking about this area of the park. It makes sense to be part of the theming, but it just looks so horriffic for Disney standards. I'll still ride it anyway with Piglet203 if it's open when we go in May.

Mickey76

 

[raidermatt]

I guess the carnivals and fairs here in CA fall short of what many others see across the country.
Certainly the ride itself could be found at a county fair, but the model looks much more detailed than anything I've seen at the local places.

 

[Peter Pirate]

I saw it Saturday & while I wasn't excited before my trip, I am now. It will be a fun rde & the area is no longer a one hit wonder. The theming is right on target (it hits the mark). I agree with gcurling that this is what they (Disney) chose to do & the are doing it well - Sadly a lot of people think the idea itself is poor...

 

[Dznefreek]

You see, that is the theme. It is themed to be a cheap roadside carnival.

Where did you read/hear this????????

 

[HBK]

I agree with gcurling that this is what they (Disney) chose to do & the are doing it well - Sadly a lot of people think the idea itself is poor...

Isn't that what got DAK into the attendance mess it's in right now? Doesn't anyone else see the problem of the Disney company trying to force their wants (cheap additions for the marketing dept to trumpet) onto the customers, who already aren't buying this vision?

People complain that there's not enough to do at Animal Kingdom. I'm one of em. I understand the DAK supporters explaining the wonder of the place is to take your time as you go through it. But that runs contrary to the other three parks....all of which are successful. People don't want to take their time on a Disney vacation. But Ei$ner et al forced their "vision" onto us....and the reaction has been seen in the attendance.

So my point in this is just because Di$ney decided to make a carnival....does it make it right if they did it contrary to what most people want? Do you think the Customer complaint cards were indicating that people wanted a run of the mill carnival? I think the frustration of there not being enough to do comes from comparing one Disney product (DAK) to three others (MK, MGM, EPCOT).

But hey, just remember DAK is many things but it's NATHAZU!

 

[Peter Pirate]

I see your point HBK, but should Disney just abandon their original idea and forge ahead with designs to make AK some combination of the other three? I think AK's woes are much talked about here but I don't believe they're a huge concern to Disney. I believe that while they are certainly disappointed with the general acceptance of AK, they also see that there is still a strong core of people who really, really love this Park. Therefore, I believe they will just stay the course and watch the numbers slowly increase over time (as has happened with all Parks to varying degrees).

Perhaps, this is one of those situations where Disney is going to stick to its guns and force a qaulity, passive park down the vacationing publics throat. We always complain that they don't have any conviction, but here they've taken a gamble, an expensive gamble and a lot of people complain. I agree that DinoRama wasn't expensive (rather inexpensive, in fact) but it sticks to the plan. Further, while I'm no longer cnvinced BK is what's most needed at AK, it clearly WILL be from Disney's POV because this will be the hook to draw the rest of the crowd. So in the end, Disney won't have an attendance problem with AK, the Park will be quite finished- And by building the "filler" attractions, like DinoRama, before introducing BK, they forego the criticism of adding on an "insignificant" area on the heels of a smashing success such as will be BK. Also, with the attendance up due to BK, the new attractions will have further value (more to do). I think it's all in th big picture.

 

[larworth]

I can see where AK attendance is no longer at the top of their list, thanks to DCA, but I would be surprised if it still wasn’t a concern. With the slow pace of expansion (versus their reaction to fast-tracking additions for DCA) one might surmise that they are not that concerned. But if they attribute most of the AK problems to saturation, than they wouldn't see the logic in adding more to get attendance up. They would assume they have no choice, but to take it slow.

Of course, most of what we react to are differences in actual from projected attendance and relative attendance versus other parks. As I had mentioned once before, it is possible that just because attendance is below published expectations it does not automatically mean it is a financial drain. Maybe, it just isn’t the bonaza they had hoped for, but still produces an acceptable return? If anyone knows how much they reportedly invested in building AK, it might be interesting to compare relative attendance/asset base across parks.

Wouldn't it be nice if Disney would just let us get a peek at the books. Hmmm, wonder if Paul knows what an eBay opportunity he is missing here.

I agree that DinoRama wasn't expensive (rather inexpensive, in fact) but it sticks to the plan.

Was a DinoRama area referenced in the original park plans, or was it a later creation? It would be really interesting to know (at least from a debate about when the change in standards occurred) when this area was designed. Could this current form have been on the books for a long time? I remember going to DAK the second month it was open, but I can’t remember if Chester and Hester were there from the beginning. Ahhh, I do remember the fire breathing dragon on the boat tour, but knew nothing about BK back then.

Just a thought:

A frequent rationale for PW’s minimalistic theming is it needs to be such to evoke that corny, roadside carnival feel. Why, than did they over-theme TS by making it of Aladdin/Dumbo quality? I'm afraid this is just going to confuse people.

 

[HBK]

I see your point HBK, but should Disney just abandon their original idea and forge ahead with designs to make AK some combination of the other three?

YES. Walt didn't sit on DisneyLand until the public was beaten into submission and accepted it. Disneyland was a sucess due to Walt's "Plussing". He didn't ignore problems. He reacted to anything the public didn't get behind.

If any other business decided it should put it's vision ahead of what the customers want, how long do you think that business would stay afloat....much less succeed?

I think AK's woes are much talked about here but I don't believe they're a huge concern to Disney

I think AV would be better suited for this question, but in my guess, I think it's a major problem. The attendance has stagnated in general. The last report I read about it showed Universal catching up in the attendance numbers to DAK.

Another point about the above statement....it shows what kind of disarray the Disney company currently is in when they're anchor is struggling and they can't pay attention to it due to all of the other failures within the company? I mean really, they've got Disasters at DCA, ABC, Feature Animation, the list just goes on and on....quite disturbing state of affairs.

Was a DinoRama area referenced in the original park plans, or was it a later creation? It would be really interesting to know (at least from a debate about when the change in standards occurred) when this area was designed. Could this current form have been on the books for a long time? I remember going to DAK the second month it was open, but I can’t remember if Chester and Hester were there from the beginning. Ahhh, I do remember the fire breathing dragon on the boat tour, but knew nothing about BK back then.

No DinoRama wasn't a part of the plans if my memory serves me correct. I believe the plans did call for a roller coster (the name is escaping me....but it seemed quite clever.)....but it wasn't the off the shelf carny type.

I think Chester & Hester's was there, but I don't remember any type of story really being told there. It just seemed like the gift shop for that area to me....

 

[JeffJewell]

I believe the plans did call for a roller coster (the name is escaping me....but it seemed quite clever.)....

...that you are referring to "The Excavator," a name Disney registered for possible future use.

Some of the theme elements rumored for the Excavator have had some of the "big thrill" aspect removed and been applied to Primeval Whirl, including the "dropping through Dino jaws" bit.

Jeff

 

[HBK]

Thanks Jeff....that was it.

 

[kinlaw6450]

Wow! I was just there in June and it's amazing the changes that have happened in 6 short months!!

 

[Another Voice]

As I understand it – the original concept for the Dinosaur area of Animal Kingdom were in the same vain as the design concepts for Africa and Asia: heightened reality. The Dinosaur was designed as a “dig site” – a scientific camp. It was so renowned that it became the headquarters of the Dinosaur Institute, the “serious” section of the area and home for ‘Countdown to Extinction’. The rest of the area was the dig site itself (the play area), with the fossil prep area (where they prepared the fossil of ‘Sue’), and the housing for the grad students (the restaurant). The Dino Institute opened a “public display” area which was the late, lamented ‘Dinosaur Jubilee’ exhibit.

‘Chester and Hesters’ was nothing but a shop, it’s theme was like the small tourist trap places that seem to sprout up near national parks, the Grand Canyon or any other natural wonder. “Kitschy” and “whimsical’ were not here – just as they are not a part of Africa and Asia sections.

Far from “sticking to their plans” – Dino-Rama represents a complete abandonment of the park’s original goals and mission. And how spinners, carny games and a lego coaster fits in to a “passive, quality” park is a chain of logic I have yet to follow.

Attendance at Animal Kingdom is a huge worry. The goal of the park was to increase the number of visitors to WDW. It failed at that; attendance was just siphoned from the other three parks. Attendance has been declining for two years now and it looks to get worse. The park’s performance on guest surveys show it has very limited “repeat visit” appeal and almost no “novelty” factor. The sad fact is that most people can see an elephant at their local zoo and Disney hasn’t added much to the experience to peak anyone’s interest.

Dino-Rama is not part of a grand master plan, a carefully detailed scheme to balance “filler” attractions with major expansion and to avoid criticism. That’s a good idea, but The Company doesn’t think through things like that these days. Dino-Rama exists because it was the cheapest way the company could check off the “not enough kiddie rides” action item from the executive presentations, it was the smallest effort they could get away with to base a marketing campaign around, and because some accountant rigged a spreadsheet proving that the games would pay for the attractions (a huge benefit when the man with the final say-so sees that world as nothing but a shopping mall).

 

[Safari Steve]

To quote from the description of dinoland from a cast-exclusive document published before DAK opened, Chester and Hester's "...captures the kitsch of roadside America..."

 

[Another Voice]

…which was a quote attributed only to one small shop in one small corner, where kitschy is a polite way of saying “tourist trap”. There was no mention of ring toss games or cotton candy stands or traveling amusement rides.

One should not insert into history the decisions that are made today.