LIVE Chat: Imagineers Working on Seven Dwarfs Ride
The official Disney Parks Blog is hosting a LIVE chat with Imagineers that are currently working on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. You can view the live chat by clicking HERE. here you are some of the highlights:
Let’s begin by talking about Princess Fairytale Hall, since that attraction opens this Wednesday.
- What's the storyline of Princess Fairytale Hall, and how does it fit with the rest of New Fantasyland?
The storyline is that Princess Fairytale Hall is a gift from the king to Cinderella, and it’s a place for her and visiting princesses to meet the subjects of Fantasyland.
- Blog reader Kyle asked, ‘What hidden details are there that might go unnoticed by some guests?’
I would say the storybook collection is a really fun detail.It pays homage to all of our princesses, and that’s why it’s a “fairytale hall” - those books are in there as the seed that started the whole thing.
- Will Fairytale Hall be fast pass ready when it opens. What do you expect average wait times to be?
FastPass will be available over by Peter Pan’s Flight. FastPass+ will also be available.
Now, let’s welcome Imagineer Dave Minichiello and get ready to talk Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
- A lot of our readers are asking if there’s an update on the opening of the Mine Train. Any idea?
We’re looking at 2014 and we haven’t set a date yet. We began push/pull testing. This was a major milestone that we achieved today. It allows the ride team to start moving the ride vehicle by hand, zone by zone, through the attraction. If you’re at Magic Kingdom Park, be sure to take a peek through the construction window to possibly catch a glimpse. That will be ongoing now.
There will be two guests sitting side-by-side, so four people per car.
- How will it compare to an attraction like Big Thunder Mountain?
The Mine Train is developed as a family attraction, so the majority of the family should be able to ride. It’s thrilling but it also combines the best of our classic dark rides. You go both interior and exterior in this attraction. There are some classic Disney dark ride scenes.
- Kimberly from NJ asked about wheelchair accessibility. Any update on that?
Yes, guests traveling in wheelchairs will need to transfer, and each coach will have a transfer-accessible coach.
- Diane asked, ‘Will the Mine Train Ride be OK for little kids, what is the recommended age? Will there be any big drops in the ride?’
The height restriction is 38 inches, which is typical of a lot of our attractions.
- Courtney from NE asked, ‘What techniques have you had to use to make sure the Mine Train blends in seamlessly with New Fantasyland? How exactly do the Imagineers do such a great job transitioning from a French village to a Denmark sea castle to a German mountainside?’ How will you accomplish this visually?
Mine Train is the centerpiece of New Fantasyland. It’s the final piece in the overall construction and what’s dynamic about it is that it’s centered in the land. It’s one of the only attractions we have in the park where you can walk around 80% of the attraction and look into it. What’s really fun is that guests both riding and viewing will have fun watching the attraction. The attraction will create a really amazing kinetic element in the center of the land when you can picture a number of ride vehicles on the track going around at the same time. All the way around it, including the mermaid side, the attraction has a little bit of the flavor of the attraction that’s opposite it.
- How will the storyline of the Mine Train be different than Magic Kingdom's previous ‘Snow White’ attraction, Snow White's Scary Adventures?
The Mine Train is the story of the dwarfs. So it’s going into the dwarfs’ world, but still has characters from the classic films, including Snow White. Because you are in the dwarfs’ mine, you are in their world.
- Blog reader Jackson has a good question, considering that our previous “Snow White” attraction was a traditional dark ride, he asked, “How many dark ride sections can we expect on the ride? I know there is the mine section, but are there anymore?’
The overall adventure is about the interior and exterior. You do go through a number of scenes that are interior and exterior for the storytelling experience.
- Patricia on the blog asked, ‘How big a role will Snow White have in the Mine Train coaster? Will we have an animatronic of her in there, too?’
The storyline is from the dwarfs’ perspective, although there are special appearances - cameos - from other key characters within the film. Just be careful who you take apples from!
- Our reader Patricia also had a good follow-up question, which is, ‘I’ve seen a pretty little cottage in concept art for the ride and have spotted the steel shell of it being built now…and I wonder if that will be a building that guests walk through to get onto the ride.’ Can you tell us?
The cottage appears as an iconic show element within the whole mine train attraction and you will be able to look into the scenes and you see it in the distance as you approach the mine.
- We have time for just one more question. Blog reader Sarah asked ‘Are you reusing any animatronics, statues, or props from Snow White’s Scary Adventures?’
We’re really excited about the new technology that we’ve used in this show, but keep your eye out for old favorites.
- Will Fairytale Hall be fast pass ready when it opens. What do you expect average wait times to be?
FastPass will be available over by Peter Pan’s Flight. FastPass+ will also be available.
Now, let’s welcome Imagineer Dave Minichiello and get ready to talk Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
- A lot of our readers are asking if there’s an update on the opening of the Mine Train. Any idea?
We’re looking at 2014 and we haven’t set a date yet. We began push/pull testing. This was a major milestone that we achieved today. It allows the ride team to start moving the ride vehicle by hand, zone by zone, through the attraction. If you’re at Magic Kingdom Park, be sure to take a peek through the construction window to possibly catch a glimpse. That will be ongoing now.
There will be two guests sitting side-by-side, so four people per car.
- How will it compare to an attraction like Big Thunder Mountain?
The Mine Train is developed as a family attraction, so the majority of the family should be able to ride. It’s thrilling but it also combines the best of our classic dark rides. You go both interior and exterior in this attraction. There are some classic Disney dark ride scenes.
- Kimberly from NJ asked about wheelchair accessibility. Any update on that?
Yes, guests traveling in wheelchairs will need to transfer, and each coach will have a transfer-accessible coach.
- Diane asked, ‘Will the Mine Train Ride be OK for little kids, what is the recommended age? Will there be any big drops in the ride?’
The height restriction is 38 inches, which is typical of a lot of our attractions.
- Courtney from NE asked, ‘What techniques have you had to use to make sure the Mine Train blends in seamlessly with New Fantasyland? How exactly do the Imagineers do such a great job transitioning from a French village to a Denmark sea castle to a German mountainside?’ How will you accomplish this visually?
Mine Train is the centerpiece of New Fantasyland. It’s the final piece in the overall construction and what’s dynamic about it is that it’s centered in the land. It’s one of the only attractions we have in the park where you can walk around 80% of the attraction and look into it. What’s really fun is that guests both riding and viewing will have fun watching the attraction. The attraction will create a really amazing kinetic element in the center of the land when you can picture a number of ride vehicles on the track going around at the same time. All the way around it, including the mermaid side, the attraction has a little bit of the flavor of the attraction that’s opposite it.
- How will the storyline of the Mine Train be different than Magic Kingdom's previous ‘Snow White’ attraction, Snow White's Scary Adventures?
The Mine Train is the story of the dwarfs. So it’s going into the dwarfs’ world, but still has characters from the classic films, including Snow White. Because you are in the dwarfs’ mine, you are in their world.
- Blog reader Jackson has a good question, considering that our previous “Snow White” attraction was a traditional dark ride, he asked, “How many dark ride sections can we expect on the ride? I know there is the mine section, but are there anymore?’
The overall adventure is about the interior and exterior. You do go through a number of scenes that are interior and exterior for the storytelling experience.
- Patricia on the blog asked, ‘How big a role will Snow White have in the Mine Train coaster? Will we have an animatronic of her in there, too?’
The storyline is from the dwarfs’ perspective, although there are special appearances - cameos - from other key characters within the film. Just be careful who you take apples from!
- Our reader Patricia also had a good follow-up question, which is, ‘I’ve seen a pretty little cottage in concept art for the ride and have spotted the steel shell of it being built now…and I wonder if that will be a building that guests walk through to get onto the ride.’ Can you tell us?
The cottage appears as an iconic show element within the whole mine train attraction and you will be able to look into the scenes and you see it in the distance as you approach the mine.
- We have time for just one more question. Blog reader Sarah asked ‘Are you reusing any animatronics, statues, or props from Snow White’s Scary Adventures?’
We’re really excited about the new technology that we’ve used in this show, but keep your eye out for old favorites.
We definitely cannot wait to personally ride the brand-new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. See you in 2014!
One thing that truely bugs me is the generic "2014!!!!111!!" they keep throwing up there.
ReplyDeleteA year is 365 days. It's the equivalent of them saying "eh. its going to open sometime in the next year, I guess."
At least throw a season at us or something...
The seven dwarfs could build this B ticket quicker. they should had just brought back the skyway with enclosed buckets. all ages enjoyed that. what kind of mickey mouse job is this? #epicfail
ReplyDeleteDisney ain't stupid or see Universal. If they opened everything In 2012 guests would moan that they added nothing in 2013,14 and so on. With the Circus area opening mid 2012 and the first part of Fantasyland opening Dec 2012 they knew most guests will be have visited to 2013 at least and they added the meet and greet near the end of the summer season. So to get guests to come back next year they add the mine coaster. Which would keep families with young children happy for at least the next 5 years when I guess they will add new attractions to Tomorrowland.
ReplyDeleteThey next 2 big Projects is Avator and Star wars land
@Chris They don't tell a date because otherwise people start planning their vacation around the opening. They rather have you come and miss it and have to come back another time then plan for it's opening.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDelete"B ticket"? This isn't Tarzan's Treehouse. The roller coaster technology in this attraction is more advanced than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, an attraction which has long been considered an E-Ticket, and is in fact, smaller than the Snow White Mine Train (according to satellite photos).
Mark,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't looking specifically for a date.
Even Q2 2013 is vague enough.
Disney has not built a true E ticket in almost 10 years. Gift shops and time shares are the only magic they build. Thunder mountain might had been an E ticket in 1980 but it is not anymore. Wow this dinky kids coaster that has been being built for almost three years is more advanced then a 1980's roller coaster. It is no Harry Potter only Universal can make rides like that now.
ReplyDelete