DL/DCA/Lilo & Stitch updates

[raidermatt]

Al Lutz's 3/28 Update

His cynicism aside, there is some good info in here, particularly with regard to Splash. And again, if upgraded restraints are required at DL, they're likely to be required at MK.

This is the first negative reports I've seen about L & S. Is there something to this, or is Lutz just talking to the few "grumps" in the crowd?

Still sounds like management may not quite "get" the real issues with DCA, or if they do, they still think they can use quick fixes, like putting in a L&S character meet.

I thought the Soap Opera Bistro was a bad idea from day 1...

 

[toefungus]

NO WAY should they put shoulder restraints on Splash Mountain. There's no need for it. All they need it a seatbelt and a lap bar. If they put on shoulder restraints, it would take forever to load, it it would just be overkill. Only rollercoasters that go upsidown need shoulder restraints. Splash Mountain doesn't!!

 

[raidermatt]

If Lutz is correct, Disney lawyers are at least strongly recommending some type of shoulder restraint, though he sounded less firm about that in this update.

Keep in mind that a lady fell out of a flume type ride at Knott's Berry Farm and was killed. The ride did have some kind of lap bar. I do believe that ride has a steeper drop than Splash, but it could be at least part of what is making Disney lawyers so cautious.

 

[larworth]

One has to assume that some of the recent Disney settlements must have been pretty big for the lawyers to get this conservative. It seems silly to even think about putting OTSR on Splash, especially when others are actually taking looping coasters and replacing their OTSR with lap bars.

It makes sense from an engineering standpoint to do one (DL) and than the other (WDW) to see how things turn out. However, what happens in the interim is someone gets hurt at WDW? Do they have a bigger claim since they can say it was clear it was unsafe (based on DL retrofit ) or does the law allow for some practicality provision here.

 

[raidermatt]

Do they have a bigger claim since they can say it was clear it was unsafe (based on DL retrofit ) or does the law allow for some practicality provision here.

I'm not a legal expert, but I'd say it would make Disney look worse in the eyes of the law. If they in anyway acknowledge a ride may not be 100% safe, yet they do not shut it down until they are sure, a claim would have more validity than it would otherwise.

That's probably why Disney is not really saying anything about what they are doing. Its clear that whatever they are doing, its taking much more time than they had originally planned. No way they wanted Splash closed through Spring Break, and possibly into the summer.

 

[Testtrack321]

This is pathetic. The lady was well over 250+ lbs, and it was Knot's Perolus Plunge, a river ride. It features bigger boats, more like Jurrassic Park. It had lap restraints, but the drop is 70 degrees! This is weird, because Hypersonic XLC has a lap bar (and if you ever seen it, you can't imagine it with one). A sholder harness is awfull and pretty soon we will have to idiot proof the parks. We will have no water, since someone could drown in it, we won't have and rollercoasters, because someone might climb out, we won't have trains because someone might get hit!

 

[MissScarlet]

Couldn't Lilo and Stitch fit better into the hollywood backlot at the least. Pretend it is the hollywood premier of the movie or something?

Yeah and about the restaurants in CA, what place is open to buy food? Are they trying to starve us? I thought they wanted us to spend money.

I say they get rid of CA Start over and build a new and improved MGM! (I love MGM) All that is interesting in California are the beaches and Hollywood (and Disneyland!) There isn't anything else here that you can't find anywhere else or make an amusment park out of.

Oh about Critter country is Winnie the Pooh all that's gonna be in it? Seems kinda pointless. If they would have kept Country Bear maybe being right next to winnie the pooh would have brought it more people. You know waiting for thier fast pass time.

Yay! Just some ideas
I hope i don't sound mean. I love Disneyland I have been there millions of times they could just use a little help right now.
Thanks for reading

 

[Bob O]

From what ive read about the knotts berry farm accident it was the parks fault for letting a patron on the ride who was too big too ride it safely. Shoulder restraints would be a dumb idea. Even on some coasters that have loops(inverted) they are getting rid of overhead restaints and going with a lapbar to make the ride smoother. Paramounts parks have gotten rid of shoulder restarints on the Outer Limits flight of fear coasters and supposedly the ride is a lot better that way and other parks are thinking of following suit.

 

[Panthius]

Disney Legal is justing doing its best to guard against humanity's own stupidity and, twisted desire to sue other for that same stupidity.

thedscoop, I think you have hit the nail on the head. To avoid paying through the nose later due to humanity's lawsuit-happy ways, they are trying to prevent anything from happening to give people that opportunity.





While this may make the experience for us different, it beats having to pay for the $500 million that Disney (and by extesnion, it's guests) would have to pay for one of these lawsuits.








Panthius

 

[Another Voice]

The changes to Disneyland’s ‘Splash Mountain’ have little to do with potential lawsuits. After the accident at Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland’s inept dealings with the Cal-OSHA, Disney is simply trying to keep one step ahead of the state regulators. The changes that Disney will put in will be cheaper than any changes that the state might mandate.

 

[raidermatt]

Here's someone who thinks Splash will not have any new restraints put in.

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID111110.asp

Maybe he's right, but that would mean either:

1- The rumors about the Disney lawyers' mandate are false
2- The lawyers were persuaded otherwise, or overrulled


We shall see. Hopefully sanity prevails and the ride truly is deemed to be safe without restraints, or only something simple like a seatbelt.

 

[YoHo]

Just to quickely change the subject, I reread Lutz's comments on Lilo & Stitch. He very specifically says that these were managment and studio people's reactions. Perhaps the same people who have been saying Feature Animation is stupid when the television group is cheaper?

Somehow, on this one, I don't think I can trust what the managment thinks.

 

[MikePezz]

Yoho, I complete agree. Management definately is not the creative vertex of Disney at this point. Frankly, those few creative minds in animation and imagineering get my vote. From what I understand, those in animation are very pleased with this movie (unlike past releases where initial plots and storylines had to be drastically changed due to management intervention). Let us all hope that this movie sparks a revival of Disney originality. THINK OUT OF THE BOX!

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Scoop I agree with you 110% on our society being overly litigious. I hope we can discuss this further if i can make the may11 meet.