Pirates in Shanghai
May 25, 2016 1:00 PM Subscribe
After watching the on-ride video of POTC, your first thought may have been the same as mine: “How did they do that?”
It looked like video screens to me (except the jack sparrow/skeleton part). What was I missing?
posted by mrnutty at 2:23 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mrnutty at 2:23 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hmm my first thought was really, "I'd probably enjoy this if I wasn't going through the ride with 30 cell phone screens in front of me".
But then again I'm also the kind of person that fully supports bands stopping sets or kicking people out if they can't leave their phone in their pockets.
posted by efalk at 2:27 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
But then again I'm also the kind of person that fully supports bands stopping sets or kicking people out if they can't leave their phone in their pockets.
posted by efalk at 2:27 PM on May 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Haven't been to the original Disneyland in, uh, thirty years, but POTC was always one of my favorite rides as a kid. This looks great.
It looked like video screens to me (except the jack sparrow/skeleton part). What was I missing?
It's some pretty impressive video screens/projection tech, plus delicate synchronization in regards to the boats.
Skeleton Sparrow to Depp Sparrow is a really nifty piece of sleight-of-hand.
posted by thomas j wise at 2:49 PM on May 25, 2016
It looked like video screens to me (except the jack sparrow/skeleton part). What was I missing?
It's some pretty impressive video screens/projection tech, plus delicate synchronization in regards to the boats.
Skeleton Sparrow to Depp Sparrow is a really nifty piece of sleight-of-hand.
posted by thomas j wise at 2:49 PM on May 25, 2016
Okay, the double-bogey boat and its rotation track is absolute genius.
posted by Spatch at 3:47 PM on May 25, 2016
posted by Spatch at 3:47 PM on May 25, 2016
Oh god ridethrough videos of amazing unique rides are my catnip. There goes the rest of my evening....
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:46 PM on May 25, 2016
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:46 PM on May 25, 2016
It was pretty good, but I just have to say:
WE WANTS THE REDHEAD!
posted by radwolf76 at 6:46 PM on May 25, 2016
WE WANTS THE REDHEAD!
posted by radwolf76 at 6:46 PM on May 25, 2016
Haven't been to the original Disneyland in, uh, thirty years, but POTC was always one of my favorite rides as a kid.
I went back to DL for the first time in about 25 years a couple of years ago, on a whirlwind tour of both DL and CA with a couple of guys who work for Disney. Got to see a lot of new rides and updates of old rides. I have to say, I found the Johnny Depp overlay over the old POTC ride felt intrusive and unwelcome to me. Although the Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow animatronic figures were really really good. Like, zero uncanny valley from the distance viewed on the boats. Otherwise, I felt like they had ruined one of my favorite rides in favor of pandering to movie audiences.
(The Radiator Springs Racers ride was pretty excellent, and the Soarin' Over California ride was utterly exhilarating. Those are both in CA.)
posted by hippybear at 12:30 AM on May 26, 2016
I went back to DL for the first time in about 25 years a couple of years ago, on a whirlwind tour of both DL and CA with a couple of guys who work for Disney. Got to see a lot of new rides and updates of old rides. I have to say, I found the Johnny Depp overlay over the old POTC ride felt intrusive and unwelcome to me. Although the Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow animatronic figures were really really good. Like, zero uncanny valley from the distance viewed on the boats. Otherwise, I felt like they had ruined one of my favorite rides in favor of pandering to movie audiences.
(The Radiator Springs Racers ride was pretty excellent, and the Soarin' Over California ride was utterly exhilarating. Those are both in CA.)
posted by hippybear at 12:30 AM on May 26, 2016
Here's a link to more, better quality videos of Pirates.
posted by Fleebnork at 3:51 AM on May 26, 2016
posted by Fleebnork at 3:51 AM on May 26, 2016
Disney launched another interesting ride system at Hong Kong Disneyland with Mystic Manor.
There's some cool show tech going on there as well.
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:56 AM on May 26, 2016
There's some cool show tech going on there as well.
posted by JoeZydeco at 4:56 AM on May 26, 2016
And can I just add that there's some world-class manipulation of expectations in play here? Like, the progression through the opening of the ride is
* I'm on a boat
* Oh good, here's a jerky animatronic in a pirate diorama, I know this ride well
* HOLY SHIT WITCHCRAFT
* OK that was cool, back to stiff animatronics waving their arms, guess we know where the budget went
* OMFG WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE
Super cool they seem to have been really thoughtful about narrative structure, and not just invented awesome tech and called it a day.
posted by range at 7:21 AM on May 26, 2016
* I'm on a boat
* Oh good, here's a jerky animatronic in a pirate diorama, I know this ride well
* HOLY SHIT WITCHCRAFT
* OK that was cool, back to stiff animatronics waving their arms, guess we know where the budget went
* OMFG WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE
Super cool they seem to have been really thoughtful about narrative structure, and not just invented awesome tech and called it a day.
posted by range at 7:21 AM on May 26, 2016
Yes, the narrative structure is what really sets Disney attractions apart from their competitors. While I haven't sampled widely in non-Disney theme parks, I visited Knotts on my last trip to Anaheim, and the difference is stark. California Screamin' is just a plain old roller coaster, but it plays up a sense of anticipation and suspense throughout the ride, versus something like Silver Bullet at Knotts, which, thrilling though it is, applies extreme violence to your body to no apparent end.
The Knotts mine train ride has extremely sophisticated animatronics and gorgeous sets, but compared to Pirates of the Caribbean, it's just a bunch of old guys scratching in the dirt for no reason.
posted by chrchr at 8:01 AM on May 26, 2016
The Knotts mine train ride has extremely sophisticated animatronics and gorgeous sets, but compared to Pirates of the Caribbean, it's just a bunch of old guys scratching in the dirt for no reason.
posted by chrchr at 8:01 AM on May 26, 2016
Yes, the narrative structure is what really sets Disney attractions apart from their competitors.
Sadly, I think some of that gets lost at Disney now because you're blowing through the queue are with the Fast Passes. Part of the pre-show used to be built into that waiting area.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:51 AM on May 26, 2016
Sadly, I think some of that gets lost at Disney now because you're blowing through the queue are with the Fast Passes. Part of the pre-show used to be built into that waiting area.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:51 AM on May 26, 2016
I'm not sure which Disney park you're referring to, but many of the queues at WDW Magic Kingdom have received themed upgrades. The parks are crowded enough these days that even with a Fastpass you'll be standing in the queue a bit, unless you're there first thing in the morning at rope drop.
posted by Fleebnork at 6:47 AM on May 27, 2016
posted by Fleebnork at 6:47 AM on May 27, 2016
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Can't wait for the "pro" ride video people to ride and capture better video as I'm unlikely to see this ride in the flesh anytime soon. Damn, first time I've really wanted to go to one of the China parks. Thanks for sharing!
posted by town of cats at 2:16 PM on May 25, 2016