Mountain Range: my 10 year plan

[tiki]

I think everyone can agree with me that the Matterhorn is in dire need of a Space treatment, shut it down for 2 to 3 years, replace the track. If you've been on it lately, you know how out of shape the track is in, pretty much every foot or so there's a huge BUMP, I've ridden WAY smoother rides on wooden roller coasters, that's sad.

And, of course, we need some new effects in there. I really think they should completely enclose the mountain, it would not only make for some interesting opprotunites, what about a possible avalanche? But also, I think one of the faults of the Matterhorn is because you get these great views, it also kind of distracts from the ride itself, I think with a little work, if they did a Matterhorn refurb say, 2008-2010, it would bring it up to the standards of Disney E tickets, because as it stands right now, the ride is probably a lower D/upper C, pretty pathetic.

So, as the title of this thread inclines, I have a whole schedule of Mountain refurbs to bring each ride up to grasp, this is a, shall we say, 10 year plan for all four Mountains, and it goes as followed

late 2007 to early 2009: Matterhorn refurb

late 2009 to early 2011: Big Thunder Mountain refurb

late 2011 to early 2013: Splash Mountain refurb

2013 to 2015: Space Mountain refurb

Now, before you scream that Space doesn't need another refurb, just rememeber that once 2013 rolls around, it will of been a good near-10 years since the last one.

So, now for the laundry list of improvements

Matterhorn-fill in holes, add more effects, update Harold, avalanch and falling icicles could make very interesting show scenes

Big Thunder Mountain-re do the queue, this time it's in an actual building, similar to Indy, except in a Mine instead of a temple. Add some bigger show scenes, some ideas include for me, a frightening Bat encounter at the first tunnel (the inital plunge into darkness), a dinamite explosion taking place in the tunnel before Lift 2, and a new and improved earthquake room, of course, the tracks and cars would also be upgraded.

Splash Mountain-the priority of this refurb is to widen the flume to accompany 16 passenger logs, the main problem for this ride is that it has a realatively low compacity, bringing it up to Pirates standards could turn 2 hour waits in the summer into 30 minute waits, quite an achievement indeed. As for the ride itself, just overall repainting, and such, maybe replace the cardboard cut outs that are supposed to look like grass with actual 3 dimension props, water on the lift to look like waterfalls (ala MK's splash) and replacing some AA's (you've gotta admit, in five+ years, those America Sings figures are going to start showing some age)

Space Mountain-More is better, more stars, MORE projects, MORE show scenes, the big problem with Space is that it's one giant showroom as opossed to memorable moments. What about commets, astroids, perhaps a prop of a space ship, an AA alien, thousands of possobilities, let the new effects be the priority this time around, and not replacing the track.

So there you have it, my master plan for the Mountains

EDIT: oops, sorry, I guess this belongs in the Imagineering thread, my bad

[Iframedroger R]

Matterhorn needs a queue building, like an underground Ice Cave.

[ismael flores]

although adding capacity to Splash would be good, i hope they never consider widening the flume.

A wider flume means that the show scenes would have to be altered. Turns would need a wider radius. If that was to happen some of the show scenes would have to be dramatically reduced and at times maybe even removed.


I agree that the Mattehorn needs some refurb. Michael has mentioned that everytime they shut it down a new section of track is replaced. Also i have mentioned before just like Iframe the attraction needs a queue area. The best location would be the old motorboat cruise area.

The whole area should be filled in and a new village built. The area is large enough to turn it into another new orleans style village that would be themed to its surrounding attraction. The matterhorn. a themed building with added props telling the story of the yeti could be built and then a covered bridge built over matterhorn way (the bridge would be part of the building) connecting it to the existing covered queue area.

Basically it could be the equivalent of the queue area and village of Expedition Everest.

[Homer]

I pretty much disagree with everything said. Yes, the Matterhorn might need a big rehab but I don't know what a track replacement will honestly do, if the track is still fine (but bumpy) there is no need to change it. All I think they need are new bobsleds because the ones now look like campy 70's taboggans.

Big Thunder doesn't need a rehab at all in my opinion. The ride is fine and enhancements would be nice but not worth shutting the ride down for 2 years.

Splash Mountain has undergone rehabs in the past and only really needs general maintenance or small enhancements in no more than a month of down time.

Space Mountain is fine right now, and in 2013, it will probably still be fine. General maintenance is all it would probably need.

[ismael flores]

well i'm guessing that if Space mountain needed a new track after certain amount of years, Matterhorn which will be forty will need it too. You could only patch up these tracks before they need replacing.

[cardboardroom]

well i'm guessing that if Space mountain needed a new track after certain amount of years, Matterhorn which will be forty will need it too. You could only patch up these tracks before they need replacing.

The Matterhorn is 47 years old.

Anyways, I don't think Space Mountain is going to require a long refurb ten years after it already had one. The next time they give it a major refurb like that it will probably have become severely less thrilling (people even complain about it now) that they will probably just design a completely new track. And if they did do something like that, it probably wouldn't be for at least 20 years or so.

[Imousineer]

I disagree with the Matterhorn track needing replacement. It was designed to be a bumpy ride. I do agree that they could replace the vehicles to be a little more comfortable though. The tracks have previously been replaced as a whole and like what someone stated earlier, they replace sections each year when it goes down for refurb. I like the idea of plussing it out with some of the yeti stuff (village queue and covered walkway, update animatronics), but don't fill the holes. I like the waterfalls, and Tiki's storyline falls apart, how is there ice, avalanche inside a closed mountain? Not picking on Tiki, just playing devils advocate.

Space can't be plussed with too many more lighted effects or you lose the thrill of darkness (the only "thrill" on this ride). As cool as it seems, it's not that cool of a ride when you can see the tracks. The feeling of speed is gone, and you know where all the turns and dips are coming. There is no repeatability after the first few times through. They could do a little more with the queue though.

I don't think they can widen the flume on splash without re-engineering the whole building and mountain. From watching the video about the designing and construction of DL's Splash, I don't see how it would be possible. Then again, I'm no engineer.

Thunder is coming up on 30 years of operation. I can see how they may want to upgrade and plus this ride. Though didn't they upgrade some of the systems during and after the tragedy years?

[smitty-78]

Matterhorn needs a queue building, like an underground Ice Cave.

Now that would be cool just like how A BUGS LIFE show has it underground.

[smitty-78]

Splash Mountain-the priority of this refurb is to widen the flume to accompany 16 passenger logs, the main problem for this ride is that it has a realatively low compacity, bringing it up to Pirates standards could turn 2 hour waits in the summer into 30 minute waits, quite an achievement indeed. As for the ride itself, just overall repainting, and such, maybe replace the cardboard cut outs that are supposed to look like grass with actual 3 dimension props, water on the lift to look like waterfalls (ala MK's splash) and replacing some AA's (you've gotta admit, in five+ years, those America Sings figures are going to start showing some age)

I realy like the idea of having a bigger log for more passengers so it won't be such a long of a wait for the ride

[tiki]

I disagree with the Matterhorn track needing replacement. It was designed to be a bumpy ride. I do agree that they could replace the vehicles to be a little more comfortable though. The tracks have previously been replaced as a whole and like what someone stated earlier, they replace sections each year when it goes down for refurb. I like the idea of plussing it out with some of the yeti stuff (village queue and covered walkway, update animatronics), but don't fill the holes. I like the waterfalls, and Tiki's storyline falls apart, how is there ice, avalanche inside a closed mountain? Not picking on Tiki, just playing devils advocate.

it's designed to be bumpy, but not headache inducing, which is the state it's in now, there can be other ways to simulate bumpy terrain, maybe have a few sections with some bumbs in the tracks, or something like that, but really, I think a smoother ride is what this ride severly needs.

As for the storyline, it's called suspending disbelieve, I mean that's like saying how can you have a night sky in a building, or how come it's raining in the Tiki Room but when you go outside, it's not raining? That doesn't make much sense

An acalanche, alright, I could see that as hard to pull off, btu there could be a section where you see snow rushing towards you and, ala Indy, you make an unexpected drop, avoiding it. And, FYI, there ARE ice crystals in caves.