11 Theme Park Flubs (2 Kings Island rides!)

[bkroz]

http://www.themeparktourist.com/features/20140609/18440/11-infamously-flubbed-and-failed-attractions?page=0,0

A list of the 11 biggest attraction flubs and failures. Wouldn't ya know it, two Kings Island rides make the list. Can you guess which 2?

[upstop]

_{Fun article. I feel sorry for those who never got to experience the original Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter. That is one ride I would LOVE to see duplicated at Kings Island. Maybe that big brown box could house something similar some day.}

[jdawg1998]

What's King's Island? And why would you love to see it there?

[upstop]

Darn it! LOL (corrected now.)

[jdawg1998]

Interesting article. It seems like Disney makes a lot of mess-ups. Didn't realize California Adventure was such a bad park before. I also didn't know Islands of Adventure had bad attendance! It's amazing how fast they grew in just 15 years!

[purdude86]

_{Fun article. I feel sorry for those who never got to experience the original Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter. That is one ride I would LOVE to see duplicated at Kings Island. Maybe that big brown box could house something similar some day.}

That would actually be a pretty cool type of ride to put in there. The Stitch replacement is fun but it's got nothing on the original version.

Also can't tell if the article is saying that Tomb Raider/Crypt was a failure due to pulling the theme and wearing the ride out or was a failure in general. Seems to be praising the ride as Tomb Raider then talksa bout gutting the attraction and wearing it out with the intense ride cycle.

[bkroz]

^ Correct. Great ride, ended up quite a flub.

- The author. Hahah!

[calakapepe]

Wait. Soo... Did Tomb Raider/ The Crypt get led to failure because of the loss of the capacity? Like an off center rotation and the attempt to make it more intense to compensate for the loss of theming?

I've understood it to be removed as it simply became less and less popular, but what led it to no longer have the kind of ride cycle as initially given, or the one that was used towards early The Crypt life?

[bkroz]

Well *I'M* definitely not sure. Observationally and anecdotally, it seems that the ride just blasted right through it's shelf life by running such an intense program. I have no doubt that HUSS oversaw and approved the removal of the front row, but doing that HAD to affect the ride, right? And that cycle was brought on by a need to exchange theme for thrill.

Just because B happens after A doesn't mean A caused B, but it seems to me that the more intense program took its toll (back then it was said that the ride was "tearing itself apart") to such an extent that it had to operate that lame, 45 second, 2 flip cycle there at the end.

It's popularity definitely decreased and that's a nice excuse for removal, but that's definitely not the whole reason or even most of it. Compared Tomb Raider to The Crypt 2012 and it's obvious the ride was on its last leg in terms of hardware, and I doubt it's re-ride numbers were up there.

EDIT: Notice no one ever again bought a HUSS Giant Top Spin. In fact, they don't offer it anymore on their website.

[TombRaiderFTW]

Great article as usual, goodyellowkorn!

One thing I notice more and more as I ride more HUSS Top Spins: When the ride stops, the arms and gondola are "at rest"--that is, if there were a blackout, the ride wouldn't move anywhere due to gravity. The arms are vertical, and the bottom of the gondola is parallel to the ground. In converting Tomb Raider: The Ride into The Crypt, the three-row gondola--with a center of gravity presumably in the middle of the middle row--had its front row removed. The center of gravity would then be shifted toward the back, meaning that the ride will naturally rest with the gondola tilted upwards. This means that the motors will have to work harder at just about every moment of operation (and perhaps even when not--I don't know what shutting down a Giant Top Spin entailed) to ensure that the gondola is properly upright, including during load/unload. Furthermore, the platforms on standard or Suspended Top Spins simply rise up and down from underneath the ride as needed, rather than requiring proper alignment with lowering walkways on either side of the gondola. I don't remember why that would have been, but I also seem to recall the arms not being perfectly vertical during load/unload in the Crypt era... It's not too much of a stretch to imagine that the ride's Crypt period sped up its demise.

[homestar92]

Before checking the list, I'm guessing that the two flubs are Enchanted Voyage and The Beast? Nobody liked those dumb rides, right?

[silver2005]

I have a question regarding the ride. Why did they change the program from the original Tomb Raider program in the first place?

[bkroz]

I have a question regarding the ride. Why did they change the program from the original Tomb Raider program in the first place?

The ride program for Tomb Raider was essentially a moving theatre meant to tell a story. Given that The Crypt took place with no synchronized music or special effects, keeping the Tomb Raider cycle wouldn't make much sense.

Slowly lift up to where the goddess was and stare at a black wall... Stop facing up at a bare ceiling... Hang over blank lava pits. There was no longer a story to tell, so the theatrical cycle was useless. They compensated for that loss with the ultra-intense 9-flip cycle...

[jzarley]

_{Fun article. I feel sorry for those who never got to experience the original Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter. That is one ride I would LOVE to see duplicated at Kings Island. Maybe that big brown box could house something similar some day.}

Totally agree! I don't think I've ever laughed so hard as I did in that ride! It was such a simple concept, but really effective in its delivery. (Granted, it was just some special effects in the dark...and you didn't even move, but was a hoot.)

Another simple (and somewhat similar concept) that I thought worked very well was a ride at Carowinds that was supposed to be the inside of a ship...you sat on a flat bench in the center of the room, and the outside walls moved around you. You absolutely felt like you were turning upside down, even though you never actually moved. It was wild! (Does anyone recall what that ride was called...I probably rode it around 1992 or 93...no idea if it's still there or not...)

[Magenta Lizard]

I've somewhat-purposefully tried to avoid learning too much about Tomb Raider, which was installed and removed during the time I was living in another state and not going to Kings Island. Now that I've read a full description, I am terribly jealous of everyone who ever got to ride it!

[bkroz]

Wow really?! Watch the videos provided in the article too!

[Monroe]

Considering the two "flubbs" from King's Island lasted longer or just as long as the others, I don't see this being negative at all. It only shows that they are dedicated to there customers, and they will put forth every effort to provide a safe and enjoyable park. There are parks that have had much worse flubbs than any of these, you just don't hear about them because the parks are not very popular.

[Ride On_17]

Failures can only lead to successes. Much can be learned from a failed attraction.

[Monroe]

Gene was a very wise man, very wise.

[RailRider]

Amazing Disney is what it is today after all the years with Eisner at the helm. The 90's through his end with the company was nothing more than the company trying to make a money grab off the Disney name with no real thought or effort in to their products. Look at the parks and additions during that time, many are listed in the article listed. No wonder Iger is so cautious about in park development.

[APE]

Good lord I never realized Tomb Raider: The Ride was 20 million. I didn't care for it with its full theming. That was a waste to me.

[RollerNut]

_{Fun article. I feel sorry for those who never got to experience the original Extraterrorestrial Alien Encounter. That is one ride I would LOVE to see duplicated at Kings Island. Maybe that big brown box could house something similar some day.}

Totally agree! I don't think I've ever laughed so hard as I did in that ride! It was such a simple concept, but really effective in its delivery. (Granted, it was just some special effects in the dark...and you didn't even move, but was a hoot.)

Another simple (and somewhat similar concept) that I thought worked very well was a ride at Carowinds that was supposed to be the inside of a ship...you sat on a flat bench in the center of the room, and the outside walls moved around you. You absolutely felt like you were turning upside down, even though you never actually moved. It was wild! (Does anyone recall what that ride was called...I probably rode it around 1992 or 93...no idea if it's still there or not...)

Blackbeard's Revenge....Arrow Dynamics Magic Room.....1985-1999....Replaced by Flying Super Saturator.

[westcoaster]

great article find, flubs, mistakes can prosper into the best of the next great thing for sure.

[The Interpreter]

Find? Our original poster not only found the article, he knows the author well and meets with him on a daily basis....

[Gabe]

Amazing Disney is what it is today after all the years with Eisner at the helm. The 90's through his end with the company was nothing more than the company trying to make a money grab off the Disney name with no real thought or effort in to their products. Look at the parks and additions during that time, many are listed in the article listed. No wonder Iger is so cautious about in park development.

Don't be so quick to poo poo Eisner. But for him, Disney would likely have been sold to a foreign consortium. Eisner was responsible for the installation of E-ticket attractions like Tower of Terror and Rock N Roller Coaster. He tried to improve the Studios and improved the park's cash flow. Not to mention ushering in the second Golden Age of Animation with Katzenberg as head of Animation. Yes, he was a brash, abrasive and often termpermental leader, but I think he did way more good than harm. You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.

[bkroz]

Eisner did wonders for Disney early on, and made a lot of mistakes near the end of his time with the company.

He helped breathe new life into the company's studio division (coming to Disney from being chairman of Paramount) and greenlit many of the "Renaissance" Disney films we know and love, rebooting the fairy tale films. He also set up a lot of strategic alliances. It was Eisner's idea - against the insistence of many - to reach outside Disney's catalogue and bring in George Lucas for Alien Encounter, Captain EO, Star Tours, and Indiana Jones Adventure. He aggressively expanded the parks early on and spared no expense for star-power to back his attractions. He also commissioned the building of Disney's Hollywood Studios (which many industry insiders claimed was a very purposeful jab at Universal, whose upcoming Florida project he would've known about as head of Paramount).

The turning point seemed to be the Disney Decade. Most of the plans for that era fell through, and what actually got built backfired. He built up a team around him who leaned heavily toward finances. Eisner's original plan was for Disney's California Adventure to not be built by Imagineers AT ALL, but by the division who built Downtown Disney shopping, dining, and retail areas. Imagineers snuck into the project and got a few things done, but that's why Disney's California Adventure, Walt Disney Studios Park, and Disney's Animal Kingdom were big on restaurants, short on attractions and have all suffered for it since.

Eisner had a very public feud with the last Disney family member left on the company's board. He also built up such tensions with Pixar, that the studio planned to separate from Disney and distribute its films elsewhere, with Disney very antagonistically sort of saying "I dare you" to Pixar and committing to Pixar-free sequels of Monsters Inc. and Toy Story.

He eventually left the company a year before his contract expired and willingly gave up the perks he was allowed, like a corporate jet and a cushy office at Disney's headquarters in Burbank.

His COO, Bob Iger, took over as CEO and managed tidy up. Obviously he reversed the huge budget cuts in the parks division, got some entertainment-minded folks into lofty positions, bought Pixar outright, and acquired LucasFilm and Marvel, which will go down in history as some of the smartest acquisitions in the entertainment industry, I bet.

[Gabe]

I think some of Eisner's problems were compounded by the loss of Wells, who was to him what Roy was to Walt--the man who was tasked with putting the $ into the big ideas put forth by his boss. The ensuing internal turmoil that led to Katzenberg's departure (after being passed over for the job in favor of Ovitz) caused a lot of stress. Ovitz wasn't even remotely qualified for the job and soon found himself trying to make himself seem bigger than Eisner. Eisner was a forward thinker--he was the brainchild for SchoolHouse Rock at ABC--but like some houseguests, they wear out their welcome after a time. I was on the College Program at the height of Eisner's tenure and was lucky enough to meet the man during a Give Kids the World park event in 1993. Even though I was a lowly intern, he took several minutes to discuss with me what I liked/disliked about the resort and appreciated my feedback. I think Iger has the company on the right path and hope to see continued great things from him down the line.

[RailRider]

I guess I tend to take Roy E. Disney's viewpoint and as some of you mention, the first few years were very good under Eisner but towards the end the parks and company became soulless and more interested in a quick buck than the end product. This is why so many parks were built during this time that were only half finished, shopping and dinning and very few rides. I attached a copy of Roy Disney's letter of resignation and it makes a very clear point of Eisner's short fallings towards the end of his tenure.

Dear Michael:

It is with deep sadness and regret that I send you this letter of resignation from the Walt Disney Company, both as Chairman of the Feature Animation Division and as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

You well know that you and I have had serious differences of opinion about the direction and style of management in the Company in recent years. For whatever reason, you have driven a wedge between me and those I work with even to the extent of requiring some of my associates to report my conversations and activities back to you. I find this intolerable.

Finally, you discussed with the Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors its decision to leave my name off the slate of directors to be elected in the coming year, effectively muzzling my voice on the Board—much as you did with Andrea Van de Kamp last year.

Michael, I believe your conduct has resulted from my clear and unambiguous statements to you and to the Board of Directors that after 19 years at the helm you are no longer the best person to run the Walt Disney Company. You had a very successful first 10-plus years at the company in partnership with Frank Wells, for which I salute you. But, since Frank’s untimely death in 1994, the Company has lost it focus, its creative energy, and its heritage.

As I have said, and as Stanley Gold has documented in letters to you and other members of the Board, this Company, under your leadership has failed during the last seven years in many ways:

1. The failure to bring back ABC Prime Time from the ratings abyss it has been in for years and your inability to program successfully the ABC Family Channel. Both of these failures have had, and I believe will continue to have, significant adverse impact on shareholder value.

2. Your consistent micro-management of everyone around you with the resulting loss of morale throughout this Company.

3. The timidity of your investments in our theme park business. At Disney’s California Adventure, Paris and now in Hong Kong, you have tried to build parks “on the cheap” and they show it and the attendance figures reflect it.

4. The perception by all of our stakeholders-consumers, investors, employees, distributors and suppliers—that the Company is rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the “quick buck” rather than long-term value which is leading to a loss of public trust.

5. The creative brain drain of the last several years, which is real and continuing, and damages our Company with the loss of every talented employee.

6. Your failure to establish and build constructive relationships with creative partners, especially Pixar, Miramax, and the cable companies distributing our products.

7. Your consistent refusal to establish a clear succession plan.

In conclusion, Michael, it is my sincere belief that it is you who should be leaving and not me. Accordingly, I once again call for your resignation or retirement. The Walt Disney Company deserves fresh, energetic leadership at this challenging time in its history just as it did in 1984 when I headed a restructuring which resulted in your recruitment to the Company.

I have and will always have an enormous allegiance and respect for this Company, founded by my uncle, Walt, and father, Roy, and to our faithful employees and loyal stockholders. I don’t know if you and other directors can comprehend how painful it is for me and the extended Disney family to arrive at this decision.

In accordance with Item 6 of Form 8-K and Item 7 of Schedule 14A, I request that you disclose this letter and that you file a copy of this letter as an exhibit to a Company Form 8-K.

With sincere regret,

/s/ Roy E. Disney

cc: Board of Directors

[emileeee]

Alien Encounter was my dad's favorite when we lived in Tampa and had Disney passes. It's a shame I was six years old and too tiny to ride anything. I would've loved a alien Encounter.

(Weird to think that I've been in Montu's station a dozen times and I've never even ridden it. Curse you parent swap.)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[emileeee]

Alien Encounter was my dad's favorite when we lived in Tampa and had Disney passes. It's a shame I was six years old and too tiny to ride anything. I would've loved Alien Encounter.

(Weird to think that I've been in Montu's station a dozen times and I've never even ridden it. Curse you parent swap.)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk