Splash Mountain Paris !!!

[milo_vhw]

On MiceAge there was an article about why there is no version of Splash Mountain in Disneyland Paris. The reason was that the weather wasn't appropriate. Visitors get wet and it's often cold in Europe so they get sick.

I think that's complete bull. I want a Splash Mountain in Paris!!! There are plenty of Splash Mountain alike water rides in Europe (all Six Flags parks, Walibi's, WB Movie World have one) and they are all very successful. I enjoy them very much and think it will be great to ride such a ride with all the Disney magic.
There's also plenty of room in the Disneyland Park (Frontierland), so please Karl Holz make us happy!

Who's with me...

[Speedway]

Originally Posted by milo_vhw

On MiceAge there was an article about why there is no version of Splash Mountain in Disneyland Paris. The reason was that the weather wasn't appropriate. Visitors get wet and it's often cold in Europe so they get sick.

I think that's complete bull. I want a Splash Mountain in Paris!!! There are plenty of Splash Mountain alike water rides in Europe (all Six Flags parks, Walibi's, WB Movie World have one) and they are all very successful. I enjoy them very much and think it will be great to ride such a ride with all the Disney magic.
There's also plenty of room in the Disneyland Park (Frontierland), so please Karl Holz make us happy!

Who's with me...

Um, actually, it isn't complete bull. I live in the UK, and in an area which is about the equivalent of Disneyland Paris' location weatherwise, and we have two major theme parks near us. Both have water rides, and yes, they are good fun, but it takes quite a while to DRY. Wet guests are miserable guests, wherever you are in the world. When I was at IOA last year, I was irritable for nearly an hour after riding the water ride there (the one with the Canadian Mountie, I always forget his name, Brendan Fraser played the live-action version of him). And that was a very sunny day.

On nearly all occasions that I have visited Disneyland Paris, the weather has been fantastic. I have only experienced the dreadful Continental weather once or twice, and that soon cleared up. But instead of another replica of a tried-and-tested ride, wouldn't it make more sense for Disneyland Paris to receive a brand new attraction - it would certainly put it above the other parks if it was well done.

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by milo_vhw

On MiceAge there was an article about why there is no version of Splash Mountain in Disneyland Paris. The reason was that the weather wasn't appropriate. Visitors get wet and it's often cold in Europe so they get sick. I think that's complete bull. Who's with me...

That may or may not be bull, however... you guys in Paris will be lucky if you still have a DLRP a few years down the road. Don't hold your breath waiting for Splash to appear at DLP anytime soon. If the TOT ride doesn't turn that place around (doubtful) , I highly believe DLRP will not be in operation much longer afterwards. The money and crowds are simply not there to justify another E-ticket ride.

[Evil Minion]

Weather operating conditions @ Euro Disneyland are about the same as Tokyo Disneyland
and they have Splash Mountain.

It can be done. The only thing that's preventing a Splash Mountain from coming to Marne La Vallee is $$$.

[TDLFAN]

Actually no. Weather conditions are not the totally the same. I am yet to see the ice that forms at DLP's waterfalls in the winter occur at TDL. Tokyo does not see the bitter cold (15F or lower) and constant snowing that I have seen at DLP in the wintertime. Paris, on the other hand, does not get as hot and humid as Tokyo does in the summer. I know because I have been to both resorts repeatedly during those seasons and have experienced both ends of the spectrum. Besides, TDL's Splash does have a smaller splash effect in concideration of guests in Japan, who tend to dress a bit better than the US counterparts. The only way a Splash would work at DLP would be to minimize the splash. But it comes down to $$$$. Splash won't come to Paris anytime soon, if ever.

[MiceMan]

Can't they adjust the ride so that guests don't get as wet? I know that has been done for other rides ....

[WDW1974]

Originally Posted by TDLFAN

That may or may not be bull, however... you guys in Paris will be lucky if you still have a DLRP a few years down the road. Don't hold your breath waiting for Splash to appear at DLP anytime soon. If the TOT ride doesn't turn that place around (doubtful) , I highly believe DLRP will not be in operation much longer afterwards. The money and crowds are simply not there to justify another E-ticket ride.

You and I are usually on the same page, but I've got to disagree (strongly) to your conclusion. DLP isn't going anywhere. It's still the most visited tourist destination in Europe. And the crowds do go to the original park, they built a half-assed studios park and it's biting them in the butt (as it should). But if you think Disney is just going to shut down two theme parks, all those resorts (which are doing quite well now) and the Disney Village area and put a 'for sale' sign up, you're way off.

They'll restructure (and/or pour money into the place) until the cows come home before they'd ever admit defeat and close the place.

Just not gonna happen, my friend.

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by WDW1974

Just not gonna happen, my friend.

Allow me to have my dream sequence, please?

[soundtracker]

Wow, you guys are behind the times! Splash Mountain is one of DLRP's worst kept secrets. Not quite with me? Allow me to explain:

1.) The attraction was actually scheduled to be built as long ago as 2000. The park hadn't had a major E-ticket since Space Mountain in '95, and Splash had always been on the cards. The reason it wasn't built was simply because Jay Rasulo (then head of the resort) was given the choice between new rides and a new park. Guess which one he picked?

2.) The location of the French Splash is the rear portion of Frontierland, on the site of the critter coral and railroad depot. However, the mountain will NOT be placed in its own mini-land (Critter Country), but will instead form a part of Frontierland itself, continuing the story of Thunder Mesa town.
This will obviously reaise a few questions, which I will attempt to answer straight off the bat:
(i) Yes it WILL have a new theme and storyline.
(ii) Yes the railroad depot will have to be moved. About a hundred yards up the track towards Adventureland, in fact, which will necessitate getting rid of the current farm yard area. (Unless they manage to incorporate it into the mountain itself in some way.)
(ii) Yes, the train WILL pass through the mountain, in the same way it passes through Pirates of the Carribean.

3.) Cold weather has been counted on. The Japanese version of the ride has a special breaking system to allow for smaller splashes in cold weather. The same system will be used in Paris. Also, the stretch of water after the splashdown will be under cover, protecting riders from the worst of the elements.

4.) There are still plans to build this ride! André Lacroix, ex-CEO of the resort, was a big fan of the project. He even went so far as to say he wanted it built during a radio interview in 2003. And this is where things get really interesting. Remember Lacroix's scheme to build one new attraction every year over the course of four years? Well this is a scheme that is supposed to be repeated every four years. So in 2012 we can expect to see another phase of new attractions begin.
Lacroix gave strong hints as to the nature of this second phase a few months ago. He said that construction teams would be working in the Disneyland Park after finishing the Tower in the Studios in 2008. He said the new attraction would be "a giant ride, already popular int he American parks." Now what giant ride popular int he American parks would take around three whole years to build, do you think?

Answers on a postcard.

[milo_vhw]

Originally Posted by TDLFAN

That may or may not be bull, however... you guys in Paris will be lucky if you still have a DLRP a few years down the road. Don't hold your breath waiting for Splash to appear at DLP anytime soon. If the TOT ride doesn't turn that place around (doubtful) , I highly believe DLRP will not be in operation much longer afterwards. The money and crowds are simply not there to justify another E-ticket ride.

So you are saying that Disney will only invest in the Studio's. You are saying that they want DLRP to be profitable, just by buying new rides for the Studio's. I think that's very illogical. The Disneyland Park is still the better Park and will be, if they also improve the park. And that's what they're doing. There will be a Buzz Lightyear ride in Discoveryland soon! It may be cheaper then a Splash Mountain, but you see they're also still investing in the Disneyland Park.
And indeed with slight adjustments (smaller splash), Splash Mountain will fit perfectly in the Disneyland Park!

[tloolgb]

Originally Posted by soundtracker

The reason it wasn't built was simply because Jay Rasulo (then head of the resort) was given the choice between new rides and a new park. Guess which one he picked?

I don't think that is fair. Under Pressler, DLP was told it was time to develope for it's second park. Eisner's goal was 2002-2003 to be the final year in a rapid expansion of all four resorts. Rasulo was given his operating budget under Pressler, who constantly tried to kill things. Muppets, Buzz, all were killed off from the original plans. Aladdin was thrown into the studios by Rasulo to give something for the kids to do.

[Disney Vault]

I read on a site that Disney had to build a second park on that land or else someone else woul dbe allowed to buy it and build something. So Disney decided to build a cheap park just so they could keep the land. Is that true?

[Evil Minion]

I don't know if that's completely true because (to my knowledge) they already owned the land. I was told when The Walt Disney Co. signed the "Creation & Operation Of Euro Disneyland" contract in March of 1987, the contract stated that the Euro Disney Resort have three operating theme parks by 2017. So perhaps that's one of the reasons why the studio park came instead.

I doubt the resort will close since it's the top employer of the Paris region of France, but until the original construction debt is paid off and Parc Walt Disney Studios turns a profit, it seems unlikely that any major rides will be coming to Parc Disneyland in the next few years.

[figment1986]

I would love to see a version of the ride in the future... but as said.. they are still in debt from original building... let them get smaller cheaper rides whihc will also attract people like Buzz will do and toon studios will.. then build a new E-ticket ride...

(remember.. the half-park needs more childrens rides as well..)

[milo_vhw]

Originally Posted by Evil Minion

....but until the original construction debt is paid off and Parc Walt Disney Studios turns a profit, it seems unlikely that any major rides will be coming to Parc Disneyland in the next few years.

Just some new rides won't make the Studio's turn a profit. They need more places to just... stay. There are no nice places where you can sit for a while before getting on another ride. There are not many restaurants where you can sit for a while either.
When you visit the Resort you also visit the Studio's even though it's small. So more people attracted to the Resort means more visitors for the Studio's as well. And Disney can get more people to the Resort for instance by building a new E-ticket ride like Splash Mountain in the Disneyland Park.