Currently in line for Avatar: Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom. I’m alone at the park and will write about that experience separately (summary: going solo is fine but not as great as some say and not as bad as you might imagine if you’re worried it’s a weird thing to do).
On to some recent listens, reads, and watches.
Behind the Ride by David Mumpower
Just bought this while in line—seemed like a good book to jump around in. Each chapter explains some of the design elements of different Disney rides. Pretty fun to read with some of the rides fresh in my mind.
The line I’m currently in can handle a queue of six hours before spilling out into the rest of the park. The bar is so high for these. Hogwarts is hard to beat, especially nailing it with such a beloved franchise.
When Disney announced the Pandora expansion in 2011, they projected huge crowds, especially given what was happening with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A few years later, the idea that Avatar would appeal to customers as much as Harry Potter seems a bit silly.
That said, the design for this Avatar ride is pretty nuts. I learned from the book that the queue and ride are set years after the movie events. Which is good to know because it wasn’t obvious at all especially because I’ve almost entirely forgot everything that happens in the movie.
In any case, it’s fun to read about somewhere that you’re traveling in. Especially when every single detail is designed.
Disneyland for Designers podcast: Episode 12 Rise of the Resistance
Really great to listen to this after riding Rise of the Resistance yesterday. The podcast breaks down the experience and also goes into some of the ride’s design details.
- It’s Disney’s largest ride ever, but it’s hidden away from the rest of the park. You don’t see it from afar, even though elements of it are outdoors. This helps reinforce the idea that you’re starting from a hidden base.
- The floor is a floating platform once you’re on the First Order ship for some subtle movement
- The signage ends on the First Order ship—you won’t find a green exit sign anywhere near Kylo Ren
They also discuss the skinning possibilities with the ride. Swap Kylo for Darth, paint over some First Order symbols… good to go! How much effort would be required to create a limited time original trilogy version? How much detail inaccuracy would be acceptable to fans?
The Sovereign Individual
Continuing on with this book, I should be able to finish it this week.
Maybe there are some connections to the Rebellion and The First Order. The Rebellion would be a bunch of freelancers getting paid in cryptocurrency.
Actually, the real connection here is realizing how much obscure taxation details have shaped both the Star Wars universe and earth.
Governments control violence. Usually by being a looming presence that can dish it out better. If you have a weapon that can destroy another planet, it can help with persuasion in interplanetary negotiations.
But the metaverse can’t be targeted by the Death Star or its First Order equivalent. Assuming, of course, that metaverse’s underlying blockchain exists on multiple planets.
Or something.
Okay that’s that for now. Riding Flight of Passage a second time. That makes this my first post written entirely in an amusement park line. Same line but different times. On my first ride, a child nearby yelled “I’m so scared” for the 90 seconds until an adult told them “just close your eyes!” This broke the immersion.
Update after second ride: It was way better.