Finally got to ride and HOLY SHITBALLS what an absolute Doggy's breakfast!! Wow seriously MW, way to go with this one! A pile of cash successfully wasted in taking the Park's best themed 'experience' ride and turned into a very poorly constructed joke.
Was this Political Revenge of an outgoing Employee left in charge before being shown the door?
After all the time closed and the loading area still hasnt been cleaned up. That Jester character has been sitting up there since the ride opened decades ago and shoulders are blackenned from dust. Same with the Chandeliers which are filthy - not "themeing" filthy, there is a difference.
The "yikes! Monsters" Scooby at the first turn is back and as terrible animatronic as ever and automatic door into the ride still remains broken.
Next, the two screens ahead right corner, other than rubbish animation, contrast is far too bright. The shape of the screens themselves being basic square shape with no attempt to blend with the environment. Seriously, what were they thinking?
Lighting around the swinging blade scene (and all throughout the ride) is just too bright which shows everyrhing off too much. The ride should be dark and spooky.
Animations throughout the Ghost train part of the ride moving too slowly and generally out of sync from the ride cars.
Green screen effect is a good idea but as soon as the monsters appeared, we disappeared, turning into blackened shadows.
It was probably too hard to do the Scrappy-doo scene in the lift with projection mapping so monitors were the choice. I get what they are trying to do here but again it was just so poorly done. A 4 year old riding would recognise them as TV screens. Not the case on the Hogwarts Express ride at Universal in Florida, so if executed properly it can be effective.
Not sure what my expectations were for the mirror turntable room but my reaction (and all others around me) was... huh?
No lights or smoke in the disco room as others have reported - just the runway lights along the 2 drops, which must have been expensive despite offering nothing to enhance the ride's experience!
I like how the car stops for the mirror ball finale. Again, 2 square screens and shithouse animation, the ride is left finishing with a whimper rather than a bang. Just before pulling up at unload, howsabout putting the rider's photo up rather than more shithouse animation on a home TV sized monitor?
I just don't understand the mess that has been made with this ride. No projection mapping anywhere (As promised) and a senseless over use of TV screens and ineffective lighting throughout. A complete waste of money given the same ride filled with little more than fog and pretty flashing lights would've be Infinitely better.