Luigi’s Flying Tires Reworked

Luigi’s Flying Tires Reworked

          Luigi’s Flying Tires is one of the new rides in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. Luigi’s is a reworking of the short lived Flying Saucers of Disneyland’s early years.

          The Flying Saucers did not last long at Disneyland because of maintenance problems, ride load time and slower than desired movement of the saucers. It was thought that these concerns had been addressed and corrected with the design of Luigi’s Flying Tires. Sadly, during early play testing it was found that the joystick ride control was confusing for the average rider. The joystick spin control was disabled and the joystick removed. Instead of a joystick guests are instructed to lean in the direction they wished the tire to go. Even with these changes there is still some confusion and problems with the ride.

          When Luigi’s Flying Tires opened, June, 2012 with much fanfare there were beach balls in with the tires to add color and energy to the attraction. From the very beginning there were three concerns about the attraction. First, the tires did not fly with the speed or ease of control that guests had anticipated. Second, some guests (usually teenagers) would get over excited when throwing the beach balls, tossing them too hard and causing discomfort for guests that were hit in the back of the head and neck. Thirdly, guess slowing down to pick up the beach balls as they loaded the ride slowed down loading of the ride. For the next three months Imagineers and management worked on correcting the problems.

          The problems caused by the beach balls were the easiest to correct by simply removing the beach balls. This protected guests from over exuberant teenagers and sped up the loading of the ride. After the beach balls were removed engineers went in and removed the unused spin control that had been left in the tires after being disabled when the ride was reworked before the original opening. The removal of the spin control from all the tires was finished mid-September, 2012.The removal of this piece of equipment lessened the weight of each tire, increasing speed and making it easier to control.

          While this is still not one of my most favorite rides in the park I enjoy it and find it a perfect addition to Cars Land. It is also a good ride to take younger children who are too small to ride Radiator Springs Racers on while other family members ride Radiator Springs Racers.

While some may find it a reworking of a failed ride of the past that should be removed, I think it is a good ride and should be kept for future guests to enjoy. It may be possible with future adaptations to speed up the ride and make it easier to control the tires. I look forward to seeing what changes may come to the Luigi’s Flying Tires in the future.

Luigi's Flying Tires Getting Changes . . . Already!

Luigi’s Flying Tires Getting Changes . . . Already!

Luigi’s Flying Tires is an updated version of an old Disneyland ride called Flying Saucers. You sit in oversized tires and float around on a cushion of air like a giant air hockey puck. From the start this ride has had long lines and has been met with mixed reviews.

Luigi’s Flying Tires is getting changes just two months after opening. There are several reasons for the changes. These changes were confirmed by a report of the Orange County Resister Newspaper.

Change one:

The Beachballs have been removed. There are two reasons for the Beachballs being removed. One problem with the beachballs was people stopping to grab Beachballs slowed down loading of the ride. Also there were reports of people being slightly injured by Beachballs that had been thrown very hard hitting them. In fact a friend of mine was hit in the back of the neck and went to Guest Relations to file a concern about the safety of the beachballs and was taken to First Aide for ice to place on her slightly stiff neck.

Change two:

The original design of the tires called for a joy stick controller to direct the tire. During testing it was found to be confusing to the riders and the joy stick was removed in favor of a directional leaning method for control. Now the guests lean to control direction of the tire. The actual mechanics for the joy stick were not removed when the ride was opened. The spin control device weighs around 20 pounds and is now being removed one vehicle at a time so the ride vehicles will be lighter and therefore move faster. The removal of the joy stick spin control device should be finished by early September and will not require the ride to be shut down.

I do believe the beachballs added a festive touch to the ride and were fun to toss around. I agree that people slowed down loading to grab a ball to toss at other guests. Once the ride started you had almost no chance of getting a ball unless someone tossed it at you and you were able to catch it. Because of the thickness of the tire you could not reach out and just grab a ball that was floating next to your tire.

I can also see how an over enthusiastic guest with a strong arm might toss a ball hard enough to hurt someone. I know some people get so competitive and want to playfully thump their friend or any other guest so they toss hard thinking it is just fun but in truth it can hurt if the ball hits in just the wrong spot. I know there are some people that just don’t care if they thump someone too hard. Some think it is just a game and people should just suck it up. They don’t think about other people’s feelings and limits. Some people have problems such as arthritis or fibromyalgia and a strong tap/thump that might be nothing to you might be very painful to them. These problems are not something you can see at a glance nor are they depilating enough to keep a person off of a ride such as Luigi’s Flying Tires.

As far as the balls are concerned I believe a few unthinking and yes rude people ruined the fun for everyone else. If people had just tossed the balls around as they could without trying to give others a thumping we might still have the beachballs to add a festive feel.

Having the spin control removed and the weight reduced should speed up the ride and therefore make it more fun. I hope it does speed it up as I felt from the first it was a slow moving ride and needed more zip.

Both of these changes will only slightly change the ride but together will alter the ride from a festive gathering to more of an air bumper car feel. Until the changes are complete and all I’ve ridden it again I’ll reserve judgment on how the changes effect the rides over all feel.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/disney-368750-balls-cars.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_10150971438175518_22330440_10150971505760518#f376851aa4560d

Riding Luigi's Flying Tires with Dis-Abilities

Riding Luigi’s Flying Tires with Dis-Abilities

Luigi’s is a retheming of the old flying saucers of years ago. Luigi has put out oversized tires for you to ride around in. The tires float around on a cushion of air. This ride can get a little bumpy as your tire slides into others.

To enter the tire you need to step over a wide rubber tire to get to the seat. For those in wheelchairs there is a special loading dock where the soft part of the tire slides under a deck for easier entry to the seat.

For those in wheelchairs or with a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) you head to the exit down the side road that leads to Bugs Land. Do not get into the regular line. Show your card to the Cast Member at the gate marked with the handicapped symbol and he will tell you how to proceed. Your entire party can go with you, up to a total of six people.

This ride is controlled by the riders leaning gently in the direction they wish to go. If you wish to go right, lean to the right. Do not lean too far because it will cause the tire to dig into the ground and slow you down. If you are riding with another person work together and lean in the same direction.

There are also oversized beachballs in the ride area. You can grab one before getting into your tire to toss at someone you know or hope you can get one as you go. It is harder than it looks to get one once you are on the move. Do be careful with the beachballs. Do not toss them hard at a person’s head as it can hurt.

Luigi’s Flying Tires

From the first time I heard about this ride I was excited. I was excited because I remember the short lived Flying Saucers ride at Disneyland.

Luigi has a set of huge oversized tires that you can climb in and float around like a giant hokey puck. You lean to control them. For added fun if you can grab a giant beach ball you can toss it at other riders.

There is handicapped easy access. They pull a tire over to the size and have a ramp to allow those that can transfer out of a wheelchair to take their time loading and unloading without slowing down the rest of the ride.

I’m kind of sad to say in my opinion this ride did not like up to the hype. It is slow loading, requires instruction and is slow moving. If your car is “heavy loaded” and you all lean too far the same way the edge of the tire may grind on the ground. Still even with the negatives it is a fun ride.

The area of the ride, cue and the ride itself is beautifully themed. You feel like you could be in Luigi’s Casa Del Tires getting a set of white walls! Even the lines at the gate area are marked with tires. The music that plays fits Luigi’s Italian heritage and taste. It is upbeat for fun to listen too.

All in all I will keep this on my list of rides to do every so often but not every visit.

Opening Day of Cars Land and Buena vista Street 6/15/2012

Opening Day of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street 6/15/2012

I’m sorry I did not get a blog post up yesterday. I just could not stay awake to do it. This post will tell you why.

Friday, June 15, 2012 was the opening day of Cars Land and the big reveal of the new entrance area to Disney California Adventure, Buena Vista Street. This is the end of five years of change and construction at DCA. 12 Acers was added to the park to build Cars Land. The big question for any Disney Fan is “Is it worth it to be there Opening Day?” The answer for this fan this opening, YES!!!

My husband and I had planned from the announcement of the date to go. My husband requested the day off months ago. As the date came closer we worked on finalizing the plans. What would we need. What time would we get to the park. How long were we willing to wait in line.

Knowing the interest in Cars Land and all the new fun we knew it would not be easy to get in. We decided it did not matter what time we felt was reasonable to get there we would be there. After hearing some fan sites asking their members when people would be gathering we decided we would have to camp out the night before opening. The more we heard the earlier we thought of going.

Finally several days before opening Disneyland announced people could start lining up at 11pm Thursday night for the opening of the park Friday at 9am. Hubby worked Thursday so we figured he could come home and rest an hour or so then we could go to the park getting there at 11.

Thursday came and we heard rumors that people were lining up late Thursday evening. We decided to pack up as soon as hubby came home at 7 pm. By the time we packed up the car and drove to the park we got to the park around 9-9:30pm. When we got to the parking gate the Cast Member told us that several hundred people were already camped out. We grabbed our stuff and got over to the park and ran over to find the line. Once in line we found out the line had around several thousand people in it!

From Harbor Blvd, where the line was staged were moved into the Esplanade. Once inside the security checkpoint of the Esplanade we were broken into two groups. One group was made of people that wanted to purchase merchandise then go to see Cars Land. There was a lot of limited edition items that collectors will go crazy for. The second and much larger group was made up of people that wanted to go to Cars Land first then see what was left to purchase. We chose group one and it turned out to be the wise choice. We were given color coded wrist bands to indicate our choice. They were also color coded to show where you were in line as well.

Thank goodness the weather is mild in So Calif! The night was not warm but we did not get too cold. The night was loud and bright with all the lights on in the Esplanade. It was grad night so we could hear the dance music playing at the rav going on in front of the castle. We got around one hour of sleep before we were told our line was moving. We were escorted into the park around 6am. Those wanting to see Cars Land were kept outside until 9 am. We went into the park and were again in a line, this time we were moved into the line for the Hyperion Theater. This area is right across the street from where the merchandise was sold.

Around 8am they started taking us into the Animation Building a few at a time. The system was wonderfully well planned and the process went smoothly. We were finished getting the few items we wanted before 9am, park opening. We were then set free to go where we wished in the park so off to Cars Land!

The street was packed with people but nobody was stressed. Many just stopped and stared at various buildings, backdrops and little details such as signage. Others just quickly sidestepped them and moved onto the lines for the rides.

Let me tell you it was amazing to step into Cars Land and Radiator Springs. You really do feel like you are walking right into a move. This is so well themed it takes your breath away. It is totally intense.

There are three rides in Cars Land, Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi’s Flying Tires and Mader’s Junkyard Jamboree. These rides offer something for everybody in the family.

RSR is for all the adventures in your group. It is sure to please any Cars fan. As fast as it gets there is nothing in it to keep anybody that reaches the height requirement from riding. It is not jurky or bouncy. There is one place you get some air time but nothing that will cause injury.

LFT is a fun blast from the past for those of us old enough to remember Disneyland’s Flying Saucers. It is a slow loading ride so the line is longish. The ride vehicles are of difficult to get moving at a good speed. They do give you instructions on how to control your vehicle but still getting it to move in the right direction is not easy.

MJJ is a total hoot-n-anny! You get to join Mater in a junkyard hoedown. Mater calls out the moves as baby tractors pull you around. When the baby tractor turns your cart, attached to the tractor whips around all over the place.

During the day Cars Land is playfully inviting and warm feeling. When day turns to night the area lights up with neon and just takes your breath away. Cadillac Hills glows as the sun sets! Hidden lighting makes sure you get to see the sunset, even if there are clouds. Nighttime crowds were heavier than the day and people just seemed to be happy to stop and stare at the lights.

The lines were long but very well worth it! I was like a kid in a candy shop looking from display to display. I can hardly wait to go back and play in Radiator Springs again. I feel with the addition of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street DCA has come of age and into its own. It is no longer the “other” park to go to if you have time. It is now a place you will want to put high on your list of must does.

We did not leave the Disneyland Resort until around 11pm. We spent about 26 hours at the Disneyland Resort either waiting for DCA to open or enjoying Cars Land and Buena Vista Street. Saturday had to be somewhat a day of rest and recovery. LOL

Excitement Is Building at the Disneyland Resort!

Excitement Is Building at the Disneyland Resort!

 

Disneyland Resort is opening two new areas on Friday, June 15^th! Disney California is expanding by a fun filled 12 acres! Add to that the new entrance area, Buena Vista Street is being opened and the park rededicated and California Disney Fans are going CRAZY!!

Cars Land

Cars Land will have three new exciting rides. Radiator Springs Racers, Luigi’s Flying Tires and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree. There are also several gift shops and restaurants such as Flo’s V8 Dinner and Sarges Surplus Hut. From the pictures I’ve seen it looks like you are walking right into Radiator Springs from Cars!

Radiator Springs Racers is a fun and exciting ride through the Cars Land movies. You will meet some of your favorite characters as you race down Route 66. This ride works on the same idea as EPCOT’s Test Track but it is a totally different ride.

Luigi’s Flying Tires is an updated version of a ride that lasted a very short time at Disneyland. Luigi has his tires out and filled with air so you can jump in and flip, slide around. Beach balls are provided for tossing around. You direct your tire by leaning in the direction you wish to go. This ride is a reworking of the Flying Saucers. Flying Saucers was a fun ride I do remember riding as a young child. Luigi’s Flying Tires is a lot like the Flying Saucers but the ride vehicles look bigger and there is more air to push them around. Hopefully they will not break down as much often as the Saucers did.

Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree is a whip type ride. Mater has gathered baby tractors and hooked up carts. Guests get into the carts and Mater calls out square dancing moves for the tractors to do. You are pulled around and whip all over the place as the “dance” goes on.

All three rides are handicapped accessible. You will need to transfer out of your wheelchair and back again for all the rides. They have special loading locations and/or vehicles to make it easier for those in wheelchairs to load.

Buena Vista Street

Buena Vista Street is the new entrance area to DCA. The entire area harkens back to 1920’s Hollywood, California. When you walk into DCA you will be taken into Hollywood at the time Walt Disney came to California and started the Disney Brother’s Studio. From the Art Deco style buildings to the Spanish tile roofs the area really pulls you back into time.

Central to Buena Vista Street will be the Storytellers Statue. This is a beautiful statue of a young and excited Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse standing next to him. It shows Walt’s enthusiasm for the future when he reached Hollywood.

There is the new Carthay Circle Theater Restaurant. In the same building as the Carthay Circle Restaurant there is Club 1901 sister club to Disneyland’s Club 33.

Around the area you will find period characters such as Molly the Messenger. They will be glad to stop and take a picture with you or just chat for a moment. All the shops and restaurants have been reimagined.

The Red Car Street Car will once again roll down the street. It will run down Buena Vista Street and into Hollywood Land giving you an easy way to get from the entrance area to Tower of Terror.

With the opening of these two areas I think Disney California Adventure will finally come into its own. It will no longer be “that other park” you go to when you go to as an “and also” or you are forced to go because Disneyland is closed due to crowds.

As I’ve said before I think the changes made over the last five years with the retheming of some rides and areas and the addition of the Little Mermaid along with the two new areas the entire park is more closely tied together.

The entire feel of the park is 1920-40s. This era was some of the biggest and most exciting for Disney. From the opening of the Disney Brothers Studio and the creation of Mickey Mouse in the 20’s to Snow White in the 30’s with the heady days of the 40’s and even more feature length animated movies and the Silly Symphony shorts. Yes, Cars Land is more modern with “New” cars but once again it takes you back to the old Route 66 and a look at the life of a little town there frozen in time.

The one concern I have about all of the fantastic changes being completed right now is crowds. It is possible to be too successful and do too good of a job. If the new areas are even half as exciting and popular as I think they will be the park may draw more people than it can hold. Disneyland, the Granddame of the parks may well become the “and also” park. There could be more days than not that both parks reach capacity and the gates must close effectively shutting down the entire Disneyland Resort for those not already in the parks. It would eliminate park hopping because the “other park” may well be closed by the time you wish to hop.

If I am right about the entire resort reaching capacity most if not every day during peak seasons people will stop trying to come. The annual vacation to Disneyland will become a thing of the past because you cannot make sure, even if you are at one of the Disney Hotels you will be able to enter one of the parks let alone the park of your choice.