Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy reopens after extended downtime

Inspired FigmentFeb 20, 2023

I should also say, technology is a wonderful thing. But unless there’s enough heart & a good concept underneath it, it won’t connect with audiences properly or in the long run. See EPCOT’s Harmonious for instance. Big technical flair, but a lack of real heart or soul.

Inspired FigmentFeb 20, 2023

Walt Disney World’s a place aimed towards the whole family. As Walt once said;

seabreezept813Jan 07, 2023

I sat outside RnRc while it broke down every few minutes with my littles and wasn’t tempted to do this having read what it is.. but the whole make it a meet like Crush and the whole family would have gone!

WondersOfLifeJan 06, 2023

By all means... It could definitely be much better than it is right now... But so could literally anything else, too. It is fine for what it is. Especially since it didn't replace anything that had any significance before its presence... ...Thats where I would have a pet peeve with this attraction. If it replaced, say, Voyage of the Little Mermaid. THEN I might be p'd off.

DCBakerJan 06, 2023

According to My Disney Experience, it appears Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy has reopened this afternoon (wait times popped up just after 1pm).

celluloidJan 06, 2023

It is probably a good thing. I always felt this park has gotten to the point where there are just too many things for people to do.

DonniePeverleyJan 05, 2023

Serves a purpose? Total insult to families who demand a little more. I only use this attraction as it has A/C and you can get 10/15 minutes sleep by lying down - get you all freshened up.

Casper GutmanJan 05, 2023

And there’s NO WAY you could integrate a Lightning AA into a universally beloved and acclaimed attraction, certainly not one that could be built at a park as complete as MGM. As Walt always said, “I want a bunch of rides kids will enjoy, and a different bunch that adults will enjoy. Trying to appeal to both at the same time is stupid.”

Casper GutmanJan 05, 2023

Because something can be flawed on the conceptual level. Even beyond that, we have quite a lot of insight into what the final product will look like - it’s not like the thing is being built at lightning speed inside a closed off pavilion.

Prince-1Jan 05, 2023

Trolls can do that.

MrPromeyJan 05, 2023

The heck with your six year old wife, I thought the animatronic was awesome. So did my then seven year old son. Unfortunately, the animatronic itself was the only thing either of us liked. After the initial "that thing is so cool" he just sat there entirely unenthused through the whole show. My memory is a little fuzzy because it's been a while but it seems like he (the car) was facing away from the crowd to look at the screens for a big chunk, of it, too, which I remember being really puzzled about - why would they take the focus off the only thing good about this attraction? The problems encountered due to the "hacked" system having no logical reason to be an actual problem, aside, it seems like the whole thing with the virtual racing system ran counter to the message from the third movie. In that sense, it felt like they did the bare minimum of thought needed to put something around that animatronic to give it a reason to be there. Its existence doesn't offend me or anything but it also isn't doing nearly as much as it could to help absorb crowds in the park when it comes to repeat visitors like me and what was my still in the sweet-zone target age son, IMHO.* I think a live Lightning just up there talking to the crowd the way Crush or the the monsters in Laugh Floor do would have been way better and turned this into a must-do for a lot of families. It could have been the coolest "living character" experience in the parks. Just imagine the load your six year old wife would have dropped in her trousers if Lightning McQueen had actually spoken directly to her. They'd have needed at least one of these guys: I guess having to staff the voice actor and the extra cast with shovels would have made it too expensive to operate, though. ;) *not a problem with me at this point since we've been doing our part to reduce crowding since pre-pandemic times (save for an Epcot visit) with no immediate plans to return to the resort as a whole until/unless other things improve.

WondersOfLifeJan 05, 2023

Facts. My wife and I just saw this for the first time. And my wife said "I would literally sh** my pants if I saw Lightning McQueen in real life like this when I was 6!!!" Not everything is about the Disney Adults, guys.... it's Disney world. Lol.

wdwmagicJan 05, 2023

Closed again today Jan 5

rawiserichoJan 05, 2023

Because if you don't have a knee-jerk reaction, are you really discussing Disney correctly?