Rumor : Ratatouille Coaster

[fielin]

Hi,

On another site, I just read that "Walt Disney World management has just approved the budget to fast-track construction of a new indoor spinning roller coaster based on the film Ratatouille."

This roller coaster would be based on the same principle as Disneyland Paris' Crush'n Coaster. this means half dark ride, half spinning coaster, half indoor, half outdoor.

This coaster would of course be added to DHS, close to Toy Story Mania, in Pixar Land. The site states that construction could start in the next six months.

In disneyland Paris, the constuction started in october 05 and the attraction opened in june 07, meaning that they spent about 20 months building it. The attraction is *really* good, and if confirmed, this is really exciting news !

[DonaldDuck1117]

I also read about this on another site, now this is something to get exited about! But if it is true, why not announce this when they announced the park name change?

[krose78]

Well i'm sure they only announced things that were definate at that point. If they didn't get the budget approved until now it wouldn't have been a definate reality a few weeks ago. Or its just a rumor.

[Disneyatic]

Does Ratatouille really have the "staying power" to name a big time coaster after it?
Maybe it's just me, but that wouldn't be the movie I picked to theme a major ride after.

Don't get me wrong, a new major attraction has DHS will be awesome!

[fielin]

Indeed, it seems that the budget was just approved a few hours ago.

I agree that it could seem slightly premature to build an attraction with such a new character.

Seeing as this movie is acclaimed by critics in the US and in France, I think it is only natural to think about a ride themed around this character... I also think that Disney has the power to decide what will endure and what will not. With the proper marketing tools, they can make everybody remember who is Ratatouille as long as they want to.

The best example is Stitch. I have never seen any movie featuring Lilo and Stitch, and I don't even really know what the plot of the movie is. Still, everytime I see the character in the park, I feel a great ig surge of joy ! I love him !

The same goes with Nemo, wich never interested me until I got to see the musical in Animal Kingdom. I have since seen the movie, and found it very inferior to the show ! Go figure !

I can see that happening for Ratatouille (Remy ?) too.

[brownie]

Seeing as this movie is acclaimed by critics in the US and in France, I think it is only natural to think about a ride themed around this character...

It's not the critics who need to be impressed, but the public who spends their money at the parks.

I think the movie did well enough to rate a resence in the parks, and another new ride at Disney Hollywood Studios would be welcome.

[GrumpyFan]

IF this is true, I wonder which building they're considering putting it in?

[fielin]

According to the article, the rollercoaster would be located in the Soundstage One area...

But of course, if this is the same principle as Crush's Coaster, there is an Indoor AND an outdoor part to the ride !

[Ian]

Does Ratatouille really have the "staying power" to name a big time coaster after it?

That was my exact thought on reading this post.

Look not for nothin' ... I mean it was a cute-ish movie and all ... but of all the films Disney has that haven't been exploited from a theme park perspective yet, this would be the LAST one I'd pick.

A rat roller coaster??? Ummm no. How about Incredibles? Tarzan? Monsters, Inc.?, Heck I'd take The Jungle Book over Ratatouille!

I don't see it, but I am glad to hear they're considering something new. Hopefully the ride report is right and the theme rumor is wrong.

[rsumrall]

There is a rumor floating around out there that DHS will be broken up into "lands". Placing a new Pixar attraction near toy Story Mania only makes sense. DHS needs something(s) to give it some life. Please Disney, do something!

[lockedoutlogic]

For the record...I believe MGM or whatever it is now...and AK should be the highest priorities at WDW....more than even the vaunted Vacation Club....

But....this is the complete lack of foresight again that Disney shows in its park operations....

I mean...come on....why are they always two or three years behind a movie? I know why....merchandising....but it aggrivates me to no end when they fail to keep a little bit ahead of the curve....

Any addition to MGM would be...however...a step in the right direction.

And since when is two years to build 1000 feet of track and a building to house out considered "Fast tracking"?

[Supercali]

I think that Ratatouille will make a great ride. This is one of my favorite Pixar films, right after The Incredibles. It is also the best reviewed movie of the year. This film is going to be remembered years from now. I think that it's a classic on the same level as Lady and the Tramp.

[Spaceship Tigger]

I understand placing the new attraction in The Studios. I think that park is in even more need of help than AK right now. But I don't understand passing over attractions based on The Incredibles and Cars to go straight to Ratatouille, which just came out recently. The Incredibles especially would seem like a better fit for a coaster, but I also thought it would be a better fit for the new Toy Story Mania attraction. It seems as if they're disregarding that entire movie in the parks.

[fielin]

I think Ratatouille is a good fit for this kind of attraction.

The story could go like this... You follow the trail of the Gourmet Rat.

The first part (Dark Ride) could be a visit of Paris, that would slowly lead us into a French Restaurant. You would enter the restaurant, and slowly mak your way toward the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, a cook sees you, and you enter the second part of the ride (coaster), trying to flee, like Ratatouille does in the movie.

I can picture this quite well, and eventhough other themes may seem more obvious, I would not say that Ratatouille doesn't work with this idea of a coaster.

[valjane]

For the record...I believe MGM or whatever it is now...and AK should be the highest priorities at WDW....more than even the vaunted Vacation Club....

I agree. They've been throwing money at DVC, but neglecting to really finish AK or make MGM/whatever-it's-called-now a cohesive theme park experience.

Pretty soon they'll have all these people staying on property who won't be able to find much to do in the parks!

[Ian]

I think Ratatouille is a good fit for this kind of attraction.

The story could go like this... You follow the trail of the Gourmet Rat.

The first part (Dark Ride) could be a visit of Paris, that would slowly lead us into a French Restaurant. You would enter the restaurant, and slowly mak your way toward the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, a cook sees you, and you enter the second part of the ride (coaster), trying to flee, like Ratatouille does in the movie.

I can picture this quite well, and eventhough other themes may seem more obvious, I would not say that Ratatouille doesn't work with this idea of a coaster.

I agree you could make a Ratatouille theme to fit a coaster like this, but heck ... if you tried hard enough you could make a coaster out of a White House cabinet meeting. Doesn't make it a good idea.

Now I'll admit I'm biased because I personally was totally underwhelmed by Ratatouille, but I still don't see this film having anywhere near the staying power of any of the other Pixar films (or some other Disney films for that matter). It may have been well-reviewed, but let's also remember that it was far and away the worst performing Pixar film in terms of numbers.

I just think it's a bad choice all around. It's not a film that makes you think "Oooh! Excitement! Speed! Thrills and chills!", it wasn't very popular in the grand scheme of things, and I just think a rat roller coaster is ... well ... silly.

If it was the only option then fine, but with so many other much more appropriate films on the shelf to work with I think it's a ridiculous choice.

[thrillme]

I LOVED Ratatouille. I think a coaster would be great. Besides that silly rat came up with some really tasty dishes. It'd be likely to send me into the nearest resturant for a bite afterwards.

Also...anything dealing with a large rodent seems to have "staying power" at Disney

[fielin]

Well, we already have crazy mouse coasters... what about a crazy rat ?

[BBrinkman]

If they were going to select a Pixar movie to theme a roller coaster, wouldn't Cars make the most sense....I can't believe that haven't already done anything with that! It's perfect for a ride!

[Disneyatic]

Also...anything dealing with a large rodent seems to have "staying power" at Disney

Bravo!
I have to give major props to this declaration

But I would still pick Mickey over Ratatouille anyday.