UNIVERSAL
-Crowds were heavy to extreme. People were piling in more and more so couldn't get an accurate mix, because we beat a hasty retreat after waiting nearly two hours for new Spiderman. (And we only arrived at 9:10. Downtimes and too many express passes clogged what should have been a much shorter wait.)
-So, New Spiderman...What's up with that? Well, lots to go over so feel free to skip if you feel it will spoiler-spoil you. Personally I don't think there's that much to spoil, as it's essentially just a new regeneration. (If you understand that, you can stop reading after I sum it up as such: Old Spiderman was second Doctor, new one is Third. Sure he's cooler and more respectable, but the second was charming and spastic and he's seems funner.)
So the queue is exactly the same, just freshly painted. There's a few new bits and bobs, and the spideyroof room is a darker blue, but that's about it. The biggest change is they removed a very tacky photospot where they had universal's photopass-that's-just-photos-and-no-pass people try and stop you. It was very tacky and I'm glad to say they replaced it with new well-lit award cabinets like what used to be there.
The glasses are brand new of course, and are sort of big chunky fellows with weird wobbly bits and kind of a zig zag thing going on near the ear. I presume these are the same glasses we'll see at Transformers in Hollywood, as the projections and 3D have been lifted from that ride as well.
Speaking of awards, one thing you will find in this version is an abundance of Universal Creative back-patting references. Personally I don't mind it in the slightest, but if we're going to be picky about WDI making a video about a mural, we should probably consider the fact "Mark Woodbury" is on almost everything to be a draw, and a comment on Universal Creative's growing hubris. (Though again, I find it incredibly alright and love little creator touches like that.)
Moving on, the big draw-The new 3D projections and Animation. Putting aside it doesn't quite match up to the queue like it did before, the new animations are great and the projections a significant improvement. There's still some fuzziness and blur, but mostly only in the large ending dome screens. It's especially neat to see trouble scenes like the scream jumping on car part work flawlessly. As good as they are, they aren't near the level of clarity, quality, and impressiveness of the 3D and Animation at Star Tours. Not that they need be, it's a much darker and simpler environ, but if you've been on new Star Tours you probably won't walk away touting the 3D as much as the improved quality over previous Spiderman. Probably the only part I didn't care for as much was the first flying section. The animation is fantastic, but the flight doesn't seem as crazy and fun. It used to be more of a romp, whereas now it's more realistic and dramatic movement.
Favorite part: Lighting and effects! New lighting everywhere, all the effects working (Like the floating box, and all the many fog effects) and the whole ride just looks great. It didn't look bad before, but new lighting and fog effects do wonders. And there's a few new effects and lights too. It all looks fantastic.
Weird part: The pacing and the music. The music is a complete 180 difference, and is more techno and understated. In the first bit it kind of sounds like a Phil Collins/strange ballad song is about to start for some reason. (It took all I had not to whisper "I've been waitingggg for this momentttt for allll my liffeeeee") And the pacing will throw everyone who has this ride down as muscle memory off-kilter: The pacing. It's been entirely reprogrammed, and is now smooth, and moves much slower and less of a spaz. Which is unusual for Universal. It's mostly fine, but you spend longer times looking at the screen and as result you either become more aware you're looking at a screen, or less aware that you are being attacked and in danger. I always say good attractions are like jazz, it's about the notes you don't hit. They've got a rhythm and a flow, and that's the biggest change of this Spiderman. It's great, and I'm sure in time I'll dig it, but I don't know if it's as in-tune.
It kind of sums up my overall thought: They made each individual part of Spiderman better, but since Spiderman was more than the sum of it's parts, does it have that same pizzazz?
I'm excited to keep riding as I am want oft to do, and see if it settles in or if I'll always feel slightly Mirror/Mirror about The post Transformers-infused-Spiderman. Yes, they made everything better, and yes, technically it is better-But I find it may take some getting used too...
OK, that's about all. Enjoy some photos, via the clicking on option!
Enjoy! ^^
https://picasaweb.google.com/116649166152221553706/EpcotServoSUpdates251PlanetOfTheSpidermen?noredirect=1#5717619527967599826
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