Tomorrowland Transit Authority

Tannerman

Tannerman

Member
This was posted in the [topic=4345]Park CD List[/topic] thread:

Horizons said:
... but if I buy from Disney they will have more money to use on refurbs and attractions, such as the killer new TTA audio.
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I thought it might be a good idea to discuss the recent changes to the TTA, since it didn't seem like anyone else was discussing it here yet. If you haven't seen/heard the changes...


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Personally, not a fan of the changes, as the narration seems to have shifted from an "alternate reality" that actually did sound like a subway system would sound in a pseudo-future to what seems to be just another promotional spiel. There's no setting or characterization in the new spiel, while we now have the lovely inclusion of Stitch and other voices. Oh goody. Just seems like a thematic loss of WDW's Tomorrowland.
 
freedomnoise13

freedomnoise13

Member
it sucks! I've written in to Disney sharing my opinion. It won't change anything but at least they'll know not everyone is pleased with the changes.

We were discussing this a little in my blog. The new audio takes away any storyline the TTA had and turns it into a 10 minute commercial for Tomorrowland that you can't get out of.

I think WDI has become renown for destroying time-aged classics and TTA is no exception (I was impressed with the Haunted Mansion rehab though).
 
Magic Music

Magic Music

Administrator
Playlist Author
freedomnoise13 said:
The new audio ... turns it into a 10 minute commercial for Tomorrowland
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The attraction was/is intended to be a 10-minute commercial for Tomorrowland! :)

The original WEDway PeopleMover script, used from the attraction's opening in 1975 until 1985:

[Depart from station]

Jack Wagner: The Edison Electric Institute, for America's investor-owned electric companies, welcomes you aboard the WEDway PeopleMover. On this clean, quiet, electric powered ride of tomorrow, the PeopleMover will be your front row seat for a Grand Circle tour of Tomorrowland. Along the way on your mile-long journey, you'll preview many attractions looking into the future and see some of the ways electric energy serves mankind. Now and tomorrow.

[Mission to Mars]

Jack Wagner: Inside the pavilion we're now approaching is Mission to Mars. Where space travelers explore one of our solar system's most mysterious planets. The rocket ship journey leaves every few minutes for outer space. And across the way is another journey. A Grand Circle-Vision tour of "America the Beautiful."

[Progress City]

Jack Wagner: And now sit back in your seat as the PeopleMover presents a preview of the future in the city of tomorrow. Man's goal of a better place to live, work and play. This city is a dream. To make it real, we will need to use our energy resources wisely, not wastefully. Today and tomorrow. And now, sit back in your seat... we rely on you, as much as you rely on us...

[Mickey's Mart]

Jack Wagner: And now the PeopleMover presents a panoramic view of Tomorrowland and the Grand Prix Raceway. And just ahead is the towering symbol of the Space Age, the spectacular Space Mountain.

[Grand Prix Raceway, approach to Space Mountain]

Jack Wagner: We're now entering one of the new wonders of our World. In a moment, we'll preview the Home of Future Living. And then, Space Mountain's thrilling rocket race through the universe.

[Space Mountain]

Jack Wagner: The rocket ride through Space Mountain is really out of this world. But you can also see the Home of Future Living inside Space Mountain without taking the rocket ride. Now, as we leave Space Mountain, overhead you can see another form of transportation, the Skyway. Carrying you high above the Grand Prix Raceway and other adventures.

[Grand Prix Raceway, approach to Carousel of Progress]

Jack Wagner: You're riding aboard a brand new concept in electric transportation. The first to use electric linear induction motors. There are no moving parts in these clean, quiet motors. Across the way is the Contemporary Resort. Running right through the hotel is the Walt Disney World Monorail. Another electric powered transit system here in our Vacation Kingdom.

[Carousel of Progress]

Jack Wagner: We're now moving past the Carousel of Progress. Where four warm and humorous families welcome you into their homes of yesterday and today, starting way back at the turn of the century. First presented at the New York World's Fair, this famous theater-in-the-round celebrates how progress through electricity has contributed to better living.

[If You Had Wings]

Jack Wagner: Inside the pavilion we're now entering, you'll travel to vacation ports of call through the magic of "If You Had Wings."

Chorus: If you had wings! If you had wings!
If you had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings.
You could fly to Bermuda, like a flying fish.
Have a ball on a cruise ship, or catch fish if you wish.
If you had wings! If you had wings!
If you had wings, had wings, had wings, had wings.

[America the Beautiful]

Jack Wagner: In the distance, you will see Cinderella Castle. Those of you who have always wanted an invitation to dine in the castle, will find King Stefan's Banquet Hall inside. Now past the Circle-Vision Theater, where you can see "America the Beautiful" as you've never seen it before. All around you in a full-circle motion picture.

[Return to station]

Jack Wagner: Now as we approach the PeopleMover station, our Grand Circle tour of Tomorrowland is coming to an end, but not to a stop, aboard this transportation system that never stops. On behalf of the Edison Electric Institute for your electric company, we hope you've enjoyed your trip aboard this electric transportation system of tomorrow, here today.

freedomnoise13 said:
I think WDI has become renown for destroying time-aged classics and TTA is no exception (I was impressed with the Haunted Mansion rehab though).
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Don't forget about the Hall of Presidents! The new show is outstanding!
 
Horizons

Horizons

Playlist Author
Jay said:
Pfffffft. Don't you have a Halloween Party to go to? :p
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Unfortunately, I'm not going tonight or tomorrow. But I am going on Thursday, where I may meet up with one of our members (and catching a celebrity in the parade :p).
 
SeaCastle

SeaCastle

Playlist Author
I'm by no means a fan of the new narration, but I believe part of it has to do with it just being different than what I'm used to. I was never in WDW to hear ORAC-1, nor do I have any memories associated with it, but like Jay posted it was essentially a commercial for Tomorrowland. As far as I've heard, the ORAC-1 narration was beloved and the 1994 narration was not received well. I believe in time we'll all come to accept the change, however jarring it may be. I would still like the 1994 narration to return but in the meantime we'll have to deal with what we got.
 
Z

Zarpman

Member
I actually like the new narration. It's still too soft in some areas, and when I take my non-Disney-geek friends aboard they don't catch it all. I was delighted to hear it being referred to as a "PeopleMover" again. I just wish they would either finish the decorations on the entire track, or better yet remove them altogether. It still only looks half-way finished...
 
almandot

almandot

Member
I didn't really like it. It was a very soft spoken fast talking guy's voice and I feel like it just doesn't work well on overhead speakers. Growing up with Disneyland's peoplemover spiels I don't mind it being a "tour of tomorrowland", we even had c3p0's voice much akin to character voices popping up in this version, but those speakers were in the car and you could actually hear them. Even then though, they spoke SLOOOOOWER. You could hear every announcement on the old TTA because it was a loud booming voice that spoke slow and clearly. This one just rants much like I'm doing in this message but it's doing it with a soft voice and speakers 6 feet above your head as you zoom by with all the noises from the ride mechanics, people talking in your train, cars passing you, and the rest of tomorrowland's ambient noises including roaring motors from Indy speedway.

And I almost want to respect them for putting together a "pardon our dust" message for space mountain.. until they didn't do ANYthing afterwards and you're just left driving through the long, worklight lit tunnels, in absolute silence where you can hear every cough someone makes and you have plywood for a view. They could've gotten some music or spiel together for it.

And yet incidentally, the "pardon our dust" message was by a different speaker, a female voice that sounded much in the spirit of the old TTA so it was the clearest one to hear.. Was it recorded and used in the old TTA whenever space went down?
 
Horizons

Horizons

Playlist Author
The voice of the new narrator seems similar to the voice used for the Living with the Land narration.
 
BLM07

BLM07

Member
Some people have said it sounds like the voice from Living with the Land and the Spaceship Earth ending. So what if Disney is starting to do the same thing they did with merchandise: use the same voice everywhere? :p
 
Marko

Marko

Member
The new audio is horrible, I have to admit.

It sounds just like that original, awful, Orac-1.
 
freedomnoise13

freedomnoise13

Member
[quote ]
Some people have said it sounds like the voice from Living with the Land and the Spaceship Earth ending.
[/quote]
That reminds me, Spaceship Earth is awful as well... nobody does that to Jeremy Irons!
 
M

mistryl

New Member
I agree that it's hard to hear. I only went once, about two weeks ago, and I was in the last car, so I'm hoping I could hear more from the middle. But I shouldn't *need* to be in a specific car to hear it. Whatever. We'll see. Also, I went on it specifically to hear the new version, and I found myself tuning it out most of the time. Like, I was constantly reminding myself to listen. I think that just goes along with it being too quiet; it just blends in with all the other Tomorrowland sounds.

Oh, and the big difference between the current one and the original is that the original had Jack Wagner! Who can ignore Jack? :p They should just piece something together from old Jack recordings. :p
 
BJWanlund

BJWanlund

Member
Tannerman said:
Personally, not a fan of the changes, as the narration seems to have shifted from an "alternate reality" that actually did sound like a subway system would sound in a pseudo-future to what seems to be just another promotional spiel. There's no setting or characterization in the new spiel, while we now have the lovely inclusion of Stitch and other voices. Oh goody. Just seems like a thematic loss of WDW's Tomorrowland.
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Steve, I agree with you on this. It doesn't seem like WDI took much care to renovating this attraction at all; instead of actually replacing the speakers to improve the sound of the old spiel, they cheaped out and made a whole brand new spiel. I don't like it.

BJ
 
angiehashemi

angiehashemi

Member
I rode the TTA on Friday last week. I hate the new audio too. I will probably skip the ride on future visits, just because of the audio. I found myself making phone calls and text messaging some friends while on the ride. That should tell you how uninterested I was in the audio.
 
Horizons

Horizons

Playlist Author
angiehashemi said:
I rode the TTA on Friday last week. I hate the new audio too. I will probably skip the ride on future visits, just because of the audio. I found myself making phone calls and text messaging some friends while on the ride. That should tell you how uninterested I was in the audio.
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As much as I dislike the audio, I'm sure I would try and track and down if I thought it was possible to add to my collection. :p

My wife said she also dislikes it. Anytime she gives me a negative comment, or really any comment, about audio, it must be serious. :p
 
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