Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
So much can be said for this attraction which open in March of 1995. WDI really out did themselves with the queue. It is outstanding! I mention hardscapes a lot when I talk about Disneyland because I think it has done a much better job at this than any other park with the possible exception of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. There are so many details to be seen, look down, look up, look to your side. It’s incredible!
The Mercedes-Benz troop transport truck in the queue is from the Raiders of the lost Ark movie and the mine car is from IJ and the Temple of Doom. The props placed in the queue are placed with perfection. Next time your in line, read the boxes, look closely at each set. There is a plethora of detail. With all that said we have not even been inside the Temple yet. You see into the Jungle Cruise and watch as passing boats go by. In fact, you are now apart of the Jungle Cruise from their perspective. You are in the Temple Dig area.
As you enter the Temple you will see a painting of Mara. You will start to notice a script carved into the wall. Unfortunately the cast members no longer hand out a key to decrypting this script. If you stare long enough you can figure it out. As you pass through cave, tunnel and even pass outside gain, you’ll feel like your in an Indiana Jones movies as most of these passage are reminisecent of the IJ movies. At one point you enter a tunnel that reminds me of the scene in The Temple of Doom in which Indiana almost get squished and spiked to death. There is a bamboo pole that has a sign that says do not touch. Of course in any Disney queue that means TOUCH. The pole bends and part of the room starts to compress and the spikes move and there are skulls lying about. It WAS a great effect. The problem is I have not seen it work for quite some time. A little noise is about all it does now. There is one more interactive queue element that you do not always pass, it really depends on the crowd level. Its a bit with a rope that again ask you not to touch. Pulling on this rope get you some sounds effects. As you enter the next room you realize that you the guest actually have a part in the attraction. You are tourists seeking eternal youth, wealth, or future knowledge at this recently discovered archeological find. But wait, IJ has not returned and Saul, IJ faithful friend needs help to find Indy.
After boarding your troop transport you enter one of three doors that relate to Wealth, Eternal Youth , or Future Knowledge. Of course since you are asked not to look into Mara’s eye, you all do and the adventure begins.
Thanks to a very advance ride system you go through as adventure that has your vehicle stalling, going over rickety bridges and skidding around corners. The special effects are nothing short of fantastic, though the story is a bit thin. In many places you simply have dark moments that are used as transitions. I am not that bothered by the thin story. It takes many elements of all the Indy movies and spin them together. Snake, why did have to be snakes. Lots of skeletons, darts shooting out of walls and the biggest Indy thrill of all, a LARGE rolling ball! Though I said the story was not that great, I look at this ride as Walt did for Pirates and the Haunted Mansion, experiences that elements of a story,
It is defiantly a thrill to experience. It’s 57,400 sq. ft. of fun. At 1,500 feet of queue, I’ll take the risk and say it is the longest of any Disney queue. At opening the attraction had 17 vehicles with no more that 15 on the track at once. It actually uses two different ride mechanisms. The transport itself or Enhanced-Motion Vehicle/E.M.V. and the system under the tract that guides the vehicle. I have seen these vehicle drive on a concrete surface, but in the attraction it has a guide mechanism.
Here’s a few fun facts:
The Skull Room contains 1,992 skulls in order to represent the year construction began in 1992 and there is a skeleton wearing mickey ears that has a name on the back. any guesses? What else, Bones.
The show building takes up a large portion of land that use to be the Eeyore section of the old parking lot. A sign in honor of that section of the parking lot can be found hidden in the queue and I am not telling you were. Have fun searching.
I rate Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Fordidden Eye and IMW “D” ticket. It has the thrills of an “E” but I think it fell a little short overall. The original attraction called for the Disneyland Train to travel through it as well as the Jungle Cruise. Yes, it has an outstanding queue that in some ways made the attraction a let down for me. It still bothers me that Indiana Jones in NOT Harrison Ford in this attraction and that he is really the only AA. A few Nazi’s or Thuggee warriors would have added depth to this attraction. For some reason a really speculator effect is no longer used. It was at the bridge crossing. They used an ice machine to make huge ice blocks that were dropped from above and down into the lake below. It simulated the temple falling apart.
The temple of the Forbidden Eye left me wanting more. I did not feel that my expectations after experiencing the queue were fully realized.
|
