Toontown, Disneyland’s first new “land” in 20 years, will unveil its latest attraction-Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin-on Toontown’s first birthday, Jan. 26.
Car Toon Spin is a gas.
Those at the Disney-sponsored second annual Disneyana Convention in mid-September were treated to a gala evening party after the park had closed.
The party was in Toontown, and it gave Disney’s “imagineers”-the people who design rides for Disney parks in the United States, France and Japan-a chance to see how non-Disney human beings enjoyed the attraction.
They were delighted. Most of the 1,000 attendees rode the ride at least twice, and some rode it eight, nine, 10 times or more.
The ride is not a thriller like Space Mountain. It’s more like the story rides of Fantasyland, rides saluting Pinocchio and Peter Pan.
But Car Toon Spin almost overwhelms one’s eyes, with bright colors accentuated by black lights. Guests ride in open cabs on a track. Roger Rabbit and Baby Herman and Jessica and, of course-the hated weasels and their disgusting Dip – appear on the walls.
What hoists the ride to another landmark level for Disney is an interactive element. The steering wheel works.
A guest cannot alter the direction of the trip-the cab continues along the track. But the guest can turn the wheel and turn the body of the cab 360 degrees. In mid-September, it took a good degree of force to make the wheel turn. That could be a handicap to this ride, which will be a huge hit with teens and pre-teens.
The only other real ride in Toontown is Gadget’s Go Coaster, a small roller coaster that almost anyone can ride without fear. The rest of Toontown is walk-throughs: Mickey and Minnie’s homes, Goofy’s Bounce House, Chip ‘n Dale’s home.
Don’t get me wrong. For the patient visitor, Mickey and Minnie’s homes are superb attractions. They are good places to spend time, especially with an 8-year-old in tow. Disney’s popular characters make regular appearances here. But Toontown will be an even bigger hit with Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin.
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Toontown is designed as a big playground, according to a Disneyland spokesman, and while everything in it is accessible, seriously handicapped visitors might not be able to participate fully in certain areas. A free brochure for disabled visitors to the park is available by calling Disneyland Guest Relations at 714-999-4565.
