Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

[White Bones]

Now don't get me wrong here folks, I personally have not been to it yet. I thought I would bring this to attention since I have been hearing and reading about it a bit and wanted to know all of your thoughts on it.

So, two reasons why people are disappointed:

1. They don't interact and just say "Phrases"

2. Unlike thier RSR counterparts, they're mouths don't move (This seems to be the biggest let down)

I personally was not expecting much from either Meet and Greet anyways.

Here are two video's

Talking Mater meet-and-greet in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure - YouTube - Mater


Talking Lightning McQueen meet-and-greet in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure - YouTube - Lightning McQueen

[biggsworth]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

They are just ok nothing too crazy. I think it;s cool they can move but as far as them being interactive seems like they could have done a lot more.

Now based off the lines I would say they are a hit.

[White Bones]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

They are just ok nothing too crazy. I think it;s cool they can move but as far as them being interactive seems like they could have done a lot more.

Now based off the lines I would say they are a hit.

Yeah I agree.

[Ride Warrior]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

Lines like "Smile like you've won the piston contest!" are hilarious. No wonder the Maynard and McQueen M&Gs are so popular and car-ismatic wth the crowds.

Disney may well decide to use more sophisticated tech (such as that used w/Talking Mickey or Turtie Talk w/Crush) later on down the line. Just the same, if what they are doing now works, why fix it? Econmic ideas like this serve both entertain and help to keep admission and other associated prices down.

[explodingboy]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

Those characters have been in DCA for quite some time now. Shouldn't have been that big of a let down for anyone.

[brenden]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

I think they handled it as well as they could, considering that they're talking cars.

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

The kiddies like it and it promotes Cars toys -- that's all that is important to Disney.

[Wren]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

Like previously stated, these characters have been in the park a couple of years now, they just simply switched locations.

What the meet and greet was like was already well documented.

[Ride Warrior]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

Like previously stated, these characters have been in the park a couple of years now, they just simply switched locations.

What the meet and greet was like was already well documented.

I'm glad that the McQueen and Matar characters have switched tracks. Whereever they decide to wheel about to, I'll never tire of talking to and about them.

[White Bones]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

They have already been in the park?

[OswaldTheRabbit]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

I do agree that I wish they had used some of the tech from Push The Tommorowland Trashcan, WALL-E (when he was around), and Turtle Talk with Crush. Makes it a little more magical.

[Wren]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

They have already been in the park?

Indeed, they built a shed over in Condor Flats for them for their meet and greet...a couple years ago when Cars 2 came out?

[White Bones]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

Indeed, they built a shed over in Condor Flats for them for their meet and greet...a couple years ago when Cars 2 came out?

No kidding? Lol WOW! I'm behind the times!


Were like the ones in the video? Or are these a bit more upgraded?

[OswaldTheRabbit]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

I would say the only difference is now you get to see them drive around. As far as the Meet & Greet goes, maybe a few more sayings but the hardware I would say is the same.

[Wren]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

No kidding? Lol WOW! I'm behind the times!


Were like the ones in the video? Or are these a bit more upgraded?

As far as I'm aware, they're the same exact ones.

[White Bones]

Aahh OK.
I see.

Interesting.

[explodingboy]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

As far as I'm aware, they're the same exact ones.

This.

[fishgal]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

I really think that Red and DJ are much better. I don't know if DJ does meet and greets or not but Red does. These two are far more interactive too me.

I think Mater and McQueen were fine for the Pixar Parade but in desperate need of an upgrade for carsland. While they look great in still photos meeting them is hit or miss. I did hear some new phrases out of McQueen recently but they weren't that good. Maybe they could just give him a flashing lightning bolt and have him saw KaChow. I think that would be better than the phrases he currently says. But as others have stated i think the main hangup for these two characters is that their mouths don't move. Red doesn't use words much in the movie so for him it works, plus he is so animated in many other ways as is DJ. McQueen just looks too low tech to be interactive. Mater moves his carburetor but that just isn't enough.

I would love to see them upgrade this characters to be more expressive and animatronic.

[CMinParadise]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

I would love to see moving mouths and Turtle Talk style interaction on McQueen and Mater. That would really take these meet 'n' greets up to a whole new level, and I might actually want to stand in those lines. Based on the figures in Racers, I'm guessing Mater's mouth would be easier to physically animate, but based on how idiosyncratic Larry the Cable Guy's voice is, I'm guessing Lightning McQueen would be easier for CM's to imitate. As it is, people are enjoying the photo op, and they love seeing the vehicles drive down the street before and after, but throwing in these more advanced technologies would definitely make these more of a Disney-quality experience. (Of course, there are probably practical concerns that would make the moving mouths unwise. You wouldn't want a kid sticking their hand in Mater's mouth while he's talking, for example.)

The kiddies like it and it promotes Cars toys -- that's all that is important to Disney.

Yeah it's too bad they didn't build Cars Land in such a way that adults could enjoy it too.

Oh wait.........

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Lightning McQueen meet-and-Greet and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet Disappointment?

The kiddies like it and it promotes Cars toys -- that's all that is important to Disney.

Yeah it's too bad they didn't build Cars Land in such a way that adults could enjoy it too.

Adults are lining up for the Lightning McQueen and Talking Mater Meet-and-Greet? It looked like boys (and a couple parents posing for photos with kids) in those videos.

Still, the point of my post wasn't what adult guests will enjoy about Carsland. It was to the topic of the thread that the meet-and-greet McQueen and Mater have been, and continue to be, under-innovated and under-animated for what they could be.

To that point, the Disney Corporation couldn't care less what they could be, when what they are is sufficient to do what Disney needs them to do, namely, connect target demographic (boys) with franchise characters (toons), and thence to franchise merchandise (toys).

Boys = toys = cash flow, Carsland's .