Paris' Walt Disney Studios Park - Part 4
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Steve Tyler loves the adrenaline rush of this new attraction!
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The final pre-show room is a direct clone from Florida, although the HDTV screen reveals a slightly altered pre-show. In this attraction, the rest of Aerosmith are discussing the technical aspects of the video as Steven Tyler flies into the recording booth to enthuse about the ride. A model of the attraction’s loop section is sitting on the technician’s desk as Tyler explains the layout. The pre-show is reduced in length from the original as the attractions operators at MGM have always complained that the pre-show was too long and often meant that seats were left empty as the load capacity was greater than the pre-show theater.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the dark, dirty and rundown back alley and the garage were history, replaced by a cleaner load area with monitors and lighting desks running scenes filmed inside the attraction. Sound and video checks are being called.The coaster cars do not have the same detailing of the limos from MGM, as they are more reminiscent of amplifiers with gadgets and gizmos flickering away under a perspex back, but each of the attraction’s five vehicles is capable of producing five different light shows with five independently randomised soundtracks. It is possible to tell which light show you will be experiencing, as when each coaster arrives into the load area, the lighting strobing through the load area is indicative of which random pattern is to experienced in the main show building.

A glimpse inside the queue area.
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Naturally, the Digi-Board above the tunnel entrance is absent from this new incarnation, and guests are prepared for the LIM launch sequence with a glimpse of the lights in the far show building. As the launch sequence engages, the camera snaps away furiously to capture the looks of surprise on unsuspecting riders. What ensues, is a mesmerising and often bewildering ride through the shooting of the video. The tacky two dimensional cut-outs have been upgraded to a highly sophisticated lighting system that confuses riders, and at times, it is extremely difficult for the rider’s brain to decipher whether the car is upside down or not. Several lighting rigs and gantries are visible as riders hurtle through them. One reason why Imagineers opted for the light show is that the Disneyland park has been the home to the awesome Space Mountain since 1995 that also features a LIM launch and is a dark attraction with three dimensional rockets, meteors and other space debris that the coaster cars interactive with. Imagineers did not want riders to make comparisons with the sister park and therefore opted for a wholly different ride experience to that of the MGM Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Personally, I preferred the Version 2.0, but I am sure other guests will have contrasting opinions.

The Rock Around the Shop store is a tiny reproduction of that found at MGM. Guests have the option of bypassing the store in Paris which is barely the size of the Disney Showcase at Disneyland. Unfortunately, the merchandise buyers at WDSP decided not to bring over the extensive array of product that is marketed for the attraction at MGM. At the previews, none of the merchandise featured the Fab Five and only one logo was utilised in the limited offerings.