@spacemt354
Web Surfer is a dynamic family-style coaster through the 'World-Wide-Web' that functioned to convey the speed at which information and communication can travel in this day and age. Guests would meet with Dr. Mail, a computer engineer working to enhance the speed of the 'Interwebs.' In order to showcase his expedited designs, he invites guests to travel into the simulation lab, for a demonstration to see where information travels in order to send information across the world.
Deconstruction began on The Compu-Tour in late 1996, with fans of the attraction getting their final ride on the attraction on October 7th, 1996. The pavilion's other amenities remained open during this time, outdoor enhancements reflecting the new sponsor, with blue and yellow ornate designs now blanketing the digital influenced exterior of the pavilion. The show building for the computer was also elevated to accommodate the coaster's height, rising to roughly 60 ft, however the building's exterior facade still covers the majority of the show building. Guests from the rest of Future World and World Showcase would not notice any changes, however the Epcot Monorail ride would be able to see the additional show building height.
Web Surfer Ride Statistics
Opening Day: Christmas 1997
Ticket: E-Ticket
Style: Family Coaster
Height Restriction: 40 inches
Cars Per Train: 5
Guests Per Train: 20
Handicap Transfer: Yes
Attraction Duration: 2 min 45 sec
*Coming in 1999 - Fastpass available
The queue follows a similar path to the original dark ride. Guests begin at the entrance of the pavilion before traversing back beyond the lobby towards the preshow area. In the queue, guests can answer trivia questions about the internet on small computers, touch screen designs from the original CommuniCore exhibits reused for a greater purpose in the queue after the overlay to Innoventions.
Guests then walk into the pre-show room where they are met by Dr. Mail in the AOL research laboratory and simulation center - a center of exploration in Internet enhancements and data transfers. Dr. Mail gives the guests a demonstration, showing how data in an e-mail is sent from one computer to the next, traveling to several switch-points while surfing through IP addresses in order to get to its correct destination.
Designed by Vekoma, which will go on to design the more "thrilling" Rock 'n Roller Coaster after Web Surfer, this coaster train holds 20 guests and will get up to speeds of around 35 mph. Guests will feel the train going faster due to the attraction being mostly in the dark, with luminescent surroundings and cartoonish signs designating the various switch-points the information is traveling on during the adventure through the World Wide Web.
Dr. Mail ensures that the simulator the guests are encountering is just sending a simple e-mail, designed as a 'test' run to showcase how fast information travels. He ensures the endeavor will only take a short time. But like everything in Disney 90s attractions, something goes wrong.
As soon as guests leave the information port, they begin traveling up an incline to the 'IP address station'. Dr. Mail ensures this will only take a few moments as the IP is verified and you'll be on your way to a smooth transition towards your destination. However, his information does not send. It's picked up as 'spam' due to the guests' involvement. The coaster train then careens down an incline to the 'trash' before swooping up and into an s-curve. Neon lights flicker as you're in the 'hub of the world wide web, with information traveling all around you at lightning speed. The train then rides over a bunny hump into another s curve before coming to a stop at a 'packet' station. This is where the information is sorted out and identified/verified to be sent to its proper destination. All that said, the light still blinks red and you begin up a second incline. Continuing to watch information travel around you, Dr. Mail's voice can be heard trying to fix the simulation as the guests are on a collision course with the wrong destination. He tries to override the system to not send the guests into the spam/trash folder. You hear him say "got it" and soon enough your ride vehicle soars down another steep drop and arrows around you seem to be pointing you in the right direction. Green lights encompass your train as you speed through bunny hops and then a swooping s-curve before rumbling to a stop at the destination of interest.
"Phew" you can hear Dr. Mail state. "Well, thanks for traveling with us on this visit to the World Wide Web. Sorry about all that spam, but hope you can see much technology is behind such a simple e-mail you send and receive every day. Come back and visit us again soon and enjoy the rest of your stay at The Database sponsored by AOL (this dialogue is cut out during the 2006 sponsor drop)
There was a growing vocal purist fanbase that was disappointed that a classic in The Compu-Tour was removed for a family coaster. Many felt this could have been an addition rather than a replacement. That said it became a crowd favorite given it being the only coaster at Epcot, and with the double addition of Test Track, Epcot's thrill lineup matched that of its neighboring parks.