ANAHEIM – Disney California Adventure visitors soon will fly faster on Luigi’s Flying Tires.

The Cars Land ride, in which visitors float on tire-shaped vehicles similar to bumper cars on an air-hockey table, is undergoing major changes just two months after it opened with the park’s massive makeover.

Disney recently removed gigantic beach balls that visitors had tossed to one another as they floated along on the vehicles.

Over the next three weeks, crews will remove weight from the undercarriages of the vehicles, said Mary Niven, vice president of Disney California Adventure. This should increase the speed, although Disney has not disclosed what it will be.

Originally, the vehicles were to have a joystick, but it confused riders during testing. Still, the spin-control infrastructure remained below, weighing about 20 pounds, Niven said. The removal of that infrastructure is underway and should be done by September. The ride is not being shut down.

About 90 percent of surveyed visitors have said they plan to return to Cars Land. But Luigi’s has ranked as the least popular of the three Cars Land rides.

The beach balls were added to Luigi’s shortly before it opened as a way to give the attraction a more festive look, as well as add fun for riders.

But the wait times lagged, often lasting an hour or more, usually because people slowed down to pick up balls as they were getting aboard. Also, there were some “minor incidents” when visitors were hit by beach balls, Niven said.

“We just thought it was going to be more fun,” Niven said.

Disney fans and bloggers have offered mixed reactions to the balls’ removal.

“They added color and bounce to the whole experience, and now it’s just kind of dull,” wrote Jenny Wanland of San Dimas.

Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix, editor of MousePlanet.com, an unofficial Disney fan site, nicknamed the ride “Luigi’s Beach Ball Fight” and said some readers complained about rowdy guests using the balls like weapons.

“Without the beach balls (or something), this lame attraction will become a complete disappointment,” wrote Jason Cram of Buena Park. “Our expectations for Disney are high. … Hopefully, they can modify this ride in some way to make it exciting.”

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