Question about Na'vi river journey

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
I definitely think they could. Pretty much every major project at WDW done recently has taken less then or just a couple months over 3 years to complete. As others have pointed out, the time to build a park is only as long as the longest time to build a single attraction since things are quit in parallel. Let's also remember that not everything that was in the works at Epcot opened with the rest of the park. For example Journey to Imagination and Horizons opened later.

Frozen Ever After 10/5/2014 6/21/2016 21
Toy Story Third Track 9/25/2014 5/24/2016 20
BatB/Little Mermaid Section of FLE 2/10/2010 12/6/2012 34
Storybook Circus 2/11/2011 9/30/2012 19
Mine Ride 9/1/2011 4/30/2014 31
Tangled Restrooms 5/10/2011 3/8/2013 22
Expedition Everest 6/1/2003 4/7/2006 34
Mission:Space 3/29/2000 10/10/2003 43
Test Track 1/2/1996 3/17/1999 38
Test Track Presented by Chevrolet 4/15/2012 12/6/2012 8
Toy Story Mania 11/18/2006 5/31/2008 18
Walt announced Epcot in 1966 (albeit in a different form) and it opened in 1982. So technically Avatar is on the Epcot timeline.
 

flyerjab

Well-Known Member
I definitely think they could. Pretty much every major project at WDW done recently has taken less then or just a couple months over 3 years to complete. As others have pointed out, the time to build a park is only as long as the longest time to build a single attraction since things are quit in parallel. Let's also remember that not everything that was in the works at Epcot opened with the rest of the park. For example Journey to Imagination and Horizons opened later.

Frozen Ever After 10/5/2014 6/21/2016 21
Toy Story Third Track 9/25/2014 5/24/2016 20
BatB/Little Mermaid Section of FLE 2/10/2010 12/6/2012 34
Storybook Circus 2/11/2011 9/30/2012 19
Mine Ride 9/1/2011 4/30/2014 31
Tangled Restrooms 5/10/2011 3/8/2013 22
Expedition Everest 6/1/2003 4/7/2006 34
Mission:Space 3/29/2000 10/10/2003 43
Test Track 1/2/1996 3/17/1999 38
Test Track Presented by Chevrolet 4/15/2012 12/6/2012 8
Toy Story Mania 11/18/2006 5/31/2008 18

This is a great point to make. People look at Pandora and say that it took over 3 years and compare it to EPCOT (nothing wrong with doing that by the way). However, in reality, when EPCOT was being built, how many other projects were on going at the same time in WDW? You sort of have to take into consideration the resort as a whole. There has been construction going on constantly at multiple, multiple locations at any given time over the past several years. It would be interesting to line these up to see which ones have been happening concurrently, ones that end as others begin, etc. At one point you had Pandora, RoL theater, Harambe Marketplace, path widening and addition of shopping, along with cosmetic changes throughout DAK. Couple that with countless builds at Disney Springs, the Hub and bypass project at MK, a second ferry boat dock, DVC at the Poly and upgrades and changes throughout the entire Poly resort, multiple MK rehabs, demolition for both Toy Story and Star Wars Land, rehabs and change outs of multiple resorts - both soft and hard goods, Frozen Ever After and expansion of the Norway Pavilion, major roadwork and highway projects for infrastructure improvements, and don't forget the removal of the race track and the expansion at WWoS. I mean in reality, WDW is one HUGE construction project that is going on resort-wide for some time now. I think that the scale and scope gets lost because of how large the resort is now compared to when just EPCOT was being constructed. There are a ton of projects happening simultaneously all over the larger resort as I type this. There are definitely comparisons to be made. I also think that they could build it today in 3 to 3 and a half years - if that was the one thing that they were doing.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
TWDC of today would not build EPCOT Center. Most of the park would have been cut or delayed. What remained I think would be built in the approximate 3 year time frame.
Agreed 100%. My entire point in this long drawn out conversation tangent is that TWDC of today would never take on a project the size and scope of EPCOT and try to complete it in 3 years time. I have no doubt if they threw enough resources at it they could pull it off, but they wouldn't even try. If they decided on a 5th gate at WDW I have no doubt it would open in phases and have the construction spread out. Even AK had that to an extent and that was almost 20 years ago. The company today has a more slow and steady pace to it's projects and usually takes the safe road. Shanghai is probably the biggest risk they have taken recently but that's more due to the foreign political risk.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
I definitely think they could. Pretty much every major project at WDW done recently has taken less then or just a couple months over 3 years to complete. As others have pointed out, the time to build a park is only as long as the longest time to build a single attraction since things are quit in parallel. Let's also remember that not everything that was in the works at Epcot opened with the rest of the park. For example Journey to Imagination and Horizons opened later.

Frozen Ever After 10/5/2014 6/21/2016 21
Toy Story Third Track 9/25/2014 5/24/2016 20
BatB/Little Mermaid Section of FLE 2/10/2010 12/6/2012 34
Storybook Circus 2/11/2011 9/30/2012 19
Mine Ride 9/1/2011 4/30/2014 31
Tangled Restrooms 5/10/2011 3/8/2013 22
Expedition Everest 6/1/2003 4/7/2006 34
Mission:Space 3/29/2000 10/10/2003 43
Test Track 1/2/1996 3/17/1999 38
Test Track Presented by Chevrolet 4/15/2012 12/6/2012 8
Toy Story Mania 11/18/2006 5/31/2008 18
The question is would TWDC of today build a project the size and scope of EPCOT today and finish it in 3 years? I never disputed that if they threw enough resources and money at it they could accomplish it.
 

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
I'll bet. If it breaks down I'll buy you 10 meals of your favorite chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers. If it doesn't break down you leave the message boards. Deal?

LOL Irony indeed. I just responded talking about chicken breast nuggets. I think the better deal is you turn into a barf bag :) Ala, Dorothy Zabornak
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
This is a great point to make. People look at Pandora and say that it took over 3 years and compare it to EPCOT (nothing wrong with doing that by the way). However, in reality, when EPCOT was being built, how many other projects were on going at the same time in WDW?.
None. They literally had no slack with EPCOT Center AND Tokyo Disneyland under construction.

A better comparison would be WDW from 1986 to 1989.
 

rreading

Well-Known Member
The question is would TWDC of today build a project the size and scope of EPCOT today and finish it in 3 years? I never disputed that if they threw enough resources and money at it they could accomplish it.

It's a legitimate question, but my - non insider- understanding is that the fact that they did it before with EPCOT previously is probably the same reason they won't again: apparently Disney became quite overextended which threatened the finances of the company.

Unless that's just urban legend.

But if they felt that they could, I'd sure love to see it happen.

However, I don't think I'll ever expect a fifth gate.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
It's a legitimate question, but my - non insider- understanding is that the fact that they did it before with EPCOT previously is probably the same reason they won't again: apparently Disney became quite overextended which threatened the finances of the company.

Unless that's just urban legend.

But if they felt that they could, I'd sure love to see it happen.

However, I don't think I'll ever expect a fifth gate.
TWDC was a much smaller company back when EPCOT was built. The cost as a percentage of market cap or free cash flows or whatever metric you want to use was huge. It was a big financial risk. Even a 5th gate today wouldn't be the same financial burden and if they did build a 5th gate it would probably open in phases similar to AK where the original core attractions opened with the grand opening but additional lands and rides were added shortly after (or in the case of Avatar for Beastly Kingdom, not so shortly after). The costs would be spread.
 

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