Studio Backlot Tour Closing on September 27, 2014

[PhotoDave219]

I don't drink so I wasn't aware of that. Surprises me that they can wander around with drinks in their hands though I suppose that it shouldn't surprise me. Welcome to Disney's Bar & Grill.

Now, after waiting in line for hours on end and being forced to jump through many hoops as Disney forces you to these days? An adult medicinal beverage is greatly needed.

And that doesn't even include dealing with the other guests.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Now, after waiting in line for hours on end and being forced to jump through many hoops as Disney forces you to these days? An adult medicinal beverage is greatly needed.

And that doesn't even include dealing with the other guests.

No wonder everyone at Epcot is drunk.

 

[PhotoDave219]

No wonder everyone at Epcot is drunk.

I quote my friend Katie:

"Who in their right minds brings children to food and wine?"

 

[ToTBellHop]

No wonder everyone at Epcot is drunk.

Nothin else to do. You'll want a few drinks before heading to the Fastpass+ viewing area for the new "Got Wood? A Lumberjack Spectacular!" you will have prescheduled 60+10 days out.

 

[Macca250]

No wonder everyone at Epcot is drunk.

After a visit to the Imagination pavilion and experiencing the trauma that is Michael and modern Figment, I'd struggle to get through the rest of the day without a stiff drink.

 

[GoofGoof]

Nothin else to do. You'll want a few drinks before heading to the Fastpass+ viewing area for the new "Got Wood? A Lumberjack Spectacular!" you will have prescheduled 60+10 days out.

You have "peaked" my interest, but I can't find it anywhere on My Disney Experience. Must be sold out

 

[doctornick]

So, all these pages and no one seems to have any idea as to what is going to happen to the BLT space. IS it just going to sit empty to save the money from running it or is actually new construction planned? If they are going to build something new there in the near future, has a plan been decided upon? Will LMA or SoA close in the near future as well?

Anyone?

@Lee @WDW1974 @articos @marni1971

 

[Spencerrr]

So, all these pages and no one seems to have any idea as to what is going to happen to the BLT space. IS it just going to sit empty to save the money from running it or is actually new construction planned? If they are going to build something new there in the near future, has a plan been decided upon? Will LMA or SoA close in the near future as well?

Anyone?

@Lee @WDW1974 @articos @marni1971

people have lots and lots of ideas but no one has any real evidence yet

 

[GoofGoof]

So, all these pages and no one seems to have any idea as to what is going to happen to the BLT space. IS it just going to sit empty to save the money from running it or is actually new construction planned? If they are going to build something new there in the near future, has a plan been decided upon? Will LMA or SoA close in the near future as well?

Anyone?

@Lee @WDW1974 @articos @marni1971

It has been very quiet. Makes me think the space will be vacant for a while. Nothing has been confirmed but Frozen Oaken moving in.

 

[roj2323]

IS it just going to sit empty to save the money from running it or is actually new construction planned?

I have to imagine it's going to sit empty for a while. They will probably get rid of the tram sitting out front and they might put up a wall by the entrance but Beyond that I don't see much happening unless we hear an announcement on the 11th when everything else in the general area closes. If we don't hear an announcement the area will likely just sit empty until january. If we do hear something the area will be walled off and we might start seeing some changes. It's honestly all up in the air at the moment. The part that sucks is blocking off that corridor is going to create havoc on people trying to get to and from LMA, Frozen attractions and more notably the Osbourne lights.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have to imagine it's going to sit empty for a while. They will probably get rid of the tram sitting out front and they might put up a wall by the entrance but Beyond that I don't see much happening unless we hear an announcement on the 11th when everything else in the general area closes. If we don't hear an announcement the area will likely just sit empty until january. If we do hear something the area will be walled off and we might start seeing some changes. It's honestly all up in the air at the moment. The part that sucks is blocking off that corridor is going to create havoc on people trying to get to and from LMA, Frozen attractions and more notably the Osbourne lights.

I see it as them having two choices. Either build something of interest there or they might as well close the park. I think that they will build and it will be immediate or very soon.

 

[doctornick]

It has been very quiet. Makes me think the space will be vacant for a while. Nothing has been confirmed but Frozen Oaken moving in.

Yes, the lack of any inside information makes me thing that the plan is to close the attraction at the end of the fiscal year and save some cash while they figure out what to put there.

That said:
(1) They won't be able to build on the BLT space immediately anyway. There's a lot of stuff along the route to collect and catalogue, so it isn't like they'd level everything Oct 1 anyway. If they are finalizing plans on what to do -- and they likely already have dozens of potentially blueprints sitting around regarding stuff to do there -- they have some time.
(2) There's been quite a bit of rumbling about big changes coming to DHS (including the name) and this was always likely to be an early move of any grand reworking given the location and size of BLT as well as the (lack of) popularity as well as it being a clear tie to the "working studio" past that needed to be eliminated. If a big renovation of DHS were to occur in the near future, this is a logical first step. I hope that is what is going on.

I really think that quickly putting up some A Bug's Land/Toy Story Playland type rides in the front part of what is now the BLT would be a good first step in a grand makeover of DHS to increase ride options and to help shift the focus of the park quickly while you take longer time to build better rides behind that and work on Star Wars.

 

[doctornick]

I have to imagine it's going to sit empty for a while. They will probably get rid of the tram sitting out front and they might put up a wall by the entrance but Beyond that I don't see much happening unless we hear an announcement on the 11th when everything else in the general area closes. If we don't hear an announcement the area will likely just sit empty until january. If we do hear something the area will be walled off and we might start seeing some changes. It's honestly all up in the air at the moment. The part that sucks is blocking off that corridor is going to create havoc on people trying to get to and from LMA, Frozen attractions and more notably the Osbourne lights.

From what I see on the overhead maps, it seems like they can easily wall off the current BLT and still provide ample room to walk between Pixar Place and LMA and SoA. Especially with Oaken's moving into the AFI space, I would expect them to truncate the "loop" of the tram tour that kinda sticks out near the entrance of LMA and then put up walls that cover the rest. If anything there will probably be more room to move around in relatively short order.

 

[roj2323]

I see it as them having two choices. Either build something of interest there or they might as well close the park. I think that they will build and it will be immediate or very soon.

I don't understand this Close the park argument. There is still plenty to do. there is: coaster, tower, fantasmic, beauty and the beast, animation, the little mermaid, disney JR, one mans dream, Jack sparrow, toy story, great movie ride, indy, star tours, muppets, frozen, LMA, meet and greets, plenty of shopping and several restaurants. I could understand an argument for a reduced 1 day ticket temporarily until the construction is done but there is still plenty to do. Fantasmic alone brings in probably close to 30% of the guests.

 

[doctornick]

I don't understand this Close the park argument. There is still plenty to do. there is: coaster, tower, fantasmic, beauty and the beast, animation, the little mermaid, disney JR, one mans dream, Jack sparrow, toy story, great movie ride, indy, star tours, muppets, frozen, LMA, meet and greets, plenty of shopping and several restaurants. I could understand an argument for a reduced 1 day ticket temporarily until the construction is done but there is still plenty to do. Fantasmic alone brings in probably close to 30% of the guests.

If they wanted to close (say) half the park -- like the southern half of Echo Lake and SoA -- and put it all behind construction walls for a massive renovation, one way it could be handled it to make DHS part of the "Water Parks & More" feature and offer 1 day admission the same as a water park rather than have it be a regular park ticket. I'm guessing that would result in the park actually being more crowded though as people would go there as a cheap option for half a day plus it would have a smaller footprint.

 

[GoofGoof]

I don't understand this Close the park argument. There is still plenty to do. there is: coaster, tower, fantasmic, beauty and the beast, animation, the little mermaid, disney JR, one mans dream, Jack sparrow, toy story, great movie ride, indy, star tours, muppets, frozen, LMA, meet and greets, plenty of shopping and several restaurants. I could understand an argument for a reduced 1 day ticket temporarily until the construction is done but there is still plenty to do. Fantasmic alone brings in probably close to 30% of the guests.

If they wanted to close (say) half the park -- like the southern half of Echo Lake and SoA -- and put it all behind construction walls for a massive renovation, one way it could be handled it to make DHS part of the "Water Parks & More" feature and offer 1 day admission the same as a water park rather than have it be a regular park ticket. I'm guessing that would result in the park actually being more crowded though as people would go there as a cheap option for half a day plus it would have a smaller footprint.

No shot they offer a reduced entrance fee or close the park.

Closing too much at once is why I think this DHS redo will stretch over 7+ years. They won't start work on both StarWarsLand and Pixar expansion at the same time. Once this rumored Pixar expansion is complete (3 years?) they will close stuff like Indy on the other side of the park to make way for SW. During construction they will supplement the offerings with temporary attractions like Frozen summer. Don't forget they will still draw big crowds for Osborne Lights and SW Weekends as well as the various cheerleading and other special events. The park will be a construction zone for a loooong time, but it will stay open and full price.

 

[doctornick]

No shot they offer a reduced entrance fee or close the park.

Closing too much at once is why I think this DHS redo will stretch over 7+ years. They won't start work on both StarWarsLand and Pixar expansion at the same time. Once this rumored Pixar expansion is complete (3 years?) they will close stuff like Indy on the other side of the park to make way for SW. During construction they will supplement the offerings with temporary attractions like Frozen summer. Don't forget they will still draw big crowds for Osborne Lights and SW Weekends as well as the various cheerleading and other special events. The park will be a construction zone for a loooong time, but it will stay open and full price.

Oh, I agree. I'm talking hypothetical. No way Disney closes a significant part of the park, which is why I tend to think that BLT closing is a precursor to putting a couple of rides there in anticipation of closing the Echo Lake area for Star Wars (as you have said).

 

[BigTxEars]

I see this as a new payroll-reduction test. They will stop paying CMs to staff and maintain the ride on the 27th, but let the guests continue accessing it until Oct 5. Perhaps the guests will figure out how to operate and maintain the ride themselves. If so, expect a full rollout resort-wide in time for the Christmas season. The savings will be staggering.

I could see this working for food service as well. "You want a hamburger? There's the fridge, there's the grill, good luck!"

Sounds like my first job when I was 16 at Hanna Barbara Land cooking chicken nuggets on my first day. No training at all baby, get in there and work it out yourself!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanna-Barbera_in_amusement_parks#Canada.27s_Wonderland

I did get to see Smurfette backstage.....in all her Smurfing glory

 

[roj2323]

No shot they offer a reduced entrance fee or close the park.

Closing too much at once is why I think this DHS redo will stretch over 7+ years. They won't start work on both StarWarsLand and Pixar expansion at the same time. Once this rumored Pixar expansion is complete (3 years?) they will close stuff like Indy on the other side of the park to make way for SW. During construction they will supplement the offerings with temporary attractions like Frozen summer. Don't forget they will still draw big crowds for Osborne Lights and SW Weekends as well as the various cheerleading and other special events. The park will be a construction zone for a loooong time, but it will stay open and full price.

If the rumor that they are going to fill in Echo lake is true they really could do both at the same time. Basically with the echo lake area there are no attractions affected. They could easily gain access to the area by the gate next to the left of 50s prime time and provided they keep ABC commissary Lane open they could wall everything off from the American idol bathrooms to the Shed looking bathrooms across from back lot express without eliminating any attractions. Basically what I'm getting at is while the likelihood of the simulations construction projects is unlikely it is completely possible. Also keep in mind that star wars is rumored to be a multi stage project and BLX has been rumored to being converted into the Cantina so they could very well just start with that while the BLT area is also being rebuilt into whatever that becomes.

 

[GoofGoof]

If the rumor that they are going to fill in Echo lake is true they really could do both at the same time. Basically with the echo lake area there are no attractions affected. They could easily gain access to the area by the gate next to the left of 50s prime time and provided they keep ABC commissary Lane open they could wall everything off from the American idol bathrooms to the Shed looking bathrooms across from back lot express without eliminating any attractions. Basically what I'm getting at is while the likelihood of the simulations construction projects is unlikely it is completely possible. Also keep in mind that star wars is rumored to be a multi stage project and BLX has been rumored to being converted into the Cantina so they could very well just start with that while the BLT area is also being rebuilt into whatever that becomes.

They would have to close Indy too since it's kinda in between Echo Lake and Star Tours, but it's only one show so it could work, especially if they keep LMA open. I can't see them closing both shows at the same time since they are huge people eaters.