WDW Resort Big Plans & Projects Before the 50th

[P_Radden]

2/22/17 Update: Great podcast interview from The Tomorrow Society featuring @lentesta http://tomorrowsociety.com/seven-questions-len-testa-podcast/

Walt Disney World is in the process of many large projects in preparation for the large crowds expected leading up to 50th anniversary celebration in 2021. Although this is a lot to absorb, I'm sure there will be lots more to add. Lets break it all down:

1. The Walt Disney World "Gondola" aerial mass transport system.
2. New resort accommodation at Coronado Springs Resort.
3. The all but "Disney P&R confirmed" DVC resort replacing the top half of the Caribbean Beach Resort.
4. Rumors of more resorts in the Epcot & Disney's Hollywood Studios area.

First of all, read this fantastic post from @WDW1974:
A Spirited Valentine ...

What exactly is going on you ask?

Well, the CBR is being contracted in size. And a DVC resort will be going there (I am fairly certain on theme, but am holding back for a bit because I still recall my teepee art at the WL that wound up being cabins ... I still like the teepees better!)

Why gondolas?

Because it is the absolute cheapest transportation Disney could add there beyond more buses. And they will be used to tout the area's direct connection to the SWE when it opens in 2019 ... or 2020 (no, I don't really care what Iger said as he often lies publicly, even on opening dates!) This is designed to make the area more desirable and give Disney (they hope) the ability to sell more rooms at higher price points (see those $49 rooms at the All Stars or $145 rooms at DAK Lodge right now if you think more rooms is what Disney needs).

This will also bring about the long planned idea of dropping the 'value', 'moderate' and 'deluxe' categories and allow for them to sell based on location and desire. You want direct transport to that outpost on the edge of space at whatever Disney-MGM's corpse will be called? Well, would you pay $250 a night to stay at Pop Century? $400 for CBR? Yes, this IS the thinking behind this. And it will be property wide. You can already smell those $1200 a night standard rooms at the Poly for Christmas, right?

More Gondolas elsewhere?

Down the road, maybe. Right now, no.

How does Coronado fit in?

The resort will be seeing an expansion yet again at the convention center to make up for the loss at the Contemporary (timeshare is more valuable than conventions, apparently). So a need for deluxe inventory will get moved over to this resort, which will see even more upgrades and much higher price points.

Does this mean no DVC at Coronado Springs?

Not 100% sure, but it looks that way.

But there has to be more DVC coming?

Hell yeah. At least three resorts right now, including new builds at CBR and in EPCOT resort area.

Is Coronado the only place where actual new non-timeshare inventory will be added?

No. They are looking at multiples. But the big one is that the EPCOT resort I first broke here years ago appears to be on again as a full blown, very pricey, very deluxe resort. Yes, this is the one at the entrance that was planned as DVC. I still believe the resort will be part hotel/part timeshare, but conflicting talk on that.

There also are plans for a Star Wars themed resort of some type. But it would appear to be so top secret that it isn't worth discussing yet. No timeshare with this one.

Should I be excited by this?

No, not unless you are such an addict to a BRAND that you want to pay 5-star dollars for 3-star rooms and services.

Why all this stuff now when we've had next to nothing for years?

Simple. Star Wars, WDW's 50th and ... Pandora.

Review these threads by @danlb_2000 :
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/possible-new-gondola-transportation.924477/
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/caribbean-beach-expansion.923827/

And skim these as well:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/coronado-springs-expansion.921312/
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/coronado-springs-announcement-today.924526/


1. The Walt Disney World "gondola, sky-lift" aerial transport system consists of 3 independent aerial "cable car" lines, and 5 stops as follows:

Map thanks to @danlb_2000 , @rfc0001 , @truecoat

Stops:

• Epcot - International Gateway
  
• CBR North DVC
• Main transfer station at CBR south
• Hollywood Studios
• AoA/Pop!

Lines:

• Red (International Gateway/CBRDVC/CBR South Transfer Station)
• Yellow (CBR South Transfer Station to Hollywood Studios Station)
• Blue (CBR South Transfer Station to AoA/Pop!)

The main objective of this new mass transit system is not to transport park hoppers between Epcot & Hollywood studios, but to connect guests staying at CBR, AoA & Pop! to both DHS and Epcot while taking pressure off of the bus system. Expect this to be the entire gondola system. No connection to Disney Springs at this time. This system is expected to be operational in time for the opening of Star Wars Land. I will try to comb the other thread for more facts and update here soon.

2. This is the new 500 room, 15-story tower that will be built at the Coronado Springs Resort & Convention Center:
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...coronado-springs-and-caribbean-beach-resorts/

This upscale high rise will be more of a business class luxury hotel to appeal to the CEO's and upper class corporate types who visit the CSR convention center. This along with a series of room upgrades to current areas should help upgrade the status of the overall resort.

Here is the location of the new building and landscaping/site work:

@Coaster Lover has overlapped the plans on satellite photography here:

More info on this project in the links above.

3. Recently permits have been filed that show the removal of current structures, and new buildings being built at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR) in the first phase of a major project splitting up the resort and adding DVC accommodations:

As @danlb_2000 has shown these new buildings are to be built at CBR:

This map is a big key to this entire project. Just study it a bit...

The large building seen on the left side of this map (at the north area of CBR) has been confirmed by WDWMagic trusted members to be a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) main building. DVC is coming to the Caribbean Beach Resort.

4. Visit this thread for ongoing discussion specific to rumors of new resorts for the Epcot/DHS area. This map will get you started on some of the possibilities available:

__________________________________________________

Additionally, the countdown to 2021 will be quite amazing as we cross these key milestones:
2017: Pandora The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom
2018: Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios
2019: Star Wars Land at Hollywood Studios
2020: Various Epcot improvement projects

More projects to follow:
Wishes to be replaced with new 'Happily Ever After' nighttime spectacular
Typhoon Lagoon New Raft Ride - Miss Fortune Falls
Epcot Center/Buena Vista Drive Interchange Project

For those who like to follow construction progress, please check out @Bioreconstruct on twitter.

I understand there is a lot more to add, and I will be updating as new info is available. Please help keep this thread on track for discussing the overall master plan, and by visiting the other linked threads to talk ideas and specifics on those topics.

 

[olie64]

This is awesome thank you for putting it together.

 

[flyerjab]

I love this type of thread. Other items to consider:

1. Pandora
2. RoL
3. Toy Story Land
4. Star Wars Land
5. New Mickey Ride
6. Ratatouille Ride in Epcot
7. UoE replaced by GotG
8. Mission:Space overhaul
9. Innoventions overhaul, East and West
10. New Entrance to Epcot, organic enhancements through entire spine up to WS
11. Updates to LwtL and the movie theater in The Land Pavilion
12. Possible new country with new ride
13. New nighttime parade in MK
14. Tomorrow Land overhaul (and expansion?)
15. Stitch Ride Replacement

Now I know not everything is confirmed, but a lot are or are being seriously considered.

The 50th could be a crazy experience. Time will tell.

 

[Kamikaze]

Lets be clear: If something is for the 50th, as the DLR 50th stuff was, it has to open within a year either way of the 50th, so Oct 2020 - Sept 2022.

The other stuff coming before then is cool, and its part of the master plan, but its not part of the 50th.

 

[Magic Feather]

Expect gondalas up pre-50th... By quite a bit. Also, I believe the AoA stop is not in the middle of hourglass, but on the parking lot.

 

[Rteetz]

Expect gondalas up pre-50th... By quite a bit. Also, I believe the AoA stop is not in the middle of hourglass, but on the parking lot.

Parking lot makes the most sense. I don't see why they would put it in the middle where the bridge is.

 

[uncle jimmy]

Alright, there have been lots and LOTS of new info this week. Lets break it all down:

1. The Walt Disney World "Gondola" aerial mass transport system.
2. New resort accommodation at Coronado Springs Resort.
3. The all but "Disney P&R confirmed" DVC resort replacing the top half of the Caribbean Beach Resort.
4. Rumors of more resorts in the Epcot & Disney's Hollywood Studios area.

First of all read this post from @WDW1974:
A Spirited Valentine ...

Review this these threads by @danlb_2000 :
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/possible-new-gondola-transportation.924477/
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/caribbean-beach-expansion.923827/

And skim these as well:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/coronado-springs-expansion.921312/
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/coronado-springs-announcement-today.924526/


1. Now for the Walt Disney World "gondola, sky-lift" aerial transport system this is the map to look at courtesy of @danlb_2000 , @rfc0001 and myself:
View attachment 190246
The "gondola" system consists of 3 lines as seen highlighted in red, yellow and blue here by @truecoat:
View attachment 190262
^^^ Please note this map shows the incorrect AoA/Pop! station. The correct location of the station is in the middle of Hour Glass lake seen in the original map above.

The building circled is the transfer station.

[I will update this post this weekend with all of the main facts of this new trans system]



2. This is the new tower that will be built at the Coronado Springs Resort & Convention Center:
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...coronado-springs-and-caribbean-beach-resorts/

3. Recently permits have been filed that show the removal of current structures, and new buildings being built at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort (CBR):

As @danlb_2000 has shown these new buildings are to be built at CBR:
View attachment 190261
This map is a big key to this entire project. Just study it a bit...

The large building seen on the left side of this map (at the north area of CBR) has been confirmed by WDWMagic trusted folks who say it is most likely a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) main building. DVC is coming to the Caribbean Beach Resort.

Working now.....

Awesome job putting the info together from all those threads! I agree with @flyerjab and adding this information... should this be like the opening date for pandora thread with updated listings?

 

[Kamikaze]

Parking lot makes the most sense. I don't see why they would put it in the middle where the bridge is.

The bridge is more central to all rooms. Having it at the north is quite a hike from the southern most buildings.

 

[Rteetz]

The bridge is more central to all rooms. Having it at the north is quite a hike from the southern most buildings.

True but they would probably have to make some changes to the bridge for it to hold a station which would then likely cost them more money.

 

[jhendrix]

As @danlb_2000 has shown these new buildings are to be built at CBR:
View attachment 190261
This map is a big key to this entire project. Just study it a bit...

In studying that map of CBR, are they really removing almost two whole "islands" for a DVC? Wow they are really shrinking CBR. But, why? Why not just build the DVC in the empty lot across from Trinidad South?

 

[Disone]

In studying that map of CBR, are they really removing almost two whole "islands" for a DVC? Wow they are really shrinking CBR. But, why? Why not just build the DVC in the empty lot across from Trinidad South?

Honestly, I am wondering the same thing. This will be interesting for sure.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Also remember for the next few years all 4 parks celebrate anniversaries
2017- Epcot 35th
2018 - AK's 20th
2019 - DHS 30th
2020/2021- Unless they decide to make WDW & MK 50th goes as a year long celebration...

 

[marni1971]

Hardly actually for the 50th though is it? More like proposed projects for the next six years. Perhaps rename the thread?

Not that there aren't plans for each park for 2021.

 

[Kamikaze]

True but they would probably have to make some changes to the bridge for it to hold a station which would then likely cost them more money.

Obviously. I would figure they'd build a new structure thats connected to the bridge, not on the bridge itself.

 

[JoeCamel]

Obviously. I would figure they'd build a new structure thats connected to the bridge, not on the bridge itself.

Could just as easily be above the bridge and you walk through it

 

[monothingie]

Aren't they over saturated with Hotel Rooms already based on occupancy? Unless the majority of development coming is DVC, which I feel is also reaching a maximum saturation point. They must be anticipating SWL and TSL to really bring people into property, but by eliminating moderates and over increase in prices, how are they going to fill all these rooms?

 

[seascape]

WDW is in desperate need of more hotel rooms. WDW averages 90% plus occupancy and it's almost impossible to do better. Think of it this way if a room is rented 13 days out of every two weeks it's occupancy rate 92.9%. WDW is just about at that level. They need thousands more rooms now without growth. If they grow at just 3% a year they need 600 to 700 rooms a year and with the expected increase due to all the additions they need over 5000 more rooms by 2021.

 

[olie64]

WDW is in desperate need of more hotel rooms. WDW averages 90% plus occupancy and it's almost impossible to do better. Think of it this way if a room is rented 13 days out of every two weeks it's occupancy rate 92.9%. WDW is just about at that level. They need thousands more rooms now without growth. If they grow at just 3% a year they need 600 to 700 rooms a year and with the expected increase due to all the additions they need over 5000 more rooms by 2021.

The only question will be if they overprice them. I wonder if they are going to build a new resort geared to the "normal income" folks. I think will the new offering they will need more rooms.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

The only question will be if they overprice them. I wonder if they are going to build a new resort geared to the "normal income" folks. I think will the new offering they will need more rooms.

You can guarantee that they won't be cheap. So what is a "normal income" folk? They majority of the rooms are already either value or moderate, so it really depends on the exact occupancy for each place.

 

[Capsin4]

I think their problem with hotel rooms was that they had too much "deluxe" inventory because guests don't see the value at those price points as built. They're fixing that by converting deluxe to DVC and taking a new strategy for increasing revenue at nondeluxe hotels. The gondolas and the proximity of the new hotels to parks is part of that strategy....something totally lost when they built the AK resort. I guess the upscale resort(s) in the DHS/Epcot area are targeted at an older audience and the higher prices they might be willing to pay to be close to SWL and EPCOT festivals. If the new EPCOT resort has direct access to a park like the GC, the festivals will be right on the doorstep.