News 'Beyond Big Thunder Mountain' Blue Sky concept revealed for Magic Kingdom

[Cliff]

We need to give Josh a little break. He is under a LOT of pressure at these D23 events. He is prolly being told:

1.) Go out there and create the "impression" that the US parks are on the verge of greatness and that HUGE things are on the way.

2.) Dazzle people with as many ideas as you can and create the "idea" that the company is STRONG and that everything is STABLE and fine.

3.) Do NOT "promise" anything to stockholders. Do not cause people to make financial decisions based on unrealistic expectations.

4.) Josh...Disney could be held financially LIABLE if you "promise" anything that is not true.

How do you balance two radically conflicting goals on stage?

 

[Disstevefan1]

We need to give Josh a little break. He is under a LOT of pressure at these D23 events. He is prolly being told:

1.) Go out there and create the "impression" that the US parks are on the verge of greatness and that HUGE things are on the way.

2.) Dazzle people with as many ideas as you can and create the "idea" that the company is STRONG and that everything is STABLE and fine.

3.) Do NOT "promise" anything to stockholders. Do not cause people to make financial decisions based on unrealistic expectations.

4.) Josh...Disney could be held financially liable if you promise anything that is not true.

How do you balance two radically conflicting goals on stage?

No blame goes to Josh, he is just a performer in the dog and pony show.

The blame goes to the top.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Wow, thatch a long time ago! This is not about EPIC as it mentions 700 time-share units, a pair of 18-hole golf courses, and more than 2 million square feet of retail space.

After the Sept. 11 attacks everything by everyone halted in fact Universal sold off land that was intended for whats mentioned in this article I think.

In your research do you know when EPIC universe was first mentioned? It doesn't matter, I don't feel like I am waiting 7 years for EPIC to open no matter when its first announced.

It feels like to me its taking FOREVER for Disney to finish (whatever they are trying to do) in EPCOT.

The land was sold off to cover debts for Vivendi (the owner at the time). Has nothing to do with 9/11

 

[Rich Brownn]

Okay, six years for an entirely new theme park, not one land or two rides. Still better…

It was originally scheduled to open in 2023 (4 years) but the pandemic cost them a year construction time and another delay in ramping back up and shortages of materials.

 

[Disstevefan1]

The land was sold off to cover debts for Vivendi (the owner at the time). Has nothing to do with 9/11

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

I did kind of derail the discussion in that the time it takes from empty lot to building a land within an existing park. I understand your rationale. That was my fault.

My initial gripe was Disney announces these projects at D23 and calls them Blue Sky and announces them way too early. and it will be many years IF anything opens to the public.

I have resolved myself to totally ignore these announcements as they will most likely not happen, but for others it may set expectations.

As a fun exercise, the clock started back in Sept. 2022 for beyond thunder as that was when in was announced at D23, and then RE announced this year, so lets see how much time passes before whatever they try to do back there actually opens to the public.

Given its (more difficult, thank you) to build a new land in an existing park, I say it will take 7 years, from breaking ground whenever that is going to happen and we have no idea when that is going to happen. Having said that, I will guess, it will open about 8 years from now, if it happens at all.

You’re gonna be an old man when you get your new Disney ride

 

[UNCgolf]

To ensure guests walk around and window watch all the sea mammals instead large portion sit watch and leave.

I don't think that was ever a concern -- you can't see all the animals from the tunnel windows anyways, but the pavilion was so much better when it was one unified concept.

Now most people just skip the Nemo ride and go straight to the aquarium (although I think that was happening before they changed it to Nemo too because they'd let it stagnate).

 

[Disstevefan1]

You’re gonna be an old man when you get your new Disney ride

So true. Cant argue with that.

 

[Cliff]

Too many people think that Disney is loaded with money and can afford to build all these fantasy ideas anytime they want. They think that Disney is just being in-decisive or just un-sure of the correct idea to implement.

The hard reality that too many people (Pixie Dusters) must finally come to grips with is that Disney does NOT have the finances to afford much of these ideas right now. The truth is that Disney is laying of thousands and thousands of good people and will likely be broken into pieces and sold off separately down the road. For some, this is a really hard concept to swallow. It's like finding our your emperor has no clothes! Disney is now hurting BADLY and this is a fact.

It's like that scene in Forest Gump where he's running across the country and has a mob of "believers" that are following him religiously. When Forest stops and says he is tired and wants to go home...people are stunned in disbelief and they say "what?...what?...........what do "WE" do now??"

This is a harsh and painful reality for some people. We put this corporation on a pedestal and when we find out it's not what we think it is....we try to rationalize it away with all kinds of psychological tactics.

No,...not every fan is like this...but sadly, some very much ARE like this.

 

[Incomudro]

Universal is impressive. Epic Universe has been very exciting. Universal has the money and the "will" to decide on projects and start moving...and move strong and fast. It even seems that when they change their plans...the new idea is an improvement on the original idea!

Disney?....nope. They waffle and flounder back and forth. Their plans get stuck in INTERNAL red tape and get voted and revoted in Disney committe. They dont have the money and when they DO agree to build something...it's budget DOUBLES mid-way through and then is scaled DOWN before it finishes.

Universals plans right...budgets right...builds right...builds fast and finishes on (roughly) time. Disney does the opposite on everything.

Oh...by the way. Universal is about to get a 10-15 BILLION dollar check from Disney in the next 4 months for their portion of HULU. What do you think that Universal will be able to do with Disney's 10-15 BILLION dollars?

The sky is the limit for Universal and I'm SURE they smell Disney blood in the water. They just go hire Disney's best people and they run full speed.

I wish this wasn't true.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

I'd take a copy and paste Cars Land at Hollywood Studios over anything coco/villians/encanto anywhere else in the parks.

I desire that so much! ////

 

[MisterPenguin]

Too many people think that Disney is loaded with money and can afford to build all these fantasy ideas anytime they want. They think that Disney is just being in-decisive or just un-sure of the correct idea to implement.

Then how was Disney able to afford Ratatouille, Cosmic Rewind, Avenger Campus, Arendelle in Paris and in Hong Kong, Zootopia in Shanghai, two cruise ships, and a private island getaway?

The hard reality that too many people (Pixie Dusters)

There it is.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

All I will say is it's ABOUT TIME Walt Disney World has a most impressive new Land of it's kind 1st!

Whether it's the Moana ride, Encanto Land, or Coco, etc

Walt Disney World desperately needs something a gold chain that shows out to the other parks outside Florida. What they've done to Epcot is new but they didn't focus to make Epcot the best park in all Disney World with the redo! All it took for Magic Kingdom to stand out would it claimed the first World of Arendelle which didn't happen!

 

[Kev1982]

I feel like if they want a hit on their hands, they have to stick with the Villains land. It simply has to happen, and big. It possibly can’t go wrong.

 

[Bocabear]

I would sure prefer a Villain's Land over Coco in the Magic Kingdom...A villains land would be extremely popular...
and more in line with what guests want... Certainly more than Coco and Encanto. They own the IP already.... The merch that could be sold would be extremely popular too.

 

[FigmentFan82]

I would sure prefer a Villain's Land over Coco in the Magic Kingdom...A villains land would be extremely popular...
and more in line with what guests want... Certainly more than Coco and Encanto. They own the IP already.... The merch that could be sold would be extremely popular too.

I'm hoping it's not either or. Villains would be fantastic, but I do feel like you need at least 1 more thing to transition over

 

[Bocabear]

if you expand from the Haunted Mansion side, no transition is really necessary as far as adding another land...The Mexico and Coco section could be coming from the Thunder Mountain side...Though I don't think COCO Land would be a fully fleshed out land... Maybe an attraction, gift shop and quick serve at most.....While Villain's land could be really fleshed out beautifully and have multiple attractions, shops and eateries...and I think it would be a bigger hit than Galaxy's Edge....

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

Villains land could very well have the entire resort’s thesis attraction with Disney heroes battling the villains to save the Magic Kingdom, think SotMK or Fantasmic the ride. One of the things I really like about the Monsters land coming to EU is the main attraction supposedly being a crossover epic with all of the monsters. No doubt Disney would be interested in that concept for their own characters.

Copying? Maybe. Potential? Huge.

 

[J4546]

Maybe the villains land expansion will include a new onsite hotel?

 

[Bocabear]

If Only.... The Mel Brooks Haunted Hotel slated for DHS never it sadly.... Though that was just a predecessor idea to Hollywood Tower Of Terror....