DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[ToTBellHop]

It sounds like something similar to Test Track's refresh, which is set ti be a 1 year turn-around. So, Muppets RNRC could likely open 2026 if they start this Summer (when Villains and Mermaid opens to take on some of the capacity)

It’s not closing in June.

 

[UNCgolf]

Perhaps the main feature of SWL was supposed to be a complex role-playing system that used impressive new tech to allow guests to advance a flexible story across the land and for CMs to track individual guests' character development and play a role appropriate to their particular story. The tech was supposed to be integrated into the land's attractions as well. A watered-down version of this got moved behind the Star Cruiser paywall and one of the main hooks of the land was reduced to CMs saying "Bright Suns" constantly.

I never understood this plan, in that I could never imagine a way it would be even remotely feasible (at least in a way that was actually impressive and not something that felt like a cheap add-on). It always felt like a ridiculous pipe dream.

 

[UNCgolf]

It’s going to get refurbished. But, like Big Thunder, it could always get deferred further. But, the ride system itself needs extensive work. You can only defer that so long. They could theoretically decline to touch show scenes to save money, but that’s very unlikely given the scope of work necessary. It will need to close for over a year, so they are likely to renovate the show scenes as well.

This is one time I'd probably prefer they save money -- I don't really want current Disney touching the SSE show scenes.

Other than fixing the ending/descent, which basically doesn't exist right now anyways. They don't need to do anything to the history scenes unless they want to plus what's there without making major changes.

 

[UNCgolf]

Maybe but I fell for it hard besides didn’t the star cruiser do it?

The Starcruiser was able to do it because it was a very small number of guests in a defined space/time -- trying to do it for thousands and thousands of guests every day? There's no way they could have done something at all on the level of what they attempted with the Starcruiser.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

He even mentioned at one point (think it was in his massive white paper manifest) that Disney was wasting investor money on new stuff because it is cheaper to retheme existing attractions and just as many people would show up.

And did the board agree or disagree with him?

 

[BrianLo]

True, but that once more conjures up the problem of why we should assume more sincerity in the sudden mention of a direct Muppets replacement show then we do in the intentional obfuscation of the location of Monsters Land at D23. Disney has demonstrated a willingness to deceive regarding this project.

Its worth wondering if the final nature, indeed even the existence, of a Muppets replacement depend on the degree of backlash to Muppets removal.

My personal guess (and it is a guess) is that this whole project was pulled off a shelf fairly late in the game and the final destination wasn’t fully landed on until post D23.

 

[Agent H]

And did the board agree or disagree with him?

That’s not the point the board peltz the investors they all want things done as cheaply as possible like chapek times a thousand it feels like you’re arguing against yourself just to disagree with iger.

 

[Bill Cipher]

I never understood this plan, in that I could never imagine a way it would be even remotely feasible (at least in a way that was actually impressive and not something that felt like a cheap add-on). It always felt like a ridiculous pipe dream.

It's not impossible to imagine. Guest information can be sent and received wirelessly and conspicuously using RFID in Magic Bands and mobile phones. The queue for Everest or RnRC can read your name without needing to tap anything, and rides like Dino or Guardians can send you a ride photo without needing to tap anything. A guest profile with a photo/description, reputation scores, and list of significant activities (attractions ridden, characters encountered, current missions etc.) could be sent to improv actors backstage which could be quickly memorized and used for improv storytelling. After an encounter the guest's profile could be updated to reflect changes in reputation or other data. This was the main appeal of setting Galaxy's Edge in an original location with original characters. Instead they opted for a much cheaper execution; mobile phone mini-games triggered by physical locations or QR codes. Those should have been the polish and supplements to the original robust role-play system instead of the entire experience.

 

[JackCH]

My personal guess (and it is a guess) is that this whole project was pulled off a shelf fairly late in the game and the final destination wasn’t fully landed on until post D23.

Definitely feels that way. Didn't some insiders mention they were still checking on AC as a location possibility even after D23?

And even the concept art they keep using feels somewhat just thrown together. Which makes it all the more surprising if they actually start full construction soon.

 

[Agent H]

It’s not closing in June.

If they intend To open it in 2026 I’d expect it to close in early fall they will want it open for summer but they will want it closed before the start of the Christmas season.

 

[Moth]

I think I’ve asked this before but is there actually a plan for spaceship earth after test track? Or is that just speculation since it’s been long overdue for an update?

There's a plan to go after TT3 opens and before Imagination.

Last I heard the ride system didn't need as much work as previously thought... It is an overall "bad show" to have your flagship attraction of your second most visited park be 20 years outdated.

But like Bellhop said, can always be kicked a bit further down, last I heard was "SSE and Imagination get love in time for EPCOT50".

 

[Agent H]

There's a plan to go after TT3 opens and before Imagination.

Last I heard the ride system didn't need as much work as previously thought... It is an overall "bad show" to have your flagship attraction of your second most visited park be 20 years outdated.

But like Bellhop said, can always be kicked a bit further down, last I heard was "SSE and Imagination get love in time for EPCOT50".

I hope you’re right a new figment ride and villains land for Walt Disney Worlds 60th anniversary would definitely make up for the 50th

 

[UNCgolf]

It's not impossible to imagine. Guest information can be sent and received wirelessly and conspicuously using RFID in Magic Bands and mobile phones. The queue for Everest or RnRC can read your name without needing to tap anything, and rides like Dino or Guardians can send you a ride photo without needing to tap anything. A guest profile with a photo/description, reputation scores, and list of significant activities (attractions ridden, characters encountered, current missions etc.) could be sent to improv actors backstage which could be quickly memorized and used for improv storytelling. After an encounter the guest's profile could be updated to reflect changes in reputation or other data. This was the main appeal of setting Galaxy's Edge in an original location with original characters. Instead they opted for a much cheaper execution; mobile phone mini-games triggered by physical locations or QR codes. Those should have been the polish and supplements to the original robust role-play system instead of the entire experience.

The scale is the problem; not the underlying concept itself.

The technical aspects are doable, but actually giving every single one of the thousands of daily visitors any kind of personal experience that's actually memorable? That was never going to happen.

At best, a tiny percentage of guests would feel like something truly interesting happened to them, while the vast majority felt like nothing happened.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The technical aspects are doable, but actually giving every single one of the thousands of daily visitors any kind of personal experience that's actually memorable? That was never going to happen.

There were possibilities- like with meet and greets and the live character ideas that seem to have been completely scrapped now.

 

[UNCgolf]

There were possibilities- like with meet and greets and the live character ideas that seem to have been completely scrapped now.

Again, though, that's something that would have only had an effect for a small number of visitors.

I honestly don't blame Disney for cutting it/moving it to the Starcruiser. It's simply not an idea that works on that scale; it doesn't seem like a good use of funds. I'd much prefer to see them use money on something that would actually enhance the experience for most or all guests, not a small subset.

You can't really do personalized entertainment at a place that's averaging 25k+ visitors a day.

 

[etc98]

The scale is the problem; not the underlying concept itself.

The technical aspects are doable, but actually giving every single one of the thousands of daily visitors any kind of personal experience that's actually memorable? That was never going to happen.

At best, a tiny percentage of guests would feel like something truly interesting happened to them, while the vast majority felt like nothing happened.

Exactly. There are 40 or 50 thousand guests in the park a day, and to really make it feel like a real experience, you’d need multiple interactions with different characters throughout your visit. So you’re at a couple hundred thousand interactions a day. Even at a minute per interaction, you’re at probably 200,000 minutes of interaction per day. Across a 14 hour operating day, you’d need 238 performers interacting every minute of the day to achieve that.

Those numbers are obviously very exaggerated, because a) not everyone in the park would care to participate at all, and b) most people travel in groups, so the performers would be interacting with multiple people at once. But it still just doesn’t seem feasible.

Theres also the question of how do you make it feel organic? There’s not going to be 40,000 individual storylines every day, so does the performer come up to you and tell you some story or try to recruit you for some job, and then you watch them walk up to another group and tell them the same thing?

When you stand in line for your blue milk, do you listen while the person at the register asks person after person “Hey, aren’t you the one who crashed the Millennium Falcon?”

 

[lazyboy97o]

Again, though, that's something that would have only had an effect for a small number of visitors.

I honestly don't blame Disney for cutting it/moving it to the Starcruiser. It's simply not an idea that works on that scale; it doesn't seem like a good use of funds. I'd much prefer to see them use money on something that would actually enhance the experience for most or all guests, not a small subset.

You can't really do personalized entertainment at a place that's averaging 25k+ visitors a day.

It was never going to be every guest because some would not want to participate. They did live in-park tests at Disneyland, the Adventure Trading Company and Legends of Frontierland

 

[UNCgolf]

It was never going to be every guest because some would not want to participate. They did live in-park tests at Disneyland, the Adventure Trading Company and Legends of Frontierland

Of course it wouldn't be every guest -- but it would likely be enough to water down the experience enough that it's just not worth doing.

Again, I'd much rather see that money spent on something that would enhance the experience for a larger group of guests. Like, you know, actually building the TS restaurant they were supposed to build.

I mean, I'm certainly not opposed to the idea, and I'd happily see Disney do stuff like this if they were willing to throw money at the parks. I just don't think it would end up being impressive or memorable regardless; seems like one of those things that sounds great in theory but doesn't work in practice.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Again, though, that's something that would have only had an effect for a small number of visitors.

I think more than a “small amount of visitors” meet the characters.

 

[Dranth]

And did the board agree or disagree with him?

The board agreed with Iger but I am not sure where you are going with this.

Shareholders have the final say on who is on the board, CEO, if compensation packages get approved, vote on resolutions, etc. If they don't want you on the board or as CEO, you are done. Eisner is a great example of this. He got booted because shareholders initiated a proxy fight and voted to remove him.