MK Piston Peak and Villains Land Construction Thread

[veritas55]

So Disney's responses to CFTOD's questions, which we generally interpreted here to mean the project area was not extending beyond the railroad tracks, should actually not be interpreted that way? This would profoundly change our understanding of the project's scope/scale.

The only confusing part left would be the relatively small apparent size of the signature dark ride's show building... but perhaps verticality and/or that shape not containing the attraction's entire area is the answer...

yes, this is the thing that threw me off. On the one hand, we had Disney's response which others read as suggesting there was not going to be expansion beyond the then-existing RR track. On the other hand, the land clearing of that patch beyond the RR tracks seemed significantly larger than necessary to be just a "lay down" yard for construction (especially because they had another area already set off for lay down.).

Thus, my hopeful speculation they would use the area cleared outside of the RR for a show building for either the coaster or dark ride.

Fingers (and toes) remain firmly crossed (because the land could be spectacular if they use the full potential of the real estate).

 

[deWild]

If the bottleneck of BTM and Splash taught us anything, it’s that there needed to be an escape route - 2nd path - away from BTM. Villains Land seems set up to be an enormous bottleneck in the same fashion. Any chance there are plans for a path leaving Villains and snaking into Fantasyland?

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Some pictures I took from TBA and the bridge from earlier this morning (1/31):
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The size of that hill makes you appreciate to what lengths WED went to hide the HM showbuilding from the riverboat and WDWRR.

 

[BrianLo]

The only confusing part left would be the relatively small apparent size of the signature dark ride's show building... but perhaps verticality and/or that shape not containing the attraction's entire area is the answer...

@scott_walker re-measured and it’s basically the same size as Dinosaur and 15% smaller than Rise.

If it’s a slower moving vehicle it’s absolutely ginormous. Only if it is Shanghai Pirates system would I worry very much about size. I assume it’s going to be more family friendly and thus slower conveyance than Dino/Indy. So it’s pretty much the second biggest dark ride on property.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

Why?

To draw a specific type of guest toward Magic Kingdom that has noticeably started to skip it.

It isn't uncommon for families with older kids/families that seek more thrill to skip Magic Kingdom and instead go to the other three seeking bigger thrills. The most thrilling coaster at MK currently would be Tron, and that has a reputation for being too short to be worth it.

Part of the line Disney has to walk with four theme parks is including things in all four that would make all guests want to visit all four. MK has for many, many years had the reputation of being the little kids park, and as such, families without little kids are more inclined to simply not go.

 

[James Alucobond]

To draw a specific type of guest toward Magic Kingdom that has noticeably started to skip it.

It isn't uncommon for families with older kids/families that seek more thrill to skip Magic Kingdom and instead go to the other three seeking bigger thrills. The most thrilling coaster at MK currently would be Tron, and that has a reputation for being too short to be worth it.

Part of the line Disney has to walk with four theme parks is including things in all four that would make all guests want to visit all four. MK has for many, many years had the reputation of being the little kids park, and as such, families without little kids are more inclined to simply not go.

People skipping Magic Kingdom is a good thing if they can be drawn to other parks within the bubble. You want the three other parks to fill niches the ridiculously overpopulated park lacks so that you can better distribute attendance. Magic Kingdom does not need to be all things to all people.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

To draw a specific type of guest toward Magic Kingdom that has noticeably started to skip it.

since it’s the worlds most visited theme park…. It seems they may have had the right formula

 

[lazyboy97o]

To draw a specific type of guest toward Magic Kingdom that has noticeably started to skip it.

It isn't uncommon for families with older kids/families that seek more thrill to skip Magic Kingdom and instead go to the other three seeking bigger thrills. The most thrilling coaster at MK currently would be Tron, and that has a reputation for being too short to be worth it.

Part of the line Disney has to walk with four theme parks is including things in all four that would make all guests want to visit all four. MK has for many, many years had the reputation of being the little kids park, and as such, families without little kids are more inclined to simply not go.

This is nothing more than wishcasting pretending to be an assessment.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

People skipping Magic Kingdom is a good thing if they can be drawn to other parks within the bubble. You want the three other parks to fill niches the ridiculously overpopulated park lacks so that you can better distribute attendance. Magic Kingdom does not need to be all things to all people.

I don't disagree with you in general, but I also think Magic Kingdom is very crucial for Disney's vacation model succeeding the way they want it to.

Disney's goal is and always has been for a WDW trip to be the one and only thing the guest does. They don't want their guests guests going off to SeaWorld or Universal for a day. Of course, people do, and they always will, but Disney's gonna go down without a fight on it. Part of their strategy for retaining these guests is to structure their resort in such a way that Disney takes all of their time, and that goal is only achieved with a visit to all four parks. Magic Kingdom in particular is promoted as a two day affair.

But how do you get those guests to go to Magic Kingdom? You build attractions that appeal to them. Yes, they want you to branch out and visit the other three parks, but they don't want you to visit the other three parks at the expense of Magic Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom being the most attended park at the resort year after year is not incidental, it is by design. Disney wants to push guests toward Magic Kingdom as much as they can, and they have recognized over the last 15-20 years that Universal, SeaWorld, and to a lesser extent Busch Gardens may not hurt WDW as an overall resort, but it could impact Magic Kingdom specifically.

Now, is Magic Kingdom in danger of losing enough guests to the others to be knocked off #1? Of course not. But Magic Kingdom is also gonna make Disney the most money, and they're gonna do everything they can to funnel as many guests through it as possible and keep them from going off their property.

All of this investment and activity at Magic Kingdom isn't for funsies. It's to be a lure.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

This is nothing more than wishcasting pretending to be an assessment.

What am I wishcasting exactly? I don't need to be pulled to Magic Kingdom. If i'm going on a Disney trip, i'm going to all four of them. But it is becoming more and more common for certain types of travelers to not go to Magic Kingdom because it's public perception is it being the park for the little kids. Of course Disney is going to want to try and entice the more thrill oriented guest to enter their flagship park.

 

[James Alucobond]

But how do you get those guests to go to Magic Kingdom? You build attractions that appeal to them. Yes, they want you to branch out and visit the other three parks, but they don't want you to visit the other three parks at the expense of Magic Kingdom.

You visit all the parks because they each offer something unique. Why does the Magic Kingdom specifically have to be more thrilling? And where is the data that people are actually skipping or even thinking about skipping Magic Kingdom? You're saying it's so, but is it really?

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

since it’s the worlds most visited theme park…. It seems they may have had the right formula

Like I said above, Magic Kingdom isn't in danger of being knocked off its perch, but that doesn't mean they're not actively trying to draw more people to it. There's a lot of upside for Disney to entice a more thrill oriented guest to visit their flagship park.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

You visit all the parks because they each offer something unique. Why does the Magic Kingdom specifically have to be more thrilling? And where is the data that people are actually skipping or even thinking about skipping Magic Kingdom? You're saying it's so, but is it really?

Again, it presents a lot of upside for Disney to entice a more thrill oriented guest to visit Magic Kingdom.

I do not have specific data, no. But skipping a park on a Disney trip is not a new phenomenon. There's a hefty bucket of guests who're just gonna do three of them. Historically, Animal Kingdom has been the one that gets skipped. But I see more and more online now people instead skipping Magic Kingdom, and the friends i've got who're Disney travel agents talk about this shift too.

Is it happening in massive numbers? No, it's not. Magic Kingdom's #1 and likely always will be.

That does not mean doesn't doesn't want to court thrill seekers into stepping into the park that most butters their bread.

 

[James Alucobond]

That does not mean doesn't doesn't want to court thrill seekers into stepping into the park that most butters their bread.

One intense ride is not going to unlock an entirely new audience. People who only care for physical thrill have plenty of places to go that are packed with rides of only that type and won't also be flooded with grandparents and toddlers. And if teens are skipping the princess park because it's uncool, this one ride tucked into the back also won't change that. They'd probably rather hold a lightsaber in Batuu.

 

[luv house of the mouse]

You visit all the parks because they each offer something unique. Why does the Magic Kingdom specifically have to be more thrilling? And where is the data that people are actually skipping or even thinking about skipping Magic Kingdom? You're saying it's so, but is it really?

Actually I know more folks including myself that skip MK. I love MK but when I go its EPCOT, AK, HS, MK in that order because there is more for me and my party to do. Listen there is a reason that IIASW is across from PP, PP and Pooh have pretty long wait times because they appeal to younger kids and families. Now that they have added B&B it gives me more reason to stay longer. All of this said when the open Piston Peak and Villians I will be there with bells on.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’ve been here a week and haven’t stepped foot in DHS. Not actively avoiding it but there really isn’t anything I care about seeing.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Construction thread.

 

[lazyboy97o]

What am I wishcasting exactly? I don't need to be pulled to Magic Kingdom. If i'm going on a Disney trip, i'm going to all four of them. But it is becoming more and more common for certain types of travelers to not go to Magic Kingdom because it's public perception is it being the park for the little kids. Of course Disney is going to want to try and entice the more thrill oriented guest to enter their flagship park.

You’re trying to spin anecdote as data to back up what is just your personal desire.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Construction thread.

Where?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Where?