News Exploratory geotechnical borings for new Epcot retention pond suggest new projects are in the works

Coaster Lover

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
There's four Resort proposals around the edge of Epcot that I know of. I expect one or possibly two to happen.

So, if you were a betting man, more than likely, this early work would be to accommodate (eventually) new lodging (as opposed to entertainment [i.e. park expansion], food, shopping, or transportation)?
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
And before anyone gets the idea that Disney could build a hotel north of World Drive near the existing pond - That land is marked as "Unsuitable for Development".

Although that makes it harder to build, it doesn't mean they can't build. The area around DHS is also marked unsuitable but they are building parking, the new entrance road, gondola towers and very likely the Star Wars hotel on it.

upload_2017-10-13_17-32-52.png
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
So, if you were a betting man, more than likely, this early work would be to accommodate (eventually) new lodging (as opposed to entertainment [i.e. park expansion], food, shopping, or transportation)?

This sounds likely. This would be very early work. This permits only seeks permission to drill test borings. Based on those results they can design the pond and then would have to go back for another permit to build it.
 

Calmdownnow

Well-Known Member
Disney needs more rooms. I'm surprised they haven't expanded more of the resorts, outside the DVC option.
A Coronado Tower, a Riviera DVC Tower, a new Swan/Dolphin resort, a Star Wars Resort and now possibly two EPCOT resorts...What are all these tens of thousands of new guests going to be doing? Waiting 4 hours for a ride in Galaxy's Edge or Toy Story Land? Existing visitors who stay off-site do so because the price of the Disney Resorts is beyond what they are willing to pay, so new top-line hotels will not bring them in. New resort rooms must be aimed at expanding the number of visitors. Unless the number of rides increases at the same pace, the parks will be jammed and waits for rides will be at historically high levels.
 

ohioguy

Well-Known Member
A new monorail resort! (or at least it would seem unusual for them to build a hotel on a plot where the monorail goes through and not build a monorail station there)

And perhaps a point where monorail and gondola stations MEET? For transportation hop between the two.
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
Didn't @marni1971 say something of them possibly branching out into a form of transportation they didn't have? Maybe not monorail but light rail instead? Or maybe for pure blue sky fun in a "no budgets" universe, a maglev from Epcot to DHS to AK to AKL? A maglev would give off a EPCOT Center feeling to me. But there wouldn't be enough distance to make a high speed maglev worth it.

The worlds first commercial maglev was an airport shuttle in Birmingham UK so it could be possible but I doubt the current Disney co would spend money on this. I suspect if it's a new form of transportation it could be some type of tram or light rail

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev#Birmingham.2C_United_Kingdom.2C_1984.E2.80.9395
 

jaxonp

Well-Known Member
A Coronado Tower, a Riviera DVC Tower, a new Swan/Dolphin resort, a Star Wars Resort and now possibly two EPCOT resorts...What are all these tens of thousands of new guests going to be doing? Waiting 4 hours for a ride in Galaxy's Edge or Toy Story Land? Existing visitors who stay off-site do so because the price of the Disney Resorts is beyond what they are willing to pay, so new top-line hotels will not bring them in. New resort rooms must be aimed at expanding the number of visitors. Unless the number of rides increases at the same pace, the parks will be jammed and waits for rides will be at historically high levels.

Disney is adding a lot of attractions over the next 5 years. In their minds that will be plenty to justify more rooms.. That and occupancy numbers have been really good for the most part. There are many times you can't find a room. Disney will capitalize on that. My point was/is, instead of building more resorts why not expand the existing resorts to share the common facilities, restaurants transportations etc... those. It's the same mentality that growing school districts employ. Build another high school or expand an existing high school. The later option saves you on overhead. No need to pay duplicate staff or build additional common use facilities. That has been one of the benefits of DVC additions to most of the deluxe resorts.
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
A Coronado Tower, a Riviera DVC Tower, a new Swan/Dolphin resort, a Star Wars Resort and now possibly two EPCOT resorts...What are all these tens of thousands of new guests going to be doing? Waiting 4 hours for a ride in Galaxy's Edge or Toy Story Land? Existing visitors who stay off-site do so because the price of the Disney Resorts is beyond what they are willing to pay, so new top-line hotels will not bring them in. New resort rooms must be aimed at expanding the number of visitors. Unless the number of rides increases at the same pace, the parks will be jammed and waits for rides will be at historically high levels.

The Swolphin tower and the Star Warsort are boutique... they really won't be that big. The Riviera killed a whole bunch of rooms to make the tower. And the two (or four) new ones at Epcot and the Swolphin and the SWarsort are years away. So, there really won't be a surfeit of rooms any time soon.

There are plenty of weeks or weekends that just about everything is booked. Disney needs more rooms.
 

peter11435

Well-Known Member
The Swolphin tower and the Star Warsort are boutique... they really won't be that big. The Riviera killed a whole bunch of rooms to make the tower. And the two (or four) new ones at Epcot and the Swolphin and the SWarsort are years away. So, there really won't be a surfeit of rooms any time soon.

There are plenty of weeks or weekends that just about everything is booked. Disney needs more rooms.
The new tower at CSR will replace the lost rooms at CBR. So Riviera will add additional inventory. But yes, Disney needs more rooms.
 

Millionaire2K

Active Member
Maybe they are just gonna build some more infrastructure for the solar plant. Maybe unground lines and power storage facilities? They could just be measuring the thermal resistivity of soils or backfill materials required for underground transmission lines to say a solar energy storage facility?

Or something even dumber, more roads and ramps?
 
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