A Spirited Valentine ...

[WDW1974]

The Seas will get a bit of love.
IROE Upgrade/replacement
Possible Hotel at the main entrance
Coco could come to Mexico if it is successful

Only one of those is definite. Another is pretty much, but that one is years away ... and there is talk of a whole lot more than the above items. I see no reason to believe it at this point ...

 

[WDW1974]

It seems like, looking at the picture of the meeting in the article, that the shareholders also don't have the energy to care. Is this typical of the size of the crowds that attend it?

Typical since they stopped alternating annually between Orlando and Anaheim with a NYC thrown in for good measure every once in a while. Now, they basically play 'Keep Away' with the meeting so as to have the least intelligent, non-threatening and smallest gathering possible. I could have used some miles and flown out for free. Likely stayed for very little for one night and come back. But why? To hopefully make Iger and his minions uncomfortable? Just not worth my time ...

 

[WDW1974]

To be perfectly honest Spirit, Some of us are so fed up with Disney that we are actually becoming apathetic and desperate because caring has become so painful.

Oh, I do get it. I find myself feeling the same way often. I think I have something worth talking about and then ... then I sorta ... yeah. I was at WDW two weeks ago. I had a perfectly good time. But was with family and friends. Stayed at UNI. Private DVC Party at MK. Free food at WLV on a perfect night. ... But I just look at everything from the security theater to enter the parks (you think Prez Bannon would like an attack at a theme park, so he can burn what's left of our civil rights?) to the traffic ... to the absolute removal of all the trees on property ... to gift shops with no merchandise because it is easier for ECVs and triple wide parents pushing double wide strollers ... to slovenly CMs who look like they can barely afford to eat (so they eat lots of crap and are obese) and ... and I just realize that my WDW started dying in the 90s and pretty much was taken off life support about the time I joined this community (nine years ago now!) I am still going to go, just far less than I did. And I do see improvement in some areas. Absolutely. I still really think Pandora is going to wow people. ... But this isn't my WDW anymore and I've accepted that and can only get so emotional about it now.

My WDW included everything from swimming in Bay Lake to no FPs to meals in the Castle booked day of to themed merchandise in shops to CMs who across the board delivered world class Guest service and got the Disney Legacy and ... do you see why I can't get excited about the Star Wars Experience?

 

[WDW1974]

From the LA Times: "Construction of the new $1-billion expansion at Disneyland began in April and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019."

Can anyone confirm that "end of 2019" for DL's Star Wars addition was actually stated during the shareholder's meeting today?

The project was supposed to be ready in 2018 in Anaheim and 2020 in Orlando. They now want them both open in 2019. That shouldn't be an issue at all ... on one coast.

 

[WDW1974]

When it comes to the future, there do seem to be a lot of concepts bouncing around right now. With that said, we know a lot of the current projects we've discussed will be done soon. Announced projects we know will be done by 2019:

1) Disney Springs (it's still just chugging along... slowly)
2) Wilderness Lodge DVC
3) Avatar
4) Typhoon Lagoon Addition
5) Toy Story Land
6) Star Wars Experience

Some sort of phase one work should be complete or close to complete on the CBR CSR front. It was also hinted we could see the Gondolas sometime around late 2019/early 2020 too.

All of this to say, most of the announced projects will be done by 2019. There's two headliner lands that will have opened, but beyond that any projects are well placed rumors.


It feels like Parks and Resorts goes in investment cycles. Let's look at what has been announced to open beyond 2019:

1) Cruise Ships
2) Disneyland's new hotel
3) Walt Disney World's hotel "improvements"
4) More money for Disneyland Paris
5) HKDL's (under attack, tiny 100 million dollar a year contribution from WDC) Expansion

Not a lot. Last D23, Disney spelled out what the next 4.5 years would look like. It would actually make sense to be finalizing the plans for the next 4.5+ years about now. The next stage of investments need to get started so they can come online in the early 2020s. That goes for Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

If they base Epcot's plans off of the HKDL/DCA/DAK approach, they'll announce a 5 year+ modernization plan. Then we're looking at project completion in 2022 or 2023. Which isn't ridiculous. Hopefully it's faster, but they seem to like their 5 year improvement plans.

A new headliner, a handful of filler attractions, and placemaking improvements done on a 5-6 year timeframe isn't ridiculous. They could even throw in an attraction or two at the other parks for a 2021 opening.

Seems plausible.

Just going to repeat that I don't see EPCOT seeing an entire multi-billion dollar project started and completed by WDW's 50th. Not at all. I see a little here and there ...

 

[WDW1974]

I'm still looking forward to Pandora, but up to this point I wouldn't say the commercials and promos have done much to sell the land as a groundbreaking E-ticket area. Visually, the area looks like an extension of the rest of DAK -- that's good and bad. It meshes well with the park, but it's not terribly distinctive at first blush.

I think the experience will be much different when you are actually in the land. ... I do concur that the advertising has not been the stuff that hype is built on!

 

[WDW1974]

That's right folks! When you swim in Volcano Bay, you are swimming in Godess tears. And the park icon is based on greed, anger, and hatred! ;-) All jokes aside, this is shaping up to be very nice.

At the end of the day, that is what it will be: a nice water park. Orlando already has three of them.

 

[BubbaQuest]

Am I missing something? Or is this place dead again (or simply talking about parades that are not coming to WDW or crazyarse gondolas that are)?

I can't speak for others, but I know for me I'm pretty much done with Disney until at least 2019. I still come here looking for updates and I am excited for the gondolas and I'm sure Pandora is going to be amazing. But....

I'm not going to blow $1000 just to check out 2 new attractions in what is otherwise a 40 square mile flea market with a bunch of overpriced hotels. I know that sounds harsh, but then...

Speaking of disappointment, anyone here want to tell me they like the 'rip out all the theming, add a little decoration you could buy at Home Goods and call it a deluxe resort' redos that have happened from the BC to BW at WDW and are now happening in the new Copper Creek Villas at WDW and Grand Californian rooms at DL? I just don't get it ... but I think it actually is coming from Guests who want more ordinary rooms. All at insane Disney price points.

This ^^^^^^^^^. I often think maybe I'm being a little too hard on Disney and then I see something like the GCH remodel. I can't even find the energy to ask why anymore. I just know Disney is no longer for me.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm thinking of NBA Experience and Edison. They seemed like a centerpieces Disney would have wanted to fully launch the project.

You're right that the bulk of the work is done, but with anchor tenants (particularly NBA) coming along I still found it worth mentioning.

Some major pieces are still being built (Edison) or not even started (NBA) and two (Paddlefish and Planet Hollywood) just opened. Walking around the place it doesn't feel finished yet.

All of the named spaces are and have been separate individual projects.

 

[WDW1974]

But then again, there are people, many of whom post here, who spend that much for a week or 2 in the swamp bubble...
But then again, most of them are gainfully employed..

I'm still not sold on that!

 

[WDW1974]

Not to mention the people who seem to dine on property everyday. I don't care how good Homecoming is. I wouldn't eat there every week.

Homecoming is so damn overrated. It is good, but not special. And very overpriced. Come to SoBe and we can go to Yard Bird for the best chicken you'll have. As to the people you are talking about, I have heard stories about some. People who have moved closer to WDW so they can eat at the resort regularly. People who think it's a badge of honor to eat at Tiffins or Skipper Canteen or Paddlefish, six times in the first month. I don't get it at all. There are so many great restaurants in Central Florida, it isn't 1983.

But I'm still amazed that some of these Orlando people seem to live for trips to DLR -- I mean, it's a big world. You live in Disney's backyard. Branch out.

I can't fathom traveling to Anaheim specifically to see the MSEP, especially if you saw the thing a thousand times rattling down Main Street at MK for the last few years.

So, yeah, the lifestyler thing still a mystery to me.

It makes me feel a bit dirty myself. Because I certainly go more than the average person. But as someone who has never seen the MSEP go down Anaheim's Main Street, I don't ever need that experience for my life to be complete. The mental illness with most of these people is very strong.

BTW, what happened to Mongello? I get the feeling he isn't the celebrity he was 5-6 years ago ...

 

[WDW1974]

Just an observation from the link you posted of the shareholders meeting. From the photo, it appeared as though there were quite a few empty seats there in the audience. (I'm not a shareholder and have never been to one of these meetings. Is this average attendance, or do more people usually attend?)

More people attended in the past. When it was at or near DLR or WDW.

 

[WDW1974]

The meeting was boring. I was there. The best part of the day was the D23 Be Our Guest luncheon.

You would have been better to have been at WDW two weeks ago. You never know what Spirits would have turned up!

 

[WDW1974]

I don't get why there is this sudden thought that Disney Springs is still ongoing. The project is done and it has been done for awhile. The individual tenant spaces that are the responsibility of the tenant are separate projects that should always be ongoing at a shopping center.

Some major pieces are still being built (Edison) or not even started (NBA) and two (Paddlefish and Planet Hollywood) just opened. Walking around the place it doesn't feel finished yet.

Yeah, I sorta get the idea that the official company word is they are done, yet they are still working on major projects like those above and ones that have hit contract snags (Apple anyone?) ... I'd also argue that closing DisneyQuest for NBA Experience is a large piece of that puzzle. ... There's also the question of that off-ramp from I-4 directly into the Orange Garage.

By the time everything opens that has been planned, they're going to be filling holes of the tenants that have pulled out.

 

[NearTheEars]

Yes, because Disney hasn't put out any movies in the past 8 decades that had a message...

When I go to a movie, I want to be entertained. I don't give a **** about the director's or writer's political agenda, the studio's wanting "a strong social message", or what the SJW's were able to get injected into the movie by whatever ridiculous means they employ. If I want to find any of that crap, I can find an avalanche of it with hardly any effort these days. Just entertain us with your movie without beating us over the head with your "message". That's all I ask.

I'm confused now, after making that statement, it sounds like you'd prefer the Iger approach of making an entertaining film destined to gross a billion.

 

[Magic Feather]

At the end of the day, that is what it will be: a nice water park. Orlando already has three of them.

Exactly, and anyone who is expecting IoA Water Park addition, or even Typhoon for that matter (theming wise, it will easily remain superior. Content is debatable.) is setting themselves up for dissapointment. This will be a very nice water park, and have some (very) cool aspects. Moana is going to be pleasantly surprising with a few unique features (IMO), with Krakatau, the volcano, and Honu being the hits (maybe OhYah/OhNo). I'm not sure if anyone caught it, but there will be a representation of Vol, and how it is being done (unless something changed since I last heard) should be very interesting, and a tad ironic.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah, I sorta get the idea that the official company word is they are done, yet they are still working on major projects like those above and ones that have hit contract snags (Apple anyone?) ... I'd also argue that closing DisneyQuest for NBA Experience is a large piece of that puzzle. ... There's also the question of that off-ramp from I-4 directly into the Orange Garage.

By the time everything opens that has been planned, they're going to be filling holes of the tenants that have pulled out.

Apple's space is filled. In the case of NBA, while DisneyQuest was long on the chopping board, it's silly to consider a project that moved in earnest six years later as one and the same. With that sort of timeline Hyperion Wharf and/or the "bold new vision" are still happening and ongoing.

 

[Rodan75]

I was thinking about what it takes to be an O-Town based blogger/podcaster/Lifestyler from a financial end and it does tell you that many of these people are relying on family and government/disability dollars to fund their life avoidance and BRAND advocacy.

Most have a WDW/DLR Premier AP and that runs almost $1,500 a person alone. Add in a UNI AP (assuming FL residency and discounts) about $300 a person. Have to have Sea World and Busch Gardens and that AP is about $200 (more if you throw Aquatica in, but most of them wouldn't be caught dead in a bathing suit). Add in Lego Land for some ... and annual buys of Halloween and Christmas party tickets (often multiple nights) and you could be talking upwards of $2,500-3,000 per person that they all pay (no one is getting comped APs to my knowledge). If the person actually has a spouse or significant other and kids ....well, that is a chunk of change. Pretty large number if you ask me or even if you don't.

How many blogger/podcaster/lifestylers that make a living from that and go to both coasts are there? 2 or 3?

In general, Lifestylers are being courted by tons of companies now and hold unprecedented sway to customers ...apparently a middle class living can be eked out of moderately successful Lifestylers...I won't shed a tear when the next market correction wipes them out.

 

[WDW1974]

Apple's space is filled. In the case of NBA, while DisneyQuest was long on the chopping board, it's silly to consider a project that moved in earnest six years later as one and the same. With that sort of timeline Hyperion Wharf and/or the "bold new vision" are still happening and ongoing.

So is Apple not coming at all? ... I was told it still was (on the plot near the restroom across from PH) planned.

I see your point on NBA, but until very recently quite a bit was still not done, including two centerpiece dining locations. And the Edison and Walt's are supposed to be part of the opening lineup ...and they are opening when now? (Seriously, I have no idea.)

 

[TalkingHead]

Homecoming is so damn overrated. It is good, but not special. And very overpriced. Come to SoBe and we can go to Yard Bird for the best chicken you'll have. As to the people you are talking about, I have heard stories about some. People who have moved closer to WDW so they can eat at the resort regularly. People who think it's a badge of honor to eat at Tiffins or Skipper Canteen or Paddlefish, six times in the first month. I don't get it at all. There are so many great restaurants in Central Florida, it isn't 1983.

Might have to take you up on that next time I get to that end of the state. The problem with Miami is there are too many good places for dining. An embarrassment of riches, like.

It makes me feel a bit dirty myself. Because I certainly go more than the average person. But as someone who has never seen the MSEP go down Anaheim's Main Street, I don't ever need that experience for my life to be complete. The mental illness with most of these people is very strong.

In my younger days (eek - time flies), I saw the MSEP at DL -- before Light Magic, before the MSEP "retired" for good, before the MSEP's "retired" light bulbs were sold for charity fundraising. (And you know I've got one of those bulbs stashed away somewhere. Just waiting for the day when I dump all my parks junk on ebay.)

Yeah, it certainly seems like obsession that teeters over for some folks. I barely have time much less the inclination to follow this site as closely as I once did. Of course, having said that, I'm headed down to Orlando next week for a few days in the parks. Still, I won't be eating all my meals on property when I go!

BTW, what happened to Mongello? I get the feeling he isn't the celebrity he was 5-6 years ago ...

For that matter, a lot of familiar names from LP and this site have disappeared in the last few years. I think Disney's lost its pull for a lot of us who used to be more invested in the brand. That's a good sign for the company's future, right?!