Al Lutz -- Fantasyland budget cuts

[Giraffe Lounge]

the Pixie franchise hasn't taken off as strongly as once hoped, and the budget for the WDW version of that ride has been slashed and burned as part of Team Disney Orlando's retrenchment on their recently scaled back Fantasyland expansion.

http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al010510a.htm


Anyone know more about this?



(and please, can we keep this from becoming yet another referendum on Al Lutz)

 

[jmuboy]

You beat me to posting this! I am guessing that he is referring to stuff that was scaled back after the internet leak but before the official announcement. I think the only thing that was announced we might not see is Pixie Hollow. Or maybe we se a DL sized version of Pixie Hollow instead of the huge version with play ground and dark ride. This area has always been short on details and has a very loose target opening date.

Personally I'm happy about that. I would rather them use the land for Pixie Hollow to bring in another attraction or dark ride that appeals to the whole family. Maybe the Alice in Wonderland ride from DL. It would not cost a great deal of money but it’s a fun ride I think many people of all ages enjoy at DL (at least from what I have seen). Plus based on the location near the Teacups it would help beef up the Alice mini land already there.

This would still leave room for a small version of Pixie Hollow like DL has which would be a fine addition. Just my opinion. I can't help but be a little nervous about how this expansion will end up. WDW hates to spend any money these days so I would hope someone in power outside WDW is going to push for quality here. Just like DL, WDW needs capacity as well. A second Dumbo spinner and the Little Mermaid ride are not going to increase capacity that much. Especially if WDW is going to wait another 20 years before adding the next new ride to the MK.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

No, and while everyone is going to get worried, I'm not. Yet. Preliminary budgets are always overstated, especially for WDI, and eventually do get nixed.


Or maybe they just cut the palms.

 

[Figment632]

If the cut is PH that is great news PH is a waste of time and like the OP said the Pixie franchise while not a failure hardly sells. You should see all the fairy crap at TDS. The Tink stuff sells then we get stuck with the rest of the fairies.

They should put a small Tink meet and greet or PH like in DL then put in a new DR like ALice!!!!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

If the cut is PH that is great news PH is a waste of time and like the OP said the Pixie franchise while not a failure hardly sells. You should see all the fairy crap at TDS. The Tink stuff sells then we get stuck with the rest of the fairies.

They should put a small Tink meet and greet or PH like in DL then put in a new DR like ALice!!!!

Don't say that until you realize what they could have done with it. :zipit: Amazing stuff, even if it is Tink. :lol:

 

[Figment632]

Don't say that until you realize what they could have done with it. :zipit: Amazing stuff, even if it is Tink. :lol:

Nah PH is a watse if space imo and I hate Tink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:fork:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Nah PH is a watse if space imo and I hate Tink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:fork:

Trust me, nor am I. I much prefer the REAL Tink (Not very nice) to this sappy, watered down one.


But the tech used to convey her in this new ride/area, would have been well worth it. I hope it happens.

 

[Master Yoda]

While Tink and her friends might not be my cup of tea is is kind of hard to argue with their popularity at the parks. The wait time for the current PH is almost always in the 30-60 minute range. Considering this section of the FL expansion unimportant just because you do not necessarily like it is not a wise opinion.

 

[Figment632]

While Tink and her friends might not be my cup of tea is is kind of hard to argue with their popularity at the parks. The wait time for the current PH is almost always in the 30-60 minute range. Considering this section of the FL expansion unimportant just because you do not necessarily like it is not a wise opinion.

SO are all the other ToonTown meet and greets. The Fairies popularity is way overplayed in these boards. The sales numbers just don't add up.

 

[Master Yoda]

SO are all the other ToonTown meet and greets. The Fairies popularity is way overplayed in these boards. The sales numbers just don't add up.

I could care less about the sales numbers. We are talking about an attraction in a park not an end cap in a store. There is a huge market for the meet n greet in the parks. If Disney choses to ignore guest satisfaction and short change PH because the popularity of the meet n greet does not translate to retail sales then fine....that is there choice.

 

[wm49rs]

Before any of us get in an uproar over potential cuts to the FL expansion budget, let's first consider the source of this article....:shrug:

 

[Figment632]

I could care less about the sales numbers. We are talking about an attraction in a park not an end cap in a store. There is a huge market for the meet n greet in the parks. If Disney choses to ignore guest satisfaction and short change PH because the popularity of the meet n greet does not translate to retail sales then fine....that is there choice.

Im not just talking about the stores. Disney had huge expectations for this franchise and it fell very short of what they expected. IMO WDW doesn't need a PH beyond what DL has. Build that and use the land for something else.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I could care less about the sales numbers. We are talking about an attraction in a park not an end cap in a store. There is a huge market for the meet n greet in the parks. If Disney choses to ignore guest satisfaction and short change PH because the popularity of the meet n greet does not translate to retail sales then fine....that is there choice.

Exactly...and a poor choice it would be.

Before any of us get in an uproar over potential cuts to the FL expansion budget, let's first consider the source of this article....:shrug:

Exactly. And historically speaking, this was bound to happen.

 

[Master Yoda]

Im not just talking about the stores. Disney had huge expectations for this franchise and it fell very short of what they expected. IMO WDW doesn't need a PH beyond what DL has. Build that and use the land for something else.

I am sure it did but again the meet n greet aspect of this franchise is a huge hit. Are the other pixies just riding Tink's coat tails? More than likely. But it still does not change the fact that nearly every single female that enters MK wants to meet Tink....something that has been unavailable until quite recently.....and having a well done place to do this at MK is needed.

 

[TP2000]

In the same article, Al Lutz talks about John Lasseter and Tony Baxter checking out areas for new E Tickets at Disneyland. The entire TDA executive supposedly now acknowledges that Disneyland needs more rides, and quickly, and planning has begun for that with John, Tony, etc.

This might not be popular with some, but axing Pixie Hollow may be due to shifting budgets around in the 2012-14 time frame to give Disneyland the cash to build new rides? Pixie Hollow at WDW was Phase 2 as publicly stated by Jay Rasulo, so maybe the money for that just got moved into a Disneyland budget instead?

It doesn't sound like many people were that excited for Pixie Hollow at WDW, so it might not be any big loss anyway.

 

[jmuboy]

Not excited for PH but I hope WDW keeps the bugeted dollars for another attraction in its place. The MK needs more than a Mermaid ride!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

In the same article, Al Lutz talks about John Lasseter and Tony Baxter checking out areas for new E Tickets at Disneyland. The entire TDA executive supposedly now acknowledges that Disneyland needs more rides, and quickly, and planning has begun for that with John, Tony, etc.

This might not be popular with some, but axing Pixie Hollow may be due to shifting budgets around in the 2012-14 time frame to give Disneyland the cash to build new rides? Pixie Hollow at WDW was Phase 2 as publicly stated by Jay Rasulo, so maybe the money for that just got moved into a Disneyland budget instead?

It doesn't sound like many people were that excited for Pixie Hollow at WDW, so it might not be any big loss anyway.

If so...it makes my blood boil! :lol: You guys at Disneyland have the upper hand with a TON of stuff. Us? Not so much. How about giving us some new things to play with? :lol:

 

[wm49rs]

I'm still holding out to see exactly what happens, but Disney really can't afford to make too many cuts in the FL budget. Not with the hoopla surrounding the announcement at the D23 Expo, and the Harry Potter expansion at Universal right around the corner....

 

[Figment632]

I am sure it did but again the meet n greet aspect of this franchise is a huge hit. Are the other pixies just riding Tink's coat tails? More than likely. But it still does not change the fact that nearly every single female that enters MK wants to meet Tink....something that has been unavailable until quite recently.....and having a well done place to do this at MK is needed.

I understanD that is why I think it should be something along the scale of DL no a whole land.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I'm still holding out to see exactly what happens, but Disney really can't afford to make too many cuts in the FL budget. Not with the hoopla surrounding the announcement at the D23 Expo, and the Harry Potter expansion at Universal right around the corner....

Right, they even mentioned PH.