Are Disney execs looking at the success of cars land to create future projects on that scale?

[Lee]

What ever happened to your Baxter is dead-man walking stories? It seems that timeframe has long come and gone...

He wasn't a dead man walking, per se.
He was planning to stroll into the sunset of his own accord....until they dropped a new toy into his lap.

 

[dreamscometrue]

They know what headline E rides can do. With the right marketing and scale of investment this is no surprise. Look at Splash Mountains, Tower of Terror, Rocket Rods etc.

The question is do the location of the attractions need said investment. Or rather, are they hurting? It appears different coasts do indeed have different ways of looking at things.

I'm sure they do, but DCA was in need of something like a billion dollar makeover just to get it up to some kind of Disney Parks standard. Attendance was, relative to other Disney Parks, pathetic. I doubt the executives feel the pressure to infuse that sort of capital when looking at WDW's numbers. I think that FLE and Avatarland is it for expansion, but I also believe that as we approach the 50th of MK, money will be put into all WDW's theme parks to improve what is there.

 

[dreamscometrue]

AK is not a half day park.

Indeed. We spend one and a half to two days there every vacation (which is usually 9-10 nights). It is one of our spots to go to slow down and really relax. yes, we hit EE, Dinosaur, and even Primeval Whirl early and often, but then do all the shows, walk all the paths and spend time in the Oasis and at Rafiki's Planet Watch.

 

[dreamscometrue]

Just a thought, but maybe they are downgrading Avatarland because it got kind of lukewarm reception from many, like this forum - maybe others. Much of the lukewarm reception was because many thought they should be spending that money fixing up existing park problems. So, maybe they are taking some of that $$ and thinking about some DHS love. Maybe????
Sincerely,
Eternal Dreamer

Or maybe they are not downsizing it at all.

 

[dreamscometrue]

I do like your use of the word 'tentpole' in the....

Didn't you say something about 'erectile dysfunction' in an earlier post. Oh wait, I'm confusing posts. My bad...carry on.

 

[dreamscometrue]

Notice that I have several posts in a row. I learned that from '74.

 

[flynnibus]

He wasn't a dead man walking, per se.
He was planning to stroll into the sunset of his own accord....until they dropped a new toy into his lap.

According to W.. the old top guys that made too much were being pushed out and Baxter was quickly on his way out like Sklar

 

[montyz81]

Or is this type of land a one time shot?
If they get a better then expected return on investment on cars land....do you think we will see other big ticket projects at Florida and California?

I guess they already are with fantasyland expansion and avatar land....but those were already green lit.

Be interesting to see if cars land is a smash hit, if Disney starts to really get creative with ride concepts in American parks.

As I have said in another post, Walt Disney's original plans for Epcot or the "Florida Project" were significantly changed because of the success of Disneyland. Epcot's plans did not originally include a theme park. I believe the Florida govt requested that he include a park in his plans which resulted in the Magic Kingdom. So Disneyland literally build Disney World. So the same could be said for Carsland.. We could see a Cars World after all!

 

[flynnibus]

As I have said in another post, Walt Disney's original plans for Epcot or the "Florida Project" were significantly changed because of the success of Disneyland. Epcot's plans did not originally include a theme park

No - DL's success was already a done deal well before he got on his EPCOT roll. It's why they even were out looking to do other parks in the first place. They had already been working for years on building other types of parks at various places in the country (the NE, StLouis, Mineral Springs, etc). EPCOT was a brain child of Walt's newest obcession. They had already been working to bring the DL concept of sorts to the east coast audience and the inclusion of the theme park with EPCOT was a way to help anchor the concept and make it more amenable to people. Roy made him build the theme park first to make it feasible to fund the larger concept.

They didn't do any about-turns or anything. DL's success was the reason Walt was established enough to do basically anything he wanted.. including bringing his style of entertainment to the east coast audience.

 

[Lee]

According to W.. the old top guys that made too much were being pushed out and Baxter was quickly on his way out like Sklar

That was true to a point, as I have also heard.
Baxter is in a rather unique situation, one which the details of are likely not appropriate for message board discussion.

In its simplest form, he is eligible to retire, and had plans to do so. Until that new toy was delivered on a platter.

 

[flynnibus]

In its simplest form, he is eligible to retire, and had plans to do so. Until that new toy was delivered on a platter.

Being shown the door/pushed out.. and putting off retirement due to a new toy... are pretty polar opposites. Idling them hoping they leave is more what you are inferring. But the talk in the summer of 2010.. the 'certified rumors' were Baxter would be gone in Jan 2011. There was nothing for him to do, nothing on the horizon, and there wasn't room at the top with the other power brokers.

Talks of TL and Frontierland all are older than that really.. just now have been picking up steam in the last year and of course the newer inferences that at least one of those areas will be green-lit for expansion in the coming years. So while he may finally have new toys in DL's chest to develop - that is still very different than what was being preached prior.

Now, others were more firm on the timing while WDW1974 was more 'just a matter of when..'

Blue Sky largely is correct. Tony IS/WILL be forced out ... it is just a question of time. And whether the fanbois like it or not, it will happen. That he has survived the viper's nest that is WDI for this long is a testament to the man's tenacity and political savvy as much as his considerable talent.

But age and salary are huge factors. And if Marty Sklar and Dave Smith can be pushed out (however gently) just when Disney is launching D23 and rationally would want/need them the most, only a fool would think Teflon Tony is going to survive much longer. How long is anyone's guess.
[...]

Whether it's in six weeks or six months or maybe even sometime next year, Tony will be gone.

And, no, I don't think it's a good thing ... but it is reality!

A little birdie told me that when Baxter's 'retirement' is announced ... and I was told that was how it would be played to the fan community (and I got a firm 'no comment' when I asked if the 1/11 date was accurate, which tells me it most certainly is) that Disney would likely announce some sort of ceremony or 'chats' (not my word) with fans at next summer's sure to be last D23 Expo in Anaheim ... basically, something to soften fanboi angst and make it appear that this isn't simply another typical heartless/gutless move by a company that is as cutthroat as any American company of its size in the 21st century.

But Tony is riding off into the sunset ... not quite as soon as some expected, but not nearly as far off as many hoped.

 

[Lee]

Again, the specifics of certain situations are not appropriate material for public discussion.

You know the saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer? Sort of a variation on that..

 

[Bolna]

That was true to a point, as I have also heard.
Baxter is in a rather unique situation, one which the details of are likely not appropriate for message board discussion.

In its simplest form, he is eligible to retire, and had plans to do so. Until that new toy was delivered on a platter.

I am not really interested in whether WDW1974 was right or wrong with his predictions - even though he likes to call himself a spirit, I don't think he really has supernatural powers, I never expected him to be a 100% correct fortune-teller.

But what is really interesting in Lee's posts is the "New Toy" for Tony Baxter which he keeps mentioning. I would guess this is one of the DL projects that have been mentioned in the recent days?

To me it sounds that Tony Baxter having a "new toy" hopefully will translate into us as theme park visitors getting a great new attraction!

 

[flynnibus]

But what is really interesting in Lee's posts is the "New Toy" for Tony Baxter which he keeps mentioning. I would guess this is one of the DL projects that have been mentioned in the recent days?

To me it sounds that Tony Baxter having a "new toy" hopefully will translate into us as theme park visitors getting a great new attraction!

Since he's the lead on DL - it's a slam dunk that is what people are hinting at. But the DL rumors aren't new - they are just progressing and of course as the rabid as 'now that DCA finished 32mins ago.. what's next???' and so the ongoing DL addition projects gain all kinds of new fanaticism. These aren't right around the corner - but one hopes with the success so far of DCA, such plans go from plans to actual committed projects. It still sounds like things are up in the air tho and not locked down on when/how.

 

[midwest_mice]

I personally think that Cars Land will never come to Hollywood Studios. What I could see coming is a Toy Story area much like at Hong Kong. I could see them extending Pixar Place a little bit and rework the area near the entrance to Backstage Tours and the Big Coke bottle. There seems to be room in that area.
I am still holding out on more Mupppets in the park. The Great Movie Ride would be neat to re-theme to the different Muppet Movies and the last part of the ride where you watch movie clips could show some retro footage from the Muppet Show.
Highlights of the ride would be Electric Mayhem and their bus, pond with Kermit singing Rainbow connection, Fozzie doing standup, and of course Gonzo and his chickens doing some sort of high flying stunt

 

[marni1971]

According to W.. the old top guys that made too much were being pushed out and Baxter was quickly on his way out like Sklar

Not for me to add to, but Tony is indeed leaving.

The parties just been delayed a bit whilst he possibly leaves his mark.

 

[Lee]

These aren't right around the corner - but one hopes with the success so far of DCA, such plans go from plans to actual committed projects. It still sounds like things are up in the air tho and not locked down on when/how.

Not really...
I expect work to begin on one in relatively short order, with an opening as soon or sooner than Avatar (is projected to).

Things are moving VERY quickly.

 

[|Q|]

Well, it 'could' ... not now, not under the Iger/Staggs/Rasulo leadership, but I expect that team to be completely gone from Disney in 24-36 months. Depending on who takes over, anything is possible.

didn't Iger already announced when he was goin to leave disney?

Q

 

[|Q|]

And they are allowing Euro Disney SCA to default on its debt obligations, while the resort crumbles rather than put the billlion dollars into it that it desperately needs.

I thought the plan was to wait for the banks to default themselves, LOL

Q

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Not for me to add to, but Tony is indeed leaving.

The parties just been delayed a bit whilst he possibly leaves his mark.

Not really...
I expect work to begin on one in relatively short order, with an opening as soon or sooner than Avatar (is projected to).

Things are moving VERY quickly.

He wasn't a dead man walking, per se.
He was planning to stroll into the sunset of his own accord....until they dropped a new toy into his lap.

So is it Western River Expedition or Discovery Bay? Figment plush on the West Coast?