Beauty and the Beast rumor

ThemeParks4Life

ThemeParks4Life

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Screamscape posted a bunch of rumors in their Wave 2 of news today, and one of them was this interesting rumor for BATB Live on Stage:

I’ll keep this listed officially as a “Wild Rumor” for now… but according to a source the Beauty and The Beast show may soon come to an end at the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. This part makes sense on all fronts, as not only is the show older than dirt, but the characters from the film have all pretty much moved into The Magic Kingdom now with the addition of the Be Our Guest restaurant, Gaston’s Tavern and the Enchanted Tales with Belle walkthrough adventure.
So it’s safe to say that the show really isn’t “needed” on the Sunset Strip location anymore. This is where the rumor takes a turn for the wild however. You could think that Disney would simply replace this with a new live show of some kind and reuse the existing show venue. (There were once rumors of a show themed to Tangled for example.) However our source tells us that the theater building / structure itself may have some issues that need addressing, and rather than repair or even rebuild what is needed, they could very well opt to use the site as the location for a new dark ride attraction of some kind.
The location is an interesting one because just behind the theater is a large open section of land that Disney has not been able to use for the theme park. The site behind Beauty and the Beast was originally earmarked to become the home to Copperfield Magic Underground, a restaurant concept that would have allowed guests to visit from inside the park as well as those outside. Apparently Copperfield’s side of the investment failed to materialize and the project never went any further than site clearing and a brief appearance by a promotional billboard outside the park entrance before the idea was quickly scrapped and brushed under the rug.
Anyway… take a quick look at the site of the Beauty and the Beast show next to the Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror… and then see the huge empty lot behind behind it. That is a seriously big piece of property that Disney could use for a major new attraction or mini-land if they wanted to. In fact, about the only way Disney would ever be able to use this property for the park is to remove the show theater and redevelop the entire site once and for all. So if the show is ready to be retired… now would be the time to make this happen. Stay tuned!
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GoofGoof

GoofGoof

Premium Member
Interesting rumor. It would have to be something that fits the theme of that area so the usual suspects for DHS (Cars, Monsters and Star Wars) are probably out. I looked on google maps and its a pretty big space. Could easily fit a large dark ride. Maybe a clone of Mystic Manor or is that too many spooky rides together with Tower of Terror next store. If its a dark ride it has to be trackless. They need to bring that technology to an American Disney park.

I'm going to beat the crowd and predict either the building remains vacant, they replace it with themed bathrooms or they stick a bunch of planters and new benches in front of it.
 
ThemeParks4Life

ThemeParks4Life

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
GoofGoof said:
Interesting rumor. It would have to be something that fits the theme of that area so the usual suspects for DHS (Cars, Monsters and Star Wars) are probably out. I looked on google maps and its a pretty big space. Could easily fit a large dark ride. Maybe a clone of Mystic Manor or is that too many spooky rides together with Tower of Terror next store. If its a dark ride it has to be trackless. They need to bring that technology to an American Disney park.

I'm going to beat the crowd and predict either the building remains vacant, they replace it with themed bathrooms or they stick a bunch of planters and new benches in front of it.
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Mystic Manor doesn't fit in DHS, so that's out. It'd be cool if they brought back Dick Tracy Crimestoppers but it's an IP barely anybody knows about. Toontown would be a great fit for this area, maybe that.
 
NoChesterHester

NoChesterHester

Well-Known Member
RonAnnArbor said:
I'll add to the rumour to state that the same group of Broadway technicians that created Finding Nemo the Musical have completed work and design on the new stage version of The Princess and the Frog, the Musical. I'm just sayin....
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So you are refuting the rumor? Rapunzel stage show is the rumor we heard back a while ago.
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
NoChesterHester said:
I guess Roger Rabbit does take place in the late 40's so it is in period with the street.

Why spend the money to relocate Sci-fi when it functions just great?
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Roger Rabbit dark ride would be great. Toons from early Disney work too. They do want to create more Mickey content.

I am assuming they may need the current Sci-Fi Dine In space for something 'galactic' in scale.
 
Figments Friend

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Interesting. Thanks for sharing this tidbit.
I was not aware of such a large land space back there. It makes sense to use it if Disney is serious about expanding DHS, but removing the live stage show element from the Studios would hurt. Live Performance is a important part of the *Hollywood That Never Was* vibe...and seeing it just dissapear would be dissapointing.

Perhaps a new theatre would be built in whatever comes to light in the future?
I would like to think they would not just totally phase out a live stage show, whatever it*s theme* altogether.

I am all for seeing more of Roger Rabbit*s presence at DHS. I doubt however it would happen, with all the shenanigans going on legally between ownership of the character. Disneyland is lucky....soooo lucky....
 
ThemeParks4Life

ThemeParks4Life

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
jt04 said:
Toontown would work well. Relocating Sci-Fi Dine In to this section of the park would also be good. I like this rumor.
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I always thought closing Sci Fi for a SW Land would work and move the diner to Sunset Blvd, but I have a better idea, albeit a fanboy dream: Recreate the 50's diner from Pulp Fiction. It's a movie Disney made, it fits, it's recognizable, why not? Each night they could hold a dance contest too.
 
W

wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Outside of doing a new stage show, I don't see Beauty and the Beast leaving at this time.

I am saying that for a couple reasons. The first reason is Budget related right based on a 500 million dollar budget for an expansion in terms of DHS that has been mentioned time to time on there boards that includes Carsland.

The 2nd thing is it doesn't seem like there has been any rumors for lands for DHS outside of Carsland and Starwars lands. The location where Beauty and the Beast is, it isn't in the right area for a Stars Wars land.
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
ThemeParks4Life said:
I always thought closing Sci Fi for a SW Land would work and move the diner to Sunset Blvd, but I have a better idea, albeit a fanboy dream: Recreate the 50's diner from Pulp Fiction. It's a movie Disney made, it fits, it's recognizable, why not? Each night they could hold a dance contest too.
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I think it is a near certainty TWDC has no intentions of traveling that dead end road again.

Ironman 3 is about to cross the 1 Billion dollar mark.

Stick to what you do best.
 
D

doctornick

Well-Known Member
I'm sure the show will leave sooner or later, so that part of the rumor probably has some legs. I'm skeptical of them adding a ride (or rides) there, but I'd love to see it. That said...

1. You don't need to replace the stage to utilize the unused area behind it. You can create a path off the Fantasmic! entrance path to a smaller ride behind the theater and keep the Theater of the Stars. I'm not expecting this, but it's interesting to note that space is available for development

2. Regarding stage shows, if either PatF or Tangled is being developed, it's not like they'd have to go in the Theater of the Stars. It would be very easy to put a show in the Premiere Theater (where Hunchback was) and use the Theater of the Stars for another show or replace it. Personally, I like the idea of PatF being in the Premiere as that would put it in the "Streets of America" part of the part and PatF was actually in America.

2b. I actually think Tangled would be a good replacement for VOLTM. I know the hot rumor was Phineas and Ferb for that space, but we haven't heard anything about that really.

3. I'd be curious as to what ride would fit in a the theme of Sunset Boulevard area. I rather like the idea of making a long talked about Toontown in the Theater of the Stars/unused area space which would avoid the issue by creating a new "theme". I think the old plans involved making Toontown be where the characters "worked", so that would help to create some differentiation from where they "live" in DL. I'd love to see Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin and another dark ride added plus some other kid friendly stuff.

Fantasmic! could be added to the Toontown area FWIW, which would fit since Mickey is the central character.
 

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