doctornick
Well-Known Member
Also probably the proxy battle being in the rearview mirror as well, right?
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News 'Beyond Big Thunder Mountain' Blue Sky concept revealed for Magic Kingdom
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Also probably the proxy battle being in the rearview mirror as well, right?
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
Oh thanks, that thread? I'm like people are having a conversation across multiple threads and yet I don't know where it started.
"If" they break ground on these lands in 2025, it's reasonable to expect a 2030 opening. Five years on each land is normal for Disney these days.
Unless this Blue Sky stuff is just more public relations smoke and mirrors. (Something we see a lot from Disney today)
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
Take a look at the infrastructure required to build back there, I say longer and long after Bob is gone. The times they are a changin' but not fast and not that fast
PREMiERdrum
Well-Known Member
I posted this in the DHS thread, but it belongs here as well:
We're at a very interesting confluence of timelines here.
The resort has been subject to both under investment and mis-investment for nearly two decades. Iger's "Blue Ocean" strategy has proven to be a failure. Years of trading fewer onsite guests for higher cost per guest have crashed the hotel business, with ancillary damage to the convention, group events, and food services arms. Formidable competition just up the road, for the first time with the prospect of a legit weeklong resort experience.
Even with all that, TWDC leadership needed TWO major external factors to push them to this:
- A real, honest threat against their control of the company, and
- An "excuse" to move forward with site investment, afforded by the negotiated settlement with the state government.
In any event... much of these plans are still in flux, though the lion's share of it is funded and - generally speaking - plots and properties have been settled.
Buckle up.
We're at a very interesting confluence of timelines here.
The resort has been subject to both under investment and mis-investment for nearly two decades. Iger's "Blue Ocean" strategy has proven to be a failure. Years of trading fewer onsite guests for higher cost per guest have crashed the hotel business, with ancillary damage to the convention, group events, and food services arms. Formidable competition just up the road, for the first time with the prospect of a legit weeklong resort experience.
Even with all that, TWDC leadership needed TWO major external factors to push them to this:
- A real, honest threat against their control of the company, and
- An "excuse" to move forward with site investment, afforded by the negotiated settlement with the state government.
In any event... much of these plans are still in flux, though the lion's share of it is funded and - generally speaking - plots and properties have been settled.
Buckle up.
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PREMiERdrum
Well-Known Member
Anchoring this expansion with an indoor ride system makes the whole thing much more doable from a design perspective. There are a ton of offstage facilities that will still need to be in that general area - if not their current footprint - and controlling exposure like this will help it work.
One of the reasons I thought this would never get off the ground is because Bob the Elder would have to take the financial hit on all of the infra work but likely would not be around to cut the ribbon. Maybe he thinks it’s that important or maybe he really does plan to die in the chair at this point.
I’m pretty cynical of the company’s capital commitment to domestic parks over the last 25 years to the point where I would not count on a new attraction happening until the ride building goes vertical. That being said, submitting, getting approval for, and acting on this kind of infrastructure work in MK is a close second. This is a massive financial commitment they will have to turn into productive real estate.
Dont forget to consider what they show us and what they actually do........
Right, keep in mind we are not even at that “close second” point yet. We’re at best 6 months from anyone staking down any runoff barriers or buoys on this project.
Also, this has been iterated a lot, but unlike the deliberate slow walking of capital projects the last 5 years, this one can only go so fast no matter how much money you throw at it.
I don't think they're changing their strategy with this anytime soon though. Everything indicates that they are still trying to squeeze as much as possible out of guests.
Disney can be very fast with Announcements because they are quick and easy.
Construction on the other hand....
Are we looking at 2030ish before this is ready?
PREMiERdrum
Well-Known Member
Not completely clear, but I would assume openings to begin by 2028 or so.
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
I'd be impressed if that happens. If they wanted to build something quickly they can. The issue is they like to pay for it over multiple quarters to spread costs. For once why not be proactive
It took them 3 years for Galaxy's edge and 2 for Toy Story Land. So that would mean around a 2025 start. If permits are imminent that means the design work is mostly done.
I think the Adventureland plot would be then but the stuff north and west? That would be ambitious.
PREMiERdrum
Well-Known Member
Whatever they do beyond BT would be later.
AL and AK openings then are realistic - they want visible construction happening before next summer. For reasons.
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
Sounds to me like they just realized Epic Universe is coming and they need something for after it opens.
I don't get it. Prior to COVID, they had their problems but they were more proactive and were known as being tops in guest satisfaction. Since they have gone away from all of that.
So then realistically we're looking at 1 addition in the next 5 years to the MK, with a new land to follow in early 2030's?