News Blizzard Beach closing for extended refurbishment this year with enhancements coming

[Disone]

I'm not expecting much to be added... I don't think Blizzard Beach was planning to add anything but rather this is TDO trying to find ways to mitigate costs because both attendance at the parks and occupancy at the resorts is significantly down this summer. You don't need to be an Insider to see this. There were no phased closings during the July Fourth holiday week. Cast member blockout dates are being lifted. Galaxy's Edge is underperforming at Disneyland. There's arguments to be made that this will or this will not be an issue at Walt Disney World, but I think right now team Disney Orlando is erroring on the side of caution just in case it underperforms here as well.

 

[eddie104]

Hopefully some much needed upgrades as well as refurbishments are given to the park.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'm not expecting much to be added... I don't think Blizzard Beach was planning to add anything but rather this is TDO trying to find ways to mitigate costs because both attendance at the parks and occupancy at the resorts is significantly down this summer. You don't need to be an Insider to see this. There were no phased closings during the July Fourth holiday week. Cast member blockout dates are being lifted. Galaxy's Edge is underperforming at Disneyland. There's arguments to be made that this will or this will not be an issue at Walt Disney World, but I think right now team Disney Orlando is erroring on the side of caution just in case it underperforms here as well.

No. Just no.

And it’s “erring”. If you insist on making things up, at least do it right.

Disney is still investing a LOT in its domestic parks. And Paris. It’s not about increasing attendance but rather guest spending. It’s easier (and cheaper for them) to make us spend 5% more than it is to get 5% more guests.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I'm not expecting much to be added... I don't think Blizzard Beach was planning to add anything but rather this is TDO trying to find ways to mitigate costs because both attendance at the parks and occupancy at the resorts is significantly down this summer. You don't need to be an Insider to see this. There were no phased closings during the July Fourth holiday week. Cast member blockout dates are being lifted. Galaxy's Edge is underperforming at Disneyland. There's arguments to be made that this will or this will not be an issue at Walt Disney World, but I think right now team Disney Orlando is erroring on the side of caution just in case it underperforms here as well.

Is attendance really down? I was thinking that maybe it's just more spread out in the 4 parks, with AK and DHS bringing in more people than ever. I was there mid june and AK had never been more crowded.

 

[monothingie]

6 months seems like a very short period of time to install a new attraction.

I don’t care for the enclosed slides but did they ever fix/replace the third runoff rapids slide?

Regardless, the last time I was there everything just seemed quite run down. Faded chipped paint, broken effects, poor landscaping, etc. This just seems like extra time to really clean the place up.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

The easy and perhaps cheapest fix for this entire land is PAINT!

Nice coats of fresh paint to renew everything. Then for a quick and dirty attendance boost... Drop in some Ice Age IP with a scattering of painted flats, Static figs, limited motion AAs, even a projected effect here and there. Add some mandatory merch and Viola!

And if Disney was REALLY advantageous; tie it all to an new Disney+ animated series "Ice Age: Blizzard Beach".
TBH, never really liked the Ice Age franchise. But this seems a better place to plop them vs the parks, IMO.

 

[techgeek]

Is attendance really down? I was thinking that maybe it's just more spread out in the 4 parks, with AK and DHS bringing in more people than ever. I was there mid june and AK had never been more crowded.

Anecdotal evidence only, but outside the parks as a longtime local I haven't seen a July this dead in years. I can get day-of dining reservations I shouldn't be able to get in peak season. Traffic throughout the area is steady but not the typical peak season insane, even on 192 and I4. Disney Springs seems to have lower crowds, easier parking and plenty of walk-up dining availability.

We have the water park after 2 passes (best value ever!), have been frequently using them this June / July. Both water parks most afternoons have very very quiet, even with good weather. By 5-6pm they are a ghost town, with walk-ons everywhere and still 2 operating hours left in the day.

 

[wdwmagic]

6 months seems like a very short period of time to install a new attraction.

I don’t care for the enclosed slides but did they ever fix/replace the third runoff rapids slide?

Regardless, the last time I was there everything just seemed quite run down. Faded chipped paint, broken effects, poor landscaping, etc. This just seems like extra time to really clean the place up.

Miss Adventure Falls at Typhoon Lagoon was largely installed during its refurb window, so it is definitely doable.

 

[monothingie]

Miss Adventure Falls at Typhoon Lagoon was largely installed during its refurb window, so it is definitely doable.

Maybe I'm getting crush and gusher confused with MAF, but wasn't the site prep work and land clearing done while the park was open?

 

[doctornick]

6 months seems like a very short period of time to install a new attraction.

It's certainly possible, especially if something is pre-fabricated and just needs to be assembled. Having the park closed allows for the a lot more freedom.

Plus, they can do more of the "heavy lifting" during the park closure and just work on some finishing touches with the park open and it is less intrusive if they need more time.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Anecdotal evidence only, but outside the parks as a longtime local I haven't seen a July this dead in years. I can get day-of dining reservations I shouldn't be able to get in peak season. Traffic throughout the area is steady but not the typical peak season insane, even on 192 and I4. Disney Springs seems to have lower crowds, easier parking and plenty of walk-up dining availability.

We have the water park after 2 passes (best value ever!), have been frequently using them this June / July. Both water parks most afternoons have very very quiet, even with good weather. By 5-6pm they are a ghost town, with walk-ons everywhere and still 2 operating hours left in the day.

Well, I am sure we are seeing Universal siphon guests off with their new coaster. And, you have to admit it's been a rainy summer so far so that effects water parks, I was there over a week and very few days could you plan on hitting the water parks in the afternoon. Another factor is maybe people are putting off this year and waiting to do Star Wars either when it opens or even later in 2019/2020.
Finally, maybe the prices have finally hit a limit and people aren't coming out as much, park ticket prices have certainly gotten high and especially the dining prices. When you can't find a chicken entrée for under 20 bucks at any sit down, maybe things have gotten out of hand! I also don't know if free dining extended as far as it has in the past, since we went DVC I don't really look at that anymore.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Well, I am sure we are seeing Universal siphon guests off with their new coaster. And, you have to admit it's been a rainy summer so far so that effects water parks, I was there over a week and very few days could you plan on hitting the water parks in the afternoon. Another factor is maybe people are putting off this year and waiting to do Star Wars either when it opens or even later in 2019/2020.
Finally, maybe the prices have finally hit a limit and people aren't coming out as much, park ticket prices have certainly gotten high and especially the dining prices. When you can't find a chicken entrée for under 20 bucks at any sit down, maybe things have gotten out of hand! I also don't know if free dining extended as far as it has in the past, since we went DVC I don't really look at that anymore.

Summer has been quiet the last few years. However, Disney is cutting staff to artificially raise wait times. The days of a quiet park with walk-on queues are gone. Thanks MDE.

It is common in the water park industry to start work on a new water slide at the end of winter and have it ready to go for Memorial Day. If push came to shove, as long as any clearing and plumbing could go in when the park is empty, there’s no reason they couldn’t finish slide installation in January and February.

I have never heard an adventure river as an option.

 

[WDW Pro]

Anecdotal evidence only, but outside the parks as a longtime local I haven't seen a July this dead in years. I can get day-of dining reservations I shouldn't be able to get in peak season. Traffic throughout the area is steady but not the typical peak season insane, even on 192 and I4. Disney Springs seems to have lower crowds, easier parking and plenty of walk-up dining availability.

We have the water park after 2 passes (best value ever!), have been frequently using them this June / July. Both water parks most afternoons have very very quiet, even with good weather. By 5-6pm they are a ghost town, with walk-ons everywhere and still 2 operating hours left in the day.

The two times I have been to WDW this summer, I have noticed significantly light crowds, yet the hotels are all supposedly booked. My parents went with me and my wife a few weeks ago, and my dad even mentioned how strange it was that the hotels were supposedly booked solid, yet the parking lots weren't full. I know I got on Soarin' with a 30 minute wait time in the middle of the day and I just couldn't believe it. The only park that was solidly packed was Magic Kingdom.

Anyway, that's my anecdotal take, and I don't have any inside knowledge of summer attendance numbers for WDW.

Miss Adventure Falls at Typhoon Lagoon was largely installed during its refurb window, so it is definitely doable.

Prep work was done prior the six month window (goodbye basketball court). I don't know of any work that's been done at Blizzard Beach, but maybe they'll start soon?

 

[tissandtully]

The two times I have been to WDW this summer, I have noticed significantly light crowds, yet the hotels are all supposedly booked. My parents went with me and my wife a few weeks ago, and my dad even mentioned how strange it was that the hotels were supposedly booked solid, yet the parking lots weren't full. I know I got on Soarin' with a 30 minute wait time in the middle of the day and I just couldn't believe it. The only park that was solidly packed was Magic Kingdom.

Anyway, that's my anecdotal take, and I don't have any inside knowledge of summer attendance numbers for WDW.



Prep work was done prior the six month window (goodbye basketball court). I don't know of any work that's been done at Blizzard Beach, but maybe they'll start soon?

Silver and below APs are blacked out until beginning of August. Also, parking lot at hotels is not a very good indicator of capacity at all, since a lot of DME comes to the hotels or people are using Uber/Lyft to get around if they are from out of town. There's also the factor people waiting for full Star Wars GE to open. It's a good time to be a Gold AP and above or someone who enjoys the one time these parks are gonna be slow for a long time to come.

 

[Jones14]

As far as soft hotel bookings go, I don’t see why Disney should be surprised after pushing Mickey and Rise back to next year.

If we weren’t local, there’s no way we’d go now/fall when waiting six months or so would give us two new E-Tickets (plus Ratatouille) that were marketed to be open in the fall to begin with.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Silver and below APs are blacked out until beginning of August. Also, parking lot at hotels is not a very good indicator of capacity at all, since a lot of DME comes to the hotels or people are using Uber/Lyft to get around if they are from out of town. There's also the factor people waiting for full Star Wars GE to open. It's a good time to be a Gold AP and above or someone who enjoys the one time these parks are gonna be slow for a long time to come.

There have been a lot of sporting events going on at WWOS and The Dance the World at Epcot’s World Showplace that won’t be traveling to the parks (for the most part)

 

[ToTBellHop]

As far as soft hotel bookings go, I don’t see why Disney should be surprised after pushing Mickey and Rise back to next year.

If we weren’t local, there’s no way we’d go now/fall when waiting six months or so would give us two new E-Tickets (plus Ratatouille) that were marketed to be open in the fall to begin with.

Indeed. I’m actually excited to sneak in before the crowds presumably get bad. I imagine 2020 will be unpleasant due to numerous refurbishments and new showstoppers. I expect RotR and MMRR to be spectacular. It’s 2019 and then not again til 2021 for me.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

There should never be any “softening” at a Disney park during an “economic boom”. Not one minute, one day, or one week.

The issues are fairly obvious, systemic to both Disney and the greater economy, and will continue.

Carry on

 

[Lintemuthstudios]

I'm just hoping for some more slides with this. I'm still shocked that neither of the water parks have a slide with a funnel or wave element yet.

 

[Touchdown]

Maybe word got out how terrible July weather is in Florida. I’m currently in California, weather this week is for a high of 78-88 with no rain. I can do the parks in weather like this, I can’t stand typical Florida summer weather. Will not go to WDW June-Late Sept, it’s not worth it.