D23 Expo 2015

[PhotoDave219]

It would be so cool if they would surprise us and say that not only are they planning a STAR WARS LAND in DHS but also making a Star Wars themed hotel similar to what they have done at Art and Animation.

Here's the thing… Art of animation was half built when this finally decided to go ahead and finish building it out.

You do raise a valid point. Disney has not opened an actual resort in over 10 years other than art of animation. Everything else is been DVC property.

 

[brb1006]

I'm looking forward to them bringing up Shanghai this D23.

 

[BrerJon]

Agreed with the frustration haha. Glad the Florida parks are finally getting some long-overdue love, but the wait is going to kill me, and I wish D23 could at least throw us one bone this year with the DHS overhaul announcement.

I don't think DHS will even be mentioned until D23 2017, as I doubt plans have been finalised yet.

With DHS, it feels like Disney is conducting a social experiment - do people come to the parks for their content, or the characters? How low can an attraction count get before people stop coming or stop spending? Once they know that, then they can know the minimum they need to build to get attendance and spending up to the level that maximises profit.

Lights Motors Action and Indiana Jones have been rumoured to close for the last couple of years, so it's possible they'll give a few months to see how not having Animation affects things before closing those too. Then they need to watch crowd patterns while they have the Osborne lights. Will people still come when there's less attractions to see the lights? We know attendance is down, but so are running costs so less guests could still mean greater profits, so Disney will be watching carefully to get the ratio right.

Only when all that data is in, when everything that can be closed has closed, can they lock in a plan for the future and start construction and announce anything.

By D23 2017 however Avatar will be open, Shanghai will be open... there won't be much left to promote if they don't start some work at WDW. It sounds likely to me that they will make WDW the focus of D23 2017 the same way Shanghai is the focus this year.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I don't think DHS will even be mentioned until D23 2017, as I doubt plans have been finalised yet.

With DHS, it feels like Disney is conducting a social experiment - do people come to the parks for their content, or the characters? How low can an attraction count get before people stop coming or stop spending? Once they know that, then they can know the minimum they need to build to get attendance and spending up to the level that maximises profit.

Lights Motors Action and Indiana Jones have been rumoured to close for the last couple of years, so it's possible they'll give a few months to see how not having Animation affects things before closing those too. Then they need to watch crowd patterns while they have the Osborne lights. Will people still come when there's less attractions to see the lights? We know attendance is down, but so are running costs so less guests could still mean greater profits, so Disney will be watching carefully to get the ratio right.

Only when all that data is in, when everything that can be closed has closed, can they lock in a plan for the future and start construction and announce anything.

By D23 2017 however Avatar will be open, Shanghai will be open... there won't be much left to promote if they don't start some work at WDW. It sounds likely to me that they will make WDW the focus of D23 2017 the same way Shanghai is the focus this year.

In 2017 if there is a parks and resorts presentation, it will have updates of whatever DHS is called.

 

[MonorailLover]

I don't think DHS will even be mentioned until D23 2017, as I doubt plans have been finalised yet.

With DHS, it feels like Disney is conducting a social experiment - do people come to the parks for their content, or the characters? How low can an attraction count get before people stop coming or stop spending? Once they know that, then they can know the minimum they need to build to get attendance and spending up to the level that maximises profit.

Lights Motors Action and Indiana Jones have been rumoured to close for the last couple of years, so it's possible they'll give a few months to see how not having Animation affects things before closing those too. Then they need to watch crowd patterns while they have the Osborne lights. Will people still come when there's less attractions to see the lights? We know attendance is down, but so are running costs so less guests could still mean greater profits, so Disney will be watching carefully to get the ratio right.

Only when all that data is in, when everything that can be closed has closed, can they lock in a plan for the future and start construction and announce anything.

By D23 2017 however Avatar will be open, Shanghai will be open... there won't be much left to promote if they don't start some work at WDW. It sounds likely to me that they will make WDW the focus of D23 2017 the same way Shanghai is the focus this year.

So you expect the parks and resorts presentation on saturday(I think) to be predominantly Shanghai, and no Florida? I think they know that people will be ed off to all hell if nothing gets announced.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

By D23 2017 however Avatar will be open, Shanghai will be open... there won't be much left to promote if they don't start some work at WDW. It sounds likely to me that they will make WDW the focus of D23 2017 the same way Shanghai is the focus this year.

I'm thinking the same thing. It'll be Avatar/Shanghai centric this year, with DHS & Marvel/Star Wars at Disneyland for the next one.

Anyone expecting more for 2015 is setting themselves up for disappointment.

 

[Magenta Panther]

You mean how Disney has used its profits to invest in Three parks world wide rather than reinvesting and improving the largest & most popular family vacation destination in the world?

It's gets old hearing that we have to wait to see improvements while they constantly throw money at Paris, Hong Kong And now Shanghai...

THANK YOU. It is so frustrating to see other parks getting financing and sometimes BETTER VERSIONS of stateside rides while TDO cheaps out all the time. It's like Iger thinks Americans are idiots and will happily settle for mediocre, but that the people beyond our shores are more sophisticated and harder to please, so Disney has to step up its game. It's pretty insulting, when you think about it.

 

[BrerJon]

So you expect the parks and resorts presentation on saturday(I think) to be predominantly Shanghai, and no Florida? I think they know that people will be ****ed off to all hell if nothing gets announced.

I think they might tease that everyone should come back in 2017 because at that D23 they'll be announcing some exciting things for WDW, but I don't expect anything of substance to be announced at this convention, at least not for Florida. A name change for DHS and a press release, possibly, but nothing substantial. I really think they'll want to wait until they have a years worth of post-Backlot Tour visitor data before deciding if and what to build at the park, so D23 might be a bit soon to have decided.

 

[G00fyDad]

Yes, but they have teased so much over the last year or two that a complete blackout of any Florida news is not going to sit well. Of course if they DO announce anything for Florida it will be the same generic bull that they have been teasing us with so far. "A greater presence in the parks" and "More to come soon" with nothing concrete.

 

[SYRIK2000]

Yes, but they have teased so much over the last year or two that a complete blackout of any Florida news is not going to sit well. Of course if they DO announce anything for Florida it will be the same generic bull that they have been teasing us with so far. "A greater presence in the parks" and "More to come soon" with nothing concrete.

I think the DHS/Star Wars news is big enough for it's own event. But won't happen until the movie is released.

 

[BrianLo]

I don't think DHS will even be mentioned until D23 2017, as I doubt plans have been finalised yet.

Plans come before big budget approvals. Things are pretty finalized at this point.

I'm thinking the same thing. It'll be Avatar/Shanghai centric this year, with DHS & Marvel/Star Wars at Disneyland for the next one.

Anyone expecting more for 2015 is setting themselves up for disappointment.

Avatar and Shanghai will be a big presence... on the show floor. There is a bit of a difference between the show exhibits and the keynote. This is a California centric conference though - most of the stateside talk will delve around DL/DCA.

Anyone expecting an announcement on the magnitude of the recent Shanghai Disneyland reveal will be disappointed. If you are looking for a few pieces of concept art with a scant details akin to Tokyo's Fantasyland Redo and Scandinavian Port you might be a little more satisfied.

 

[jrhwdw]

That other site has a report on all the Rumors leading up to D23. Sounds like something on DHS will happen, buit also lists the nightime entertainment rumors for the first 3 Parks. I'm doubting F! and the MK/Epcot nightime rumors will happen at D23. Anyone with new info?

 

[TTA94]

That other site has a report on all the Rumors leading up to D23. Sounds like something on DHS will happen, buit also lists the nightime entertainment rumors for the first 3 Parks. I'm doubting F! and the MK/Epcot nightime rumors will happen at D23. Anyone with new info?

What entertainment would they be announcing? Besides, hopefully, more info on Rivers Of Light.

 

[jt04]

Plans come before big budget approvals. Things are pretty finalized at this point.



Avatar and Shanghai will be a big presence... on the show floor. There is a bit of a difference between the show exhibits and the keynote. This is a California centric conference though - most of the stateside talk will delve around DL/DCA.

Anyone expecting an announcement on the magnitude of the recent Shanghai Disneyland reveal will be disappointed. If you are looking for a few pieces of concept art with a scant details akin to Tokyo's Fantasyland Redo and Scandinavian Port you might be a little more satisfied.

I'd be ecstatic with an announcement of a blue sky cellar (or attic, or basement, or crawlspace, or shed) for DHS. That is all.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I'd be ecstatic with an announcement of a blue sky cellar (or attic, or basement, or crawlspace, or shed) for DHS. That is all.

First they would have to admit that new things are coming

 

[Haymarket2008]

Anything could happen, but with these rapid fire closures there has to be some explanation coming up. I really can't think of another point in WDW's history in which something like this has happened. And if work really is going to begin within the next year/year and a half, there needs to be something at D23. I'll be floored if there isn't anything in two weeks. Even if it is as simple as "Here's the new name, oh also we are doing a remodel so that explains the construction walls".

 

[kpilcher]

I don't think DHS will even be mentioned until D23 2017, as I doubt plans have been finalised yet.
By D23 2017 however Avatar will be open, Shanghai will be open... there won't be much left to promote if they don't start some work at WDW. It sounds likely to me that they will make WDW the focus of D23 2017 the same way Shanghai is the focus this year.

Things always can and do change -- even after construction starts. That said, the plans recently approved by the board appear pretty close to final. Whatever is/isn't announced at D23 '15, the big picture has been decided along with most of the specifics. What will & won't be bulldozed at DHS: decided. Order of construction: decided. MK & Epcot... reply hazy. Ask again later. (I hear there is an off-chance AK may get even more love. But I'm not holding my breath.) IF there is a D23 '17, then I'd be downright shocked if more specifics weren't revealed. Look at New Fantasyland. It seemed like every day there was an official blog post on the rivet added the day before. Disney LOVES milking this stuff.

 

[BrianLo]

The other thing I will add is we actually do not really have much of a precedent for this years conference. That's weird to say, but everyone constantly mentions how they don't announce anything at D23 and cite 2011/2013 to establish the point.

Think about it for a moment though, what honestly were they supposed to announce in 2011/2013? Disney hasn't actually done anything in the intervening years, there were no announcements, because there were no plans.

Pandora was the only odd ball. The deal just missed the 2011 conference and in 2013 it was riddled with drama and slipped into Tokyo D23. Anything else occurred before (Disney Springs) or after (Frozen, added track/theatre for TSMM/Soarin') the 2013 conference.

The only thing Disneyland has done is the 60th anniversary, and that most certainly had not remotely come together in August 2013.

This all doesn't actually mean anything, because as we've clearly established Disney struggles with organizing plans in a timely fashion to announce at their bi-annual conferences. This year is different though, we know there are lots of things that can be announced finally. This year will establish the precedent of whether they actually use D23 as a platform or not when they have things to talk about.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The other thing I will add is we actually do not really have much of a precedent for this years conference. That's weird to say, but everyone constantly mentions how they don't announce anything at D23 and cite 2011/2013 to establish the point.

Think about it for a moment though, what honestly were they supposed to announce in 2011/2013? Disney hasn't actually done anything in the intervening years, there were no announcements, because there were no plans.

Pandora was the only odd ball. The deal just missed the 2011 conference and in 2013 it was riddled with drama and slipped into Tokyo D23. Anything else occurred before (Disney Springs) or after (Frozen, added track/theatre for TSMM/Soarin') the 2013 conference.

The only thing Disneyland has done is the 60th anniversary, and that most certainly had not remotely come together in August 2013.

This all doesn't actually mean anything, because as we've clearly established Disney struggles with organizing plans in a timely fashion to announce at their bi-annual conferences. This year is different though, we know there are lots of things that can be announced finally. This year will establish the precedent of whether they actually use D23 as a platform or not when they have things to talk about.

No, I simply cite the internal politics of D23 to suggest that they don't know what they're doing.

Everything changes constantly about what we should expect.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Anything could happen, but with these rapid fire closures there has to be some explanation coming up. I really can't think of another point in WDW's history in which something like this has happened. And if work really is going to begin within the next year/year and a half, there needs to be something at D23. I'll be floored if there isn't anything in two weeks. Even if it is as simple as "Here's the new name, oh also we are doing a remodel so that explains the construction walls".

That's what I'm expecting. Anything else would be a surprise.