BrianLo
Well-Known Member
Not really cut so much as never made it off the drawing board before plans solidified. That's primarily the fault of WDI being unable to build anything for the lofty budgets they are/were provided.
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DHS Makeover - What we know so far.....
- Thread starter PhotoDave219
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Not really cut so much as never made it off the drawing board before plans solidified. That's primarily the fault of WDI being unable to build anything for the lofty budgets they are/were provided.
jt04
Well-Known Member
Considering something so ambitious has never been attempted before unexpected costs are not surprising. Just look at the steel work and amazing environments. Pandora will pay for itself 100 times over. Sort of like the purchase of the Star Wars franchise.
Edit: Well no that is not a good comparison. Star Wars will pay for itself by a factor of 200 being conservative. IMO
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DVCOwner
A Long Time DVC Member
I know the boat ride is happening; I am just using this as an example of how many people on this web site see everything as negative. We read everyday that this cut or that cut is going to happen. It seems to me most times the predictions are wrong. The boat ride going away was just one of the things that where going to happen due to the spending on Magic Bands. I can not think of one that actually happened.
DVCOwner
A Long Time DVC Member
I think you are right on this, but the only problem I see is that Star Wars Lane is going to be so popular that you will not even be able to get close. Disney is going to have to fast track additional Star Wars attractions as quickly as possible.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
Well, pretty much everything that Steve has talked about hours-wise has been put in place...
DVCOwner
A Long Time DVC Member
Yes, but when I go in April what effect is this going to have on my trip; or are these going cuts going to be coming from areas that have to many cast members now. One area I can think of is the front desk at my hotel. On my last trip I did not go to the front desk to check due to getting a text message with my room number before I got to the resort. If I am not the only one doing this maybe cast members could be moved to other areas where they are needed.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
The problem is, you may not notice, but those that are having their hours chopped and capped at 32 hours/week on $9.50/hour will certainly notice. It simply is not possible to live on your own at that wage and those hours... a second job is absolutely necessary and it shouldn't be given how much the company makes.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Was it? I don't mean to make that sound flippant, but was the third ride (the coaster) ever approved/budgeted for? We know it was taken off the plans, but it seemed to happen relatively early during a period when the development was still in flux. Is it more accurate to say that the budget was approved and later cut versus that a budget was proposed but smaller one with only two rides was approved?
doctornick
Well-Known Member
On the Avatar subforum, people have commented on the aerials pics showing there is a sizeable area between the boat ride and the back of the Rainforest Cafe that could easily fit a third ride if one is desired in the future.
No problem. From what I know it was proposed, designed but never made green due to adding too much additional cost. To me that's a cut, but in no way am I trying to big it up. It could be said its down to interpretation.
There again SWL has had.... things... removed to get to where it is today due to cost. Surely that's a cut?
IMHO, cuts do not happen until after a final budget is approved.
(these numbers are pulled out of thin air and are not the actual budget numbers)
If WDI were given a budget of 1 billion to make SWL happen and they design a land inside that budget, TDO coming back and saying "Trim it down to 900 million" would be a cut.
WDI designing a land that costs $1.2 billion when they are only given a budget of 1 billion and being forced to trim it down to meet the original budget is not a cut.
TheScreed
Member
Whose desires count here? Certainly paying guests desire another ride, but I doubt seriously we will see one anytime soon because Disney does not desire to spend any more on that area.
Next Big Thing
Well-Known Member
If Pandora is a runaway hit and the new movies see gigantic success, there could be at the very least proposals for a third ride. But it would take a perfect storm to get another ride imo.
Without going into details I can't go into, both projects have had a mix of both.
Daveeeeed
Well-Known Member
Unless Pandora is able to blow ticket sales through the roof like Harry Potter style, or more really, it is u likely that they'll even design a new ride within 5 years for the land, a proposal is different though. In the meantime I would love to see dinasaur get upgraded, the yeti become operational, and Kali get a new show scene of sorts, and then after maybe a new South America Area between Africa and Dinoland, which could have one ride maybe a rainforest type trek, a great sit down restaraunt, and some shops like a village that Africa has just for South America, and possibly even some outside entertainment. The land's budget could be under 250 million even with some great detail and a 100 million dollar ride. Dinoland could be not as wide, so that Skuth America could have its land, but then then Dinoland could be draper, and make you feel like you are literally stepping into the past, Dinasaur could be renamed as the name currently confuses many people, and as the land still has an Eticket (needs updating obviously though) the land with even some rock work could be done Between 300-400 million even with a safaris ride that goes into the land of the Dinos. It would really help separate traffic from the west side of the park and the east, and also make the park have a larger representation of all the creatures of the world present and past. Best of all though would be that Dinoland would not be an eyesore any longer, and would feel like nature. The land could be called something along the lines of 'The Cretaceous' or even 'The Land of The Past' if you know what I mean. Prehistoric mountains could very well serve as a duel back drop for South America and The Dinoland area. Either they use most of the same rock work or the structures could be angled so that a it will cost more but thematically feel better placed. Of course this is a larger plan than Pandora itself. the technical side (besides the dinosaur animatronics) wouldn't be as ambitious as Pandora, but Pandora plus river of light plus the night safaris plus all the additions they are doing is honestly larger. It would be incredible and make the park so grand you are like how could I even not consider going next weekend trip we make to OMG I have to go to that park. Animal lovers will love South America's animals, and the ride could feature real piranhas while, and it would bring a wonderful new region of the world to Animal Kingdom while Dinoland would actually turn beautiful, and we would get a past albeit a bit bumpier and smaller version of Kilimanjaro Safaris. Dinasaur the ride could get a facelift wit a new theme, and possibly an exterior change. Maybe the best way to make the leap from present to past would be having dinasaur as more of the entrance to the land giving it a larger presence while having a creative way while walking through the forest into the Dinoland to transfer us back, back to the past. Animal Kkngdom's park value would be probably somewhere right under 3B don't quote me on this though, and that alone plus the fact that the park would actually gracefully fill a circle of lands would make it feel complete.
danlb_2000
Premium Member
Initially that area is becoming employee parking, but it certainly could be re-purposed in the future if they wanted to, although I think there is little chance that Avatar will get a phase 2.
I don't think I have worked on a project save for maybe a tract house that has not had a bit of both.
Client has a million dollar budget.
They tell the architect want they want and he designs a house.
The house goes out for pricing and comes in at 1.2 million.
They start tweaking the plans to get the price down.
One of the clients must have the hand crafted mahogany cabinet handles so the budget goes up.
One of the clients really wants a new Ferrari and the budget goes down.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
i agree
the next expansion there should be next to EE in the way of another country ie Australia
but that wont come for at least another 10-15 years
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Right, that's kind of my take. I think it's easy to say things are "cut" but saying it tends to paint the "bean counters" in a bad light and on these pages is often used to be pejorative towards the company and their theme park investment. But I don't think it's fair to say something is "cut" if WDI requested some huge budget and it just wasn't approved. We all want Disney to spend freely on the parks but they aren't going to write a blank check for everything that comes onto the desk.
It sounds like a bigger issue here is the ballooning and unrealistic costs for WDI. Pandora apparently got a healthy budget, so has DHS for everything so if WDI cannot deliver enough for the budgets they are given then restructuring seems in order. Which, apparently, might be something that is slowly developing. Hopefully, they can cut out the fat that drives up costs and maintain high quality (I think recent additions like Cars Land, Rataouille, and Mystic Manor show WDI can still deliver quality, they just need to do it more efficiently).
Pandora got a ridiculously large budget. It was still blown. What's more annoying the overspend alone would buy more than one complete Diagon Alley. For example.