DHS Soundstage 1 Renovation - Toy Storia Mania expansion

[RayTheFirefly]

I wouldn't be so short sighted. SS1 is just one building that has been basically abandoned for 10 years. With very little development they can add quick bump to DHS's ride capacity. Some of the infrastructure is there and the technology has already been developed. This is quick and cheap which has TDO written all over it.

They just closed the Backlot Tour which opens up a huge area for expansion and new attractions. I cannot see the closing of the Backlot Tour just for the sake of closing it. Something is stirring in O-Town.

Do any insiders have ANY clue as to what is expected (at least to be announced) for DHS any time soon? Besides the TSMM expansion?

 

[Mike S]

Well, actually I'm not sure there will be much room left over in the new building. You have to remember there needs to be room for the maintenance facility and loading areas, a new queue extension, a new exit, maybe a gift shop, and if they want to, maybe even an additional ADA Loading Area. There's not much room left over to play around with.

If Toy Story will be taking over the whole building why not just do a whole new dark at that point? Would make a whole lot more sense to me especially if it's one that would have a higher capacity and faster load than a new Toy Story track would. Oh yeah. Cheap, quick and easy is the goal here. Definitely Disney World's current M.O.

 

[spacemt354]

I wouldn't be so short sighted. SS1 is just one building that has been basically abandoned for 10 years. With very little development they can add quick bump to DHS's ride capacity. Some of the infrastructure is there and the technology has already been developed. This is quick and cheap which has TDO written all over it.

They just closed the Backlot Tour which opens up a huge area for expansion and new attractions. I cannot see the closing of the Backlot Tour just for the sake of closing it. Something else is stirring in O-Town.

Just adding to Toy Story with all of those big execs walking around the park doesn't add up.

Add that to the closings that you mentioned.

I usually don't like to get my hopes up...so I ask @TheVisionarySoul ...should I?

 

[spacemt354]

If Toy Story will be taking over the whole building why not just do a whole new dark at that point? Would make a whole lot more sense to me especially if it's one that would have a higher capacity and faster load than a new Toy Story track would. Oh yeah, cheap, quick and easy is the goal here. Definitely Disney World's current M.O.

I don't even know how it's cheap considering they would basically have to build a whole new ride...

Seems better to have it themed to a different film. Seems like they are going with the safe bet, something that's already popular.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Serious thought: If they are truly only putting in one track, that won't require all of the SS1 building. It's conceivable that they could put TSMM in the "back" and use the front part of the building for a smallish attraction -- say, a Monsters Inc M&G? (which would thus fit the theme)

That is exactly what I was thinking. More for me though as SS1 would be the queue for a different ride that can maybe take up the space that is occupied by the rest of ss1 and the soon-to-be-gone BLT queue.

 

[Mike S]

I don't even know how it's cheap considering they would basically have to build a whole new ride...

Seems better to have it themed to a different film. Seems like they are going with the safe bet, something that's already popular.

Cheap because Toy Story has already been built and can easily be cloned. A new dark ride would be way too expensive for an $80 billion dollar company as we are all well aware of

 

[kap91]

remember the days when we complained WDW was stale because they weren't building anything new? ...times are a changin' my friends - there is and will be construction in a lot of different places and parks

And people thought I was crazy when I said it wouldn't stay that way.

 

[Jeffxz]

I wouldn't be so short sighted. SS1 is just one building that has been basically abandoned for 10 years. With very little development they can add quick bump to DHS's ride capacity. Some of the infrastructure is there and the technology has already been developed. This is quick and cheap which has TDO written all over it.

They just closed the Backlot Tour which opens up a huge area for expansion and new attractions. I cannot see the closing of the Backlot Tour just for the sake of closing it. Something else is stirring in O-Town.

Agreed on the bolded part. If the current edict at WDW is still to make MM+ a success at any cost, I would imagine this is one of the quick band aids. I imagine the ride tiers at Epcot and DHS have a very negative feedback score, this and an extra Soarin theater should help fix that. (I would assume Soarin is one of the missing project #s).

 

[DinoInstitute]

DHS would be much, much better with a "classic-looking" dark ride in PP. Then, the addition of just a true e-ticket near it could easily make this one of my fav parks again. A spinner would be a good crowd eater during construction too.

 

[kap91]

...yet

Yep

 

[Finiamh123]

Do we think John Lasseter and the other big wigs would need to come do an onsite view of SS1 if it was just going to be adding a track to an already established ride? Surely this would be approved through looking at some estimates and a few pictures emailed to these guys. Not Lasseter himself viewing what looks like blueprints/plans outside of SS1.

I say nay nay, bigger things in store for SS1 and Backlot if top brass is looking around.

 

[doctornick]

That is exactly what I was thinking. More for me though as SS1 would be the queue for a different ride that can maybe take up the space that is occupied by the rest of ss1 and the soon-to-be-gone BLT queue.

Well, they could use the northern half of SS1 (Adjacent to TSMM) for the additional track and then use the southern half of SS1 as a queue for a ride, with the showbuilding being "behind" (west of) SS1. IIRC, the plans for the door coaster were a little like that with SS1 mostly being the queue and the ride itself being in a new building next to it.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Just adding to Toy Story with all of those big execs walking around the park doesn't add up.

Add that to the closings that you mentioned.

I usually don't like to get my hopes up...so I ask @TheVisionarySoul ...should I?

I'm not. Yes, there is more. No, I'm not really excited all that much for it.

 

[Ignohippo]

What I've concluded from my observations is an organization focusing on the bottom line. Something is in need? Ok, but only if the bottom line allows it. Someone sees excess and says "see.. they spend money!" - but that is from another bucket when it's a new attraction being built.. entirely different mindset and leeway vs the guys trying to balance the parks' operating budgets every 2-4 weeks. This is the company that shutters fully functioning locations to idle them to save operating costs.. or shutters things rather than invest to modernize. Those are tells of a company that puts the bottom line metrics FIRST.. everything else is 'if it fits'.

Reduced line waits do not drive additional revenue on their own.. they only help save revenue if your customers are so ed they are leaving. That's why I have a hard time thinking they would spend what I imagine would spend 20,30+ ?? million dollars to just reduce TSMM waits because of customer satisfaction scores. That would be a huge spend just for survey results. Seems disproportionate to their normal MO.

It reeks of the company that does things only when they absolutely must.. or if someone can argue it will pay for itself. Doing it for pure customer sat doesn't seem to be in the deck anymore.

I think what everyone may be missing is that the TSMM expansion may simply be one small component of a much larger expansion.

With the closing of BLT, it seems somewhat obvious more is coming. If TSMM really is 2 years from opening, that may mean everything from Soundstage One and back may be getting bulldozed and may not be open for guest access.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Serious thought: If they are truly only putting in one track, that won't require all of the SS1 building. It's conceivable that they could put TSMM in the "back" and use the front part of the building for a smallish attraction -- say, a Monsters Inc M&G? (which would thus fit the theme)

Since the queue already exists with the current ride there would be room to do a complete mirror of the current double track ride system. Then depending on whether a disabled guest load zone is incorporated, there may not need to be any programming required at all.

Does anyone know what TSMM capacity is currently running at? 1500 guests per hour?

 

[PhilharMagician]

I think what everyone may be missing is that the TSMM expansion may simply be one small component of a much larger expansion.

With the closing of BLT, it seems somewhat obvious more is coming. If TSMM really is 2 years from opening, that may mean everything from Soundstage One and back may be getting bulldozed and may not be open for guest access.

2 years is the length of the permit. It could be up and running in less than a year. Most permits have expirations far greater than the anticipated completion dates.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Since the queue already exists with the current ride there would be room to do a complete mirror of the current double track ride system. Then depending on whether a disabled guest load zone is incorporated, there may not need to be any programming required at all.

Does anyone know what TSMM capacity is currently running at? 1500 guests per hour?

There isn't enough room. I explained why a few pages back. And if Toy Story is getting that many people per hour, then someone has hacked the ride system and lowered the time between vehicles. I asked a cast member once and they said the most could get on with those two tracks was only around 1300, and usually it's only around 1200.

 

[Ignohippo]

Many thanks @Lee and @marni

PHOTOS - Key Walt Disney Imagineers and Disney Executives at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Wow. You don't take up John Lasseter's time to fly him across the country unless this is something BIG.

 

[doctornick]

2 years is the length of the permit. It could be up and running in less than a year. Most permits have expirations far greater than the anticipated completion dates.

I said that previously in this thread and got slapped down. I thought it was not uncommon for Disney to have end dates for permits that are well after anticipated completion dates. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see this as being a 2 year job.

 

[Ignohippo]

2 years is the length of the permit. It could be up and running in less than a year. Most permits have expirations far greater than the anticipated completion dates.

Let's hope. A TSMM expansion (if that is one component of this) is something that needs to happen NOW.

The cost isn't so much that it would be spread across multiple year's budgets.