DHS Soundstage 1 Renovation - Toy Storia Mania expansion

[Jon81uk]

I wanted to add something here.

I've been going to WDW since I was a child in the 70's. As a small child, my favorite attractions were - Pirates, 20K Leagues, Jungle Cruise, Railroad and the Monorail . These are the types of experiences that Disney should be looking to build. E-Tickets for the entire family. Disney doesn't need kiddie rides or adult rides. This isn't what made me a lifelong fan. If this 'expansion' is really just extended track for TSMM and a Toy Story Carnival land, I'm not so sure how this fixes a very broken park.
The comments from Lee do make me a little excited but I'm tempering my expectations based on the last 15 years of history.

Yep this so what Disney is known for as it is what Walt originally envisioned (he was fed up with sitting on a bench while his daughter was on a carousel). In the same ways Six Flags is known for big tall thrills, Disney has the market for the no height restrictions rides. Universal seems to have the high tech dark rides right too.

 

[flynnibus]

The May thread from '74 was the first I recall hearing about Frozen for Norway. I did hear some people discussing how it might be a typical move Disney would make (like Ratatouille in France being another rumor I think was being passed around at the time), but I didn't realize it was a serious rumor before 74 posted about it.

He wasn't first.. but he was one of the first reliable tipsters to give his stamp that it's happening. The idea had even been theorized by pure fans long before.. and how much that rumor was self-created vs. leads we'll never know. But I wouldn't credit the spirit for it - just that he said it's happening, bank on it.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

If this was true why were so many insisting TDO had basically decided the status quo was fine and they no longer needed to add significantly to the parks? We were told we might get cheap overlays and a few new meet and greets. Basically filler so the mouse could claim new content. All that was 100% wrong. And I always said it was.

TDO did decide the status quo was fine. Hell they still think it is. But it isn't TDO mandating new projects, Burbank is forcing this on them (as they did with New Fantasyland and Avatar). They do not approve these projects or approach the higher ups requesting that they invest in the parks, quite the opposite in fact.

It was always stated that a DHS renovation was happening. It was a question of when, not if. And in what form. Assuming this isn't pushed back once again, the question remaining is what level of ambition this renovation will be. And how long it will take. They can't afford to cheap out here and half it with crippling budget cuts and poor design choices (as they did with New Fantasyland), nor can they afford to drag their feet with building it (again like they did with New Fantasyland and are with Avatar).

As you may have noticed, we ARE getting a cheap overlay for Epcot. :ines up with that notion of cheap overlays and meet and greets. No one knows what's happening at DHS yet besides "something". Something is hardly very descriptive, but there's no reason to assume it's going to be amazing until we actually have some idea of what it entails. Even if it is amazing, it'll still be 15-20 years late (hell that's not even including construction, add an extra 5-10 years onto that by the time it's complete) unless they fast track it and get it done fast. Disney can't just ignore the park's stagnation any longer, especially with Universal seeing blood in the water and aggressively building more rides, hotels, water parks etc. We'll see what Disney can come up with this time. The ball IS in Disney World's hands, it remains to be seen whether they'll score or drop it entirely.

 

[Mike S]

Given that stuff is closing, I would think it could start pretty soon. Land clearing almost immediately with construction beginning in January?

I sure hope so.

 

[BrianLo]

The speculation, banter and drama aside for a minute here... reading this thread I'm actually...

Optimistic (for like the first time with WDW in a long while)!

Something is finally, just maybe happening.

 

[Mike S]

The speculation, banter and drama aside for a minute here... reading this thread I'm actually...

Optimistic (for like the first time with WDW in a long while)!

Something is finally, just maybe happening.

Would you go as far as to say, "for the first time in forever"?

 

[danlb_2000]

Honestly who cares who got the info first. What matters is that we actually have info and that it seems like good things are finally coming in to rescue the park...you all sound like a bunch of Real Housewives on a reunion show! LMAO

It matters because it helps vet who really has access to inside information and who is just repeating things said on other sites.

 

[DinoInstitute]

I'm in a bit of a rush and a lot has been posted lately with the last few pages...so question...Is any of this true to any extent?:

• Park will be renamed Disney's Hollywood Adventure

• The closure of the Studio Backlot Tour and surrounding areas are to make way for additional Pixar content

• Pixar content could include a version of Toy Story Playland from Disney Studios Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland

• Pixar content could include an indoor version of Cars Land that would feature an entirely indoor portion of Radiator Springs Racers as Flo's Restaurant

• Because the Monster's Inc Scream Coaster has been developed, he speculated that could go in Soundstage 1

• The Beauty and the Beast stage show could finally be replaced with a Tangled show if the show proves successful on the cruise line. The time frame for this would be at least 2-3 years out.

• The Star Wars content is still planned for the Echo Lake area

• He does not believe that Toy Story Mania is getting a 3rd track

• Wandering Oaken's Trading Post is moving into the AFI Showcase area through at least January to function as a Frozen merchandise area during the Osborne Lights.

I feel like I remember people saying Jim Hill has no true info.

 

[GoofGoof]

It matters because it helps vet who really has access to inside information and who is just repeating things said on other sites.

This is a valid point. We have had people come in here and say they were insiders who were frauds. They usually are found out eventually. I'm not saying that's the case with Jim Hill at all.

 

[Texas84]

Hope that Flo's rumor is true. Especially if it's inside the ride like DL Pirates.

 

[ryan1]

The first Frozen replacing Maelstrom thread on here was started in reference to a Jim Hill rumor and that was back in January. http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/frozen-ride-replacing-maelstrom.878451/

WDW1974 confirmed it in May when he started his 7th Spirited thread(over 1m views now!!!). Not sure if he also mentioned it earlier than that. Ironically, if you go back to the Frozen/Maelstrom thread from January some people doubted the rumor because it came from Jim Hill and @RSoxNo1 was defending him. Sounds familiar

Actually, I did not start that thread after reading anything from Jim Hill. Sorry.

 

[GoofGoof]

Actually, I did not start that thread after reading anything from Jim Hill. Sorry.

The first couple of pages discuss Jim Hill. I didn't see a link to the article referenced.

 

[danlb_2000]

This is a valid point. We have had people come in here and say they were insiders who were frauds. They usually are found out eventually. I'm not saying that's the case with Jim Hill at all.

There is also the issue of Disney fan sites repeating a piece of news that originated in one place. All the repeats may make people think it's more credible, but if you can trace it back to one un-vetted source, then it looses that credibility.

 

[GoofGoof]

There is also the issue of Disney fan sites repeating a piece of news that originated in one place. All the repeats may make people think it's more credible, but if you can trace it back to one un-vetted source, then it looses that credibility.

Like the famous George Lucas at Star Wars Weekend to announce SW Land rumor from a few years back. That one caught fire.

It's the Twittering of our society. Everyone wants to be the first to get something out there that they don't bother to stop to see if it's accurate. For online fan communities it's just annoying, but now that the mainstream media pulls this on a regular basis with real news is freightening.

 

[Cesar R M]

I find it funny that when a Jim Hill rumor is about something positive coming to WDW he is ridiculed and dismissed, but when his rumor is slanted negative he is suddenly all knowing.

Sounds almost as bad as the paid guys in the forum, blasting nonstop on Lee, Pheneix and WDW1974 for many rumors, rumours that ended being 100% fact.

*edit.. forgot to add Pheneix as target as well*

 

[Bolna]

I think part of the problem why people don't take Jim Hill seriously is that while some of the rumours he might have started have come true, a lot of others just never got there. My impression is that he takes a lot of information that he gets hold of and just puts it out. If I take out my 2007 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World which has these amusing little boxes called "a peek behind the scenes with Jim Hill", there are rumours like that the closure of Voyage of the Little Mermaid at the Disney-MGM Studios (yes, it was still called that in that book) was imminent. That in 2007 Disney would start offering a Halloween party at Disney-MGM Studios with Jack Skellington as a host. That Rafiki's Planet Watch was slated for a make-over in the coming months and that it might turn into the only area where you can interact with the characters from Ratatouille. That Journey into Imagination would get a rehab for the 25th anniversary of Epcot that would restore the Dreamfinder. That the Carousel of Progress would close soon and be replaced by a coaster themed to the Incredibles. That a totally new parade was going to debut at the MK in 2008.

I guess those things put out there were really told Jim Hill be a source. But he seems to have little talent in picking out the "worthy" rumours. I am sure that certain things were even already green lit and then never happened. Just think of the David Copperfield restaurant that was even announced and then never built. But with Jim Hill it often things that he reports every little idea he gets fed from his sources. I think other people are better at judging what kind of information is really reliable and maybe vet their info better by getting a second, independent source to confirm it.

To me the reason why I don't trust Jim Hill is not that he is never right. But that he is wrong too often. That makes his information much less valuable and more akin to some armchair imagineering. I might find it interesting to hear the ideas that are being thrown around. But it does not give me any insight of how the parks will shape up in the future.

 

[danlb_2000]

I think part of the problem why people don't take Jim Hill seriously is that while some of the rumours he might have started have come true, a lot of others just never got there. My impression is that he takes a lot of information that he gets hold of and just puts it out. If I take out my 2007 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World which has these amusing little boxes called "a peek behind the scenes with Jim Hill", there are rumours like that the closure of Voyage of the Little Mermaid at the Disney-MGM Studios (yes, it was still called that in that book) was imminent. That in 2007 Disney would start offering a Halloween party at Disney-MGM Studios with Jack Skellington as a host. That Rafiki's Planet Watch was slated for a make-over in the coming months and that it might turn into the only area where you can interact with the characters from Ratatouille. That Journey into Imagination would get a rehab for the 25th anniversary of Epcot that would restore the Dreamfinder. That the Carousel of Progress would close soon and be replaced by a coaster themed to the Incredibles. That a totally new parade was going to debut at the MK in 2008.

I guess those things put out there were really told Jim Hill be a source. But he seems to have little talent in picking out the "worthy" rumours. I am sure that certain things were even already green lit and then never happened. Just think of the David Copperfield restaurant that was even announced and then never built. But with Jim Hill it often things that he reports every little idea he gets fed from his sources. I think other people are better at judging what kind of information is really reliable and maybe vet their info better by getting a second, independent source to confirm it.

To me the reason why I don't trust Jim Hill is not that he is never right. But that he is wrong too often. That makes his information much less valuable and more akin to some armchair imagineering. I might find it interesting to hear the ideas that are being thrown around. But it does not give me any insight of how the parks will shape up in the future.

But this is a problem for anyone who deals in Disney rumors. Things can be very fluid, something he was told may have been 100% true when they told it to him, but then plans changed.

 

[flynnibus]

I think part of the problem why people don't take Jim Hill seriously is that while some of the rumours he might have started have come true, a lot of others just never got there

In short.. 'credibility' It doesn't matter if you are right 10 times.. if you are wrong 40 times.. your credibility would be shot.

My impression is that he takes a lot of information that he gets hold of and just puts it out. If I take out my 2007 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World which has these amusing little boxes called "a peek behind the scenes with Jim Hill", there are rumours like that the closure of Voyage of the Little Mermaid at the Disney-MGM Studios (yes, it was still called that in that book) was imminent. That in 2007 Disney would start offering a Halloween party at Disney-MGM Studios with Jack Skellington as a host. That Rafiki's Planet Watch was slated for a make-over in the coming months and that it might turn into the only area where you can interact with the characters from Ratatouille. That Journey into Imagination would get a rehab for the 25th anniversary of Epcot that would restore the Dreamfinder. That the Carousel of Progress would close soon and be replaced by a coaster themed to the Incredibles. That a totally new parade was going to debut at the MK in 2008.

The general problem you have is sites that live off publishing 'insider info' fall into the trap that the more sensational something it.. the more successful it is for them. They also want those exclusives... and telling things no one else has heard. They all want to be that guy that can talk casually and intertwine those things you didn't know and act as if it was so non-nonchalant for them. It's a shtick.

What they really suck at now is differentiating between 'there is a plan someone drew up to do this..' or 'this is being discussed...' vs 'this is happening'. Even when it gets to the last phase, things can still change.. but I think the majority of these 'never happened' stories are because they fail to differentiate between proposals, development of proposals, and actually having things commited to delivery. We see it all the time now... someone saying "Project XYZ has been greenlit" - greenlit for implementation? Or simply approved for further concept development and flushing out the concept to a buildable attraction?

For every project that gets built... there has to be many more that started out and were developed.. but were shelved for any number of reasons.

Fans and rumor sites just want to go from 'idea to implemented!' and gloss over or skip over in eagerness that something being developed doesn't mean its committed to being built yet.

 

[Bolna]

But this is a problem for anyone who deals in Disney rumors. Things can be very fluid, something he was told may have been 100% true when they told it to him, but then plans changed.

Yes, that's why I said that I think Jim Hill lacks talent in picking to report the rumours that are more likely to actually follow through. Others seem to be better in that regard.

 

[danlb_2000]

Yes, that's why I said that I think Jim Hill lacks talent in picking to report the rumours that are more likely to actually follow through. Others seem to be better in that regard.

Actually, I wouldn't want to see those sorts of rumors filtered out, they are still an interesting look into the workings of the company. The filter needs to be on rumors that are 100% bogus or are being mis-interpreted.