DHS Soundstage 1 Renovation - Toy Storia Mania expansion

[Captain Neo]

Oh for the love of God..... Without blowing my sources, the third track at TSMM and the Third theatre At Soarin are 100% confirmed.

They are not officially announced but it's solid enough for me to print

Whats the timetable on the new Soarin' film and digital projection system son?

 

[Slowjack]

I'll read the rest of your post in a minute, but to the bolded part, it's simple. TDO is lazy and simply copy and pasted both TSMM and Soarin from DCA, a park that, at that time especially, drew much lower crowds.

They didn't take into account the fact that Epcot and DHS are two of the most visited theme parks on the planet and both lack rides that are accessible to the whole family. Well, Epcot not as much, but it could use more.

Both Soarin' and TSMM should've been built with third tracks/theaters from the start, but lack of common sense is what got them into this situation.

Hold on now. I get on Disney for any number of decisions that seem short-sighted, but I think it's too much to ask that they have the ability to accurately predict the level of popularity of an attraction before it opens. TSMM in DHS was, in a sense, a clone of a DCA attraction, but the Florida version actually opened first. How were they to know (not guess, but know) it could use 50% more capacity? There's a lot that goes into how popular a ride is, and it's a lot easier in hindsight to see those factors. Consider the Country Bear Jamboree--lines snaked all the way across Frontierland in Florida, so when they cloned the ride for Disneyland, they built two theaters instead of one, but the attraction was never very popular there, so the extra expense was just a waste. Point is, even the popularity of a ride in one park doesn't tell you how popular the same ride will be in another park. They may well have considered adding extra capacity to both TSMM and Soarin' from the start, but decided it was too risky, and I can't blame them for that. Heck, it's risky even knowing what we know now. Will TSMM still need that extra capacity ten years from now? Maybe, but maybe not.

 

[Jon81uk]

Whats the timetable on the new Soarin' film and digital projection system son?

Apparently the new Soarin' film will debut at Shanghai Disneyland when the park opens. Although when that park will be ready nobody really knows as China is making it hard for Disney.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Official Disney description:
"The story of Mystic Point follows the adventures of eccentric explorer and art collector Lord Henry Mystic, who invites Guests to board the Mystic Magneto-Electric Carriage for a tour of his private museum located within his Victorian manor house. When Lord Henry’s companion monkey Albert mischievously opens a newly acquired magical music box, the enchanted Music Dust inside is released and, a mysterious journey begins."

Albert isn't just in the preshow... He's in EVERY scene of the ride. The story is about a Monkey taking over the ride as he tries to put the lid back on that magical box. You're making it as if he's not important to the story and is basically just a static figure who's presence is merely a bystander. Again, the story is centerd on a monkey hi-jacking your ride and taking you on a fantastical journey... he is the focal point. Lord Byron is literally in two scenes. That's all. The ride is centered around Albert... and his merchandise.

Finally, a replacement for Figment! How clever.

 

[jt04]

Animal Kingdom is getting Soarin' 2.0, a family boat ride and a nighttime show. That's not really a true makeover That's 1/3 of what AK needs.

Other 2/3:

1. One more new land (Australia or Mysterious Island) with room for 4-5 attractions
2. Family dark ride in Asia - Everest and Kali both have height requirements, The Jungle Book also happens to have never gotten a ride before... make it happen TDO
3. Total renovation of Dinoland - Dinorama gets bulldozed, DINOSAUR gets a massive refurb, while a Mr. Toad-style dark ride, Ice Age flume, Excavator E-ticket (something closer to the old Geyser Mountain concept on a coaster track) and something prehistoric to replace Finding Nemo. Boneyard gets a few touches. Also a dinosaur flat ride is included - just less tacky.
4. Triple decker animal carousel in Africa
5. Return of Discovery River Boats - the park needs attractions desperately

That's what it would take for me to be at AK from open to close.

Epcot... the Frozen overlay to Norway and Soarin's update/3rd theater are all I expect for the 2010s. MAYBE Imagination and Universe of Energy get some plussing. But I fear TDO will assume Anna and Elsa can solve all of that park's problems.

DHS' future looks bright right now - Star Wars Land, a true Pixar Place (with numerous attractions), removal of the BAH, GMR getting something new (hopefully an E-ticket trackless dark ride... or at least a refurb), potentially a Muppets mini-land (with over $1.2 billion in play... I can't imagine Star Wars and Pixar are the only thing getting expanded), replacements for B&TB and maybe Mermaid, an update for RnRC.

DHS could easily become my favorite Disney park with Star Wars Land, an Incredibles E-ticket, Monsters Inc Door Coaster, a GMR upgrade, and something like the old Great Muppet Movie Ride concept. Or a NBC attraction

Of course, Tomorrowland should hopefully get revamped by 2022 (around MK's 50th)

Agreed. Would be great to see all this and much more. I am only responding to those who claimed WDW was facing doom due to lack of investment, increased competition and mismanagement. Obviously that meme is now utterly discredited. I have been happy to do my part.

 

[BrerJon]

This is a GREAT statement, because it's an open ended and totally useless thing to say. It seems to be a common theme.."just wait, Disney is working on _________ that will destroy ________"....always in the far future...somewhere....sometime...

We've been hearing since 2010 that Disney is going to come up with something that will blow Harry Potter out of the water.

Four years on we're still waiting, while Harry Potter has multiplied into *two* amazing lands.

 

[BrerJon]

So what does that all mean? They build an E-ticket that wasn't designed to handle E-ticket crowds. No matter how fast you load/unload guests, you're never going to be able to handle those crowds with two theatres.

Isn't Soarin's problem that it was never designed to be a the main attraction in a park? In California Adventure it's getting close to being a D-ticket, something to do in addition to Grizzly River Run, California Screamin' (what is with the 'g' hate up there?) and nowadays Radiator Springs. So the capacity is about right for the expected crowds.

But stick it in a park like Epcot where you've gutted all the other decent attractions, and guests are going to be clamouring for it. It's the same situation with Toy Story. Not a big deal in DCA, a headliner in WDW.

 

[BrerJon]

I find the misnomer of TDO to be pretty laughable.

Don't worry I think most people know that TDO isn't a real thing, it's just a convenient shorthand way to describe the people making decisions about what to build or not build at WDW, regardless of where they reside or what their real departmental titles are.

 

[BrerJon]

Finally, a replacement for Figment! How clever.

*cough* Chandu! *cough*

 

[PhotoDave219]

Don't worry I think most people know that TDO isn't a real thing, it's just a convenient shorthand way to describe the people making decisions about what to build or not build at WDW, regardless of where they reside or what their real departmental titles are.

I get that, I just want people to be clear of how the resort has changed. Its part of this entire OneDisney crap. All the major decisions are made by Stagg's office.

 

[GoofGoof]

I get that, I just want people to be clear of how the resort has changed. Its part of this entire OneDisney crap. All the major decisions are made by Stagg's office.

How big is major? Do we have Staggs to blame for the lumberjacks or was that local?

 

[PhotoDave219]

How big is major? Do we have Staggs to blame for the lumberjacks or was that local?

That was an Epcot thing. New manager came in.

 

[Jake Wilson]

Whats the timetable on the new Soarin' film and digital projection system son?

My understanding is that all of the technology & equipment is there and ready (DLR pushed the install back, so they were thought to have everything to do the update?) So I would think only as long as Disney can drag it out. They have to construct a new building adding the ride components (which has been done and is now cookie cutter.) They should have all the pieces to the ride system off site and ready to be assembled, So construct the additional building to house the new components and a quick refurb on the existing ride. Put in new screens and projector, kind of like a home theater project on a larger scale. It could be done quickly if it was needed to be done.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Isn't Soarin's problem that it was never designed to be a the main attraction in a park? In California Adventure it's getting close to being a D-ticket, something to do in addition to Grizzly River Run, California Screamin' (what is with the 'g' hate up there?) and nowadays Radiator Springs. So the capacity is about right for the expected crowds.

But stick it in a park like Epcot where you've gutted all the other decent attractions, and guests are going to be clamouring for it. It's the same situation with Toy Story. Not a big deal in DCA, a headliner in WDW.

Yep.

The mistake that I think people make when trying to figure out "popularity" in rides is that they think of it in too limiting of a capacity. They think inwardly towards the ride in question and not enough outwardly towards the environment.

The best way I can explain this is to think of the time you spend in an amusement park as an election. All the rides and attractions are vying for your vote. You vote by choosing to get in line. Sometimes that line is long at the polling station because there are so many other people that agree with your opinion and sometimes the line is long because there is only one polling booth. Both determine how long you will wait; but, the first part of the process - who you will vote for is based on who else is on the ballot.

If TSMM is a candidate and you've got DHS line up on the ballot, it would win that election at a much higher percentage than it would at DCA since their ballot is so much bigger and has many other candidates (and newer ones too) than DHS.

The additional track for TSMM will be nice in that it will open up another polling booth; but, it won't change the most important first step of the process... who you are voting for.

10 million guests would fit a heck of a lot easier into DCA's candidates than DHS's, no matter how many booths are open for one of DHS's candidates.

FP+'s intentions of crowd steering being the solution to poor resort capacity are going to fail. If the two party system couldn't get people to vote for Walter Mondale... then what chance does Stitch and Imagination have?

 

[FerretAfros]

Perhaps relevant to this conversation, runDisney announced today that the Tower of Terror 10-Miler won't be returning in 2015 (the race is held in early Octber). No real reason was given, but it's widely assumed that it's due to construction that will block a large portion of the in-park course. Just another indication of changes to come...
Here's a map showing the course. The park is also open for an after party, which would make it nearly impossible to use other areas of the park for the race course

 

[Brian Swan]

Isn't Soarin's problem that it was never designed to be a the main attraction in a park? In California Adventure it's getting close to being a D-ticket, something to do in addition to Grizzly River Run, California Screamin' (what is with the 'g' hate up there?) and nowadays Radiator Springs. So the capacity is about right for the expected crowds.

But stick it in a park like Epcot where you've gutted all the other decent attractions, and guests are going to be clamouring for it. It's the same situation with Toy Story. Not a big deal in DCA, a headliner in WDW.

Soarin was always conceived as a headliner. I went to DCA in it's first months of opertation, and Soarin, CA Screamin, and GRR were the only "headliners" in the park, and based on my personal experience, all 3 had approximately equal waits (+/- 60 min). Soarin is the *only* attraction inthe Condor Flats "land" of DCA; if it wasn't considered a "headliner". I doubt Disney would have built an entire "land" around it. Even on my most recent trip to DCA, Soarin's lines were not significantly less than than CS, TSMM, ToT, or GRR (but RSR had more than double any of them). What surprises me is that Disney had several years of data from the CA operation in the bank before they added Soarin't to EP. Based on the popularity of the ride in DCA, coupled with the know larger attendamce numbers at EP, you would have thought they would have gone bigger when they built it...

 

[Next Big Thing]

Hold on now. I get on Disney for any number of decisions that seem short-sighted, but I think it's too much to ask that they have the ability to accurately predict the level of popularity of an attraction before it opens. TSMM in DHS was, in a sense, a clone of a DCA attraction, but the Florida version actually opened first. How were they to know (not guess, but know) it could use 50% more capacity? There's a lot that goes into how popular a ride is, and it's a lot easier in hindsight to see those factors. Consider the Country Bear Jamboree--lines snaked all the way across Frontierland in Florida, so when they cloned the ride for Disneyland, they built two theaters instead of one, but the attraction was never very popular there, so the extra expense was just a waste. Point is, even the popularity of a ride in one park doesn't tell you how popular the same ride will be in another park. They may well have considered adding extra capacity to both TSMM and Soarin' from the start, but decided it was too risky, and I can't blame them for that. Heck, it's risky even knowing what we know now. Will TSMM still need that extra capacity ten years from now? Maybe, but maybe not.

Simple.

1.) This is an interactive/competitive ride
2.) This is a ride the whole family can enjoy (unlike almost the entire rest of DHS outside of GMR)
3.) WDW Draws much higher crowds than DLR does.

Combine all of that together and it should be easy to know that you're gonna need a bigger boat.

 

[Captain Neo]

Soarin was always conceived as a headliner. I went to DCA in it's first months of opertation, and Soarin, CA Screamin, and GRR were the only "headliners" in the park, and based on my personal experience, all 3 had approximately equal waits (+/- 60 min). Soarin is the *only* attraction inthe Condor Flats "land" of DCA; if it wasn't considered a "headliner". I doubt Disney would have built an entire "land" around it. Even on my most recent trip to DCA, Soarin's lines were not significantly less than than CS, TSMM, ToT, or GRR (but RSR had more than double any of them). What surprises me is that Disney had several years of data from the CA operation in the bank before they added Soarin't to EP. Based on the popularity of the ride in DCA, coupled with the know larger attendamce numbers at EP, you would have thought they would have gone bigger when they built it...

yea Soarin' was always considered the high point of what was otherwise a very disappointing park

 

[El Grupo]

yea Soarin' was always considered the high point of what was otherwise a very disappointing park

Better than Superstar Limo? Surely you jest!

I can now admit that I actually entered that ride on a couple of occasions in the first year of the park's existence. As bad as some attractions have gotten in Orlando, that was, IMO, one of the best examples of "value engineering" in any of the Disney parks.

 

[TeriofTerror]

Lots of phases.

I want an Oompa-Loompa now!