'Disney Springs' - Downtown Disney expansion officially announced

[SirLink]

No offense, but I'm going with my gut on this.

It's felt off since the concept art was leaked (now, I'm thinking that it may well have been on purpose ... they do like using the same site to leak on).

You do NOT have a non-announcement announcement, let alone by such a high level official if things are going along swimmingly. You just don't.

The economy still sucks. Retail and Dining operators are closing units across the country. And Disney wants top dollar to locate here. It would be very safe to assume they are still having issues getting enough folks signed to announce ...

I'll point you to the three ring circus know as the Mine Train how long has that been the focus of the media events the last 5 or 6? If they had 25% of the available tenants signed what could they announce for the Disney Springs three ring circus aspect at the next media briefing?

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Here's a link to a story and vid from the Orlando Biz Journal with Staggs talking about Disney Springs and why it will be a guest favorite:
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2013/03/disneys-tom-staggs-disney-springs.html

 

[turbosnatch]

2 reasons. As we discussed before, Disney can spread the budget out over a few years to make Wall St happy. Second, building in a location while trying to keep everything open is a real pain and can suck up time like you would not believe.

But but Wall street hates Parks and resorts. So why should it matter.

 

[71jason]

Attractions Magazine, Orlando Sentinel, Mousesteps, and I think another news outlet were in attendance.

And people wonder why Jason Garcia seems desperate to get off the Disney beat...

 

[djlaosc]

I know--where will we ever buy pins without that overgrown kiosk???

Glad to know who the one guy I ever saw eating in Pollo Campero was now, tho.

I am of the opinion that there should be 1 large pin shop (Disney Pin Traders), same as 1 large Vinylmation shop (D Street), 1 large homeware shop (Mickey's Pantry), 1 large sweet shop (Goofy's Candy Co.), 1 large Art Shop (Art of Disney) - each would have a larger selection than available elsewhere - if there's one shop in Disney Springs that needs to go, it's World of Disney (I know it would never happen though) - 1 individual shop per "room" in World of Disney would be better than what's there now. As for the proliferation of pins everywhere else - I'm not saying that they shouldn't limit the pins in other shops to "attraction specific merchandise" - (ie, only Splash Mountain/Frontierland pins in the Briar Patch store) - but there should be one location on property where you should be able to pick up a wide variety of pins.

As for Pollo Campero, I was hungry, and the rest of my party were in Arribas Brothers/Basin. It tasted all right - I would go back, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if it goes.

However, the point that I was making is that I am "losing" these two stores that I went to last time, with no named replacement being provided - that's the problem - not that I am going to start picketing TDO about the loss of these two particular stores - it could be any two stores in Disney Springs that were closing.

 

[OFTeric]

The economy still sucks. Retail and Dining operators are closing units across the country. And Disney wants top dollar to locate here. It would be very safe to assume they are still having issues getting enough folks signed to announce ...

Yeah and from what I heard of some of the internal squabbling with the Planet Hollywood contract I am not sure who has actually signed on the dotted line.

I still don't know what the end result from the PH negotiations are. I keep hearing they are moving to iDrive Live

 

[Funmeister]

I'm kind of excited that Central Florida will be adding 1200 more jobs to the area, too. They might not be the best paying jobs, but they are jobs nonetheless and it's encouraging to read a figure that is an addition, not a reduction.

Just curious...what excites you about 1,200 new jobs in addition to the 65,000+ Cast Members (just Disney) in which Casting cannot come close to filling? I understand new jobs are usually great but these are not good jobs and quality will suffer because they will never fill them.

Not being negative...just a realist. Did you know one of the main reasons Pop Century was never completed and sat there unfinished was because they did not have the labor to work the resort? Sure eventually they changed the theme and people booked the rooms to stay but I can tell you those rooms would have sat empty if it was not for the theme change to Animation.

 

[dcibrando]

here's a new photo of the model http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/img/photos/2013/03/14/45/47/DisneyModel.JPG

 

[DocMcHulk]

Does one of the garages (or parking ramps, depending on where you are from) get built first to clear up the other parking lots?

 

[tissandtully]

Here's a link to a story and vid from the Orlando Biz Journal with Staggs talking about Disney Springs and why it will be a guest favorite:
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2013/03/disneys-tom-staggs-disney-springs.html

Did nobody else catch the Avatar construction quote in that video? He said construction will begin on Avatar.

Also, that video was awful, looks like OBJ is too cheap to hire an actual photog and make the reporter do all the work.

 

[tissandtully]

here's a new photo of the model http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/img/photos/2013/03/14/45/47/DisneyModel.JPG

Those are huge parking structures. Don't look as huge as UO though, I remember when those were built, they were supposedly the biggest in the world. Not sure if that still stands.

 

[G00fyDad]

Does one of the garages (or parking ramps, depending on where you are from) get built first to clear up the other parking lots?

Im sure the one by Westside will be completed first. (Just a guess on my part though)

 

[DocMcHulk]

But most importantly, will the parking garages have color coded areas so people dont get lost??? The stock holders want to know!!

(I think a few people will get this joke)

 

[tissandtully]

But most importantly, will the parking garages have color coded areas so people dont get lost??? The stock holders want to know!!

People will always get lost.

 

[muteki]

Did nobody else catch the Avatar construction quote in that video? He said construction will begin on Avatar.

Also, that video was awful, looks like OBJ is too cheap to hire an actual photog and make the reporter do all the work.

You could make the argument that starting construction on moving FOTLK is "construction beginning on Avatar". Regardless of what ultimately ends up in that space.

 

[sshindel]

But most importantly, will the parking garages have color coded areas so people dont get lost??? The stock holders want to know!!

Not with the new interaction you have with your MagicBand+. Just link the new handy receiver into your car computer, and you can always find your car via their addition to their app! Disney also has the right to gather data on your driving habits, send you traffic tickets if you speed or fail to signal for turns, and if you don't wear your seatbelts. Also, they have right to your second-born child.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Did nobody else catch the Avatar construction quote in that video? He said construction will begin on Avatar.

Also, that video was awful, looks like OBJ is too cheap to hire an actual photog and make the reporter do all the work.

He said that starting construction on Avatar isn't to far down the road and that they are still in the developmental stages. But that will be begin soon. Obviously moving FOTLK to Africa was the first step whether it's coming or not.

 

[marni1971]

Looks nice. I wish they'd put this type of effort into the parks, which are in much more need of an upgrade. A lot more money to be made here, I guess.

Took the words out of my mouth.

 

[OFTeric]

Did nobody else catch the Avatar construction quote in that video? He said construction will begin on Avatar.

Also, that video was awful, looks like OBJ is too cheap to hire an actual photog and make the reporter do all the work.

Be nice Rich is a great guy!

But at 50 seconds Tom Staggs tips his hand about how dire the tenant situation has been

"we've had conversations with a number potential new tenants and the response has been actually spectacular..."

When you listen to his voice, see his face, he reveals what a tough sell it has been. And clearly no one has signed on the dotted line.

 

[yoyoflamingo]

It's been copied and pasted from another site so the link wasn't included.

Even the Disneyparks blog didn't have the link up at first, but looks like it's been added now. Still nothing we didn't already know though.