Downtown Disney rumor

[George]

I mostly hated the name and that all it added was more shops and restaurants. There needs to be more to do at DTD besides shopping and dining. Splitsville, AMC and Cirque are pretty much it. DQ barely counts because it's overpriced and super outdated.

DTD needs more attractions. 'nuf said.

Don't disagree at all. It just seemed like a better theme than the current amorphous, malleable, empty Springs thing. They should have some entertainment going on outside a few times a day and night for all to see and enjoy. You know, something to make you feel like you're at a super duper resort.

 

[71jason]

I see a new amphitheater on the water near Paradiso.

Same/similar to the one planned for Hyperion Wharf? In other words, sized for a single magician, not a waterfront spectacular?

I see a MUCH larger footprint for WoD because, after all, the store full of Disney crap ain't big enough already.

Can't say I'm excited about this--but the place is routinely too packed to move even in the slow season. Smarter plan would be to clone the store by DQ, inspire people to use that abandoned lot behind Cirque, but I wonder if the brain trust behind this plan even knows what currently exists in DTD.

I see some retail locale called SF Girl having a prominent locale near AMC.

Google came up with nothing obvious. Wondering if this and "The Observatory" are placeholder names, like in the Hyperion Wharf concept art.

Lots of smaller retail pushed out into what used to be parking.

Sounds like another holdover from Hyperion Wharf, albeit relocated. TDO doesn't seem to understand that smaller locations don't have a prayer of making enough profit to pay exorbitant rent. There's a reason every restaurant in DTD is closer to the size of a Publix than V&A.

Even if this is a nice upgrade, people don't visit WDW to go to DD.

Five years ago they used to.

 

[Lee]

Wondering if this and "The Observatory" are placeholder names, like in the Hyperion Wharf concept art.

Possible, I suppose.
Though the art does show PH looking exactly like an observatory...

 

[dcibrando]

Credit is the positive side of the coin. Blame is the negative side. Your post about ROI is disturbingly predictive of the motivation and results expected. Maximize profit, minimize cost, regardless of guest experience. You point out one failure (Yeti) but leave out a whole litany of other fails. Are we wrong to expect something to improve and to complain when it doesn't?

absolutely not... I fault disney for a lot of things and I agree with most about the state of the parks and them going in the wrong direction for sure... however whether we like it or not, disney IS a business and yes, they are in it to make money for the shareholders. If they are making their shareholders happy and making money, why would they spend money to supply more if they feel it's not needed (even though all of us believe it is). I don't like it anymore than the rest of us... I wish they'd think more about the guest than the almighty $ but it's just not how it is. If people stop coming, they will do something about it... if people just complain but keep coming to the parks, well...

 

[71jason]

Possible, I suppose.
Though the art does show PH looking exactly like an observatory...

What else can you do with it without rebuilding? I mean "Planet [Random Word]" is going to set off trademark/trade dress issues.

Too much to hope, I suppose, that the Observatory is really a bar with a wacky in-house astronomer, and a lecherous scientist ...

 

[vonpluto]

What else can you do with it without rebuilding? I mean "Planet [Random Word]" is going to set off trademark/trade dress issues.

Too much to hope, I suppose, that the Observatory is really a bar with a wacky in-house astronomer, and a lecherous scientist ...

Possibly a rehash of the "Astronomer' Club" concept for Tomorrowland from back in the late '80's ?

 

[DocMcHulk]

Well, Earl of Sandwich is getting the Holiday Turkey sandwich year-round, so DTD just got better.

 

[xdan0920]

After the Hyperion disaster, why should we be convinced that this plan will actually be going forward?

 

[Rob562]

So is there some kind of internal transportation going in? I go to DtD for the Disney-owned shops in the Marketplace and either Earl of Sandwich or Wolfgang Puck Express... even then not every trip. There's nothing I really care for on the West Side, but if I can just hop on a trolley, I might wander around.

There's already transportation via water taxi. But I agree, a trolley running end-to-end ala the Red Car Trolleys at DCA would be awesome and add some visual pizazz to the area.

But without a trolley, they *must* make the water taxis a more prominent and viable means of transport within DD. The dock for the marketplace (the busiest section of DD) is tucked away and hidden between Cap'n Jack's and Rainforest. If the marina is going away, this would be a great opportunity to relocate the Marketplace dock to where the marina is now and add more signage to make it more visible to people and realize that you can hop on a boat to go all the way to the other end.

On the West Side, they also need to increase the visibility of the boat dock. As it is, you get to the far end, see that there's nothing beyond House of Blues except Cirque and people turn around. The signs for the dock are these teeny little signs on the light posts, and you have to walk down around the far end of HoB. Either they need to increase the visibility of the dock here with signs, or move the dock closer to the center of the West Side to where the little sitting area is along the water between Bongos and Wolfgang Puck.

-Rob

 

[scpergj]

Well, Earl of Sandwich is getting the Holiday Turkey sandwich year-round, so DTD just got better.

Well, that'll get my wife to want the Earl again sooner than normal - she loves that one. Guess we'll have to get dinner there next time we are in the area...I can get my Lego and she can get her sandwich!

 

[menamechris]

I thought we were supposed to watch the blog this week for an announcement? Granted there's two days left but we're running out of time for the announcement this week.

I wouldn't be surprised if the BTMR queue "sneak-peek" was the big news for the week. They don't want to overload us with excitement, after all...

 

[Mickey_777]

While I've never had trouble finding parking near marketplace, a new garage wouldn't bother me. It's never been an issue for me at Uni or out in Anehiem/DL for that matter. The fact that we always go during slower times of the year helps but I've done big garages at the mall during Christmas so...

Plus I don't think it matters what they call it, it's gonna do well for a few reasons.

-It'll be new a shiny.
-Most folks in O-town are on vacay and want to get out at night when not at the parks. Very true when you stay offsite such as myself.
-Warm evenings with a light breeze and palm trees by the water. Open air. Add to that the bright lights of new stores and the smell of a restaurants nearby and it's lovely. This is what sets it apart from "any ol' enclosed mall back home". Northern/east coasters love that crap. I know I do.
-We're consumers. Americans love to eat out and shop.
-Tour groups probably come to shop as much as they come to see the parks if not more.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Possibly a rehash of the "Astronomer' Club" concept for Tomorrowland from back in the late '80's ?

That was my first thought. I just don't see how such a concept makes sense to today's Disney.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Sure, people don't go to WDW to visit Downtown Disney, but many visit the shopping district as part of a vacation. We do. I don't see anything wrong with that. I honestly don't understand what the angst is about.

People pine for quality, and this does look like a major upgrade over what was there. People pine away for kenetic energy... it may have a trolley. People pine away for water features... gasp some water features. We want great streetscape design and planning - looks like it *could* be there.

It is a shopping district folks, plain and simple. I like having a great environment in a Disney shopping district. The overhaul budget for this really shouldn't impact park development since the construction budget can also be easily absorbed through the rental rates they are charging third party vendors.

As far as 'attractions' - DTD has never had attractions. A little night life would be grand and a much needed addition, but attractions belong in the theme parks.

 

[MaryJaneP]

.... It is a shopping district folks, plain and simple. I like having a great environment in a Disney shopping district. The overhaul budget for this really shouldn't impact park development since the construction budget can also be easily absorbed through the rental rates they are charging third party vendors. ...

This country is overrun by bland cookie-cutter shopping districts. If that is all TDO is going to offer, IMHO they should save the $ for their beloved shareholders. Maybe it is too much to expect cutting edge/avant-garde in light of the current doldrums TDO cranks out.

 

[Lee]

Possibly a rehash of the "Astronomer' Club" concept for Tomorrowland from back in the late '80's ?

I think I would approve of that change.
I'll try to dig up a bit more on the Observatory.

 

[Jen Marie]

Everyone has to pay now no matter what and that is why we don't go.

 

[NoChesterHester]

This country is overrun by bland cookie-cutter shopping districts. If that is all TDO is going to offer, IMHO they should save the $ for their beloved shareholders. Maybe it is too much to expect cutting edge/avant-garde in light of the current doldrums TDO cranks out.

Why is this bland and cookie cutter? I am waiting for more detail. I like the masterplan. Huge step forward.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

There's already transportation via water taxi. But I agree, a trolley running end-to-end ala the Red Car Trolleys at DCA would be awesome and add some visual pizazz to the area.

But without a trolley, they *must* make the water taxis a more prominent and viable means of transport within DD. The dock for the marketplace (the busiest section of DD) is tucked away and hidden between Cap'n Jack's and Rainforest. If the marina is going away, this would be a great opportunity to relocate the Marketplace dock to where the marina is now and add more signage to make it more visible to people and realize that you can hop on a boat to go all the way to the other end.

On the West Side, they also need to increase the visibility of the boat dock. As it is, you get to the far end, see that there's nothing beyond House of Blues except Cirque and people turn around. The signs for the dock are these teeny little signs on the light posts, and you have to walk down around the far end of HoB. Either they need to increase the visibility of the dock here with signs, or move the dock closer to the center of the West Side to where the little sitting area is along the water between Bongos and Wolfgang Puck.

-Rob

lol, I consider myself pretty "with it" on WDW, and I had no idea there was a water taxi for internal use in DtD. I assumed the dock was only for the boats from POR/POFQ and rentals.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Why is this bland and cookie cutter? I am waiting for more detail. I like the masterplan. Huge step forward.

It's an outline for a lifestyle center complete with "themes" and their associated hollow names. Detail may provide something more unique, but as of now nothing different is discussed. Yes, it'll be at Walt Disney World and there is a market for shopping and dining there, but that doesn't mean we need to pretend its anything more special than what can be experienced elsewhere across the country.