Downtown Disney rumor

[71jason]

How is this copying CityWalk? Downtown Disney was in place long before CityWalk. For me, there is nothing good about CityWalk either. I can't stand the place.

Apologies, should have more clearly said I meant the West Side.

Agreed CityWalk copied (and in some ways improved upon) PI--but the West Side was a carbon copy of the new things CityWalk had done (Latin restaruant? check. Restaurant/music venue? check. No entrance gates? check.) The problem is they tried to copy the content without understanding the style--"what" it was but not "why" it worked.

Now DTD is building an unncessary parking garage. There is a MK-sized parking lot behind Cirque that sits empty almost every night of the year--and even had hundreds of open spaces on NYE. A parking garage won't make West Side more enticing, and won't stop guests from parking at DTD to avoid the $15 parking fees. But CityWalk has one, so we need to build one.

 

[71jason]

It has parking garages so clearly it's exactly the same thing! maybe if we're lucky they'll put a Burger King in at DTD too! Lol. Ugh, no thanks! City Walk holds no appeal to me either.

Yes, exactly my point. A completely unnecessary parking garage.

BTW, never saw the McDonalds that was in DTD over a decade? The one that had longer lines than just about anything else there?

CityWalk may have no appeal to pixie dust--addicted fanbois, but it clearly has appeal to TDO because everything they've done to DTD in the past 8 years has been an attempt to copy it.

 

[Bryner84]

There are quite a few shops that Disney could run themselves, that I would expect to be able to find in WDW somewhere (more likely DHS for most of them, but they would work in DTD).

DVD Shop - Disney Films/Disney TV/ABC TV/The Great Movie Ride Films
CD Shop - Disney Parks/Disney Channel/Hollywood Records/Soundtracks/American Idol
Videogame Shop - a demo for each console, and eventually a section for Disney Infinity
Muppet Whatnot Workshop
ABC - ABCs website sells various products online - why not have them available in a physical store?
Comic Book Store - Marvel/Disney/Castle

Now, they could either be separate stores, combined (CD/DVD/ABC could work like Summer Sands/Team Mickey used to do), or be a separate section in current shops (move the videogames from Once Upon A Toy to DisneyQuest, move Muppet Whatnot Workshop into Once Upon A Toy)

Now, are these big, bold, new ideas? No.
Does it sell specialised/not available everywhere else in WDW Disney Merchandise? Yes!

Probably not logistically possible, but wouldn't it be great if they sold hard to find DIsney DVD's? They could theme a section of the store to look like the elusive "Disney Vault" where they sold all those movies that are not currently available anywhere else. It would give the store some exclusivity, and people would be much more inclined to purchase a DVD if they couldn't get it elsewhere or would have to wait years for a wide release. I would probably be a sucker for that kind of thing.

 

[djlaosc]

Probably not logistically possible, but wouldn't it be great if they sold hard to find DIsney DVD's? They could theme a section of the store to look like the elusive "Disney Vault" where they sold all those movies that are not currently available anywhere else. It would give the store some exclusivity, and people would be much more inclined to purchase a DVD if they couldn't get it elsewhere or would have to wait years for a wide release. I would probably be a sucker for that kind of thing.

That's what I was originally thinking as well, but then you would get some people going in, buying them all and upselling them on eBay!

 

[Bryner84]

That's what I was originally thinking as well, but then you would get some people going in, buying them all and upselling them on eBay!

It's true. It would never work, because if it would I am sure they would have done it already...but from a theming perspective it sure could be cool. It's a shame that it is so easy to do that kind of thing, but what can you do? I guess their best bet would just be to overprice them so much to begin with that they would be hard to upsell.

 

[George]

Now DTD is building an unncessary parking garage. There is a MK-sized parking lot behind Cirque that sits empty almost every night of the year--and even had hundreds of open spaces on NYE. A parking garage won't make West Side more enticing, and won't stop guests from parking at DTD to avoid the $15 parking fees. But CityWalk has one, so we need to build one.

OK here's an admission from an obsessive compulsive worry wart. Even when I see signs saying the parking lot behind Cirque is open, the lackage of motor vehicles always makes me think something unmagical will happen (towing, etc.). Thus, I avoid the lot (however, thanks to your trenchant post that behavior may be a thing of the past). However, I assume I'm in a small minority (we will tag my cohort weirdo) and that most don't park there because of the walk. Could the whole problem be alleviated by having a couple of trams working the lot? A few roads may have to be widened, but that would certainly cost less than a garage. Of course, the garage may partly be based on the presumed popularity of the changes.

Good point on the CityWalk emulation as well. I've only been to CityWalk twice, so you pointing out that aspect was very interesting.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Probably not logistically possible, but wouldn't it be great if they sold hard to find DIsney DVD's? They could theme a section of the store to look like the elusive "Disney Vault" where they sold all those movies that are not currently available anywhere else. It would give the store some exclusivity, and people would be much more inclined to purchase a DVD if they couldn't get it elsewhere or would have to wait years for a wide release. I would probably be a sucker for that kind of thing.

I think the Internet killed any chance of a store like that. It would just be people with Amazon stores buying the "vaulted" DVDs and then selling them at inflated prices online.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Apologies, should have more clearly said I meant the West Side.

Agreed CityWalk copied (and in some ways improved upon) PI--but the West Side was a carbon copy of the new things CityWalk had done (Latin restaruant? check. Restaurant/music venue? check. No entrance gates? check.) The problem is they tried to copy the content without understanding the style--"what" it was but not "why" it worked.

Now DTD is building an unncessary parking garage. There is a MK-sized parking lot behind Cirque that sits empty almost every night of the year--and even had hundreds of open spaces on NYE. A parking garage won't make West Side more enticing, and won't stop guests from parking at DTD to avoid the $15 parking fees. But CityWalk has one, so we need to build one.

West Side opened in '97... CityWalk opened in '99?

 

[Eeyore13]

So to the insiders that have confimed these reports, any idea on when the overhaul will begin and how long it will actually take?

 

[MaryJaneP]

As Carl Sagan said "billions and billions" of years, I fear.

 

[Mammymouse]

Why can't Disney open a shop that the items are exclusive items that can only be bought at that store or on that WDW property. I thought that was the definition of a souvenier - something that is unique to the spot where you bought it. For example what incentive do I have to buy kids toys at WDW that I can get at the local Walmart or Target where I live? To me it just kind of defeats the whole souvenier thing. Okay - done with my pet peeve and rant. Everything is pixie-dust and princesses now.......

 

[SirLink]

This info is very much accurate.. In fact, this is what I've seen that I expected to be public some time ago.. First off, keep in mind that this is phase I, of a grander overhaul including the end of the property towards Cirque.. and that it will take 'some time' to complete..

but..well....there it is.

Oh good so that means only this would happen and the rest scrapped thanks...

 

[prfctlyximprct]

When can we expect them to start working on this??

 

[Mouse Detective]

Hyperion Wharf was aborted because they decided that they could go much bigger and deliver a better DTD.

Yes, but Hyperion Wharf was primarily aborted because of the outcry over at the Boardwalk that claimed Hyperion Wharf's turn of the century theming duplicated what they already offered.

 

[toolsnspools]

I think the Internet killed any chance of a store like that. It would just be people with Amazon stores buying the "vaulted" DVDs and then selling them at inflated prices online.

Funny. I would never go searching for, or buy, vintage WDW DVD's on eBay, but I might impulse buy them if they were available in an exclusive shop at DTD.

 

[Mouse Detective]

Not sure why it needs a train locomotive sticking through a wall, though...

Above re: Adventurers Club building. HUH? DETAILS PLEASE??

 

[Map7711]

http://www.userglue.com/2012/11/16/keys-to-the-kingdom-tour/
Someone had the new name in Nov 2012 when they went on the keys to the kingdom tour. Interesting ain't it
It's on his list just scroll down until you see it.

 

[Lee]

Above re: Adventurers Club building. HUH? DETAILS PLEASE??

I just calls it like I sees it.
Wish I knew more.

Oh, the Club building is labeled in the plans as a "Lounge/Cafeteria Concept"...whatever that means.

And yeah...looks like a train parked outside.

 

[c-one]

They can call it whatever they want, I'll still call it "the Village." Old habits die hard, I guess.

 

[c-one]

PI, soon to be known as "The Landing", is labeled in the new plan as "dining and libation."
So...eating and drinking. Ok. Big change there, huh?

I only hear the word "libations" at pretentious (in a good way) American gastropubs. Which, coincidentally, would be a killer addition to DTD 3.0, so fingers crossed.