Height balloons, this time between TTC and Contemporary

[Mike730]

just talked to someone who I trust, and in reality the aerial survey today was in regards to a project that will follow the floridian project... and NOT the transportation study that I orignally thought.

This project will make things more.... symmetrical near contemporary.


again.. This is R&D, not green-lit projects... Aerials were done in fantasyland nearly 5 years before FLE was announced. so don't expect to see back hoes soon..

So by misinforming us you've inadvertently given us more information! Though clearly blue sky at the moment, it's still promising to hear these sorts of things. Thanks.

If BLT gets a partner I sure hope the make room for parking by razing the convention center.... :lookaroun

 

[SeaCastle]

Not sure if this it's related, but I never completely bought the sinkhole story for the Venetian plot. Something doesn't quite add up.

They've cleared the plot of land numerous times (most recently in the late 90's for the Meditteranean) though the urban legend that persists is that they would sink beams into the ground to reach bedrock and they've never reached it; the sinkhole would keep "s__________g it up". But that doesn't account for the fact that there have been numerous ready-to-go designs for the hotel sitting there - even filed with the state government - that suddenly got shelved. One would think that they would at least test to make sure that the land area was feasible for construction before they cleared the plot and spent untold sums of money designing the resort. Maybe it's just me, but I find it odd that there would be so much development into this project before they actually tested to see if construction was even possible.

At any rate, the Venetian/Med plot between the TTC and Contemp remains the most valuable piece of resort real estate in the area, perhaps on property. It's only a matter of time before they decide to capitalize upon it.

 

[wdw71fan]

So by misinforming us you've inadvertently given us more information! Though clearly blue sky at the moment, it's still promising to hear these sorts of things. Thanks.

If BLT gets a partner I sure hope the make room for parking by razing the convention center.... :lookaroun

the information isn't necessary 'private' just 'not discussed'... honestly, if you had an audience with someone at WDI, you would easily get more information than I would possibly have right now..

nothing concrete yet, on either front..... but I will say monorail expansion is being looked at.. but if only for due diligence. time will tell I suppose. just wait til research hits the TTC with questions about your preferred travel methods..

Me myself, would love the return of a paddlewheel driven craft on seven seas lagoon.....

 

[Tom]

Not sure if this it's related, but I never completely bought the sinkhole story for the Venetian plot. Something doesn't quite add up.

They've cleared the plot of land numerous times (most recently in the late 90's for the Meditteranean) though the urban legend that persists is that they would sink beams into the ground to reach bedrock and they've never reached it; the sinkhole would keep "s__________g it up". But that doesn't account for the fact that there have been numerous ready-to-go designs for the hotel sitting there - even filed with the state government - that suddenly got shelved. One would think that they would at least test to make sure that the land area was feasible for construction before they cleared the plot and spent untold sums of money designing the resort. Maybe it's just me, but I find it odd that there would be so much development into this project before they actually tested to see if construction was even possible.

At any rate, the Venetian/Med plot between the TTC and Contemp remains the most valuable piece of resort real estate in the area, perhaps on property. It's only a matter of time before they decide to capitalize upon it.

I concur. The sinkhole story is Grade A Bull Plop. Bull.....Plop.

Disney built an entire World on a swamp. They've moved billions of yards of soil. They've driven piles hundreds of feet into the ground to support buildings and monorails.

Do they have soft and unstable soil there? Probably, yes. Is it actually a sink hole? Likely not. I've never seen physical evidence of such a thing.

Nice to see you back around these parts, btw :wave:

 

[djkidkaz]

Not sure if this it's related, but I never completely bought the sinkhole story for the Venetian plot. Something doesn't quite add up.

They've cleared the plot of land numerous times (most recently in the late 90's for the Meditteranean) though the urban legend that persists is that they would sink beams into the ground to reach bedrock and they've never reached it; the sinkhole would keep "s__________g it up". But that doesn't account for the fact that there have been numerous ready-to-go designs for the hotel sitting there - even filed with the state government - that suddenly got shelved. One would think that they would at least test to make sure that the land area was feasible for construction before they cleared the plot and spent untold sums of money designing the resort. Maybe it's just me, but I find it odd that there would be so much development into this project before they actually tested to see if construction was even possible.

At any rate, the Venetian/Med plot between the TTC and Contemp remains the most valuable piece of resort real estate in the area, perhaps on property. It's only a matter of time before they decide to capitalize upon it.

Anyone have an aerial of exactly the area you are referring too?

 

[amazingwdw]

Anyone have an aerial of exactly the area you are referring too?

This is the general location of previously proposed resorts

 

[LongtimeReader]

Yes, a very, very tall monorail station.


OP - can you screenshot a Google map and draw on it where the balloons were? You know, as a true WDWMagic member, you would have ridden around another complete loop just to get us these photos. Shame on you!

Haha, I feel utter shame indeed. I was late for meeting my family so I couldnt go joyriding, but i can describe where the balloons were better. First of all, they were not for BLTII as that would be where the current garden wing rooms are, surely. And not for anything Wilderness oriented, as it was nowhere near even the Lodge let alone FW proper. They were on the TTC side of the canal (the one that separates the Comtemporary from the empty area on the other side, and the boats to WL and FW pass through to/from MK). All 5 balloons were on the lake side of the monorail beams, at varying height and took up most of that section of trees and sand/dirt.

I do most of my reading/posting on my Android phone, so unfortunately I can't whip up a map, but any WDW regular worth his salt surely knows where I'm talking about, right? Essentially, where a resort has been proposed since before WDW even opened. (7 Seas? Venetian? I forget)

 

[WDW1974]

I concur. The sinkhole story is Grade A Bull Plop. Bull.....Plop.

Disney built an entire World on a swamp. They've moved billions of yards of soil. They've driven piles hundreds of feet into the ground to support buildings and monorails.

Do they have soft and unstable soil there? Probably, yes. Is it actually a sink hole? Likely not. I've never seen physical evidence of such a thing.

Nice to see you back around these parts, btw :wave:

Actually, the sinkhole story is true ... to some extent ... enough that the plot of land is deemed 'unsuitable' for major development.

In reality nothing has been designed for that particular pad of land for many moons, since then hotels have been planned around the lagoon and beyond, but not that one piece.

As to the whole OP to begin with, there's only one thing that TDO cares about right now in respect to WDW ... and there are three letters in this ... first one is a D ... last one is a C.

Fill in the blank!:lol:

 

[WDW1974]

Oh, and monorail expansion?!??!

Yeah ... seriously ... that's gonna happen about as soon as world peace.

 

[LongtimeReader]

This is the general location of previously proposed resorts

Was typing as this was posted...the red is exactly where they were. The highest one was the second farthest north of the five balloons, in case that matters.

 

[djkidkaz]

This is the general location of previously proposed resorts

Looking at that makes me wonder, why wasn't the WL added to the monorail line?

 

[amazingwdw]

Looking at that makes me wonder, why wasn't the WL added to the monorail line?

Just thinking out loud, but it probably would have taken away from the whole "wilderness" theme :animwink:

 

[tl77]

This is the general location of previously proposed resorts

Do you think they would put a moderate/value style resort there? There seems like enough land there for one and there aren't any near MK, or maybe a standalone DVC like Old Key West and Saratoga Springs because Bay lake Tower is the most expensive DVC and the only one the MK monorail loop... at least until the Grand Floridian opens

Or even something like a water park or entertainment complex, like Downtown Disney2.0? Since it's on the monorail loop and right next to TTC they wouldn't need to build a parking lot

...how's that for wild speculation?

 

[ReganA]

They are adding a gift shop to the TTC to pass through when you exit and I think it's going to have balloons for sale. So that explains that.

 

[BalooChicago]

I concur. The sinkhole story is Grade A Bull Plop. Bull.....Plop.

Exactly. There is no such thing as unbuildable land. Some land may be more expensive to build on, but it can be built on.

 

[marni1971]

There are at least 2 sets of piles somewhere underneath the site of the Venitian/Med that sank without trace in the early 70s and early 90s.

This is ultra prime real estate for TDO. You'd think if they could have built their flagship on it by now they would have.

 

[xdan0920]

the information isn't necessary 'private' just 'not discussed'... honestly, if you had an audience with someone at WDI, you would easily get more information than I would possibly have right now..

nothing concrete yet, on either front..... but I will say monorail expansion is being looked at.. but if only for due diligence. time will tell I suppose. just wait til research hits the TTC with questions about your preferred travel methods..

Me myself, would love the return of a paddlewheel driven craft on seven seas lagoon.....

Just keep throwing things against the wall. Eventually something will stick.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Do you think they would put a moderate/value style resort there? There seems like enough land there for one and there aren't any near MK, or maybe a standalone DVC like Old Key West and Saratoga Springs because Bay lake Tower is the most expensive DVC and the only one the MK monorail loop... at least until the Grand Floridian opens

Or even something like a water park or entertainment complex, like Downtown Disney2.0? Since it's on the monorail loop and right next to TTC they wouldn't need to build a parking lot

...how's that for wild speculation?

No value or moderates. That property could pull in huge dollars with a deluxe or DVC resort.

No parks or entertainment! THis area is MK territory and a water park does not belong along with a DTD 2.0. They seem to be struggling with what they have @ DTD let alone developing another retail/entertainment problem.

What this are needs is a 5 star hotel (which Disney does not have). WDW is really missing that FLAGSHIP resort that the GF really never became and this is the perfect spot. Now if they have finally devised a method to succesfully develope this land then the Venitian would be a good concept from what I have seen in the concepts.

I am not sure how much to believe about this location, but it would sure be nice to see something there.

 

[jt04]

Oh, and monorail expansion?!??!

Yeah ... seriously ... that's gonna happen about as soon as world peace.

They can upgrade the current transportation system without expanding the current monorail system. The technology is advancing rapidly.

~watch this space~

There are at least 2 sets of piles somewhere underneath the site of the Venitian/Med that sank without trace in the early 70s and early 90s.

This is ultra prime real estate for TDO. You'd think if they could have built their flagship on it by now they would have.

No value or moderates. That property could pull in huge dollars with a deluxe or DVC resort.

No parks or entertainment! THis area is MK territory and a water park does not belong along with a DTD 2.0. They seem to be struggling with what they have @ DTD let alone developing another retail/entertainment problem.

What this are needs is a 5 star hotel (which Disney does not have). WDW is really missing that FLAGSHIP resort that the GF really never became and this is the perfect spot. Now if they have finally devised a method to succesfully develope this land then the Venitian would be a good concept from what I have seen in the concepts.

I am not sure how much to believe about this location, but it would sure be nice to see something there.

Again, with advances in technology things may change. Although I am guessing that if this new test if for new DVC units then it is destined for the area where the remaining "garden wing" is at the CR.

And the new "4 Seasons" currently under construction should be a 5 Star and although not directly owned by TWDC, it will likely be able to meet any market demand. It is probably best that Disney leaves such accomadations up to the experts. For upscale accomadations along the monorail line all Disney has to do is add a finite number of high end suites to meet demand.

 

[montyz81]

The deluxe resorts operate at about 70% capacity (yearly) from what I heard. That doesn't justify the construction of another one if it isn't tied to a DVC.

Perhaps... Just Perhaps they might be thinking Moderate or Value on the Monorail line?