I don't think the new building at DHS is a theater after all...

[The Visionary Soul]

Okay, so I've been doing some digging, looking at plans, and speaking to sources. Here's what I've been led to believe:

It's becoming more and more apparent that the new building going up near Tower of Terror isn't going to be a theater at all. It is a black box venue... but only temporarily. I'm hearing that eventually it will be the new cast member entrance building, (lockers, costume check-out & check-in, and restrooms) with a new CM parking garage going in near it.

Has anyone else heard the same thing? Looking at any long-term plan for the park, it certainly makes sense to re-locate the cast member parking closer to back to where it was before it took over part of the guest parking lot.

 

[Tom]

It is a "Black Box Theater" which means it can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

I've seen the plans. It has a loading dock, dressing rooms, a green room, a large "exhibit space", a lobby and large public restrooms. It will be dressed up nicely on the outside, and they are adding a second fence to allow it to be "inside the park" as well as accessible from outside the park.

Sure, it could be used as a temporary CM dispatch/costume/break facility, but that's certainly not why it's being built. It would have been designed very differently.

 

[asianway]

Okay, so I've been doing some digging, looking at plans, and speaking to sources. Here's what I've been led to believe:

It's becoming more and more apparent that the new building going up near Tower of Terror isn't going to be a theater at all. It is a black box venue... but only temporarily. I'm hearing that eventually it will be the new cast member entrance building, (lockers, costume check-out & check-in, and restrooms) with a new CM parking garage going in near it.

Has anyone else heard the same thing? Looking at any long-term plan for the park, it certainly makes sense to re-locate the cast member parking closer to back to where it was before it took over part of the guest parking lot.

Aw crud I thought you were gonna say space station

 

[roj2323]

Okay, so I've been doing some digging, looking at plans, and speaking to sources. Here's what I've been led to believe:

It's becoming more and more apparent that the new building going up near Tower of Terror isn't going to be a theater at all. It is a black box venue... but only temporarily. I'm hearing that eventually it will be the new cast member entrance building, (lockers, costume check-out & check-in, and restrooms) with a new CM parking garage going in near it.

Has anyone else heard the same thing? Looking at any long-term plan for the park, it certainly makes sense to re-locate the cast member parking closer to back to where it was before it took over part of the guest parking lot.

You are forgetting the most important thing about the cast services building. It has nearly 3,000 parking spots in front of it and the area by tower and coaster does not have an area large enough for a parking structure capable of housing that many vehicles. To give you an example the structure would be as large if not slightly larger than the west side garage at disney springs.

Besides the building has been needed for many years due to the high number of special events the park hosts. Most notably the cheerleading competitions which bring thousands of people to the park several times a year. Additionally the park has needed a permeant space for Darths Mall during Star Wars weekends and a place to try new shows such as the Frozen sing along that was so popular they found a permeant location for it.

 

[GrumpyFan]

It is a "Black Box Theater" which means it can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

"Wide variety" meaning a multi-purpose facility for use as convention/meeting/presentation space, special events, dining, concert, dance, etc.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

It is a "Black Box Theater" which means it can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

I've seen the plans. It has a loading dock, dressing rooms, a green room, a large "exhibit space", a lobby and large public restrooms. It will be dressed up nicely on the outside, and they are adding a second fence to allow it to be "inside the park" as well as accessible from outside the park.

Sure, it could be used as a temporary CM dispatch/costume/break facility, but that's certainly not why it's being built. It would have been designed very differently.

Tom, PM me. What you've described doesn't align with the plans that I've seen. Could it be possible that there are multiple buildings being built and I'm just confusing plans?

You are forgetting the most important thing about the cast services building. It has nearly 3,000 parking spots in front of it and the area by tower and coaster does not have an area large enough for a parking structure capable of housing that many vehicles. To give you an example the structure would be as large if not slightly larger than the west side garage at disney springs.

I'm not sure where your "3000 parking spots" number is coming from, but only about half that amount are used for cast parking in the current Television lot. Furthermore, even if you were to build a garage to hold 3000 parking spots for cast members, it would still fit in the large set of trees in that area. My point is, the guest parking lot needs those spaces and even more. I believe we will see not only a parking garage in the back of the park for CMs to use, but also new guest parking garages in the front of the park.

I believe the new cast garage would go in the area across the service drive near the Rock 'N' RollerCoaster (where the trees are, I know it's probably environmentally protected space because of wetlands, but I'm willing to bet that the government would let that very tiny area slide as part of the current re-allocation of wetlands thing happening with the state right now), with them re-routing the service drive and removing some of the temp. buildings there. Plus during this park's upcoming transition period, you can bet that they will need a different place for the cast members to park.

And finally, the current cast services building is in a prime location for park expansion. I can't see it remaining there no matter what else happens.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Aw crud I thought you were gonna say space station

If only that was the case.

 

[marni1971]

I have heard certain backstage departments could be moving into the immediate area.

 

[Adam N]

So will it be a space that is like the thing between Canada and UK in Epcot? Like that large convention space thing?

 

[FigmentJedi]

So will it be a space that is like the thing between Canada and UK in Epcot? Like that large convention space thing?

World Showplace/Millennium Village. Except from what people are saying in here, it'll be in more active public use.

 

[roj2323]

Tom, PM me. What you've described doesn't align with the plans that I've seen. Could it be possible that there are multiple buildings being built and I'm just confusing plans?


I'm not sure where your "3000 parking spots" number is coming from, but only about half that amount are used for cast parking in the current Television lot. Furthermore, even if you were to build a garage to hold 3000 parking spots for cast members, it would still fit in the large set of trees in that area. My point is, the guest parking lot needs those spaces and even more. I believe we will see not only a parking garage in the back of the park for CMs to use, but also new guest parking garages in the front of the park.

I believe the new cast garage would go in the area across the service drive near the Rock 'N' RollerCoaster (where the trees are, I know it's probably environmentally protected space because of wetlands, but I'm willing to bet that the government would let that very tiny area slide as part of the current re-allocation of wetlands thing happening with the state right now), with them re-routing the service drive and removing some of the temp. buildings there. Plus during this park's upcoming transition period, you can bet that they will need a different place for the cast members to park.

And finally, the current cast services building is in a prime location for park expansion. I can't see it remaining there no matter what else happens.

I've actually counted the spots for another thread last year on possible parking garages and I assure you nearly the entire television lot is used from time to time for cast. I also worked there for nearly 2 years and had to park in the back row on several occasions.

While it might fit in the treed area I thought that area was unbuildable and I'd think they would have included that area on the wetlands survey they are currently doing for the park entrance/exit realignment if that was there intention.

 

[Unplugged]

Sounds like the moving of CM resources (& other) before demolition requires blocking off existing in-use areas. Moving a few small CM support locations and blocking off parking as was done with Downtown/DS is an easier task than to move resources for a theme park. I'm not saying it's difficult, just that operations need fewer hick-ups, so this seems to be the logical step prior to demo.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I've actually counted the spots for another thread last year on possible parking garages and I assure you nearly the entire television lot is used from time to time for cast. I also worked there for nearly 2 years and had to park in the back row on several occasions.

While it might fit in the treed area I thought that area was unbuildable and I'd think they would have included that area on the wetlands survey they are currently doing for the park entrance/exit realignment if that was there intention.

I'd say you're a tad obsessed but I track the crowd levels and blackout days, so....

I have heard rumblings (nothing concrete) that they could be moving the cast entrance. We'll see.

 

[Bolt]

If that real estate is that valuable, they would do what DAK did and have costuming offsite somewhere a few miles away. The Cast Services at DAK is actually not close to anything and hardly utilized except for training.

 

[roj2323]

I'd say you're a tad obsessed but I track the crowd levels and blackout days, so....

I have heard rumblings (nothing concrete) that they could be moving the cast entrance. We'll see.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit of they moved the cast entrance but if they do that I'm thinking it would make more sense for them to build a parking garage in the off stage area back by the LMA practice area and all the temporary trailers around it since they are ripping that out most likely anyway. This would have the added advantage of being far off stage so they could work during they day and they could use the existing prop makers shop (pink) as the cast services building since it's about the same size.

 

[IMFearless]

I don't know if others would agree with me, but the need to constantly be building expensive parking garages on what was originally a 47 square mile property reeks of poor planning in the first place.

I know that attendance patterns change and that the way individual areas are used altered, but it seems a little short sighted to be in a situation where there is any need for these structures.

To me the location of DHS has always been an anomaly, it is possibly one of the stupidest places to locate the park.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I don't know if others would agree with me, but the need to constantly be building expensive parking garages on what was originally a 47 square mile property reeks of poor planning in the first place.

I know that attendance patterns change and that the way individual areas are used altered, but it seems a little short sighted to be in a situation where there is any need for these structures.

To me the location of DHS has always been an anomaly, it is possibly one of the stupidest places to locate the park.

1. Eisner was competitive and wanted to beat Uni to the punch
2. The park was meant to be a working studio, so seeing as it isn't today, there's a lot of problems with its layout
3. Not all of WDW is able to be developed. For example, only about 1/3 of the remaining land is.
4. The back of DHS borders a road... yes, it is located in a weird area, but if they want too build this park out correctly, a CM (and possibly guest) parking garage need to be built to conserve space.
5. Most people prefer parking garages to land parking anyway. I know they may not be the prettiest things, but if they are kept at a reasonable height, then it shouldn't be a problem. The convenience of shorter walking distance AND a shaded spot for their car will really appeal to people and many of the people I go to the parks with mention how much they wish there were garages instead of a concrete wasteland of cars.

 

[IMFearless]

I think the MK parking area is one of the most amazing things to behold for first time guests though.

My memory as a little kid was: if the parking is this massive imagine how big this place is, the vast size of it was quite impressive.

I have nothing against the garages per se, I just think if the studios had been planned better they could have either: installed them initially, or not ended up painting themselves into a corner where they became the only viable option.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I think the MK parking area is one of the most amazing things to behold for first time guests though.

My memory as a little kid was: if the parking is this massive imagine how big this place is, the vast size of it was quite impressive.

I have nothing against the garages per se, I just think if the studios had been planned better they could have either: installed them initially, or not ended up painting themselves into a corner where they became the only viable option.

Again, they didn't paint themselves into a corner purposely. They thought production would take off in Orlando and MGM would be a working studio with a few rides. That concept obviously failed and after years of neglect, they're left with a huge mess to clean up.

 

[Monorail_Red_77]

Not sure what the big deal is with parking structures. I realize some people may not like them. However, they are a better use of land as compared to traditional parking lots. DHS already has a parking structure backstage anyway. So not really a big deal. I think if anything they would build another one near the existing structure, if possible. See yellow circle.