Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow to permanently close Nov 6

[sshindel]

Yes more attraction closures with nothing to replace them

Nothing announced to replace them. A slight difference than nothing at all.
Nothing imminent to replace them surely, and with the construction pace they've established it will likely be quite a while, but that does not mean nothing will replace them.
They do have to close things down in order to build something new in their place, unless we are looking forward to the Dodge the Wreckingball attraction, which honestly would be better than a few attractions they have right now.

 

[Glasgow]

It is easy to joke about this attraction, but I will give credit where credit is due.

It was a temporary attraction, replacing a massively outdated one, that took a tiny bit of capacity off the walkways. It probably cost (relatively) minimal dollars to build and maintain. And once it outlived it's usefulness, they shuttered it. Should they have built something bigger and more exciting? Maybe, but if they did, would it have limited their options on the DHS redo if the plans were not already sorted out?

Don't you dare bring logic into this discussion! People would rather rage against the machine than actually consider it's part of a larger plan.

 

[djkidkaz]

Any chance they could use this space to add the one track to Toy Story and use Soundstage 1 for something else?

 

[ford91exploder]

Nothing announced to replace them. A slight difference than nothing at all.
Nothing imminent to replace them surely, and with the construction pace they've established it will likely be quite a while, but that does not mean nothing will replace them.
They do have to close things down in order to build something new in their place, unless we are looking forward to the Dodge the Wreckingball attraction, which honestly would be better than a few attractions they have right now.

So true, perhaps in 2024 there might be a replacement... But hey it took TDO 20 years to replace 20K leagues so I'm being optimistic here

 

[JWG]

Clearly they're doing someting. There's no value in shuttering Sparrow without a plan. It's a small footprint low cost attraction.

 

[danlb_2000]

Any chance they could use this space to add the one track to Toy Story and use Soundstage 1 for something else?

It would be difficult since they would have to build a second load/unload area for it, not to mention that fact that there is an access road between the two buildings.

 

[MarkTwain]

I might point out that the building is directly between onstage DHS, and a large lot leftover from the Backlot Tour with nothing but a few trailers in it.... Clearing out a path for future expansion, maybe?

 

[ford91exploder]

Clearly they're doing someting. There's no value in shuttering Sparrow without a plan. It's a small footprint low cost attraction.

There is a difference between low cost an NO cost. Closing this probably saves about 3/4 of a million dollars per year on CM pay and utilities. And likely will have no effect on park attendance so margins will go up.

So the plan is to improve margins remember the quarter closes soon and I expect that P&R is turning in underwhelming results so expect more closures of 'minor' attractions soon.

 

[JWG]

I wonder if the unnecessary skyway between TSMM and Sparrow will come down back from when it was part of the BLT. I can't imagine they want to eliminate OMD, unless it will move to a new home soon, so the building itslef can't come down.

 

[JWG]

There is a difference between low cost an NO cost. Closing this probably saves about 3/4 of a million dollars per year on CM pay and utilities. And likely will have no effect on park attendance so margins will go up.

I agree on cost, but disagree on attendance. We've written off DHS until something is fixed. The complete lack of things to do and FP+ tiering that makes getting on Rockin' Rollercoaster, TSMM, and ToT impossible wihtout a 60-80 minute wait has us done. That attraction alone won't impact attendance, but the aggregate of loss is killing the park. Waits of 60+ minutes for GMR?!

If I were a day guest suckered into going to DHS, I'd send a scathing letter to Disney because it's far from withi $100.

 

[champdisney]

Saw it twice. Even though the attraction is based on POTC, it reminded me a lot of Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

 

[ford91exploder]

I agree on cost, but disagree on attendance. We've written off DHS until something is fixed. The complete lack of things to do and FP+ tiering that makes getting on Rockin' Rollercoaster, TSMM, and ToT impossible wihtout a 60-80 minute wait has us done. That attraction alone won't impact attendance, but the aggregate of loss is killing the park. Waits of 60+ minutes for GMR?!

If I were a day guest suckered into going to DHS, I'd send a scathing letter to Disney because it's far from withi $100.

I've written letters etc if the entire membership of this board stopped spending at Disney tomorrow I doubt that we would cut Disney P&R revenues by even 0.1 of a percent. But if families keep getting a 'Meh experience at WDW it's going to hurt in a few years.

I keep hearing from first timers 'Yeah we went to WDW it was nothing special, and lots of stuff was closed it's not worth a second trip, We went to UNI and it was awesome and no hassles'

This kind of experience is what's going to cause WDW trouble in the not too distant future the lack of mindshare

 

[BrerJon]

Yes more attraction closures with nothing to replace them

Well it's been a few weeks without one... last one was Backlot Tour wasn't it? At least this week we've had BAH (a good move of course), Shark Reef (bad) and Jack Sparrow (indifferent), so thats three in one week to make up for the lack of closures since September. I was starting to get worried Disney were slipping in their cutback schedule.

 

[BrerJon]

I keep hearing from first timers 'Yeah we went to WDW it was nothing special, and lots of stuff was closed it's not worth a second trip, We went to UNI and it was awesome and no hassles'

Oh I'm totally hearing the same. When you ask people what they thought of Walt Disney World, instead of the gushing praise you expect it's "it was fun, yeah enjoyed it", but nothing much more than that. I'm yet to hear any first timers who say it's superior to Universal.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I wouldn't have minded it as a little side distraction type thing in like...adventureland...maybe...but as an attraction it was really kinda not what it probably could have been...it smelled like budget cuts and experimentation...not sure it was ever meant to be permanent in ANY way...

Everything that has come before it in that building has been similar, but WORSE. That building is just too small to do much more. If they are to do anything substantial there, they need to move OMD.

 

[omurice]

I know this may have been a test of a mostly unmanned, 4K screen based show or pre-show (for Shanghai?), but this felt to me like it was designed to go as part of Pirate's League -- you take a pledge and you're a pirate, which is done at the end of the pirate make-over experience.
This was too thin to be called an attraction, but it might have fit in the right place, as a kind of pre- or post-show, or at the end of Pirate's League.

 

[wdwmagic]

Yes more attraction closures with nothing to replace them

Of course there will be something to replace them. All the closures at the Studios are related to the rework of the park. Your continuing to beat that same message just seems to suggest you are trying to get people worked up.

 

[ford91exploder]

Of course there will be something to replace them. All the closures at the Studios are related to the rework of the park. Your continuing to beat that same message just seems to suggest you are trying to get people worked up.

I'm just really tired of every time I visit WDW since 2011 or so there is LESS to do and it costs more. What I want is for people to get riled up write letters and call people at WDW saying we are not happy with how the park is run.

I want to go back to the days when every time you went there there was something new and different to experience and this included resort as well as park experiences.

Now every trip is what amenity/menu item/restaurant/ride has been cut and replaced with nothing. The only thing at Disney that has been improved for me is the stock price.

 

[Bairstow]

I know this may have been a test of a mostly unmanned, 4K screen based show or pre-show (for Shanghai?), but this felt to me like it was designed to go as part of Pirate's League -- you take a pledge and you're a pirate, which is done at the end of the pirate make-over experience.
This was too thin to be called an attraction, but it might have fit in the right place, as a kind of pre- or post-show, or at the end of Pirate's League.

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if this had been initially designed for use on/in one of their cruise ships.
Nothing in the attraction interacts in a meaningful way with the physical props/sets in the room, making me think the show could have been implemented in a fairly standard theater/multi-purpose room.

 

[pumpkin7]

They must be planning something big to be closing so many things at once. I'd hope so anyway. Big and quick. Yes. Go Disney!