Marvel coming to WDW?!?!

ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
WDW1974 said:
SDL will be a smashing success, even if it isn't.

Not because Robert A. Iger wants it to be, but because the Chinese Communist Party wants it to be.

And, from what I am hearing (and, yes, some details need to be left out to protect people) the reason this even exists as a concept is because Shanghai delayed (or worse) the mega-E-Ticket Captain America-themed coaster hybrid for DCA. This can be done relatively cheap. And it can be done in FL, where nothing else Marvel that anyone cares about could.
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The new SDL will pass all Disney attendance records no matter how many visitors actually pass through the turnstiles.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
hopemax said:
So where is Bob Weis in all of this?
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Trying to get settled into a new job and manically sending high level people (again, that was put in my second newsy post of this thread ... I broke the OP in two because I knew there would be reactions) to Shanghai to clean it up enough to get open in June. While I am sure he is aware of this project, I'm reasonably certain that it is way down on his priority list. And since everyone who came after him destroyed his park (Disney-MGM), I wonder how much angst this adds. I guess if it gets killed down the line, you may look at him as the savior. Just don't know enough right now ... But folks could pester him too! (and I like Bob ... but this doesn't sound like something he'd want at all!)
 
P

phillip sugarman

Well-Known Member
@WDW1974 Why are they making a Muppets Courtyard in Hollywood Studios if the TV show wasn't very successful? With this current management team, wouldn't they want to add their biggest hits in a park that they are re doing?
 
Wikkler

Wikkler

Well-Known Member
GoofGoof said:
Go back and read the mumble-jumble again. It's all in there.
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This thread progresses so fast that it's hard for someone who just skipped to the end to even keep up with the current post rate, and the meat of the info isn't on the first page, but the third. I'll just post the main bit here.
WDW1974 said:
While Bob Iger lamented at the recent shareholders meeting in Chicago that TWDC would likely never be able to use its stable of Marvel characters (or the ones everyone knows and cares about) at its ATM in the swamps, there is one major exception that every fanboi sleeping in his Hulk boxers knows about.

Yup. I am talking about the characters from the second best Marvel film -- behind Deadpool, which doesn't count because it's not controlled by The Weatherman and not part of something called The Marvel Cinematic Universe -- namely The Guardians of the Galaxy.

Well, if current plans (and they are subject to change, but accurate as of this posting and that is all I can ever offer) follow through, sometime in either 2017 or 2018 you will get to experience a true GotG E-Ticket at The Corpse of The Disney-MGM Studios. Fast construction timeline you say. Or the Spirit is smoking on some bad Kissimmee weed you say?

Nope. Welcome to The Guardians of the Galaxy Tower of Terror. Yes. Really. Yes, Disney wants to destroy (or make over depending on how you look at it) one of its high points of creative product in the last 25 years to tie it to a BRAND that it can't even use to advertise and promote, in Florida that is.

You see, like almost everything these days, the genesis of this project is in Anaheim where ToT isn't an anchor of a park (DCA), just part of its menu of offerings. A park that can take full advantage of The Weatherman's acquisition spree (the only thing that marks his tenure as head of the world's largest entertainment company) and is planning a major Marvel addition right next door to an old hotel on Hollywood's dark side. WDI has pushed this concept heavily and TDA wants to do it badly.

Having to license The Twilight Zone IP from CBS, IP that most people not born prior to 1980 have little if any knowledge of -- just makes it even more attractive.

Let's forget that this is one of the best attractions Disney has ever built. We do have toon characters in Small World and Jack Sparrow soon to be in every Pirates attraction worldwide, so shilling IP by changing classic attractions isn't something Disney is afraid to do.

They want to market it as DL's 'BIG, NEW THING' for 2017 and the first of many new major Marvel attractions in DCA (and other parks not located in the Florida swamps) before The Star Wars Experience (oops, did I name drop prematurely? Happens with age!) debuts in DL in 12/18 . If they have their way, the current Anaheim ToT will close around the first oft the year and reopen before summer with an entirely new GotG based show, still (somehow I am told) centered on a haunted hotel from the 1930s. How? Who knows? Stitch and Buzz Lightyear belong in Tomorrowland, right?

The hitch right now is, naturally, WDW. They are interested in this, but they see it more as a temporary overlay to draw people into their moribund Studios park (the one they actively engage in deceptive advertising in because telling people that the real Star Wars stuff won't arrive before 2020-21 probably wouldn't be good for business). They (again naturally) are looking to cut the budget and the timeline because shutting the ToT next January might just finally be the straw that breaks the camel's back (hell, even 1-2 lifestylers might tell people to not visit for more than half a day out of their 11 day on property MAGICal $11,000 WDW vacations ). At DCA, this will be the gateway to Marvel BRAND Land and has to look and act the part. TDO is whining about money and downtime (they will soon count restrooms and ODV carts and Marsha the special needs CM at The ABC Commissary that thinks she does a great Daisy Duck impression as attractions).

But right now it looks like this has the momentum needed to happen on BOTH coasts provided TDO is willing to shoulder the costs and realize this will be a permanent change, not a summer marketing deal.
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WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
BrianLo said:
Except ROA is not actually going anywhere, so apparently it is sacred enough to spend a significant amount of money to protect and dare I say... plus.
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Parts of what made DL special dating to Walt's day have been and are being destroyed to make way for Bob Iger's Star Wars Experience. From killing decades old trees and removing DL's last truly quiet place and truncating the RoA nothing is being protected ... as to plussing, well a few scenes along the River may well be plussed. But that could have been done without shoehorning Bob's IP where it doesn't belong.
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
WDW1974 said:
I was about to 'like' this for the first part, but I can't due to the second.

While DCA's ToT is inferior (one of the very few times WDW came out with the best version ... although TDS's theming almost makes up for the tame ride profile) it is still a great attraction. It's like saying that you can destroy MK's PotC because it sucks compared to Anaheim (and, indeed, every version of the ride currently open ... and, yeah, soon to be open as well). If all you knew was DCA's Tower it is still a pretty damn spectacular ride experience. The fact it is the lesser version should in NO WAY make it OK to destroy.
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Cooler heads have prevailed...I was posting from frustration.

I'm still holding my breath that "cooler heads" will also prevail with Disney
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
phillip sugarman said:
@WDW1974 Why are they making a Muppets Courtyard in Hollywood Studios if the TV show wasn't very successful? With this current management team, wouldn't they want to add their biggest hits in a park that they are re doing?
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I have no clue at all. Likely? Because this was decided and planned before the new Muppets show got off to a very slow start. FWIW, I really enjoyed the new show through December. Haven't caught up with the rest of the shows yet (may actually watch an episode or two tonight ).

But these decisions are made far out. I mentioned this about the new DCL ships before, which will likely be heavy on an important Iger IP from the last three years and next year or two. Even if no one cares come 2021 and 2023 when Meyer Werft delivers the ships.
 
Floyd M

Floyd M

Member
WDW1974 said:
I was about to 'like' this for the first part, but I can't due to the second.

While DCA's ToT is inferior (one of the very few times WDW came out with the best version ... although TDS's theming almost makes up for the tame ride profile) it is still a great attraction. It's like saying that you can destroy MK's PotC because it sucks compared to Anaheim (and, indeed, every version of the ride currently open ... and, yeah, soon to be open as well). If all you knew was DCA's Tower it is still a pretty damn spectacular ride experience. The fact it is the lesser version should in NO WAY make it OK to destroy.
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Longtime lurker here who's been content to peruse countless threads from a distance without contributing, but this is one topic so dire that it drew me out of the woodwork. As a SoCal resident and frequenter of the Anaheim property, I can't express sufficient support for the quoted post. Yes, I've visited DHS and concur with the near-universal consensus that the original Tower is superior, but the Anaheim version is still one helluva strong attraction that guests (die-hard AP holders and out of town visitors alike) simply love. Even for the sizable percentage of guests who've never seen an episode of the Zone and wouldn't know the difference between Rod Serling and Rocket Rods, the iconic music, opening narration and overall TZ atmosphere make for an indelible theme park experience that only Disney at its best can produce. I'll admit to a fair amount of smug chortling in the past when some posters have threatened a total boycott of parks patronage in the face of yet another dismaying development, but if this proposed plan goes through you can count me among their number.
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Floyd M said:
Longtime lurker here who's been content to peruse countless threads from a distance without contributing, but this is one topic so dire that it drew me out of the woodwork. As a SoCal resident and frequenter of the Anaheim property, I can't express sufficient support for the quoted post. Yes, I've visited DHS and concur with the near-universal consensus that the original Tower is superior, but the Anaheim version is still one helluva strong attraction that guests (die-hard AP holders and out of town visitors alike) simply love. Even for the sizable percentage of guests who've never seen an episode of the Zone and wouldn't know the difference between Rod Serling and Rocket Rods, the iconic music, opening narration and overall TZ atmosphere make for an indelible theme park experience that only Disney at its best can produce. I'll admit to a fair amount of smug chortling in the past when some posters have threatened a total boycott of parks patronage in the face of yet another dismaying development, but if this proposed plan goes through you can count me among their number.
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It starts before you even get to the ride. The whole Sunset Blvd. leading to our Tower is an absolutely perfect builder of suspense and anticipation. The lack of it really hit me when I went to DCA last year. It was still fun, but.......
image.jpeg


Wow...............
 
HauntedMansionFLA

HauntedMansionFLA

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
I have no clue at all. Likely? Because this was decided and planned before the new Muppets show got off to a very slow start. FWIW, I really enjoyed the new show through December. Haven't caught up with the rest of the shows yet (may actually watch an episode or two tonight ).

But these decisions are made far out. I mentioned this about the new DCL ships before, which will likely be heavy on an important Iger IP from the last three years and next year or two. Even if no one cares come 2021 and 2023 when Meyer Werft delivers the ships.
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@WDW1974 will the other attraction surrounding ToT get makeovers to go along with the GofG re image. I'm talking about RNRC, the new flex theatre and the BatB theatre?10 minutes till Better call Saul :)
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
hopemax said:
But yet their other decisions are "good business?" That's the problem with all the "Disney is a business," stuff. If they can come up with this, how can you possibly trust that the so-called "good business" actually are? The amount of "tone deafness" and lack of understanding about their own business something like this requires...it can't be the only wrong-headed move.
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You know, Hope, I had a quote from a friend/source recently and had no idea where to run it and I think I'm just going to insert it here (no fanboi jokes, please) regarding management at P&R (in this case at DLR, but with a guy who was a WDW vet until 2012) and how it plays into decisions like adding GotG to ToT.

"The only person more clueless than Chapek on this one is Michael Colglazier, who always has to remind everyone that he went to Stanford and Harvard and is obviously the smartest person in the room. Except when it comes to theme parks and the business of being a good host to 28 million or more paying guests per year, he's barely educated and really has no idea how the place runs or operates."

Yes, the man who has been running DLR for FOUR YEARS is still clueless about his business. Can you imagine being allowed to be clueless in your job for that long without being shown the door?
 

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