Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway - Disneyland

[mickEblu]

By the time DCA runs out of room, and they finished with the FL expansion and TL redo, we should be far enough in the future to warrant a 3rd gate. I mean really we are looking at a good 15 almost 20 years before all that is done. And by then they should have the plan, political climate, and neighbor buy-in to build and connect a 3rd gate to the rest of the resort. But as we both have indicated there is plenty to be done before that time comes.

Is a third park inevitable though? What if it just doesn’t happen for whatever reason? I honestly don’t know. As far the FL expansion, I hope they don’t ruin Storybookland as a part of that and just stick to the FL theatre area, Motorboat Cruise area and/or some of the Autopia real estate.

 

[mickEblu]

My impression is that Disney's leadership doesn't really care that much about DLR. I mean they do, but only in maintaining its status as a cash cow while they cultivate new markets in Asia and infuse substantial new investment in WDW. Of course Disney will invest periodically in DLR, but it's evident that all meaningful growth at Disney Parks & Resorts will be elsewhere.

Which is ironic because it seems DLR is always pulling its own weight and having to bail out many of the other parks. Maybe that’s why it doesn’t get the new stuff, because they don’t need to invest and the APs will come anyway. Or maybe we re overlooking the fact that they are investing - Marvel land, Star Wars Land, new hotel? That seems like a pretty good investment for a small landlocked park. Not necessarily the investment I preferred but a large investment nevertheless.

 

[BrianLo]

Weren't we just lamenting last year that WDW always bails every other park out and never gets investments?

I do think management (Chapek) is keen on DLR... I think the Eastern Gateway was a massive cluster that set everything back by 1-2 years though. Taught him a hard lesson, why Anaheim government was more difficult than China's....

 

[Disney Irish]

My impression is that Disney's leadership doesn't really care that much about DLR. I mean they do, but only in maintaining its status as a cash cow while they cultivate new markets in Asia and infuse substantial new investment in WDW. Of course Disney will invest periodically in DLR, but it's evident that all meaningful growth at Disney Parks & Resorts will be elsewhere.

Really?

I mean aren't they building a 14 acre new land in DL?
Isn't Marvel being added to DCA in a fairly large way?
Isn't a new western gateway being built with a new hotel to link together all other hotels.

It may not be the investments you want, but they are investing.

Is a third park inevitable though? What if it just doesn’t happen for whatever reason? I honestly don’t know. As far the FL expansion, I hope they don’t ruin Storybookland as a part of that and just stick to the FL theatre area, Motorboat Cruise area and/or some of the Autopia real estate.

At this point I would say a 3rd park is nothing more than some maybe vague plan sitting on a shelf. Since Toy Story had its permit renewed for parking through like 2024 we won't hear anything until then.

Other than you bringing it up in other threads I've never heard of Storybookland being a consideration for the chopping block. But maybe I missed something. The other areas you mention have been on the chopping block for awhile now, they just have to execute.

 

[Disney Irish]

Weren't we just lamenting last year that WDW always bails every other park out and never gets investments?

I do think management (Chapek) is keen on DLR... I think the Eastern Gateway was a massive cluster that set everything back by 1-2 years though. Taught him a hard lesson, why Anaheim government was more difficult than China's....

I think both domestic resorts take their turn on bailing the others out. And on the flip side because of that they take turns getting investments.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Maybe that’s why it doesn’t get the new stuff, because they don’t need to invest and the APs will come anyway.

Or maybe they just don't have enough land to execute with as much freedom and finesse as they have in Florida, Asia, and Europe. DLR is the smallest property that Disney controls, and is completely surrounded by urban development. Also DLR is the most mature resort. so compared to Asia there isn't nearly as much potential for expanding their audience. If economic conditions remained constant. I bet DLR could go for at least a decade without any substantial changes or additions before attendance declined substantially.

Not necessarily the investment I preferred but a large investment nevertheless.

I'm not complaining. I'm super excited about SW:GE and the new hotel, but these things are peanuts to what WDW and the Chinese parks are getting in the coming years.

 

[mickEblu]

Or maybe they just don't have enough land to execute with as much freedom and finesse as they have in Florida, Asia, and Europe. DLR is the smallest property that Disney controls, and is completely surrounded by urban development. Also DLR is the most mature resort. so compared to Asia there isn't nearly as much potential for expanding their audience. If economic conditions remained constant. I bet DLR could go for at least a decade without any substantial changes or additions before attendance declined substantially.



I'm not complaining. I'm super excited about SW:GE and the new hotel, but these things are peanuts to what WDW and the Chinese parks are getting in the coming years.

Right. That’s what I was getting at. It’s a considerable ( pretty much all they can do realistically) investment when you consider DLRs constraints.

 

[mickEblu]

Really?

I mean aren't they building a 14 acre new land in DL?
Isn't Marvel being added to DCA in a fairly large way?
Isn't a new western gateway being built with a new hotel to link together all other hotels.

It may not be the investments you want, but they are investing.



At this point I would say a 3rd park is nothing more than some maybe vague plan sitting on a shelf. Since Toy Story had its permit renewed for parking through like 2024 we won't hear anything until then.

Other than you bringing it up in other threads I've never heard of Storybookland being a consideration for the chopping block. But maybe I missed something. The other areas you mention have been on the chopping block for awhile now, they just have to execute.

I haven’t seen anything regarding Storybookland either. Other than some vague “rumor” on Reddit. However, I have been fearing for its safety for a while. It takes up a massive amount of space for 2 low capacity, non- IP (by modern standards) attractions. Unlike Autopia, the ambiance it provides cannot be overstated.

 

[Disney Irish]

I haven’t seen anything regarding Storybookland either. Other than some vague “rumor” on Reddit. However, I have been fearing for its safety for a while. It takes up a massive amount of space for 2 low capacity (non IP- by modern standards) attractions. Unlike Autopia, the ambiance it provides cannot be overstated.

Autopia (and the Subs for that matter) would likely go first in a TL redo before SBL/Casey ever would, in my opinion. So I believe that area is likely safe for now. Talk to me in like 10-15 years and we may have a different discussion, lol.

 

[Travel Junkie]

You mean the company that was completely caught off guard when their 'mature product' suddenly picked up multi-million visitors for the 30th? They also had zero plans to do anything until the guest started pouring in out of nowhere and they too were caught without capacity. They DO have a vision, but they also cannot get their *** in gear to actually deliver it in a timely fashion.

There isn't a single resort that is perfect these days. Ironically WDW might have the most direction, just not the one the fanbois like.

I never said they were perfect. They have never really been very nimble. I was pointing out that they are famous for looking at their resort in the long term decades out, whereas DLR looks very short term as a result of their revolving door of presidents. Had someone took a longer term approach years ago they would be in a better position to maximize the IP's currently at their disposal.

 

[dweezil78]

My impression is that Disney's leadership doesn't really care that much about DLR. I mean they do, but only in maintaining its status as a cash cow while they cultivate new markets in Asia and infuse substantial new investment in WDW. Of course Disney will invest periodically in DLR, but it's evident that all meaningful growth at Disney Parks & Resorts will be elsewhere.

I don't know man... I feel like DLR has been under some form of serious construction now since about 2007 with it only continuing to get more and more significant. From the time Midway Mania opened in 2008 through now it's been pretty non-stop with very little sign of things letting up anytime soon. Add to all that plus Marvel, new hotel, new parking garage, plus whatever's in store at DL after SWL and we've had a pretty steady flow of growth at the resort. Certainly far more, proportionally, to what they've seen over at WDW in the past 10 years.

 

[DisneyLostBoy03]

I doubt we'll get more info any time soon, but as far as I know, it's on the docket. I'm guessing they want to nail down some DCA expansion first.

With Pixar Pier or Marvel Land?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

With Pixar Pier or Marvel Land?

Pixar Pier is finalized. Marvel is the next actual "expansion"

 

[mickEblu]

Pixar Pier is finalized. Marvel is the next actual "expansion"

Why is “expansion” in quotes? Is Marvel land only going to be using current park acreage? No more Captain America backstage behind GOTG?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Why is “expansion” in quotes? Is Marvel land only going to be using current park acreage? No more Captain America backstage behind GOTG?

I was just being snarky. It will expand into unused space, as well as bug's land in its present form. I just don't think of it as some major expansion, like Star Wars is for DL.

 

[mickEblu]

I was just being snarky. It will expand into unused space, as well as bug's land in its present form. I just don't think of it as some major expansion, like Star Wars is for DL.

Haha. Have you heard anything on the possible Spider-Man attraction? I’m guessing Bugs Land / ITTBAB is where that would go? I also start wondering if the Animation building is safe in all of this.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Haha. Have you heard anything on the possible Spider-Man attraction? I’m guessing Bugs Land / ITTBAB is where that would go? I also start wondering if the Animation building is safe in all of this.

Nope. Lips are tight right now!

 

[mickEblu]

Nope. Lips are tight right now!

Haha fair enough. When you said Bugs Land in its current form does that mean they re not tearing down ITTBAB or any of the walls at Fliks Fun Fair?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Haha fair enough. When you said Bugs Land in its current form does that mean they re not tearing down ITTBAB or any of the walls at Fliks Fun Fair?

I can't say this with 100% certainty, but I don't think bug's land will exist at all once this is done. ITTBAB is a waste of space. Even the movie previews they do there don't pull people in. 3D movies and DLR just don't get along. With Flik's Flyers moving to the Pier, there's no reason to preserve any of bug's land.

Despite having no worthwhile attractions besides the incomparable masterpiece that is Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, I will miss the pleasant, shady theming. bug's land did the shrink-you-down theme in a charming way.

 

[dweezil78]

Haha. Have you heard anything on the possible Spider-Man attraction? I’m guessing Bugs Land / ITTBAB is where that would go? I also start wondering if the Animation building is safe in all of this.

I still think they should use the animation building for the Mickey ride. That seems like a big enough space for it and a space that actually would make a lot of sense, location-wise.