new projects around the World

[wedway71]

What in this image makes you think the skyline is Chicago? All I see are nondescript buildings at a distance - so is this entertainment center to be built in Grant Park?


Sorry to pile on, but I doubt Disney would place this in Chicago after closing DisneyQuest. But that i just my opinion.

I may be going blind but it looks like to me there are 2 palm trees in the front.I know its a small detail but I would imagine that the horiculture in Chicago would not be palm trees.
I could be wrong but just an observation.:lookaroun

 

[ThumperDude]

Thought I'd throw this out just for the info.
I live and grew up Oklahoma. (the focal point of the modern world) Many years ago Disney started buying up land Northeast of Tulsa in an unoffical recreational part of the state. They were going to build a park here called 'Disneys Mid-America' Of course that never happened and a few years later the sold the land back. I never heard any details or saw any drawing about it and all the local news stories about it quickly subsided.
Anyway, makes me wonder, how many projects like this are scraped. And how far they get in planning these parks before they quit.
I remember they were going to build a park in Virginia. Anyone remember that? Details? What was it called?

ThumperDude

 

[marni1971]

Yeah, it's not the way Disney should be. They should be reaching for the stars!!! But it's hard to reach for the stars when you are several feet underground...

-Quote if the week :wave:

 

[Buford]

Yeah, it's not the way Disney should be. They should be reaching for the stars!!! But it's hard to reach for the stars when you are several feet underground.

"If you reach for the stars, all you get all the stars
But we've found a whole new spin:
If you reach for the heavens,
You get the stars thrown in..."

 

[ToTBellHop]

"If you reach for the stars, all you get all the stars
But we've found a whole new spin:
If you reach for the heavens,
You get the stars thrown in..."

I'm seeing Mary Poppins on Broadway next month!

Other than that, I am not denying that DL was in a cruddy state, but DL does now have yearly refurbishments of most rides (e.g. the Fantasyland dark rides now close every winter for a couple weeks). Just b/c WDW is also dilapidated does not excuse their current behavior. Their unacceptable behavior of the last decade does not mean they can just do nothing, now. I hardly hold a possible refurbishment of 3 attractions at the MK (with Space Mountain's continually being pushed back) as a replacement for anything big for four parks. I accept the lack of big, new rides at the Magic Kingdom, but I do have a problem with the fact that we are now back to nothing being in the works for Epcot or, more importantly, Animal Kingdom. They are basically doing NOTHING at Animal Kingdom now (besides allowing an outside company to build a restaurant there, which hardly counts). That's not cool. Previous behavior does not excuse present behavior. That would be like putting a murderer in jail, letting them out 15 years later, and overlooking armed robbery from the same person because they are "on the right track." It's an extreme example, I know...Kevin Yee might argue that the previous management was murdering the parks and now paying $70/day for very little in the way of new attractions is a form of robbery...

 

[Rxnjlm]

What in this image makes you think the skyline is Chicago? All I see are nondescript buildings at a distance - so is this entertainment center to be built in Grant Park?

Sorry to pile on, but I doubt Disney would place this in Chicago after closing DisneyQuest. But that i just my opinion.

I'm from Chicago and it doesn't look much like the city. If anything, the building itself reminds me of the architecture used in the buildings of the Columbian Exposition of 1893 which was held in Hyde Park in Chicago.

As for the closing of Chicago's Disney Quest, it was the same experience as the one in Disney World. It mostly relied on return visits from locals which meant that the "attractions" had to be updated more frequently than Disney was willing to do. I imagine an entertainment center like the one pictured to have family oriented activities and restaurants like a Navy Pier but with the Disney touch.

 

[davewasbaloo]

Just the same, I agree with you: a refurbishment is not an excuse for the recent lack of attractions at WDW. Expedition Everest opened in a park that needed a good E-ticket anyway; and one high-profile ride within the last five years is not a good track record.

Well, let's see. In the last 5 years the new attraction count has been - not including parades and fireworks:

WDW:
Philharmagic
Stitch Encounter
the upcoming Laugh Floor
Pooh Playground (yuk)
Upgrade of PotC
Leota Tombstone added to HM
Mission Space
Finding Nemo Dark Ride
Soarin'
Another refit of Imagination
New China Film
New Canada Film on the way
Update of El Rio Del Tiempo
Lights, Motors, Action
Midway Mania
Everest
The attractions of Dinorama

DL:
50th film for DL,
Upgrades/Refurb to Jungle Cruise, PotC, HM, Space Mountain, the Subs
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Buzz
Bugs Land
Tower of Terror
Monster's Inc
Midway Mania

TDL:
Monster's Inc Attraction
Buzz
Winnie the Pooh Hunny Hunt
HM Holiday
Tower of Terror
Raging Spirits

DLP:
Buzz
Spacemountain Mission 2
Turtletwister
Cars Race Rally
Cyberspace Mountain
Stitch Encounter
Tower of Terror

HKDL post opening:
Fountain play area
Autopia
Stitch Encounter
Animation attraction
It's a Small World
Rumoured PotC

Now who is missing out? Come on, WDW has more money spent on it than any other.

 

[DisneyYorkian74]

Well, let's see. In the last 5 years the new attraction count has been - not including parades and fireworks:

WDW:
Philharmagic
Stitch Encounter
the upcoming Laugh Floor
Pooh Playground (yuk)
Upgrade of PotC
Leota Tombstone added to HM
Mission Space
Finding Nemo Dark Ride
Soarin'
Another refit of Imagination
New China Film
New Canada Film on the way
Update of El Rio Del Tiempo
Lights, Motors, Action
Midway Mania
Everest
The attractions of Dinorama

DL:
50th film for DL,
Upgrades/Refurb to Jungle Cruise, PotC, HM, Space Mountain, the Subs
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Buzz
Bugs Land
Tower of Terror
Monster's Inc
Midway Mania

TDL:
Monster's Inc Attraction
Buzz
Winnie the Pooh Hunny Hunt
HM Holiday
Tower of Terror
Raging Spirits

DLP:
Buzz
Spacemountain Mission 2
Turtletwister
Cars Race Rally
Cyberspace Mountain
Stitch Encounter
Tower of Terror

HKDL post opening:
Fountain play area
Autopia
Stitch Encounter
Animation attraction
It's a Small World
Rumoured PotC

Now who is missing out? Come on, WDW has more money spent on it than any other.

Not to mention that the press conference announcing all these new attractions will be held in Walt Disney World.

Disney usually always wants everyone's eyes to be on Walt Disney World.

BTW: I would always be up for new attractions in Walt Disney World; but like the post above mine shows, Walt Disney World has already received so many updates/refurbs/new attractions.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Well, let's see. In the last 5 years the new attraction count has been - not including parades and fireworks:

WDW:
Philharmagic
Stitch Encounter
the upcoming Laugh Floor
Pooh Playground (yuk)
Upgrade of PotC
Leota Tombstone added to HM
Mission Space
Finding Nemo Dark Ride
Soarin'
Another refit of Imagination
New China Film
New Canada Film on the way
Update of El Rio Del Tiempo
Lights, Motors, Action
Midway Mania
Everest
The attractions of Dinorama

DL:
50th film for DL,
Upgrades/Refurb to Jungle Cruise, PotC, HM, Space Mountain, the Subs
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Buzz
Bugs Land
Tower of Terror
Monster's Inc
Midway Mania

TDL:
Monster's Inc Attraction
Buzz
Winnie the Pooh Hunny Hunt
HM Holiday
Tower of Terror
Raging Spirits

DLP:
Buzz
Spacemountain Mission 2
Turtletwister
Cars Race Rally
Cyberspace Mountain
Stitch Encounter
Tower of Terror

HKDL post opening:
Fountain play area
Autopia
Stitch Encounter
Animation attraction
It's a Small World
Rumoured PotC

Now who is missing out? Come on, WDW has more money spent on it than any other.

Your list is very biased to prove your own point. Now I don't keep up with the international parks enough to know every little refurbishment similar to some of the ones you are listing for WDW (new tombstone at HM? Gimme a break), so here's a more complete comparison of the last five years at WDW and DL

WDW:
1) Mickey's PhilharMagic
2) Stitch Encounter
3) Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club
4) Pooh's Play Place
5) Upgrade of PotC
6) Leota Tombstone added to HM
7) Mission: SPACE
8) The Seas with Nemo and Friends
9) Turtle Talk with Crush
10) Soarin'
11) Journey into Imagination with Figment!
12) New China Film
13) New Canada Film on the way
14) Update of El Rio Del Tiempo
15) Lights, Motors, Action
16) Midway Mania
17) Expedition Everest
18) The attractions of Dinorama
19) Finding Nemo the Musical
20) Wishes
21) HSM show

DL:
1) 50th film for DL,
2) Jungle Cruise upgrade
3) PotC upgrade
4) HM upgrades
5) Space Mountain upgrade
6) Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
7) Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
8) Buzz
9) Bugs Land
10) Tower of Terror
11) Monster's Inc
12) Midway Mania
13) Turtle Talk with Crush
14) Show with Mushu at Animation
15) Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular
16) Snow White (gone now, though)
17) New Cars Test Track ride on the way
18) Remember...Dreams Come True
19) Tiki Room upgrade (cleaned up and the changes to the outside at least on par with a new tombstone at the HM...)
20) "it's a small world" upgrade
21) Playhouse Disney: Live on Stage
22) Parade of Dreams
23) Block Party Bash
24) HSM show
25) New show on the way for Paradise Bay
26) Rockin' California Screamin'
27) Rockin' Space Mountain
28) Complete remodel of Tomorrowland including return of Tomorrowland Terrace
29) New train for Disneyland Railroad (Ward Kimball)
...and I'm not even going to include the 50th repainting of the castle, all the golden 50s, photo mosaics, golden vehicles, new logs on Splash, major renovations at the Matterhorn, the new monorail trains on the way...

Now I won't pretend that all of the stuff listed for either park is particularly worthwhile...some of it's actually pretty crappy, but I tried to include the good and the bad for WDW and DL and it's pretty clear that DL's two parks have fared better than WDW's four parks. As I said, I don't know enough about the foreign parks to give a similar comparison, but I know, for example, the TDL has spent a LOT of money. If you want to include HKDL in the list, then you need to include everything there...it's all from the last 5 years. The only property that arguably fared worse than WDW is DLRP, but I would point out that the WDSP did open in the last 5 years, so you'd have to include EVERYTHING there in your list.

 

[Pixie_Pirate]

Toy Story live, replacement for Stich

Carland is an overlay for test track, yet one more move to make epcot into pixar land

Another pixar thing replacing a good ride !!!
TEST TRACK !!!!
dudes don't get me wrong but Epcots already going down the drain with that nemo crap ride. Epcot means something it's about life and real things not gay fish. srry but its true nemo sucks and is killing disney as is pixar!!

 

[tirian]

Actually, to compare California apples to Florida apples, we have to regard QUALITY attractions at the MK only.

Let's see...

Philharmagic? I love it, but it's too old to be classified as "new."

Stitch? Yeah, right...

Oh! There's a playground...

The Laugh Floor shows promise.

But if you consider the reburbishments at the MK, we're in really good shape; IaSW, PotC, the Castle, the train station, and nearly all of Main Street have undergone fantastic refurbishments (the audio in PotC notwithstanding). As I, Lee, Corrus, and several others have pointed out before, the MK's focus is on refurbishments; expect the entire park to be glistening "like new" soon.

I'm not complaining about the few recent additions to WDW. The refurbishment is necessary before any high-level E-ticket attractions can be considered at the MK; why pour money into a project while the rest of the park needs work? But I do agree that the refurb could (and should!) be done faster, and the park needs a new E-ticket to distribute crowds better.

 

[2gether]

Wdw

I am not sure I agree with the negativity. I am a DVC member and have been going to WDW a long time. It makes sense to me that Disney would spend a bunch of money getting the California parks ready for the 50th, especially considering the state of repair they previously were in. Add in the fact that the California Adventure can't seem to buy its way into profitability....whereas WDW is a huge profit maker. They are allocating funds where they are needed to increase profitability.

In addition, I am not so sure that there wasn't always some small level of degradation, and we just notice it more now because there are thousands of people posting pictures online. I work in the building products industry, and I can tell you from experience Florida is the most difficult environment in the US to maintain long term appearance and quality. California is a breeze by comparison. There is a natural difficulty that WDW staff has to work extra hard to overcome. I cannot stress that that should not be underestimated.

Finally, I have been going every year now for 6 years and EVERY TIME I have gone there has been a major new attraction that I have ridden or seen for the first time. Still haven't seen the new Nemo ride, and however you feel about it it is a pretty big change to the Seas. I cannot complain in the least about that.

All in all, although I as much as anyone would like to see more funds expended on WDW, it seems to me at least for the last five years they have done pretty well. Prior to that I can't say.

 

[Lee]

Another pixar thing replacing a good ride !!!
TEST TRACK !!!!

*sigh*
People...please...Carland has NOTHING to do with Test Track.
Well...other than the ride system....but still......Test Track is not changing.

 

[basas]

Actually, to compare California apples to Florida apples, we have to regard QUALITY attractions at the MK only.

Let's see...

Philharmagic? I love it, but it's too old to be classified as "new."

Stitch? Yeah, right...

Oh! There's a playground...

The Laugh Floor shows promise.

But if you consider the reburbishments at the MK, we're in really good shape; IaSW, PotC, the Castle, the train station, and nearly all of Main Street have undergone fantastic refurbishments (the audio in PotC notwithstanding). As I, Lee, Corrus, and several others have pointed out before, the MK's focus is on refurbishments; expect the entire park to be glistening "like new" soon.

I'm not complaining about the few recent additions to WDW. The refurbishment is necessary before any high-level E-ticket attractions can be considered at the MK; why pour money into a project while the rest of the park needs work? But I do agree that the refurb could (and should!) be done faster, and the park needs a new E-ticket to distribute crowds better.

It's good news I'll agree (because so many MK attractions are in such poor shape), but they should also realize entire areas of the park need major refurbishment. Parts of Tomorrowland (especially the Speedway area up towards Toontown) is really showing its age, Toontown Fair is a joke compared to the other Toontowns around the world, and it'd be really nice if we could get the "new" Fantasyland treatment (they should have started when they built Philharmagic...HK's entrance is awesome!)...then gone to Peter Pan (re-do the ride and facade at the same time), then Snow White, etc. Then of course, there is the 20k lagoon spot but, again, new development and any new e-ticket could wait until some of these basic upgrades were complete.

 

[ToTBellHop]

If you want to just talk DL vs. MK, that's fine, but I'm not sure it proves your point...

MK:
1) Mickey's PhilharMagic
2) Stitch’s Great Escape!
3) Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club
4) Pooh's Play Place
5) Upgrade of PotC
6) Leota Tombstone added to HM
7) Wishes
8) Main Street renovated
9) Castle repainted
10) possible JC rehab
11) possible HM rehab
12) possible Space rehab
13) “it’s a small world” rehab

DL:
1) 50th film for DL
2) Jungle Cruise upgrade
3) PotC upgrade
4) HM upgrades
5) Space Mountain upgrade
6) Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
7) Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
8) Buzz Lightyear AstroBlasters
9) Snow White (gone now, though, replaced w/ the princess thing)
10) Remember...Dreams Come True
11) Tiki Room upgrade
12) "it's a small world" upgrade
13) Parade of Dreams
14) Rockin' Space Mountain
15) Complete remodel of Tomorrowland including return of Tomorrowland Terrace
16) complete refurbishment of Main Street
17) complete refurbishment of New Orleans Square
18) refurbishment of Fantasyland (including every ride)
19) refurbishment of Toontown
20) Matterhorn refurbishment
21) Pirates on Tom Sawyer Island
22) New train for Disneyland Railroad (Ward Kimball)
23) New monorail trains on the way

I feel like I'm being generous by counting "HM Leota tombstone" separately, too...I'm not trying to downplay what they are doing; I'd love to see upgrades similar to Disneyland has received. I just don't think WDW has received its fair share lately...it certainly hasn't had an invested capital proportional to its profits...

 

[jmvd20]

There is constant construction all over at WDW. How can we say that the parks and WDW in general are being neglected? While there are some attractions that could use a good refurb I feel that overall things are in great shape. The costs of maintenance and rountine painting due to the weather conditions are very high as it is. Let alone adding EE, and the other projects/refurbs they have done this year.

As far as the WDW to DL comparison, I thought they both had seperate budgets. While DL itslef may have had more improvements than any one park at WDW look at the areas as a whole. WDW has far more to update and maintain than DL does, just doesn't seem like a grape to grape comparison.

Maybe it's just me but when I'm on vacation I try to enjoy myself and not complain that post #18 at the que entance to lot #12-B sector 9 needed to be repainted.

 

[DisneyYorkian74]

Your list is very biased to prove your own point. Now I don't keep up with the international parks enough to know every little refurbishment similar to some of the ones you are listing for WDW (new tombstone at HM? Gimme a break), so here's a more complete comparison of the last five years at WDW and DL

WDW:
1) Mickey's PhilharMagic
2) Stitch Encounter
3) Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club
4) Pooh's Play Place
5) Upgrade of PotC
6) Leota Tombstone added to HM
7) Mission: SPACE
8) The Seas with Nemo and Friends
9) Turtle Talk with Crush
10) Soarin'
11) Journey into Imagination with Figment!
12) New China Film
13) New Canada Film on the way
14) Update of El Rio Del Tiempo
15) Lights, Motors, Action
16) Midway Mania
17) Expedition Everest
18) The attractions of Dinorama
19) Finding Nemo the Musical
20) Wishes
21) HSM show

DL:
1) 50th film for DL,
2) Jungle Cruise upgrade
3) PotC upgrade
4) HM upgrades
5) Space Mountain upgrade
6) Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
7) Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
8) Buzz
9) Bugs Land
10) Tower of Terror
11) Monster's Inc
12) Midway Mania
13) Turtle Talk with Crush
14) Show with Mushu at Animation
15) Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular
16) Snow White (gone now, though)
17) New Cars Test Track ride on the way
18) Remember...Dreams Come True
19) Tiki Room upgrade (cleaned up and the changes to the outside at least on par with a new tombstone at the HM...)
20) "it's a small world" upgrade
21) Playhouse Disney: Live on Stage
22) Parade of Dreams
23) Block Party Bash
24) HSM show
25) New show on the way for Paradise Bay
26) Rockin' California Screamin'
27) Rockin' Space Mountain
28) Complete remodel of Tomorrowland including return of Tomorrowland Terrace
29) New train for Disneyland Railroad (Ward Kimball)
...and I'm not even going to include the 50th repainting of the castle, all the golden 50s, photo mosaics, golden vehicles, new logs on Splash, major renovations at the Matterhorn, the new monorail trains on the way...

Now I won't pretend that all of the stuff listed for either park is particularly worthwhile...some of it's actually pretty crappy, but I tried to include the good and the bad for WDW and DL and it's pretty clear that DL's two parks have fared better than WDW's four parks. As I said, I don't know enough about the foreign parks to give a similar comparison, but I know, for example, the TDL has spent a LOT of money. If you want to include HKDL in the list, then you need to include everything there...it's all from the last 5 years. The only property that arguably fared worse than WDW is DLRP, but I would point out that the WDSP did open in the last 5 years, so you'd have to include EVERYTHING there in your list.

It's hard to remember what exactly came out 5 years ago; but I think you should include all the attractions/shows/parades that were added during the "100 Years of Magic" celebration. (That would definately even out the playing field)

Plus:

Cinderellabration (Happiest Celebration on Earth)

Dream along with Mickey (Year of a Million Dreams)

Crush 'n' Gusher

Pleasure Island overhaul

POP Century Hotel

Sarotoga Springs Resort & Spa

New various DVC resorts

Pirates & Princess party (includes new fireworks display)

 

[basas]

It's hard to remember what exactly came out 5 years ago; but I think you should include all the attractions/shows/parades that were added during the "100 Years of Magic" celebration. (That would definately even out the playing field)

Plus:

Cinderellabration (Happiest Celebration on Earth)

Dream along with Mickey (Year of a Million Dreams)

Crush 'n' Gusher

Pleasure Island overhaul

POP Century Hotel

Sarotoga Springs Resort & Spa

New various DVC resorts

Pirates & Princess party (includes new fireworks display)

Then we should include DCA, DtD, and GHC for California too...

 

[ToTBellHop]

Arguing over which attractions count and which don't detracts from the actual point. I'll give a big for instance:

When I am walking down Main Street, even though it has been renovated, there are burned out trim lights everywhere. This is something I easily notice. It's not me looking for problems like chipped paint underneath a bench at Epcot. It is a truly cheap practice now acceptable at WDW. While I was able to overlook chipped paint in obscure locations as something "Disney had just not noticed," I know they still clean the parks every night--which involves washing Main Street. Someone has noticed that lights are burned out...and have remained burned out. It's cheap. This is not me saying "spend a few million dollars to fix the hopping Brer Rabbit on Splash." I would love to see Brer Rabbit fixed, but I understand he is a complicated animatronic and expensive to repair when he breaks down soon after being fixed. I can accept and overlook that. Not changing lightbulbs is an example of Disney slacking off. Drive the company car to Home Depot and pick up new lightbulbs. $100 and one night later, it'd be fixed, but instead they sit burned out.

Trim lights at the Grand Floridian remain burned out, as well. This is Disney's Flagship Resort. You pay $375/night for the cheap room during the cheap season there and lights are burned out? Am I being unreasonable to expect Disney's Flagship Resort to be in better condition than this? And this was when I visited in June...not the slow season. Thousands of guests were seeing this every night upon leaving the Magic Kingdom and its burned out lights...or going to MGM and seeing burned out neon.

This is not something that we should be giving Disney the benefit of the doubt on. When I see lights burned out everywhere and almost nothing under construction to get excited about, I become concerned. When the bathrooms are consistently more dirty than they were 10 years ago, I become concerned. I still love visiting WDW but I refuse to overlook such blatant problems.

I understand that Florida is a very challenging area to protect the parks against the elements but WDW is 35 years old. I don't think FL's climate has become significantly more intense in the last 10 years (other than the fires, but the fires aren't the problem for the parks). They managed to take care of the parks much better 10 years ago, and they weren't making nearly as much money off guests, so they should still be able to do so today. And, from my understanding, if they are having problems protecting the FL parks against the weather, they ought to have thought twice before building a park in Hong Kong.

 

[jmvd20]

Burned out light bulbs do indeed look tacky, and for that I agree that there is no resonable excuse for them on that issue. Maybe it's just that I never noticed them but I do not remember seeing burned out bulbs when my family and I would go 2 or 3 times a year. That was back in the early 90's, but over the last few years I did see numerous burned out bulbs and other broken items.

After thinking about this I am inclined to agree that in terms of minor maintenance, light bulbs, broken ride effects, broken spinny things in FW at Epcot WDW is worse today than they were 10 years ago. However, on the overall new rides/refurbs I still think they are doing a good job.

As far as the bathrooms and general park cleaning, we were there in May and I was still impressed at how clean they were. Over the past few times we have gone there was only one exception to this and that was at MGM. The entire park was messy that day, trash blowing around on the ground, dirty bathrooms, etc... I just attributed that to every janitor being on strike or taking the day off becuase the next day we went there it was clean again.

Maybe whenever anyone goes to WDW they should complain about these issues, if enough people do that maybe they will take care of them quicker.