New resort in VA? + Other rumors and gossip

[djlaosc]

It does appear the blue aliens are coming, but just to allow both sides to save face.
The project continually has been cut in size and scope ... what you probably will get is one giant showbuilding with Soarin Over Pandora, a dining facility, a shop and a bit of eye candy. That's it.

That seems like it could be good... for Disney's Hollywood Studios - you would hope that for Disney's Animal Kingdom it would be a bit more substantial than that!

 

[ScoutN]

We just became BGT passholders again for the first time in 5 years. So far we love the changes we've seen since our last visits (Although Cheetah Hunt was a bit overhyped, and I can't figure out why we have an Australia marsupial exhibit when the park is coined "The Black Continent" or "Edge of Africa".

We're going to be hitting BGW in September this year as we venture up to Philly for a wedding. Glad to hear that the park seems to be in BETTER condition than I remember it from a visit back in the mid-90s...and even then we loved it. (Sad to hear that Big Bad Wolf is gone though! Loved that crazy little coaster!)

Cheetah Hunt is a bit overhyped but still an excellent offering... one of Intamin's few good products. Which weekend in Sept are you looking at? Being an investment group is now behind the parks vs beer company, it has been made known that capital is being pumped in.

 

[aladdin2007]

Exciting thread! I don't really have any input, but I do agree that a watered down Avatar would be very disappointing. I imagine vast realistic landscapes, instead of a cramped area in the corner. Hopefully this won't be the case.

It's annoying that DL might be getting two new attractions whereas WDW has just ripped a classic out... really hope that the management in charge get kicked out and a new one comes in to bring WDW back to tip top shape.
A girl can dream...

Totally agree, so basically the point of this thread is Disneyland will continue to grow and grow with original grand new attractions, while WDW will get nothing beyond meet&greets, millions spent on Nextgen for queues while the actual attractions themselves rot, (JIYI, PPF) and a watered avatarland, so TDO can sit on their........and take in the money and not have to spend?

 

[StageFrenzy]

Same goes for SWO and BGT.

Ive wondered why BGT hasn't done a resort similar to AKL, There is a lot of little land around in the area. I know it happened during the uncertainty in SW parks and entertainment but i wondered how those apts got built next to BG. I have wondered if they thought about buying some of the manufacturing areas around BG.

 

[baymenxpac]

so i have a question for '74: should these management changes occur, can we assume that a WDW renaissance is a priority? i know that's a big assumption to make on spec, but it's something that i'm sure every WDW fan is thinking right now.

 

[devoy1701]

Cheetah Hunt is a bit overhyped but still an excellent offering... one of Intamin's few good products. Which weekend in Sept are you looking at? Being an investment group is now behind the parks vs beer company, it has been made known that capital is being pumped in.

We have to be in Philly on the 14th of September, so we will probably be hitting BGW on the 16th or 17th.

Ive wondered why BGT hasn't done a resort similar to AKL, There is a lot of little land around in the area. I know it happened during the uncertainty in SW parks and entertainment but i wondered how those apts got built next to BG. I have wondered if they thought about buying some of the manufacturing areas around BG.

I don't know if we have enough land for it. The NW corner of that block is still owned by Johnson Controls (and they've been there for a VERY long time), so that's out of the picture as well. If they restructured the parking lot maybe (but they've done that twice over the past 10 years anyway). What I could see them doing is moving some of the backstage areas and reworking the Sarengeti Plain a bit to be able to put a resort in on the corner of McKinley and Bougainvillea on the NE corner of the property...that way they could use the Savanah/Jungle theming that ties into the Plain and the Kumba area of the park and give the resort a private entrance back there. But that would take a significant amount of infrastructure changes.

I also don't know if BG is a big enough destination in of itself to warrant a resort of it's own. Maybe with a major overhaul of Adventure Island as well.

 

[ScoutN]

We have to be in Philly on the 14th of September, so we will probably be hitting BGW on the 16th or 17th.



I don't know if we have enough land for it. The NW corner of that block is still owned by Johnson Controls (and they've been there for a VERY long time), so that's out of the picture as well. If they restructured the parking lot maybe (but they've done that twice over the past 10 years anyway). What I could see them doing is moving some of the backstage areas and reworking the Sarengeti Plain a bit to be able to put a resort in on the corner of McKinley and Bougainvillea on the NE corner of the property...that way they could use the Savanah/Jungle theming that ties into the Plain and the Kumba area of the park and give the resort a private entrance back there. But that would take a significant amount of infrastructure changes.

I also don't know if BG is a big enough destination in of itself to warrant a resort of it's own. Maybe with a major overhaul of Adventure Island as well.

In September at that time they are only open Fri-Sun.

BGT owns propery across a couple roads. My site put together property maps of BGW, WCUSA, BGT, SWO, and some others. BGT owns more than I initially though. If I can get my hands on it then I will pass the info along. As of right now the only SWP&E park with a Resort on the books is BGW. No competition (real comp I should say) and high numbers from out of town guests warrant it.

 

[pixargal]

I also don't know if BG is a big enough destination in of itself to warrant a resort of it's own. Maybe with a major overhaul of Adventure Island as well.[/QUOTE]

Perhaps if they built a unique resort, then it may become a destination. I always encourage people to spend a few days in Tampa when they are heading down to Florida. The Florida Aquarium and Lowry Park Zoo, along with Busch Gardens and Adventure Island, are not to be missed. And, of course, Pinellas County has some of the most beautiful beaches around. The hotel could offer shuttle service to some of the places.

 

[flynnibus]

That's where the decision lies. Do we do it however we can this year or push it off until we can do it the way we want to?

When you visit another city for casual travel... do you stay in the 5 star nicest hotel?

Since costs are an issue.. I would really really really suggest jettisoning the 'stay in the absurdly overpriced hotel room' as the tradeoff of making the trip actually happen. When you are at DLR... you will be park commandos. You will spend 99.9% of your time in the parks... there is so much there.. so much to keep you entertained... you will not be going to the hotel for anything except for sleeping.

DLR really is a different vacation style from something like a 'get away vacation...'.

 

[ScoutN]

When you visit another city for casual travel... do you stay in the 5 star nicest hotel?

Since costs are an issue.. I would really really really suggest jettisoning the 'stay in the absurdly overpriced hotel room' as the tradeoff of making the trip actually happen. When you are at DLR... you will be park commandos. You will spend 99.9% of your time in the parks... there is so much there.. so much to keep you entertained... you will not be going to the hotel for anything except for sleeping.

DLR really is a different vacation style from something like a 'get away vacation...'.

I would like to use my DVC points to head out there this Fall but it is next to impossible to impossible to get a DVC opening. That is the last hurdle for me to make it there.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Is Western River Expedition in the cards for DL's Frontierland? If so, it'd be a bit ironic to have Baxter designing it.

While I truly doubt this to be the case, I think the big shame if it were so is that Marc Davis is no longer with us. He was one for speaking his mind and I think he would have some interesting words regarding such a situation. I guess Alice could always say something, she is not shy about her opinion or what she thinks Marc would think.

As a couple on here know, my excitement comes from the BGWFans webpage I help maintain as the info I am highly privy to. I will leave it at that. The park really is headed in a very exciting direction. Keep your eye open is all I am saying. Same goes for SWO and BGT.

Blackstone really does seem intent on making their latest chain of parks into something spectacular.

Ive wondered why BGT hasn't done a resort similar to AKL, There is a lot of little land around in the area. I know it happened during the uncertainty in SW parks and entertainment but i wondered how those apts got built next to BG. I have wondered if they thought about buying some of the manufacturing areas around BG.

I think SeaWorld recognizes that there is already a large existing hotel market. Its why we see them partner with hotels near SeaWorld Orlando versus having true SeaWorld hotels. There would have to be a serious draw at a Busch Garden hotel to get people to stay there over the ample options in the Tampa area, for those visiting Tampa, and Orlando, for those doing theme parks around Orlando.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Well not exactly right around the corner..lol

Took me 7 hours from NJ...but with Va Beach and Williamsburgh close by you can definately make a week of it..easily.

Well, considering I drive to Orlando, Virginia isn't too bad LOL...

 

[njDizFan]

Well, considering I drive to Orlando, Virginia isn't too bad LOL...

I'm slowly working my way there. Last year Va, this year Myrtle Beach, maybe next year all the way to Orlando. Not looking forward to it though.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I'm slowly working my way there. Last year Va, this year Myrtle Beach, maybe next year all the way to Orlando. Not looking forward to it though.

It is a fine drive, if you don't mind vast views of countryside...

 

[Funmeister]

Originally Posted by WDW1974
But DL IS getting one major addition in time for its 60th (and possibly two) and one possibility is a shocking humdinger.

Long awaited Geyser Mountain?

 

[MiklCraw4d]

Yeah. The two ride projects should be far enough along to be announced this fall, if they so choose.

I gotta respectfully disagree on this one; while they might be far enough along by then, I can't imagine at least one of them getting announced until at least 2013. "Development" doesn't mean "greenlight", and the greenlight often depends on external factors. Because of this, I don't think one of the two will get greenlit until the execs see how certain events play out. And by that time, it'll be close enough to D23 Expo that they might think about holding it to announce then. If it doesn't leak before, which it probably will.

 

[Rose Marie]

Al Lutz has been talking about possible expansions for Frontierland and Tomorrowland for well over a year now, and with certain people (COUGHGEORGECOUGH) leaking all sorts of stuff to him it'll almost certainly be leaked well before official announcement.

 

[RandySavage]

Is Western River Expedition in the cards for DL's Frontierland? If so, it'd be a bit ironic to have Baxter designing it.

Not WRE, but a Frontier-based boat ride. From the rumblings I've heard, it would utilize the new boat-motion-vehicle system recently patented by Disney and soon to be employed in Shanghai DL's PotC.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=EM0AAgAAEBAJ&zoom=4&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q&f=false

Maybe DL would even copy the Shanghai layout (we know how they like to double-up to save in production costs). Maybe the attraction would borrow some elements from WRE, maybe not.

Even though Baxter's Big Thunder famously usurped Davis' WRE, I think Baxter still has an appreciation for the WRE, as he gave the virtual ride-through lecture at D23. Such an attraction (his own version of a Western PotC) on a huge scale, would be a fitting capstone to his career.

I drew my own version of where such a Frontierland E-ticket would go in this expanded park layout:

The 2nd DL attraction mentioned here must be oft-discussed the Stark Expo/Avengers thing replacing Innoventions (and Red Rockets?).

 

[PhoenixSpirit]

Al Lutz has been talking about possible expansions for Frontierland and Tomorrowland for well over a year now, and with certain people (COUGHGEORGECOUGH) leaking all sorts of stuff to him it'll almost certainly be leaked well before official announcement.

Forgive me, but who is George?

 

[MarkTwain]

Apparently a lot has happened since I got on that cruise ship... :lookaroun