News New Theater to be built at the Magic Kingdom - now cancelled?

[WondersOfLife]

They tore it down at some point. I think for a meet and greet location.

Me-thinks they should re-build this, but with an air conditioned auditorium. Move Buzz's meet n greets over to the old Stitch stage.

 

[UNCgolf]

For Buzz? I remember it being past the little Buzz stage right there... Like, I remember it being huge.

Actually it may be a parking lot now. It was called the Galaxy Palace Theater.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Side note -- I vaguely remember a Tomorrowland amphitheater when I was a kid that was never open... Is that space still available?

It’s a parking lot now. I think I’d actually prefer the entrance off of Tomorrowland than from Main Street. Either way my concern for this location is how the Main Street bypass was not meant to be used for daily operation and still looks very “backstage”.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Is there any way to build the theatre behind the exposition hall and use that as the entrance? But then the issue would be the mass exit conflicting with Main Street ops ie parade times. Hmmm

 

[doctornick]

Side note -- I vaguely remember a Tomorrowland amphitheater when I was a kid that was never open... Is that space still available?

As has been kind of illustrated, the old TL theater was similar in footprint to this planned Main Street theater but obviously accessed from the other direction.

From a thematic standpoint, putting a theater on Main Street is better IMHO. it would also help draw people to that are more in the mid day when Main St is underutilized. The bypass are would also presumably be spruced up as part of any build to make it more “on stage” worthy.

 

[WondersOfLife]

As has been kind of illustrated, the old TL theater was similar in footprint to this planned Main Street theater but obviously accessed from the other direction.

From a thematic standpoint, putting a theater on Main Street is better IMHO. it would also help draw people to that are more in the mid day when Main St is underutilized. The bypass are would also presumably be spruced up as part of any build to make it more “on stage” worthy.

It would also probably give people more of a reason to ride the Railroad from the lands at the back of the park over to Main Street's station.

 

[erasure fan1]

The top movies in a year are generally selling 50+ million tickets (Top Gun: Maverick sold around 75 million this year, I think); the top video games usually max out around 10-15 million sold in a year.

The problem with this argument is neither side is necessary wrong. Sure movies sell more tickets. But remember, a family of 5, like mine, has to buy 5 tickets for said movie. I only had to buy Sonic mania once. But if you go by sales, that doesn't really work either.

Video games are huge, we can all agree with that. Should Disney do something with them in the parks? I think so. While there aren't a huge amount of franchises that fit the family friendly nature of Disney, while having that pop culture recognition. Two no brainers are Minecraft and Sonic. A Minecraft water ride starting outside, then going underground through the caves. Ending with you going through an end portal and confronting the ender dragon, would absolutely be huge if done Right.

 

[UNCgolf]

The problem with this argument is neither side is necessary wrong. Sure movies sell more tickets. But remember, a family of 5, like mine, has to buy 5 tickets for said movie. I only had to buy Sonic mania once. But if you go by sales, that doesn't really work either.

This is true, and there are also people who rent games, buy them used, or borrow them from a friend -- none of those show up in sales figures. It's just that there are similar issues with movies. Box office ticket sales don't account for all the people who didn't go to the theater but later watched it at home via rental, streaming, etc., and there are also pirating issues for both video games and movies.

Regardless, we should stop discussing it in this thread.

I definitely wish they would bring back a large theater at the MK. It's exactly what they need.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Leaving aside Disney's appetite for investment in the parks as a whole, I am not sure the value and/or interest in the establishment of a theater on main street. From a popularity standpoint, Movie Theaters in general have been in a decline for well over the past decade. This decline far precedes covid impacts which have accelerated movie theater declines, along with the increase in streaming service availability, including movie houses move to releasing new material directly to their streaming platforms.

As such, are people really interested in going to MK, spending the large amounts of money that a WDW takes, to go to a movie theater that they wouldn't want to spend $15 bucks on in their own home town? What could be offered as far as viewing that is going to make such a place appealing? You are not likely to offer large feature movies of 2Hr length, as 1) why is the average guest going to give up 2hrs of their park day to watch a move when they can watch them in their room or on Disney+ 2) why is Disney going to want people secured in a room for 2hrs as opposed to our shopping and eating.

 

[YodaMan]

Leaving aside Disney's appetite for investment in the parks as a whole, I am not sure the value and/or interest in the establishment of a theater on main street. From a popularity standpoint, Movie Theaters in general have been in a decline for well over the past decade. This decline far precedes covid impacts which have accelerated movie theater declines, along with the increase in streaming service availability, including movie houses move to releasing new material directly to their streaming platforms.

As such, are people really interested in going to MK, spending the large amounts of money that a WDW takes, to go to a movie theater that they wouldn't want to spend $15 bucks on in their own home town? What could be offered as far as viewing that is going to make such a place appealing? You are not likely to offer large feature movies of 2Hr length, as 1) why is the average guest going to give up 2hrs of their park day to watch a move when they can watch them in their room or on Disney+ 2) why is Disney going to want people secured in a room for 2hrs as opposed to our shopping and eating.

Theaters show more than movies…

 

[Ripken10]

Leaving aside Disney's appetite for investment in the parks as a whole, I am not sure the value and/or interest in the establishment of a theater on main street. From a popularity standpoint, Movie Theaters in general have been in a decline for well over the past decade. This decline far precedes covid impacts which have accelerated movie theater declines, along with the increase in streaming service availability, including movie houses move to releasing new material directly to their streaming platforms.

As such, are people really interested in going to MK, spending the large amounts of money that a WDW takes, to go to a movie theater that they wouldn't want to spend $15 bucks on in their own home town? What could be offered as far as viewing that is going to make such a place appealing? You are not likely to offer large feature movies of 2Hr length, as 1) why is the average guest going to give up 2hrs of their park day to watch a move when they can watch them in their room or on Disney+ 2) why is Disney going to want people secured in a room for 2hrs as opposed to our shopping and eating.

It's not a "movie" theater. But you made for a good laugh.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Theaters show more than movies…

What are they going to show? Cartoons? Shorts? So substitute YouTube/Tik Tok for Disney Plus and you get the same argument. Why am i wasting time at the park sitting to watch something in an watch on my phone.

Is the idea for the theater to show a live action type show? A la frozen sing a long, bug’s life, or Lion King? While I personally love the LK show, I have never seen any of the live shows (with maybe LK as an exception) really be all that popular. Where is the demand for such an “attraction?” Not to say that with unlimited resources I would hate the idea, but with capex spending being limited why would that get the priority for spending?

 

[JoeCamel]

It’s a parking lot now. I think I’d actually prefer the entrance off of Tomorrowland than from Main Street. Either way my concern for this location is how the Main Street bypass was not meant to be used for daily operation and still looks very “backstage”.View attachment 661860

Entrance aside that is the same location that has been rejected

 

[UNCgolf]

Where is the demand for such an “attraction?”

That's the whole point. It would add considerable capacity without causing a large increase in demand. People would absolutely go in and watch the show but they wouldn't have to wait in line 90 minutes to do so. Magic Kingdom desperately needs that kind of capacity.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

That's the whole point. It would add considerable capacity without causing a large increase in demand. People would absolutely go in and watch the show but they wouldn't have to wait in line 90 minutes to do so. Magic Kingdom desperately needs that kind of capacity.

Wait, so the idea is to have Disney use a portion, of what appears to be a limited amount of money on the parks, to build something that there is no demand for?????

Let’s spend tons of money for something that no one really wants? No business, let alone Disney needs to be out laying capital improvement money based on the idea that no one really wants this thing, but the best thing you can say about it is that the very small group of people who will use it won’t have to wait in line for it.

 

[JoeCamel]

Wait, so the idea is to have Disney use a portion, of what appears to be a limited amount of money on the parks, to build something that there is no demand for?????

Let’s spend tons of money for something that no one really wants? No business, let alone Disney needs to be out laying capital improvement money based on the idea that no one really wants this thing, but the best thing you can say about it is that the very small group of people who will use it won’t have to wait in line for it.

The demand is there, just look how packed the parks are, this increases capacity in a big way without creating additional demand. Yes, they absolutely should build things like this

 

[MisterPenguin]

Wait, so the idea to have Disney use a portion, of what appears to be a limited amount of money on the parks, to build something that there is no demand for?????

Festival of the Lion King, look it up.

A very well liked fan favorite*.

That's a theater show. It adds capacity without being so popular that it causes attendance to spike more than it 'eats.'

That's what we mean when we've been saying that MK needs more C and D attractions.

The castle's stage show is a theater -- an outdoor theater.

Why are you stuck on the idea that this is about showing movies when WDW has quite a handful of live shows in theaters throughout the parks?



*And no, just because you don't like it doesn't mean it doesn't pack in crowds show after show because so many people *do* like it.

 

[Dranth]

The demand is there, just look how packed the parks are, this increases capacity in a big way without creating additional demand. Yes, they absolutely should build things like this

This.

They do it out in DCA and while I have not been in a while, last time I was there they packed the Hyperion theater nearly every show. The version of Aladdin they were running was outstanding at the time. More quality additions like that would be used by tons of people and eat up crowds.

For more ride focused visitors, just look at it as something to make it easier for you to get on more while those people are tied up for an hour plus.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Wait, so the idea is to have Disney use a portion, of what appears to be a limited amount of money on the parks, to build something that there is no demand for?????

Let’s spend tons of money for something that no one really wants? No business, let alone Disney needs to be out laying capital improvement money based on the idea that no one really wants this thing, but the best thing you can say about it is that the very small group of people who will use it won’t have to wait in line for it.

Magic Kingdom is the only castle park in the world without a theater venue for big, splashy musical productions. They soak up thousands of people at a time and give guests ways to see a lot of characters quickly (like parades), which juices guest satisfaction scores. The park would unquestionably benefit from the canceled theater.

The only downside would be that whatever new show they create for the space would make all the decades old crap at DHS look like the decades old crap it is.

 

[LSLS]

Most games, including AAA games, don't make a billion dollars, just like most movies. But that's also beside the point.

I keep saying it, but total revenue isn't what matters here. If you sell 1000 copies of something at $10,000 a piece, you've pulled in $10 million. If you sell a million copies of something at $10, you've also pulled in $10 million. Which base do you think is more valuable to a theme park where volume matters? A theme park doesn't want only 1000 people; that's not how their business functions (unless, of course, they could charge those 1000 people $10,000 to enter -- which is kind of what Disney is doing with the Starcruiser, although it remains to be seen how well it will work long-term).

I do think you need to recognize that cost can also make number of units seem lower than people who recognize things. I play some games, and know characters. I almost always buy used games years later when they are close to the price of movies. I am not super interested in spending $60 for a game (especially after doing so with avengers), but I would if they cost much less. Also you need to factor in a lot of people know characters for games they have never played. My son has seen enough of Mario things to recognize it in the store even though he has no idea what the games are.

All that said, I have no idea what character is more popular. In the US? I'd guess it's pretty equal where almost everyone knows both. But I have no idea what say Belgium people would recognize.