NYT: "Universal....Takes Aim at Disney"

bubbles1812

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
cheezbat said:
I'll take you up on that offer! I personally don't see anything big added to the MK after the FLE UNTIL 2021...I truly hope and believe well see something for the 50th...Disney couldn't miss that milestone. That'd be one huge mistake.

I have to agree with you though. While I don't have anything against jt04, I have a harder time seeing his viewpoints when he hasnt been down here in years. I'm a central Floridian who visits WDW at least twice a year, and I have seen the decline in the eleven years I have lived here. I love the place. Heck I worked there and loved my job too! It's just disheartening to see how things have gone.
As for Disney spending a billion dollars on WDW attractions...Universal would get twice as much for that kind of money! It's crazy how inflated things are with Imagineering. As a theme park fan, I'm far more excited to see Potter 2.0 and everything else down the pipeline at Universal in the next decade over Avatarland and the Fantasyland ExPansion. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they'll be nice attractions and well themed, just not something to wow me like Forbidden Journey, Tower of Terror, or Haunted Mansion once did.
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What would you hope to see for the 50th? Just out of curiosity? I'm just not sure they'll add too much over the next 10 but hey, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. If they've added something major in 9 years time, I will buy you that Dole Whip...and JT04s. I actually hope you are right and I'm wrong. But I just don't see NFE as something that's going to spur major remodeling of the MK as JT stated.
 
Captain Chaos

Captain Chaos

Well-Known Member
index.php


If God senses it, then it must be true....
 
FrankLapidus

FrankLapidus

Well-Known Member
I don't see the Fantasyland expansion as the sign of a major remodelling of MK; if it goes ahead then the construction of Avatarland will take priority for the next 3/4 years and then I'd like to think that Disney will turn their attention to either Epcot or DHS. If Disney does do something for the 50th anniversary of MK , I don't envision anything too drastic but among the things I'd ideally like to see would be:

- Splash Mountain getting the maintenance it needs and a lengthy refurb.
- Stitch's Great Escape removed and replaced with a new attraction (maybe WALL-E-themed?).
- Perhaps the finale scene of Carousel of Progress to be updated.
 
whylightbulb

whylightbulb

Well-Known Member
jt04 said:
Even most insiders agree that TDO has little to no say on large capital projects and hasn't for several years. This is 2012 not 2006. I just detailed with links how Disney is currently investing 1 Billion at WDW and why they timed things the way they did. You can stay in denial of the realities of the situation or you can carry on spouting numbers that will be utterly meaningless 12 months from now. Your choice.
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The Hollywood Reporter, in this case, is just spouting off information they heard a while back regarding the proposed budget for Avatarland. Everything I'm hearing lately is that the project scope has been severely cut. That doesn't mean it can't change but they are still in their early stages of development and analysis. I hope they do end up building a mega "Potter swatter" but so far, based on what I'm hearing and WDWs recent past, I'm not holding my breath.
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
whylightbulb said:
The Hollywood Reporter, in this case, is just spouting off information they heard a while back regarding the proposed budget for Avatarland. Everything I'm hearing lately is that the project scope has been severely cut. That doesn't mean it can't change but they are still in their early stages of development and analysis. I hope they do end up building a mega "Potter swatter" but so far, based on what I'm hearing and WDWs recent past, I'm not holding my breath.
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The build cycle for both Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios has become laughable. Both of the parks have a collection of quality rides, but they significantly lack on quantity. We're easily 10 years away from being able to experience 10 unique rides at either park. If the build cycle of World of Avatar is 2016, that will be a 10 year gap between attractions in a park that was underbuilt from the start. It seems that Disney can't add a D or E ticket without a 3 year build cycle, and the Animal Kingdom doesn't have the collection of existing abandoned buildings to cut down on construction time. I truly hope that Disney has more planned for DHS/Epcot and DAK between the opening of Fantasyland and Avatar, otherwise Universal is going to continue to grow at Disney's expense.

If there was a willingness to spend, there are plenty of buildings in DHS and Epcot that can be re-purposed for new dark rides before 2016. However at the Animal Kingdom, the only remotely simple re-purposing I can see would be re-arranging the Maharajah Jungle Trek in a way that would add Pandas as well as an access point to the Asia plot.
 
Lee

Lee

Adventurer
jt04 said:
Now that the sheriff has fixed the DLR I think you will see even more happening at WDW. This is what I have always said and everything is proceeding accordingly.
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Except...
Disneyland has two major attractions being fast tracked through development, and a very major project in the early stages for elsewhere at the resort. (The two Disneyland attractions to be ready to counter USH's Potter.)

Currently in development for WDW?
Avatar (maybe) for 2016 or later. (Meaning Iger won't be around by the time it opens.)
A makeover for parts of DTD.
Multiple DVC projects.

(I didn't include NextGen because that is more for Disney's benefit than for guests.)
 
Californian Elitist

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
Lee said:
Except...
Disneyland has two major attractions being fast tracked through development, and a very major project in the early stages for elsewhere at the resort. (The two Disneyland attractions to be ready to counter USH's Potter.)
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Can you give us a hint as to where the major project is going? I'm guessing it's not going in the parks?
 
sponono88

sponono88

Well-Known Member
Lee said:
Except...
Disneyland has two major attractions being fast tracked through development, and a very major project in the early stages for elsewhere at the resort. (The two Disneyland attractions to be ready to counter USH's Potter.)

Currently in development for WDW?
Avatar (maybe) for 2016 or later. (Meaning Iger won't be around by the time it opens.)
A makeover for parts of DTD.
Multiple DVC projects.

(I didn't include NextGen because that is more for Disney's benefit than for guests.)
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When can we expect to hear more about DL's next attractions? If they expect to make a debut for DL's 60th they should be announced soon. I wonder if we'll hear more at the next D23 Expo.
 
Californian Elitist

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
What sponono said. I'm always wondering if Disneyland will get anything for the 60th. It would be great if we did, but what exactly? A new firework show? That would be awesome but I can't think of anything else.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
Question for the insiders, is Universal still planning on stealing Cars Land's thunder by detailing Potter phase two and Potter USH soon?
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On a hunch, I'd say that Uni remains quiet this week.

Carsland is a hit, well-received. Nothing Uni can do about that now. Even if the Potter Plans are awesome too, as concepts they can't compete with the tangible.
If Carsland had been lacklustre, found lacking, then it's opening would have been a fun time for the competition to announce ambitious plans of their own.

the.dreamfinder said:
Ok, the second part of that question. Could that announcement spur Disney to announce the Disneyland additions earlier?
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On a hunch, I think Disney will not want to steal Carsland's and Buena Vista Street's thunder. I don;t expect them to reveal new investments at a time when their current investment must take centre-stage.

Ideally, one wishes to create the impression of constant buzz and renewal. The way the FLE is spread out over three phases - Circusland this year, BatB+ LM by the end of this year, 7DMT the year after. If you visit in the summer months, then in each of the summers of 2012, 2013 and 2014 you have a new addition, a reason to return.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
No mystery. 20K was planned for Fanland since 1968. It closed because ops hated it, it was a traffic nightmare, and was a pain to maintain. They hoodwinked Eisner into it closing.
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Why are we responding and feeding the site's longest-running troll? ... Summer fun?:D

I suppose it could be worse ... we could be reading the puke-inducing Tweets of the online whores at DLR. Honestly, has Larry the Cable guy ever been drooled over more?

Back to 20,000 Leagues, doncha know it was all a temp deal designed after Walt died (and had fully planned out a park he really didn't care very much about -- sorta like current Disney management when ya think 'bout it!) ... it made no sense thematically. So, sure that's it ... because a fairytale castle at the end of a turn of the century Main Street (complete with elevated RR) makes so much sense.
 
HenryMystic

HenryMystic

Well-Known Member
Theme Park Insider claims he heard something about UOR today that was bigger than the DCA media day. I'm hoping it's more credible than the Phase 2 plans he leaked.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
jt04 said:
Let me guess, you blame Iger for this. Right?

20K was a theming nightmare similar to the Splash inconsistancy. For a person who peddles themself as a Disney purist you sure do give them a pass on a lot. I know, I know, as long as the shopping is nice you are happy.
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Nah, I blame you. You are the cause of all that is wrong with the Disney UNIverse. Or.. more likely, you are like a puss-filled blister, just a symptom of a bigger problem.

Oh, and I don't peddle myself period, JT. People who are taken seriously don't need to do sales jobs.

And you are sooo right, shopping isn't important to Disney. Walt never wanted it to be a part of the DL experience ... and Cars Land (you know the O-Town/WDI Potter swatter on the other side of the country where many WDW regulars are afraid to visit but you use interchangably in your discussions here even though WDW isn't getting anything like that) isn't blatently stealing the idea of real quality themed merchandise in both CL and BVS from IOA's WWoHP, right?

Your schtick wasn't amusing four years ago, it is much less so now.
 

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