News Paradise Pier Becoming Pixar Pier

Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
vj81995 said:
WHAT IF @GiveMeTheMusic IS THE DISNEYLAND.COM LIVE CHAT PERSON????
Click to expand...

That is some Matrix level stuff right there

whoa.jpg
 
FerretAfros

FerretAfros

Well-Known Member
I was mistaken earlier in this thread when I scoffed at Pixar Pier's $60M budget. It was actually $130M, and the current crew at WDI legitimately think that this is being done as inexpensively as they can manage.

For comparison, Expedition: Everest cost $100M in 2006, which is about $124M today with inflation. That project included multiple "research" expeditions to Nepal; a new connector path between Asia and Dinoland, with restrooms, food & merchandide locations, and pedestrian bridge; a lavishly detailed queue; construction of the mountain, ride system, and top-of-the-line AA; and countless hour-long TV specials ("with the thrust of a 747!").

For slightly more money in 2018, we got a project that included "research" trips to nearby California piers; a partially-completed paint job of existing infrastructure; #socialmedia photo ops; a relocated flat ride; minor queue improvements and babies on sticks; a redecorated restaurant; and a redressed retail location. And all this for a "quick" redo that will take around 18 months to complete. On the bright side, Pixar Pier won't be plagued with Everest's inoperable-yeti issues; none of the new character figures have any motion.

WDI's current "rule of thumb" expectation is that an E-ticket will cost around half a billion to build (which is right around what the Tron and GOTG coasters in WDW are costing). I used to feel bad that WDI wasn't given the proper budgets to work with, but their recent project show that they have more than enough. They just have no idea how to spend it responsibly.
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
A lot of money goes towards never before done custom ride systems. Disney may have started out with a standard wooden 3rd party coaster but they modified it so much that it has nothing to do with the original one. I'm sure they are using custom made paint just for them and not going to Home Depot. The corporate infrastructure eats up a good chunk of it too. Disney has entire departments that get paid for managing, contracting out and building things in house the eat into the budget. Don't forget all the California regulations and Anaheim city inspectors that need to be paid off. Things get expensive and it all depends on how they structure it.
 
D.Silentu

D.Silentu

Well-Known Member
In light of all that, I thought Chapek was supposed to be the patron saint of frugality. I'm supprised this needless excess is still the norm on his watch. Generally I feel sympathetic to Imagineering, but I have a difficult time believing that the realized Pixar Pier is all that a budget of such size could acomplish.
 
Last edited:
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Phrubruh said:
A lot of money goes towards never before done custom ride systems. Disney may have started out with a standard wooden 3rd party coaster but they modified it so much that it has nothing to do with the original one. I'm sure they are using custom made paint just for them and not going to Home Depot. The corporate infrastructure eats up a good chunk of it too. Disney has entire departments that get paid for managing, contracting out and building things in house the eat into the budget. Don't forget all the California regulations and Anaheim city inspectors that need to be paid off. Things get expensive and it all depends on how they structure it.
Click to expand...
California Screamin’ ran custom ride control software but it was still an Intamin steel coaster.

Disney doesn’t built in-house. They hire general contractors. They do have significantly more owner provided materials, like basic building materials, than in a typical construction project but that is supposed to be a cost saving measure.

Regulations are not something unique to Disney and there haven’t been huge shifts in the regulatory framework.
 
Last edited:
dweezil78

dweezil78

Well-Known Member
George Lucas on a Bench said:
I wouldn't think it was true. The Frozen ride was slapped together using an existing 80s EPCOT Center boat ride for some reason. More than likely the loose thematic connection and some Disney exec riding it and wondering why there's a weird boat ride with trolls and a polar bear that isn't themed to Frozen and selling dolls instead of charming weird Norwegian trinkets in the gift shop. Frozen doesn't even have a boat scene as I recall. It seems highly unlikely they'd clone it.
Click to expand...

Who knows... they cloned a y/o simulator for Iron Man in HK and USH did the same for the awful Minions ride.
 
bluerhythym

bluerhythym

Well-Known Member
Travel Junkie said:
With Incredibles 2 now the highest grossing animated feature of all time, do we look at the Incredicoaster in the same vein as the Maelstrom to Frozen redo at Epcot? I sure do.

An absolute missed opportunity to build a quality attraction from the ground up that would promote the franchise in a logical manner instead of forcing it in where it doesn't belong.
Click to expand...

I mean, from Disney's perspective, they nailed it. All it took was a tiny investment to re-skin an existing an attraction, and they nab the highest grossing animated feature of all time. What's the problem? I don't doubt that we'll see a lot more re-skins in the future.

As for the actual park patrons, its terrible. But that's not important now is it?
 
TROR

TROR

Well-Known Member
Speaking of the Yeti, a few sources are reporting it's going to be fixed. Those sources are citing a Rohde tweet as their source, however. So no, it's not going to be fixed. Why is there so much fake news?

 
shortstop

shortstop

Well-Known Member
bluerhythym said:
I mean, from Disney's perspective, they nailed it. All it took was a tiny investment to re-skin an existing an attraction, and they nab the highest grossing animated feature of all time. What's the problem? I don't doubt that we'll see a lot more re-skins in the future.

As for the actual park patrons, its terrible. But that's not important now is it?
Click to expand...
It might look like a tiny investment, but the actual price tag tells a different story. They spent a boatload of cash on what’s at best a slight aesthetic upgrade. How can that have been worth it??
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
Why would their be lots of trips up to Pixar? Haven't they heard of Webex or GotoMeeting? There is no reason to have in person meetings anymore. How hard is it come up with a static Mr. Incredible figure punching through a tunnel? They act like that was a difficult idea to come up with.
 
smile

smile

Well-Known Member
Phrubruh said:
Why would their be lots of trips up to Pixar? Haven't they heard of Webex or GotoMeeting? There is no reason to have in person meetings anymore. How hard is it come up with a static Mr. Incredible figure punching through a tunnel? They act like that was a difficult idea to come up with.
Click to expand...

it's not about pixar

in order to properly theme a pier, one has to become a pier...
and only by spending enough time among them in their natural habitats does one fully embrace their essence, obviously.

so, even if only a few cm's went (leadership), they dropped, at least, $100 mil on pier trips alone (if they did it right)...
that's what? only 20 mil or so left to convert an entire pier into a billboard?!

yeah. exactly... and they're the ones catching flak
...seen it a hundred times :cry:
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom