PHOTO - New ground clearing taking place behind Harambe in Disney's Animal Kingdom

[danlb_2000]

So what is this exactly? An expansion of Harambe with another street, with new building facades, and a likely quick service restaurant and gift shop, is that right? I can't see the post where it's announced what it actually is.

That's because it hasn't been announced. Permits are calling it the "Africa Village", but beyond that it's just rumor and speculation as to what it will contain.

 

[Rob562]

I don't think it's been confirmed officially, but I believe the rumor is exactly what you've listed -- a quick service restaurant and a merch location, along with a path that would be an alternate route between Africa and Asia.

IIRC, the name "Mombasa Marketplace" was tossed around for the new area, though that might not have been real.

If I'm not mistaken, "Mombasa Marketplace" is the existing name of the gift shop closest to the Harambe train station.

And the leading presumption/insider info on this project is that it'll be a bottleneck relief pathway with a multiple-QSR counter setup similar to the Sunset Ranch Market at the Studios. (Though based on the aerial, it's smaller than Sunset, so probably only a couple counters)

-Rob

 

[Cesar R M]

they actually do care about energy, why else would they be exploring other options for the bus fleet etc
they use so much energy even small changes in policy/practice can make a big difference

destroying natural land to build solar farms definitely kills alot of the green aspect of them

the best place for them on property would be some of the big warehouses, rather than the park attraction buildings which would mean lots of little systems raising the costs tremendously

i highly doubt the bonds RCD uses are in the same pool that schools have access too.



warehouse roofs like Ikea does, is open space not used for anything else. No sense in destroying undeveloped land for a solar system

The most logical place to start would be the roof of the new laundry

they could also fill the parking lots. double win

energy for the company.. shadow for the parking clients.

 

[Cesar R M]

Let see... The restaurant is so popular that the TS portion of BoG is booked solid at 180 advance and you essentially need a FP invite to grab a sandwich without and extensive wait during QS hours.

Sounds like an incredible failure to me.

I think he means failure.. for the clients, not for the company.

 

[Master Yoda]

I think he means failure.. for the clients, not for the company.

How is a failure for the clients? Demand simply exceeds supply.

Now if everyone came out of BoG complaining that the food, service, etc were horrible, then I could see it being a failure to the clients, but that is not happening to any degree.

 

[BrerJon]

Let see... The restaurant is so popular that the TS portion of BoG is booked solid at 180 advance and you essentially need a FP invite to grab a sandwich without and extensive wait during QS hours.

Sounds like an incredible failure to me.

Ask the guys working in Guest Relations if the Guests being turned away consider it a roaring success.

The original idea of dual purpose was to allow guests who don't want a full table meal to still experience the restaurant. That aspect has failed, as now only those on the special email list who reserve a Fastpass in advance are eligible, so it's most definitely not a regular Quick Service open to anyone, as the lines of bewildered and disappointed guests at the Be Our Guest podium and at Guest Relations *every day* will attest.

Sure the restaurant itself has made tons of cash, good for them, but it's an outright lie to call it a Quick Service in the daytime when you can't get in without advance booking.

 

[jdmdisney99]

I doubt disney gives a hoot about energy prices if they had to add than hide (sight lines) a bunch of solar panels....even if you wanted to ride the solar bandwagon disney owns a ton of land it would make much more economical sense to cut a few acres up and turn them into solar farms...the only reason solar panels are so popular roof installed is lack of said land....most people don't have acres and acres to build solar farms..

Also I doubt disney would be interested in a deal with some solar outfit...RCD would likely just grab state bonds to the detriment of your favorite school district to pay for the solar.

If we're talking solar panels at WDW...hello Epcot parking lot...

Back on topic though, I am so happy to see the love going into AK to finally flesh it out.

 

[MarkTwain]

I believe that's actually the main point of the expansion is adding a quick service option.

Ever since Tusker house was turned into a Table Service, that section of the park has been desperately lacking a QSR option. With higher attendance expected in 2016 with Rivers of Light and again in 2017 with Avatar, this will be much needed and a relief on the rest of the land.

It's so nice to have an area with some depth. This is one of the things I like best about New Orleans Square. When your "village" is just a straight shot like it was, it's pretty obvious that you're being shuttled down a corridor with two backstage areas on either side.

Agreed. It's great that Disney is using building this for bottleneck relief, but it's even better that they're using this opportunity to add thematic depth and even added guest accommodations like shopping and dining. Harambe will feel much more like a real African village when all this is done.

It would've been great if they put this much effort into the Main Street bypass, creating a "second street" that expands the story of Main Street, while also adding more dining and shopping options to take pressure off Emporium, Casey's, etc.

 

[matt9112]

they actually do care about energy, why else would they be exploring other options for the bus fleet etc
they use so much energy even small changes in policy/practice can make a big difference

destroying natural land to build solar farms definitely kills alot of the green aspect of them

the best place for them on property would be some of the big warehouses, rather than the park attraction buildings which would mean lots of little systems raising the costs tremendously

i highly doubt the bonds RCD uses are in the same pool that schools have access too.



warehouse roofs like Ikea does, is open space not used for anything else. No sense in destroying undeveloped land for a solar system

The most logical place to start would be the roof of the new laundry

The bond's RCD uses as a municipality are/were the same ones county's vied for for there own uses. It may have changed but in the earlier years I am 100% sure.

Green energy is only appealing if it saves money (economic principles) besides whenever they do develope land they set aside land for wildlife...but this is hardly Disney's warm hearted nature. But a compromise struck with florida. And your comment on the green fleet is rooted in a small public relations gain but the added cost still isn't economicly viable...just ask coke or ups....they have some of the largest numbers of hybrid trucks and still its a small portion of there overall fleet.

 

[MichWolv]

Ask the guys working in Guest Relations if the Guests being turned away consider it a roaring success.

The original idea of dual purpose was to allow guests who don't want a full table meal to still experience the restaurant. That aspect has failed, as now only those on the special email list who reserve a Fastpass in advance are eligible, so it's most definitely not a regular Quick Service open to anyone, as the lines of bewildered and disappointed guests at the Be Our Guest podium and at Guest Relations *every day* will attest.

Sure the restaurant itself has made tons of cash, good for them, but it's an outright lie to call it a Quick Service in the daytime when you can't get in without advance booking.

So it's a failure because it's too popular to fulfill the mission you describe? Your logic is irrefutable...

 

[matt9112]

If we're talking solar panels at WDW...hello Epcot parking lot...

Back on topic though, I am so happy to see the love going into AK to finally flesh it out.

I could see this on a small scale (like the photo) at front of park for PR gain but hardly lot wide.

 

[Victor Kelly]

If Disney wants to go green, they need to build garages Universal style. They have huge parking lots at Disney. Condense into multistory garages then put solar panels everywhere on them.

 

[matt9112]

I thought this forum was to discuss the ground clearing behind Harambe?

wrong.....=)

 

[RayTheFirefly]

That was my bad. But in my defense, I said that I wanted Harambe's new buildings to include eco-roofs. So it was on topic.

 

[mp2bill]

I could see this on a small scale (like the photo) at front of park for PR gain but hardly lot wide.

Why?

 

[Macca250]

I know this will ease congestion and anything added is great, but the sinic inside me also sees far more capacity for a certain hard ticket event that proved rather popular this year... Maybe that's why it's getting so much attention over just being a pathway to connect Asia.

 

[flyerjab]

I know this will ease congestion and anything added is great, but the sinic inside me also sees far more capacity for a certain hard ticket event that proved rather popular this year... Maybe that's why it's getting so much attention over just being a pathway to connect Asia.

If they were increasing the size of the show building for the Harambe Nights up-charge event I would agree. But I doubt that is happening.

In terms of BOG being a failure, this is how I see it. BOG is a ridiculous success. The failure on WDW's part is to create more food options like this at MK. The park is huge and, agree with the numbers or not, 18,000,000 clicks of the turnstiles. Crazy numbers like that deserve more TS options in that park. In my mind there are now 2 big food draws - BOG and Cindy's Royal Table. The Liberty Tree Tavern I suppose can be added to the list but man, WDW can do better than that. From what I read on here there are empty eateries at several locations in the MK and they should be opened again, giving guests a multitude of food options. We shouldn't have to depend on the monorail resorts for additional offerings.

Back to DAK, the addition of the Lion King Festival area built that area out so nice. This just adds to it even more. I hope that it is a success and they look to Asia and/or Dinoland USA next. There could still be a few small additions like this as the park rounds itself out over the next few years. I am not holding my breath but it seems slightly odd that Africa is being added onto while Asia and Dinoland not so much.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

This^^^

Solar panels for roofs, solar roads, etc are great when space is at a premium, but the same or better results can be had for less money when space is plentiful.

I'm surprised, though, that they don't at least do a better job of keeping white coatings on the roofs of all the massive show buildings. In a hot hot place like Florida, I'm sure the energy savings would pay for a coat of white paint everywhere.

 

[Master Yoda]

If Disney wants to go green, they need to build garages Universal style. They have huge parking lots at Disney. Condense into multistory garages then put solar panels everywhere on them.

Aside from solar panels, how exactly would this be green?

Building a parking garage would use vast amounts of steel and concrete not to mention cost 20 times or more to build than a parking lot. Producing steel and concrete have one hell of a carbon footprint.

Then what do you do with the lots that are already there? Rip them up and send a few million cubic feet of asphalt to a landfill?

The only reason US or anyone else for that matter builds a parking garage is when they have no other choice.

 

[BrerJon]

So it's a failure because it's too popular to fulfill the mission you describe? Your logic is irrefutable...

It doesn't matter why it failed that mission, even if it was down to popularity, it still failed, and had to adopt a new mission, so any new restaurant would have to take that into account before opening with a policy of 'open to everyone' that has proved unworkable at Be Our Guest.