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Question about Na'vi river journey
- Thread starter Bacon
- Start date
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Walt announced Epcot in 1966 (albeit in a different form) and it opened in 1982. So technically Avatar is on the Epcot timeline.
flyerjab
Well-Known Member
This is a great point to make. People look at Pandora and say that it took over 3 years and compare it to EPCOT (nothing wrong with doing that by the way). However, in reality, when EPCOT was being built, how many other projects were on going at the same time in WDW? You sort of have to take into consideration the resort as a whole. There has been construction going on constantly at multiple, multiple locations at any given time over the past several years. It would be interesting to line these up to see which ones have been happening concurrently, ones that end as others begin, etc. At one point you had Pandora, RoL theater, Harambe Marketplace, path widening and addition of shopping, along with cosmetic changes throughout DAK. Couple that with countless builds at Disney Springs, the Hub and bypass project at MK, a second ferry boat dock, DVC at the Poly and upgrades and changes throughout the entire Poly resort, multiple MK rehabs, demolition for both Toy Story and Star Wars Land, rehabs and change outs of multiple resorts - both soft and hard goods, Frozen Ever After and expansion of the Norway Pavilion, major roadwork and highway projects for infrastructure improvements, and don't forget the removal of the race track and the expansion at WWoS. I mean in reality, WDW is one HUGE construction project that is going on resort-wide for some time now. I think that the scale and scope gets lost because of how large the resort is now compared to when just EPCOT was being constructed. There are a ton of projects happening simultaneously all over the larger resort as I type this. There are definitely comparisons to be made. I also think that they could build it today in 3 to 3 and a half years - if that was the one thing that they were doing.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Agreed 100%. My entire point in this long drawn out conversation tangent is that TWDC of today would never take on a project the size and scope of EPCOT and try to complete it in 3 years time. I have no doubt if they threw enough resources at it they could pull it off, but they wouldn't even try. If they decided on a 5th gate at WDW I have no doubt it would open in phases and have the construction spread out. Even AK had that to an extent and that was almost 20 years ago. The company today has a more slow and steady pace to it's projects and usually takes the safe road. Shanghai is probably the biggest risk they have taken recently but that's more due to the foreign political risk.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
The question is would TWDC of today build a project the size and scope of EPCOT today and finish it in 3 years? I never disputed that if they threw enough resources and money at it they could accomplish it.
gorillaball
Well-Known Member
I'll bet. If it breaks down I'll buy you 10 meals of your favorite chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers. If it doesn't break down you leave the message boards. Deal?
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
LOL Irony indeed. I just responded talking about chicken breast nuggets. I think the better deal is you turn into a barf bag
Ala, Dorothy Zabornak
None. They literally had no slack with EPCOT Center AND Tokyo Disneyland under construction.
A better comparison would be WDW from 1986 to 1989.
You're not talking about money for that, are you?
Time, manpower and money.
Well, money to pay the imagineers, but Disney spent not one dime actually building it.
EPCOT Center? They most certainly did.
Sorry, I was talking about the original build of Tokyo Disneyland.
jt04
Well-Known Member
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
How long did Shanghai take again? I mean, that's our closest modern day comparison to a GIANT Disney project... but we must factor in the fact they were building it in China...
Alektronic
Well-Known Member
For the most part, it is really impressive. There is still a lot of work to do, but most of it is show and theming, when it is finally done and everything is working and turned on I think it will be amazing, especially at night.
rreading
Well-Known Member
It's a legitimate question, but my - non insider- understanding is that the fact that they did it before with EPCOT previously is probably the same reason they won't again: apparently Disney became quite overextended which threatened the finances of the company.
Unless that's just urban legend.
But if they felt that they could, I'd sure love to see it happen.
However, I don't think I'll ever expect a fifth gate.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
TWDC was a much smaller company back when EPCOT was built. The cost as a percentage of market cap or free cash flows or whatever metric you want to use was huge. It was a big financial risk. Even a 5th gate today wouldn't be the same financial burden and if they did build a 5th gate it would probably open in phases similar to AK where the original core attractions opened with the grand opening but additional lands and rides were added shortly after (or in the case of Avatar for Beastly Kingdom, not so shortly after). The costs would be spread.
Matt Stevens
Member
There are no drops on the ride