Rumor: Details on Disney's Hollywood Adventure

[CaptainAmerica]

If it's the invoices from WDI that are to blame for these hugely inflated budgets, why does the other Creative company not suffer those problems, I wonder?

Is there some 'secret sauce' of budget management that WDI could poach, perhaps? Imagine if WDI could learn to create attractions with the same quality and efficiency for the same money... they'd clean up.

Exactly. WDI can make magic but they want unlimited funds to do it. Rather than figure out how to do more with less (as WWOHP proved possible), they spend carelessly and then blame Finance when they can't implement all of the design elements within the allotted budget. It's relatively rare that budgets on particular things are cut for no reason. If cut, it's usually to make up for overages elsewhere.

 

[Marlins1]

I think the problem with Muppets is that its in the center of where all this expansion is going. The three options I see are either demolish it, move it somewhere else or come up with a theme that makes some sense of why its there ( ie. the Muppets have come to visit the Pixar characters ).

Yes the location creates a challenge. I like Indiana Jones and think Muppets could be great again with a new film but Star Tours is in the middle so I can't imagine a scenario where both of those stay - if either. Well, actually I can but it would mean a really lame Star Wars expansion.

 

[Sonconato]

(This probably was said but I'm saying it anyways) Disney should wait for the Muppets show on ABC to see if Muppet Vision 3D can be built on or stay at DHS through the expansion. And I think they really shouldn't just pack the park with Pixar and Star Wars. The plan everyone is suggesting sounds like half the park will be Star Wars.

I certainly hope there will be more attractions than just Star Wars! Remember how they had to change the Fantasyland expansion at the last minute since it was all Princesses. And that wasn't half the park. Too much of one thing is NOT good.

 

[NoChesterHester]

If it's the invoices from WDI that are to blame for these hugely inflated budgets, why does the other Creative company not suffer those problems, I wonder?

Is there some 'secret sauce' of budget management that WDI could poach, perhaps? Imagine if WDI could learn to create attractions with the same quality and efficiency for the same money... they'd clean up.

Simple, WDI employs hundreds and all those layers have to justify their existence. Most work is done in house including art implementation. It is expensive. It can yield amazing results. It can also be slow and bloated.

Universal Creative directly employs dozens and operates more as a management company utilizing third parties to do the heavy lifting / production. This is more cost competitive. It can also yield amazing results if proper direction is maintained.

There are rumblings that Disney is actively looking at the UC model for the future.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I dunno what you want of the creatives. They're busting their butts on great, new projects. Unfortunately, these BEAN counters slash the budget til the project is canned, or at least neutered.

Misconception. It is the design professionals responsibility to design to a budget. The budgets are getting blown by redesigns, reworks, time over runs, layers of management oversight, and in-field changes (really expensive). The budget folks doing the predesign work know this and pad the budgets to cover for this WDI mismanagement. It then becomes harder for the bean counters to justify the approval of projects that are bloated from the very beginning. They are protecting their bloated management style through the budgetary process.

 

[Sonconato]

(This probably was said but I'm saying it anyways) Disney should wait for the Muppets show on ABC to see if Muppet Vision 3D can be built on or stay at DHS through the expansion. And I think they really shouldn't just pack the park with Pixar and Star Wars. The plan everyone is suggesting sounds like half the park will be Star Wars.

I certainly hope there will be more attractions than just Star Wars! Remember how they had to change the Fantasyland expansion at the last minute since it was all Princesses. And that wasn't half the park. Too much of one thing is NOT good.

I'm expecting to be underwhelmed, I'm not even sure TWDC has the capability anymore to BE amazing

How can you not be amazed! They're spending twice as much as they did on this and look what it got you:

I really hope they pull through on this!

 

[NoChesterHester]

Iger says the new Star Wars movies will be the focus in the parks - rumor has it Skellig Michael Island will be a major focus. Will WDW get a land similar to Avatar?
View attachment 99700

It is my understanding that we should take a closer look at Yavin 4... That planet / moon may be the bridge between the old trilogy and the new. Monumental architecture, cool landscape, and it plays a central role in the story of the past and future.

 

[SJN1279]

For a company that built Forbidden Journey for $80 million that 500m can go an awful long way.

TWDC HAS to learn to control costs and spend better.

They should have spent 100+, and did a low intensity and high intensity version of the ride vehicles, like the Sum of All Thrills in Epcot/Mission Space in Epcot.

 

[SJN1279]

Sometimes, yes. But they've also had projects with VERY workable budgets that they've blown on ridiculous expenditures. You hear stories about Joe Rohde's expense reports when when were doing EE...

Yes, that attraction was horribly under-budgeted. So much dead space before the lift-hill. No show scene at the track switch, so-so Yeti projection, and now broken Yeti. Oh, and where is the epic soundtrack? Don't just fix the Yeti, revamp the entire attraction. It needs it!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Sometimes, yes. But they've also had projects with VERY workable budgets that they've blown on ridiculous expenditures. You hear stories about Joe Rohde's expense reports when when were doing EE...

I don't understand why some still think Rohde is a rock star. That Yeti ride is an embarrassment. Now he's all into Avatar while his "baby" is still broken. Is he even trying to get it fixed?

 

[PhotoDave219]

I certainly hope there will be more attractions than just Star Wars! Remember how they had to change the Fantasyland expansion at the last minute since it was all Princesses. And that wasn't half the park. Too much of one thing is NOT good.

Pixar as well. Big Pixar place expansion.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It is my understanding that we should take a closer look at Yavin 4... That planet / moon may be the bridge between the old trilogy and the new. Monumental architecture, cool landscape, and it plays a central role in the story of the past and future.

I haven't heard this but I really like the way you phrase that.....

 

[Brer Panther]

Pixar as well. Big Pixar place expansion.

Considering it was recently posted on this forum that there was gonna be a Tommorowland refurbishment, maybe Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor will finally be moved there?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Considering it was recently posted on this forum that there was gonna be a Tommorowland refurbishment, maybe Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor will finally be moved there?

Nooooooooooope.

Tomorrowland refurb was not part of the Board meeting or so says @WDW1974.

So that's not happening.

Serious question tho: why do people think that attractions can be picked up and moved from park to park?

 

[FrankLapidus]

I don't understand why some still think Rohde is a rock star. That Yeti ride is an embarrassment. Now he's all into Avatar while his "baby" is still broken. Is he even trying to get it fixed?

Is he into Avatar because he had/has a genuine passion to bring it to the park or because he's been told that he has to be into it?

I seem to remember the early talk when it was announced was that Rohde was not involved in the decision to bring Avatar to DAK and was on board mainly because it represented the investment he'd been pushing for for "his" park.

Maybe I'm imagining it but thinking back I do recall talk along those lines, that Rohde was not particularly enthusiastic about Avatar.

 

[BrerJon]

Serious question tho: why do people think that attractions can be picked up and moved from park to park?

I think lots of people just don't understand construction. Look at all the people who talked about moving the BAH all over the place - then when it was demolished it was *obvious* it had to be smashed to bits and couldn't be moved.

Although the exception is stage productions and movies which are easy to move - 'Magic Journeys' moved from Epcot to Magic Kingdom - but that's a rare exception.

 

[AEfx]

Quoting from Comcast's annual report:

Our Theme Parks segment consists primarily of our Universal theme parks in Orlando, Florida and Hollywood, California. Universal Orlando includes two theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, as well as CityWalk, a dining, retail and entertainment complex. Universal Orlando also features on-site themed hotels in which we own a noncontrolling interest. Our Universal theme park in Hollywood, California consists primarily of Universal Studios Hollywood. In addition, we license the right to use the Universal Studios brand name and other intellectual property, and also provide other services, to third parties that own and operate the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, Japan and the Universal Studios Singapore theme park on Sentosa Island, Singapore. We also own a water park, Wet ‘n Wild, in Orlando, Florida.​

The properties in Japan and Singapore are more akin to Tokyo Disneyland. The Walt Disney Company does not pay for TDL's capital expenditures. Similarly, Universal does not pay for projects in Japan and Singapore.

STOP IT!

We cannot take your good sense and logic here. We have no time for "facts" or "solid reasoning".

 

[NoChesterHester]

I think lots of people just don't understand construction. Look at all the people who talked about moving the BAH all over the place - then when it was demolished it was *obvious* it had to be smashed to bits and couldn't be moved.

Although the exception is stage productions and movies which are easy to move - 'Magic Journeys' moved from Epcot to Magic Kingdom - but that's a rare exception.

This is especially true of modern construction where we account for anchoring buildings for Hurricane force winds in Florida, or in California to resist an earthquake. These are permanent structures.

 

[Crazy Harry]

Serious question tho: why do people think that attractions can be picked up and moved from park to park?

Because it has happened before i.e. carousel of progress. Some people make it sound easy, and make grandiose assumptions like the cost effectiveness relative to any benefit of making the move. Then there is the simple fact that fans want some cohesiveness of theme and the general public illustrates its contentment with notable properties everywhere regardless of adherence to any particular theme.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Because it has happened before i.e. carousel of progress. Some people make it sound easy, and make grandiose assumptions like the cost effectiveness relative to any benefit of making the move. Then there is the simple fact that fans want some cohesiveness of theme and the general public illustrates its contentment with notable properties everywhere regardless of adherence to any particular theme.

That moved from California to Florida. Not from park to park.