Rumor: Details on Disney's Hollywood Adventure

[dizneycrazy09]

I heard from Screamscape that at D23 Expo for August Disney will make announcement about the new theme and new name for the Disney Hollywood Studios and Including Monster inc, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles , and Star Wars land and Cars Land attractions you wait and see the for the official name for the Disney Hollywood Studios! next month!

I hope you brought the salt...It is Screamscape.

 

[djkidkaz]

I really do think people on these boards sometimes underestimate how much one billion dollars is, let alone two or three

How much is it? I'd like to see someone put it in perspective. If DHS is getting say 2.5 billion, what is the expectation from people who know what could be done for that amount?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Well, then, where do you stand on bringing in The Indiana Jones Adventure from DL, which is the same ride system and Dinosaur (formerly Countdown to Extinction)? Does the ride system take on enough of a profile in those rides to be considered part of the ride's DNA (no pun intended with the Dino ride)?

And this one may be less obvious, but the same is also true of Ellen's Energy ride and The Great Movie Ride. Both use essentially the same ride vehicles, with a human "host."

I guess my thought is that, while I can see Dave's argument (and tend to want to agree), I have to wonder where the line is, on where the ride system is an integral part to the identity of the ride -- and whether it should be more like comparing roller-coasters, where we understand and anticipate the same (or very similar) ride system, but look to the theming and other parts of the ride to make the difference. That is what makes Pirates not Small World.

I'm not sure there is a hard-and-fast "line." It's just a gut thing. If someone asked you to describe Small World, it's unlikely that you'd describe it as "Pirates with dolls." However, I think you would be more likely to describe RSR as "Test Track, but Cars."

 

[CaptainAmerica]

How much is it? I'd like to see someone put it in perspective. If DHS is getting say 2.5 billion, what is the expectation from people who know what could be done for that amount?

DAK was a billion. The whole thing.

 

[JEANYLASER]

The early word is that the new theme, expansion plans and the new name for Disney's Hollywood Studios will be announced at the D23 Expo 2015 on August 15th during the presentation from the "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts" on the event schedule.
Meanwhile this article claims that Disney may have approved a decade long $3 billion plan to overhaul the studios into what they call "Disney's Hollywood Adventure", where the park will see now only more Star Wars themeing added, but much more PIXAR related themes as well as an expansion of the Indiana Jones theme.
The brief rundown claims that the Jedi Academy will move to an new nearby indoor theater location (likely the former American Idol or Sounds Dangerous theaters), with the Echo Lake area to become Dagobah themed and allow for 2 new Star Wars themed attractions, plus new dining and retail opportunities.
They claim the long in the tooth Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular will close down, but a new Indiana Jones area that will feature an updated Indiana Jones Adventure style dark ride experience may be on the way as a worthy replacement.
Finally PIXAR's role in the park will be expanded by three new attractions themed to their movies and characters. While they don't say what these will be, I know we've heard of prior plans to build both a Finding Nemo themed Crush's Coaster and a Monster's Inc. dark ride or indoor coaster attraction in the past, so perhaps one of those plans could return. A ride themed to The Incredibles would also be a great idea, especially as a sequel film is said to finally be in the works. source Screamscape!

 

[djkidkaz]

Cat and E.T. are the only current attractions with height requirements where this kind of thing would ever happen. Universal is known for having an extra kick. But those KUKA arms and over-the-head restraints pretty much require FJ to have a 48" requirement.


It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that DHS will have at least one attendance decline over the next 5-6 years.

Especially with Frozenstrom over at Epcot, AK getting some new stuff, MK still being the king, and Universal Orlando adding E-tickets left and right... where's the room for a 6th day at a park which will have 7-8 attractions for at least a brief portion of this overhaul?

DHS will be lucky to have 9 million/yr if it takes until 2018/2019 to open the Pixar stuff.


But the problem is that many of the attractions slated for closure in the near future (Indiana Jones, B&TB, Mermaid, Disney Jr., Muppets, LMA) and one in particular that's already closed (Backlot Tour) were C-ticket people-eaters in a park desperate for them. Or they're A/B (One Man's Drean, Captain Jack, Animation, etc) meant to divert guests off pathways.

DHS can't feasibly sustain 10m+/yr with just TSMM, GMR, Star Tours, ToT and RnRC. RnRC/TSMM have horrible hourly capacity, so there's only 3 people-eaters in the bunch.

People say USF/IOA can't fit much more than 10 million/yr, yet DHS can with zero shows, large sections of the park under construction/shuttered, and 5 real attractions?

Sure it can, that's where the park hopper comes in. People will hit Studios in the morning giving it the first click for attendance and then spend the rest of their day elsewhere.

 

[Master Yoda]

DAK was a billion. The whole thing.

Well, phase 1 at least which did not include Asia. That would begin to open about a year later. It is also worth noting that is in 1998 dollars. The price of steel and concrete have nearly doubled since 1998 so a billion does not go quite as far these days.

 

[Brian Swan]

Why? We already have test track.

This is one of the few instances where I have to (respectfully) disagree with you. Comparing TT to RSR is along the lines of comparing Little Mermaid to the HM; they use similar ride systems. But RSR SO far surpasses TT in theming, details, story, AAs and involvement (and just about everything else) that it really is in a different league. And RSR is only one element of "Carsland" - one of (if not) the most immersive "lands" in any of the 6 US Disney parks. Although my hopes are not very high that we'll ever see a Carsland at DHS, it would be an amazing addition.

 

[Brian Swan]

I have also heard rumor that Mama Melrose and the Christmas Shop are going to close by the end of the year. Right now you can not get a dining reservation at Mama Melrose past December 5th. I called Disney Dining and they stated their was no inventory listed. They said it could be a refurbishment or some other change.

That makes classic Disney sense - close an always packed-to-the-rafters TS - AND a Christmas Shop - just before the Holidays, right in the middle of what may well be the last year of the Osborn Lights...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Well, phase 1 at least which did not include Asia. That would begin to open about a year later. It is also worth noting that is in 1998 dollars. The price of steel and concrete have nearly doubled since 1998 so a billion does not go quite as far these days.

Still, we're talking $3B. Even if the price of everything doubled, $3B is enough for something the scope and scale of ALL OF DAK to be built within DHS. To that I say .

 

[Master Yoda]

Still, we're talking $3B. Even if the price of everything doubled, $3B is enough for something the scope and scale of ALL OF DAK to be built within DHS. To that I say .

I am pretty jazzed about the number. The only thing that has me apprehensive is how WDI can flat out burn stacks of cash.

 

[flyerjab]

I am apologizing ahead of time in case this was already discussed. I was on the Disney blog site today and they have a post up regarding the wildfire rumors about the 3+ billion budget approved for DHS (and other stuff). They were discussing how Disney can't use the main Marvel based characters east of the Mississippi. However, one point of interest in the blog was the following:

...yesterday evening James Gunn, who directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and is currently in pre-production on its sequel, held a periscope chat where he didn’t talk too much about the sequel, but I’m told he did mention how excited he was about an upcoming Disney World ride based on Guardians of the Galaxy. Wait? Could that even happen? Gunn has since deleted the periscope, so perhaps he leaked something he wasn’t supposed to?

So, do people on other sites not as cool as this one make stuff up? Or did anyone else anywhere here about this? Just curious.

 

[danlb_2000]

I am apologizing ahead of time in case this was already discussed. I was on the Disney blog site today and they have a post up regarding the wildfire rumors about the 3+ billion budget approved for DHS (and other stuff). They were discussing how Disney can't use the main Marvel based characters east of the Mississippi. However, one point of interest in the blog was the following:

...yesterday evening James Gunn, who directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and is currently in pre-production on its sequel, held a periscope chat where he didn’t talk too much about the sequel, but I’m told he did mention how excited he was about an upcoming Disney World ride based on Guardians of the Galaxy. Wait? Could that even happen? Gunn has since deleted the periscope, so perhaps he leaked something he wasn’t supposed to?

So, do people on other sites not as cool as this one make stuff up? Or did anyone else anywhere here about this? Just curious.

The Disney Blog is a pretty decent site, so I highly doubt they would make up this story. Of course it's possible they misheard what was said, or they may be getting it second had.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I am apologizing ahead of time in case this was already discussed. I was on the Disney blog site today and they have a post up regarding the wildfire rumors about the 3+ billion budget approved for DHS (and other stuff). They were discussing how Disney can't use the main Marvel based characters east of the Mississippi. However, one point of interest in the blog was the following:

...yesterday evening James Gunn, who directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and is currently in pre-production on its sequel, held a periscope chat where he didn’t talk too much about the sequel, but I’m told he did mention how excited he was about an upcoming Disney World ride based on Guardians of the Galaxy. Wait? Could that even happen? Gunn has since deleted the periscope, so perhaps he leaked something he wasn’t supposed to?

So, do people on other sites not as cool as this one make stuff up? Or did anyone else anywhere here about this? Just curious.

For real? Guardians to DHS? Anyone? @marni1971 @Lee @WDW1974 @articos

 

[Brian Swan]

The percent of people who will also visit Disneyland in their lifetime is a tiny fraction of the total population of WDW guests. Of that small percentage, some subset of them would actually be bothered by a cloned ride. Of that subset, an even smaller subset would actually do anything (i.e. not visit) about it. It makes absolutely no sense to make hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars decisions based on such a small group of people, the majority of whom are the most hardcore Disneyphiles on earth and will continue to visit and spend regardless.

Over the years I have spent roughly the same number of days at each of the two resorts, and have no problem with "clones". But most of the "clones" are not really "clones", but rather variations on a theme. Splash, HM, iasw, Pooh, PP SM, AO, Buzz, ToT, and BTMRR are all on both coasts, but have differences (sometimes considerable ones).

 

[Bocabear]

I just hope the new expanded Pixar Place has things based on properties other than Toy Story....they have done other movies and better movies...and we have enough Toy Story themed shooting gallery rides at WDW...

 

[Stevie Amsterdam]

The percent of people who will also visit Disneyland in their lifetime is a tiny fraction of the total population of WDW guests. Of that small percentage, some subset of them would actually be bothered by a cloned ride. Of that subset, an even smaller subset would actually do anything (i.e. not visit) about it. It makes absolutely no sense to make hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars decisions based on such a small group of people, the majority of whom are the most hardcore Disneyphiles on earth and will continue to visit and spend regardless.

By using words as upset and bothered I am afraid you're missing the point I'm trying to make (my bad). Rather than being bothered with having the same park cloned all over the globe, I am in the other end of the spectrum and appreciating the uniqueness of individual attractions in each of the parks. I also believe that it drives people to go and visit other parks around the world, because we're always on the lookout for something new.

With regards to the "hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars decisions" argument; I have many American friends who made the effort to visit Walt Disney Studios at DLP just for Ratatouille the ride (ok, and Crush Coaster). WDS is the smallest and least favorite park to Disneyphiles, yet this 200M euro (270M usd!) ride has not been built just to entertain the domestic French guests, but rather aiming at international guests coming from Europe, The US and Asia.

Of course I'm not saying that a single attraction will make people travel half accross the world. I am saying however that if each Disney park would be a clone and thus have no unique rides to it, people would be less interested to spend their money when abroad, only to find the same rides as to what they have at home.

On a side note; could someone please help me understand when to use 'attraction' and when to use 'ride'? I'm not a native speaker but willing to learn

 

[JurassicKat]

I am apologizing ahead of time in case this was already discussed. I was on the Disney blog site today and they have a post up regarding the wildfire rumors about the 3+ billion budget approved for DHS (and other stuff). They were discussing how Disney can't use the main Marvel based characters east of the Mississippi. However, one point of interest in the blog was the following:

...yesterday evening James Gunn, who directed Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and is currently in pre-production on its sequel, held a periscope chat where he didn’t talk too much about the sequel, but I’m told he did mention how excited he was about an upcoming Disney World ride based on Guardians of the Galaxy. Wait? Could that even happen? Gunn has since deleted the periscope, so perhaps he leaked something he wasn’t supposed to?

So, do people on other sites not as cool as this one make stuff up? Or did anyone else anywhere here about this? Just curious.

I do believe, and correct me if I am wrong, that Guardians is one of the Marvel franchises Disney could use on the East Coast because it wasnt part of the big Marvel/Universal deal. But I could have wrong info, but it would be awesome to see a GOTG ride or even the meet and greets back.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

On a side note; could someone please help me understand when to use 'attraction' and when to use 'ride'? I'm not a native speaker but willing to learn

"Ride" indicates that you physically board some kind of vehicle and move. "Attraction" includes rides but also includes things like stage shows, meet and greets, walkthroughs, etc. Tower of Terror is both a ride and an attraction. One Man's Dream is an attraction, but not a ride. If you say "attraction" for everything, you'll never be wrong.

 

[Stevie Amsterdam]

Thanks!