So is the Hyperion Wharf project dead?

[NMBC1993]

Please do. But if it really is "not happening", then what IS happening?

Didn't you hear? "The PI enchancements will not be complete until late 2012". They're just waiting for one of two things to happen. Either the economy picks up and companies start building again or the world ends and they won't have to admit they were wrong

 

[unkadug]

Didn't you hear? "The PI enchancements will not be complete until late 2012". They're just waiting for one of two things to happen. Either the economy picks up and companies start building again or the world ends and they won't have to admit they were wrong

That is the crux of the problem right there.

In a corporate environment admitting you were wrong is tantamount to failure.

It's always easier to place blame on outside forces than to admit failure, and it saves face also.

 

[COProgressFan]

That is the crux of the problem right there.

In a corporate environment admitting you were wrong is tantamount to failure.

It's always easier to place blame on outside forces than to admit failure, and it saves face also.

And Disney is notorious for doing this all the time. Its really hard to take anything they say at face value any more.

 

[VoiceGuy07]

How can anyone possibly say that closing the clubs was a bad idea? Look at the engaging entertainment at the ready these days.

(editorial note: no offense intended to the hired talent, they're great at what they do, but much preferred the opportunity to check out the clubs when visiting WDW. A lot of great clubs and great cast members who worked there. And even more preferred when you had to pay admission to get on PI)

 

[NowInc]

Excuse my rehashing of this old thread..but as I'm sure you already read..

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=771415

Already showing signs of what I said regarding this project "not happening". Things are already being announced that don't line up with this projects original proposal.

 

[wdwmagic]

Excuse my rehashing of this old thread..but as I'm sure you already read..

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=771415

Already showing signs of what I said regarding this project "not happening". Things are already being announced that don't line up with this projects original proposal.

This is on the West Side though. Hyperion Wharf is on the Pleasure Island location, and is very much happening. Have faith.

 

[Aero]

This is on the West Side though. Hyperion Wharf is on the Pleasure Island location, and is very much happening. Have faith.

No... from Disney's blog post:

"Over on Pleasure Island, we’ve completed removing some of the buildings that aren’t part of our future plans. During the course of this site work, we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them. What does this mean for you? While we’re moving quickly, it will admittedly cause a delay in construction. But we’re willing to bet that any delay will be worth the wait once we’re able to share details about the exciting work we’ve been doing."

They're clearly reassessing HW.

 

[PhilharMagician]

No... from Disney's blog post:

"Over on Pleasure Island, we’ve completed removing some of the buildings that aren’t part of our future plans. During the course of this site work, we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them. What does this mean for you? While we’re moving quickly, it will admittedly cause a delay in construction. But we’re willing to bet that any delay will be worth the wait once we’re able to share details about the exciting work we’ve been doing."

They're clearly reassessing HW.

I assume you do not have any faith?

This is some of the best news for the DTD complex in years.

 

[wdwmagic]

No... from Disney's blog post:

"Over on Pleasure Island, we’ve completed removing some of the buildings that aren’t part of our future plans. During the course of this site work, we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them. What does this mean for you? While we’re moving quickly, it will admittedly cause a delay in construction. But we’re willing to bet that any delay will be worth the wait once we’re able to share details about the exciting work we’ve been doing."

They're clearly reassessing HW.

When does reassessing mean canceling?

Hyperion Wharf is being reworked (improved), yes - cancelled, no. This is what "we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them" is alluding to. It is going to be better than originally planned, which is great news.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

When does reassessing mean canceling?

Hyperion Wharf is being reworked (improved), yes - cancelled, no.

You have to admit though, that last paragraph in the blog had all the marketing buzzwords of "We might have to redo this" However, I've trusted you for 10 years, so why stop now :ROFLOL:

 

[wdwmagic]

I've trusted you for 10 years, so why stop now :ROFLOL:

There you go! LOL

Seriously, I would love to be able to spill more info on this, but I can tell you that the reality is not at all like what you read on the internet. Plans are being improved on over what was originally designed, and it is going to happen. The delay will be worth it to get a better end product. Delays with projects have happened throughout WDW history, but now everything is examined so closely and in a very critical light.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

There you go! LOL

Seriously, I would love to be able to spill more info on this, but I can tell you that the reality is not at all like what you read on the internet. Plans are being improved on over what was originally designed, and it is going to happen. The delay will be worth it to get a better end product. Delays with projects have happened throughout WDW history, but now everything is examined so closely and in a very critical light.

While I miss the Adventurer's Club (and seriously think that of everything they could have kept that and it would have done well), I have a feeling that Disney is seeing how a lackluster PI area is hurting them now. I think that they are really looking at not just venues, but other potential opportunities that could draw people into that area. If they were smart they would figure something out (like the mini fireworks they used to have at PI) that could also help drive interest at SSR.

 

[zulemara]

There you go! LOL

Seriously, I would love to be able to spill more info on this, but I can tell you that the reality is not at all like what you read on the internet. Plans are being improved on over what was originally designed, and it is going to happen. The delay will be worth it to get a better end product. Delays with projects have happened throughout WDW history, but now everything is examined so closely and in a very critical light.

unless there is a dance club/ultra lounge(whatever they want to brand it as) I'm not interested. Are those really in the plans? are they looking at letting 3rd parties operate venues with a dance club component?

 

[DocMcHulk]

I got the impression that PI was getting to be too "adult" for some people. The changes we are seeing them making, like adding the bowling ally to West End and the Dine-In theater, seem to be keeping it adult oriented but not making it "adult".

Dose what I am saying make sense?

 

[wdwmagic]

While I miss the Adventurer's Club (and seriously think that of everything they could have kept that and it would have done well), I have a feeling that Disney is seeing how a lackluster PI area is hurting them now. I think that they are really looking at not just venues, but other potential opportunities that could draw people into that area. If they were smart they would figure something out (like the mini fireworks they used to have at PI) that could also help drive interest at SSR.

It has been said many times before, but the truth is the Adventurers Club was not self sustaining. At best, it broke even, and typically made a loss. The removal of the PI turnstyle gave it a few extra years as a last ditch attempt, but it still didn't turn a profit. No business can operate like that, not even one that is supported by Disney. They really did give it every chance to succeed, and the closure was not taken lightly.

Despite how the fans loved it, the masses did not. They did not get the inside jokes, they did not understand the repetition, and they did not spend money in there. The regulars ended up just buying cokes and water, so the upshot was it failed.

I really don't think they are hurting now. The restaurants are packed, Disney are not operating any loss making enterprises, and the plans are in the works to move things on and upwards. Despite the internet folklore about DTD, I think they are in a good place with it internally. Better than they have been for years.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

It has been said many times before, but the truth is the Adventurers Club was not self sustaining. At best, it broke even, and typically made a loss. The removal of the PI turnstyle gave it a few extra years as a last ditch attempt, but it still didn't turn a profit. No business can operate like that, not even one that is supported by Disney. They really did give it every chance to succeed, and the closure was not taken lightly.

Despite how the fans loved it, the masses did not. They did not get the inside jokes, they did not understand the repetition, and they did not spend money in there. The regulars ended up just buying cokes and water, so the upshot was it failed.

I really don't think they are hurting now. The restaurants are packed, Disney are not operating any loss making enterprises, and the plans are in the works to move things on and upwards. Despite the internet folklore about DTD, I think they are in a good place with it internally. Better than they have been for years.

I completely understand that, and I assume that if the place was making profit then it would still be opening. I had some ideas that might have worked for the place, but of course without the numbers to do any sort of financial analysis I would never know if they would have worked. I guess what I was saying is that they have been seeing what is ultimately a dead PI since they shut things down. I am sure that DTD as a whole still operates at a very nice margin, but that space in the middle is somewhat of an eyesore since it sits pretty empty most of the time with just not much there. I have faith here that Disney will do something alright with the area (even though I know that will probably get a tomato or two thrown at me here).

 

[wdwmagic]

I guess what I was saying is that they have been seeing what is ultimately a dead PI since they shut things down. I am sure that DTD as a whole still operates at a very nice margin, but that space in the middle is somewhat of an eyesore since it sits pretty empty most of the time with just not much there. I have faith here that Disney will do something alright with the area (even though I know that will probably get a tomato or two thrown at me here).

This is the part I keep reading and just don't understand where this is coming from. I have a lot of contacts through the site who are regulars in these areas, and they all tell me that the former PI is not dead. The walk-through traffic is there just as before, Raglan Road is packed, Cookes is packed, Curl is always full, as is Paradiso. No open businesses in that area are sitting empty, and it is not a ghost town. The closed business are obviously a problem (but are being addressed), so in terms of what is open, they appear to be busy. This concept of a ghost town is just not reality - the parking lots are just as busy as when PI was a club area. I'm gonna have to start getting PI crowd level photo updates I think to put this to bed once and for all LOL.

 

[lazyboy97o]

When does reassessing mean canceling?

Hyperion Wharf is being reworked (improved), yes - cancelled, no. This is what "we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them" is alluding to. It is going to be better than originally planned, which is great news.

This has been said for how many years now?

 

[scottnj1966]

This is the part I keep reading and just don't understand where this is coming from. I have a lot of contacts through the site who are regulars in these areas, and they all tell me that the former PI is not dead. The walk-through traffic is there just as before, Raglan Road is packed, Cookes is packed, Curl is always full, as is Paradiso. No open businesses in that area are sitting empty, and it is not a ghost town. The closed business are obviously a problem (but are being addressed), so in terms of what is open, they appear to be busy. This concept of a ghost town is just not reality - the parking lots are just as busy as when PI was a club area. I'm gonna have to start getting PI crowd level photo updates I think to put this to bed once and for all LOL.

Downtown Disney always has a packed parking lot, with so many people always visiting. It can be a Tuesday afternoon or a Saturday night. Whenever I have to go its always quite full. Maybe some of the places are not visited as much as the next, and I knwo they are working on it. As a whole, that area is making Disney a very large amount of money.
If it is not, than its a mangement problem and I do believe WDW has that problem all over their parks.

 

[wdwmagic]

This has been said for how many years now?

Hyperion Wharf was announced on Nov 18 2010. The improvements of those plans have taken place since sometime in early 2011 I believe. So we are currently just over half a year for talk on Hyperion.