Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

asianway

asianway

Well-Known Member
alphac2005 said:
One caveat, Dr. Phillips High School isn't your standard run of the mill sized school, it's huge and now has something around 3700 students. So, the cost involved will be much higher than most school projects especially considering the sports and arts program at the school. I remember that when I lived down there that the school was woefully overburdened with the number of students compared to what its build size was, which I believe was for 2300 or 2400 students.

My point is just that it's much grander than a standard school, you also need to have a school housed in close relation to where the current property is and there isn't much to go around for a campus of those needs, and it's naive to think that the county would do anything but charge an extremely high premium to sell the land. New schools are far from cheap today, so between the land acquisition costs and act build costs, I personally think it's a moot point.

While there might not be a profit motive, the pols of Orange County have a constituent cost and opposition to something like this idea would probably be sky high.
Click to expand...
If the school is overburdened, building them a larger school seems to be the ultimate win - win.
 
culturenthrills

culturenthrills

Well-Known Member
asianway said:
If the school is overburdened, building them a larger school seems to be the ultimate win - win.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if 2 schools might be needed to be built.

With all the budget shortfalls the school system has had over the last few years I think if the money is right and would help plug those shortfalls for a few years plus get 1 or 2 new state of the art high schools out of it that might get past any pushback the school board gets. Money seems to almost always win in Florida.
 
alphac2005

alphac2005

Well-Known Member
photoginit said:
I wouldn't be surprised if 2 schools might be needed to be built.

With all the budget shortfalls the school system has had over the last few years I think if the money is right and would help plug those shortfalls for a few years plus get 1 or 2 new state of the art high schools out of it that might get past any pushback the school board gets. Money seems to almost always win in Florida.
Click to expand...

The state has been littered with overburdened schools for years and there hasn't been much of any push to get anything done. Now, this is the state that is willing to find nearly any part of a school suitable for advertising, so you never know. You break Dr. Phillips into two schools and you have two operating budgets and while they could cover it short-term through some purchasing deal, I don't think the Orange County School Board wants that additional long-term cost. Who knows? I'd be willing to bet that there is better property that Comcast would look at that isn't staring at the back of the Jurassic Park show building.
 
the.dreamfinder

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
I don't see Doctor Phillips moving, but I could totally see Comcast putting a lot of money up to turn their north campus of trailer offices into a proper state of the art high school as a neighborly gesture.
 
BryceM

BryceM

Well-Known Member
Speaking of Doctor Phillips, I wonder how rough it must be being right behind Islands of Adventure while in class. Very taunting, but also distracting, especially with Dragon Challenge being right there. I hope the sound barrier works like its supposed to, no matter how ugly it is.
 
Mr Bill

Mr Bill

Well-Known Member
BryceM said:
Speaking of Doctor Phillips, I wonder how rough it must be being right behind Islands of Adventure while in class. Very taunting, but also distracting, especially with Dragon Challenge being right there. I hope the sound barrier works like its supposed to, no matter how ugly it is.
Click to expand...

Dr. Phillips is a nice cool but it's gotta suck going in every day knowing that Hogwarts is literally across the street.
 
culturenthrills

culturenthrills

Well-Known Member
You know looking at the property UNI has they have room for either 2 more resorts or 1 resort and a waterpark. However if they were to expand around Wet and Wild, using Wet and Wilds property and buying up all the land from I Drive to Kirkman and Carrier. This is pretty much the last area of I Drive that is pretty old and run down and they are some empty lots. Don't know if this area is all in Orange County or partly in Orlando. They would have enough room for a 3rd park, parking garage and possibly a resort depending on how much land they take over.

However, would they buy back some of the land GE sold off like the apartment complex and the office buildings and build something in those areas.

The real interesting this to me is if they build a 3rd park that is away from the others how are they gonna connect them. Would they use some form of nicely themed elevated railway or wouldn't it be hilarious if they went right after Disney and connected the parks, resorts and CityWalk with an automated monorail. I can't imagine they would use busses. One of UNI selling points is how self contained they are.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was thinking about Disney's problems with creating content vs. buying it yesterday after talking to a friend in LA. We joked a bit about how Disney's film strategy is fatally flawed (yep, Pirates 7 and Thor 4 are gonna be huge!) when the subject came around to new blood.

The biggest problem with Disney leadership right now overall is that it is entrenched with Disney people. Folks who -- with the exception of Alan Horn -- have been with the company forever. ... It's funny when people look at a guy like Tom Staggs like he is new fresh meat when he has been with the company for 23 years, since joining the hated Strategic Planning unit.

When that trend ends, then you might see fundamental shifts in the way Disney operates.

There is some talk that Horn may replace Iger, and while he'd be capable, I don't see that happening due to his age. At Disney 50 is the new 70!

... anyway, couldn't help but move over to the WDI side of things. No word on Joe Rohde's fate, but he was pulled from the lineup late and that never means good things. One has to wonder what kind of company would keep Tony Baxter and his LARGE contract on the payroll for 15 years of essentially doing nothing. Rohde has been steadily working, which tells you how well Tony was able to play politics.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
flynnibus said:
I've been going to WDW for 32+ years and I don't think I've ever watched one of their 'planning videos'. If its anything like the stacy crap they show on the resort channels.. I doubt I missed anything.
Click to expand...

At least Stacey is cute and you can tell she is hiding the pain when she fakes some of her 'ad libs' that were well rehearsed.

The only DVDs Disney puts any money into is AbD and DVC because of the tremendous amount of money those things cost.

The planning DVDs look basically like they don't give a damn. Just complete crap.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
DaveStuart said:
My six year old likes to watch them. I can tolerate listening, and using my WDWMAGIC app while it plays in the background.

Adding alcohol...hmmm...I can definitely see that it would dramatically improve the experience.

Hey-is that what they were thinking when they decided to offer adult beverages at 'Be Our Guest'...make FLE better?

Anyway-glad to have you back, and sincere positive wishes for an enjoyable time away!
Click to expand...

I can only tell you that I've found that alcohol makes the MK soooooo much more tolerable. And since I've grown tired of tripping over toddlers at the Tambu Lounge, my new faves are either margaritas at EPCOT or a few speciality drinks at the Territory Lounge.

The booze helped tremendously back on my October visit. Ask @Lee!

Oh, but it still doesn't dramatically improve the New Fantasyland!
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom