Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[Longhairbear]

There's a lot of creative to do yet. I'm not saying that drawing is completely accurate, but...pretty good for a guess in the dark, which is why I noticed it. If I were to get speculative, which I will preface by saying that none of the following is based on official anything...but the best way to think about it is from a value perspective based on what's already there. Muppet is still a family friendly, wide demo popular IP and makes tons of money, and there's quite a bit in the pipeline for the Muppets both film and tv, as well as popular consumer products. Even if MuppetVision is ancient, they want Muppets in the park. Cheapest solution: do a new MuppetVision/Muppet attraction in the same space and retheme the Star Tours facing side to something that links. If they do a dark Tatooine alleyway, that could face onto a dark Muppet Movie alleyway that transitions. (Not a real thing, just an example of how they could connect.) Or just leave it as is - they don't need to do anything, as they're already side by side and do ok. They could repurpose the buildings and/or space and drop Muppets, which has been discussed, but it doesn't make sense. The Muppet space at DHS has an identity - why tear that down? I can honestly say no one knows yet what will happen here, though. It's still early, and could go another way. I'm saying as of right now, Muppets are staying, although the attraction may not be the same one or in the same place. That could change.

The Idol/Sound Studio building is a theater that will be without a purpose soon enough, and it's in the right spot. Wonder what could go there, Luke, I mean, @pheneix? And then on top of that, there's a ton of space right by ST that's usable or being freed up, for f&b and...

Did some one mention cake?

No disrespect intended, but the elephant in the room is Yoda. The perfect transition from Star Wars To Muppets. Didn't Frank Oz have something to do with Yoda? It was also the same decade of a movie he was directing, and got let go. I know about that, as they were renting my car as background decoration. On the set everyone loved seeing him in person, and then ..poof.. he was gone, replaced by Richard Benjamin.

 

[djlaosc]

I don't have a great deal to add, but I just had a lengthy conversation with someone I deeply trust and I do believe that Niles, indeed, likely has the right story and that much of what you've come to know as TPKaTD-MGMS (which likely will get a new name -- or should -- again to reflect what the park will look like come late this decade) will not exist much past next year or 2015.

I would not be comfortable with any further specifics, but I will say that anything that basically was in the production side of the original park will likely not exist in any form. Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd and the Chinese Theater will all remain as will TSMM (naturally) but beyond that ...?

Three other notes:

1.) This will be the end of the Ozzy and Sharon Holiday Lightacular (almost certainly on a permanent basis) and that may well lead to lower holiday visitation to WDW as a whole;
2.) By the time most work is underway, prices will have increased another few times and look for the Studios and DAK to be priced lower than MK AND EPCOT to reflect the fact that both parks figure to take hits from the construction;
3.) This was leaked to take a hit at the D23 Expo;

Hopefully the Osborne Lights will still be around in 2014.

And I guess that Indiana Jones, Muppets 3D, Lights Motors Action, Backlot Tour, Backlot Express, Sci-Fi Dine-In will all have to get a visit as well.

 

[djlaosc]

So, based on everything so far (although subject to change)...

BEING KEPT:
The Great Movie Ride
The Hollywood Brown Derby
The American Idol Experience
Star Tours: The Adventure Continues...
Hollywood & Vine
Disney Junior Play 'N Dine at Hollywood & Vine
Tune-In Lounge
50s Prime Time Café
Min and Bill's Dockside Diner
ABC Commissary
Toy Story Midway Mania!
Hey Howdy Hey Take Away
The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream
Voyage of the Little Mermaid
The Magic of Disney Animation
Disney Junior - Live on Stage!
Beauty & The Beast-Live on Stage
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Fantasmic!
Starring Rolls Café
Toluca Legs Turkey Co.
Anaheim Produce
Rosie's All-American Café
Catalina Eddie's
Fairfax Fare
Hollywood Scoops

BEING REMOVED:
Sorcerer's Hat
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Backlot Express
Oasis Canteen
MuppetVision 3D
Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure
Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
Studio Backlot Tour
Pizza Planet Arcade
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano
Studio Catering Co.
High Octane Refreshments
Backlot Canteen
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
Streets of America

NEW:
Cars Dark Ride
Star Wars E-Ticket
Muppet Attraction
Backlot Express Replacement
Pizza Planet Arcade Replacement
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano Replacement
Studio Catering Co. Replacement
Backlot Canteen Replacement
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant Replacement



Anything in the wrong place/missed out?

...are VotLM and B&TB-LoS still going as well?

 

[englanddg]

The only place I'll stick my feet down about removal is Sci Fi...

I loved it as a kid, my kid loves it, and it's something that needs to stay.

 

[djlaosc]

The only place I'll stick my feet down about removal is Sci Fi...

I loved it as a kid, my kid loves it, and it's something that needs to stay.

I would say, would it be possible to build a new one in Pixar Place, but I would doubt that you would be able to use the cars from Sci-Fi...

 

[englanddg]

I would say, would it be possible to build a new one in Pixar Place, but I would doubt that you would be able to use the cars from Sci-Fi...

No, it should be left alone.

 

[djlaosc]

No, it should be left alone.

Yeah, I agree, it should stay, but if they did decide to remove it, I was just wondering whether they could build another one like the one that was supposed to open in DCA.

 

[GoofGoof]

Hopefully the Osborne Lights will still be around in 2014.

And I guess that Indiana Jones, Muppets 3D, Lights Motors Action, Backlot Tour, Backlot Express, Sci-Fi Dine-In will all have to get a visit as well.

If all of this plus Avatar get built maybe Osborne Lights would move to EPCOT. It is wildly popular around Christmas time and was used to draw guests to an otherwise less popular park. The lights couldn't be setup in their current form, but maybe somewhere in WS or even better use the abandoned Wonders of Life pavilion. It wouldn't be hard to build some fake building fronts inside the pavilion to string the lights up on.

 

[Bolna]

Having been to WDW for a lot of those years, I can state that my "feeling" is that the Magic Kingdom and Epcot are much more crowded today than they were in those years.

Yes, but hasn't the number of attractions (and hence capacity) at the MK and Epcot been reduced since those years? And there is also the side effect of FP, which enables you to be in two lines at the same time. So people that before FP would have been standing in a line are now crowding the walkways and other standby lines.

I witnessed the same effect at DLP. I was there in the summers of 95 and 97 and then only in the off season until last year when I was there once again in August. The park felt considerably more crowded. There were people everywhere!!!! And according to this post 95 and 97 had about the same attendance as current years.

 

[Grumpy06]

Hopefully the Osborne Lights will still be around in 2014.

And I guess that Indiana Jones, Muppets 3D, Lights Motors Action, Backlot Tour, Backlot Express, Sci-Fi Dine-In will all have to get a visit as well.

 

[englanddg]

Yeah, I agree, it should stay, but if they did decide to remove it, I was just wondering whether they could build another one like the one that was supposed to open in DCA.

Attractions don't get moved at Disney. They get removed, and become lost.

 

[Grumpy06]

Does anyone out there know for sure if they are getting rid of osborne lights
think that would be a shame and will have to take a trip just to see them one last time

 

[englanddg]

This thread is turning into supposition.

 

[yeti]

Yup, expect the park to get a sort-of new name.

Disney instead of Disney's or are we talking bigger?

 

[Computer Magic]

Attractions don't get moved at Disney. They get removed, and become lost.

AK Lion King is being moved. Rare perhaps but not impossible.

 

[englanddg]

AK Lion King is being moved. Rare perhaps but not impossible.

True...I almost said rarely because I couldn't think of one instance, but yes, you are right. And frankly, I think it's better there. Fits with the theme, and I'm glad they didn't kill the show, as it's amazing!

 

[GoofGoof]

Does anyone out there know for sure if they are getting rid of osborne lights
think that would be a shame and will have to take a trip just to see them one last time

If Streets of America goes the lights (at least in their current setup) will go. They could be moved to another part of DHS or another park or maybe even Disney Springs.

As far as seeing them one last time, this is Disney so you have time. If this actually happens they would have to stagger closings and do it in phases to keep guests happy.

 

[alissafalco]

No, it should be left alone.

I agree, but I wouldn't be that upset if they re-themed it to a Cars theme. I'm sure kids would love being able to eat sitting inside McQueen, Mater etc. with Cars movies playing on the big screen.

 

[pixargal]

I was reading through what was being discussed last night. And at first I was like , that is great that DHS is getting two new themed lands! And then more reading, and I was like , oh no, please don't take away the Muppet movie and the Osborne lights. And by the end, I was like , they don't seem to be adding more attractions, just replacing old ones. We travel to Florida during the holidays to visit our families and always stop by WDW for a few days to enjoy the holiday decorations. However, since Epcot has given up on Christmas decorations, and if they rumor about Osborne lights is true, then there is not much reason to stop by.

 

[englanddg]

I agree, but I wouldn't be that upset if they re-themed it to a Cars theme. I'm sure kids would love being able to eat sitting inside McQueen, Mater etc. with Cars movies playing on the big screen.

It wouldn't kill me if they did, but it would upset me. I wouldn't want to see the eatery disappear though.

There's something about history...nostalgia...that is important. Why is the Dine-In theater important? Well, at one time that's how many movies were viewed. It's the same reason I think old Disney shorts should be shown at the movie theatre in downtown.

If you never see and appreciate where we were, you will never understand where we are!