Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[englanddg]

I'm obviously not spouting this as fact . . . having a thread titled, "why Hollywood Studies is being rebuilt" is sliding into the "spouting as fact" category.

Fine, then go there.

 

[flynnibus]

If your status as a "full day park" is so dependent on one attraction, do you really have a full day park at all?

You know you're right.. The Grand Canyon National Park really is a quarter day park because there is only one attraction there.. the Grand Canyon. Now only if they had a bunch of smaller canyons instead that you could split your day up over...

 

[lebeau]

I can not imagine visitng Central Florida and not visiting WDW. Universal & Sea World are nice but not worth a weeks visit.

You should try it. I have. It's a suprisingly great vacation.

 

[marni1971]

Generally when you talk about a private business "acknowledging" something, it means admitting to outsiders, like reporters, that there is a problem. DHS's attendance went up, WDW is doing record business . . . there is nothing for the company to coverup with DHS. Currently, it is benefitting from the improvements in the economy, and other factors.

I guess I'll file this under the "DHS is failing like DCA" rumors . . .

And thats why I said it wasn't admitted to outsiders. Incase you missed that bit.

 

[marni1971]

I'm just curious, what color is the sky in your world? You might be one of the most delusional people Ive had the misfortune to interact with.

That made me literally LOL. And that doesn't often happen here.

 

[jt04]

Back when Muppetvision 3d was created, the whole area around it was going to be a Muppets mini-land. There was a Muppets ride planned and folklore says it was going where Pizza Planet now resides. I think the idea that it may happen now is because The Muppets are gaining in popularity again and Pizza Planet belongs in Pixar Place (which would that building available for a Muppets ride.

The most likely scenario, IMO, is that a true Pizza Planet could be built in Pixar Place and the current Pizza Planet would simply be re-themed (without much cost) to The Muppets.

The fact that they have not already done such an obvious (and relatively easy) move may give weight to the rumor the muppets are leaving DHS. Or possibly being relocated. This rumor makes some sense.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I think it depends on if the park physically expands into the current parking lot or if current attractions and internal spaces are being re-purposed. To my knowledge I am not aware of any park ever having to close due to reaching capacity for an expansion. Maybe UNI with Potter but I am not sure.

Maybe with an expansion/re-do of this magnitude very well COULD have that sort of impact but it all depends what materializes and what becomes page 173 in a new coffee table book.

Well let's put it this way: Can the parking lot handle the peaks and valleys of 13-14 million guests per yet?

 

[RunnerEd]

Back when Muppetvision 3d was created, the whole area around it was going to be a Muppets mini-land. There was a Muppets ride planned and folklore says it was going where Pizza Planet now resides. I think the idea that it may happen now is because The Muppets are gaining in popularity again and Pizza Planet belongs in Pixar Place (which would that building available for a Muppets ride.

The most likely scenario, IMO, is that a true Pizza Planet could be built in Pixar Place and the current Pizza Planet would simply be re-themed (without much cost) to The Muppets.

Re=themed to the New Swedish Chef's Smorgasbord!!! Not nearly enough "Mork, mork, mork" in Muppets Plaza!

 

[CDavid]

Completely theoretically, they could possibly put a cast parking area across World Dr. and build a link into the Buena Vista Dr. loop for a shuttle using the existing BV Drive overpass, but that's a lot of money when they could just build a separate cast lot off of Victory and shuttle employees, or more likely, if they really decide they need parking lot space for the park, they'd just build a garage.

Wasn't there a plan/proposal/idea to use WWOS for cast parking and shuttle them to the studios? No idea where I heard that, though, so may have just been some fanbois' armchair imagineering.

 

[Funmeister]

If your status as a "full day park" is so dependent on one attraction, do you really have a full day park at all? Just throwing it out there. You can skip any given attraction at MK or (to a lesser extent) Epcot and still make a whole day of it. There's no single thing you absolutely have to do. (The nighttime shows are probably the closest to "required" experiences.) There's always going to be guests who just aren't interested in a given attraction at any park. Making that experience a mandatory part of spending a whole day there is a weak strategy for building a full-day experience.

And of course, once said attraction bites it, then you can't offer a full day even for the people who were willing to go on it.

I see your point. I was looking at it as if you experienced every show and attraction. For instance when DAK opened there was not enough to do to fill an entire day even with the shortened hours. It was not until Asia fully opened that guests began to stay longer.

 

[flynnibus]

Are you saying Georgie is leaving the company or WDW position?

He's talking about George Lucas

 

[71jason]

The last Star Wars Convention, Celebration VI was held in Orlando, at the convention center, and was tied in with the last flight to Endor. Then Disney bought Star Wars. How many people attend these things? 30,000 for 3 days?

30,000 people for the largest Star Wars event in the galaxy (sorry, couldn't help myself), with legit celebrities, not teenage Aunt Beru or cartoon voice actors.

This past Saturday was considered an unseasonably slow day at MK because "only" 24,000 people were in the park.

I stand by my point, a lot of the crowd at SWW every year is the same CMs and Star Ward fanbois who come year after year. I have a friend in the 501st who flies in from San Francisco like clockwork, knows plenty of 501st who do the same. Grinding up another sacred cow for hamburger here, but I can only compare SWW to the Adventurers Club (and not just because many, many SWW regulars were AdvClub regulars). Any given night, AdvClub had only a fraction of the guests in 8-Traxx or Mannequins--but it was also the only club with a line all day when it closed. A hard-core fan base with a strong online presence often can seem bigger than it is.

The lines for Star Tours and Tatooine Traders 48 weekends out of the year just don't show a huge pent-up demand for more Star Wars.

 

[Scuttle]

Just throwing this out there. Would the DHS parking lot have to be expanded after the park expands?

Just throwing this out there. Would they actually look into a monorail expansion to DHS if annual attendance goes up 2-3 million? I hate to start the great monorail debate, but if Star Wars is all out and done well this might be our best and only chance to see an expansion.

 

[George]

*I understand that "near" to TDO means 10-15 years ...

Actually, they've figured out the polycosmic view of the universe is correct. We're just unlucky to be WDW fans in this dimension. A mere 3 dimensions over, NHN (not quite MGM, but we're in a different dimension) is the best theme park you could imagine. They even have a land dedicated to Jorge Jones' famous movie trilogy - Cosmic Battles. In this dimension they seem to have no sense of time at all.

If your status as a "full day park" is so dependent on one attraction, do you really have a full day park at all? Just throwing it out there. You can skip any given attraction at MK or (to a lesser extent) Epcot and still make a whole day of it. There's no single thing you absolutely have to do. (The nighttime shows are probably the closest to "required" experiences.) There's always going to be guests who just aren't interested in a given attraction at any park. Making that experience a mandatory part of spending a whole day there is a weak strategy for building a full-day experience.

And of course, once said attraction bites it, then you can't offer a full day even for the people who were willing to go on it.

Did you know from 1979-1983 the MK consisted of only IASW?
In all seriousness, I have to thinks the suits (never mind the people wearing them) realize DHS needs something....I'm real curious to see the direction they go and what if anything is announced at the big convention.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Just throwing this out there. Would they actually look into a monorail expansion to DHS if annual attendance goes up 2-3 million? I hate to start the great monorail debate, but if Star Wars is all out and done well this might be our best and only chance to see an expansion.

Another decent question. Especially if the day is lengthened and Fantasmic is upgraded.

 

[George]

Just throwing this out there. Would they actually look into a monorail expansion to DHS if annual attendance goes up 2-3 million? I hate to start the great monorail debate, but if Star Wars is all out and done well this might be our best and only chance to see an expansion.

They've got footers everywhere.....

If Vegas had odds on monorail expansions based on various contingencies (like the Studios attendance), they would be very long, but the payoff would be stupendous if you bet on monorail expansion. I can't imagine this is on anyone's radar.

 

[StageFrenzy]

They've got footers everywhere.....

If Vegas had odds on monorail expansions based on various contingencies (like the Studios attendance), they would be very long, but the payoff would be stupendous if you bet on monorail expansion. I can't imagine this is on anyone's radar.

There are better odds of the Vegas monorails expanding than WDW.

 

[Cody5242]

Another decent question. Especially if the day is lengthened and Fantasmic is upgraded.

Speaking of Fantasmic, is there any plans to upgrade or replace Fantasmic in the DHS overhaul? I remember @WDW1974 saying it was on the chopping block a while ago.

 

[Lee]

I didn't start these rumors, which appear to be bogus.

From where I'm standing, they appear to be anything BUT bogus.

When I'm having people I trust confirm that some major changes are coming...
When at least one person I trust can attest to seeing drawings...
When I'm hearing of internal frustration that a good chunk of D23's presentation just got leaked...

THEN I give credence to what I'm hearing.
All of the above is true in this instance.

I'm short on specifics, as everyone is at this point, but the fact is that a major makeover is headed to DHS in the next five years, unless the powers that be get cold feet between now and when the budgets get established, which should happen in the next twelve weeks or so.

 

[Lee]

Just throwing this out there. Would they actually look into a monorail expansion to DHS if annual attendance goes up 2-3 million? I hate to start the great monorail debate, but if Star Wars is all out and done well this might be our best and only chance to see an expansion.

I'm unaware of any mono plans that are more than blue sky at this point.
Walk into WDI at Epcot and you may well see a mono plan on the wall.
Doesn't mean it's happening in the next decade, or ever.