Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

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RandySavage

Well-Known Member
Would like to hear some insider insights into the big news today out of Shanghai & Tokyo.

-Shanghai strikes me as "the budget ceiling was breached", though that was explicitly denied in the NYT article. Things like Soarin' and Toy Story Land are sited on expansion pads from the original master plan, so maybe that is what is being tagged onto the bill (and have been for a while, just now publicly announced). Will be happily surprised if new attractions are being fast-tracked in addition to Spirit's list. Even with today's costs, $4.5B (up from $3.7B) should buy a really impressive theme park.

-Tokyo. The report seemed to indicate they were looking at building some kind of entertainment venue (not a theme park) outside of TDR (that could take a chunk of the $5B) over the next decade. What is on the table for TDS & TDL after the currently-known projects?
 
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Lee

Lee

Adventurer
RandySavage said:
-Shanghai strikes me as "the budget ceiling was breached", though that was explicitly denied in the NYT article. Things like Soarin' and Toy Story Land are sited on expansion pads from the original master plan, so maybe that is what is being tagged onto the bill (and have been for a while, just now publicly announced). Will be happily surprised if new attractions are being fast-tracked in addition to Spirit's list. Even with today's costs, $4.5B (up from $3.7B) should buy a really impressive theme park.
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I'm holding out hope that the Shanghai money is new spending on additional attractions.
There was a plan to drop an a Everest clone over there...
 
Sped2424

Sped2424

Well-Known Member
If there is an everest type attraction going in there I would prefer they redo the show scene aspect of the ride to make it either better or put more of them in there.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
That sounds more likely to me, just based on how much I notice things constantly overrun on already steep budgets. They'd of course never say that's what it's for, lol
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
RandySavage said:
-Shanghai strikes me as "the budget ceiling was breached", though that was explicitly denied in the NYT article. Things like Soarin' and Toy Story Land are sited on expansion pads from the original master plan, so maybe that is what is being tagged onto the bill (and have been for a while, just now publicly announced). Will be happily surprised if new attractions are being fast-tracked in addition to Spirit's list. Even with today's costs, $4.5B (up from $3.7B) should buy a really impressive theme park.
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That is really interesting! The article definitely seems very clear that it's new funding for new projects (aka they've realized they may need to up capacity to deal with the hordes. Soarin' definitely has been budgeted for a long time based on filming that is already taking place, so I don't think it's that.

Whatever it is they have to be able to enact them in pretty short order for opening (meaning attractions that already exist or have been sitting mostly ready in Blue Sky). TSMM and Small World probably are likely candidates. Perhaps the Monster's Inc. Door Coaster that never quite seems to materialize.
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
Lee said:
God, I hope not...

Anyway, I suspect this money is just to cover the existing cost overruns.
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Strongly worded by their spokeswoman if that's the case (not that they can't lie, but that's a strong denial)....

"Disney did not specify what rides and entertainment offerings the additional funds would allow it to add. A spokeswoman said the $800 million would flow entirely toward new offerings and that the deal in no way reflected budget overruns."
 
Cesar R M

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
The Mainlanders have learned from the Hong Kongers mistake of not ensuring that Disney was contributing their share.
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I find it interesting how all the parks seems to be sort of close to each other.. I mean Korea, Japan and now China.

You guys recon they will expand their DCL operations to that triangle of parks?
 
Cesar R M

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member

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R

RandySavage

Well-Known Member
BrianLo said:
That is really interesting! The article definitely seems very clear that it's new funding for new projects (aka they've realized they may need to up capacity to deal with the hordes. Soarin' definitely has been budgeted for a long time based on filming that is already taking place, so I don't think it's that.

Whatever it is they have to be able to enact them in pretty short order for opening (meaning attractions that already exist or have been sitting mostly ready in Blue Sky). TSMM and Small World probably are likely candidates. Perhaps the Monster's Inc. Door Coaster that never quite seems to materialize.
Click to expand...

Would love to see the art/plan that showed Everest. Maybe it'll surface at some point. It seems it's either good news (everything rumored will make it) or really good news (more on top) for SDL. A side-by-side roster already shows Shanghai having more attractions (via the rumored list/plan/building site) on its opening day than HKDL will have in 2016 (counting Iron Man) after 11 years.

Read on another site that Shanghai Tomorrowland's Buzz ride will be based on Toy Story Mania technology versus the typical model.
 
BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
RandySavage said:
Read on another site that Shanghai Tomorrowland's Buzz ride will be based on Toy Story Mania technology versus the typical model.
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Ah that's rather interesting actually. Time for wild speculation on my part until @WDW1974 shows up.

Something is quite fishy with Toy Story Play-land, we know it's supposedly Asia exclusive until Nov 18th 2016 for HKDL, meaning it was likely planned for an initial Year one anniversary roll out perhaps in celebration for Shanghai. I'm starting to wonder if this monetary infusion means they've given that the old heave-ho and are essentially looking to build a proper land utilizing that space for day one.

After all, nearly everything else they are building in the park sounds like it's going to be exclusively redesigned or completely purpose built (apart from SDMT) for Shanghai. Toy Story Play-land just doesn't add up and perhaps (wishful thinking) WDI finally got the budget increase they really wanted to roll out their pre-Toystory designs. Anyone remember or know what those were?
 
R

RandySavage

Well-Known Member
BrianLo said:
Ah that's rather interesting actually. Time for wild speculation on my part until @WDW1974 shows up.

Something is quite fishy with Toy Story Play-land, we know it's supposedly Asia exclusive until Nov 18th 2016 for HKDL, meaning it was likely planned for an initial Year one anniversary roll out perhaps in celebration for Shanghai. I'm starting to wonder if this monetary infusion means they've given that the old heave-ho and are essentially looking to build a proper land utilizing that space for day one.

After all, nearly everything else they are building in the park sounds like it's going to be exclusively redesigned or completely purpose built (apart from SDMT) for Shanghai. Toy Story Play-land just doesn't add up and perhaps (wishful thinking) WDI finally got the budget increase they really wanted to roll out their pre-Toystory designs. Anyone remember or know what those were?
Click to expand...

The initial iteration of the current park master plan (the one submitted to Shanghai planning for public review) and the massing model from the 2009 D23 did not have Soarin or Toy Story Playland. These spaces were left blank for future development. Then the leaked illustrative plan showed these additions (and coincided with the list detailed here). That's what had me thinking these two areas may be the "additional" attractions funded by this infusion (e.g. $200 m assigned for the 'expansion', $600m to cover budget overruns).

As of Nov '13 satellite imagery, nothing had been started on Toy Story Land (while Soarin seemed to have some footings being poured. I hope your theory is right, but if it sounds too good to be true...

We're now less than 20 months out from opening. The park should be in this phase of construction (HKDL 20 months out):
MainStreetHK.jpg


We need a Scott Keating in China!
 
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BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
RandySavage said:
We need a Scott Keating in China!
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Definitely, although the mystery is refreshing versus the nearly daily updates that can be found from any Florida construction projects. I agree they are cutting it close to actually "add" anything for opening day.

I answered one of my questions though, the only thing I can find that may have been axed Blue Sky was a Jungle Cruise attraction: http://www.blueskydisney.com/2011/08/blue-sky-buzz-shanghai-hopes.html

Honour Hunter definitely was pretty connected back then, 95% of that has come to fruition.
 
PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
RandySavage said:
The initial iteration of the current park master plan (the one submitted to Shanghai planning for public review) and the massing model from the 2009 D23 did not have Soarin or Toy Story Playland. These spaces were left blank for future development. Then the leaked illustrative plan showed these additions (and coincided with the list detailed here). That's what had me thinking these two areas may be the "additional" attractions funded by this infusion (e.g. $200 m assigned for the 'expansion', $600m to cover budget overruns).

As of Nov '13 satellite imagery, nothing had been started on Toy Story Land (while Soarin seemed to have some footings being poured. I hope your theory is right, but if it sounds too good to be true...

We're now less than 20 months out from opening. The park should be in this phase of construction (HKDL 20 months out):
MainStreetHK.jpg


We need a Scott Keating in China!
Click to expand...

Good luck with that… Were lucky we get this photo.
 

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