Star Wars Land announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Disneyhead'71]

So essentially, 2016 could be one of the WORST years ever to visit WDW..... our family is planning a 2017 WDW trip....we are def. skipping 2016.

Actually, it will be one of the best in a while. DAK will have the Night Safari and River of Lights. And Epcot will have Frozenstrom and the expanded Soarin'. The MK will have the recently opened Skipper Canteen. Disney Spings will have The Hanger, Morimoto's Asian, STK, and The Edison. If you're one of those that ventures off property, there is Kong and Mako coming. All in all, 2016 should be a good year in Orlando.

I know that a lot of those restaurants are opening this fall, but they will be new to a lot of folks next year.

 

[Mikejakester]

The audacity of someone trying to start up the "budget cut" train again is appalling. You are referring to a resort that is spending $3,500,000,000 over the next five years in addition to over $1,000,000,000 in spending already underway that will come to fruition by June 2017. You are whining over the budgetary decision to remove 20-year old Christmas lights to be able to spend the full $4,500,000,000 prior to the end of this decade instead of spreading it out into the early 2020s. Dear lord.

Sorry if appalled you... But the meetings happened/are happening. I don't think they are the same buckets of money though, my contact works for operations so I am assuming this involves day to day things like training, maintenance, personnel etc. It has nothing to do with ride development or upgrades etc (which involve the 3.5 billion you are talking about). There are different departments with different money allocations. Operations does not use R&D money, or Imagineering Money or construction money etc. So the fact that Disney is investing millions does not have anything to do with operation budgets because it's entirely a different bucket of money.

I would not be surprised if Disney is cutting little percentages of budgets across the board (other departments) to make up (a little) for their huge investments. Someone with more inside scoop could step in and correct me, but I am just connecting dots here on what makes sense considering the facts and rumors available.

This is like explaining how a magic trick is done. We have clues, and typically the simplest explanation is the correct one. I am not trying to "appall" anyone.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Sorry if appalled you... But the meetings happened/are happening. I don't think they are the same buckets of money though, my contact works for operations so I am assuming this involves day to day things like training, maintenance, personnel etc. It has nothing to do with ride development or upgrades etc (which involve the 3.5 billion you are talking about). There are different departments with different money allocations. Operations does not use R&D money, or Imagineering Money or construction money etc. So the fact that Disney is investing millions does not have anything to do with operation budgets because it's entirely a different bucket of money.

I would not be surprised if Disney is cutting little percentages of budgets across the board (other departments) to make up (a little) for their huge investments. Someone with more inside scoop could step in and correct me, but I am just connecting dots here on what makes sense considering the facts and rumors available.

This is like explaining how a magic trick is done. We have clues, and typically the simplest explanation is the correct one. I am not trying to "appall" anyone.

Everything that is closing or has closed is due to the fact that it will be a dirt mound by this time next year.

 

[Mikejakester]

Everything that is closing or has closed is due to the fact that it will be a dirt mound by this time next year.

that has nothing to do with what my post is about... Never mind. Moving on before I get appalled

 

[ToTBellHop]

that has nothing to do with what my post is about... Never mind. Moving on before I get appalled

I think you are talking about operational updates that save nickels while I am talking about capital expenditures that cost billions. I wouldn't put it past this company to have some folks pinching pennies while others are sending Scrooge McDuckian amounts of money to the swamps.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Hearing more about the new construction plan.

You guys ain't seen nothin' yet. It's gonna get ugly!

Haha, this is going to be fun.

It's gonna get ugly as in people are gonna get mad? If so that means Muppets is definitely going.

 

[Next Big Thing]

When you say "operations had a hissy fit" What exactly did they b!tc# about?

I honestly don't know why they don't always have this approach. Just minimize your time of clusterfudgness. Swallow the frog whole instead of eating it piece by piece. (I'm laughing because I am not sure if anyone will get that, kind of disgusting too).

I'm pretty sure it was probably something to do with upper management not understanding that it's not feasible to run a park with 5 rides and few shows (once some of the remaining are torn down) over a 6 year period of time with things opening little by little.

Tom Staggs and Bob Iger don't think about that stuff. All they think about is how much money they save by spreading the build out over time.

 

[Next Big Thing]

They didn't want to have to operate a torn up park for 6 years. Now the major guest areas should be open by mid 2019 instead of 2021. My question is now that they got their wish, how are they going to pull this off. Shorter time, more construction walls and less attractions.

Probably like USF is dealing with the Disaster closure... add street entertainment and pretend the walls aren't there.

 

[SJN1279]

Actually, it will be one of the best in a while. DAK will have the Night Safari and River of Lights. And Epcot will have Frozenstrom and the expanded Soarin'. The MK will have the recently opened Skipper Canteen. Disney Spings will have The Hanger, Morimoto's Asian, STK, and The Edison. If you're one of those that ventures off property, there is Kong and Mako coming. All in all, 2016 should be a good year in Orlando.

I know that a lot of those restaurants are opening this fall, but they will be new to a lot of folks next year.

2015 was a pretty dead year in Orlando, starting this December things are really going to pick up as you said.

 

[Cesar R M]

Hearing more about the new construction plan.

You guys ain't seen nothin' yet. It's gonna get ugly!

Haha, this is going to be fun.

ugly for what? Disneyland? DHS?
BOTH?

That whole confusing Phase 1, Phase 2, ....,Phase 4. Is now more like Phase 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, Phase 2. It was originally planned to be as one project was wrapping up, the next would start with about a 6 month overlap. That was to keep as much stuff open while still building. But that was a six year plan and operations had a hissy fit. Now, the phase one projects will all be started by the holidays of 2016. Huge swaths of the park will be inaccessible and what is open will be construction walls as far as the eye can see.

The good thing is the timeline has been significant compressed and we will get the joy of seeing Disney "BUILD LIKE YOU MEAN IT!"©. By Christmas 2018, DHS will be beginning to resemble a world class theme park.

wow! does this means they finally bought more ladders?

 

[Cesar R M]

Expect to see more offerings at the front of the park like Star Wars Months and Frozen Summer Fun so there is at least something to do. Hollywoood Blvd should be mobbed when guests have nothing else to do away from Hollywood and Sunset (other than Star Tours and Midway Mania). It'll be a REAL mess in 2016 and much of 2017 though until Toy Story opens to provide a bit of relief

solution: do shows almost every week infront of the theatre of different things.. rock stars.. singers.. specials.. (and events a la "food and wine festival)

 

[ToTBellHop]

solution: do shows almost every week infront of the theatre of different things.. rock stars.. singers.. specials.. (and events a la "food and wine festival)

Not a bad idea.

 

[Cesar R M]

It's gonna get ugly as in people are gonna get mad? If so that means Muppets is definitely going.

Yikes, I wonder if it will disappear too!
or moved to Jack Sparrow's building, they seem roughly the same size.

 

[doctornick]

Not to mention Pandora also opening in 2017... so 2017 should be the first time in a while were we will have a slew of new experiences at WDW. That trend should continue right up until the 50th Anniversary of WDW.

To be fair, 2016 will see (at least) the addition of Rivers of Light, the nighttime safaris and Frozen Ever After. Plus, new scenes for Star Tours and Soarin'. At the very least, 2016 should be the start of the upswing, unlike 2015 which is the nadir.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

@flyerjab posted this picture from the DaMouse over on the Avatar thread. The Land of Pandora is 10 acres. Star Wars Land will be 14 acres. The picture gives you an idea how massive Pandora is going to be and Disney has a lot more to work with building SWL.

 

[Figments Friend]

Heres some concept art from the presentation that doesn't seem to be floating around as much as those other three pieces.View attachment 110223

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Nice to see these again.

I was sitting in the audience during the Parks & Resorts panel at the D23expo last month when these were first presented on the huge screens.
It was quite a moment to experience the revealing with a live audience.

People were freaking out ......in a good way.


-

 

[jkl2000]

All i'm hoping is for the 2 new rides to be actual new and innovative rides and not just another Soarin type thing (millennium falcon ride). I am more interested in the 2nd one they announced.

Millenium Falcon reportedly works like the Peter Pan ride.

 

[Mikejakester]

Millenium Falcon reportedly works like the Peter Pan ride.

Wait... What? Please... Expand...

 

[note2001]

Millenium Falcon reportedly works like the Peter Pan ride.

Oooo.... imagining this as more of a Peter Pan meets Ratatouille, meets Gringots.... and if true this could have many cool adaptations (up, down, twisting action... perhaps even choosing the track through interaction with the occupants, and hopefully storing the choices on our magic band accounts so we can repeat or continue the adventure) Setting the bar high as we know Disney can reach it.

 

[BrianLo]

Millenium Falcon reportedly works like the Peter Pan ride.

That makes a ton of sense. Probably the most apt comparison would be 20k leagues at Tokyo.

They'll just do a better job of making you walk the queue which will be the millennium falcon and have you sit directly in the 'pod' on the left of the image below... obscuring the fact it's actually just a small ride vehicle on a track.