I'm sure I'm just splitting hairs but New Fantasyland has two two re-purposed rides, a meet and greet, and two D-tickets ... But my point is its not apples and oranges because we are talking conceptually about "what has been built last"
Dumbo - Repurposed ride
Goofini - Repurposed ride
Little Mermaid - New D-ticket
Seven Dwarves - TBD D or E ticket
Various merch and dining options
Hippogriff - Repurposed ride
Dragons - Repurposed ride
Forbidden Journey - E-ticket
Various merch and dining options
Basically the only reason that WWoHP is perceived to be so superior to New Fantasyland is because Harry Potter is stronger intellectual property than the stuff in FLE. Plus, there's just general negativity about Disney with some of you. When Disney makes "Be Our Guest," the response is "ugh great another overpriced sit down where I'll never get a reservation." If Universal made the EXACT SAME experience but called it "Hogwarts Great Hall," y'all would do headstands about the "new and innovative experiences that Universal is using to beat Disney at its own game." WWoHP has wild success with butterbeer. Gaston's has wild success with Lafou's Brew. People b*tch and moan that Lafou's is a "ripoff" of butterbeer. If we're going to use that standard then we might as well say every park everywhere sucks because it's basically a ripoff of Disneyland. If Forbidden Journey technology were used at a Disney Park, people would still find a way to complain because of its heavy use of screens, which is sacrilege to the AA fan club.
Sorry. Have to disagree on this one. FLE had the best possible access anyone could ask for utilizing the back access road running from the tunnel entrance to Disney University bus stop. Strike one.
I'm not talking about worker access. I'm talking about construction material and big a** trucks. Yes, you can drive a car or a bus back there but you can't easily get dump trucks and bulldozers. Not to mention parking. Most of the construction workers were/are parking over at the WDI lots way down past the Contemporary.
3rd shift labor is ONLY used when strict project deadlines are approaching.
...or when there are noise and show considerations. Believe me, they did A LOT of work at night, and a lot of it is public knowledge so there's really no argument.
They don't run those spotlights or heavy machinery when there are guests in the park.
Even so...the construction is paid by the construction and development company based on the agreed amount from Disney. I hate to burst your bubble but most construction workers you see are NOT Disney. Imagineers work on site on specialized jobs (mostly having to do with sculpting or painting. Strike two.
I know who works on these projects. There's a general contractor who uses subs to perform the various tasks (masons, architects, painters, etc etc.). That doesn't mean Disney doesn't pay the labor costs. The GC submits a bid that INCLUDES premiums for third shift labor. Also, the agreed upon amount of these contracts is not fixed. After the base contract, they have what's called "change orders" for things that come up along the way that weren't included in the original bid. Disney pays these costs. It's not like they agree "$400M and that's it." No. The scope and estimated costs are fluid and the total contract price changes greatly over the life of construction.
Utilidors? Half of Future World at Epcot is built on top of a utilidor including Spaceship Earth. Strike three.
I didn't say it was impossible to build on a utilitor. I said it's more expensive. There are things that you or I or a guest will never see that need to be done when building in these areas. There are tons of regulations and codes that need to be complied with when building above tunnels. Even if no modifications are required to the structure of the tunnel itself (which they were in FLE), the cost of documenting and proving compliance are tremendous.
The berm? I guess Hogwarts Express between IOA and Universal Studios does not intrude on what could be considered a "virtual" berm? I mean it will be located outside the confides of BOTH parks. (FYI thee have been project proposals in the past that have suggested utilizing portions of land outside the train tracks and "berm." Strike four...if there were a strike four. I think Disney has it much better than Universal in some respects when it comes to expansion.
It's not about the "confines of the park" per se. For the most part, the "berm" is referenced for property tax purposes but the Magic Kingdom also has berm restrictions regarding the water table. I don't know all the ins and outs of that piece so I won't claim to be an expert. And you notice that none of these "project proposals outside the berm" have actually been greenlit.
I understand what you are trying to say but with that logic the Magic Kingdom would be exactly the way it was when it opened in 1971.
I said "expensive and difficult." I did not say "impossible."
, and I know I'm probably stupid for even thinking about it considering its never going to happen. BUT, because Disney seem so intent lately in buying IPs left, right and centre. Why are they trying to force it onto their existing parks, I mean Avatar in AK - it does not fit the theme regardless of what angle you look at it! Star Wars and Indiana Jones? Hollywood Studios has very little capacity left and a Star Wars area is not what the park is supposed to be about, neither is it right for Carsland to be thrown into the mix in my opinion. Its meant to be about show-business, and its fine to put themed attractions within the park as long as it fits the area its being put into. A Lucasfilm production themed area would be fine, but not just 'Star Wars land' or 'Cars Land'. Seriously?
