Stitch's Great Escape Goes Seasonal

[DisneyDebRob]

I've always said, rather let a bad ride operate rather then a empty building or a seasonal tag. Way to many empty buildings and Pavillions around The world now and this tells me it may be years before a replacement and it will be open occasionally. Not good news for people that want it out of there, or the people who want it to stay. Bad for everyone.

 

[Andrew C]

I've always said, rather let a bad ride operate rather then a empty building or a seasonal tag. Way to many empty buildings and Pavillions around The world now and this tells me it may be years before a replacement and it will be open occasionally. Not good news for people that want it out of there, or the people who want it to stay. Bad for everyone.

ehhh...that isn't exactly what some of the insiders are saying...seems like the closure is going to come quickly, and the gut job and replacement shortly after....if I am reading in between the lines correctly...

 

[ford91exploder]

Notice how Stitch is being systematically eliminated from Disney, Could this be because Stitch is associated with Eisner and like Pharaoh's of old Iger wants to hammer out his predecessor's cartouche's so the legacy will be entirely his.

Yes I can recall a time when Stitch overload was as bad or worse than Frozen. Stitchmas anyone? But Stitch is still a tremendously popular character so where is the logic in removing him from the parks, (irrespective of the quality of SGE).

Perhaps the statue of Walt and Mickey will be replaced with a golden (24k of course) image of Iger standing astride sacks of currency.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Notice how Stitch is being systematically eliminated from Disney, Could this be because Stitch is associated with Eisner and like Pharaoh's of old Iger wants to hammer out his predecessor's cartouche's so the legacy will be entirely his.

Yes I can recall a time when Stitch overload was as bad or worse than Frozen. Stitchmas anyone? But Stitch is still a tremendously popular character so where is the logic in removing him from the parks, (irrespective of the quality of SGE).

Perhaps the statue of Walt and Mickey will be replaced with a golden (24k of course) image of Iger standing astride sacks of currency.

I'm confused. What else was there to remove other than SGE? They also put Stitch Encounter into SDL aka the Iger ego park.

 

[JWG]

Seasonal operation doesn't mean something new. It means space gets wasted sitting idle until it's needed for crowd relief and saves operating costs the other 48 weeks a year.

 

[RSoxNo1]

They should have already moved forward with the "Rocketeer" attraction in Tomorrowland. Of course, the space is too small on that side. Putting something like MILF, Buzz, and Stitch in "Tomorrowland" was already punting on the theme. Just rename it "Animationland" and be done with it. Really, the only things that aren't focused on some animation is People Mover and Space Mountain.

You have to ask yourself, is it that hard to look into the future?

*1023*

Edited to add: Yup, I forgot Carousel of Progress and the Speedway. Both not future. Speedway easily could become "cartoonified".

At this point, toonification isn't going away. I just wish they decided some defined roles. Tomorrowland is the toonified Tomorrow with Future World being the more real life Sci-Fi area. If unlimited budgets existed I'd be on board with Space Mountain in Future World.

 

[The_Jobu]

Putting something like MILF

Never not funny...

Ah the simple joys of being immature.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

ehhh...that isn't exactly what some of the insiders are saying...seems like the closure is going to come quickly, and the gut job and replacement shortly after....if I am reading in between the lines correctly...

The insiders may be right, and I sure hope they are. I'm basing my opinion on what has happened 95% of the time over the last 25 years.

 

[Sped2424]

Very very very

This is exciting! So are we looking at a simulator here? And will this be open before 2019?

 

[Magic Feather]

This is exciting! So are we looking at a simulator here? And will this be open before 2019?

Yes and (as of now) Yes

 

[Goofyernmost]

I didn't read through so if this has been mentioned, sorry, just move on. We should remember that CoP was a seasonal for at least a year, if not longer. back in the early 2000's. Yet, now it is back with new a new exterior look and a bit of what probably is a new breath of life. Seasonal does usually mean ultimate death though and until they can think of something new to put there, will probably be open only during really heavy attendance times. As summer has ended and the crowds thin a little... they just don't run it. That could go on for years if they so decide to do it that way. If they are going to keep a moderately popular attraction, they might as well stick with the massive people eater that CoP is and give a vacation to stitch. Or maybe they just ran out of chili dogs.

 

[Goofyernmost]

while Stitch needs to go... I'm still baffled the Tomorrowland Speedway is still as is taking up a huge amount of space, running with smelly gasoline engine go carts, and with little to no theming and definitely without any "Tomorrow"land feel at all.

so many possibilities there, especially with it kinda being the attraction connecting with Fantasyland...you could go that direction (ex. Candy Crush, Cars, etc.) or demo it and built 2 attractions

Why is that baffling, have you never seen the line outside of that attraction, have you never seen the excited, smiling faces of children getting their first taste of adulthood by driving a car at breakneck speeds of 4 MPH? Reach down deep inside and see if you can make contact with your inner child. That will tell you why. For children, driving is their tomorrow. Adults tend to forget that. Take away the speedway and you have taken away the potential lasting childhood memories for kids. The same kids that will bring their own children back and ride with them on their first grown up adventure. I know, I have seen it from riding with my own children to watching them ride it with their children. It's a gift that keeps on giving.

 

[aw14]

Definitely not an attraction I look forward to, I just hope the space is utilized appropriately and we see Stitch involved in something else, elsewhere

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm confused. What else was there to remove other than SGE? They also put Stitch Encounter into SDL aka the Iger ego park.

Try finding Stitch merchandise or M&G's they have been dramatically scaled down, Even Stitch's presence at the Poly has been scaled back.

 

[ford91exploder]

Why is that baffling, have you never seen the line outside of that attraction, have you never seen the excited, smiling faces of children getting their first taste of adulthood by driving a car at breakneck speeds of 4 MPH? Reach down deep inside and see if you can make contact with your inner child. That will tell you why. For children, driving is their tomorrow. Adults tend to forget that. Take away the speedway and you have taken away the potential lasting childhood memories for kids. The same kids that will bring their own children back and ride with them on their first grown up adventure. I know, I have seen it from riding with my own children to watching them ride it with their children. It's a gift that keeps on giving.

Hey @Goofyernmost we rarely agree but I think you are spot on with this one, Even so the speedway SCREAMS for an update to electric cars because the eye stinging fumes of worn out small engines is just a bit too much to bear, With electric cars kids could choose the sound effect they want their car to make and the cars would be safer and perform better at the same time.

 

[marni1971]

I didn't read through so if this has been mentioned, sorry, just move on. We should remember that CoP was a seasonal for at least a year, if not longer. back in the early 2000's..

This ones different. Timetables have been stepped up and it will be fast tracked.

I know. Surprised me too.

 

[KINGLOUIS1993]

Yay to Stitch finally closing, although not sure about what will replace. Also a massive yay to Milfs.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Slightly off topic... sure, but I really wish Meet the Robinsons would have done better at the box office... it would be so much better of a theme to force into Tomorrowland (if that is all we're doing these days.... pushing IPs into places where IPs don't necessarily belong)... plus, Bowler Hat Guy truly is one of my favorite Disney Villains... sigh....

Back on topic... so is the general consensus that that circular theaters will more or less stay intact (as they have for essentially every attraction that has ever occupied that space)? If so, one would think/hope that that would accelerate any timetables...

 

[Monorail_Red_77]

I'm kinda wondering if they can use the two theaters kinda like they did with Soarin'. The take Stitch down to seasonal mode and use just one theater for this. Then start work on the other theater and refurbing it to the new attraction. Then they can take Stitch fully down and refurb the opposite theater. They could then open the whole new attraction up for the masses. They could even use the time that theater one sets idle while theater two gets updated to do soft openings or CM testing, etc.

No! Wait! stop everything. This is Disney. Lets just let the whole thing set vacant for a few years until it is so damaged that they have to tear out the whole building and start over. In the process they can claim that it is the largest expansion of tomorrowland ever. (even though the footprint is still the same. (Yeah, I'm looking at you New Fantasy Land) LOL.

Still not understanding the logic behind that one. take down 20k leagues let it sit vacant for nearly 20 years then build over it and say it's an expansion. while true the current guest area did expand a bit, the MK footprint didn't expand. At least that I can tell.

Rant over.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Try finding Stitch merchandise or M&G's they have been dramatically scaled down, Even Stitch's presence at the Poly has been scaled back.

True, all true. Part of that is probably a supply and demand over the years, but most of this is definitely Iger's ego quest to make sure that 90% of Disney releases before 2009 are completely forgotten.