Studio Backlot Tour Closing on September 27, 2014

[wm49rs]

Hang in there. Disney management is like US presidential administrations. Every eight years or so, there's a new one. Iger's term expires in less than two years, and there will be a new management team in place with fresh new ideas.

I'm not assuming anything. I would hope he would have some sort of grandiose vision, but that's not what I said. All of the current contenders for the job have a better understanding of the theme park business than Iger does, including (and especially) Rasulo.

Of course, not assuming, just stating....

And understanding the theme park business doesn't equate to changing how it's operated. But of course, this really doesn't have much to do with the removal of BLT and the ride rumored to replace it....

 

[G00fyDad]

I don't remember what or if AK got anything

Lucky the Dinosaur. Kind of lame IMO.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I've always wondered about the area beyond S. Studio Dr. Since BLT is essentially gone, and LMA seems to be next (I thought it would close before this Dec), can they extend the park beyond S. Studio Dr?

Right along this river? Bump the park all the way to the water?

The access road would need to change, but wouldn't that be possible?

Not only possible but plans are in place to do just that and have the entrance to DHS be from the right of this picture. It seems like they have stalled on those plans for whatever reason for the time being, but I wouldn't at all be surprised to see it resurface before to long.

The problem with going all the way to the "river" is that the land between the access road and the river are designated wet lands. Reedy Creek designated them as such years ago, however, let's get serious for a minute, Reedy Creek is Disney and with little or no protest can change that, but, it would have to be relocated, they can't just eliminate it completely. That is expense and work, but, it is doable and would open DHS to a lot more possibilities and building pads.

We were discussing earlier the area above that which is now taken up by LMA equipment. Look at the area along side LMA that is currently a very wide part of the toll booth area now. That would accommodate the practice and maintenance area of LMA and open that internal space up for attractions. OR they could just get rid of LMA and even just go to the outside limits of the access road and gain tons of space. Figure out the cheapest way and that will be the direction they will take.

 

[PeterAlt]

Of course, not assuming, just stating....

And understanding the theme park business doesn't equate to changing how it's operated. But of course, this really doesn't have much to do with the removal of BLT and the ride rumored to replace it....

As I said, every CEO in the company's history has made changes. Why would the next one be any different? And, yes, this has nothing to do with the removal of BLT.

 

[wdwmagic]

Please stay on topic. Create a new thread for ceo talk if you wish.

 

[PeterAlt]

Please stay on topic. Create a new thread for ceo talk if you wish.

Thanks

 

[twebber55]

maybe ol Jim Hill is right....DHS makeover and maybe not quite the way we want it but some additional C ticket rides in Pixar area which may be the first phase with a larger star wars presence coming by 2018/19 (my opinion there)

 

[RSoxNo1]

Today will be third attempt at a last ride on the Studio Backlot Tour. The problems with the first two attempts were that the ride didn't close afterwards.

 

[FutureWorld1982]

You know what is interesting? That the Disney Parks Blog is not releasing this news in an official manner yet. They could have done so on Friday (since it's their favorite day to bury news of closures), but chose not to. What are they waiting for? Do you think they want to surprise us all by also announcing what will replace it? It's also weird because they have privately confirmed this closure to other news outlets. Still, no Disney Parks Blog news. As a comparison, Maelstrom's closure was officially announced on the Park Blog before being announced internally. Strange how things change from park to park, even in the same resort.

 

[twebber55]

You know what is interesting? That the Disney Parks Blog is not releasing this news in an official manner yet. They could have done so on Friday (since it's their favorite day to bury news of closures), but chose not to. What are they waiting for? Do you think they want to surprise us all by also announcing what will replace it? It's also weird because they have privately confirmed this closure to other news outlets. Still, no Disney Parks Blog news. As a comparison, Maelstrom's closure was officially announced on the Park Blog before being announced internally. Strange how things change from park to park, even in the same resort.

how often to they announce an attraction closing?

 

[FutureWorld1982]

If you mean on the blog, it has been very frequently in the past few weeks. All the entertainment acts at Epcot, the American Idol Experience, and Maelstrom closures were announced just recently.

 

[twebber55]

If you mean on the blog, it has been very frequently in the past few weeks. All the entertainment acts at Epcot, the American Idol Experience, and Maelstrom closures were announced just recently.

usually those announcements come with new announcements of stuff coming as well...im assuming they re not ready to announce what else is coming

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

You know what is interesting? That the Disney Parks Blog is not releasing this news in an official manner yet. They could have done so on Friday (since it's their favorite day to bury news of closures), but chose not to. What are they waiting for? Do you think they want to surprise us all by also announcing what will replace it? It's also weird because they have privately confirmed this closure to other news outlets. Still, no Disney Parks Blog news. As a comparison, Maelstrom's closure was officially announced on the Park Blog before being announced internally. Strange how things change from park to park, even in the same resort.

They probably got a nasty response last time and are going to quietly pull the plug this time around and hope no one notices.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Lucky the Dinosaur. Kind of lame IMO.

That could be why I couldn't remember it. Even now that you told me, I still don't really remember it, but I have seen pictures.

 

[Goofyernmost]

They probably got a nasty response last time and are going to quietly pull the plug this time around and hope no one notices.

Sadly, very few will.

 

[raymusiccity]

usually those announcements come with new announcements of stuff coming as well...im assuming they re not ready to announce what else is coming

I'm having trouble understanding the Sept 27 closing date for BLT. Maelstrom was announced awhile ago, with a certain date for an Oct. 5th closing. We were also advised of the reasoning for its closure due to 'Frozen' coming as it's replacement.

Now we have BLT closing this coming week, with no 'official' announcement, or any clue as to what might take its place.

What's the rush?

 

[twebber55]

I'm having trouble understanding the Sept 27 closing date for BLT. Maelstrom was announced awhile ago, with a certain date for an Oct. 5th closing. We were also advised of the reasoning for its closure due 'Frozen' coming as it's replacement.

Now we have BLT closing this coming week, with no 'official' announcement, or any clue as to what might take its place.

What's the rush?

maybe do it before the new fiscal year? just a guess

 

[Mike S]

We should play attraction closure bingo. You know every week at WDW something is going to shutter without a replacement announced, but what will it be next?

I suspect that will probably be it for the closures for now until after Christmas.
Then January, LMA will be driving off for the last time.
February, Indiana Jones will go.
March, GMR.

Echo Lake area and LMA will probably then sit abandoned for years, with Indy becoming an events theater like Premier or Wonders of Life, but the Toy Story playland and Mania expansion will happen quite swiftly by Disney standards (Christmas 2016).

GMR will be a tough one to lose Modern Disney seems to have no reservations for closing down attractions.

 

[bhg469]

GMR will be a tough one to lose Modern Disney seems to have no reservations for closing down attractions.

And this is a perfect attraction for a refresh.. They could have added a frozen scene in it and satisfied everyone. That is unfortunately one attraction that I just can't bring myself to ride anymore.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I remember right before he left, he held a press conference to announce LMA, Stitch's Great Escape, Soaring for EPCOT, and Expedition Everest. At least EE was worthy of the budget it got, and Soaring draw crowds to EPCOT (although it was cheapened compared to it the original version at DCA). Stitch, I think, he approved because he didn't want to leave his legacy with AE scaring kids at the MK.

It was very popular in France. For the 2005, 50th Anniversary of Disneyland Celebration, they made an attempt to copy a successful attraction from other parks and put one in each of the four parks. MK got Philharmagic, Epcot got Soarin. I don't remember what or if AK got anything (probably did) and HS got LMA. It fit in with the studio's easily because it is a re-inaction of a stunt session used in the movies. Or at least that was the story line.

In those early years, I never went to it when it didn't have a completely filled stadium and, if I remember correctly, they had more shows then they do now. However, it is an attraction that has a very short shelf life. Once you've seen it, you've seen it.

The Magic Kingdom received Cinderellabration, based on a show at Tokyo Disneyland. Mickey's PhilharMagic and Stitch Great Escape opened before 2005. Lights! Motors! Action! never really got the same response here as the original version has in France. It seems that rumors of its demise started almost immediately.