The Pop Century Slum Area - How Long?

[RiversideBunny]

There has been extensive thread discussion on this before but, now that it is October of 2007, why does WDW still have those unfinished buildings that were to be Pop Century - Phase II, The Legendary Years?

That is very un-Disney.

To have old unpainted, unfinished, deteriorating, and probably rodent infested buildings sitting in plain sight for so many years is incredible.
This is the same company that has people promptly picking up candy wrappers in the parks every day so they will always look clean and fresh.

What's with the lack of action on Phase II of Pop Century?
It would be a different situation if the land for it were still vacant but that's not the case. There is an unfinished group of buildings just sitting there for all to see and not enjoy.

The delay has been explained sometimes as waiting to see how the family suites at the All Stars work out. How long does that take?

Why is WDW allowing the unfinished condition of The Legendary Years to exist for so many years with no announced plans to correct the situation?

Tks.
:animwink:

 

[Shere_Khan]

I think "Value" resorts was a bad idea to begin with...Disney should have just
stayed with Moderare and Deluxe categories...but going back to the
Pop Century, if they made it all Family Suites, perhaps the higher price for accommodations would justify the completion of the project? After that,
NO MORE HOTELS! Spend the money on attractions!

How is it a bad idea? Without values people who go to them now because of money restrictions would most likely not go to WDW at all. I know because I am one of them. It takes me long enough to save for a value resort, I sure would not go if I had to stay at a higher priced hotel when I am not even going to be in the room enjoying it.
Values means more business for Disney that they might not have otherwise.

 

[garyhoov]

For those that have not seen this here is a picture of the area in question.

Unfinished Pop century

While it is definitely not the most attractive thing in the world it is hardly the giant boil on the side of SSE that many people make it out to be. It is really only visible as you pull into Pop century and from the back of the completed section of the resort. Sure it looks a little creepy but as far as incomplete buildings go it is as attractive as they can be. Disney has done pretty much everything reasonably possible to hide the buildings but lets face it there is not all that much you can do to hide 2 4 story hotel buildings and their accompanying lobby.

From that photo, it looks like they tore down most of the buildings. Is that what happened, or am I mis-interpreting what I'm seeing?

That seems like a waste if they did tear them down.

 

[joel_maxwell]

From that photo, it looks like they tore down most of the buildings. Is that what happened, or am I mis-interpreting what I'm seeing?

That seems like a waste if they did tear them down.

they do have some odd footprints there that only look like something really haevy was sitting on the like a foundation etc. who knows. i recall more buildings too.

 

[nibblesandbits]

How is it a bad idea? Without values people who go to them now because of money restrictions would most likely not go to WDW at all. I know because I am one of them. It takes me long enough to save for a value resort, I sure would not go if I had to stay at a higher priced hotel when I am not even going to be in the room enjoying it.
Values means more business for Disney that they might not have otherwise.

I agree. I wouldn't be able to afford to stay on property (or it would take me longer to be able to afford staying at a Moderate resort) if they hadn't built the Value resorts.

And while they may not appeal to you, BigKahuna they do appeal to me. I like the fun and whimsy of them. Plus, I'm not in a hotel room long enough to justify paying the extra money for a higher end resort. I'm in my room at Disney basically to sleep and that's it. I would feel I was wasting money if I stayed in a moderate and only stayed at night.

 

[gsimpson]

I don't think they tore anything down, they simply had some buildings more complete than others.

I stayed at Pop for the first time last week, I normally stay at Boardwalk or one of the other deluxes, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I had more fun there than I did earlier in the week at Saratoga Springs. The CMs were great and the big thing is the guests seemed to be happier. I expect in large part because there seemed to be a lot more young families with kids who are just happy to be able to afford the whole experience.

Another BIG plus is the buses seemed to run quite a bit more frequently. I know, I know, buses are great, have no cost, are much more flexible, and everyone is in love with them but it always took close to an hour to get to Epcot or the MK from Saratoga, downtown Disney, AK, and DHS seemed to be a bit better. In fairness on several waits buses would stop by to tell us they were full and another bus had been called, of course the next bus would come by and tell us the same thing.

 

[garyhoov]

they do have some odd footprints there that only look like something really haevy was sitting on the like a foundation etc. who knows. i recall more buildings too.

I don't think they tore anything down, they simply had some buildings more complete than others.

Yeah. After I posted that, I looked more closely and then went back through and read Rob562's post.

There have been other threads about this, but in brief:

Construction of both halves of Pop Century were started at approximately the same time, with opening the two sides scheduled within one year of each other (similar to how Music & Sports opened, as well as Port Orleans and Dixie Landings). Then the post-9/11 tourism slump came, and all construstion on both halves was stopped. After about an 18-month hiatus, as tourism slightly regained some ground, construction on the more-completed half was resumed. It opened about 18 months after it was supposed to.

But the other half (The "Legendary Years" of 1900-1940's) was left to sit as it was when construction stopped. Only the shell of the main building was finished, along with the shell of 2 or 3 of the guestroom buildings. The foundations for the other buildings may have been poured, too. That's what you see over there today.

It's unclear exactly how much work would be required when construction eventually re-starts. What's built is pretty much all steel and concrete, so it may just require a good pressure wash and sanitation before being finished. Or, it may require a complete tear-down and rebuild. As you can tell, Disney has been holding off on either until they know what the eventual fate will be.

-Rob

Now that I look at it, it looks like they poured the concrete slab foundations, but never built beyond that, and then the slabs got dirty and overgrown.

 

[joel_maxwell]

Yeah. After I posted that, I looked more closely and then went back through and read Rob562's post.



Now that I look at it, it looks like they poured the concrete slab foundations, but never built beyond that, and then the slabs got dirty and overgrown.

i guess that makes sense.

 

[Master Yoda]

Now that I look at it, it looks like they poured the concrete slab foundations, but never built beyond that, and then the slabs got dirty and overgrown.

It is hard to tell but it does look like the slabs were poured on several of the buildings and if those are plants growing up through it they will have to pull them up and re-pour. Not a cheep procedure from what I am told.

 

[Craig & Lisa]

So what exactly happened? The place looks pretty much completed. All they have to do is outfit the rooms. You would think Disney would want those rooms occupied.

Simple 9/11/01

 

[barkatozz]

I think "Value" resorts was a bad idea to begin with...Disney should have just
stayed with Moderare and Deluxe categories...but going back to the
Pop Century, if they made it all Family Suites, perhaps the higher price for accommodations would justify the completion of the project? After that,
NO MORE HOTELS! Spend the money on attractions!

I guess because you're rich?:hammer:

 

[DisneyChik17]

I think "Value" resorts was a bad idea to begin with...Disney should have just
stayed with Moderare and Deluxe categories...but going back to the
Pop Century, if they made it all Family Suites, perhaps the higher price for accommodations would justify the completion of the project? After that,
NO MORE HOTELS! Spend the money on attractions!

Right, because everyone can, will, and wants to spend an extra $2,000 on a room that they may spend 8 hours a day in.