Toy Story Land expansion announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Thanks phoenicians]

Well, I mean, yeah, but the Mickey ride doesn't count

They are just completely misguided it seems. If the Orlando Sentential is correct about Disney exploring the possibility to block out pass holders when SWL opens, well, that's pathetic. If that's their plan to help the capacity then that's sad.

They could fit a Little Mermaid sized omnimover in the building that had American Idol/Sounds Dangerous (They could repurpose some GMR sets into some sort of classic Hollywood ride. I don't think it's impossible for them to get TCM to sponsor/pay for it).

Or I remember liking that idea thrown around a while ago about putting a Snow Whites Scary Adventures in the Carthay Cirlce Theater on Sunset (though I don't know how much room there is). Or a Muppets ride in the Mama Melrose area. Or even circle back to putting Mickey somewhere new.

I don't know or care, but the point- if they actually tried there is so much they could do. Spend some money Disney. This is getting sad.

Totally agree with this! As a new Florida AP holder the lack of respect for AP buyers and the greed that is on display more often than not from this company is astounding. Maybe if you build more attractions and high capacity ones at that then maybe we wouldn't have this capacity problem. Also it would be great if they invested some money in Animation and to a lesser extent Echo Lake as those areas will look so out of place in the park. So now overall we'll have two great lands Sunset and SWL, one new and hopefully at least a little better dinoland in TSL, then one part (animation) that will be completely shuttered and the other (echo) that has an aging show that doesn't fit with the park theme and a SW ride that will also be out of place.

 

[DinoInstitute]

The two track layouts aren't really all that different. Other than the details in the rockwork that will be missed, the only difference is they instituted a second launch section to replace a lift hill at the start.

There already were two launches, and there is a fair amount of missing track. (Plus the theming is a pretty important aspect)

 

[JUFL2019]

There already were two launches, and there is a fair amount of missing track. (Plus the theming is a pretty important aspect)

The original concept showed one launch and one lift hill. The lift hill was replace by another launch in the 2nd concept art.

 

[danlb_2000]

From bioconstruct on Twitter.

 

[Jones14]

The budget is around $250million +/- $25million reduced from the ridiculous $400million originally.

Thanks, Link! It's insane to think that the budget was supposed to be that high.

 

[Mike S]

Well, I mean, yeah, but the Mickey ride doesn't count

They are just completely misguided it seems. If the Orlando Sentential is correct about Disney exploring the possibility to block out pass holders when SWL opens, well, that's pathetic. If that's their plan to help the capacity then that's sad.

Universal Hollywood pulled a similar stunt when AP prices were jacked up before HP opened. They also have a much harder time expanding because all they can do is cut into more of the backlot and by the looks of these plans they'll be doing just that in the future by moving some stuff around.

Thanks, Link! It's insane to think that the budget was supposed to be that high.

Diagon Alley cost around $400 million and Hogsmeade around $265 million.

Really think about that for a second.

 

[DinoInstitute]

The original concept showed one launch and one lift hill. The lift hill was replace by another launch in the 2nd concept art.

Well we never really had that much information on the details of the ride like that so its hard to know for sure.

I was always under the impression that there was two launches in both versions, at the start of the ride. In the first version of the art my understanding was that it would be like California Screamin where you go fast up the hill until the vehicle doesn't go any farther on its own, and then like halfway up is when the lift mechanism kicks in.

 

[JUFL2019]

Well we never really had that much information on the details of the ride like that so its hard to know for sure.

I was always under the impression that there was two launches in both versions, at the start of the ride. In the first version of the art my understanding was that it would be like California Screamin where you go fast up the hill until the vehicle doesn't go any farther on its own, and then like halfway up is when the lift mechanism kicks in.

They showed a ride through video at D23, one lift hill, one launch.

 

[Jones14]

Universal Hollywood pulled a similar stunt when AP prices were jacked up before HP opened. They also have a much harder time expanding because all they can do is cut into more of the backlot and by the looks of these plans they'll be doing just that in the future by moving some stuff around.

Diagon Alley cost around $400 million and Hogsmeade around $265 million.

Really think about that for a second.

To be totally fair, Hogsmeade (which I will be forthright about and admit that I've never been too crazy about) did reuse two of its three opening day rides, which helped with the cost, but the fact that $400 million either gets you Diagon Alley or Toy Story Land (original version) is absolutely baffling to me.

 

[marni1971]

I don't think a TS was ever planned, but there will still be a QS. It will be themed to a Woody's Roundup Lunchbox.

QS is a stretch. There will be a serving hatch with outdoor seats.

 

[Mike S]

To be totally fair, Hogsmeade (which I will be forthright about and admit that I've never been too crazy about) did reuse two of its three opening day rides, which helped with the cost, but the fact that $400 million either gets you Diagon Alley or Toy Story Land (original version) is absolutely baffling to me.

Even without the two reused coasters Forbidden Journey and Hogsmeade are leagues above anything in the current version of TSL that has a similar price. Disney has a serious problem getting bang for their buck. No wonder they're so hesitant to build ground breaking attractions unless it's for such a sure fire thing like Star Wars. Avatar costing $1 Billion is another head scratcher. There needs to be a serious restructuring in the halls of WDI to fix this mess.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Even without the two reused coasters Forbidden Journey and Hogsmeade are leagues above anything in the current version of TSL that has a similar price. Disney has a serious problem getting bang for their buck. No wonder they're so hesitant to build ground breaking attractions unless it's for such a sure fire thing like Star Wars. Avatar costing $1 Billion is another head scratcher. There needs to be a serious restructuring in the halls of WDI to fix this mess.

In Pandora's case, that is still a lot of money, but considering all of the detail and groundbreaking work they are doing there I can see why it would be so expensive.

I mean, how much did the other TSLs cost? If it was as expensive I can't imagine it would have been approved for DHS. TDO has some problems it seems.

 

[marni1971]

I mean, how much did the other TSLs cost? .

In today's money TSPL in Paris was 88 million dollars.

 

[Mike S]

In today's money TSPL in Paris was 88 million dollars.

Is ours made of gold or something?!?!?!

 

[DinoInstitute]

I posted a similar thing in the Imagineer forum, but just because I'm bored and frustrated by incompetence , I'm gonna post my thoughts on what DHS should be over the next bunch of years here too, like as if I could just take over-

2017
-Enclose Theater of the Stars and make it a very nice theater. If they keep playing BatB, then at least update it
-Update Fantasmic. Similar general show, but just some changes as necessary over time
-Theme the facades of Animation Courtyard to match Old Hollywood
-Replace the Little Mermaid with the rumored Tangle Musical.
-Move OMD to the building where Disney Jr was, and also include a Blue Sky Cellar
-Some sort of daytime parade for needed entertainment

2018
-Toy Story land opens (ideally with a proper Slinky...)
-Frozen sing along gets replaced with a Mary Poppins musical
-GMR gets a quality refurbishment after TSL with scene, animatronic, and effects updates

2019
-Great Mickey Ride opens in the current Launch Bay building
-Snow Whites Scary Adventures opens on Sunset in an expanded Carthay Circle theater building
-Star Wars land

2020
-An adventure/sci-fi movie land in between Echo and Muppets, with the Indiana Jones show refurbished to lose working studio references, Star Tours closing with SWL and re-opening as GotG, and the Backlot Express and SciFi drive in. And of course some general theming throughout the area

Oh, and this last thing can happen any time (but asap)- No more freakin dance parties in front of the chinese theater! I mean they have that building off of RnRC for that, don't they?

 

[doctornick]

The budget is around $250million +/- $25million reduced from the ridiculous $400million originally.

I literally don't understand how they could be spending that much on TSL. There's pretty much nothing there that should be complicated or costly. I know it's a tired comparison, but the original Potter land at IoW cost a reported $270M or so. How could the original version of this land cost so much more than that?

When this was announced, I serious assumed it would cost maybe $100M and be a very small part of any DHS build. Just a quick addition to get some capacity.

 

[doctornick]

In Pandora's case, that is still a lot of money, but considering all of the detail and groundbreaking work they are doing there I can see why it would be so expensive.

I mean, how much did the other TSLs cost? If it was as expensive I can't imagine it would have been approved for DHS. TDO has some problems it seems.

That's the thing. For Pandora, at least there are some very detailed and unique things going on. I can understand a lot of money going into R&D and the work being expensive. Yes, that still seems excessive, but a well done Pandora was always going to be costly.

But TSL is just a bare bones area. Sure, the rides have some specialized decor as opposed to off the shelf, but they aren't anything tricky that should cost endless millions. If those are really the costs, then it perfectly justifiable for heads to roll; something needs to be done at WDI.

 

[Mike S]

That's the thing. For Pandora, at least there are some very detailed and unique things going on. I can understand a lot of money going into R&D and the work being expensive. Yes, that still seems excessive, but a well done Pandora was always going to be costly.

But TSL is just a bare bones area. Sure, the rides have some specialized decor as opposed to off the shelf, but they aren't anything tricky that should cost endless millions. If those are really the costs, then it perfectly justifiable for heads to roll; something needs to be done at WDI.

@marni1971 has said there's no reason for Pandora to cost more than $500 million, its original budget. That was some time ago so maybe he can clarify.

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971 That was some time ago so maybe he can clarify.

I wish I could.

 

[SirLink]

I literally don't understand how they could be spending that much on TSL. There's pretty much nothing there that should be complicated or costly. I know it's a tired comparison, but the original Potter land at IoW cost a reported $270M or so. How could the original version of this land cost so much more than that?

When this was announced, I serious assumed it would cost maybe $100M and be a very small part of any DHS build. Just a quick addition to get some capacity.

The D23 version had multiple fiberglass figures around Slinky, some animated props and coasters aren't cheap cheap to build. Plus it had a free standing building for toilets, M+G venue plus shop. The new version has the shop, M+G and brand new toilet facility cut and most of the fiberglass figures were cut and most if not all moving props have been cut from Slinky.