Toy Story Land expansion announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Californian Elitist]

You said you think people are struggling with the concept due to lack of clarity of place. I'm saying I don't understand how people are struggling to connect with Toy Story. We were all kids once and most of us should be able to identify with the locations. Even more so if you are a Millennial who grew up on Toy Story.

It's not that people are failing to connect to the Toy Story films. It's that some of us can't imagine an actual place in Toy Story that can be put into a theme park because their isn't one. Andy's room as a place in the film makes sense, but it seems odd for a theme park.

 

[Next Big Thing]

The one thing i'm interested in is when they are going to get started. There's A LOT of backstage stuff from the tour and the entire costuming building that needs to be moved or demo'd. I want to say that the construction of this should be quick, but they can't even get near STARTING until the land is cleared, which could still be awhile. @marni1971 @Lee @wdwmagic

 

[hopemax]

Why does it only having two rides make it Meh? Diagon Alley only has two rides, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone calling it "meh".

Hogwarts Express 200 people per cycle, 7 min cycle, 8 cycles/hr = ~1600 pph
Gringotts I think I've seen people say 2000ish pph
Total: 3600 people/hr

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree has a capacity of 600 people per hour
TSMM third track will get an increase of about 750 per hour over previous.
Using Dollywood's Firechaser as a basis, capacity is 750 per hour
Total: 2100 people/hr If the coaster can double Firechaser, that gets it up to 2850

Or.

Hogwarts Express: 5 min
Gringotts: 4.5 min
Total: 9.5 min ride time

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree: 1.5 min
TSMM - no additional ride time over existing
Using Firechaser as basis: 2 min ish
Total: 3.5 min ride time

This is my justification for "meh." And if anyone has better numbers, they'd be appreciated

 

[Capsin4]

I'm wondering if Pixar Place will be retained and considered the gateway to Toy Story Land. Just because Toy Story Land is going to be created doesn't mean that future Pixar expansion can't/won't happen. For example, Bug's Land (which is geared towards the preschool set) in DCA has its own little corner and has been designed so the guest gets the feeling that they are the size of a bug (in TSL the guest will be the size of a toy). Outside of the boundaries of Bug's Land is the walkway to Radiator Springs and Carsland.

This alley would have been a nice corner for a small Arendelle layover with M&G in the current TS M&G and a Frozen ride at the back. Especially with the TSMM entrance moving.

 

[danlb_2000]

Or $2.8 billion for 4 new rides.

It is likely that there is more coming to DHS then has been announced.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think you really summed it up best. Not impressed but not exactly underwhelmed with the land either. As long as it doesn't end up like A Bug's Land (which is awful) I think it will be okay.

Right. I'm not underwhelmed at all. A bug's land isn't awful, in my opinion. It's some of the best theming in DCA and the rides are fun for children and can be fun for adults. It's just they could have chosen something MUCH better to theme a land to.

 

[danlb_2000]

The one thing i'm interested in is when they are going to get started. There's A LOT of backstage stuff from the tour and the entire costuming building that needs to be moved or demo'd. I want to say that the construction of this should be quick, but they can't even get near STARTING until the land is cleared, which could still be awhile. @marni1971 @Lee @wdwmagic

Once these buildings are emptied, demolishing them will go quickly, they could come down in a couple days. A lot of the buildings back there are just trailers.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Once these buildings are emptied, demolishing them will go quickly, they could come down in a couple days. A lot of the buildings back there are just trailers.

Well that's good to know, however, the costume building is a building still heavily needed and there's no other place for it to go yet. So that won't be able to come down for a bit unless they move them to a temporary place somewhere (I can't imagine where they'd move them though). They could do what they're doing for the Flex Theater and build a building somewhere, prefab everything and get it done fairly quickly.

 

[CinematicFusion]

There really aren't any family attractions whatsoever at the studios. Its a major void. This should fill that. Granted, not quite my cup of tea but horribly needed.

I'll have a blast in the land with my kids, but yeah...not sure I would visit alone. Star Wars land....I might have to visit by myself at least once.

 

[danlb_2000]

Well that's good to know, however, the costume building is a building still heavily needed and there's no other place for it to go yet. So that won't be able to come down for a bit unless they move them to a temporary place somewhere (I can't imagine where they'd move them though). They could do what they're doing for the Flex Theater and build a building somewhere, prefab everything and get it done fairly quickly.

The costume building could be moved anywhere on property.

 

[flyerjab]

It is likely that there is more coming to DHS then has been announced.

This event has consumed most of my weekend. I have been listening to periscope feeds, podcasts, reading forums, etc. My family is worried about me.

Anyway, I have heard some interesting things concerning DHS. I have heard that a version of Cars Land is going to be added eventually. Those that have wondered about the path that splits up by the Buzz side of this land, well, it apparently is going to lead to a DHS version of CL. The other thing that was said is that there is a consideration for a third Pixar land below the Woody side of TSL. Monsters Inc. was mentioned.

I tend to agree with Steve in that there is more coming. Now hearing what I have heard makes me think that more.

 

[lazyboy97o]

So where is all of the love for the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure and its exact same theme?

See, I don't get it. Unless you grew up under a fascist or communist regime, you had a bedroom with toys and a backyard covered in toys. It should make people nostalgic. I teared up the first time I saw the Midway Mania queue with lots of mutterings of "I forgot about that toy!" The ride itself is less compelling to me, but my love of that queue equates to (obvious) excitement toward this project.

The Toy Story films tug at my heart strings for the same reason. I was devastated at the thought of those those toys falling into an incinerator!

There is no nostalgia to invoke. If people want to see a bunch of crap in a yard they can go to Toys R Us, buy some toys and toss them around their yard. The theme of this land is literally a messy backyard. The "shrink down" concept has been done plenty but is never a huge win because it is lazy. It is a way to be cheap and justify the removal of texture and ornament because everything is supposed to be plastic and big.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

It's a shame DHS couldn't truly get something unique.

A Toy Story Land is odd because there's no actual place in the films where the characters live. I know they live in Andy's room, but a child's room doesn't equate to a place, like Hogsmede and Radiator Springs does. I'm betting that's why some people are having a hard time with the concept. It's odd.

I said this in another thread, based on what we've been given so far, I'm not very impressed, but time will tell.

I think that's a good point - Carsland, Hogsmeade, and Diagon Alley all make you look and say "Oh man, it's like we're THERE". Can that be said for Toy Story? Where is there? Andy's Backyard? Is that somewhere we've always wanted to go? I've always loved the movie and the characters, but I've never felt especially drawn into that "world", largely because it is meant to be our own. Toy Story really isn't location driven. I guess the draw here is just that the guests are "shrinking". We'll have to see; I don't feel like Disney's ever done that especially well.

Disney is actually taking a little bit of a risk on this same front with Star Wars. They've included places people have wanted to go to - The Millennium Falcon, the Cantina - but by setting it all on a new planet they're banking on this movie to deliver a new place that Star Wars fans will be desperate to visit as much as or more than the ones they already love. I suppose I appreciate their confidence, and it sounds like they have the right idea. If they really commit, it should make for a great themed land whether the movie "sells" it or not.

 

[Next Big Thing]

The costume building could be moved anywhere on property.

I know it could be moved anywhere, but it needs a home. You can't just pick up the building and move it.

I personally don't know why it hasn't been moved yet... they knew the space was going to be utilized for expansion soon enough. Might as well get them out of there. Could've done it with the ride closure last year.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Hogwarts Express 200 people per cycle, 7 min cycle, 8 cycles/hr = ~1600 pph
Gringotts I think I've seen people say 2000ish pph
Total: 3600 people/hr

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree has a capacity of 600 people per hour
TSMM third track will get an increase of about 750 per hour over previous.
Using Dollywood's Firechaser as a basis, capacity is 750 per hour
Total: 2100 people/hr If the coaster can double Firechaser, that gets it up to 2850

Or.

Hogwarts Express: 5 min
Gringotts: 4.5 min
Total: 9.5 min ride time

Mater's Junkyard Jamboree: 1.5 min
TSMM - no additional ride time over existing
Using Firechaser as basis: 2 min ish
Total: 3.5 min ride time

This is my justification for "meh." And if anyone has better numbers, they'd be appreciated

You capacity for Slinky is low. The trains in the video have 10 rows of two. 20 per cycle. For Disney, a 60 second dispatch would be slow and provide 1200/hour. 50 seconds gets you 1500. 40 seconds gets you 1800. I'd go with about 1500 as the theoretical max. 7DMT's theoretical max is 1650. Operational is about 1500.

 

[danlb_2000]

I think that's a good point - Carsland, Hogsmeade, and Diagon Alley all make you look and say "Oh man, it's like we're THERE". Can that be said for Toy Story? Where is there? Andy's Backyard? Is that somewhere we've always wanted to go? I've always loved the movie and the characters, but I've never felt especially drawn into that "world", largely because it is meant to be our own. Toy Story really isn't location driven. I guess the draw here is just that the guests are "shrinking". We'll have to see; I don't feel like Disney's ever done that especially well.

Disney is actually taking a little bit of a risk on this same front with Star Wars. They've included places people have wanted to go to - The Millennium Falcon, the Cantina - but by setting it all on a new planet they're banking on this movie to deliver a new place that Star Wars fans will be desperate to visit as much as or more than the ones they already love. I suppose I appreciate their confidence, and it sounds like they have the right idea. If they really commit, it should make for a great themed land whether the movie "sells" it or not.

But Star Wars fans are used to going to new places. We don't spend a significant amount of time in any one place in the Star Wars movies. As long as the land gives you the feel of being in the Star Wars universe, then I think people will be ok with it.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

But Star Wars fans are used to going to new places. We don't spend a significant amount of time in any one place in the Star Wars movies. As long as the land gives you the feel of being in the Star Wars universe, then I think people will be ok with it.

I agree - I just mean that it's a bigger risk to invest so heavily in a yet-unproven one than to just all out doing Tatooine or one that already has decades of love behind it.

Imagine what would have happened they announced plans in 1998 for a huge land built around Jar Jar Binks' home town . . .

 

[ToTBellHop]

I agree - I just mean that it's a bigger risk to invest so heavily in a yet-unproven one than to just all out doing Tatooine or one that already has decades of love behind it.

Imagine what would have happened they announced plans in 1998 for a huge land built around Jar Jar Binks' home town . . .

Naboo is gorgeous. I just hope there wouldn't have been any talking in that land...

 

[hopemax]

You capacity for Slinky is low. The trains in the video have 10 rows of two. 20 per cycle. For Disney, a 60 second dispatch would be slow and provide 1200/hour. 50 seconds gets you 1500. 40 seconds gets you 1800. I'd go with about 1500 as the theoretical max. 7DMT's theoretical max is 1650. Operational is about 1500.

So then that matches where I said "if they double Firechaser (which would be 1500 in that scenario) it gets the total increase for the land to 2850. Which is 20% less than DA's estimate.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Naboo is gorgeous. I just hope there wouldn't have been any talking in that land...

I'm just saying that when you have 40 year old, deeply beloved source material, it's bold to say the NEXT thing will be the one worth immortalizing.

But again, I'm not complaining. If it's exceptionally well done as a theme park land, no one will care either way about the movie. Cars is far from Pixar's most popular film, but people are eating up Cars Land. I predict the same for Pandora, despite not caring for Avatar. If the land is great, it should be well received. But this is a bold move.