Toy Story Land expansion announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Next Big Thing]

Are you saying for entry at the TSL gate? Because we’ve been told by insiders that’s “exit only” for the foreseeable future of SW:GE. So the switchbacks at Grand Avenue are the only overflow lines “needed.” You’d need to route crowds either across the hub or behind Great Mickey Ride to make Pixar Place work for overflow.

The "exit only" could actually be through pixar place though during the opening weeks at the very least. Disney installed a backstage gate at the very end of Pixar Place around when TSL opened and the service road that we cross goes down to Pixar Place.

Disney could completely shut the gates at TSL so the end of TSL is a dead end (like it is now) and the exit of SW:GE would just route over to PP. It would probably cause the least amount of stress on the park by doing that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Are you sure?
View attachment 303193
Because that's Epcot at 12:25am in the middle of August.

What’s your point? All I see are very short waits and Test Track clearly post-breakdown and still experiencing difficulties. What are you seeing?

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

What’s your point? All I see are very short waits and Test Track clearly post-breakdown and still experiencing difficulties. What are you seeing?

1) Test Track remained above 120 minutes for at least the next hour and a half.

2) @huwar18 mentioned that "Test Track had a 60-minute wait all day and I could pretty much walk into Soarin and FEA with minimal wait". Well Test Track that day was at 145 minutes and both the 40-minute wait for Soarin and the 45-minute wait for Frozen Ever After are clearly not walk-ons.

Ps: You don't see LwTA with 40 minute posted wait every day.

 

[huwar18]

1) Test Track remained above 120 minutes for at least the next hour and a half.

2) @huwar18 mentioned that "Test Track had a 60-minute wait all day and I could pretty much walk into Soarin and FEA with minimal wait". Well Test Track that day was at 145 minutes and both the 40-minute wait for Soarin and the 45-minute wait for Frozen Ever After are clearly not walk-ons.

Ps: You don't see LwTA with 40 minute posted wait every day.

Yeah, my wife just told me Pirates was 75 minutes and they are encouraging people to mobil order food. That’s unreal. I wouldn’t be surprised if Epcot is crazy too. Like I said, I can only report what I experienced. It was the slowest I have ever seen Epcot when we were there.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

Yeah, my wife just told me Pirates was 75 minutes and they are encouraging people to mobil order food. That’s unreal. I wouldn’t be surprised if Epcot is crazy too. Like I said, I can only report what I experienced. It was the slowest I have ever seen Epcot when we were there.

Yep and I do understand that. I would really like to be able to walk on Soarin next time I visit

 

[Disney Dad 3000]

Yep and I do understand that. I would really like to be able to walk on Soarin next time I visit

Me too. Unfortunately we didn't get the light Epcot crowd during our trip in june.

 

[marni1971]

Are you sure?
View attachment 303193
Because that's Epcot at 12:25am in the middle of August.

He should be. It’s a slower than usual summer.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

He should be. It’s a slower than usual summer.

I know but, (as I already said in one of my posts earlier replying to MansionButler84) huwar18 said that "Epcot must have a weak summer" and that "the longest wait in the park was Test Track and Soarin and FEA were walk-ons". Well Test Track was around 120 minutes for around 1.5-2 hours and the 40-minute wait and 45-minute wait for Soarin and FEA are definitely not walk-ons. Having said that, YES, Epcot has a slower summer this year and when I was there 2 years ago in the end of July it was much worse.

 

[eddie104]

It seems like a well themed land and a awesome addition to DHS. I wonder what other lands they could squeeze in to make the park more complete.

 

[tomast]

It seems like a well themed land and a awesome addition to DHS. I wonder what other lands they could squeeze in to make the park more complete.

The main problem for me is that DHS "immersion" was being able to "see" the backstage.

Like scy fy a great restaurant, but it's inmervines was entering and seeing not just a retro auto-cinema, but instead of that you enter through the door and you can see the backstage of that cinema. The same with streets of America, where subway station don't go anywhere and when you turn left you could see the red irons where the fake facade where hanging. And the Indiana show shows you stunt actors and fake boulders, and fake temples. Those weren't supposed to be real those were supposed to be fake all the way!! That the magic of the park!

How does that fit with the mega-inmersive new lands??? I love them but they sure don't fit DHS.

DHS as is is kind of dead and I with my 26 years will really miss it. It was, an nowadays still is, my favourite park. But I think they should probably change the name to something like Movies Kingdom so they can trough some random "immersive" ip-lands no-related next to each other.

 

[eddie104]

The main problem for me is that DHS "immersion" was being able to "see" the backstage.

Like scy fy a great restaurant, but it's inmervines was entering and seeing not just a retro auto-cinema, but instead of that you enter through the door and you can see the backstage of that cinema. The same with streets of America, where subway station don't go anywhere and when you turn left you could see the red irons where the fake facade where hanging. And the Indiana show shows you stunt actors and fake boulders, and fake temples. Those weren't supposed to be real those were supposed to be fake all the way!! That the magic of the park!

How does that fit with the mega-inmersive new lands??? I love them but they sure don't fit DHS.

DHS as is is kind of dead and I with my 26 years will really miss it. It was, an nowadays still is, my favourite park. But I think they should probably change the name to something like Movies Kingdom so they can trough some random "immersive" ip-lands no-related next to each other.

Well the only comparison park we have for DHS is WDSP which is getting a 2 billion plus overhaul with the addition of a Frozon land, SWL, and Marvel Land. Both parks have similar issues with little investment over the years and finally getting something to draw more crowds. I understand immersion is important so Disney needs to be more mindful of that. The name doesn't bother as I see it as nod to the various IP owned by the company.

 

[tomast]

Well the only comparison park we have for DHS is WDSP which is getting a 2 billion plus overhaul with the addition of a Frozon land, SWL, and Marvel Land. Both parks have similar issues with little investment over the years and finally getting something to draw more crowds. I understand immersion is important so Disney needs to be more mindful of that. The name doesn't bother as I see it as nod to the various IP owned by the company.

Yes, don't get me wrong these changes need to happend but DHS and what it stand for are gone. Where is the Hollywood part in SWGE or a hyper-inmersive resort? Or the backyard of Andy's home?
Those things are awesome! And I really want to go to them. But they also destroy the "Backstage" theme of the park, the Hollywood and the magic of filming. The greatest decorations where sound stages not the mountains of batuu

What I mean is that this new lands by definition should not show any bit of backstage and at the same time the park main theme is showing backstage.
Let's change the name, and change the theme from backstage and the magic of making films to the lands of the universes of those films.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Yes, don't get me wrong these changes need to happend but DHS and what it stand for are gone. Where is the Hollywood part in SWGE or a hyper-inmersive resort? Or the backyard of Andy's home?
Those things are awesome! And I really want to go to them. But they also destroy the "Backstage" theme of the park, the Hollywood and the magic of filming. The greatest decorations where sound stages not the mountains of batuu

What I mean is that this new lands by definition should not show any bit of backstage and at the same time the park main theme is showing backstage.
Let's change the name, and change the theme from backstage and the magic of making films to the lands of the universes of those films.

The Hollywood part is the basic framework of the 'streets' going from Old Hollywood to modern L.A.

TSL and SWL is the "Studio" part of the park where you 'ride the movie' from Disney Studios such as Pixar and Lucasfilm.

So, no more 'making movies in a studio building/set', but 'inhabiting a world created from a Disney Studio film.'

 

[drod1985]

I think you put it really well @MisterPenguin - it's less about the singular theme of behind-the-scenes-movie-magic and more about the unique styles of Disney's various movie studios as a whole. While it's obviously not what the park was originally intended for I still have no problem reconciling the thematic changes, even if it keeps the current name.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Yep and I do understand that. I would really like to be able to walk on Soarin next time I visit

You can from 8:00 pm till close. We do that on Friday and Saturday nights.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

You can from 8:00 pm till close. We do that on Friday and Saturday nights.

Good to know

 

[tomast]

The Hollywood part is the basic framework of the 'streets' going from Old Hollywood to modern L.A.

TSL and SWL is the "Studio" part of the park where you 'ride the movie' from Disney Studios such as Pixar and Lucasfilm.

So, no more 'making movies in a studio building/set', but 'inhabiting a world created from a Disney Studio film.'

Making the Hollywood in the name meaning somehow the cinematic universe intead of that art-deco Hollywood that never was but always will be. Be more Universal Studios Orlando where the studios is just because its about movies (for now)

 

[danlb_2000]

Construction wall blocking off Pixar Place has been removed...

View attachment 302687

Walls are back up and gates are being installed...

 

[Kman101]

Currently it’s probable Pixar Place will be used short term as an overflow for people to stand. Add a few tables and a meet n greet and it will be a safety valve for a park that’s lost too much elbow room.

Note the new gate posts ready to take the standard backstage gates.

Heh. They seem to have such little clue in some cases.

 

[Kman101]

I noticed the shrubs tonight and figured it would already be posted here. Definitely strange that they went from a wall to something even more temporary.

Even though this space isn’t in TSL itself, it does seem silly that they didn’t keep it for merchandise and a M&G as it was previously used. The current M&G are ok but incredibly hot and they’re also taking up needed space. And the store on Sunset makes zero sense.

Still loved TSL for what it is, especially at night. DHS felt much more worthwhile than last August (after GMR closed).

Yeah, they make some odd decisions. Just tells me they don't look at the realities of some situations and that they still have that "we can worry about it later" mindframe, when in reality, they need to worry about things now. Should have built a true gift shop in Toy Story Land. I mean, seriously, how can you not do that? LOL. Just insane. So many decisions they make are why I so often say "they don't get it".

I agree about DHS feeling "more worthwhile". Personal quibbles aside with TSL, it's a nice addition. And something that was needed. An actual expansion. No need to get into what more could have been done, we all know that, but it really does help "improve" the park. And I still really liked the park, I didn't like it getting knocked so much. The front half never changed, it was mostly still the same park. Backlot, LMA and Jack Sparrow weren't exactly draws anymore. I loved Backlot for what it was when it was good but they made the right call. I just don't agree putting SWLand there, but is what it is. Will certainly help even more.

DHS needed two new lands in a very bad way. (Well, they needed three but I still think we'll see a Cars presence, beyond McQueen's Screenz)