Toy Story Land expansion announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Kman101]

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.

One day is subjective. But I get what you're trying to say. But yes, Epcot has had a slower summer. Last summer was slow too. I remember lots of pictures of empty Epcot. But one day can be dead, the next day packed. Doesn't mean it's not still the weakest park.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

One day is subjective. But I get what you're trying to say. But yes, Epcot has had a slower summer. Last summer was slow too. I remember lots of pictures of empty Epcot. But one day can be dead, the next day packed. Doesn't mean it's not still the weakest park.

Yeah this summer Epcot is the least appealing park to visit. HS used to be but with the opening of TSL many people go there to see it so it has drawn significant traffic away from Epcot. Animal Kingdom is experiencing a post-Pandora storm and MK is just MK. Last year's slow summer in Epcot was due to Pandora. This year's slow summer is because of TSL. Next year's slow summer will be because of Star Wars Land.

 

[Kman101]

Yeah this summer Epcot is the least appealing park to visit. HS used to be but with the opening of TSL many people go there to see it so it has drawn significant traffic away from Epcot. Animal Kingdom is experiencing a post-Pandora storm and MK is just MK. Last year's slow summer in Epcot was due to Pandora. This year's slow summer is because of TSL. Next year's slow summer will be because of Star Wars Land.

Probably 10 years ago at this point, or maybe 11, I went to the parks for a week at the end of August and I literally was back in my room by 1 at the very latest. The heat ... ugh. lol. And I live here! But Epcot to me gets VERY hot, but they have lots of places to dip into. While some things have been updated (Soarin, Test Track, Mission Space) and added (Frozen), the park is suffering, like DHS, from being stale and under invested in for the last decade. Guests are likely reacting to it, finally (on some level)

Epcot will have it's time again once Guardians and Rat opens. We've seen what happens with AK and then DHS with the new additions. I can see why they want to update the night show now. At least that will be a draw.

Clearly there's a reason Epcot's getting a lot of investment very soon. We may not love all of it, but it's way past due.

I mean, I shouldn't look at a park map from 20 years ago and see very little change ... not saying everything always needs to change but they gave up keeping things fresh because people just kept coming, regardless. I think that slowed down, hence the reaction to finally spend money.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

Probably 10 years ago at this point, or maybe 11, I went to the parks for a week at the end of August and I literally was back in my room by 1 at the very latest. The heat ... ugh. lol. And I live here! But Epcot to me gets VERY hot, but they have lots of places to dip into. While some things have been updated (Soarin, Test Track, Mission Space) and added (Frozen), the park is suffering, like DHS, from being stale and under invested in for the last decade. Guests are likely reacting to it, finally (on some level)

Epcot will have it's time again once Guardians and Rat opens. We've seen what happens with AK and then DHS with the new additions. I can see why they want to update the night show now. At least that will be a draw.

Clearly there's a reason Epcot's getting a lot of investment very soon. We may not love all of it, but it's way past due.

I mean, I shouldn't look at a park map from 20 years ago and see very little change ... not saying everything always needs to change but they gave up keeping things fresh because people just kept coming, regardless. I think that slowed down, hence the reaction to finally spend money.

Yeah the heat in Epcot is really bad due to the concrete. Sometimes I felt like I was suffocating when I stood under the Electric Umbrella at noon. Frozen isn't an addition actually. It's just a retheming of a standard dark ride with an IP.

In general all the parks except for MK were in a really stagnant phase from 2007-2008 to 2016-2018. Epcot saw its first "new ride" 9 yrs after Nemo in the Seas, AK didn't get anything new since Everest until Pandora opened and HS's last new attraction before TSL was Midway Mania 10 years before. All the parks have started or will start to finally shine again and come on par with MK and Epcot is the one that really needs it.

I don't have any problem with Ratatouille because it's a great ride (I have been to WDS), the revamp of the Future World (it is essential) or the rumored Mary Poppins. The only thing that I don't like about all of these is Guardians in UoE. But even this is a much better alternative than EEA that saw wait times above 15 minutes only on New Year's Eve.

 

[Kman101]

Yeah the heat in Epcot is really bad due to the concrete. Sometimes I felt like I was suffocating when I stood under the Electric Umbrella at noon. Frozen isn't an addition actually. It's just a retheming of a standard dark ride with an IP.

In general all the parks except for MK were in a really stagnant phase from 2007-2008 to 2016-2018. Epcot saw its first "new ride" 9 yrs after Nemo in the Seas, AK didn't get anything new since Everest until Pandora opened and HS's last new attraction before TSL was Midway Mania 10 years before. All the parks have started or will start to finally shine again and come on par with MK and Epcot is the one that really needs it.

I don't have any problem with Ratatouille because it's a great ride (I have been to WDS), the revamp of the Future World (it really needs it) or the rumored Mary Poppins. The only thing that I don't like about all of these is Guardians in UoE. But even this is a much better alternative than EEA that saw wait times above 15 minutes only on New Year's Eve.

Oh, I know Frozen isn't an "addition", in the literal sense, I guess I should have worded it differently. They did 'expand' and add the meet and greet. I'm not fond of it, but the ride itself is passable. They did a decent job with the meet and greet. And the queue for FEA. But it deserved more than a shoehorn. Oh well. Missed opportunities. I would have been a bit more open to it (even though it's a loose fit for Norway) had it been an actual expansion, beyond a meet and greet.

I'm with you. I have no problem with Rat coming. I think it's fitting. Same thing with Mary Poppins. We already have Nemo in the Seas so that's a wash, The Land could use some help, I detest the food court vibe, personally. So I welcome the updates to Future World (as of now, we don't have tons of details). I'm very much with you on Guardians. But they want a big draw. I get it. I just wish the energy building weren't being used for queues and pre-shows. Put a dark ride in there (WALL-E, anyone?) and build the coaster like you are just with it's own entrance and queue/preshow building. But from their perspective, I "get it". I don't like it ....

And yeah, the parks stagnated for a very long time. MK's "expansion" in 2011-2014 was about a decade overdue though. But at least they did something. I wish they did a little more with it, but overall it's fine. At least the exteriors are all nice to look at. I'd give it a bit more of a higher score had we actually received a Beauty and the Beast dark ride and not the bare minimum Mine Train, and Mermaid is half good half a miss.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

Oh, I know Frozen isn't an "addition", in the literal sense, I guess I should have worded it differently. They did 'expand' and add the meet and greet. I'm not fond of it, but the ride itself is passable. They did a decent job with the meet and greet. And the queue for FEA. But it deserved more than a shoehorn. Oh well. Missed opportunities. I would have been a bit more open to it (even though it's a loose fit for Norway) had it been an actual expansion, beyond a meet and greet.

I'm with you. I have no problem with Rat coming. I think it's fitting. Same thing with Mary Poppins. We already have Nemo in the Seas so that's a wash, The Land could use some help, I detest the food court vibe, personally. So I welcome the updates to Future World (as of now, we don't have tons of details). I'm very much with you on Guardians. But they want a big draw. I get it. I just wish the energy building weren't being used for queues and pre-shows. Put a dark ride in there (WALL-E, anyone?) and build the coaster like you are just with it's own entrance and queue/preshow building. But from their perspective, I "get it". I don't like it ....

And yeah, the parks stagnated for a very long time. MK's "expansion" in 2011-2014 was about a decade overdue though. But at least they did something. I wish they did a little more with it, but overall it's fine. At least the exteriors are all nice to look at. I'd give it a bit more of a higher score had we actually received a Beauty and the Beast dark ride and not the bare minimum Mine Train, and Mermaid is half good half a miss.

Frozen is a big movie that deserves more than a 4-minute ride and a meet n' greet. That's why Disney is going big in Paris and Hong Kong with fully idealized Frozen lands. And I believe they're doing the right thing. Both lands look amazing (but again it's only concept art so you never know).

The food court in the Land is awful. That's all I can say. But the food court isn't the only problem. LwTL and SE could really use an update, the Imagination Pavilion is the worst pavilion in FW right now, 70-80% of the Innoventions is completely abandoned, the Electric Umbrella has stopped looking futuristic since the new millennium rolled in, for a ride that costed $100 million Mission Space isn't good, the Seas pavilion is like a 1980s aquarium with some Nemo stuff scattered around the building and the list goes on........Fun fact: It has recently surfaced that Innoventions can't be replaced by trees due to pipes and wires under the building.

WALL-E doesn't really have to do with "energy" so I don't think that it would be a good fit for UoE. NFL is OK. Just OK. It is neither terrible nor awesome. I would prefer a BaTB dark ride than the Enchanted Tales and Be Our Guest but I would lie if I said that they aren't solid additions. The indoor scene in the Mine Train is fantastic but the rollercoaster parts are short. Again not very bad. The second part of the little mermaid (after Ursula) is very short and disjointed, but the exterior and the first part are really good.

 

[Kman101]

Frozen is a big movie that deserves more than a 4-minute ride and a meet n' greet. That's why Disney is going big in Paris and Hong Kong with fully idealized Frozen lands. And I believe they're doing the right thing. Both lands look amazing (but again it's only concept art so you never know).

The food court in the Land is awful. That's all I can say. But the food court isn't the only problem. LwTL and SE could really use an update, the Imagination Pavilion is the worst pavilion in FW right now, 70-80% of the Innoventions is completely abandoned, the Electric Umbrella has stopped looking futuristic since the new millennium rolled in, for a ride that costed $100 million Mission Space isn't good, the Seas pavilion is like a 1980s aquarium with some Nemo stuff scattered around the building and the list goes on........Fun fact: It has recently surfaced that Innoventions can't be replaced by trees due to pipes and wires under the building.

WALL-E doesn't really have to do with "energy" so I don't think that it would be a good fit for UoE. NFL is OK. Just OK. It is neither terrible nor awesome. I would prefer a BaTB dark ride than the Enchanted Tales and Be Our Guest but I would lie if I said that they aren't solid additions. The indoor scene in the Mine Train is fantastic but the rollercoaster parts are short. Again not very bad. The second part of the little mermaid (after Ursula) is very short and disjointed, but the exterior and the first part are really good.

Well, no reason, if the company was willing to spend the money (and I know they're already spending way too much!) that we couldn't have had a dark ride, meet and greet AND a well themed restaurant. But they gave us Mine Train and Mermaid so I guess it wasn't logical to think they'd give us a massive E-ticket. NFL is "ok". I agree. Some things I like, some things I wish were better, some things I wish they had done instead. Seems similar for me with a lot of their projects.

That's what I mean about the bare minimum. The scene inside the Mine Train is fantastic! But it's like they cut the entire gut of the ride and just gave us one great scene and the ending. Where we end feels like where we should be going through the final part of the coaster. Slinky Dog seems to have made better use of space, even without some of what was originally planned to go around the coaster.

I know WALL-E doesn't have anything to do with energy but neither does Guardians, at least not in the way I believe it to be so I'd rather have a dark ride AND a coaster. WALL-E is a good "mascot" for either Future World or Tomorrowland (actually I'd lean more towards him in Tomorrowland because we already have Figment for the "mascot"). I'd like to see him implemented in a solid way. Was just using him as an example of what could have gone in the original energy building.

BH6 and Inside Out should have a stronger presence in Future World. I know some cringe, but they could easily fit if done correctly.

I'd love to see them do away with the food court and expanded seating area. It's not at all appealing. But it's hard to think of them dumping a food court. I wish they would. I do agree the pavilion needs an update. I wish they had left the fountain and the murals on the ceiling. Used to be so pretty. And they still had a food court. It's not like they even removed the fountain for walking space, just more tables, LOL.

Imagination is the only ride I ride with a frown. Seriously. I rode it for the first time in like a decade last year and I just hated it. I had no enjoyment until the very end. And I adore Figment. The ride is awful. But we know he's on the backburner so I didn't include him. But Future World needs a LOT of help. It can't come soon enough. I wish they'd make a decision and get moving.

I didn't know that about Innoventions! That's good to know they sort of "have" to reuse them now. I wonder if that played a part in why they can't seem to figure out what to do?

 

[MaximumEd]

I would like to know more about the info that Innoventions can’t be removed due to pipes and wires underneath the buildings. Where did this info come from?

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

I would like to know more about the info that Innoventions can’t be removed due to pipes and wires underneath the buildings. Where did this info come from?

I found it on this video from Mickey Views. Go to 18:02 and you'll find it. By the way, I made a mistake: it isn't pipes, it's tunnels.

Well, no reason, if the company was willing to spend the money (and I know they're already spending way too much!) that we couldn't have had a dark ride, meet and greet AND a well themed restaurant. But they gave us Mine Train and Mermaid so I guess it wasn't logical to think they'd give us a massive E-ticket. NFL is "ok". I agree. Some things I like, some things I wish were better, some things I wish they had done instead. Seems similar for me with a lot of their projects.

That's what I mean about the bare minimum. The scene inside the Mine Train is fantastic! But it's like they cut the entire gut of the ride and just gave us one great scene and the ending. Where we end feels like where we should be going through the final part of the coaster. Slinky Dog seems to have made better use of space, even without some of what was originally planned to go around the coaster.

I know WALL-E doesn't have anything to do with energy but neither does Guardians, at least not in the way I believe it to be so I'd rather have a dark ride AND a coaster. WALL-E is a good "mascot" for either Future World or Tomorrowland (actually I'd lean more towards him in Tomorrowland because we already have Figment for the "mascot"). I'd like to see him implemented in a solid way. Was just using him as an example of what could have gone in the original energy building.

BH6 and Inside Out should have a stronger presence in Future World. I know some cringe, but they could easily fit if done correctly.

I'd love to see them do away with the food court and expanded seating area. It's not at all appealing. But it's hard to think of them dumping a food court. I wish they would. I do agree the pavilion needs an update. I wish they had left the fountain and the murals on the ceiling. Used to be so pretty. And they still had a food court. It's not like they even removed the fountain for walking space, just more tables, LOL.

Imagination is the only ride I ride with a frown. Seriously. I rode it for the first time in like a decade last year and I just hated it. I had no enjoyment until the very end. And I adore Figment. The ride is awful. But we know he's on the backburner so I didn't include him. But Future World needs a LOT of help. It can't come soon enough. I wish they'd make a decision and get moving.

I didn't know that about Innoventions! That's good to know they sort of "have" to reuse them now. I wonder if that played a part in why they can't seem to figure out what to do?

NFL's budget was already large so I don't think we could have gotten any new ride, a meet n' greet and a restaurant. I would prefer shelving the restaurant in favor of a classic dark ride (maybe even trackless, since WDW currently has no trackless rides). Imagine just entering Beast's Castle and the queue going around the hallways; it would be amazing. It would also give MK the capacity that really needs. I really don't like the fact that the first ride after the Mine Train will come 7 years (!) after its opening. That's a very long time for the busiest park in the world right now. Slinky Dog gives a lot of kinetic movement to TSL which would have been even better if it weren't for the budget cuts. The Mine Train doesn't unfortunately.

WALL-E is a better mascot for Tomorrowland although I don't see that happening for a long time. The movie has just been forgotten right now and hasn't left any mark on pop culture (merchandise, TV commercials etc.). Wreck It Ralph might be a better mascot for TL. Inside Out in Imagination: yes. BH6 in....somewhere else.....: no, not really. BH6 already has a flat ride under construction in TDL. But I don't see it implemented in any other form, like WALL-E, and especially in Future World. They would need to build a robot pavilion!

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

Frozen is a big movie that deserves more than a 4-minute ride and a meet n' greet. That's why Disney is going big in Paris and Hong Kong with fully idealized Frozen lands. And I believe they're doing the right thing. Both lands look amazing (but again it's only concept art so you never know).

The upcoming Frozen lands as a whole will be amazing, but it's too bad Hong Kong and Paris are just getting a clone of Epcot's Frozen attraction. They really should have gone bigger and more ambitious with an original mega E-ticket like Tokyo.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

The upcoming Frozen lands as a whole will be amazing, but it's too bad Hong Kong and Paris are just getting a clone of Epcot's Frozen attraction. They really should have gone bigger and more ambitious with an original mega E-ticket like Tokyo.

The HKDL project will also include a family rollercoaster. The WDS land will also probably include a rollercoaster that will be like Everest along with the dark ride. Both lands are also part of much bigger projects that cost $1.4 billion and more than $2 billion respectively. The budget is already too large to include another E-Ticket. But still that's not too shabby. FEA is still quite a good ride.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

The HKDL project will also include a family rollercoaster. The WDS land will also probably include a rollercoaster that will be like Everest along with the dark ride. Both lands are also part of much bigger projects that cost $1.4 billion and more than $2 billion respectively. The budget is already too large to include another E-Ticket. But still that's not too shabby. FEA is still quite a good ride.

I did not realize Paris was getting a unique coaster for their Frozen land. Last I heard, it was still uncertain whether it will open with just FEA or with the sled coaster (based off SDMT) coming to Hong Kong as well.

 

[Timothy_Q]

The HKDL project will also include a family rollercoaster. The WDS land will also probably include a rollercoaster that will be like Everest along with the dark ride.

Is this based on anything?

Otherwise it's a pretty big assumption to compare it to Everest.
Considering we don't even know for sure WDS is getting a coaster

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

I did not realize Paris was getting a unique coaster for their Frozen land. Last I heard, it was still uncertain whether it will open with just FEA or with the sled coaster (based off SDMT) coming to Hong Kong as well.

Is this based on anything?

Otherwise it's a pretty big assumption to compare it to Everest.
Considering we don't even know for sure WDS is getting a coaster

It's not certain. It's a possibility. But a solid possibility. It would be a shame for such a big land to include only one dark ride that would actually be a copy of one already built. I don't know if there are any inside sources right now that could give us some clues (@fradz?) but I'm guessing something around BTM or Everest. Instead of a yeti we could have that huge snowman! But that's derailing the TSL thread so I'm not going to expand further.

 

[Timothy_Q]

It's not certain. It's a possibility. But a solid possibility. It would be a shame for such a big land to include only one dark ride that would actually be a copy of one already built. I don't know if there are any inside sources right now that could give us some clues (@fradz?) but I'm guessing something around BTM or Everest. Instead of a yeti we could have that huge snowman! But that's derailing the TSL thread so I'm not going to expand further.

So it's just random speculation

 

[Kman101]

I found it on this video from Mickey Views. Go to 18:02 and you'll find it. By the way, I made a mistake: it isn't pipes, it's tunnels.


NFL's budget was already large so I don't think we could have gotten any new ride, a meet n' greet and a restaurant. I would prefer shelving the restaurant in favor of a classic dark ride (maybe even trackless, since WDW currently has no trackless rides). Imagine just entering Beast's Castle and the queue going around the hallways; it would be amazing. It would also give MK the capacity that really needs. I really don't like the fact that the first ride after the Mine Train will come 7 years (!) after its opening. That's a very long time for the busiest park in the world right now. Slinky Dog gives a lot of kinetic movement to TSL which would have been even better if it weren't for the budget cuts. The Mine Train doesn't unfortunately.

WALL-E is a better mascot for Tomorrowland although I don't see that happening for a long time. The movie has just been forgotten right now and hasn't left any mark on pop culture (merchandise, TV commercials etc.). Wreck It Ralph might be a better mascot for TL. Inside Out in Imagination: yes. BH6 in....somewhere else.....: no, not really. BH6 already has a flat ride under construction in TDL. But I don't see it implemented in any other form, like WALL-E, and especially in Future World. They would need to build a robot pavilion!

All they'd have to do with BH6 is a Big Hero Expo. And theme around that. Could end up being a cool addition if done right. But I don't know if they even plan to use BH6 anywhere but a meet and greet. But it could "fit" Epcot if done correctly. (This could easily take over one of the Innoventions buildings; the other could be the festival pavilion - not ideal but what feels likely or possible)

Lots of people actually really like WALL-E, but unfortunately you're right in that it hasn't made an impact in pop culture. But for "Disney Pop Culture", he's popular. I can see them not thinking he'd be a draw for a ride but honestly, anything would be a draw at Disney.

Well, at least we're getting something after Mine Train! LOL. But yeah 7 years is lengthy. Although they also have three other parks who have desperately needed attention too. They did this to themselves by resting on their laurels. Now they have a LOT to do.

And I agree about NFL's budget. We wouldn't have gotten all of it. And I would swap out the restaurant for the ride if I had to choose between them.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

And I agree about NFL's budget. We wouldn't have gotten all of it. And I would swap out the restaurant for the ride if I had to choose between them.

Definitely. Gaston's Tavern already provides the actual restaurant from the film. The castle should have been a ride or an elaborate walkthrough at minimum. Having the castle crowded with tables and diners kind of sullies its image a little, plus it's not like the film showed Belle actually dining in the ballroom at any point.

 

[JohnyKaz2078]

So it's just random speculation

Yeah, kind of.

All they'd have to do with BH6 is a Big Hero Expo. And theme around that. Could end up being a cool addition if done right. But I don't know if they even plan to use BH6 anywhere but a meet and greet. But it could "fit" Epcot if done correctly. (This could easily take over one of the Innoventions buildings; the other could be the festival pavilion - not ideal but what feels likely or possible)

Lots of people actually really like WALL-E, but unfortunately you're right in that it hasn't made an impact in pop culture. But for "Disney Pop Culture", he's popular. I can see them not thinking he'd be a draw for a ride but honestly, anything would be a draw at Disney.

Well, at least we're getting something after Mine Train! LOL. But yeah 7 years is lengthy. Although they also have three other parks who have desperately needed attention too. They did this to themselves by resting on their laurels. Now they have a LOT to do.

And I agree about NFL's budget. We wouldn't have gotten all of it. And I would swap out the restaurant for the ride if I had to choose between them.

I really want to see the Innoventions buildings out but I guess since they can't remove them now they could just make them Expo (BH6 is a good theme for an expo). But not festival spaces. We would end up with WOL 2.0. I think there is already a meet n' greet with Baymax in Epcot.

WALL-E would better fit in TL for sure. I would rather see WALL-E instead of Monsters Inc. (I have no idea to why they have placed them there since there is nothing futuristic about them). Stitch will probably be replaced by Wreck it Ralph, Buzz and COP aren't probably going anywhere so the only logical place for WALL-E (if it were to happen) is Monsters Inc.

Even with the huge budget of NFL ($400 million) we only got one new ride. SDMT and Little Mermaid were added but Snow White closed in 2011 leaving us with one new ride. The Enchanted Tales has a very low capacity. At least Dumbo has now been doubled and the queue is infinitely better (not that I ride it often). Considering has had no new additions between 1992 and 2012 I think it's fair to say that there have been far worse years for the park. Be Our Guest is just showing that Disney wanted to do something else with Beast's Castle but they ultimately decided to build another restaurant (which is good but not needed since Gaston's Tavern is next door) because they had no money.

 

[fradz]

It's not certain. It's a possibility. But a solid possibility. It would be a shame for such a big land to include only one dark ride that would actually be a copy of one already built. I don't know if there are any inside sources right now that could give us some clues (@fradz?) but I'm guessing something around BTM or Everest. Instead of a yeti we could have that huge snowman! But that's derailing the TSL thread so I'm not going to expand further.

Last I heard, there would be a coaster for Frozen in Paris. Comparing it to 7DMT rather than Everest would be closer to what it would be (a kiddie / "family"). But indeed, nothing official so wait&see

 

[drod1985]

Finally made it to TSL yesterday. The theming really is where this land shines. The lack of shade is where it fails.

SDD was fine, in terms of family coasters I prefer 7DMT by far. I got pretty sick in the morning and wasn't able to go on Swirling Saucers or try the BBQ Brisket Melt. That's what I get for eating a McDonald's cheeseburger for basically the first time in 10 years.