Interesting that you posted this comment.
I feel that WDW has been placed into a position that 3 carni rides at DHS for an 'expanded' Pixar Place would be a joke. In baseball terms, that would almost be like dipping into your minor league system to bring up a journeyman pitcher as opposed to using your available cap space to sign a big time starter for your rotation.
Prior to UNI swinging for the fences with Potter and hitting grand slam after grand slam, maybe WDW could have gotten away with that type of an approach. Not anymore. UNI is now becoming a threat to WDWs dominance of the Orlando theme park business. Furthermore, with Kong coming (at the usual record pace), a mega water park, another resort (and a real nice looking one too), as well as a rumored 3rd gate, UNI is then for real. This isn't a 'let's do WDW 5 days and UNI 2 days' kind of vacation scenario anymore. If what I outlined comes to fruition, UNI now becomes a full week visit, at likely half the cost of a WDW vacation. With today's economy, that is now a viable option that almost won't even be considered an option anymore. It will be an alternative that won't even be up for debate.
If Disney tries to 'wow' us with an exact replica of Toy Story Playland and the plussed up expansion of TSMM, then shame on them. DHS expansion and re-branding cannot be cookie-cutter moves or UNI deserves the money that they will ultimately steal away from WDW. A unique Pixar Place Expansion with the plussed version of TSMM as well as 3 uniquely themed kid/family type rides should only be considered a start. I would want totally new theming of the entire area, with a new Pizza Planet location as well. There should be new fountains or water, something pleasant to the design. I even heard rumor of a new carousel that would be themed to Toy Story. Bring that on also! And this isn't even including the rumored version of Cars Land that Orlando might be getting.
And to me, this is what has to happen. If any attempt to redo this park is weak then that is akin to Disney saying all we really need to live on is the name and the legacy (something that UNI currently doesn't have - YET). And I say give me a break. The only way WDW can remain competitive to UNI, as well as Legoland and some of the other I-Drive attractions that are coming, is to make really amazing attractions and immersive lands. I don't ever expect anything along the lines of what EPCOT Center once was when it first opened in 82, but WDW still has the imagination and the money to amaze us. In some other thread that has now fallen off into the myriad of threads on this site,
@Lee indicated that Disney is in a spending mood and that the approved budget for whatever is happening at DHS is really big. I really hope that they take this opportunity to wow us once more because the clock is ticking in Orlando. I take the BAH coming down as a positive first step. I feel that expanding and plussing TSMM is another good step. But man, this expansion in Pixar Place better not amount to three carnival type rides that already exist in 2 other Disney parks. With the money that Disney demands for its parks, restaurants and resorts, each addition here on out has to be able to amaze us, or UNI better start adding even more resorts as they will have earned our paychecks.
Come on Disney, step up to the plate and deliver here! You are almost giving yourself a clean slate in this park. Don't mess it up!
