Transformative Multi-Year Expansion Announced for WDS Paris

[marni1971]

I just don't understand why Disney wouldn't build both lands around the lake at once... you have all the construction equipment there already, that area isn't open to guest so it's not like you'd be affecting operations for the park. WDSP isn't like a Magic Kingdom, where it can slow walk expansion and spread it across multiple years... this park needs all the new attractions it can get, ASAP!

Bobs bonus. Remember TWDC owns it now.

 

[DisneyDean97]

Iger infuriates me, can we stop extending his contract and actually get new blood in the executive suite, we don't want his cronies in there either, time to clean house!

 

[mrflo]

I just don't understand why Disney wouldn't build both lands around the lake at once... you have all the construction equipment there already, that area isn't open to guest so it's not like you'd be affecting operations for the park. WDSP isn't like a Magic Kingdom, where it can slow walk expansion and spread it across multiple years... this park needs all the new attractions it can get, ASAP!

I don't get it either - especially in the context of their 60 billion turbocharge announcement. Is it a bandwidth issue on WDI Paris project management side that is limiting the number of projects they can currently handle at once? Lead times from 3rd party vendors providing ride technology? Even if they are really kicking things off just now, they should be easily in a position to open a major new attraction in WDS each year starting with the opening of Frozen. Or are they saving some IPs for a third park in the 2030s where the majority of the potential turbocharge invest for DLP could go?

While there are positive things after the return of Iger - especially around return of a more creative focused leadership at WDI - the things that worry me about him is when he is influencing and pushing the amount of creative output. Iger was the driving force to rush the release dates of the new Star Wars movies, making SW:GE based on the new movies, requested all the additional Marvel content for Disney+, etc. I guess there some more nuances around those examples. But while planing to significantly invest more into the parks - and especially DLP - is something I think is absolutely fantastic news, a part of me is a bit sceptical how this will turn out from a qualitative perspective when comparing it to those examples from above.

 

[cjkeating]

I just don't understand why Disney wouldn't build both lands around the lake at once... you have all the construction equipment there already, that area isn't open to guest so it's not like you'd be affecting operations for the park. WDSP isn't like a Magic Kingdom, where it can slow walk expansion and spread it across multiple years... this park needs all the new attractions it can get, ASAP!

I understand where you are coming from but if you are building two lands simultaneously you don't need the same amount of construction equipment you need twice the amount.

You can see this if you look at how work on the expansion site didn't really start until Avenger's Campus was in its latter stages as the heavy construction moved from AC to the expansion site. If you look back through the construction aerials you can also see how work has phased around the expansion area starting with the technical basin to the lake to Frozen and now moving towards the front of the park with theming starting to be applied on Frozen and then that will move forward.

Assuming things progress as planned I'd expect to see work start on the 2nd gardens flat [opening a year after the expansion] before Lion King who then can (hopefully fingers crossed) move across to Discoveryland.

Also don't forget there are many other projects going on around the resort... the reflooring/reimagining of what will become the Theatre District and Studio 1, Disney Village, lots of backstage infrastructure improvements, Fantasyland facade refurbishments etc.

Even if projects for the stateside parks are announced this year I think DLP will comfortably be receiving the most capital investment of any park through the end of 2026 minimum.

 

[marni1971]

I understand where you are coming from but if you are building two lands simultaneously you don't need the same amount of construction equipment you need twice the amount.

You can see this if you look at how work on the expansion site didn't really start until Avenger's Campus was in its latter stages as the heavy construction moved from AC to the expansion site. If you look back through the construction aerials you can also see how work has phased around the expansion area starting with the technical basin to the lake to Frozen and now moving towards the front of the park with theming starting to be applied on Frozen and then that will move forward.

Assuming things progress as planned I'd expect to see work start on the 2nd gardens flat [opening a year after the expansion] before Lion King who then can (hopefully fingers crossed) move across to Discoveryland.

Also don't forget there are many other projects going on around the resort... the reflooring/reimagining of what will become the Theatre District and Studio 1, Disney Village, lots of backstage infrastructure improvements, Fantasyland facade refurbishments etc.

Even if projects for the stateside parks are announced this year I think DLP will comfortably be receiving the most capital investment of any park through the end of 2026 minimum.

I’d also add that the work over the last 9 or so years was unprecedented. Rebuild all the original E tickets in DLP from the ground up? Who’d have thought it. Completely overhaul virtually every other legacy attraction and area? Yep. Swap the band stand like for like? Check. Rebuild the castle? Okay. Overhaul all the resorts? Uh huh. Replace the paving everywhere? Yes.

There is still *plenty* to do but the once unloved stepchild is now leaps ahead with future plans and general upkeep than most other parks.

 

[DisneyDean97]

I understand where you are coming from but if you are building two lands simultaneously you don't need the same amount of construction equipment you need twice the amount.

You can see this if you look at how work on the expansion site didn't really start until Avenger's Campus was in its latter stages as the heavy construction moved from AC to the expansion site. If you look back through the construction aerials you can also see how work has phased around the expansion area starting with the technical basin to the lake to Frozen and now moving towards the front of the park with theming starting to be applied on Frozen and then that will move forward.

Assuming things progress as planned I'd expect to see work start on the 2nd gardens flat [opening a year after the expansion] before Lion King who then can (hopefully fingers crossed) move across to Discoveryland.

Also don't forget there are many other projects going on around the resort... the reflooring/reimagining of what will become the Theatre District and Studio 1, Disney Village, lots of backstage infrastructure improvements, Fantasyland facade refurbishments etc.

Even if projects for the stateside parks are announced this year I think DLP will comfortably be receiving the most capital investment of any park through the end of 2026 minimum.

I agree with the majority of what you said, and I am hopeful DLP will receive more capital in the coming years. As for needing double the equipment, not quite...
While you would need more craftsmen and artisans working on the projects simultaneously, you could develop both lands with the same equipment. For example, Frozen land is at the phase of vertical construction, all the equipment like excavators, bulldozers and dump trucks that were used to prep and grade the land aren't all being used now; Disney could have been using those same machines that prepped the land for Frozen, and start on the Lion King plot of land. Rather than wait until Frozen opens, and the equipment is moved offsite... only to bring them all back months or a year or two later, just doesn't make sense.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I agree with the majority of what you said, and I am hopeful DLP will receive more capital in the coming years. As for needing double the equipment, not quite...
While you would need more craftsmen and artisans working on the projects simultaneously, you could develop both lands with the same equipment. For example, Frozen land is at the phase of vertical construction, all the equipment like excavators, bulldozers and dump trucks that were used to prep and grade the land aren't all being used now; Disney could have been using those same machines that prepped the land for Frozen, and start on the Lion King plot of land. Rather than wait until Frozen opens, and the equipment is moved offsite... only to bring them all back months or a year or two later, just doesn't make sense.

You can thank the band, "Bob And The Quarterly Financials". The slow roll of projects allows for costs to be spread out over dozens of multiple quarters. Looks better on paper.

 

[BrianLo]

I think there is a deep seated fear baked into the company dating back to Euro Disney. They are mortified of overbuilding and having too lofty projected goals. Phased build outs can be aborted. You can’t unbuild hotels.

 

[nickys]

I agree with the majority of what you said, and I am hopeful DLP will receive more capital in the coming years. As for needing double the equipment, not quite...
While you would need more craftsmen and artisans working on the projects simultaneously, you could develop both lands with the same equipment. For example, Frozen land is at the phase of vertical construction, all the equipment like excavators, bulldozers and dump trucks that were used to prep and grade the land aren't all being used now; Disney could have been using those same machines that prepped the land for Frozen, and start on the Lion King plot of land. Rather than wait until Frozen opens, and the equipment is moved offsite... only to bring them all back months or a year or two later, just doesn't make sense.

That might be true …. IF Disney owned all that equipment (dumper trucks, excavators etc).

But I’m fairly sure they don’t! Which would have meant having a much lengthier contract, meaning less opportunity to change direction. And with Disney’s track record on projects cancelled or modified, that could be financially detrimental with tougher penalty clauses.

Of course that might have meant we got GE Lite after all, which I would have preferred.

 

[Henry Mystic]

I’d also add that the work over the last 9 or so years was unprecedented. Rebuild all the original E tickets in DLP from the ground up? Who’d have thought it. Completely overhaul virtually every other legacy attraction and area? Yep. Swap the band stand like for like? Check. Rebuild the castle? Okay. Overhaul all the resorts? Uh huh. Replace the paving everywhere? Yes.

There is still *plenty* to do but the once unloved stepchild is now leaps ahead with future plans and general upkeep than most other parks.

Yup, the infrastructure work and maintenance were truly transformative.

I'm thankful they chose that route first rather than just expand and neglect existing attractions.

Now we can enter the era of expansion.

 

[marni1971]

 

[marni1971]

And I think this helps show the scale of this one project:

 

[nickys]

What’s this about a rotating bridge? Do they mean a swing bridge and what will it link?

 

[marni1971]

What’s this about a rotating bridge? Do they mean a swing bridge and what will it link?

The promenade bridge across the service canal. Swings from one end. Think the China drawbridge at Epcot. But spiny spin not drawey draw.

 

[nickys]

The promenade bridge across the service canal. Swings from one end. Think the China drawbridge at Epcot. But spiny spin not drawey draw.

So like the bridge over the canal near GF where the EWP floats are kept?

 

[marni1971]

So like the bridge over the canal near GF where the EWP floats are kept?

I think so (never really looked at it)

*googles it* - yep!

 

[Gusey]

 

[Jordan dby]

So on April 12th there is an event for media and cast members to discuss the WDSP expansion (and maybe other projects) and they have invited an orchestra and the french signer of "circle of life" to perform

 

[nickys]

So on April 12th there is an event for media and cast members to discuss the WDSP expansion (and maybe other projects) and they have invited an orchestra and the french signer of "circle of life" to perform

Yep, that’s what @Gusey posted yesterday.

 

[Gusey]

It's an extra media concert too. Lion King seems to be an interesting choice, but the other media event on the 12th is to “share new information on the projects in progress”, so no new projects