News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

[JoeCamel]

I still don’t think this passes the smell test. They’re already almost to where they were 2019 attendance wise. It’s packed every week. It would make 0 sense for them to stop construction of something and delay it passed spring or mid summer ‘22. It’s not like a temporary stop would save them any money. It might actually cost more money!

I'm wondering if contractors have time commitments elsewhere and the schedule will have to be recast? No longer available for this job?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I still don’t think this passes the smell test. They’re already almost to where they were 2019 attendance wise. It’s packed every week. It would make 0 sense for them to stop construction of something and delay it passed spring or mid summer ‘22. It’s not like a temporary stop would save them any money. It might actually cost more money!

I’m not saying it makes sense to stop, but you don’t wall up openings you need open to finish the work. And these are actual walls being built, not plywood boards being screwed into them. That’s an extra expense that only makes sense if you need more than short term protection.

I'm wondering if contractors have time commitments elsewhere and the schedule will have to be recast? No longer available for this job?

People bend over backwards to get Disney work and it’s not like there has been a huge boom in building. If anything the pause of Epic Universe has left a huge hole in the local schedules (although the phases of work don’t quite overlap).

 

[corran horn]

On the contrary, the mill just got some TLC.

I mean in terms of adding an attraction to it not that they don't do upkeep.

 

[marni1971]

I mean in terms of adding an attraction to it not that they don't do upkeep.

Some say it doesn’t need adding to. Part of the appeal is how it is.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The decision to halt construction was made before there was any hope that this Summer *maybe* things would begin to normalize with herd immunity. It didn't make sense to open E-Tickets that would draw more crowds that couldn't get in with the distancing capacity limits. As anemic as DHS is with attractions at this time, it hits (or gets near) its capacity with RotR and MMRR. MK doesn't need help hitting its capacity (tho, maybe EPCOT does).

The 50th celebration alone (and the restart of party nights) is going to make this Holiday Season constantly hit capacity.

Anyway, a decision made months ago was to save TRON and GotG for after the initial 50th crowd. They'd be a great way to bolster crowds starting mid-January for "we're open without masks" campaign.

 

[corran horn]

Some say it doesn’t need adding to. Part of the appeal is how it is.

(I don't disagree)

 

[optjay]

...you’d get no more than half the queue.

For reference here’s the balloon height test behind the 20K lagoon

View attachment 533134

When sight lines were a priority!
Unlike now a days attraction construction.


I assume balloon height tests have bee replaced with 3d computer imaging?
Though, new Swan and Dolphin hotel used balloons

 

[marni1971]

When sight lines were a priority!
Unlike now a days attraction construction.


I assume balloon height tests have bee replaced with 3d computer imaging?
Though, new Swan and Dolphin hotel used balloons

Balloons were used for the Swolphin motel as you said, and Epcot’s big blue box (though that should have put a stop to the project right there)

 

[GimpYancIent]

Balloons were used for the Swolphin motel as you said, and Epcot’s big blue box (though that should have put a stop to the project right there)

Sad! Such a waste of perfectly good balloons.

 

[zombiebbq]

DisMOM: "Disney doesn't need to build ugly thrill seeking speed machines. Disney parks are "family" parks and need to stay that way!"

Same DisMOM to 14 year old son: "Why is all you want to do here at WDW is stay in the room and watch Netflix? Come to EPCOT with us, I got you a Frozen Ever After FP+. That's your sister's favorite ride."

Son: "I'd rather have a root canal". (pulls up velocicoaster POV on YouTube)

And I'm going to be the Dismom dragging my kids on every thrill ride they got! bring it on!

Would Journey to the Center of the Earth (from TDS) qualify?

(Or even better, actually building Fire Mountain)

Practically everything in Toyko Disneysea is the perfect mix of immersion and thrill. The benchmark WDW should be aiming for.

 

[optjay]

Balloons were used for the Swolphin motel as you said, and Epcot’s big blue box (though that should have put a stop to the project right there)

Wow, I didn't realize the Epcot box also! any pictures?
I honestly did like seeing the balloon height test in Adventureland behind pirates though, for Volcano?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

...you’d get no more than half the queue.

For reference here’s the balloon height test behind the 20K lagoon

View attachment 533134

I've never seen this picture before and I almost wish I hadn't. Bad enough to lose 20K, knowing it was closer than I thought to getting a better replacement than what we ended up with is even worse.

 

[marni1971]

Wow, I didn't realize the Epcot box also! any pictures?
I honestly did like seeing the balloon height test in Adventureland behind pirates though, for Volcano?

 

[CastAStone]

The decision to halt construction was made before there was any hope that this Summer *maybe* things would begin to normalize with herd immunity. It didn't make sense to open E-Tickets that would draw more crowds that couldn't get in with the distancing capacity limits. As anemic as DHS is with attractions at this time, it hits (or gets near) its capacity with RotR and MMRR. MK doesn't need help hitting its capacity (tho, maybe EPCOT does).

The 50th celebration alone (and the restart of party nights) is going to make this Holiday Season constantly hit capacity.

Anyway, a decision made months ago was to save TRON and GotG for after the initial 50th crowd. They'd be a great way to bolster crowds starting mid-January for "we're open without masks" campaign.

And, like every Disney decision related to unopened projects, it is subject to change at any moment based on whatever thoughts pop into their heads.

 

[MadTeacup]

Something tells me if they are continuing work on MMRR at a closed park with no definite reopening that they are not going to stop work on an open park that also happens to be their flagship and makes a tidy profit.

Except they have. I live behind MK. I drive past it almost every day (and night). There is NO active construction inside the building.

I still don’t think this passes the smell test. They’re already almost to where they were 2019 attendance wise. It’s packed every week. It would make 0 sense for them to stop construction of something and delay it passed spring or mid summer ‘22. It’s not like a temporary stop would save them any money. It might actually cost more money!

Smells fine to me. It would actually make ALL the sense to halt construction. We're still living in a Covid world and they don't want to draw a massive crowd to one small part of the park. Also, Walt Disney World may be making a little money, but it's part of a division of the company that has been losing a lot of money for more that 10 months now. Keep in mind that attendance is still limited and nowhere near what it was a year ago. Additionally, the money they are currently losing by continuing to maintain all the closed resorts is pretty serious. Spreading out the cost over time might not make sense to you, but it makes a LOT of sense to the people who control the budget.

I’m not saying it makes sense to stop, but you don’t wall up openings you need open to finish the work. And these are actual walls being built, not plywood boards being screwed into them. That’s an extra expense that only makes sense if you need more than short term protection.

People bend over backwards to get Disney work and it’s not like there has been a huge boom in building. If anything the pause of Epic Universe has left a huge hole in the local schedules (although the phases of work don’t quite overlap).

An aluminum panel is not what I'd describe as an "actual wall." It's a thin veneer that was applied to protect the building from the elements and can easily be cut open once work resumes. It most likely would have been waste material anyway. Plywood would likely have been more difficult, costly, and unsightly to attach.

 

[lazyboy97o]

An aluminum panel is not what I'd describe as an "actual wall." It's a thin veneer that was applied to protect the building from the elements and can easily be cut open once work resumes. It most likely would have been waste material anyway. Plywood would likely have been more difficult, costly, and unsightly to attach.

The coaster re-entry was sealed with an insulated metal panel, which is made of rigid insulation sandwich between two pieces of steel, not aluminum. It is the same material that comprises the building envelope. Insulated metal panels are not something that is field cut, either to fit the wall or to create openings, so it is not waste. It is a panel specifically ordered and made for the purpose of sealing that opening and it must be attached in a manner that meets its Florida Product Approval.

The guest entrance is being sealing with an infill steel stud wall. Also something that is not just waste material or would just be cut open. It is also something that cannot just be built on a whim as the wall does have to be designed.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Except they have. I live behind MK. I drive past it almost every day (and night). There is NO active construction inside the building.

Smells fine to me. It would actually make ALL the sense to halt construction. We're still living in a Covid world and they don't want to draw a massive crowd to one small part of the park. Also, Walt Disney World may be making a little money, but it's part of a division of the company that has been losing a lot of money for more that 10 months now. Keep in mind that attendance is still limited and nowhere near what it was a year ago. Additionally, the money they are currently losing by continuing to maintain all the closed resorts is pretty serious. Spreading out the cost over time might not make sense to you, but it makes a LOT of sense to the people who control the budget.

An aluminum panel is not what I'd describe as an "actual wall." It's a thin veneer that was applied to protect the building from the elements and can easily be cut open once work resumes. It most likely would have been waste material anyway. Plywood would likely have been more difficult, costly, and unsightly to attach.

They can complete it and leave it sit a la Rat. They can time the pace of construction to finish next year. They have options. Of their options, the one that makes the least sense is to just stop altogether. They have 2 closed parks in Anaheim and are going through with construction in each park. To think they wouldn’t continue construction at an open and profitable property is crazy to me.

 

[MadTeacup]

The coaster re-entry was sealed with an insulated metal panel, which is made of rigid insulation sandwich between two pieces of steel, not aluminum. It is the same material that comprises the building envelope. Insulated metal panels are not something that is field cut, either to fit the wall or to create openings, so it is not waste. It is a panel specifically ordered and made for the purpose of sealing that opening and it must be attached in a manner that meets its Florida Product Approval.

The guest entrance is being sealing with an infill steel stud wall. Also something that is not just waste material or would just be cut open. It is also something that cannot just be built on a whim as the wall does have to be designed.

You sure they used a steel product? I'm pretty sure there is a very similar product to what you just described that is made of aluminum making it rust resistive, lighter, and easy to cut. I'm only asking based on what I've witnessed because it appears that holes for the scuppers along the parapet wall were field cut as well as some detail cuts around corners of the parapet.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You sure they used a steel product? I'm pretty sure there is a very similar product to what you just described that is made of aluminum making it rust resistive, lighter, and easy to cut. I'm only asking based on what I've witnessed because it appears that holes for the scuppers along the parapet wall were field cut as well as some detail cuts around corners of the parapet.

I’m sure. You can get a similar panelized look with aluminum panels but that is generally going to be a rainscreen application where the panel is installed on a solid wall (see Spider-Man at Disney’s California Adventure). Field cuts can be done, which is what they did for the track, but its going to be small and nothing of significant size.

 

[MadTeacup]

They can complete it and leave it sit a la Rat. They can time the pace of construction to finish next year. They have options. Of their options, the one that makes the least sense is to just stop altogether. They have 2 closed parks in Anaheim and are going through with construction in each park. To think they wouldn’t continue construction at an open and profitable property is crazy to me.

This has a lot to do with what phases the projects were in at the time. Rat and Marvel were already in the final phases of construction and it would have been too late to shutter either construction site. There's probably a good chance that MMRR could see a similar shutdown to Tron once the enclosure is complete. I haven't really heard much about the current status of MMRR. "Pacing" construction the way you describe would not make sense. It would lengthen the stay of construction crews and lessen productivity resulting in higher payroll. I know corporate finances seem pretty strange, but putting a pause on construction is the most logical thing they could have done right now to help with finances and crowds. Again, while Walt Disney World itself might be generating a profit, a very small profit compared to what it usually generates, the Parks division as a whole is losing a LOT of money. By not spending on Tron right now, their losses lessen by several million. Seeing how opening Tron won't create an immediate return on investment and drive addition profit in this current world, it's better to lessen the losses in a time of hardship and wait to spend profit in a time of prosperity.