Voyage of the Little Mermaid is done, won't reopen with the parks.

[UNCgolf]

I would say it’s a better ride than GMR but both could and should have existed.

It's still baffling that they decided to build a totally new, original ride in a park that desperately needs attractions... and decided to replace the old centerpiece attraction with it instead of actually increasing capacity.

 

[peter11435]

It's still baffling that they decided to build a totally new, original ride in a park that desperately needs attractions... and decided to replace the old centerpiece attraction with it instead of actually increasing capacity.

The old centerpiece attraction was in need of significant investment.

 

[MaximumEd]

It's still baffling that they decided to build a totally new, original ride in a park that desperately needs attractions... and decided to replace the old centerpiece attraction with it instead of actually increasing capacity.

I think they knew people would pack the place to the gills either way, and they’d save a lot of money by not having to maintain GMR.

 

[UNCgolf]

The old centerpiece attraction was in need of significant investment.

No, I know. I understand why they did it; it was obviously a financial decision. I just think it was short sighted, which seems to be the case with a lot of recent decisions.

 

[UNCgolf]

I think they knew people would pack the place to the gills either way, and they’d save a lot of money by not having to maintain GMR.

Sure. I didn't mean to imply that I didn't actually understand the reasoning behind it; I think the financial motivations were pretty obvious from the start. Just don't think it's a decision that makes long-term sense.

 

[MaximumEd]

Sure. I didn't mean to imply that I didn't actually understand the reasoning behind it; I think the financial motivations were pretty obvious from the start. Just don't think it's a decision that makes long-term sense.

No, you’re right. The place is still woefully under built even with TSL and SWL. It needs more attractions. I’d say it needs more because of SWL if that makes sense.

 

[FettFan]

It’s a ride and there is plenty of space

Doesn’t that mean they‘ll take the Studio Store gift shop too?

I think it’s the last thing in that area that’s been totally unchanged since 1989’s tram tour. It even still has the old studio paint job.

 

[UNCgolf]

No, you’re right. The place is still woefully under built even with TSL and SWL. It needs more attractions. I’d say it needs more because of SWL if that makes sense.

I think Toy Story Land was a huge misfire -- Slinky Dog helps with capacity and is solid enough, but I don't think it's a major addition to the park. Rise and MMRR are both vastly superior rides and make it look much worse in comparison as the headline attraction for the land. It should have been the secondary ride in TSL with something more impressive getting the top billing. Alien Swirling Saucers is basically a non-entity; the lines it sometimes gets (it had little to no wait when I was there in January, but I know it's sometimes longer) is almost certainly due to the lack of attractions in the park overall.

Galaxy's Edge wasn't quite the home run it should have been IMO, but it's a good addition and certainly not a failure (contrary to what some people will tell you). And I know exactly what you mean and agree -- it's bringing more people to the park, so there needs to be more for them to do.

 

[Polkadotdress]

It’s a ride and there is plenty of space

How? Are you suggesting that One Man’s Dream also go away?

 

[FettFan]

It's still baffling that they decided to build a totally new, original ride in a park that desperately needs attractions... and decided to replace the old centerpiece attraction with it instead of actually increasing capacity.

They should have built it into the old animation building. We dont need Launch Bay anymore now that Galaxys Edge is fully armed and operational.

 

[FettFan]

How? Are you suggesting that One Man’s Dream also go away?

One Man’s Dream was already gone when I went in February.

They moved the exhibits to Walt Disney Presents in the corner building just before you leave Mickey Avenue/Pixar Place going to Toy Story Land.

It actually worked better, as there was a much larger space to view the exhibits, including the 1964 Abraham Lincoln.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

Hello WDWMagic Dahlings,

Sebastian has seen his last black light. Ariel has hit her last high note.

#NothingCanStopUsNow
#WeveOnlyJustBegun

 

[MaximumEd]

Hello WDWMagic Dahlings,

Sebastian has seen his last black light. Ariel has hit her last high note.

#NothingCanStopUsNow
#WeveOnlyJustBegun

Yeah, I kinda caught that in the thread title.

 

[Polkadotdress]

One Man’s Dream was already gone when I went in February.

They moved the exhibits to Walt Disney Presents in the corner building just before you leave Mickey Avenue/Pixar Place going to Toy Story Land.

Walt Disney Presents = One Man’s Dream. It’s the same space, just renamed. So are you all saying this space will also be closed so that an attraction can be built?

 

[RSoxNo1]

The old centerpiece attraction was in need of significant investment.

And the park is still in need of a significant investment. While building M&MRR from scratch (say on the Mermaid footprint) and updating GMR would have cost more, it would still be less than building an equivalent attraction to an updated GMR.

The park needs high capacity, lower demand attractions and an updated GMR would have absolutely satisfied that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It's still baffling that they decided to build a totally new, original ride in a park that desperately needs attractions... and decided to replace the old centerpiece attraction with it instead of actually increasing capacity.

The greater irony was that it replaced a ride in WDW (“blessing of size”) but will effectively replace nothing if built in DL. Of course, the same could be said of SWGE. Somehow they keep finding space in DL but can only replace something else at DHS.

 

[peter11435]

Doesn’t that mean they‘ll take the Studio Store gift shop too?

Yes

 

[peter11435]

How? Are you suggesting that One Man’s Dream also go away?

It will

 

[UNCgolf]

And the park is still in need of a significant investment. While building M&MRR from scratch (say on the Mermaid footprint) and updating GMR would have cost more, it would still be less than building an equivalent attraction to an updated GMR.

The park needs high capacity, lower demand attractions and an updated GMR would have absolutely satisfied that.

The greater irony was that it replaced a ride in WDW (“blessing of size”) but will effectively replace nothing if built in DL. Of course, the same could be said of SWGE. Somehow they keep finding space in DL but can only replace something else at DHS.

Exactly the type of myopic decision making I was referencing. Saves some money right now but doesn't fix the underlying problem; they will still have to spend the money down the road and probably even more than they would have spent otherwise.

Of course that's not necessarily an issue for Iger and Chapek if they're gone before it becomes absolutely necessary. It's also not a Disney specific problem; it's an overall corporate governance problem for a lot of large companies.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Exactly the type of myopic decision making I was referencing. Saves some money right now but doesn't fix the underlying problem; they will still have to spend the money down the road and probably even more than they would have spent otherwise.

Of course that's not necessarily an issue for Iger and Chapek if they're gone before it becomes absolutely necessary.

I think for $150+ mil more they could have built MMRR elsewhere (say VotLM), updated GMR and integrated a Speedway type attraction in and around Slinky Dog Dash for a 4th ride in that area.