Wandering Oakens closed!

[Tinkrbell]

Bring in the demo teams. I expect that building, the entire water tank area, the prop warehouse, and the costuming building (that tunnel you used to go through during the backlot tour), including the scenic shops, to all be demolished in the coming year.

They'd have to relocate everything in the costuming building since that's still the main location for Creative Costuming (for all of WDW) & alterations (for Studios).

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Cool. There's also a prop from Horizons in Backlot Express. I wonder what'll happen to it if the restaurant closes for Star Wars Land. They could paint it and make it fit in the new land. That would be pretty cool.
View attachment 78668

Fyi, that was the mold, not the actual hovership.

 

[DisneyGentleman]

I'm having a brain fart what does SODL mean??

Same Old Disney Lunacy

 

[Mike S]

Fyi, that was the mold, not the actual hovership.

Really? Oh well.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Really? Oh well.

In my opinion, its even cooler! I think the one from the ride was sent to Paris and the used the mold to make another one for Tokyo.

 

[Kman101]

Not sure why people keep suggesting moving things is a problem. Buildings and the stuff that's in them can be relocated. If Disney wants something gone, it will be gone. I'm sure there's plenty of buildings they can use or will build. Costuming, props, everything can be moved.

 

[doctornick]

So, the new Oaken's wasn't really open very long. Seems like kind of a waste to move it -- why not leave it in Soundstage 1? Has there actually been a lot of progress there in adding the third TSMM track?

I'm still curious as to where exactly the TSPL area (or whatever it is called) will be. There's a lot of old Backlot Tour space that could be used. Is there some area that is available for building more quickly while other areas (like costuming, as mentioned) might take longer to relocate and become free?

 

[Kman101]

Is this Backlot area where Toy Story is going? I know no one wants to really drop the knowledge on this project but, to me, it seems likely, although I could very well be wrong. I'm assuming TSPL, if it happens, is the first thing on the agenda to get a move on and it's right next door to the Soundstage where the third track for Toy Story is going.

I would have used that space for something else but I'm not running things. LOL. Wasn't there speculation/rumors it would go BEHIND Toy Story Mania?

 

[doctornick]

I would have used that space for something else but I'm not running things. LOL. Wasn't there speculation/rumors it would go BEHIND Toy Story Mania?

Yeah, I was wondering if they might level the "studio bungalows" (what are they even used for now since no filming occurs in the park?) which are on the other side of Jack Sparrow/TSMM. If you make the walkway between TSMM and Jack Sparrow into a new pathway, it could lead right into TSPL. This would put it essentially right next to TSMM and would allow the area where the Backlot Tour entrance was (and the special effects tank and such) to be used for other Pixar properties.

I'm envisioning in that scenario that once costuming gets moved, you can have a new subland and pathway on the other side of the TSMM (and Soundstage 1) building.

It would be interesting to know at least where new stuff is going -- like how much, if any, of backstage areas or the old tour will be converted to guest accessible space.

 

[Kman101]

They might as well keep the Frozen stuff. It definitely proved popular in the summer. Winter clearly wasn't the time to keep the snowground open, I've been reading how deserted it and the store have been. But how really true that was, who knows? You could go in one minute and it be empty and then an hour later it's packed. If it were empty a lot since being moved then I can't say it surprises me they closed it and will probably move into a better location.

 

[Kman101]

Yeah, I was wondering if they might level the "studio bungalows" (what are they even used for now since no filming occurs in the park?) which are on the other side of Jack Sparrow/TSMM. If you make the walkway between TSMM and Jack Sparrow into a new pathway, it could lead right into TSPL. This would put it essentially right next to TSMM and would allow the area where the Backlot Tour entrance was (and the special effects tank and such) to be used for other Pixar properties.

I'm envisioning in that scenario that once costuming gets moved, you can have a new subland and pathway on the other side of the TSMM (and Soundstage 1) building.

It would be interesting to know at least where new stuff is going -- like how much, if any, of backstage areas or the old tour will be converted to guest accessible space.

Agree on all accounts. I really thought it made sense (and a reason why Sparrow was closed, among other reasons - it was just very meh) to have the walkway between Sparrow and Mania leading behind the buildings and then being able to walk around into the current (former)backlot tour entrance area.

Maybe they're going to do a lot more than we realize? That'd be nice.

I wish they'd, you know truly *expand* instead of just using areas that are already there (they can do both). Expand Pixar into BEHIND the buildings. Expand Star Wars BEHIND Indy (instead of say, Echo Lake. That will really bother me, to be honest).

 

[DisneyGentleman]

Fyi, that was the mold, not the actual hovership.

Actually this is the master from which the mold to make the hovership was made. Often these masters are made from wood and are precisely the same shape as the object that is built to match them.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

They'd have to relocate everything in the costuming building since that's still the main location for Creative Costuming (for all of WDW) & alterations (for Studios).

Yup, that's correct.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

I think we'd be hearing about consuming and scenery being relocated WAY before any demolition would start.

As of now, there would be nowhere for them to relocate to.

I hope I'm wrong, but we could still be months away from any serious work beginning.

You have. There are new facilities being built elsewhere on property as we speak. I'm sure you know about the new Southeast Service Facility (Near Wide World of Sports) and the new Western Way Service Facilities. I don't know it, but my money is on the new building being in one of those two places.

 

[RSoxNo1]

everything I am hearing is SS1 is still progressing toward the TSMM expansion. SS1 is almost completely gutted at this point and concrete cutting should begin soon.

And all signs point towards a return of Frozen Summer this June/July. To what degree it will be the same as last summer I don't know, but at least one production schedule I've seen shows it going back in right after SWW ends in June.

That makes a lot of sense. If it's half as popular it can help the attendance in that park when it's a mass of construction.

 

[John Fowler]

I wonder if Darth's Mall will be in the same place that Oaken's was in? I know last year it was in SS1.

 

[Bolt]

I wonder if Darth's Mall will be in the same place that Oaken's was in? I know last year it was in SS1.

No - as noted in this thread it is gutted.

 

[PhilharMagician]

You have. There are new facilities being built elsewhere on property as we speak. I'm sure you know about the new Southeast Service Facility (Near Wide World of Sports) and the new Western Way Service Facilities. I don't know it, but my money is on the new building being in one of those two places.

I thought that was a new laundry facility being built. Costuming possibly going there would make sense, but what's left of the scenery shop would make more sense in Central Shops.

 

[BlueThorness]

The rumor I'm hearing is that it's not coming back to DHS next year due to the construction that will be going on. The two rumored possible alternatives Ive heard is Future World at Epcot or Disney Springs for the Osborne Lights.

I don't mind if they move them, as long as they don't completely get rid of them, like the LoW!

 

[JLipnick]

everything I am hearing is SS1 is still progressing toward the TSMM expansion. SS1 is almost completely gutted at this point and concrete cutting should begin soon.

And all signs point towards a return of Frozen Summer this June/July. To what degree it will be the same as last summer I don't know, but at least one production schedule I've seen shows it going back in right after SWW ends in June.

so I wonder where Darth's Maul will be for the 2015 SWW since SS1 is now gutted. Hopefully somewhere with a larger space. I guess I will find out in May!