Waterfront District "Hyperion Wharf" Set to be added to Pleasure Island

[EthylCooper]

I gotta say, I'm certainly disappointed but not surprised at all.

What was it someone said, people were being negative about a place designed to make them happy? Most of the changes in the last 5 years seem more designed to sacrifice guest happiness for short-term profit.

I'm an Adventurers Club fan, and closing it was the last straw for me, but it's the overall focus shift from magic to money that's turned me from a 4 visits per year fanatic to my current state, which I never thought could happen: I don't care if I ever see Disney World again.

I'm not coming back to Orlando for a strip mall with pretty lights.

 

[JustInTime]

I gotta say, I'm certainly disappointed but not surprised at all.

What was it someone said, people were being negative about a place designed to make them happy? Most of the changes in the last 5 years seem more designed to sacrifice guest happiness for short-term profit.

I'm an Adventurers Club fan, and closing it was the last straw for me, but it's the overall focus shift from magic to money that's turned me from a 4 visits per year fanatic to my current state, which I never thought could happen: I don't care if I ever see Disney World again.

I'm not coming back to Orlando for a strip mall with pretty lights.

Bummer! But your loss!

 

[imagineer boy]

The only thing I got to DTD for (and probably will only go to for) is La Nouba. I'm absolutly in love with that show. I remember walking to it through the rest of DTD and nothing appealed to me at all. I hope that changes but I'm not terribly optomistic.

 

[raven]

Many surprises are still in store for guests when it opens. Building on the whole Edison era theme, at twilight you will hear the sounds of old electric generators coming to life and each building and lamp flickers on reflecting on the early days of Coney Island and Luna Park. Later in the evening the light will change to more vibrant colors taking on a contemporary feel. Even the giant jumbo tron will feature incandescent lights changing to LEDs later in the evening. So events unfold over several hours each night to tell a story.

 

[TalkingHead]

Many surprises are still in store for guests when it opens. Building on the whole Edison era theme, at twilight you will hear the sounds of old electric generators coming to life and each building and lamp flickers on reflecting on the early days of Coney Island and Luna Park. Later in the evening the light will change to more vibrant colors taking on a contemporary feel. Even the giant jumbo tron will feature incandescent lights changing to LEDs later in the evening. So events unfold over several hours each night to tell a story.

Who would wait around that long to see these events unfold, much less notice these details are telling a story over several hours?

 

[Atomicmickey]

Many surprises are still in store for guests when it opens. Building on the whole Edison era theme, at twilight you will hear the sounds of old electric generators coming to life and each building and lamp flickers on reflecting on the early days of Coney Island and Luna Park. Later in the evening the light will change to more vibrant colors taking on a contemporary feel. Even the giant jumbo tron will feature incandescent lights changing to LEDs later in the evening. So events unfold over several hours each night to tell a story.

Holy moley, that sounds cool. I'm very positive about this renovation!
It'll be fun to watch this unfold and progress over the next year or two!
This is big news, indeed. Thanks for sharing what you can, Raven.

 

[Tigger1988]

Who would wait around that long to see these events unfold, much less notice these details are telling a story over several hours?

Geez, they can't win can they? People complain they're "dumbing" things down and not putting in the Disney touch people loved. Now putting actual thought and details into things is something to gripe about?

There's details and nuances all throughout the WDW resort that people overlook and never notice, doesn't mean they should have been left out.

 

[raven]

Hyperion Warf is designed as a social gathering where guests can relax in inviting and intimate spaces. A place were people feel comfortable lingering and spending an evening strolling the water's edge, having a nice meal, stopping for coffee or dessert or just sampling different entertainment offerings.

 

[trr1]

are they adding more than these few items?

AMC® Pleasure Island 24 Theatres Complex
Cirque du Soleil® — La Nouba™
DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park
House of Blues
Festival of the Seasons

 

[lazyboy97o]

Hyperion Warf is designed as a social gathering where guests can relax in inviting and intimate spaces. A place were people feel comfortable lingering and spending an evening strolling the water's edge, having a nice meal, stopping for coffee or dessert or just sampling different entertainment offerings.

It is one thing to say people are going to act a certain way in a space, it is another for them to actually follow through and do what was desired. The past decade plus seems to indicate that the public has not done what Disney intended when it comes to Downtown Disney.

A place in which people are intended to slow down and/or stop is not what is needed on the island. That description just sounds like they are designing yet another barrier to getting traffic into the West Side, the very reason the turnstiles were removed and ultimately the clubs closed.

 

[PalisadesPkteer]

Raven,

Will the West side be revamped also? Would this new theme be expanded all the way?

As others have said, the boat system is not used that much to get to / from each area.
I also thought it was to get to / from SSR. Not around DTD.

Getting a feeling the things you've hinted at may involve classic Mahogany boats for fun and or travel for all areas. Sail boat type or maybe the old speed boat type.

Probably the restaurant Max's with it's "reputation" for sweets and food going into the building you hinted at.

The new small amphitheater will have entertainment (Jazz, Swing Bands, or Musical Bands etc. ?)

Maybe bike rentals for area (Penny Farthing Bikes?) Double decker bus or Trolly would be nice but again they want people to walk I take it.

I guess the Hot air Balloon was / will be part of this new theme.

Sound like this new hybrid LED type bulletin board will be a big focal point.

Still think a dinner theatre would fit in nice with the right theme.

 

[raven]

The current boat service will stop at the new area. The enhancements to the other areas listed are the only ones that I know of that will happen in the West Side.

 

[MarkTwain]

Many surprises are still in store for guests when it opens. Building on the whole Edison era theme, at twilight you will hear the sounds of old electric generators coming to life and each building and lamp flickers on reflecting on the early days of Coney Island and Luna Park. Later in the evening the light will change to more vibrant colors taking on a contemporary feel. Even the giant jumbo tron will feature incandescent lights changing to LEDs later in the evening. So events unfold over several hours each night to tell a story.

Hyperion Warf is designed as a social gathering where guests can relax in inviting and intimate spaces. A place were people feel comfortable lingering and spending an evening strolling the water's edge, having a nice meal, stopping for coffee or dessert or just sampling different entertainment offerings.

Thanks for the info, Raven. I know I've expressed my optimism for Hyperion Wharf multiple times, but with this constantly growing thread I'll mention it again. I realize that it might not seem to have the exclusive or adult feel of the old PI, but once I put the past out of my head I find myself really liking what this place sounds like. Yes, it is a bit of a continuation of what's in DTD already, but in my opinion that's one of its strengths. Now DtD will be a much more unified district of WDW, clear to visitors of what it offers. On that note, HW together the existing themes in DTD really well. If Marketplace is a quaint, old-fashioned lakeside village, and West Side is a bustling, modern abstraction of a cityscape, than Hyperion Wharf is the in-between: an old-fashioned, but robustly urban waterfront with lots of lights and kinetic energy. For me, good Imagineering is all about setting, and the Wharf has it... more than the West Side does, anyway. It also seems to play off the waterfront better than PI did, and like Raven said, I can easily imagine it being a nice place to stroll and relax while passing through from Marketplace or West Side.

 

[TP2000]

What if the wheelchair wants to sit on the upper deck? Do they have a hidden elevator also?

No secret built-in elevator to the top level, sorry.

The ingeneous hidden wheelchair lifts built in to each ultra-themed mall trolley does make you wonder why Disney hasn't retrofitted such a system onto its original horse-drawn trolleys plying the Main Street's of its theme parks in California and Florida. If a mall can do this, you'd think Disney would step up to the plate and make an original 1955 or 1971 attraction wheelchair accesible finally.

Looking at the plans and artwork for the Red Car Trolleys coming in 2012, I have to believe an onboard wheelchair lift is part of the plans. There's nothing in the artwork that shows a wheelchair ramp positioned at the stations, so I bet the ramps will be built into the 1920's themed trolleys themselves, like at the shopping mall versions.

DCA Red Car Trolley station - 2012

As for the boats at DTD, it took me years to discover them and figure out they were available. I've only used them once, a few years ago, when a small group of us left Wolfgang Puck's in the rain while craving a Ghiradelli's sundae and took the boat to the Marketplace instead of walking. We had the boat all to ourselves.

If they want to use the existing DTD boats as an internal transportation system, they need to beef up the signage, beef up the dock presence, and increase the number of boats shuttling back and forth. Hardly anyone knows that's an option to get around in, but it's there.

Of course a trolley would be more useful, and certainly elevate DTD to the upper echelons of retail/dining theme and style and zip. It may be a familiar concept to Southern Californians, but I bet there's folks from Ohio and New Hampshire and Alabama who don't have fancy themed trolleys in their local mall who would find it unique and very festive.

Speaking of zip, these mall trolleys really move! Here's a short Youtube clip of The Grove trolley going by, and it gets you from one side of the mall to the other very quickly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPN2qvy8NtE&feature=channel

Westside to Marketplace in 5 minutes or less, with a stop at Hyperion Wharf?!? :sohappy:
.

 

[Richie248]

Silk Road

Is it weird for concept art to contain images/concepts which already exist in other markets? Silk Road is a restaurant that exists in Las Vegas (Vdara @ City center). Logo is the same. They used to serve B L & D, now they only serve B & L. Ate there last time I was in Vegas and it was delicious.

Great chef (also has a restaurant @ Bellagio), would be a nice addition if he is looking to develop something. I guess we'll see..I'm personally excited. Something is better than nothing.

http://www.vdara.com/amenities/silk-road-restaurant.aspx

 

[jt04]

Many surprises are still in store for guests when it opens. Building on the whole Edison era theme, at twilight you will hear the sounds of old electric generators coming to life and each building and lamp flickers on reflecting on the early days of Coney Island and Luna Park. Later in the evening the light will change to more vibrant colors taking on a contemporary feel. Even the giant jumbo tron will feature incandescent lights changing to LEDs later in the evening. So events unfold over several hours each night to tell a story.

Very cool! Sounds like a time machine . Imagineering rocks.

Who would wait around that long to see these events unfold, much less notice these details are telling a story over several hours?

:lol: I think it is something that will function like background music and be rather subtle. Something you enjoy while sitting at an outdoor cafe or just strolling through at different times.

Geez, they can't win can they? People complain they're "dumbing" things down and not putting in the Disney touch people loved. Now putting actual thought and details into things is something to gripe about?

There's details and nuances all throughout the WDW resort that people overlook and never notice, doesn't mean they should have been left out.

As I said over a year ago, even if they added a store that was handing out free gold coins there would be people who would complain. I think some of them were frustrated the announcement was so slow in coming becaise that they were desperate to critisize it here on these boards no matter what it turned out to be. So predictable.

 

[wdwmagic]

Some more details http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...ture-and-state-of-the-art-lighting-design.htm

 

[Mickey92]

Don't think ive posted here on this topic yet but It Looks very good! Looking forward to see it when I go in the future

 

[raven]

Westside to Marketplace in 5 minutes or less, with a stop at Hyperion Wharf?!? :sohappy:

In the land of Disney, it's past accidents and the people trying to gain money from them, a trolly that fast through a residental pathway spells LAWSUIT. You know someone will try it, don't deny it.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Many surprises are still in store for guests when it opens. Building on the whole Edison era theme, at twilight you will hear the sounds of old electric generators coming to life and each building and lamp flickers on reflecting on the early days of Coney Island and Luna Park. Later in the evening the light will change to more vibrant colors taking on a contemporary feel. Even the giant jumbo tron will feature incandescent lights changing to LEDs later in the evening. So events unfold over several hours each night to tell a story.

Liking this!

Obviously, the real success or failure will lie in the businesses that get involved, but it sounds like Disney is planning to hold up their end anyway. This sounds like top-notch atmospheric Imagineering.