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

[njDizFan]

just tried to buy that domain name and it was taken, hmmm could have made some money:lookaroun

 

[vonpluto]

oops, double post.

since I can't delete it, I'll just say it IS quite a coincidence the announcement came on the fictitious birthdate of the fictitious founder of Pleasure Island.

And I was there on the last night of Pleasure Island clubs - they had a Dee Jay telling everyone "Pleasure Island is not closing." yeah, right, Baghdad Bob . . . :lol:

No Merriweather Pleasure! Thank Mickey ! he lives. And he lives forever. A thousand years from now, MKCP1985, nay ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the hearts of Adventurers.


(Thanks Mr. Church):xmas:

 

[Krack]

Did Disney own pleasureisland.com? noooo. . .

You'd think Disney is going to keep people going to their disney.go.com site for all things Hyperion Wharf, Downtown Disney, or otherwise.

Well, of course they are going to force them to disney.go.com, but you'd think they'd redirect from hyperionwharf.com. At the very least, smart business sense for a company the size of Disney is to acquire the domain to stop someone like Universal from buying it and redirecting it to their City Walk site.

For example, Disney owns these domains for an unannounced (likely never to be announced) project ...

DisneyImaginationPark.com
DisneyImaginationPark.net
DisneyImaginationPark.org
Imagination-Park.com
Imagination-Park.net
Imagination-Park.org
ImaginationPark.com

 

[rsoxguy]

There's a friend! :lol:


As a matter of curiosity, what examples did your father give for his opinion that the Epcot park experienced miserable decline in quality? Epcot in 2010 is a lot different from Epcot Center of 1988, there is no debating that fact, but that is a harsh statement.

• The landscaping work throughout the park was not nearly as well planned and maintained.
• The "replacement rides" and ride updates were not as creative or enjoyable as the originals. (please, no arguments, it was just an opinion)
• Certain attractions were not as polished in their level of regular maintenance.
• Closed restaurants and attractions made things look as though the place was on its way downhill.
• The main entrance, with the current graveyard scene, was not nearly as elegant as the original, with plants and a fountain.

This conversation was a few years back, and so my ever-fading memory is hazy on all of the details, but these are main points as I remember them. I also remember being in shock as I struggled to find a reason to defend Disney.

 

[Mammymouse]

Every time I hear "Pleasure Island" all that I think of is Pinnochio.

 

[unkadug]

Bingo! It's a trek from the Marketplace to the Westside. So why make people walk? Disney should have installed a themed and beautifully designed trolley system to take people from one end of the mall to the other, adding kinetics to the entire development and making it look and feel unique to most visitors.

Gorgeously designed trolley systems are already in place in several upscale malls in Southern California.

...

Or have my standards and expectations for Disney World been set too high by the local mall?

.

You crazy Californians.

 

[cdunbar]

You crazy Californians.

:lol:

 

[DDuckFan130]

Bingo! It's a trek from the Marketplace to the Westside. So why make people walk? Disney should have installed a themed and beautifully designed trolley system to take people from one end of the mall to the other, adding kinetics to the entire development and making it look and feel unique to most visitors.

Gorgeously designed trolley systems are already in place in several upscale malls in Southern California.

There's a fleet of double decker trolleys winding through The Grove shopping mall in west Los Angeles, California.

The Grove shopping mall trolleys

.

Ha, I actually rode the trolleys at The Grove back in July during my "East Coast meets West Coast" visit :lol:

I thought it was very convenient because we went to the Farmer's Market and wanted to ride the trolley back to the shops and where we parked. DTD could certainly make due with something like this!! Then I would actually want to go to the West Side :lookaroun

 

[MarkTwain]

Well, of course they are going to force them to disney.go.com, but you'd think they'd redirect from hyperionwharf.com. At the very least, smart business sense for a company the size of Disney is to acquire the domain to stop someone like Universal from buying it and redirecting it to their City Walk site.

For example, Disney owns these domains for an unannounced (likely never to be announced) project ...

DisneyImaginationPark.com
DisneyImaginationPark.net
DisneyImaginationPark.org
Imagination-Park.com
Imagination-Park.net
Imagination-Park.org
ImaginationPark.com

That was the name Disney was originally going to use for the new brand of more interactivity-focused Disney stores, like the one they just opened in Times Square. Since it seems Disney has simply gotten back to the name "Disney store," it's not likely the Imagination Park name will ever be used.

 

[Rob562]

Umm, DtD has a "trolly" system. It floats rather than using rails. And once the waterfront is opened up the views will be even more beautiful. People will use the service just for the awesomeness of the lights and not just for transportation.

I agree that they already have an internal transportation system. It's even wheelchair accessible. (I can't see from the pics how the mall trolleys load WCs)


But, I think they need to do a few things to help the current ferry system:

1) Have more boats running. Every time I've seen them, there only appears to be 1 or sometimes 2 boats circulating. They need 3.

2) Relocate the West Side ferry dock somewhere closer to the middle of the West Side, to both make it more visible, as well as leave it as a viable option. If your typical Guest is standing by Bongos, do you think they'd walk all the way to the far end of House of Blues to get the ferry? (Or even know that the ferry exists?)
This is the main reason why the West Side bus stops closed. Noone walked all the way there.

Looking at aerials, there's a little bump of land out into the water between Bongos and Wolfgang Puck that looks like it's ready-made to accommodate a dock connected to it. This also puts the boat dock by the major AMC/Bongos/WPC/former-VM pedestrian intersection where signs could point out the ferry.

3) Relocate the Marketplace ferry dock to where the rental boat marina is located (or somehow integrate the two together). The ferry dock is hidden between Cap'n Jack's and Rainforest Cafe. It also doesn't help that Cap'n Jack's itself physically blocks the view of the dock from a significant portion of the Marketplace.

If the dock were relocated to the near side of Cap'n Jack's, and an extra sign or two added, you'd see ridership jump.

-Rob

 

[TP2000]

Ha, I actually rode the trolleys at The Grove back in July during my "East Coast meets West Coast" visit :lol:

I thought it was very convenient because we went to the Farmer's Market and wanted to ride the trolley back to the shops and where we parked. DTD could certainly make due with something like this!! Then I would actually want to go to the West Side :lookaroun

Yup. These mall trolleys are great, as they are beautifully presented and the conductors look so fancy in their suits and hats. It's a real show piece for the malls.

But they also serve a very real purpose of moving people around, particularly from one end of a sprawling pedestrian development to the other. They also add kinetic energy and a unique flair to the overall environment. It's a win-win-win for upscale malls in SoCal.

Disney has already designed a closed-car trolley system that would be perfect for the rainy and humid Florida climate, instead of the open-air cars the malls in SoCal use due to the dramatically different climate here. The Red Car Trolley being built now for California Adventure would seem a perfect fit for WDW's Downtown Disney. It could have a different paint scheme, instead of the Pacific Electric livery it will have in DCA. But the concept and design work and Imagineering is done, and Disney's legal team has bought off on using this exact system in a theme park environment.

Maybe a more whimsical dark blue and gold version of this for Downtown Disney?...

Red Car Trolley system - Disney California Adventure Park 2012

 

[TP2000]

I agree that they already have an internal transportation system. It's even wheelchair accessible. (I can't see from the pics how the mall trolleys load WCs)
-Rob

You can't see them in those pics because they were designed to be entirely hidden until they are needed at any stop along the line.

The trolleys at The Grove and The Americana, being fairly new malls, are fully compliant with all ADA accesibilty laws. Each trolley has a large section that accomodates wheelchairs, and a built-in wheelchair lift is installed on each vehicle, hidden beneath the themed chassis. The conductor pushes a button and the lift slides out from underneath the vehicle to lower or raise the trolley rider in a wheelchair.

The Grove Trolley Built-In Wheelchair Lift Demonstration

It would be illegal to design and build a transportation system in the 21st century that was not completely compliant with all ADA laws, especially in lawyer-friendly California. :lol:

.

 

[unkadug]

You can't see them in those pics because they were designed to be entirely hidden until they are needed at any stop along the line.

The trolleys at The Grove and The Americana, being fairly new malls, are fully compliant with all ADA accesibilty laws. Each trolley has a large section that accomodates wheelchairs, and a built-in wheelchair lift is installed on each vehicle, hidden beneath the themed chassis. The conductor pushes a button and the lift slides out from underneath the vehicle to lower or raise the trolley rider in a wheelchair.

The Grove Trolley Built-In Wheelchair Lift Demonstration

It would be illegal to design and build a transportation system in the 21st century that was not completely compliant with all ADA laws, especially in lawyer-friendly California. :lol:

.

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

 

[the-reason14]

I agree that they already have an internal transportation system. It's even wheelchair accessible. (I can't see from the pics how the mall trolleys load WCs)


But, I think they need to do a few things to help the current ferry system:

1) Have more boats running. Every time I've seen them, there only appears to be 1 or sometimes 2 boats circulating. They need 3.

2) Relocate the West Side ferry dock somewhere closer to the middle of the West Side, to both make it more visible, as well as leave it as a viable option. If your typical Guest is standing by Bongos, do you think they'd walk all the way to the far end of House of Blues to get the ferry? (Or even know that the ferry exists?)
This is the main reason why the West Side bus stops closed. Noone walked all the way there.

Looking at aerials, there's a little bump of land out into the water between Bongos and Wolfgang Puck that looks like it's ready-made to accommodate a dock connected to it. This also puts the boat dock by the major AMC/Bongos/WPC/former-VM pedestrian intersection where signs could point out the ferry.

3) Relocate the Marketplace ferry dock to where the rental boat marina is located (or somehow integrate the two together). The ferry dock is hidden between Cap'n Jack's and Rainforest Cafe. It also doesn't help that Cap'n Jack's itself physically blocks the view of the dock from a significant portion of the Marketplace.

If the dock were relocated to the near side of Cap'n Jack's, and an extra sign or two added, you'd see ridership jump.

-Rob

I never knew Dtd had these either. I thought the boats I saw were to and from Saratoga only. You mean to tell me I could ride a boat from the marketplace to the west side and vice versa? Wow, you learn something new everyday.

 

[ChrisFL]

I never knew Dtd had these either. I thought the boats I saw were to and from Saratoga only. You mean to tell me I could ride a boat from the marketplace to the west side and vice versa? Wow, you learn something new everyday.

Until someone mentioned it here a while ago I had no idea it existed either...and I've been there dozens of times :shrug:

 

[jt04]

I agree that they already have an internal transportation system. It's even wheelchair accessible. (I can't see from the pics how the mall trolleys load WCs)


But, I think they need to do a few things to help the current ferry system:

1) Have more boats running. Every time I've seen them, there only appears to be 1 or sometimes 2 boats circulating. They need 3.

2) Relocate the West Side ferry dock somewhere closer to the middle of the West Side, to both make it more visible, as well as leave it as a viable option. If your typical Guest is standing by Bongos, do you think they'd walk all the way to the far end of House of Blues to get the ferry? (Or even know that the ferry exists?)
This is the main reason why the West Side bus stops closed. Noone walked all the way there.

Looking at aerials, there's a little bump of land out into the water between Bongos and Wolfgang Puck that looks like it's ready-made to accommodate a dock connected to it. This also puts the boat dock by the major AMC/Bongos/WPC/former-VM pedestrian intersection where signs could point out the ferry.

3) Relocate the Marketplace ferry dock to where the rental boat marina is located (or somehow integrate the two together). The ferry dock is hidden between Cap'n Jack's and Rainforest Cafe. It also doesn't help that Cap'n Jack's itself physically blocks the view of the dock from a significant portion of the Marketplace.

If the dock were relocated to the near side of Cap'n Jack's, and an extra sign or two added, you'd see ridership jump.

-Rob

Agreed with your ideas. The boats should be more user friendly. Also, I'm not opposed to a traditional trolly system but it would be expensive and use up parking areas that are going to be at a premium soon. I just can't see it happening. If they decided to run the trolly through the pedestrian walks I think it would ruin the aesthetics of the new HW section. Just my opinion.

There is the option of a suspended cable car system (enclosed ski gondolas) over the water but that would include some rather prohibitive initial costs but would also likely be a less expensive option over time due to savings on labor and fuel.

Ultimately though I think Disney would rather have people walking the area because that inceases the likelihood of impulse buying. That is why including something compelling visually all along the journey from one side to the other is so essential to the success of the new DtD. From what I am seeing, the casual visitor who is not up to speed on exactly what will be there, will find themselves absolutely amazed by what they are seeing.

 

[CBOMB]

To your points:
-MK being repainted - Basic manitainence. Should be expected, not praised.
-FL expansion - Had to happen. MK was reaching a critical point with it's capacity. Pooh is part of that.
-Mansion queue - Nice to see it plussed, but likely is just part of the massive RFID project that is coming down the pike.
-Food locations - Even when the park is packed, how often do you see Tomorrowland Terrace open? Adventureland Veranda? Pirate and Parrot?

I stand by my statement. They could easily be running Fantasmic every night, displaying the Lights of Winter and other guest friendly things if they chose to. They opt to go the money-saving route.

Yes, all of this or am I being to negative?

 

[CBOMB]

Agreed with your ideas. The boats should be more user friendly. Also, I'm not opposed to a traditional trolly system but it would be expensive and use up parking areas that are going to be at a premium soon. I just can't see it happening. If they decided to run the trolly through the pedestrian walks I think it would ruin the aesthetics of the new HW section. Just my opinion.

There is the option of a suspended cable car system (enclosed ski gondolas) over the water but that would include some rather prohibitive initial costs but would also likely be a less expensive option over time due to savings on labor and fuel.

Ultimately though I think Disney would rather have people walking the area because that inceases the likelihood of impulse buying. That is why including something compelling visually all along the journey from one side to the other is so essential to the success of the new DtD. From what I am seeing, the casual visitor who is not up to speed on exactly what will be there, will find themselves absolutely amazed by what they are seeing.

You are spot on about the view from the boats come sundown after all of the projects are finished in DtD. Also the need for a lot of foot traffic in the area so the place doesn't feel like a ghost town. I think the trolly system run around the perimeter of DtD would have been great for the families when PI was open, but that's a moot point now.

 

[SeaCastle]

Yes, all of this or am I being to negative?

You're not being negative. There's just a faction of fans that believe that the mere mention of those facts is sacrilege.

 

[unkadug]

To your points:
-MK being repainted - Basic manitainence. Should be expected, not praised.
-FL expansion - Had to happen. MK was reaching a critical point with it's capacity. Pooh is part of that.
-Mansion queue - Nice to see it plussed, but likely is just part of the massive RFID project that is coming down the pike.
-Food locations - Even when the park is packed, how often do you see Tomorrowland Terrace open? Adventureland Veranda? Pirate and Parrot?

I stand by my statement. They could easily be running Fantasmic every night, displaying the Lights of Winter and other guest friendly things if they chose to. They opt to go the money-saving route.

It baffles me why these places are not open, they bring money into the till! :shrug:

Since they pay CM's a mere pittance, it seems that the benefits would exceed the cost.

How much did it really cost to do this? It's not like it took a lot of man hours to run this. Heck they could probably get volunteers to put it up and take it down!