WDW Resort Big Plans & Projects Before the 50th

[rushtest4echo]

Hmm, let me start making my wishlist...

-New elements on Jungle Cruise (piranhas [like at Disneyland])

Tokyo's Jungle Cruise got a much better update a couple years ago,and they're shooter for something closer to that and more.

 

[jpeden]

Tokyo's Jungle Cruise got a much better update a couple years ago,and they're shooter for something closer to that and more.

Can OLC just buy WDW and we can be done with it? That would make me happy.

 

[jaxonp]

The bulk will be plussing and refurbs. Lots and lots of plussing and refurbs. (At MK) Like how DL got a new Yeti and Hatbox.

I think that's a great thing. The new yeti caught me by surprise when I went to DL in January. I had totally forgotten about it but that entire addition to the ride, from the lift hill to the sounds and the two animatronics really plus the ride drastically. Hopefully, we will see something like this:

Refurb ideas:
-Big Thunder gets new finale.
-Jungle Cruise gets projection mapping like Tokyo!
-Maybe Something to improve Pooh?
-Space Mountain gets complete overhaul?
-CoP gets big updates.
-TTA gets a lot of new interactive technology along the ride?
-Buzz gets Shanghai update or a complete new ride, please!
-Haunted Mansion finds a home for HBG.

New:
-A new attraction/attractions for Tomorrow Land Speedway
-Stitch.

 

[uncle jimmy]

How far out does disney start with prep for big anniversary events? Will this be something discussed at D23?

 

[marni1971]

How far out does disney start with prep for big anniversary events? Will this be something discussed at D23?

They're prepping already.

When they want to tell the paying guest is another matter.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I wouldn't expect to hear anything officially announced for the 50th until a few months after SWL opens. Iger doesn't want anything to overshadow his ego/legacy additions, at least while he's still CEO.

 

[seascape]

Look for Iget to ectend his position until after Star Wars Experience opens and maybe until 2021.

 

[UpAllNight]

Plussings are welcome but most of what has been discussed happened 2 years ago at Disneyland...are we really waiting 7 years for them to enhance the same rides at their premium (and premiumly priced) Florida resort?

I really do welcome upgrades, but they need to do more than copy and paste their Disneyland updates, all be in 7 years too late.

 

[doctornick]

Hmm, let me start making my wishlist...

-Hatbox Ghost
-Thunder Mountain "exploding lift" upgrade
-Buzzlight Year Upgrades
-Splash Mountain Interactive queue elements
-PhilharMagic projector upgrades and/or new film
-New elements on Jungle Cruise (piranhas [like at Disneyland])

I'd add:
-refurbishing/updating Space Mountain with onboard audio, glowing paint and projections
-updating the spiel on TTA and do something about the dark stretch in Space (see previous suggestion)
-updating Peter Pan's Flight so the ride matches the queue; preferably with larger/higher capacity vehicles.
-new finale for CoP (I'd actually be fine with bringing back the original Walt Disney era ending and just updating the tech over time)
-aren't there elements missing from the Tiki room pre-show and show? perhaps add them back or update with new effects

 

[RSoxNo1]

Never say never.

Martin confirms it's a small world, Space Mountain, and Carousel of Progress moving to Epcot, Peter Pan getting rebuilt from the ground up, a Frozen village opening in Fantasyland, Tron coaster added to Tomorrowland, Wreck it Ralph Candy Crush ride replacing Tomorrowland Speedway, Mystic Manor coming to Adventureland, and a new nighttime parade.

 

[marni1971]

Martin confirms it's a small world, Space Mountain, and Carousel of Progress moving to Epcot, Peter Pan getting rebuilt from the ground up, a Frozen village opening in Fantasyland, Tron coaster added to Tomorrowland, Wreck it Ralph Candy Crush ride replacing Tomorrowland Speedway, Mystic Manor coming to Adventureland, and a new nighttime parade.

Was I that obvious?

 

[Jedi14]

Is the 50th going to have a theme like how Disneyland had the diamond, Paris is doing a year of stars, and Disney Sea had crystal wishes? Is it going something like year of dreams or a golden year?

 

[Rteetz]

Is the 50th going to have a theme like how Disneyland had the diamond, Paris is doing a year of stars, and Disney Sea had crystal wishes? Is it going something like year of dreams or a golden year?

Usually 50 is gold or golden.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Martin confirms it's a small world, Space Mountain, and Carousel of Progress moving to Epcot, Peter Pan getting rebuilt from the ground up, a Frozen village opening in Fantasyland, Tron coaster added to Tomorrowland, Wreck it Ralph Candy Crush ride replacing Tomorrowland Speedway, Mystic Manor coming to Adventureland, and a new nighttime parade.

Don't forget the Monorail expansion designed to hit every single location on the entire property. That's going to be a game changer and finally a use for those buried footings. (It took them long enough to acknowledge that mistake they made.)

 

[HauntedPirate]

Is the 50th going to have a theme like how Disneyland had the diamond, Paris is doing a year of stars, and Disney Sea had crystal wishes? Is it going something like year of dreams or a golden year?

I hate it when people enable my habit of ridiculing DI$. I'm trying to keep it in check, for the most part, but you did ask...

"50 MAGICAL!!! Golden Cupcakes!"

"50 Years of MAGICAL!!! Merchandise To Buy!"

"50 MAGICAL!!! Upcharge Events"

"$50 For a MAGICAL!!! Quick Service Meal!"

"Here's to 50 More Years of Cost Containment"

"50 Years of Monorail Expansion Rumors!"

"50 Years, 50 Resorts!"

"Isn't Star Wars Land MAGICAL!!!?" aka. "Go See Star Wars Land Today. PLEASE!!!" (This could just be Iger's approach to the 50th)

"$50 Parking Fee"

But, in all seriousness, I think the days of fun, original celebrations and celebration names are long gone. "WDW's 50th Anniversary" is probably about as good as it will get, sadly.

 

[WildcatDen]

To me the 50th is the big one, the biggest one of all. Even more so than the 75th or 100th or so on. There is just something about the 50th for any celebration that it is the ONE! I fully expect that everything in the park will get refurbed and lots of plussing but I also expect at least one new attraction for the park.

Everything? Probably not, but enough to make some vacationers unhappy with closures over the period. That is why having the additions to the other parks done by 2019 is pretty important. Oh and I do expect 1 E for the 50th and maybe a C/D as well.

 

[Kamikaze]

But, in all seriousness, I think the days of fun, original celebrations and celebration names are long gone. "WDW's 50th Anniversary" is probably about as good as it will get, sadly.

'Most Magical 50th Anniversary'

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Don't forget, though, that plussing has included things like interactive queues in the past. And TDO's definition of "plussing" can and likely will change to suit their agenda. Not saying that what will eventually happen won't be good overall, but I'm definitely taking a wait-and-see approach on any plussing for MK for the next few years.

If TDA's plussings of their classic attractions for the 60th are equivalent to what TDO will do for the 50th, I think we may be in luck,

'Most Magical 50th Anniversary'

Mickey's Most Magicalist 50th Celebration

 

[ford91exploder]

They aren't paying all of the cost. We've been down this road before. All of the expenses are audited by an independent public accounting firm. There's no way that a large number of people are colluding to help charge more to DVC owners. There would be no incentive either for those individuals. Also remember that DVC is a separate division from the hotels. Why would an accountant or even senior management at DVC care to make the hotels more profitable. They aren't getting credit for that.

Tin foil hats and conspiracy theory aside, they do share the costs of common amenities like transportation, parking lots, pools and in some cases Bell Services. I'm assuming the allocation is based on the number of rooms each side uses in a given year. Since DVC is 95%+ full they take a nice chunk of the common costs, probably not over 50% but still a decent amount of money. Let's take BLT for an example. Owners will pay $1.8M for transportation for 2017. That covers a portion of the monorail, buses and boat. They didn't add extra buses or monorails when BLT was built and there is no dedicated DVC transportation so the CR has reduced their overall costs by $1.8M by having DVC owners pay for a portion of the transportation expenses. That's pure profit for CR. This also applies to things like real estate taxes, security, certain maintenance items related to shared common areas, etc...It allows the hotels to increase profits by shifting some of the fixed costs to the DVC side.

That's all well and good but the reality is every year I see huge increases at BLT in my member fees and based on public filings with comparable properties which are entirely timeshare Disney's stated costs are 200-400% higher and based on the state of the rooms and the lackadaisical housekeeping service its not being spent there.

Fun fact on BLT much of the room inventory belongs to CRO

 

[jaxonp]

Peter Pan, Philharmagic, Small World, all of Tomorroland, Jungle Cruise need updates, stat. I'm okay with them not adding a new E ticket, if they fix what we've got, honestly. Now that said, a redo of Tomorrowland would likely, potentially, include a new E ticket, would it not?