DHS What should they do with Animation Courtyard?

[lentesta]

So you believe the AC news will be well-received?

Good question. I'd like to hear the plan first.

 

[bmr1591]

Good question. I'd like to hear the plan first.

Fair. It just sounded like you were saying they'd use the news to turn heads from other stories they'd prefer get buried. And if I recall, there was a time you weren't a big fan of what was being proposed, though I'm sure plans have changed in some capacity.

 

[lentesta]

OH????? Figment?? Is it finally happening??

Word around the Institute is that WDI is circulating documents to potential third parties. I'm assuming that's for pricing and timelines.

 

[lentesta]

Fair. It just sounded like you were saying they'd use the news to turn heads from other stories they'd prefer get buried. And if I recall, there was a time you weren't a big fan of what was being proposed, though I'm sure plans have changed in some capacity.

Yeah, I didn't love any of the initial proposals other than the one thing they had in common: The Muppets taking over for Villains when that run is done.

I suspect this construction will finally link up Animation Courtyard and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster courtyard. That's just a guess.

 

[Gusey]

At this point, I just want Animation Courtyard to go so that every time I read AC I don't think of Avengers Campus first

 

[Streetway Again]

Yeah, I didn't love any of the initial proposals other than the one thing they had in common: The Muppets taking over for Villains when that run is done.

I suspect this construction will finally link up Animation Courtyard and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster courtyard. That's just a guess.

Is that still the case? I hope it is. I need more
Muppets in my life!

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Is that still the case? I hope it is. I need more
Muppets in my life!

Honestly would be a net positive for Muppets if they threw it in there properly with some updates to queue etc. I would also do some new snack/food stands themed to the muppets (Pizzarizzo, Swedish Chef, Miss Piggy?) with a covered eating area nearby if we could get some extra space. Then add in either a Muppets flatride and/or splash pad. Full muppets land now and done fairly cheap. Also keeps the Muppets position more definite.

 

[Theme Park Nerdo]

Not sure on timeline for this announcement. Is there an upcoming closure that would need to be balanced out? Or maybe it's ready for the HOP re-opening as a distraction.

Not to hijack this thread, but if the next EPCOT ride refurb is Figment, as I've heard, that might excite fans enough to be a D23 announcement.

 

[Professortango1]

If they gave us a new MuppetVision, that would be great. If it's the same old one from the 90's, I'd rather leave that in the past.

 

[rd805]

Yeah, I didn't love any of the initial proposals other than the one thing they had in common: The Muppets taking over for Villains when that run is done.

I suspect this construction will finally link up Animation Courtyard and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster courtyard. That's just a guess.

Just having SOMETHING where the Animation Courtyard stands, as well as a connected path - which would probably have theming and other touches, to RnR Courtyard would be such a win.

 

[HMF]

Or maybe it's ready for the HOP re-opening as a distraction.

If you really think Disney will re-open HOP in this political climate then I would give Cast Members there even more public safety training. I think we are more likely to see Figment restored to exactly like it was on opening day 1983 than that frankly. Heck, It might be smarter from a business standpoint to rebuild Horizons than re-open HOP.

 

[peter11435]

If you really think Disney will re-open HOP in this political climate then I would give Cast Members there even more public safety training. I think we are more likely to see Figment restored to exactly like it was on opening day 1983 than that frankly. Heck, It might be smarter from a business standpoint to rebuild Horizons than re-open HOP.

Hall of Presidents will reopen

 

[HMF]

Hall of Presidents will reopen

If you say so. It would probably be corporate suicide but stranger things have happened.

 

[Theme Park Nerdo]

Hall of Presidents will reopen

With the same 2017/2020 show? Or are they doing something new?

If they wanted to take the safe route, they could go back to the 1971 days where it was only Abe Lincoln who delivered the main speech in the show and just cut the current president's message.

 

[castlecake2.0]

They are actively relocating peoples offices from around the park to the Feature Animation building right now so whatever the plan is it appears that it doesn’t involve that building or the parking garage.

 

[HMF]

With the same 2017/2020 show? Or are they doing something new?

If they wanted to take the safe route, they could go back to the 1971 days where it was only Abe Lincoln who delivered the main speech in the show and just cut the current president's message.

That would be the safest route.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

The one downside of linking Animation Courtyard to the RnRC courtyard is it would mean the end of the brilliant Tower of Terror reveal/approach down Sunset Boulevard being an inherent part of that attraction's experience: many first-time visitors will go to Animation Courtyard first and eventually just find themselves at the foot of Tower of Terror. Considering that WDW's Tower of Terror is one of the most highly-regarded experiences in theme park history, it would be a great loss for so many people to unknowingly miss out on such a major aspect of it.

I think connecting Animation Courtyard to Sunset Boulevard via the current "Highland Ave" (halfway down Sunset Boulevard, in the middle of the current Sunset Ranch Market area) would accomplish most of the crowd-flow goals without compromising Tower of Terror as much, and indeed - if I recall correctly - this has been a real prospect:

Speaking of thematic/experiential integrity, I hope that whatever the Animation Courtyard expansions end up being, they'll take sightline from all the immersive Hollywood areas into account!

 

[SoraTrash]

Word around the Launch Bay is there's now a completed concept for Animation Courtyard. As in "we could release this to the public."

Not sure what ideas made it in or timeline. But they've settled on a direction.

finally, Kingdom Hearts replacing AC! Can't wait.

 

[BrianLo]

I have made some prior commentary already that the supposed money they want to spend does represent generally 50% more output than we were seeing decade on decade. With WDI inflation. What we got out of D23, while voluminous, still didn’t even bring us towards decade on decade parity.

Figment is not surprising, it seemed the most telegraphed. Between Inside Out, “turbocharging”, Lightening Lane monetization and Millenial imagineers it seems like such a low hanging fruit for the current executive priorities.

But this Animation Courtyard thing seems interesting for timing. Hard to gather from Len how far conceptually it is, which is possibly there’s an IP selected and early concept art that won’t really reflect the final product baking. It’s possible we’re just talking about the year after Villains Project. Otherwise this is the spending ramp they’ve been touting.

The one hole assuming both of these things come to be is we’re clearly missing DAK projects.

 

[CosmicDuck]

Didn't realize the "Muppets potentially replacing Villains" thing was anything more than armchair wishing so that's very exciting. Wish they had announced it so there was more chance of it happening but I'll hold out hope. @lentesta Not sure if you're at liberty to say or even know, but curious to find out if that was MV3D to replace Villains or something Muppets in general.

Animation Courtyard dying immediately and potential road for Muppets to return makes the MV3D death a little easier to swallow.