"What's Next?" presentation December 7th

[WDW1974]

It isn't dead. Never has been.
Just very...troubled.

sounds like the state of most relationships between Imagineers and fanbois, No.2 ...

 

[WDW1974]

Steve Davison posted this about 12 hours ago. He maybe talking about the upcoming projects that will be announced December 7th...
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=511787672165287&id=159947717349286

Well, he is working on new parades for TDL and MK. I have heard he has a project for HKDL as well ... now, I could jump to a conclusion based on him using 'LOVE" and say he's got a new pyro seasonal show for MK that will debut this February for free under the new promo and be part of new hard ticket parties starting in 2014, but why spoil all the fun?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Does the recent news of FotLK casting on November 16th have any affect on/betray the status of Avatar?

I thought they didn't renew the contracts of the performers. What is the new news?

 

[nytimez]

At this point the charade is silly. We're seeing that now at Universal Studios, it's well established that Transformers is being built and it's well established that the London portion of Harry Potter is being built. The only thing Universal has accomplished by not announcing this is giving Robert Niles a ridiculous amount of traffic on New Years Eve when the Gringotts Coaster info leaked. It also took attention away from the One More Disney Day announcement.

The average theme part traveler/consumer isn't paying attention to the rumors, they're not on the message boards and most of them aren't reading the blogs. Even most of the people in the Universal parks on any given day have no idea what's going on behind those construction walls.

I hear people still walk in every day and ask "Where's Jaws? What do you mean it's not here anymore?" I think that's probably far more typical of the average guest than the ones who keep up with all the rumors.

For the same reason, the Gringotts leak didn't take much attention at all from the One More Disney Day announcement. One was an online rumor that remains within the circles of the fan community. The other got a major media and marketing campaign that exposed millions more to it.

 

[WDW1974]

We all know that the September 2011 announcement (sorry, that reads better to me than 9/11). Was just what you said, "we reached an agreement but we don't know what we're doing." Now they can pretend they know what they're doing. Having said that, I would be shocked if they gave a time frame for construction.

Agreed.

If they wait to announce Carsland until next August, I would have to believe that construction would begin before then. I understand that this is a loaded question, but the date for the D23 expo was set before the decision was made to greenlight Carsland, why wait until an arbitrary date just to have a grand reveal? Yes, people were disappointed at the last D23 expo because nothing new was announced, but if there's nothing to announce that's actually what we're upset about, not really the timing of it.

Agreed again. There will be construction going on in DL for likely a good six months before the Expo for IronMan/Stark Expo (and, possibly, something else that's in play too!) and I will bet that nothing is announced until then except 'we are closing Innoventions, which has brought our guests so much joy and MAGIC since 1998, for an exciting new project that we'll be releasing details of in the near future, so keep watching The Disney Parks Blog!' -- signed Blondie ...

If they want to hold back and leave DHS into one grand reveal in August, I would expect that there would be a teaser of sorts on December 7th. Something like:
"We have major expansion plans for DHS but we're still finalizing the details. While that happens we will be closing Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Lights Motors Action and Studio Backlot Tour at different times in 2013 to prepare for this new $800 million (random number) investment into new attractions at DHS."

Not so sure 'bout that. I think Disney is constantly afraid that they'll get people to put off vacations if they even hint at bigger and better things to come, so they play games. This event is going to be 95% stuff that is either opening or under construction or been announced with other things (like new parade) being stuff that anyone who follows site's like this knows is coming.

At this point the charade is silly. We're seeing that now at Universal Studios, it's well established that Transformers is being built and it's well established that the London portion of Harry Potter is being built. The only thing Universal has accomplished by not announcing this is giving Robert Niles a ridiculous amount of traffic on New Years Eve when the Gringotts Coaster info leaked. It also took attention away from the One More Disney Day announcement.

I dunno ... they are also building tremendous anticipation because they know how well received their recent proiects have been. One could say they're just being very savvy and coy ... and there will be announcements coming by the end of the year due to travel agents and printed documents and all those little things that have to be formalized.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Not so sure 'bout that. I think Disney is constantly afraid that they'll get people to put off vacations if they even hint at bigger and better things to come, so they play games. This event is going to be 95% stuff that is either opening or under construction or been announced with other things (like new parade) being stuff that anyone who follows site's like this knows is coming.

Eventually they have to announce these projects, and by all accounts the DHS projects are on the Disney equivalent of being "fast tracked". If that's the case, I would expect them to be announced before the D23 expo. It seems silly not to.

I dunno ... they are also building tremendous anticipation because they know how well received their recent proiects have been. One could say they're just being very savvy and coy ... and there will be announcements coming by the end of the year due to travel agents and printed documents and all those little things that have to be formalized.

It's hard to fault what Universal is doing, they're cranking out major additions at a pace that hasn't been since the original construction of EPCOT. Evidently they have an announcement on November 1st so I wouldn't be surprised to see many substantial things announced then.

 

[flynnibus]

For the most they tend to either confirm what we already know or at best fill in a few gaps in knowledge, but out of the blue announcements like Avatar are truly rare.

and how do you feel about the NYC event this week? That was largely unknown stuff. The limited return of certain attractions was hinted at prior, but it wasn't known when/how/what specifically.. nor the rest of the promotion, etc.

What I find odd about this is the lead time.. 2 months? WTH is that.

 

[TTA94]

Steve Davison posted this about 12 hours ago. He maybe talking about the upcoming projects that will be announced December 7th...
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=511787672165287&id=159947717349286

Very very interesting!

Sad thing is if a new MK parade does get announced we will likely not see it until late Spring/Summer at the earliest. I may be wrong but when Soundsational first got announced wasn't it 10 months in advance?

If anyone else noticed someone posted on his page that the "Festival of Fantasy" Mickey float was HKDLs Flights of Fantasy opening float...

 

[menamechris]

now, I could jump to a conclusion based on him using 'LOVE" and say he's got a new pyro seasonal show for MK that will debut this February for free under the new promo and be part of new hard ticket parties starting in 2014, but why spoil all the fun?

New fireworks show? Now that would get me excited....

 

[jdmdisney99]

"You like what you see? You know you do! There is more on the horizon!" haha I want it to be like an episode of Oprah's favorite things: "And you get an expansion! And you get an expansion!"

That Oprah thing is funny. Imagine if they made a commercial with an audience of Disney characters and park icons sitting in seats in the front. Suddenly Bob Iger comes out from backstage, everybody starts cheering, and he says,"You know what I like? Expansions! You get an expansion! And you get an expansion! And you get an expansion!" That would be great!

 

[GeorgiaPinesRJB]

That Oprah thing is funny. Imagine if they made a commercial with an audience of Disney characters and park icons sitting in seats in the front. Suddenly Bob Iger comes out from backstage, everybody starts cheering, and he says,"You know what I like? Expansions! You get an expansion! And you get an expansion! And you get an expansion!" That would be great!

Hahahahahahaha that's actually what I was thinking...

 

[jdmdisney99]

Hahahahahahaha that's actually what I was thinking...

They have to do that now! Haha

 

[GeorgiaPinesRJB]

They have to do that now! Haha

Who should I direct my letters to to make this happen? haha

 

[Captain Neo]

I think we knew at the beginning that Avatarland would have a long gestation period because Cameron is still mapping out the mythology and writing the scripts for the sequels. Shortly after it was announced Cameron spent alot of time with WDI touring the parks particularly studying DAK and Cars Land's construction at DCA. I belive he is very enthusastic about the project and Disney needs him to combat Potter (unless they decide to go full steam on Marvel but Universal has them blocked in Florida).

I'm not really buying this issue with Disney refusing to build what hes asking for. I do believe there is probably some back and forth but I remember sitting at D23 and John Lasseter standing right in front of me telling a crowd of people how he had no problem fighting executives who tried to cut costs on Cars Land and was able to convince the key people that spending money was the way to go. Fans cheered then and people showed up in droves for Cars Land. In addition, George Lucas sounded like he had no problems getting his way with Star Tours II and he would have been very vocal about problems like he was when Eisner tried to cheapen out on him. I think Disney has learned by now not to around with the talent and just spend a couple extra bucks when they need to.

I'm going to predict once Cameron has Avatar 2 locked down he will spend some time finalizing things with the Imagineers and construction will begin and probably will be open in either 2016 or 2017.

 

[M.rudolf]

I think we knew at the beginning that Avatarland would have a long gestation period because Cameron is still mapping out the mythology and writing the scripts for the sequels. Shortly after it was announced Cameron spent alot of time with WDI touring the parks particularly studying DAK and Cars Land's construction at DCA. I belive he is very enthusastic about the project and Disney needs him to combat Potter (unless they decide to go full steam on Marvel but Universal has them blocked in Florida).

I'm not really buying this issue with Disney refusing to build what hes asking for. I do believe there is probably some back and forth but I remember sitting at D23 and John Lasseter standing right in front of me telling a crowd of people how he had no problem fighting executives who tried to cut costs on Cars Land and was able to convince the key people that spending money was the way to go. Fans cheered then and people showed up in droves for Cars Land. In addition, George Lucas sounded like he had no problems getting his way with Star Tours II and he would have been very vocal about problems like he was when Eisner tried to cheapen out on him. I think Disney has learned by now not to around with the talent and just spend a couple extra bucks when they need to.

I'm going to predict once Cameron has Avatar 2 locked down he will spend some time finalizing things with the Imagineers and construction will begin and probably will be open in either 2016 or 2017.

I wish this were true, but this isn't the type of money Lasseter or Lucas wanted. This is a significant amount more. Alot of the problems are due to the portrayals in the upcoming films, but the films wont be done filming to at the earliest 2015,with effects work the films wont be locked till 2017/18 due to the back to back filming and effects work if that soon. Fox's investment trumps Disney's because of contract terms.If Avatar does break ground its more than likely not for another 3/4 years. Like I said though this isn't 10/20 mil its more like 300/400 mil difference that they are dealing with. How can you greenlight a project like this when you don't know if the franchise has legs.

 

[GeorgiaPinesRJB]

I wish this were true, but this isn't the type of money Lasseter or Lucas wanted. This is a significant amount more. Alot of the problems are due to the portrayals in the upcoming films, but the films wont be done filming to at the earliest 2015,with effects work the films wont be locked till 2017/18 due to the back to back filming and effects work if that soon. Fox's investment trumps Disney's because of contract terms.If Avatar does break ground its more than likely not for another 3/4 years. Like I said though this is 10/20 mil its more like 300/400 mil difference that they are dealing with. How can you greenlight a project like this when you don't know if the franchise has legs.

I think that's the problem that me and a lot of other fans have with this idea in general...we don't know if the franchise will even do well, and with the kind of money being asked to invest in this... So I can see the apprehension from Disney's perspective in wanting to go through with this.

 

[FrankLapidus]

I think we knew at the beginning that Avatarland would have a long gestation period because Cameron is still mapping out the mythology and writing the scripts for the sequels. Shortly after it was announced Cameron spent alot of time with WDI touring the parks particularly studying DAK and Cars Land's construction at DCA. I belive he is very enthusastic about the project and Disney needs him to combat Potter (unless they decide to go full steam on Marvel but Universal has them blocked in Florida).

That's very feasible but I don't agree with one thing, that Disney need Cameron. Disney were making amazing theme park attractions long before Cameron came on the scene and they could do so again without him, the problem lies with a management stucture that has stifled creativity. Whether Avatarland happens or not, Disney don't need James Cameron to make AK the park we all want it to be.

 

[ChrisFL]

That's very feasible but I don't agree with one thing, that Disney need Cameron. Disney were making amazing theme park attractions long before Cameron came on the scene and they could do so again without him, the problem lies with a management stucture that has stifled creativity. Whether Avatarland happens or not, Disney don't need James Cameron to make AK the park we all know and want it to be.

this x1000!!!

 

[TTA94]

Well, he is working on new parades for TDL and MK. I have heard he has a project for HKDL as well ... now, I could jump to a conclusion based on him using 'LOVE" and say he's got a new pyro seasonal show for MK that will debut this February for free under the new promo and be part of new hard ticket parties starting in 2014, but why spoil all the fun?

If you are talking about a Valentines firework show that does not sound exciting at all! Nor does a hard ticket party revolving around Valentines day! No doubt that is exactly what they have planned...

I mean really if Steve is working on something like that for WDW I would be rather upset! WDW needs soo much more than a seasonal pyro or castle projection show!

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

I'm not really buying this issue with Disney refusing to build what hes asking for. I do believe there is probably some back and forth but I remember sitting at D23 and John Lasseter standing right in front of me telling a crowd of people how he had no problem fighting executives who tried to cut costs on Cars Land and was able to convince the key people that spending money was the way to go.

Yeah, but JL holds a position at WDI, and much more importantly, Pixar is Disney's cash cow. Sure, they could fire Lasseter, but then he'd just take the talent with him and found a studios somewhere else and Disney would lose their cash cow.

Iger was in love with Avatar, even though the film was very non-Disney, i.e. military/machos vs. aliens and a smoking scientist who dies. Remember how Eisner said he didn't watch Disney movies growing up? Iger strikes me as a Universal sort of type who'd likes those type of films over Disney films.

Anyway, James Cameron doesn't write Disney a check every year like JL does, they don't owe him anything, hence they are free to negotiate. If they dump Avatarland, that is a bad omen for the future box office of Avatar 2 & 3, not necessarily a bad thing as it could help out Disney's film(s) coming out in that time period.

Cameron doesn't have any strings attached to him, JL most certainly does.