Why does it take 3 years to build a ride?

[marni1971]

But . . . those POTC boats do "swamp" if the boat is full and the weight isn't evenly distributed..

They do. It’s a design issue we discussed when they debuted. They’re not dangerous. Just... wet.

 

[Blueliner]

They do. It’s a design issue we discussed when they debuted. They’re not dangerous. Just... wet.

Agreed!

 

[larryz]

Bottom line is it is a total joke to take 3 years to build a roller coaster.

Why, are you laughing?
It may be a total joke, but... seems about standard for WDW these days.

 

[JusticeDisney]

A variety of reasons.

Not only do you have a laundry list of items that have to be done before the first blade of grass is touched, but you have an equally long list of issues that happen during construction...everything from supply issues, scheduling, labor shortages, etc. Couple that with spreading the construction costs over as many quarters as possible to make the CAPEX numbers look better and you have 3 years to build an attraction.

Building fast also costs more than building at a steady pace. You only do it when you have to.

I just re-read the last part of your original response and I concede that I didn’t quite digest that the first time I read it. I now understand at least part of the point you were making and it makes sense to me. Frankly, that’s something I didn’t know about and hadn’t considered, but it does seem like a solid explanation.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

You LITERALLY started a thread titled "Why Does It Take 3 Years to Build a Ride?" You did not start a thread titled "Why, In Your Opinion, Does It Take 3 Years To Build a Ride?" People answered your question and you proceded to dump all over them and tell them why they are wrong before eventually conceding that one of the people you dumped on the hardest had a good point.


So I ask again, why did you ask the question if this is how you respond? For the most part, everybody in here that knows what they are talking about agrees with you that Disney's build time is ridiculous. So it's not like anybody is even taking an opposite stance from you, just explaining why it is the way it is. Nobody giving you correct information offered any kind of tone that implied they were being apologetic to the company, because it IS ridiculous that it would take 3 years to build a roller coaster.

This is the first time I've ever encountered you on this forum in my many years of membership, and I certainly hope that it is also the last if this is how you operate and speak to people who thought they were helping you. I would recommend reading back through your thread to see how you speak to people. Maybe you just don't know how to communicate effectively.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Well, let me type this as slow as I can, since you appear to really struggle with reading comprehension. I posted a question asking for opinions. A question doesn’t have to explicitly state the word “opinion” for people to understand that’s what the question was looking for. Seeing as not a single person here has any direct knowledge of the GOTG project, the only thing that anyone here can offer is an opinion, even if that opinion is based on prior personal or professional experience. Did I type that slow enough for you? No? Okay then, let me try it this way. If someone asks you “Who’s going to win the Super Bowl next year?” they are looking for your opinion, even though they didn’t actually use the word opinion! Wow, imagine that!


Finally, the fact that you think you can judge from an internet message board that someone “clearly” knows more than someone else explains all I need to know about you.

.

Nah. I'll just assure you that one of the people who has posted in this thread and provided you with information does have direct knowledge of the GotG project, and many other projects.

Also, generally when one is asked a question with a factual answer, one assumes that the factual answer is what the person asking the question is seeking. Of course who I think is going to the Super Bowl for a season that hasn't even started yet would be an opinion. Why modern Disney spreads construction across multiple years when they don't need to isn't an opinion. Apples to oranges comparisons don't really help your case.

 

[ford91exploder]

Probably good that you didn't include Space Mountain on your list at all, eh? Although its myriad safety issues have nothing to do with quick builds and everything to do with quick profit.

Not to mention the welders parked permanently outside SM...

 

[bjlc57]

it takes time because the BEAN COUNTERS still run WDW.. Its all anti-Walt and all bean Counting all day long.. and to this day, I honestly believe that had Frank Wells not died, we probably would have 5 FULL Parks by now and Planning one more.. and I don't mean half day parks either..

and there is NO WAY Walt Disney would allow Hollywood Studios only have half the attractions and remain open.. NO FLIPP"N WAY.. Either it would be DONE and DONE NOW ..or he would have CLOSED THE PARK until it was DONE.. and that means a YEAR OR LESS. .and no sparing the expenses.. pay to have it DONE.. NOW and DONE RIGHT..

 

[Dead2009]

Yes, I do. Do you have a point?

Considering you dont want to be told the actual answers as to why the ride is taking a while to be built, having a rebuttal would be pointless.

 

[TwilightZone]

Guys. Please, this is a stupid thing to fight about. There's more important things going on in the world right now.

 

[Mickey5150]

I always thought Disney took their time so they could space out attraction openings. This way we get "The Summer of Star Wars" The Summer of Ratatouille" "The Summer of the Guardians of the Galaxy." They could build all 3 and have them open on the same day but to attract people to come back it's better to have something new each year.

 

[correcaminos]

Guys. Please, this is a stupid thing to fight about. There's more important things going on in the world right now.

But this is the internet and some thing they must fight and argue until they can prove they are right. Or something equally as stupid

 

[Nubs70]

No my point remains there is a process to ensure the saftey of the riders, this includes various regulartary inspections and also inspections by engineers. I'm not saying disney is rushing, but I am saying there is a lot that goes into building a ride, which includes a safety aspect.

Safety is designed in before ground is broken. The death is a result of an engineering design flaw not from construction schedule.

 

[The Mom]

Well, that took a strange turn.

 

[Master Yoda]

Well, that took a strange turn.

Did it really? Seems like a pretty normal thing these days.

 

[The Mom]

Did it really? Seems like a pretty normal thing these days.

Must be that hair again.

BTW, why is it I could replace my fence in less than a week 20 years ago, and this time it's already taken me 3 months - and I still don't have a definite start date? Stuff happens that people just walking by my yard would not know about - but I'm sure they're asking themselves what's taking so long? Trusted contractors go out of business or change staff, building codes change so things that didn't require exemptions now do - or there are more requirements to construction that didn't exist 20 years ago.

 

[JusticeDisney]

Guys. Please, this is a stupid thing to fight about. There's more important things going on in the world right now.

Totally agree.

 

[Master Yoda]

Must be that hair again.

BTW, why is it I could replace my fence in less than a week 20 years ago, and this time it's already taken me 3 months - and I still don't have a definite start date? Stuff happens that people just walking by my yard would not know about - but I'm sure they're asking themselves what's taking so long? Trusted contractors go out of business or change staff, building codes change so things that didn't require exemptions now do - or there are more requirements to construction that didn't exist 20 years ago.

Yes to pretty much all of that.

Labor is just so hard to come by these days. Decent labor is even tricker. Add to that all of the damage that was done during the two hurricanes and countless thunderstorms we had last year and pretty much every trade that fixes what hurricanes break (fences, roofs, windows, arborists, etc) has more work than they know what to do with.

The company that re-shingled my roof was one I work with regularly and consider owner a friend and that still took 6 months to find a hole in the schedule after the contract was signed. There is still a couple dozen houses in my subdivision waiting on roof repairs from storm damage that happened in August and September.

Building codes are always in a constant state of flux with minor changes occuring pretty much yearly and more significant changes made every 5 or so. What was perfectly acceptable 20 years ago might be a no go now. Sometime there is good reason for the change while others leave most of us scratching our heads.

In regards you your fence, building codes are not a big roadblock. Zoning codes and in your case the ARB and possibly a historical preservation society are.

Zoning is typically pretty simple...it is mostly "a fence can be X high" kind of stuff. That height also can adjust depending on the fences proximity to public areas which is typically your front yard. This is largely done to prevent people surrounding their entire lot with a 12' block wall.

ARB and historical preservation societies can get full on nuts. They can dictate height, material, style, color...pretty much every detail of a fence or even if you can put one up at all.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I guess you wouldn't be willing to stay in Universal's new value resorts that has barely broken ground and is scheduled to open in just a year from now? Disney nickel and dimes every contractor they have completing projects for them, that's why things take so long to be built.

Hotels are a lot different than custom rides. They’re fairly standardized and modular. The low price point for these new hotels is also going to push for more of such uniformity and simplicity.

Disney really doesn’t nickel and dime their contractors. The traditional project delivery method of design-bid-build, where you get a design done and then have contractors submit a total cost for the work, is not really used by Disney. Instead they just pay the contractors for their work, which means there is no push back if Disney wants them to take down steel they just erected because they changed the design or paint over really expensive brick that was meticulously laid out in a specific pattern.

 

[Nubs70]

Hotels are a lot different than custom rides. They’re fairly standardized and modular. The low price point for these new hotels is also going to push for more of such uniformity and simplicity.

Disney really doesn’t nickel and dime their contractors. The traditional project delivery method of design-bid-build, where you get a design done and then have contractors submit a total cost for the work, is not really used by Disney. Instead they just pay the contractors for their work, which means there is no push back if Disney wants them to take down steel they just erected because they changed the design or paint over really expensive brick that was meticulously laid out in a specific pattern.

Contractors love rework as long as there is a change order clause in contract. Another reason WDW projects are so expensive.