Why Hollywood Studios is being rebuilt

[unkadug]

Just as a matter of course, if we take out water, we try to replace water.

uh, really? I can think of several MK fountains that were simply converted to planting beds.

Or were you just being funny?

 

[ToTBellHop]

uh, really? I can think of several MK fountains that were simply converted to planting beds.

Or were you just being funny?

He was referring to waterways, I think. Plus those fountains weren't converted due to a WDI design decision. Case in point, say what you will about the content of NFL, but it has some really nice new water features and streams IMHO. Even Dumbo got an impressive fountain system and lighting package. Further, the new Rapunzel toilets have a great water feature. WDI still clearly values water. Whether park management maintains those water features is a different topic.

 

[articos]

uh, really? I can think of several MK fountains that were simply converted to planting beds.

Or were you just being funny?

No, being serious this time. Fountains being turned off and converted to planters are generally not WDI. That's usually a facilities call because they don't want to allocate budgets to fix something, and it isn't turned over to Imagineering. However, if WDI or Universal Creative is redoing a park or a land and there's a lake or specific water feature in the area that's being redone, unless it doesn't fit the story, we will always try to put water back in if we have relocate an existing feature.

 

[unkadug]

No, being serious this time. Fountains being turned off and converted to planters are generally not WDI. That's usually a facilities call because they don't want to allocate budgets to fix something, and it isn't turned over to Imagineering. However, if WDI or Universal Creative is redoing a park or a land and there's a lake or specific water feature in the area that's being redone, unless it doesn't fit the story, we will always try to put water back in if we have relocate an existing feature.

I never have understood why TDO can override WDI and just close stuff without a mile long string of red-tape.

If TDI goes to all the trouble of designing and building something for the park, then TDO should be required to upkeep it and keep it running. Otherwise heads should roll.

 

[danlb_2000]

No, being serious this time. Fountains being turned off and converted to planters are generally not WDI. That's usually a facilities call because they don't want to allocate budgets to fix something, and it isn't turned over to Imagineering. However, if WDI or Universal Creative is redoing a park or a land and there's a lake or specific water feature in the area that's being redone, unless it doesn't fit the story, we will always try to put water back in if we have relocate an existing feature.

Isn't that normally done for purposes of storm water control? I haven't been able to find any evidence that Echo Lake is actually part of the storm water control system.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I never have understood why TDO can override WDI and just close stuff without a mile long string of red-tape.

If TDI goes to all the trouble of designing and building something for the park, then TDO should be required to upkeep it and keep it running. Otherwise heads should roll.

Not how the company works, but there certainly should be enough respect in the company for WDIs work that other branches in P&R would work to maintain thematic elements wherever possible (and it certainly is possible to spend the money to keep a simple fountain working).

 

[articos]

I never have understood why TDO can override WDI and just close stuff without a mile long string of red-tape.

If TDI goes to all the trouble of designing and building something for the park, then TDO should be required to upkeep it and keep it running. Otherwise heads should roll.

It's a large company with a lot of red tape in the wrong places, and sometimes things just fall through the crevices in the places they shouldn't. Sometimes, the park will try to fix something multiple times, not be able to fix it, and not have the capital budget to really fix it properly. In that case, a manager may say let's just change it - like fountain that may have been leaking to planter - and it's meant to be temporary, but it stays that way. They may send the request over to WDI, and it gets put in with the planning for the next major redo of the area, which may have been in the offing at that point in time, but then gets put on hold for other reasons, and things stay as they are for multiple years. I'm not saying this is specific to anything in particular, but that's one of many ways things don't go quite as planned within the parks and the corporate structure.

 

[articos]

Isn't that normally done for purposes of storm water control? I haven't been able to find any evidence that Echo Lake is actually part of the storm water control system.

Depends on whether the water is connected to the drainage system or is self contained. If it's permitted water, then yes, it must be replaced. If it's decorative/swimmable, it's at the discretion of the property. In the case of Echo Lake, it is designed as a catch basin for rainwater, but it's also a self-contained drainable lake originally designed for filming. It is not part of the canal system.

 

[danlb_2000]

Depends on whether the water is connected to the drainage system or is self contained. If it's permitted water, then yes, it must be replaced. If it's decorative/swimmable, it's at the discretion of the property. In the case of Echo Lake, it is designed as a catch basin for rainwater, but it's also a self-contained drainable lake originally designed for filming. It is not part of the canal system.

That's what I thought since I didn't see it refereed to on any of the SFWMD permits.

 

[articos]

That's what I thought since I didn't see it refereed to on any of the SFWMD permits.

Right.

 

[djkidkaz]

I was thinking how it would be great if they could bring back Alien Encounter but move it to DHS as part of the redo. It takes up little space and would bring another E-Ticket to DHS. The fear factor of the ride would definitely be more tolerated in a park with TOT and Aerosmith. It seems it would be a cheap way to add an attraction since your just dismantling and reusing the same set pieces. And it would allow them to do something else with the Stitch space in Tomorrowland.

 

[AEfx]

echo lake is tiny and useless....its not even a thematically appealing body of water any attempted reusue would cost money.

On one hand I agree, on the other - it would make a concrete jungle into more of a concrete jungle. DHS needs more water, not less.

I was thinking how it would be great if they could bring back Alien Encounter but move it to DHS as part of the redo.

Or instead of bringing back AE they could actually make it based on the Alien film franchise as it was originally intended.

 

[Mike S]

Or instead of bringing back AE they could actually make it based on the Alien film franchise as it was originally intended.

Or an Alien ride like Men in Black at Uni set on LV-426

 

[AEfx]

Or an Alien ride like Men in Black at Uni set on LV-426

Let's get Star Wars an actual ride that isn't a X-WING and TIE take on Aladdin's Carpets first, bucko.

 

[Mike S]

Let's get Star Wars an actual ride that isn't a X-WING and TIE take on Aladdin's Carpets first, bucko.

When did I say I would want it at Disney?

 

[doctornick]

I was thinking how it would be great if they could bring back Alien Encounter but move it to DHS as part of the redo. It takes up little space and would bring another E-Ticket to DHS. The fear factor of the ride would definitely be more tolerated in a park with TOT and Aerosmith. It seems it would be a cheap way to add an attraction since your just dismantling and reusing the same set pieces. And it would allow them to do something else with the Stitch space in Tomorrowland.
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Could be part of a "space" themed area coupled with Guardians of the Galaxy.

Also, if it were to ever be brought back -- fat chance -- I do like the idea of going with Alien as originally planned. Maybe they can get James Cameron involved.

 

[djkidkaz]

Using Alien also goes along with the Disneys Hollywood Adventure theme.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I think the flex theatre is being built to negate the Premiere Theatre in Streets of America, and as far as an attraction for the second to close, that could be either MuppetVision or Honey I Shrunk.

I was thinking how it would be great if they could bring back Alien Encounter but move it to DHS as part of the redo. It takes up little space and would bring another E-Ticket to DHS. The fear factor of the ride would definitely be more tolerated in a park with TOT and Aerosmith. It seems it would be a cheap way to add an attraction since your just dismantling and reusing the same set pieces. And it would allow them to do something else with the Stitch space in Tomorrowland.
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I always thought they could do a version of this with Darth Vader in Star Wars Land. I never got to see AE. But my wife did and she said it scared the hell out of people.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I heard the weekend when Frozen Summer Fun starts, isn't that next weekend? Or the weekend after that?

Frozen Summer starts on June 17th.

 

[AEfx]

Frozen Summer starts on June 17th.

Wait they really only trot that cheap stuff out for the summer season? I thought it was ongoing, I didn't realize it was only seasonal.

That's...pathetic, LOL.