Wishful $$$ spent: Avatar-land or Monorail Expansion

[DisneyJunkie]

Now that the concept art and a few more details about the project itself (Avatar-land) are out, I'm not quite sure if I agree that's what Disney needs to be spending that huge amount of money on. Personally I could see them starting smaller, but focusing more $$$ on expanding out the monorail system to reach each park. Which would you currently rather seen done?

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Uh oh, you're gonna get PeterAlt all over this in a few minutes!

I vote monorail. Connect all four sad, sorry parks. Maybe it'll help attendance. More transportation is needed besides busses. If Disney wants to cut down on the amount of traffic (people driving, parking, plus road accidents) they should/would add more options for commuting from park to park (or hotel to park, or park to hotels or even downtown Disney) plus I have a feeling it would increase spending. (Had to throw that out there since it's all Disney cares about lately)

 

[Master Yoda]

If Disney were to spend what monorail expansion would cost on Pandora, it could easily fill a 5th gate.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

I guess I don't see the rationale behind not moving forward with the monorail expansion. Clearly money is NOT an option, given their going forward with Avatar land AND Star Wars land (possibly LOTR land as well) over at Hollywood Studios. Why not hold one of those projects in favor of improving WDW Resort transportation options?

 

[epcotisbest]

I guess I don't see the rationale behind not moving forward with the monorail expansion. Clearly money is NOT an option, given their going forward with Avatar land AND Star Wars land (possibly LOTR land as well) over at Hollywood Studios. Why not hold one of those projects in favor of improving WDW Resort transportation options?

Monorail expansion is cost prohibitive. Someone will say something about one million per mile, but it is much much more than that and does not bring in revenue to justify the cost.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

While I would love to see the monorail expand to all parks, it's too much money. Avatar-land won't be nearly as much as building the monorail to connect everything. And with the way the monorails break down frequently, that would cause delays all over the monorail lines. Buses (while not as fun as the monorail) are easier. If a bus breaks down, send another one. You can't do that with the monorail line. I'd rather see the money used to plus the parks.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Would these new monorail lines only connect the parks to each other? How would I get from my resort to a park and back again? Would there need to be more Transportation and Ticket Center like hubs for transfers?

 

[ABQ]

It's a sad truth that monorail construction is so expensive, and though it's neat to ride the "highway in the sky" I think the Avatar land (though I did not like the film) is, in my opinion, more worth it in the long run for the entire FL property.
Though in lurking for so long before registering on this site, I do like the passion @PeterAlt shows for the monorail.

 

[Master Yoda]

I guess I don't see the rationale behind not moving forward with the monorail expansion. Clearly money is NOT an option, given their going forward with Avatar land AND Star Wars land (possibly LOTR land as well) over at Hollywood Studios. Why not hold one of those projects in favor of improving WDW Resort transportation options?

How many people outside of this forum will make a trip to see the new monorail expansion vs how many will show up for Pandora or Star Wars?

 

[epcotisbest]

How many people outside of this forum will make a trip to see the new monorail expansion vs how many will show up for Pandora or Star Wars?

I would make a special trip for a Star Wars expansion. Not for a monorail expansion. Would not make a special trip to a Pandora land if it was across the street from my house. The artwork does look amazing, but though I have tried to watch the movie several times, have never once made it all the way through.

 

[Master Yoda]

I would make a special trip for a Star Wars expansion. Not for a monorail expansion. Would not make a special trip to a Pandora land if it was across the street from my house. The artwork does look amazing, but though I have tried to watch the movie several times, have never once made it all the way through.

Which is just fine. However, the movie grossed $2.7 billion making me surmise that an non-zero number of people quite liked it.

 

[James122]

A monorail expansion at this point is not practical. The monorail IMO works best when traveling from point A to point B. If you alter the model and initiate travel to point A to point B to point C and beyond, it becomes unwieldy. Like DisneyJoe said, would only the four parks be connected to each other via monorail? What about the water parks? What about Downtown Disney and all the various hotels and resorts on property?

A new TTC would undoubtedly have to built which would add to the cost. And any expansion of the current system would also most certainly mean an expansion of the fleet, which would cost even more money.

Plus I don't think anyone aside from us Disney nerds would get excited over a monorail expansion. It's not something that would draw people in. I think the addition of Avatar is a much smarter investment.

 

[epcotisbest]

Which is just fine. However, the movie grossed $2.7 billion and making me surmise that an non-zero number of people quite liked it.

Yes, and an Avatar based land will be an amazing draw for WDW, I'm sure. And when it is completed we will go there, just like we recently went to the new Fantasyland. We made a special trip for New Fantasyland, but will just drop by Avatar while there. I bet it will bring in HP-like crowds for awhile once it is open.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yes, and an Avatar based land will be an amazing draw for WDW, I'm sure. And when it is completed we will go there, just like we recently went to the new Fantasyland. We made a special trip for New Fantasyland, but will just drop by Avatar while there. I bet it will bring in HP-like crowds for awhile once it is open.

While I do not see HP type crowds in its future, I have no doubt that AK will have phased closures for a good couple of months after it opens.

 

[DVCOwner]

I would love to see the Monorail expanded, but rides in the park is what is needed now.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

I think there's an inherent danger with movie-themed lands in any park. The popularity of those things usually - except for some things like Star Wars - fizzles out after a short while. Good case in point, in North Carolina, the Carowinds theme park in Charlotte once had a Wayne's World land. That land very quickly became outdated and non-relevant and they kept that theming going for a few years beyond that and it was really pathetic.

I think what's needed more are great rides, and not so much newly-themed areas (at least not ones based on 'popular today, not tomorrow' things) that run a big risk of getting stale.

 

[Master Yoda]

I think there's an inherent danger with movie-themed lands in any park. The popularity of those things usually - except for some things like Star Wars - fizzles out after a short while. Good case in point, in North Carolina, the Carowinds theme park in Charlotte once had a Wayne's World land. That land very quickly became outdated and non-relevant and they kept that theming going for a few years beyond that and it was really pathetic.

I think what's needed more are great rides, and not so much newly-themed areas (at least not ones based on 'popular today, not tomorrow' things) that run a big risk of getting stale.

By that logic, Wild Adventures in Valdosta has the right idea by doing next to no theming at all. Just put up a fun ride in a field and you are done.

Any theme could go stale and become dated. It does not matter if it is based on a movie or not. Granted, Waynes World is probably a theme that has a shorter half life than nearly every other, but a great ride is only one part of the equation.

 

[George]

I think there's an inherent danger with movie-themed lands in any park. The popularity of those things usually - except for some things like Star Wars - fizzles out after a short while. Good case in point, in North Carolina, the Carowinds theme park in Charlotte once had a Wayne's World land. That land very quickly became outdated and non-relevant and they kept that theming going for a few years beyond that and it was really pathetic.

I think what's needed more are great rides, and not so much newly-themed areas (at least not ones based on 'popular today, not tomorrow' things) that run a big risk of getting stale.

If the theme is well done and immersive the ip doesn't matter. Do you like Splash Mountain because you watch Song of the South again and again? Was Haunted Mansion diminished when the Eddie Murphy movie was released? I know that I, for one, will not go on Spaceship Earth because of the anarchist politics espoused in Stanley Kubrick's "Spaceship Earth: The Clockwork Odyssey." Anyhoo, the popularity of the ip will have an impact on draw the first year or two the theme park land is open, but after that it is all quality of the land. The Avatar land looks awesome and based on the concept art will be a draw for several generations. You can put me down with that prediction....

 

[acishere]

Expanding the number of attractions in DHS and AK is much more important. I'd rather take a bus and have a Star Wars land, than take a monorail and have DHS continue to only have 6 rides worth going on.

AK needs to do more with the space than Camp Minnie-Mickey. Personally I wish they went with a different property than Avatar, but it is going to attract a lot of people. The world of Pandora can be a beautiful themed experience. I just don't want to sit through a ride that rehashes the mediocre plot of the movie.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

Any theme could go stale and become dated. It does not matter if it is based on a movie or not. Granted, Waynes World is probably a theme that has a shorter half life than nearly every other, but a great ride is only one part of the equation.

No, not necessarily. Some things stay as relative fixtures in pop culture....Star Wars being one of them. I'm not so sure Pandora and Avatar will have that kind of endurance.