12 Hollywood Studios Rumors (A Disney Rumors video is on pg. 1) and (an update is on pg. 16)

[rteetz]

Most people didn't like the Backlot Tour and the Pirates thing. So they had to get rid of them and replace them with attractions that people do. You say that you want to keep the family rides and shows for the kids, but wouldn't it be better to have new Pixar related rides instead. Rather than just tired old rides like Backlot Tour, whose better days are far far behind it.

There's a reason why Toy Story Mania is always a madhouse, they don't have enough big time attractions in DHS. It had gotten so bad that you have to fastpass it in the morning now. Like it or not Backlot was occupying valuable real estate much like Jaws was at Universal Studios.

While the Pirates attraction I would agree with the backlot tour was liked. They don't have to get rid of anything. The backlot tour is an original park ride. It used to be much much longer and more involved. The backlot is still used for things like costuming which was part of the tour. If DHS was still in its original movie state that ride would be perfect especially if it was still as long as it once was. Also DHS has plenty of room that area could've stayed and they still could've expanded. They also have plenty of empty buildings and places to expand or build as well. So I wouldn't say it was prime real estate.

 

[George4]

Dfan 79, I don't disagree with you at all. I just hate that they keep taking things out with nothing going back in their place. Taking out Backlot Tour to lengthen or add more capacity to TSMM doesn't give them a new ride or experience for the day. Backlot tour did. Pirates was lame, so I really am not losing any sleep over that travesty of space. Neat technologies, bad idea. Even with that, I would rather them have filled the empty buildings before removing these things. TO some extent, they feel tired and old because there is little else to do. 11 attractions in the entire park is honestly pathetic for DHS. Fill the empty (former) American Idol theater, Drew Carey sound theater, Pixar building (which will be holding TSMM expansion), and the empty building next to animation courtyard. Why remove when you have yet to refill the empty spaces?

As for big time attractions, they have TOT and ARRC and sort of TSMM and Star Tours - that's as many as MK and AK and more than EPCOT. They need more general attractions - B, C, D ticket and maybe one other E-ticket, but I think that could wait until the buildings are filled.

 

[DenLo]

Did you see this on the Disney Parks Blog?

ne of the things we’ve heard from our guests is that a visit to Walt Disney World Resort just isn’t complete without enjoying the spectacular views at Soarin’ in Epcot or a spin through Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Well, I’m excited to share that we are expanding both attractions by adding another theater at Soarin’ and more midway track at Toy Story Mania! We’ll also be updating the screens and projection system at Soarin,’ bringing a visually enhanced experience.


These expansions are expected to be complete by late 2016, offering even more opportunities for you to enjoy these beloved attractions during your Walt Disney World Resort vacation.

I knew about the Soarin' screens and heard a new film was being made. Glad to hear about another theater.

I am especially happy about he TSMM addition. I cannot figure out how it will work by adding more track. I would have thought they would have added a new line.

 

[skier_pete]

I am especially happy about he TSMM addition. I cannot figure out how it will work by adding more track. I would have thought they would have added a new line.

More than likely they are adding a completely new ride. There's no point in adding a longer track. Either they will have one track exclusively for FP+, or they will have TWO tracks exclusively for FP+.

 

[rteetz]

More than likely they are adding a completely new ride. There's no point in adding a longer track. Either they will have one track exclusively for FP+, or they will have TWO tracks exclusively for FP+.

Rumor has been one FP only track

 

[kenban]

Dfan 79, I don't disagree with you at all. I just hate that they keep taking things out with nothing going back in their place. Taking out Backlot Tour to lengthen or add more capacity to TSMM doesn't give them a new ride or experience for the day. Backlot tour did. Pirates was lame, so I really am not losing any sleep over that travesty of space. Neat technologies, bad idea. Even with that, I would rather them have filled the empty buildings before removing these things.

It is very unlikely for the two to have anything to do with each other. I do not see how closing the backlot tour is connected to the expansion of TSMM. Right next to TSMM is sound stage one, which most recently had Wandering Oaken's Trading Post. The rumor has been around for years that the building was going to be gutted and turned into a third track for TSMM.

The closing of the backlot tour is for something completely different. Most likely it is for a new attraction and based on how much land we are talking about probably multiple attractions.

 

[George4]

Kenban, I hope you are correct. But at the old Disney, when a ride was closed, the walls went up usually the next day and construction began immediately - or rather deconstruction. Now, we close a ride, and everything just sits there for weeks, months or years before anything is started. Look at the expansion area for TSMM. I go almost every year, and I don't even remember the Trading Post, so maybe that was a recent add with Frozen. Before that, the building has been vacant for years. That's ridiculous. I get the business side of balancing costs vs. revenue, but again, we keep taking things away before we are ready to replace or add something new.

 

[MandaPandaPuddinPie]

I have always been a big fan of the Indiana Jones ride in Cali. I would LOVE to see them put this in WDW. It's not that I don't want to go out to Cali, but I'm on the other coast!

A Star Wars anything more than Star Tours would thrill me. I wasn't a huge fan until the last three movies came out, so I'm super excited for the newest coming Xmas this year.

 

[George4]

The Dinosaur ride in AK is identical to the Indiana Jones ride in terms of the layout and car movement - obviously the theme is different.

 

[rteetz]

I have always been a big fan of the Indiana Jones ride in Cali. I would LOVE to see them put this in WDW. It's not that I don't want to go out to Cali, but I'm on the other coast!

A Star Wars anything more than Star Tours would thrill me. I wasn't a huge fan until the last three movies came out, so I'm super excited for the newest coming Xmas this year.

Dinosaur in AK is the same ride system as Indiana jones

 

[DDLand]

Kenban, I hope you are correct. But at the old Disney, when a ride was closed, the walls went up usually the next day and construction began immediately - or rather deconstruction. Now, we close a ride, and everything just sits there for weeks, months or years before anything is started. Look at the expansion area for TSMM. I go almost every year, and I don't even remember the Trading Post, so maybe that was a recent add with Frozen. Before that, the building has been vacant for years. That's ridiculous. I get the business side of balancing costs vs. revenue, but again, we keep taking things away before we are ready to replace or add something new.

@George4, this isn't really a systemic problem at Disney. Disney has gotten rid of 3 things I can think of recently that qualify for what you're saying. River Country, Wonders of Life, and Backlot tour are examples of items closed without any new details forthcoming. (Discovery Island lives on in a way at Animal Kingdom)

Not very many examples.

 

[rteetz]

@George4, this isn't really a systemic problem at Disney. Disney has gotten rid of 3 things I can think of recently that qualify for what you're saying. River Country, Wonders of Life, and Backlot tour are examples of items closed without any new details forthcoming. (Discovery Island lives on in a way at Animal Kingdom)

Not very many examples.

river country is abandon and has been for years and is not as in the public eye as WoL and BLT. The wonders of life is used for special events. The BLT still houses the costuming dept.

 

[anthony2k7]

@George4, this isn't really a systemic problem at Disney. Disney has gotten rid of 3 things I can think of recently that qualify for what you're saying. River Country, Wonders of Life, and Backlot tour are examples of items closed without any new details forthcoming. (Discovery Island lives on in a way at Animal Kingdom)

Not very many examples.

Pleasure Island...

 

[George4]

EPCOT: Upstairs in Journey Into Imagination, the original Horizons, and Odyssey Center
DHS: Sound Stage 1 (closed for 5 years before anything started), Back Lot Tour (nothing has started there yet), and former Drew Carey show
DL: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
MK: actually, none that I can think of.

Add this to the list above, and it appears to bigger than just one or two attractions.

 

[DDLand]

Pleasure Island...

Pleasure Island is free to enter. You're not really losing value there. I suppose you could make an argument about parking. Really you could make an argument that River Country doesn't qualify either but it did add value to the guests of Fort Wilderness so I put it up anyway.

 

[DDLand]

EPCOT: Upstairs in Journey Into Imagination, the original Horizons, and Odyssey Center
DHS: Sound Stage 1 (closed for 5 years before anything started), Back Lot Tour (nothing has started there yet), and former Drew Carey show
DL: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
MK: actually, none that I can think of.

Add this to the list above, and it appears to bigger than just one or two attractions.

Journey upstairs doesn't count because there's ADA requirements I believe. That or it was determined unsafe.

Horizons also seems to not count either. They may have dragged their feet at the beginning but they had a new ride in there in four years. Remember what many believe it's sitting on. A massive sinkhole. So they had to be slower, and be more cautious with that project.

At DHS there's always been a lot of empty buildings. This is because it was intended to be an actual movie studio. That's just always has been how it is.

I will give you sounds dangerous.

20,000 Leagues is currently operating with a new overlay.
It's true the turn around on this was slow. However financial, environmental, and conceptual problems existed. It was really a battle between Burbank and imagineering. Still they turned it around, slowly but with a lot of drama.

Not very many at all. There's also Rocket Rods too. It's just not supporting the picture you're trying to paint of what Disney Parks is doing.

 

[DDLand]

river country is abandon and has been for years and is not as in the public eye as WoL and BLT. The wonders of life is used for special events. The BLT still houses the costuming dept.

I know my friend. The loss of those items are examples of diminished value for your ticket. Even if they are still used for parties.

 

[George4]

Journey upstairs doesn't count because there's ADA requirements I believe. That or it was determined unsafe.

ADA doesn't apply retroactively to building that are already open, and there was an elevator available for use. Horizons was opened and closed sporadically over 2-3 years before it was closed permanently, so even if there was a sinkhole, that would have been a fairly cavalier approach to personnel and park attendee safety. Not sure I completely buy that rumor.

That being said DDLand, I think you and I are just going to have to agree to disagree. We have different perspectives of what goes on, and presumably still enjoy the parks regardless of our perspective on this issue. We can continue to look forward to whatever they are doing, and hopefully we will all be pleasantly surprised with their future plans.

 

[rteetz]

I know my friend. The loss of those items are examples of diminished value for your ticket. Even if they are still used for parties.

And that's why instead of adding a third theater or track to existing rides they should be turning those spaces into something.

 

[rteetz]

Journey upstairs doesn't count because there's ADA requirements I believe. That or it was determined unsafe.

Horizons also seems to not count either. They may have dragged their feet at the beginning but they had a new ride in there in four years. Remember what many believe it's sitting on. A massive sinkhole. So they had to be slower, and be more cautious with that project.

At DHS there's always been a lot of empty buildings. This is because it was intended to be an actual movie studio. That's just always has been how it is.

I will give you sounds dangerous.

20,000 Leagues is currently operating with a new overlay.
It's true the turn around on this was slow. However financial, environmental, and conceptual problems existed. It was really a battle between Burbank and imagineering. Still they turned it around, slowly but with a lot of drama.

Not very many at all. There's also Rocket Rods too. It's just not supporting the picture you're trying to paint of what Disney Parks is doing.

If Disney wanted the up stairs to imagination available they would do it.

Disney doesn't like the subs that much because of the operating costs and the fact that it has to go down for such long refurbs.