Frozen Ride opening date?

[DDLand]

Just a note about IOA, they're actually building a HUGE King Kong attraction right now. Universal should also be starting a 3rd water based park shortly, and have plans to expand Wizarding World further. Rumors are also saying that depending on Jurassic World, there could be some updates to that area as well.

5 years and counting since HP opened. Holding off on investment after major upgrades is common practice. Not a complaint, just common practice. They've focused their money elsewhere.

 

[rteetz]

Tokyo is stagnate. A Little Mermaid Show and Flying Carpet aren't going to cut it. Promises of two more lands are overshadowed by the fact that it could be years until those projects are done. 2020 and beyond. The new entertainment options are primarily to capitalize on anniversary celebrations in a cheap way.

Sound similiar to another player we know?

It's already been around 3 years since DCA finished upgrades. It could be 2017 or maybe even 2018-19 before the Marvel ride is ready. They winded down investment because they're riding the wave.

IOA, 5 years since they opened. Kong may not come until 2016. 5 or 6 years? Riding the the wave.

Note, I'm not criticizing these operations. I'm just pointing out that these products are riding a wave.

The argument I'm making is simply that WDW is following a long history of investing in major attractions, and then holding off further investment for a while. It's no coincidence that after theme parks like Tokyo Disney Sea and Epcot were finished, they eliminated hundreds of jobs. That's how these projects work.

Now some have argued that WDW has waited too long to start ramping up construction. They contend that WDW has become either too stagnate to recover or they're missing out on major growth. I wouldn't be so sure. I think they're making investments in thoughtful targeted ways. When they do start moving, they'll know exactly what they want.

Tokyo still gets more entertainment wise than WDW or disneyland gets. They aren't any different than most theme parks they ride the wave. Tokyo is right behind WDW in terms of guests so I think they are doing ok in terms of attendance. A new fireworks show or parade is appealing to many that brings people in the gates, it may not be huge amounts but it does bring in people. It also doesn't cost nearly as much as a 100+ million dollar attraction.

I'll agree on DCA but again every park seems to be doing it in some way. But with DCA 5-7 years for a new addition is better than 10.

Kong is projected to open in 2016. Again 5-6 years is better than 10.

I agree with most of what you have said. MK last major e ticket was 1992 Splash mountain. Wishes is 12 years old. Luckily they got a new parade last year. Epcot saw its last major edition 10 years ago. Illuminations is decades old. DHS had RnRc in 1999 over ten years ago. Fantasmic is 16 years old. AK last E ticket 9 years ago. First night time show coming next year. Disneyland last e ticket 20 years ago. They are getting a plethora of new entertainment of course tho. I just find disney waits longer than most. With that said I think at the moment MK is ok even though it could probably use more. Epcot and DHS we don't need to go there. AK I love that park and it's finally starting to become a fully finished park but could still use another 1-2 things to do.

 

[rteetz]

5 years and counting since HP opened. Holding off on investment after major upgrades is common practice. Not a complaint, just common practice. They've focused their money elsewhere.

That elsewhere is building infrastructure for the increased traffic they are getting, more hotels, a Waterpark and more attractions. Rumors are still swirling of a third park and toon island getting demolished.

 

[DanBoris]

The permitting for Norway has been very vague and limited considering they had to gut the existing ride, reconfigure queues to handle the expected crowds, probable tapping in to the adjacent store, build out the entire ride and this is after the imagineering that is to be installed is built. From reports the gut wasn't even done until the end of 2014. It also would not be unheard of for there to be adjustments to permits particularly since the first permit only gave them one year.

Sept permit is a vague reference to "PROJECT 6" - no more. Feb permit is "NORWAY ATTRACTION REHAB" - given that there is no attraction existing to rehab where the meet & greet is to go, who knows if this was an incorrect work order or address. I think the only thing we know is that a Frozen ride is going in to the former Maelstrom ride and nothing more. All our predictions are based on very limited tidbits of information.

All the permitting we have access to is vague and limited. The initial permit was for Hoar Construction who would do the major non-creative work. Since there aren't major changes to the ride system I can see their part of the work being done by the 9/2015 date. I think we will see additional permits from Buena Vista Construction to finish the details which will probably take the construction into 2016.

 

[Planogirl]

Agreed... Waterparks were all the rage in the 80's and eay 90s...

But tastes have changed as there are more local/regional attractions offering similar or better than pools and plunges. (Not to mention liability from the business side)

Sea world has paced the field here... As not only did they pioneer the water coaster... But discovery cove and aquatica were groundbreaking and successful.

The Roberts over at Comcast could capture some of that synergy and use it to their advantage.

Innovation...you know... That could result in successes and profits if you bother to do it

I think that Schlitterbahn actually pioneered the water coaster if you're talking about the ride I'm thinking of. But SeaWorld sure has run with some nice new technology.

There were those rumors that Comcast was eyeing SeaWorld for a while. I wonder if there is any truth to that?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think that Schlitterbahn actually pioneered the water coaster if you're talking about the ride I'm thinking of. But SeaWorld sure has run with some nice new technology.

There were those rumors that Comcast was eyeing SeaWorld for a while. I wonder if there is any truth to that?

I think I might be calling it the wrong label...

No...I'm not talking about master blaster...

I'm talking about journey to Atlantis

 

[lockedoutlogic]

And if Comcast were to buy Seaworld...and then build on wet and wild's site...

Then they become a bigger attraction draw than the citadel down the road...

I'm not talking size, money, or character appeal...that really can't be touched...

I'm talking about a legitimate case to be made that "we got more to do"

The problem is the rather small gap in between...they would need local government and business support to provide a high capacity link...with the possibility to buy what lies between...

But the locals would never cross Disney and go for that...

Right?

And money...Disney has alot more money that Comcast...

Right?

 

[Planogirl]

I just wish that someone could bulldoze most of what lies between Universal and SeaWorld and make that all a resort. Note that I said "most". I can already see a Universal Titanic exhibit and a Universal Wonderworks (love that building!) Impractical and silly but fun to think about.

Does Disney have more money than Comcast? Comcast seems to be an endless black hole of spending nowadays. Comcast of course cancelled their purchase of Time Warner so now they have all of that money lying around.

 

[jec6613]

Does Disney have more money than Comcast? Comcast seems to be an endless black hole of spending nowadays. Comcast of course cancelled their purchase of Time Warner so now they have all of that money lying around.

Disney is now the larger company by market cap, but Comcast has more free cash to throw around. It's no longer the case that Comcast could buy Disney, though.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Disney is now the larger company by market cap, but Comcast has more free cash to throw around. It's no longer the case that Comcast could buy Disney, though.

The point there is they are basically equals...neither could do a leveraged buyout of the other...

But when Comcast bought nbc universal...and decided to stay/jump Into the theme park business...Disney had a legitimate heavyweight across the ring.

And Brian Roberts is the last person to avoid taking on Disney...he may be one of the few that would relish it that isn't 100 at this point.

 

[soniam]

I think the new Frozen ride should be called Olaf's River of Tears, and the boat actually floats on a river made from melting Olaf It could play into the global warming/environmental thing too.

 

[Glittercat]

 

[soniam]

What's even better is the abbreviation (OROT). If you sound it out like Oh and rot, it just sounds great

 

[HopperFan]

All the permitting we have access to is vague and limited. The initial permit was for Hoar Construction who would do the major non-creative work. Since there aren't major changes to the ride system I can see their part of the work being done by the 9/2015 date. I think we will see additional permits from Buena Vista Construction to finish the details which will probably take the construction into 2016.

I can agree with this, I just couldn't see how it would be possible to be done by Sept 2015. And I will agree with the thought process there will be additional permits taking it into 2016 - and based on information I heard yesterday that also said early 2016 for Frozen to open to coincide with another attraction renovation.

 

[rteetz]

I can agree with this, I just couldn't see how it would be possible to be done by Sept 2015. And I will agree with the thought process there will be additional permits taking it into 2016 - and based on information I heard yesterday that also said early 2016 for Frozen to open to coincide with another attraction renovation.

What attraction?

From what I've heard could be a late December 2015 opening but early 2016 seems the most likely.

 

[DanBoris]

What attraction?

From what I've heard could be a late December 2015 opening but early 2016 seems the most likely.

The only thing currently under way is Soarin and that won't be done by early 2016. Maybe something in Innoventions?

 

[rteetz]

The only thing currently under way is Soarin and that won't be done by early 2016. Maybe something in Innoventions?

I haven't heard anything in terms of rumors other than soarin and the new film, frozen and possibly something new with the jerry rees project.

 

[101disneyfan]

I haven't heard anything in terms of rumors other than soarin and the new film, frozen and possibly something new with the jerry rees project.

The Jerry Rees project is the new Soarin.

 

[rteetz]

The Jerry Rees project is the new Soarin.

That's not confirmed. The project is supposed to be interactive and for Epcot. The new soarin will debut in Shanghai not Epcot.

 

[HopperFan]

What attraction?

From what I've heard could be a late December 2015 opening but early 2016 seems the most likely.

Sorry, missed response.

What I was told was that Soarin' will indeed go into a rehab closure - different than most, including myself, predicted. I figured by layout they could open the wall at the one line turn to the new theater then renovate one old theater at a time. I was told that the opening of Frozen and closure of Soarin' will be coordinated to not reduce the attractions at Epcot.

They said the entrance & queue line at Soarin' is going to get a major renovation and be very different than it is now. There will be designated FP+ and SB theaters and the lines will not be a merge like they are now. They doodled on paper for me and there would be no way to do while open. This allows them to do all the work at the same time to theaters and queue.