Soarin' and Toy Story Mania expansion late 2016

[gncntry]

Yahoo! Disney is expanding both Soarin' and Toy Story Mania by late 2016......

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ory-mania-coming-to-walt-disney-world-resort/

One 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.

 

[AndrewJackson]

Granted, these rides are popular. However, the real issue is FP+, tiering, and the lack of a sufficient number of E tickets type rides at EP and HS.

This is a start, but this announcement should be an asterisk to a large expansion/upgrade at both parks.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Is this "great news"?

I mean... Doesn't it almost represent a sad state?

 

[George4]

I think it's pretty good news. If you need to wait 2-3 hours in line to have a ride experience, then your overall visit that day is less enjoyable. This should get people out of the lines quicker, and may encourage more people to enjoy these two rides (instead of skipping because the line was too long). This isn't the news that I was hoping for with Park Improvement, but it is a start. That being said, I think the Soarin' announcement has been known for some time. That really isn't even news at this point.

 

[circus4u]

Is this "great news"?

I mean... Doesn't it almost represent a sad state?

I really don't consider Toy Story Mania an E Ticket; I think it is just so popular because of the lack of rides at Hollywood

Granted, these rides are popular. However, the real issue is FP+, tiering, and the lack of a sufficient number of E tickets type rides at EP and HS.

This is a start, but this announcement should be an asterisk to a large expansion/upgrade at both parks.

I don't really think of Toy Story Mania as an E Ticket. I think the only reason it is so popular is the lack of other rides/attractions at Hollywood. When the park opened, the lines were just as long at the Great Movie Ride as they are at Toy Story Mania today. Again, it was a lack of rides and attractions that caused the lines.

My wife and I don't understand the popularity of Soarin' either. All you are doing is watching a movie; how is it so different than Star Tours or Mission Space. All three are simulator rides of one nature or the other.

 

[George4]

I think the value of Soarin is that people that can't handle normal simulator rides (motion sickness, claustrophobia, etc.) can handle Soarin. It gives them an opportunity to enjoy a simulator ride that they might not normally be able to enjoy.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

It is much better than nothing.

 

[rteetz]

It is much better than nothing.

That's just it its better than nothing. But why should we resort to that answer. Disney used to do big things new attractions, hotels, shows, experiences. Now oh their adding a third track to TSMM, more attractions would take pressure off that ride.

 

[JB22]

worst kept secret

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The reality is that people "love" soarin...and midway mania...and the mine train...because they are desperate for new rides in the ticket..
I'll go one better...many are desperate subconsciously...as in they don't even realize that the change in philosophy/park stagnation is getting to them too...

As it has long ago for "the haters"

I "hate"...that the last five years of Eisner (post animal kingdom) yielded almost Nothing to fend off amusement park stagnation(which is a fact)...and that only now after 10 of CMB do we get some movement...

15 years

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It is much better than nothing.

When you put the bar on the ground...you have no choice but to come in over it.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

I don't know why I keep coming back here. Or, maybe the better question is: if you all hate WDW so much, why do YOU keep coming back here???

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't know why I keep coming back here. Or, maybe the better question is: if you all hate WDW so much, why do YOU keep coming back here???

And I continue to be amazed that this is the takeaway...

Really? Wanting to defend the consumer and asking for more illicits this reaction?

Seems pretty common sense...

 

[George4]

I keep going back because I love the vacation, and I love WDW, and I want my kids to have some of the same memories that i have of vacation there as a child. The problem is, they are going to have the exact same memoires that I have, because there have been marginal improvements at best. I still enjoy the trip, but it won't be long before I stop buying the annual pass for our 2-3 week visit and start buying a 7 day pass. That represents a huge financial loss for Disney. My remaining vacation will be spent in my hotel eating food that I buy at the grocery store. I'd rather have someone else cook for me on vacation, but I'm not going to pay for meals out when I am spending more time in my hotel room which has a kitchen in it.

I don't hate Disney, I hate the stagnation and the lack of recognition that parks need to expand and improve, and be kept up (see bathrooms in Tomorrowland alone) to make it feel like a vacation destination or people will stop coming. Once they stop coming, there will be less money available to keep it up. Right now these parks generate huge amounts of profit, something like $800 million this quarter alone. How much of that has gone back into the parks? $500 million in AK and roughly the same on the new Fantasyland over the past 10 years for a total of about 5 rides, one restaurant and two sets of bathrooms. Over those same 10 years their profit has been around $30 billion from the parks, and they have reinvested $1 billion for only 8 additions. In the past 2 years, they have deleted more rides than that. We've spent a billion dollars and have a net loss in attractions and shows.

This is our place to get our opinions out and hope that someone is able to respond to them.

 

[rteetz]

I keep going back because I love the vacation, and I love WDW, and I want my kids to have some of the same memories that i have of vacation there as a child. The problem is, they are going to have the exact same memoires that I have, because there have been marginal improvements at best. I still enjoy the trip, but it won't be long before I stop buying the annual pass for our 2-3 week visit and start buying a 7 day pass. That represents a huge financial loss for Disney. My remaining vacation will be spent in my hotel eating food that I buy at the grocery store. I'd rather have someone else cook for me on vacation, but I'm not going to pay for meals out when I am spending more time in my hotel room which has a kitchen in it.

I don't hate Disney, I hate the stagnation and the lack of recognition that parks need to expand and improve, and be kept up (see bathrooms in Tomorrowland alone) to make it feel like a vacation destination or people will stop coming. Once they stop coming, there will be less money available to keep it up. Right now these parks generate huge amounts of profit, something like $800 million this quarter alone. How much of that has gone back into the parks? $500 million in AK and roughly the same on the new Fantasyland over the past 10 years for a total of about 5 rides, one restaurant and two sets of bathrooms. Over those same 10 years their profit has been around $30 billion from the parks, and they have reinvested $1 billion for only 8 additions. In the past 2 years, they have deleted more rides than that. We've spent a billion dollars and have a net loss in attractions and shows.

This is our place to get our opinions out and hope that someone is able to respond to them.

I agree with you. I'd also like to say the tomorrowland bathrooms just opened from a refurb.

 

[DDLand]

Interestingly for all the hate these additions are getting, this was exactly what Walt would've done.

Better projection technology? More opportunities to ride? Giving more of what the people want?
Yeah, this is a clear case of "plussing attractions." Walt was a known supporter of this type of thing. In fact he basically invented this concept.

While you all are complaining about these great improvements, I'll just be able to ride two attractions I really like with short lines.

Let's be honest. Who hasn't ever seen the Soarin' wait time, and wished there was a way to get in sooner?

Well now there is...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Interestingly for all the hate these additions are getting, this was exactly what Walt would've done.

Better projection technology? More opportunities to ride? Giving more of what the people want?
Yeah, this is a clear case of "plussing attractions." Walt was a known supporter of this type of thing. In fact he basically invented this concept.

While you all are complaining about these great improvements, I'll just be able to ride two attractions I really like with short lines.

Let's be honest. Who hasn't ever seen the Soarin' wait time, and wished there was a way to get in sooner?

Well now there is...

Well...you're fooling yourself
There...as Walt never went 3-5 years without capital ADDITION in his park...and that's where we be.

 

[DDLand]

I keep going back because I love the vacation, and I love WDW, and I want my kids to have some of the same memories that i have of vacation there as a child. The problem is, they are going to have the exact same memoires that I have, because there have been marginal improvements at best. I still enjoy the trip, but it won't be long before I stop buying the annual pass for our 2-3 week visit and start buying a 7 day pass. That represents a huge financial loss for Disney. My remaining vacation will be spent in my hotel eating food that I buy at the grocery store. I'd rather have someone else cook for me on vacation, but I'm not going to pay for meals out when I am spending more time in my hotel room which has a kitchen in it.

I don't hate Disney, I hate the stagnation and the lack of recognition that parks need to expand and improve, and be kept up (see bathrooms in Tomorrowland alone) to make it feel like a vacation destination or people will stop coming. Once they stop coming, there will be less money available to keep it up. Right now these parks generate huge amounts of profit, something like $800 million this quarter alone. How much of that has gone back into the parks? $500 million in AK and roughly the same on the new Fantasyland over the past 10 years for a total of about 5 rides, one restaurant and two sets of bathrooms. Over those same 10 years their profit has been around $30 billion from the parks, and they have reinvested $1 billion for only 8 additions. In the past 2 years, they have deleted more rides than that. We've spent a billion dollars and have a net loss in attractions and shows.

This is our place to get our opinions out and hope that someone is able to respond to them.

Hmm, you bring up an interesting point. I'm just not sure how valid it is. Complaining about massive new ride additions can take you down interesting paths. I think history will serve us well here.

E-Tickets of Disneyland Resort (this is as best as I can remember so be sure to remind me if I miss one)
1959-Matterhorn, The New Autopia, Disneyland Monorail System, and Submarines. Time since last E-ticket opening (TSLEO)=N/A

1967-Pirates of the Caribbean TSLEO=8

1969-Haunted Mansion TSLEO=2

1977-Space Mountain TSLEO =8

1979-Big Thunder Mountain TSLEO=2

1987- Star Tours (debatable) TSLEO= 8

1989-Splash Mountain=2

1995- Indiana Jones=6

2001- Grizzly River Run, California Screamin, Soarin TSLEO=6

2004- Tower of Terror TSLEO=3

2008- Toy Story Midway Mania= 4

2012= RSRs TSLEO=4

You notice something? How the years between E-Tickets is getting progressively smaller? Disney Parks aren't stagnating. It's true that Eisner ushered in a pretty bad culture that exists to this day. However as far as building new things current management has done a pretty great job.

Notes: I think it's worth mentioning things like Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, etc. I'm not sure that they're E-Tickets but still all the same pretty noteworthy. Walt was prolific. However reading a book about Disney history can be slightly confusing because they're condensing decades of history into a couple paragraphs.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

I guess I just don't see all the deglect and stagnation that y'all do. I've been going to WDW since '75. I suppose I average a trip down there every 2 years - although lately we go more often. (We're going twice this year. ) I always enjoy myself there. I enjoy their attention to detail and (within reason) excellence at every turn.

They just completed the expansion to Fantasyland. It looks great, and enhances the whole place. They are continually improving the experience, from the que line games to magic bands - I like everything they've done. I wish they hadn't eliminated 20,000 leagues, Mr Toad, or the Sky Buckets - but I understand why they took each of them out. If I sat on the board I probably would have voted to do the same.

They're spending loads of money at AK, and about to spend even more over at MGM on Star Wars & Pixar. AND they just had their busiest quarter ever. To do any more than they are would be FOOLISH. The idea is to make money, and when they stop, that's when the trouble starts. I hope they keep making lots of it so I can keep going for many years.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think expanding the capacity of these rides is a good thing. I just don't feel inclined to give Disney accolades for doing so, or maybe I should say, I don't get Disney touting this like it is something to get excited about.