Building more ... not just replacing

[DisneyFanSince71]

Curious to see why for perhaps 35 years, the MK's borders haven't increased? The question on this board seems to come to which attractions do you want to replace vs. just adding more. And I don't think that for some of the attractions it would cost that much more money.

For example, what about if MK offered up a few Kiddie water parks and put them across the tracks right above fantasy land. It doesn't cost much money (for Disney) as it would just be slides and buckets dropping water on people's heads. Those water parks wouldn't really compete with the water parks at BB or TL, but just a way for kids to cool off and enjoy some theming.

It just seems that if you added a few shows (Aladdin, Hunchback, Tarzan), a big roller coaster or two and perhaps a few more areas to cool off on hot days the lines would drop on some of the other rides. Don't have to come up with elaborate new rides (do love ToT and RnRC) just copy what has already been done with some Disney theming for popular shows that have been ignored (Aladdin?, Pocahontas?, Hercules?)

 

[maxiesmom]

I think because they were busy building whole new parks--Epcot, AK, and the Disney Studios. Plus, I'm not sure if the new Fantasyland was made all in space otherwise being used in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[DebbieB]

Curious to see why for perhaps 35 years, the MK's borders haven't increased? The question on this board seems to come to which attractions do you want to replace vs. just adding more. And I don't think that for some of the attractions it would cost that much more money.

For example, what about if MK offered up a few Kiddie water parks and put them across the tracks right above fantasy land. It doesn't cost much money (for Disney) as it would just be slides and buckets dropping water on people's heads. Those water parks wouldn't really compete with the water parks at BB or TL, but just a way for kids to cool off and enjoy some theming.

It just seems that if you added a few shows (Aladdin, Hunchback, Tarzan), a big roller coaster or two and perhaps a few more areas to cool off on hot days the lines would drop on some of the other rides. Don't have to come up with elaborate new rides (do love ToT and RnRC) just copy what has already been done with some Disney theming for popular shows that have been ignored (Aladdin?, Pocahontas?, Hercules?)

Some of the areas in the back are preserved wetlands.

 

[disnut8]

Some of the areas in the back are preserved wetlands.

That's a point I was going to bring up. Disney World is considered a nature preserve so that has to be considered. Sure, it's a big area but driving some animals out of their homes isn't very Disney-like. If they did decide to expand, they would need to find homes for all the displaced critters. It's amazing how Disney conserves with nature. That will trump expansion.

 

[RoosMama]

I think because they were busy building whole new parks--Epcot, AK, and the Disney Studios. Plus, I'm not sure if the new Fantasyland was made all in space otherwise being used in the Magic Kingdom.

NF did expand the borders of MK. Someone posted a map here on the Dis a while back. (I think it was probably to the same question.)

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think because they were busy building whole new parks--Epcot, AK, and the Disney Studios.

That would be a big part of it. Right now (since AK opened) is the longest stretch without a new park under construction.

 

[DisneyFanSince71]

When Disney bought the 47 square miles of land in the mid 1960's it was "to be able to build everything they could imagine". I understand that environmental laws have been strengthened significantly since then but its hard to believe that the MK park is land locked by wet lands, particularly since they built a new hotel in the area recently.

The last park, AK, they opened in WDW has been in 1998 so I would argue that for the past 15 years DIS has NOT been on a building spree as far the parks are concerned. Are the only major attractions that they have opened in the parks in the past 15 years EE and the new Fantasyland?

 

[hakepb]

TSM
Soarin and LMA were opened for Y2K

 

[darnheather]

It's already so big that's it's impossible to do everything (ride, shows, etc) in two days. I wouldn't want it to be any bigger.

 

[maxiesmom]

The economy has not been great for how long now, 5 years? It wouldn't be very smart to build a whole new park right now. As it is, I bet they have sunk more money than we can fathom into new Fantasyland, all of the redos of rides, and at all of the sprucing up they are doing at the resorts. That is a ton of money they are spending.

 

[disnut8]

When Disney bought the 47 square miles of land in the mid 1960's it was "to be able to build everything they could imagine". I understand that environmental laws have been strengthened significantly since then but its hard to believe that the MK park is land locked by wet lands, particularly since they built a new hotel in the area recently.

The last park, AK, they opened in WDW has been in 1998 so I would argue that for the past 15 years DIS has NOT been on a building spree as far the parks are concerned. Are the only major attractions that they have opened in the parks in the past 15 years EE and the new Fantasyland?

I don't think anyone said it's landlocked by wet lands. Just that some areas have environmental concerns. The new hotels built recently were Bay Lake Towers which were just redone on land already occupied by the Contemporary. No expansion there. Same thing with the DVC Grand Floridian building - land already occupied. Not the land behind Magic Kingdom.

Personally, I would not like being on the monorail between the TTC and Epcot and not peering down below and remembering seeing three wild deer running along. Or seeing a wild turkey walking next to an armadillo along World Drive.

 

[DebbieB]

If you ever ride the train between Frontierland and Fantasyland, the land back there on the left is swampy wetlands. I always thought it was gross looking, algae laying on top of the water.

 

[Buckeye218]

Curious to see why for perhaps 35 years, the MK's borders haven't increased?

To me, it's simply return on investment. 30 and 40 years ago, the mindset was much different and large corporations could make long-term plans and investments. Today, the board and stockholders are more concerned with short-term results. Got to keep the major stake holders happy and the dividends strong.

No one wants to march in front of the board and lay out a strategy of sinking hundreds of millions of dollars into an MK expansion when attendance continues to set record levels even in a depressed economy.

And while an expansion would arguably make the the MK experience more enjoyable, how exactly would it increase Disney's revenues?

 

[DisneyFanSince71]

TSM
Soarin and LMA were opened for Y2K

Rethemed...replaced.... some for the better, others for the worse
Soarin was a replacement for other attractions at the Land.
Journey into Imagination (became JIYI, much worse)

But here is what closed with no replacement.
River Country
Wonders of Life

... It was cited that the economy was bad in the last 5 years.... TIS TRUE.... Yet ....Disney still manages to raise its prices each year... and still build more hotels.

Perhaps Disney can continue to neglect the parks for some time more. But there will be a reckoning and asked to "pay the piper" for their continuing to neglect the parks. From the late 1960's to late 1990's built FOUR parks. However, the last 15 years we are coming up with the names of perhaps four significant rides.

 

[Dannek]

On a recent television program that I watched on Disney World, a senior vice president for Disney stated, when speaking about expanding the parks to keep them relevant, that they have enough land available to keep expanding the parks (at Disney World) and adding attractions for the next 50 years.

They stated that they look forward up to 15 years or more when planing additions to the parks. It was interesting that when asked what Walt Disney would say if he saw Disney World today, a retired senior VP of imagineering that knew Walt replied: "He'd say, what took you so long".

 

[polyfor4]

But here is what closed with no replacement.
River Country
Wonders of Life

What a good point! I'm surprised Disney leaves these two attractions to basically rot! I'm sure there's a good reason but everything else at Disney is so pristine, I'm surprised they haven't done something cosmetic at least. I would love to see something take over Wonders of Life, Epcot still needs some improvement!

 

[NACFl]

Disney has focused more in the last 15 years on construction of value resorts, DVC expansions and also the cruise line, and the NF expansion is pretty nice...there is always something new happening at WDW. As for River Country, health codes won't allow it to be reopened as it is. I'm not sure it would be a great investment to revamp it because people who loved it back in the day would howl about the changes. Also, I'd rather see "pond scum" on the other side of the railroad tracks at MK than the iHop and parking lots you see at DL in Anaheim.

 

[wdwfan22]

OP - This is one of my biggest dissapointments with DW. They build new stuff, but they tear down old stuff to do it. I just don't think they have to do that.

Disneyland, with their incredible land restrictions, keep finding ways of building a new park, lands, and attractions. All this while they manage to keep the old classics that I love so much. Like Snow White, Mr. Toad, Toontown, etc. Plus all the old shops on Main Street. It has so much more magic to me that MK.

Not to bash DW (don't want to hear those replies) I LOVE DW also. It has a lot to offer, and I love my time there and will never stop going. (I hope, FP+ has me a little freaked out) I just don't like what they have done to MK in the last several years. They could have maintained some of the old charm and I'm sure found some land to add on.

 

[wdwfan22]

Disney has focused more in the last 15 years on construction of value resorts, DVC expansions and also the cruise line, and the NF expansion is pretty nice...there is always something new happening at WDW. As for River Country, health codes won't allow it to be reopened as it is. I'm not sure it would be a great investment to revamp it because people who loved it back in the day would howl about the changes. Also, I'd rather see "pond scum" on the other side of the railroad tracks at MK than the iHop and parking lots you see at DL in Anaheim.

The question is not wheather you would see pond scum, or a HoJos. Disneyland was nothing but orange fields when Walt purchased his land. And he didn't like the Ihop across the street either.

That's why he bought so much land in Florida. To keep adding on new attractions and lands and parks, not to keep replacing old rides with new ones. This is of course MHO.

 

[DisneyFanSince71]

OP - This is one of my biggest dissapointments with DW. They build new stuff, but they tear down old stuff to do it. I just don't think they have to do that.

Disneyland, with their incredible land restrictions, keep finding ways of building a new park, lands, and attractions. All this while they manage to keep the old classics that I love so much. Like Snow White, Mr. Toad, Toontown, etc. Plus all the old shops on Main Street. It has so much more magic to me that MK.

Not to bash DW (don't want to hear those replies) I LOVE DW also. It has a lot to offer, and I love my time there and will never stop going. (I hope, FP+ has me a little freaked out) I just don't like what they have done to MK in the last several years. They could have maintained some of the old charm and I'm sure found some land to add on.

I agree with all your points.... what prompted me to write this was another thread asking about WDW' "dead zones" and it was suggested to tear down the Swiss Family Treehouse and build something else. I love the tree house. It brings so many great memories of my treehouse growing up. And really what can you build onto an area that is the footprint of a tree?

Disney is blowing it with some of the most obvious ideas. My teenagers don't feel the Disney nostalgia as I do and would prefer to ride Spiderman and Hulk at Universal. They love RnRC, but BTMR, SplM and SpcM don't measure up. Can't figure out why they don't add a couple of great roller coasters. As I said earlier, a number of theme parks have small water parks; why doesn't Disney do that as a way to cool their patrons down. We are probably talking millions of dollars.

Probably too late now, but couldn't they have scored a deal for Wizard of Oz with MGM? They do own the full rights to Star Wars have 3 movies upcoming (great !!), but they are building Avatar Land.

Disney has the land, has the rights for Star Wars, but seemingly won't build anything new unless they tear something down first.