DHS,old parking entrances closing for future expansion space??

[DOOM1001]

I just read an article that although still a rumor makes too much sense for it not to be announced in the near future.The article states that the World Dr. DHS entrance will close,the Buena Vista entrance will only be open to buses and a new main entrance will be built on Victory Way.This will create tons of expansion space in the area by the World dr entrance.Apparently the World dr entrance even though is the current "main" entrance of the park does not get the traffic the smaller Buena Vista entrance gets creating bottlenecks at the Buena Vista entrance.The World Dr entrance was more popular back in the 90's when a bigger percentage of visitors came in through World dr.So totally removing the World dr entrance frees up much needed space for this small park.The writer of the article even mentions that electrical,sewer and infrastructure work has been done in this area which even has a dirt path leading from Victory Way to the parking lot possibly being where the future entrance will go.This totally sounds like Disney getting smart and using the space in a smart way redeveloping the area like they're doing in DTD/Disney Springs.

 

[jacquelynb]

Can you supply a link to the article?

 

[DOOM1001]

Can you supply a link to the article?

http://disneyatwork.com/2013/07/form-follows-parking-rumors-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

Found it at Screamscape.

 

[hakepb]

They need to do something about that dumb exit onto Buena Vista Drive. It "only" took about an hour standing in a bus to leave DHS for POR on July 4th..2/3 that time was spent in the parking lot...but traffic was barely moving on BVD, either.

(And this was midnight, I waited a few hours for the fireworks crowd to leave)

 

[Minnesota!]

I have been to WDW 17 times and never knew there was an entrance other than the one on BVD. Huh.

Love the article - hope there is solid truth to it! HS needs something BAD!!!

 

[Brian_WDW74]

As the OP stated, at this time this is only a rumor. So I've moved this thread to the Disney Rumors and News forum.

 

[doconeill]

Although the land the article talks about looks inviting for expansion (and I've advocated for it in the past), it is currently on the "unsuitable to build" list.

 

[DOOM1001]

I have been to WDW 17 times and never knew there was an entrance other than the one on BVD. Huh.

Love the article - hope there is solid truth to it! HS needs something BAD!!!

Exactly what the article points out,the World Dr. entrance is technically the main exit and a lot of people don't even know it exists.Closing it opens a lot of opportunity to expand the park.

 

[DOOM1001]

Although the land the article talks about looks inviting for expansion (and I've advocated for it in the past), it is currently on the "unsuitable to build" list.

What are the reasons for it being unsuitable?It would be a shame as this park needs expansion space badly.Whatever the reason in my opinion Disney should do whatever possible to make it work.DHS probably has one of my favorite themes of all the parks but has never achieved it's potential as it's so small Disney might hesitate to give it a major makeover that might close a good chunk of the park.I know you hear of all the rumored Star Wars and Carsland additions but if you plan to build these on current park space it will close so many of the current attractions attendance will likely suffer for a good while during construction.The park needs the extra space,Disney should step up and make it happen.

 

[doconeill]

What are the reasons for it being unsuitable?It would be a shame as this park needs expansion space badly.Whatever the reason in my opinion Disney should do whatever possible to make it work.DHS probably has one of my favorite themes of all the parks but has never achieved it's potential as it's so small Disney might hesitate to give it a major makeover that might close a good chunk of the park.I know you hear of all the rumored Star Wars and Carsland additions but if you plan to build these on current park space it will close so many of the current attractions attendance will likely suffer for a good while during construction.The park needs the extra space,Disney should step up and make it happen.

I don't know the specific reasons for that area, but it is marked "unsuitable" in the 2020 Plan, which was created three years ago.

Most of the reasons for that tag is mainly because it is swampland, and the "100-year flood plain", which indicates that there is a 1% chance every year that that land would be completely flooded.

I do agree that the World Dr. entrance is very underutilized...I don't remember the last time I used it. The BVD entrance it pretty small though.

 

[KYMickey]

I don't know the specific reasons for that area, but it is marked "unsuitable" in the 2020 Plan, which was created three years ago.

Most of the reasons for that tag is mainly because it is swampland, and the "100-year flood plain", which indicates that there is a 1% chance every year that that land would be completely flooded.

Being in a floodplain is something that requires more work but is not an insurmountable problem. Disney has demonstrated in several places the ability to drain an area and build it up using fill. If the area however if the designated a federal wetland is another problem....

I do agree that the World Dr. entrance is very underutilized...I don't remember the last time I used it. The BVD entrance it pretty small though.

Yes that interested small but it could easily be enlarged without a whole lot of effort.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

There will be tons of speculation around the land near MGM until they build... Something (anything)...
It's only a matter of time.

But I agree with several points here:
1. Swamps aren't an issue... Disney is amazingly adept at moving water around and developing the drainage system necessary for development.
While not cheap...I don't think that's anything other than a time consuming speed bump on the road.
2. World drive is all but useless at this point. The western way and Osceola parkway have made it even less useful over the last 15 years than it was...which wasn't very. Basically, they could reroute it with minimal fuss...the only access points it's serving are the gulf coast and a little bit of traffic on 192 (much in decline). It makes sense...most of the world arrives from the other entrances.
3. Expanding MGM and putting the main hub off victory way makes a ton of sense... It opens that area up to further development and feeds animal kingdom... Something they're desperate to do.

We'll see. Disney is hesitant to build more parks for a variety of reasons... The top three being 1. Labor 2. Labor 3. Labor...but blowing out MGM to put it in the realm of MK and EPCOT is much more realistic. Not that they have to counter... But there is significant investment in totally new areas completed/ being completed across town... And they'll have to do some things for marketing purposes.

Don't forget downtown as well... If they're going to invest a huge sum in a shopping area (To make money... Not spend it)...gonna have to have more feeders in.
That more DVC, more AoA type lodging... And the way to fill those are parks... Which then feeds the retail.
This isn't rocket science or the recipe to KFC here...it's right there to comprehend.

 

[doconeill]

Being in a floodplain is something that requires more work but is not an insurmountable problem. Disney has demonstrated in several places the ability to drain an area and build it up using fill. If the area however if the designated a federal wetland is another problem....

Yes they can...in some cases. It can also be unsuitable due to composition (too soft, no bedrock within reasonable depth, etc.)

And there is the expense of doing so.

AND they have to keep X amount of land for conservation. If they remove conservation land, they need to designate it somewhere else, and that assumes that they can (in some cases they can't, depending on wildlife, relocatability, etc.)

They MIGHT be able to use it for other purposes - such as parking - and use the existing lots for building.

There are plenty of other areas that are "suitable" for building...just not directly along the current borders of DHS. The other side of World Drive is on the suitable list, which has led to all sorts of ideas...

 

[retlaw_yensid]

Ok...I'm sure this is a stupid question...buy WHY does Disney have to keep X amount of land for conservation? Isn't it their land to do with as they wish?

 

[doconeill]

Ok...I'm sure this is a stupid question...buy WHY does Disney have to keep X amount of land for conservation? Isn't it their land to do with as they wish?

I don't know specifically where the rule/law exists, but as I understand it I believe they are required to maintain 25% conservation land. Possibly either Federal or FL law, or part of the incorporation agreement.

I forgot to mention...they've already created an unpaved "access road" off Victory Way, not far from BVD, that goes up to the canal and then turns either way along the canal for a distance, but doesn't connect to anything - but the parking lots are directly across from it. It's been there for a while, but it appears to have been used a lot recently. Don't know if its for canal maintenance, or maybe they are looking to possibly adapt it as the new entrance. It's clearly visible in the current Google Maps/Google Earth images.

Speaking of which, if you look at the World Drive entrance, you can see why it's pretty useless - you can ONLY use it if you are heading north on World Drive, BEFORE you get to the cloverleaf with Osceola. It's only a 3/4ths cloverleaf...heading east on Osceola you actually take a left and merge with the westbound ramp, which goes OVER the DHS entrance road, and south on World, you can't get there either.

So that DHS entrance is limited only to those coming from 192 or the southern-most I-4 exit.

 

[DanBoris]

Ok...I'm sure this is a stupid question...buy WHY does Disney have to keep X amount of land for conservation? Isn't it their land to do with as they wish?

I am not sure if there are specific amounts that they have to keep, but there are agencies above Disney (for example the South Florida Water Management District) that regulate the use of certain land areas and Disney must get approval from these to build. This really goes for all land owners, if you own a house there are certain restrictions imposed by local government on how you can develop that land.

It also wouldn't be good PR to Disney to start building on large amounts of the conserved land especially if it impacts the habitats of endangered or threated species. Finally, it's a good idea to preserve certain land from a purely practical standpoint for the purpose of storm water control. Eveytime you build hard structures, (buildings, roads, parking lots, etc.) you are creating an area where water cannot naturally run off so you have to plan with how to deal with it. The more land you consume with development the harder the storm water control gets.