Disney Announces New Toy Story Land for DHS

[skier_pete]

Thanks for taking the time to mark off 11 acres. It makes sense to me. I kind of think they won't close Little Mermaid, and that the current TSM is included in the 11 acres. If you moved the Mermaid acre and the one to the left of it on top of TSM, that's my guess as to how they will do it.

Regardless, it sure is fun to speculate about something new!

Of course that could be right - the whole thing could be narrower and shift down some from what I plotted. I was just trying to give a rough idea of the scale of the land, and show that much of it would could be built on space taken up by the backlot tour.

 

[jcemom]

Of course that could be right - the whole thing could be narrower and shift down some from what I plotted. I was just trying to give a rough idea of the scale of the land, and show that much of it would could be built on space taken up by the backlot tour.

Yes, I didn't realize Backlot Tour took up so much space. With that, and the backstage areas, they really have a good bit of room to work with.

 

[ucfknight]

I wonder if the coaster will be like Barnstormer or the mine train or what exactly. It'll be interesting.

If the concept art is accurate it actually looks like it will be a fun coaster more along the lines of 7DMT in intensity but longer and with a mid-course launch.

 

[agoofybeast]

If the concept art is accurate it actually looks like it will be a fun coaster more along the lines of 7DMT in intensity but longer and with a mid-course launch.

It almost looks like it could be a less intense and probably shorter version of the Cheetah Hunt coaster at Busch Gardens in Tampa

 

[ucfknight]

It almost looks like it could be a less intense and probably shorter version of the Cheetah Hunt coaster at Busch Gardens in Tampa

That's exactly what I was thinking...and it would certainly be a good thing. The long straight launch run and the profile of the hill it climbs after the launch reminds me almost exactly of the rolling-start launch on Cheetah Hunt . That plus the track shape makes me think this might be built by Intamin (makers of Cheetah Hunt). Disney has used them in the past when they needed a LIM launched coaster (California Screamin').

 

[rteetz]

That's exactly what I was thinking...and it would certainly be a good thing. The long straight launch run and the profile of the hill it climbs after the launch reminds me almost exactly of the rolling-start launch on Cheetah Hunt . That plus the track shape makes me think this might be built by Intamin (makers of Cheetah Hunt). Disney has used them in the past when they needed a LIM launched coaster (California Screamin').

Disney had a falling out with Intamin it's likely they use Vekoma for the coaster construction.

 

[ucfknight]

Disney had a falling out with Intamin it's likely they use Vekoma for the coaster construction.

While Disney does love to use Vekoma, the track shape, layout, and support style shown in the rendering certainly scream Intamin to me.

 

[rteetz]

While Disney does love to use Vekoma, the track shape, layout, and support style shown in the rendering certainly scream Intamin to me.

Yes I agree but it's likely they still use Vekoma for the build

 

[ucfknight]

Yes I agree but it's likely they still use Vekoma for the build

Unfortunately you might be right given Disney's penchant for Vekoma. We will just have to wait to see for certain.

Personally if it were up to me I would have installed a flying coaster (preferably B&M) themed to Buzz Lightyear. To Infinity and Beyond!

 

[rteetz]

Unfortunately you might be right given Disney's penchant for Vekoma. We will just have to wait to see for certain.

Personally if it were up to me I would have installed a flying coaster (preferably B&M) themed to Buzz Lightyear. To Infinity and Beyond!

The Monsters Inc Door coaster would've been nice too...

 

[Lee Matthews]

Looks great and certainly needed but between this and Star Wars Land, it's certainly not $3 billion's worth

 

[ajjoplin1]

Looks great and certainly needed but between this and Star Wars Land, it's certainly not $3 billion's worth

I'm afraid I must disagree with you here. This gives HS a much-needed expansion, one that should draw massive amounts of people. It could also potentially draw some of the crowds away from MK on certain days, freeing up space for more people to visit the Kingdom. Translation: more room equals more people equals more money! Yes, it is an exorbitant amount of money, but Disney can afford it. They can spend the money and take the temporary loss until it pays for itself over time. I think it is a brilliant move, and I can't wait to get back to my second home at HS....or as I'll always think of it, MGM!

 

[Lee Matthews]

I meant it in the sense that $3 billion sounds way too much money for what they've announced to build.

 

[skier_pete]

I meant it in the sense that $3 billion sounds way too much money for what they've announced to build.

I agree - no way this is $3 billion worth of stuff. Of course, the THE $3 BILLION is a rumor, one that seemed almost ridiculously large. This could easily be ONE billion though.

 

[circus4u]

I agree - no way this is $3 billion worth of stuff. Of course, the THE $3 BILLION is a rumor, one that seemed almost ridiculously large. This could easily be ONE billion though.

Doesn't the three billion also include Star Wars land, possibly a parking garage, rerouting roads, etc?

 

[karly05]

Apologies up front: I haven't read everything (not sure I've even read all of this thread), but two questions, at least one of which has probably been addressed somewhere...

1) I know, apples and oranges, but does anyone know/recall the timeframe of New Fantasyland, from when they first showed us the layout/rendition (with all the Princess m&gs/Pixie Hollow and no 7DMT) until they first started opening parts of it (including Storybook Circus)?

2) Has there been any discussion of meet & greets in Toy Story Land? I really hope they keep Buzz & Woody meeting together, they are so much fun playing off each other. And I would love to see Jessie meeting in the "Woody's Round Up" area.

I'm really in the camp that thinks they've got to get at least some of Toy Story Land up and running before they close down anything more for Star Wars Land (and I'm also in the camp that thinks the whole Muppets/Mama Melrose area will be replaced by SW. And we'll get a new, more movie-accurate-looking Pizza Planet as part of TSL.)

 

[Lee Matthews]

I did wonder whether if Disney are doing a Toy Story land in DHS, Could that be the reason why they are letting Buzz Lightyear ride in Magic Kingdom go to such a bad condition because they are going to replace it? Just a theory of my own, but saying that Tomorrowland really needs working on next

 

[skier_pete]

Apologies up front: I haven't read everything (not sure I've even read all of this thread), but two questions, at least one of which has probably been addressed somewhere...

1) I know, apples and oranges, but does anyone know/recall the timeframe of New Fantasyland, from when they first showed us the layout/rendition (with all the Princess m&gs/Pixie Hollow and no 7DMT) until they first started opening parts of it (including Storybook Circus)?

New Fantasyland was announced I want to say in 2009@ D23 or around that time.
They then changed the design, and added the 7DMT about 12-18 months later.
Construction was started in 2010 - and was well underway in 2011.
Things started opening in Summer 2012, so about 2 years after construction started.
And the Mine Train opened in 2014, about 18 months after most everything else.

I found this site (for Disney) for one portion.
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/NewFantasylandHistory/#section-7

This is off of Wikipedia:

• September 12, 2009: At the D23 Expo, Disney officially announces plans to expand Fantasyland. It will include new rides, shows, meet and greets, restaurants, and store. Concept art is also shown.
• February 11, 2011: Mickey's Toontown Fair closes for the expansion.
• March 12, 2012: The Barnstormer, Fantasyland train station, and the first half of the new Dumbo the Flying Elephant open.
• May 31, 2012: Snow White's Scary Adventures closes to make room for the Princess Fairytale Hall.
• July 2012: Second half of the Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Storybook Circus queue, and Casey Jr Soak N Splash Station open
• October 4, 2012: Pete's Silly Sideshow and Big Top Souvenirs open.
• December 6, 2012: Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid and Enchanted Tales with Belle open.
• September 17, 2013: Princess Fairytale Hall opens.
• May 28, 2014: Seven Dwarf's Mine Train opens completing the Fantasyland Expansion.
• November 22, 2014: Peter Pan's Flight interactive queue opens

SO, the majority of the construction took about 2.5 years. The Mine Train, which started significantly later than everything else, took about 18-24 months as well.

If we assume that they start construction within the next 6 months, I think a good assumption is Toy Story Land opens in 2018 unless they decide to rush it more than they usually do.

2) Has there been any discussion of meet & greets in Toy Story Land? I really hope they keep Buzz & Woody meeting together, they are so much fun playing off each other. And I would love to see Jessie meeting in the "Woody's Round Up" area.

There haven't really been any specifics. It would be extremely unlikely that there won't be a meet and greet location, though.

I'm really in the camp that thinks they've got to get at least some of Toy Story Land up and running before they close down anything more for Star Wars Land (and I'm also in the camp that thinks the whole Muppets/Mama Melrose area will be replaced by SW. And we'll get a new, more movie-accurate-looking Pizza Planet as part of TSL.)

I'm with ya.

 

[rteetz]

Doesn't the three billion also include Star Wars land, possibly a parking garage, rerouting roads, etc?

Yes but the infrastructure work plus the two lands still doesn't add up to 2.8 billion. I think there are details still missing as in more work will be done to this park that we don't know about.

 

[rteetz]

I did wonder whether if Disney are doing a Toy Story land in DHS, Could that be the reason why they are letting Buzz Lightyear ride in Magic Kingdom go to such a bad condition because they are going to replace it? Just a theory of my own, but saying that Tomorrowland really needs working on next

Buzz is looking at a good lengthy refurbishment for next year