DisneyQuest has just 18 months left

[SnackyStacky]

Per a Jim Hill article...

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2006/04/25/2051.aspx

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Then ESPN moves into the DisneyQuest building and ESPN on the Boardwalk shuts its doors.

Will Jellyrolls and a few restaurants be enough to keep the Boardwalk alive as a destination in its own right?

Andrew

 

[2Xited4Disney]

Good question.. I wonder what will move into the vacant location

 

[patsal]

Never been to ESPN, how big is the space? Could they move the comedy club and adventurer's club over there? Just a thought, but moving the entertainment to the boardwalk and using the old PI venue for restaurants and shopping might be a better fit?

 

[Jason71]

Never been to ESPN, how big is the space? Could they move the comedy club and adventurer's club over there? Just a thought, but moving the entertainment to the boardwalk and using the old PI venue for restaurants and shopping might be a better fit?

The problem would be that the PI comedy clubs need several other nearby venues so that crowds can cycle through.

For most intents and purposes, the AC holds 100 people (the maximum number who can see a show in the library); CW seems bigger, but not by a lot. If these clubs are off on their own, without a stream of "occasional" visitors who stay for a show or two and then go dancing, they are basically limited to 200 guests a night--with a staff of at least 20 (performers + bartenders + management).

Granted, Jelly Rolls and Atlantic City Dance Hall would provide some cycling, but not as much as the five other clubs (and multiple restaurants and shops) at DTD. As much fun as the comedy clubs are, they are creatures of PI, and would require serious overhauls to work anywhere else.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Guess i better start taking as much advantage of DQ as I can!

 

[simzac]

I hope for my boys sake that the news of DQ demise is false.

 

[ChrisFL]

I can't say Im surprised. I LOVE DQ but Disney never seemed to know how to market the attraction.

I haven't been by it recently, but you basically see a big building and the best most people can tell you is that it's like an arcade. They should have really made a push to show what the inside is like on the outside (and more than the Cyberspace mountain ride vehicle they had outside for a while). I'd enjoy going there even if there weren't the arcade games, the virtual attractions are so cool.

Maybe they could have done tie-ins at the other attractions, like have signs for CyberSpace Mountain at the exit of the real Space Mountain, etc.

At least I know what kind of timeframe it will have. I do hope they put the attractions in Epcot or the other parks.

 

[mitros]

I've never even been inside of DQ, but I would think that with everyone paying the same price, most of the good stuff would be taken up by "attraction hogs". You know, the ones that go into the Immagination post ride area, and stay on those computers and not give anyone else the opertunity to use the things. If I went in there and paid a particular price, and could not use any of the "good stuff" {at DQ}I would not go back either. Is there some kind of time limit on these things, or can a person actually go in and stay on the same game unit all day?

 

[ChrisFL]

I've never even been inside of DQ, but I would think that with everyone paying the same price, most of the good stuff would be taken up by "attraction hogs". You know, the ones that go into the Immagination post ride area, and stay on those computers and not give anyone else the opertunity to use the things. If I went in there and paid a particular price, and could not use any of the "good stuff" {at DQ}I would not go back either. Is there some kind of time limit on these things, or can a person actually go in and stay on the same game unit all day?

well the big rides are like regular theme park rides, you wait in line, then you get on for 2-3 minutes at a time and then the next people get a try.

The arcade games, however Im not sure. I do remember being there when DQ first opened, they had cards you charge to play, like Gameworks and similar places do. Somehow this lady was raiding the crane game and had about 100 keychains connected together she had won there...

 

[DisneyWacker]

Not surprised...they haven't significantly updated it since it opened. I always liked it, but I don't know if it really was a big moneymaker for Disney. There are no "profit centers" once you get thru the main entrance. Its not like the theme parks where they get you with souvineers, food, and drinks everywhere you turn. I'm disappointed in Disney for letting this vision die. They should have made it more like Dave and Busters with dining and adult beverages. Then I'm sure it could have been a huge success.

As for ESPN on the Boardwalk closing, that kind of sucks too. Downtown Disney is too far from anything to make it really worthwhile to go to ESPN. I liked being able to walk from EPCOT to go there though. The only reason I ever went to DD was for DQ. Doubt I'll go now at all. Its just too far a ride.

 

[TSR6]

Guys, I called Disney Quest today.

I spoke with two of my friends who are Cast Members there, and neither had heard anything new. This RUMOR about espn zone coming to DTD has been around for years, and is nothing new.

I also spoke to a DTD manager that is a friend of mine, and hadn't heard anything new either.


This article makes it seem as if the Cast Members were informed of this - and my friends know absolutely nothing about this. Sorry, I just wouldn't take it seriously until Disney actually releases anything. Although it's possible that my friends just hadn't heard anything yet - I HIGHLY doubt it, as once the news breaks - it goes through like wildfire. This rumor has been around for about 2 years, and from what I was told, ESPN did not want to move to DTD. I'm not saying this hasn't changed in two years - thats just where it was at the first time this circulated.

so if this were mythbusters, I'd but a plausible, but BUSTED tag on this one.....

 

[ryley26]

I can't see why they would not leave ESPN club open. DTD is a mix of locals and vacationers I would think the vast numbers of guests at the club are vacationers. I leave them both open at least for a while and see if they can both profit IMO.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

We all know Jim Hill's rep... Throw some rumors out there and sooner or later something will stick.... I say cough this one up for a rumor.... No DQ CMs were informed anything, especially 2 years in advance... Jim Hill, busted on this one.

 

[Another Voice]

No DQ CMs were informed anything, especially 2 years in advance... Jim Hill, busted on this one.

Disney would never tell line employees about something like this - especially years in advance. Just because cast members at DQ know about this does not invalidate the rumor at all. How many cast members at Animal Kingdom didn't know about 'Nemo: The Musical' until they read the press release? Given the firesale going on at Downtown Disney right now, the only thing I find curious is that Disney is waiting so long to bring in the wrecking ball.

I think Mr. Hill's reliability here is pretty good, certainly many times greater than a DQ cast member's.

 

[mitros]

Very good, AV, as those of us that have been around for a little while know, there are those who just do not care for Jim Hill's info. And as far as his stuff being more reliable then a CMs, well, that goes without saying. CMs are notorious for either not knowing anything or just making stuff up.

 

[YoHo]

Additionally, you have to remember there are ideas and changes flying around the company all the time and various sources pick up various different ideas. Certainly the idea to close it probably was made, whether it's a final decision is very much in question. Frankly, I don't know why they don't just move this stuff to the arcade in MK/Disneyland. It clearly is popular, but the economics fail. I could see it working as part of a Park. Or put it in DCA somewhere.


I still want to know what happened to the machines from the Chicago DQ.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

He quoted CMs who worked at DQ and they all verified it was true.. So, his sources, according to him, were CMs working at DQ.. if Disney doesn't tell CMs, then I guess his sources are suspect at best.. Now, if he said he spoke to Imagineers, upper management, or contractors hired to do the job, then I think the rumor would have more respectability.. But, in this case, he faltered... I am not saying this isn't going to happen.. But his sources are weak... CMs who are always the last to know, especially 2 years in advance....

With that said.. I wouldn't mind seeing an ESPN Zone in DTD... And if it does replace DQ, then fine by me...

 

[All Aboard]

Crud, Dairy Queen is closing? Wait a minute, where's the DQ on property anyhow?

 

[Another Voice]

CMs who are always the last to know

Sadly, that's very true. Disney remains as it was during the Eisner years - an extremely "tops down" organization.

It can even be a little more than that. WDW may have different plans than the Attractions business unit management. No one may have told the ESPN Zone about the plan, or ESPN Zone may be planning already and simple assume that WDW will fall in line. Or Attractions might be overruled, underruled or just plain ruled by whatever whim crosses the Burbank Corporate offices that day. For a long time now decisions have been "made" only on the basis of who presented the lastest and coolest looking Power Point presentation. And there are a lot of people making slides in Disney.

"Rumors" are simply the current thinking of one group of people at one particular point in time. A year and a half is a long time for the situations to change.