EPCOT - renovations??....in the news......

[George4]

We've had some of this discussion in another thread, but Disney has been (for the most part) upgrading what is already there and shuttering rides and attractions. They really haven't offered much of anything new for the past year or two, and even that is only at MK. There isn't much new at DHS, EPCOT or AK. At least AK has something coming in a few years, but even that is hard to get excited about now.

Universal's approach has been add something every year, until the past four when it has exploded with Harry Potter. That being said, keep in mind that with all of the construction and money, US only added 2-3 rides (depending on your perspective) with all of the Harry Potter stuff. Some of that was just a new facade for existing things (Dueling Dragons for example).

 

[DDLand]

I know Disney has been building my point was disney used to be much quicker about their building like universal. Universal tore down and built transformers in a year.

It's not nearly as eloborate as recent Disney Additions. It's fairly easy to build a warehouse. It's a lot harder to build a mountain.

 

[crazy4wdw]

If you want to add in planning, it took 12 years to build Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney completed the purchase of the Florida property in 1965 so at most it would be 6 years.

 

[rteetz]

Walt Disney completed the purchase of the Florida property in 1965 so at most it would be 6 years.

But they were planning another location prior to that land purchase.

 

[Cormoran]

I know Disney has been building my point was disney used to be much quicker about their building like universal. Universal tore down and built transformers in a year.

I think the Jaws exhibit was torn down and Diagon Alley, the Gringott's ride, and the Hogwart's express replaced it in 2 years. Personally, I don't care about what Disney is building in Shanghai. All I care about is what they're doing in the US parks. And from what I've seen, WDW is being neglected.

 

[Reddog1134]

Walt Disney completed the purchase of the Florida property in 1965 so at most it would be 6 years.

The plans for WDW started in 1959.

 

[rteetz]

I think the Jaws exhibit was torn down and Diagon Alley, the Gringott's ride, and the Hogwart's express replaced it in 2 years. Personally, I don't care about what Disney is building in Shanghai. All I care about is what they're doing in the US parks. And from what I've seen, WDW is being neglected.

By the way the the parks blog said today that the sing along will officially be in the theater where idol was and the new name for the theater is Hyperion theater

 

[mcd2745]

By the way the the parks blog said today that the sing along will officially be in the theater where idol was and the new name for the theater is Hyperion theater

Did they have some old Hyperion Wharf signs already made that they finally found a use for?

 

[Fantasia79]

Seems like a site with interesting potential. The space seems limited to do something on a large scale. But, right at the entrance of the park, it's some prime real estate to do something more than a walk-through attraction.

 

[OKW Lover]

The plans for WDW started in 1959.

That's interesting. Where did you find that?

 

[crazy4wdw]

The plans for WDW started in 1959.

Well, maybe. But the actual design of the Magic Kingdom and initial resort hotels by Imagineering did not start until after the last parcels of the property were purchased. In fact, I don't think the actual designs of what would actually be built on the property started until after Walt Disney's death in December 1966. Roy Disney was scheduled to retire before Walt's death and it was Roy who stayed on at the Company and got the initial phase of Walt Disney World open.

Boy, we're way of topic on this thread!

 

[DDLand]

The plans for WDW started in 1959.

You start to get messy with this. There's a glaring difference between when they started thinking about the next Disneyland, and what was to eventually to become the Florida project.

The venture in Palm Beach almost became something. Then it fell through. Just like the ventures in New York and Missouri.

The effect on Walt in his dealings there can't be underestimated, yet this isn't what eventually became the Florida Project. It did tip him off to the location in Florida being suitable for a project of its nature.

So I'd be hard pressed to say this is where Walt Disney World planning started. Inspiration perhaps. Planning? Nope.

 

[DDLand]

Well, maybe. But the actual design of the Magic Kingdom and initial resort hotels by Imagineering did not start until after the last parcels of the property were purchased. In fact, I don't think the actual designs of what would actually be built on the property started until after Walt Disney's death in December 1966. Roy Disney was scheduled to retire before Walt's death and it was Roy who stayed on at the Company and got the initial phase of Walt Disney World open.

Boy, we're way of topic on this thread!

Nearly all correct. The special Resort committee that was charged with building the Vacation Kingdom at the North of the property was started while Walt was alive. Interestingly Walt wasn't on that committee. He didn't care about MK as it was a rehash of Disneyland. Epcot was where he focused his attention. Of course all his work was thrown out the window when he died...

Plans did, like you say, evolve to include Seven Seas Lagoon and the $$$ Resorts.

One minor thing I always like to point out when discussing Walt's influence on WDW. The Resort layout.

This is perhaps Walt's greatest legacy on WDW besides the physical site selection.

He positioned MK at the northern area, and Epcot (in its twisted theme park nature) is largely where he wanted it (it meaning something called Epcot).

You would've entered the complex where most enter today. You would find something along the lines of TTC, parked, and boarded a Monorail to get you to your destination. You could've stopped at Epcot City, Epcot Office Park, or the Vacation Kingdom. An airport of the future would've been located where celebration is today.

Yep!

 

[JZCubed]

Was the Frozen into American Idol announced or is this another unconfirmed report?

Hyperion Theater.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/events/froz...n-idol---the-newly-named-hyperion-theater.htm

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

Eww... more closings to view on our summer visit. I just wish everyone in our group had already been to Disney before.

I also certainly wouldn't mind as much if they were clear about what was happening in the spaces they board up. EPCOT was so brilliant when it opened. It's so sad.

C'mon, Disney! Walls and mysteriously abandoned buildings aren't very magical. Tell us what you're doing so that we can all feel good about it!

 

[Reddog1134]

Well, maybe. But the actual design of the Magic Kingdom and initial resort hotels by Imagineering did not start until after the last parcels of the property were purchased. In fact, I don't think the actual designs of what would actually be built on the property started until after Walt Disney's death in December 1966. Roy Disney was scheduled to retire before Walt's death and it was Roy who stayed on at the Company and got the initial phase of Walt Disney World open.

Boy, we're way of topic on this thread!

That's kind of my point though. I don't think there were any designs for Avatarland when Disney announced it. I think they made a (way too) early announcement for fear that details of the deal would be leaked. If you remember, this was just after the New Fantasyland plan leaked.

Yes, it's taking a long time to build Avatarland, but people are making it out to be even longer by starting with the announcement date.

Epcot was announced in 1965. It opened in 1981. So it took 16 years.

Yeah, that was a stretch. Here's a more accurate one. Haunted Mansion was announced in 1961, it opened in 1969.

 

[Cormoran]

That's kind of my point though. I don't think there were any designs for Avatarland when Disney announced it. I think they made a (way too) early announcement for fear that details of the deal would be leaked. If you remember, this was just after the New Fantasyland plan leaked.

Yes, it's taking a long time to build Avatarland, but people are making it out to be even longer by starting with the announcement date.

Epcot was announced in 1965. It opened in 1981. So it took 16 years.

Yeah, that was a stretch. Here's a more accurate one. Haunted Mansion was announced in 1961, it opened in 1969.

Well with both Epcot and the HM, Walt Disney died before his ideas could be realized. I wonder how long either of these projects would've taken if Walt had survived and seen them through.

Walt Disney was asked to contribute attractions to the World's Fair in 1962 and the Fair opened in 1964. During that time, WED produced Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Carousel of Progress, and Small World. I just think the corporate bureaucracy of Disney has slowed everything to a crawl.

 

[DanBoris]

It's not nearly as eloborate as recent Disney Additions. It's fairly easy to build a warehouse. It's a lot harder to build a
mountain.

The third track for Toy Story is scheduled to take 2 years, and they didn't even need to build the warehouse.

 

[jcnewton]

The third track for Toy Story is scheduled to take 2 years, and they didn't even need to build the warehouse.

Not sure the exact ground-breaking date, but doesn't the permit for construction of the third Soarin' theater expire in September 2016? That would put it at or less than 2 years WITH a new building. Wonder what's the deal with TSMM with an existing structure and no new tech?

 

[rteetz]

Not sure the exact ground-breaking date, but doesn't the permit for construction of the third Soarin' theater expire in September 2016? That would put it at or less than 2 years WITH a new building. Wonder what's the deal with TSMM with an existing structure and no new tech?

The groundbreaking for Soarin started last year. TSMM started I want to say October is when permits were filed.