'Expansion' is the Wrong Term for What's Happening at HS

[BrdwayBoy]

Asking mods to move this to news, as there is no park 'strategy' in any of this.

But it is about the the theme park's attractions, no?

 

[bcrook]

There really is no question the land area will grow.

However rigth now.all they have announced is the e ticket attractions. Little regarding other shows, rides or attractions.

They made a.point of saying they were not going to releases much more about Star Wars as some of the other new attractions are from the new movies .

So I would say there is going to be.a.over all.expension of everything and we will see that when more details.are.released?

AKK

No Question? Star Wars land could easily gobble up streets of America, LMA, Indy stunt show, muppets area and not add any space or any new land. Repurposed land only. Josh at Easywdw last post gave a great account of the possibilities.

 

[itchin2go]

Asking mods to move this to news, as there is no park 'strategy' in any of this.

But it is about Theme Park Attractions ....

 

[BigAlsGal]

Im going to ask the mods to move it to the splitting hairs forum...

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

No Question? Star Wars land could easily gobble up streets of America, LMA, Indy stunt show, muppets area and not add any space or any new land. Repurposed land only. Josh at Easywdw last post gave a great account of the possibilities.

I learned many years ago, never say.never!

I was just offering my.opinion based on what we know.now.

I really See streets of America gone, but the Muppets and the Indie stunt show staying.

The rest, it's all a question mark.

Really the point was except for the overall plan, we know every.little.about other attractions, resturents, shops, etc, each land will have.

 

[soniam]

It helps me plan out my trips for the next few years.

Plus, I just saw that LMA is not available for FP+ after September 27. It's not on the refurb list. That could be the end of that. I am trying to decide if I should spend time there in October or not for my group. Personally I'm going in just to accomplish a four park challenge.

We do have to plan 24 months out, at least I do. I have to figure out how to use my DVC investment the best way. Part of that is trying to guess what Disney is doing, since they don't tell anybody anything. These types of threads are very useful.

I wouldn't take lack of FP+ availability as a sign of anything. Until a week or so ago, there were no FP+ available for TSMM. Then, all of a sudden, they all became available. I think the system is just glitchy.

 

[soniam]

Im going to ask the mods to move it to the splitting hairs forum...

Or maybe the Specious Arguments forum

 

[btk2333]

This should have been the fifth gate.

They're letting the bean counters run the show again, led by the Chief Weatherman in Charge...

Why on earth would you want a fifth gate when the third and fourth gates (and even the second really) are in such desperate need for love?

 

[bcrook]

I wouldn't take lack of FP+ availability as a sign of anything. Until a week or so ago, there were no FP+ available for TSMM. Then, all of a sudden, they all became available. I think the system is just glitchy.

Believe me I'm not losing any sleep over it.

 

[Fizban]

I can't help to think that we are being misled about all of this 'expansion' talk at Hollywood Studios. Don't get me wrong, the proposed changes are exciting. But, the reality is, it is in no way, shape, or form, an expansion. In fact, if we are to believe what we are hearing, it's quite possible that there will actually be a net attraction loss at Hollywood Studios when this is all over.

Attractions that have already closed at HS

• Art of Animation / Animation Academy
• Jack Sparrow
• Backlot Tour
• American Idol

Attractions at risk because of 'expansion' (maybe not, all, but most certainly some)

• One Man's Dream (totally ridiculous if they don't find a home for this)
• Voyage of Little Mermaid
• Indiana Jones OR LMA & Muppets
• HISTK Playground

Are the new lands going to have a combined 7-8 new attractions to make up for the ones that are lost, let alone be considered an 'expansion'? I highly doubt it. My understanding is that Toy Story Land is getting 2 new attractions (2.5 if you count the extra TSM track). The talk is that Star Wars land will only add 2-3 attractions as well. By my count, we're headed to a net loss in the number of attractions. Sure, they may be higher quality, but a net loss nonetheless.

And, you can't count 'new' restaurants and shopping into the mix because we all know that they will simply re-theme the ones that are already there.

Bottom line, this is a park refurb, not an expansion. It is not the same as Avatarland at AK, which will actually add to the number of things to do in the park. This just changes what you do at HS, not how much you can do.

I foresee fewer, more popular, attractions, resulting in extreme crowds in a park that does not have the ability to disperse the crowds as well as MK or Epcot. Get ready for the backlash when reality hits with people that are super-excited about this now.

The reason as i see it (and you all know my comments are IMO) is because they dont want to tell the public that yes they are indeed missing a park due to their failures to keep up with other theme parks. While a lot of Disney apoligists (sp) will say look at the future, most of us realists will tell you that HS is not worth visiting any longer. Again this is all my opinion and you can take it as such.

 

[bcrook]

The reason as i see it (and you all know my comments are IMO) is because they dont want to tell the public that yes they are indeed missing a park due to their failures to keep up with other theme parks. While a lot of Disney apoligists (sp) will say look at the future, most of us realists will tell you that HS is not worth visiting any longer. Again this is all my opinion and you can take it as such.

It was the best of times,
It was the worst of times...

 

[amg35]

The reason as i see it (and you all know my comments are IMO) is because they dont want to tell the public that yes they are indeed missing a park due to their failures to keep up with other theme parks. While a lot of Disney apoligists (sp) will say look at the future, most of us realists will tell you that HS is not worth visiting any longer. Again this is all my opinion and you can take it as such.

And then there is the other 98% of us who don't care what they call it and never cared or even thought about Disney having a fifth gate - we are just excited for new stuff (for no other reason than just liking new stuff)


But then we aren't very fun to debate with, are we

 

[jcemom]

Attractions that have already closed at HS

• Art of Animation / Animation Academy -- isn't this being replaced by Star Wars Launch Bay?
• Jack Sparrow -- add in Alien Saucer Ride
• Backlot Tour -- add in Slinky Dog Coaster
• American Idol -- hasn't this been replaced by the Frozen Sing Along?

Attractions at risk because of 'expansion' (maybe not, all, but most certainly some)

• One Man's Dream (totally ridiculous if they don't find a home for this) -- hopefully this stays or they find a new home for it
• Voyage of Little Mermaid
• Indiana Jones OR LMA & Muppets -- add in Star Wars attraction #1
• HISTK Playground -- add in Star Wars attraction #2

I'm not seeing a big loss here, especially if there are minor Star Wars attractions added. They announced two major attractions, I believe, but no mention of what else will be included. There very well may be something smaller, some sort of entertainment, or something.

I don't even consider Jack Sparrow and Backlot Tour losses. Backlot we haven't done in years, and Jack Sparrow was a one and done type of thing. I don't know if that would have stayed much longer anyway, since that building always seemed to have things come and go regularly.

 

[DanBoris]

If you pull up the Google Earth view, it becomes apparent that the whole southern boundary can be pushed as far as the drainage canal, and all they'd have to do to accommodate that is move the inbound traffic to the parking lot just a bit further south.
View attachment 118738

That section of land is wetlands (shown in green on the RCID land suitability map), meaning that Disney will try to avoid building on it if at all possible. If the park needs to expand they will likely expand into the parking lot and then build a garage to replace the lost spots.

 

[wilkeliza]

That section of land is wetlands (shown in green on the RCID land suitability map), meaning that Disney will try to avoid building on it if at all possible. If the park needs to expand they will likely expand into the parking lot and then build a garage to replace the lost spots.

View attachment 118763

I think they will probably use the parade float sheds and possibly cast parking. Not sure if it is back cast parking or front but that's what I've heard even back when I was a CM in 2012/2013.

 

[jlwhitney]

Most of what has closed or might close ( NOT ALL ) wasn't anything special and never had waits nor had people fighting to get Fast Passes for.

 

[Delirium]

'Popularity' of the existing attractions aside, will any of the new attractions churn through the number of people that see Indiana Jones and LMA on a daily basis. If not, a park that has wait time issue because there is not enough to do, will have even a bigger problem because there will be fewer things to do and more people trying to do them.

 

[bcrook]

Attractions that have already closed at HS

• Art of Animation / Animation Academy -- isn't this being replaced by Star Wars Launch Bay?
• Jack Sparrow -- add in Alien Saucer Ride
• Backlot Tour -- add in Slinky Dog Coaster
• American Idol -- hasn't this been replaced by the Frozen Sing Along?

Attractions at risk because of 'expansion' (maybe not, all, but most certainly some)

• One Man's Dream (totally ridiculous if they don't find a home for this) -- hopefully this stays or they find a new home for it
• Voyage of Little Mermaid
• Indiana Jones OR LMA & Muppets -- add in Star Wars attraction #1
• HISTK Playground -- add in Star Wars attraction #2

I'm not seeing a big loss here, especially if there are minor Star Wars attractions added. They announced two major attractions, I believe, but no mention of what else will be included. There very well may be something smaller, some sort of entertainment, or something.

I don't even consider Jack Sparrow and Backlot Tour losses. Backlot we haven't done in years, and Jack Sparrow was a one and done type of thing. I don't know if that would have stayed much longer anyway, since that building always seemed to have things come and go regularly.

I think you just said what the OP said. Not an expansion, but a refurb. The replacement attractions will be better than what they are replacing. But that isn't really an expansion. Plus we will be without those attractions for up to 7 years before they are all replaced.

It would have been great to have both...

 

[bcrook]

Most of what has closed or might close ( NOT ALL ) wasn't anything special and never had waits nor had people fighting to get Fast Passes for.

That is key now isn't it. They need more attractions to absorb FP demand, but they still need the auxiliary stuff too like MK. Like that list I made earlier, DHS would have been better with Animation Academy, one mans dream, Indy, muppets, and add the three headliners.

 

[bcrook]

That section of land is wetlands (shown in green on the RCID land suitability map), meaning that Disney will try to avoid building on it if at all possible. If the park needs to expand they will likely expand into the parking lot and then build a garage to replace the lost spots.

View attachment 118763

This is probably why they are going to repurpose their existing footprint.