Fantasyland expansion being scaled back?

[doconeill]

I didn't see this mentioned here yet...

Jim Hill (yes, I know...but wait) has an article about the probability that the entire Fantasyland expansion being scaled back significantly - as in the only real change could be the Ariel ride!

Are Disney's plans for WDW's Fantasyland Forest now being revised?


I usually don't place a lot of credence in what he puts out, but this isn't the only place I've heard it - a poster on the theme parks boards posted a couple days ago about changes in the plans. I haven't seen much to make me believe that poster either (he could be Hill in disguise, or the same mole that feeds him...) but these are not word for word identical posts - there are differences that make it seem like they came from the same base. And Hill's article does make some valid points.

There also was a report that a permit was filed for something called a "Dumbo Fastpass Clock". If Dumbo is still moving to an area that they haven't even started clearing yet, why would the permit already be submitted?

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I would be very surprised if this was true especially since I noticed a lot of construction going on last week at MK. They also had official signs and artist renderings of the various areas on the construction walls. They specifically advertised Belle's area, etc.

 

[doconeill]

Disney's announced a lot of things that never happened, so it's nothing new...

 

[*NikkiBell*]

True, but to have the pics and detailed descriptions up in the spot it's going to be? I dunno.

 

[Quacktatty]

Jim Hill could tell me my name, address, birthday, whatever, and I wouldn't believe him...

 

[BeamsofLight]

Jim Hill (yes, I know...but wait)

I don't really have a comment on whether or not it's been scaled back (I would be inclined to doubt it, I guess), but I did have to say this phrasing made me snort out loud. Pretty loudly, in fact. So, kudos for that.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Quite the interesting article. I know you can't always believe Jim Hill, but I'd say he is right as often as he is wrong. Also, this article does make sense. Alot of people were grumbling about the Princess focus of the expansion. I was most excited about the Ariel ride and Be Our Guest restaurant and those two things, according to the article, are still a go, so that's good IMHO, but I won't be sorry if they don't do all the Princess meeting places, I thought those were a bit silly anyway. I'd trade them for a cool new ride in Frontierland...which makes me think, maybe something to do with Woody and Jessie? Or maybe not, but as long as it's not a Marvel Superhero ride, it'll be okay by me.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

His reasoning (leadership change and different endgames) makes some sense.

There's actually quite a history of the parks starting work on something and it never happening. The Beastly Kingdom section of Animal Kingdom is just one example. It was so far cemented into the development process that the outline of a dragon was put in all park logos. You can even still see it in some places (i.e. on the benches near the bus stops).

Another example can be found on the Little Mermaid DVD (a few years ago). There's a virtual mock-up of a ride-through attraction that was developed and even begun to be constructed before they scrapped plans.

Then you have Great River Mesa (the brainchild of Imagineer Marc Davis, I believe), the original portion of Frontierland MK that was supposed to be built with at least two attractions involved, but it was scaled back and eventually became Big Thunder Mountain and, years later, Splash Mountain.

Finally, over at Universal, they initial design for the big ticket ride that became Forbidden Journey was that you'd be in The Weasley's flying car. Rumor has it (and it's just rumor) that they even tested vehicles when they first acquired the Kuka technology.

It is odd that they put the huge murals up on the construction wall, but since these are easily removed, it's possible their thinking is that there won't be massive amounts of people that will know plans have changed (really, it'll just be hardcore fans like us).

- D

 

[doconeill]

One thing from the article I wasn't sure about...the 20k building - at least looking at Google Earth, I don't see a building for them to retain the wall from...

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

Jim Hill could tell me my name, address, birthday, whatever, and I wouldn't believe him...

I've only been reading Jim's stuff for a year or two.... regarding what has he been horribly off?

- D

 

[doconeill]

I've only been reading Jim's stuff for a year or two.... regarding what has he been horribly off?

- D

He's had a history (in my mind at least) of making "done deal" statements on what amounts to blue sky ideas that have a long way to go to actually happening. He's also ranted about changes to some things that had actually happened some time in the past...I remember him reporting/complaining that they stopped the free Santa pictures at MVMCP, a year or two after they actually stopped...

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

Jim Hill could tell me my name, address, birthday, whatever, and I wouldn't believe him...

He's had a history (in my mind at least) of making "done deal" statements on what amounts to blue sky ideas that have a long way to go to actually happening. He's also ranted about changes to some things that had actually happened some time in the past...I remember him reporting/complaining that they stopped the free Santa pictures at MVMCP, a year or two after they actually stopped...

Ahhhh....

Well - we won't know the validity of his claims for months, if not years, but his reasoning makes sense to me.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Didn't Jim Hill write a big article about the Nightly Kingdom coming to Disney? I remember reading it and it had alot of detail and seemed like a sure thing.

One thing about the article....he talks about people waiting in line to get in the HP shops, but that is partly because the shops are so SMALL, I doubt Disney is going to start building tiny shops so they can have lines!

The merchandise at HP is new. People are excited to be able to buy some fun HP stuff as there isn't much out there in the regular market now. That will die down.

 

[WebmasterPete]

Jim Hill could tell me my name, address, birthday, whatever, and I wouldn't believe him...

I have to disagree. I've never met Jim but I have a lot of respect for his blog and he puts himself out there in ways most other Disney bloggers don't. He's made a lot of predictions that have come to pass and he's extremely knowledgeable about Disney from both a fan and business perspective. He reports what he hears - sometimes it turns out to happen, sometimes it doesn't - but like I said, he at least puts himself out there and being someone that does a show every week, I have a great deal of respect for that.

Pete

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

Didn't Jim Hill write a big article about the Nightly Kingdom coming to Disney? I remember reading it and it had alot of detail and seemed like a sure thing.

That was Jim Hill, but from other things I read at the time (and a few since), that was definitely in the works until economic projections started taking a turn for the worse and the powers-that-be realized there might not be a market for such an expensive "niche" park.

In my opinion, just because he reported it and Disney canceled it doesn't make it any less truthful that it was being planned. He can't help if Disney changes their minds. It'd be like a family planning a trip to WDW, and then having to cancel (due to money or illness) to which their friends would say, "see, you were wrong...you were never going to go in the first place."

 

[WaltD4Me]

That was Jim Hill, but from other things I read at the time (and a few since), that was definitely in the works until economic projections started taking a turn for the worse and the powers-that-be realized there might not be a market for such an expensive "niche" park.

In my opinion, just because he reported it and Disney canceled it doesn't make it any less truthful that it was being planned. He can't help if Disney changes their minds. It'd be like a family planning a trip to WDW, and then having to cancel (due to money or illness) to which their friends would say, "see, you were wrong...you were never going to go in the first place."

I like Jim Hill. I read his blog pretty often and like his insights, that article about Nightly Kingdom just popped into my head when you asked about things he has posted that weren't accurate. You are right though, at the time it might have been 100% accurate and then Disney nixed it. But wasn't there something about Nightly Kingdom being hoax put out by Motley Fools? I can't remember the details, but I thought it came out that is wasn't ever something Disney was thinking, but a rumor Motley Fool started maybe for April Fool's?

 

[gkrykewy]

He's also ranted about changes to some things that had actually happened some time in the past...I remember him reporting/complaining that they stopped the free Santa pictures at MVMCP, a year or two after they actually stopped...

our friendly neighborhood podcast has done this a time or two as well...

 

[doconeill]

our friendly neighborhood podcast has done this a time or two as well...

In Jim Hill's case, he was saying they had just removed it for that year, but it had been removed at least a year prior.

Like I said, he gets info ranging from total bluesky ideas to planned projects, but they all at various stages can get round-filed and often did. Unfortunately they are sometimes indistinguishable from made-up rumors...

He was pretty much right about the Animation resort though...and he mentioned that about a year before...

 

[BriarRosie]

I've met Jim Hill (and his ex-wife, who had been a contributor to the now defunct Disney Magazine), and they have some decent Disney insider connections.

I think Jim is a really good "yarn spinner". He does share a lot of stories I find interesting on another Disney podcast I listen to. While a lot of his posts don't pan out, I think he has valid access to info. He also knows what he can and cannot share, in order to keep his Disney sources protected.

That's my .02.

 

[DavidandLeahZ]

But wasn't there something about Nightly Kingdom being hoax put out by Motley Fools? I can't remember the details, but I thought it came out that is wasn't ever something Disney was thinking, but a rumor Motley Fool started maybe for April Fool's?

Might have been...I've never read Motley Fools (heard of them, but never read).