MAJOR Announcement Tomorrow (a.k.a. Disney Springs)

[lockedoutlogic]

I know this is off topic but why is AKV's point chart less than most? Number of available rooms vs other DVC options?

Many theories:

First, akv has more categories...so while some are cheaper, some are not.

Second, there is the perception that the AK kingdom is "removed" from the property...I don't know that Disney would base points on this...but it has been floated.

Third, and I believe to be the truth: they learned the lesson of Saratoga.
And indeed...the point structures of both akv and even bay lake are more consistent with the location and offerings of the spots than Saratoga is on the whole.

Actually, animal kingdom is really a bargain if you looked at that.

 

[Robbi]

The new Disney Springs sounds good to me. DTD has become pretty awful.

We've stayed at SSR twice. The first time, I did not love it. In fact, I never wanted to stay there again. The second time was a whim trip and there was no availability elsewhere, so we booked. It was wonderful. The cast members were so nice.
Does this mean that SSR is our new favorite? No but we like it enough to stay there in the future.
I'd love to see a tie in between SSR and Disney Springs.
Yes, I think SSR was overbuilt.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The new Disney Springs sounds good to me. DTD has become pretty awful.

We've stayed at SSR twice. The first time, I did not love it. In fact, I never wanted to stay there again. The second time was a whim trip and there was no availability elsewhere, so we booked. It was wonderful. The cast members were so nice.
Does this mean that SSR is our new favorite? No but we like it enough to stay there in the future.
I'd love to see a tie in between SSR and Disney Springs.
Yes, I think SSR was overbuilt.

Again...couldn't agree more.

And we had a similar experience with Saratoga...first time we went with friends and liked nothing about it whatsoever.
Second time we extended for four days with the kids and thought it was pretty nice (and got trapped by snow for two more)...about 2 or 3 years back.

But again..it was nice and perhaps we'd go back..but everytime I go to book something...it ends up somewhere else.

In fact, we've been to boardwalk, animal kingdom, boardwalk, old key, and beach since...bay lake coming up...wilderness or GF on deck at the end of the year.

Don't know why that is...just always how it works out.

 

[nuts]

Get out of town...

But admit it: You were shocked by that...like as if you woke up the today with your head sewn to the carpet.

LOL yes I was shocked but I grudgingly accepted

Speaking of low cost ill planned...Boardwalk was built on a slim budget. Remember the water pipe fiasco? Lewis had a history of building with low quality products. We end up paying for the fixes through our dues.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

LOL yes I was shocked but I grudgingly accepted

Speaking of low cost ill planned...Boardwalk was built on a slim budget. Remember the water pipe fiasco? Lewis had a history of building with low quality products. We end up paying for the fixes through our dues.

Ahhhh...Disney dirt on this one.

The story is that Disney reneged on payments in the construction contract and the contractors actively sabotage the pipe system. Causing a two year delay and ridiculous cost overruns.

Perhaps it's urban legend...but a good one.

Boardwalk wouldn't have been built "on the cheap"...it was a pet project of Michael Eisner. Indeed he used one of the private lounges often as one of his favorite reception sites.

So there must have been another reason....nothing about boardwalk looks "cheap"...except no quickserve

 

[Buffalo2Disney]

Just saw on my twitter this morning that the press conference for the announcement of Disney Springs is going to happen this morning at 10am. Hopefully it happens this time excited to hear the news.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Just saw on my twitter this morning that the press conference for the announcement of Disney Springs is going to happen this morning at 10am. Hopefully it happens this time excited to hear the news.

It was on the Orlando Business Journal website as well...I'll be interested to see what details they have available and what the timeline is.

I would expect that this particular construction would be more fast tracked as opposed to some of the more recent theme
Park projects.

 

[ChrisnKim913]

Timeline not until 2016 but will be opened in phases. Link below has pics and details

 

[granmanh603]

Dead on...it's not your opinion...it's the fact (I'm not just a member...I'm also an owner in this case - like hair club for men)

Saratoga was a failed property (several times) that they used DVC to exploit and then went Ape in building 1000 units during the last economic stupidity cycle.

There are tens of thousands of points readily available for resale and I would surmise that many more were yielded back to DVC because they were purchased on credit. (As in cards, second mortgages, lines of credit, etc)

But you're right...people don't by and large choose it...they accept it when the other spots aren't available...it's too much.

For me it's the point structure...way out of whack. They built it cheap, sold it expensive, and tried to shake the points back out if the owners with a bogus point chart.

Why is it the same (basically) as wilderness lodge, beach club, and boardwalk?

Why is it not exactly the same as old key west?

The answers are "greed" and "stupidity" and they basically ****y trapped the whole DVC system with it.

Why should I be able to walk into EPCOT from beach club for one more point a night? Or boardwalk for less?

Shouldn't...it was a mistake...even to a moron like me who bought it (because it was all that was for sale new at the time)

Wow could not have said it better myself... am DVC owner at SSR(used it as an add on points) and BWV, but we do stay there if we don't have too but My husband likes it???? I will say it is nice and quiet for the days when you don't want to go to parks and the foliage is filling in so it looks nicer and they have improved the buses(now if BWV would just do that have waited often over 40 min for bus because they are full from other hotels on loop and pass us by) but it urks me at the point value. no way as good or convenient as BC, BWV VWL etc

Not sure if new Disney Spring will be good or bad.

 

[FlipHipster]

Agree with other posters about lack of draw at DTD. We only do it to kill time on the first or last days usually. There just isn't anything there that begs a visit even for the adults, just a place to eat or buy merchandise without buying a park ticket. Would much rather have a nice dinner and stroll around world showcase or something than hang out in a bar at DTD. Call me crazy...

Glad to see that Disney is making changes, but still don't see anything in the plans that makes me think holy cow we have to carve out a day or 2 for Disney Springs. Having said that, I am sure we'll go and spend some dough regardless.

As far as SSR, always thought it was a location issue with DVC'rs. Its not a crappy resort, just not in the most desirable location for most family's. Easy access to DTD is not as desirable as being on the monorail loop or walking to Epcot or DHS. I bet if you could pick that resort up and drop it on the bank of 7 seas lagoon just like it is now, it would fill up yesterday and more owners would be using their points there.

Hopefully they are learning from their mistakes and not making the same ones again.

 

[rteetz]

I believe this will be an amazing transformation of DTD that's one place in disney that hasn't really been updated in years. This will bring hundreds of jobs and new places for people to go. its great that they are keeping pretty much everything that is already there and everything else will be an add on. I loved DTD before but now this will be even better DS will give this area new life.

 

[jagfanjosh3252]

I wish they would have updated te parks. It's just my opinion. But I dunno. I still think this is kinda cool. Looking forward to new eateries

 

[dcibrando]

I wish they would have updated te parks. It's just my opinion. But I dunno. I still think this is kinda cool. Looking forward to new eateries

they will... this investment will have guaranteed payoffs due to vendors renting and people buying "stuff" constantly... DHS expansion announcement coming soon

 

[mariapicardikenyon]

Great news!! Hope some of it is done in time for my wedding!

 

[mm1971]

I wish they would have updated te parks. It's just my opinion. But I dunno. I still think this is kinda cool. Looking forward to new eateries

they will... this investment will have guaranteed payoffs due to vendors renting and people buying "stuff" constantly... DHS expansion announcement coming soon

Agreed. This will provide one more revenue stream that can be used to fund additional projects. The rumor is that the DHS expansion will be announced in May. TT at EPCOT just got an update and I'm sure there will be a few more changes coming. Still working on MK and AK renovations are starting.

Lots of new stuff in the plans from what we see. Hopefully the impact of walls and covers while construction is going on will be minimal.

 

[johnGorski]

Although personally I would welcome a major dhs expansion, with FLE and Avatar it's unlikely in the near future.

 

[jvptravels]

My 2cents...

Does anyone think their will be a charge, Or will it remain to be free? Maybe even a low cover charge for the entire area?

Wouldn't it be kinda dumb to charge admission to a shopping/dining district?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

they will... this investment will have guaranteed payoffs due to vendors renting and people buying "stuff" constantly... DHS expansion announcement coming soon

You have an interesting take...

just not a disney corporate one...
So you're saying that they are doing a DTD expansion to pay off further attraction expansions in Parks that not only don't create new revenue streams...but actually add to the overhead and shrink the bottom-line?

Well...i guess that's not entirely impossible...
or perhaps the expansion of downtown is to create revenue streams that equal PROFIT...which are located almost entirely in the sale of merchandise...and keep it? Maybe higher profits lead to higher stock prices lead to more shares which drives up the price of said shares which leads to even more money/higher value of compensation to executives and board members...???

think? perhaps?

The thing about studios is that considering how small a park it is compared to the others...it does very well in attendance. Magic Kingdom is a huge money maker...so the expansion of space in fantasyland (along with more junk peddling) realistically will draw more in comfortably and increase revenue.
AK is high overhead and its attendance is not good in comparison...so expansion there is an operational necessity to recoup overhead and push towards profit.
EPCOT - again, high overhead...needs constant money to maintain draw (indeed...its attendance is lagging...making it alot higher priority to the suits than we think)
Downtown? All about merchandise...moving towards outsourcing...even more profit per dollar spent. No brainer why money is being put there.

Studios...hmmm...doesn't quite fit the recipe for capital investment in my book. It will get its due...but the assumption that its getting a 500+ addition in the next couple of years seems to be a fools errand. Just how it seems from the accountants desk.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

Who wants to enjoy a night out at a place that sounds like a nursing home?

~LOL. I just commented that the name alone would deter certain groups.

I wonder if they are taking that idea from the success of the High Line Park here in NYC.

~I saw the link you posted in another thread. High Line Park looks fabulous! I love the concept, too.