News Round Up 2016

[rteetz]

I just don't see how they can put a canal in to connect that piece of land with Epcot. Well they can but wouldn't they have to go under at least Buena Vista

A bridge isn't hard to do.

 

[linzbear]

I just don't see how they can put a canal in to connect that piece of land with Epcot. Well they can but wouldn't they have to go under at least Buena Vista

Or over. Already a lot of water bridges on property.

 

[rteetz]

Started a thread on the reported new phone recharging program coming to WDW.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Or over. Already a lot of water bridges on property.

But no waterbridges were ever done as a retrofit...

You'd have to "sink" the road...Gravity has this funny effect on water

 

[DisneyGeekyParadise]

Why in the world did they get rid of Louis? Oh no, that friendly alligator playing the trumpet and dancing with tiana and friends is SURELY going to traumatize my child!

 

[davish562]

The docks are possible but there are grassy areas around the poly they can be viewed from. There is also that hill near the DVC rooms that they can be viewed from. They have installed several new speakers around the poly grounds recently.

Thanks Rteetz, I am fifteen and last visited Disney World in 2010. I stayed at the Polynesian. I just looked on google maps of the beach area, is the grass by the second dock entrance to the bungalows the area you are talking about? That's where I saw them with my friends on my last visit. No joke I saw an alligator in the long grass in the shallow water near there, I thought the alligator was very cool. I'm sad that they're closing off the beaches at night though.

 

[Mom of Jack 2009]

Spirited rumor

The Grand Floridian has seen a lot of cancellations since the attack.

WDW is evaluating everything that has an alligator or crocodile in it and whether or not they should get rid of them.

I wonder how this will affect Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter? In addition to naming an area Alligator Bayou, they have an alligator on the Murphy beds at POR and at French Quarter there are alligator band figures.

 

[tarheelblue8853]

Rumors I've seen say they will build a canal and have boat transportation from the DVC portion of the resort to Epcot.

We all like to hate on Jim Hill from time to time, myself included, but if this comes to pass like this then we'd have to give him some credit because I believe he said something like this about 2 years ago. Regarding CBR and the canal. Can't say for sure if he was the first though.

 

[rteetz]

We all like to hate on Jim Hill from time to time, myself included, but if this comes to pass like this then we'd have to give him some credit because I believe he said something like this about 2 years ago. Regarding CBR and the canal. Can't say for sure if he was the first though.

Yep. I mentioned that Jim Hill and Spirit from wdwmagic had this long ago in the other thread.

 

[rteetz]

Rumor

Sum of all thrills will close by the end of the year. It was expected to close by the end of this month but that has been pushed back.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Rumor

Sum of all thrills will close by the end of the year. It was expected to close by the end of this month but that has been pushed back.

I had been meaning to ask if there were any updates to that plan. I wonder if it'll still be open for our trip after Thanksgiving. Time will tell, I guess.

 

[Fantasia79]

I find this a very shocking addition with how much Disney likes squeezing every nickel and dime out of their consumers.

Agreed. I think they figured out they can get people to pay $14 for nearly free popcorn and then have to spend crazy money on sodas from all the salt.

 

[skier_pete]

Maybe I don't know enough about how the points system works, but could they charge a similar amount per point but just require a lot less points to stay there?

If so it could work as people who have points elsewhere could go twice to this location or people who buy here could stay elsewhere once every two years, or something

The cheapest regular studio at OKW can run you between 10 points a night and as high as 26, though typically between 10-19 per night outside of high season. The most "expensive" studios at Poly and Grand Floridian (lake view) are 20-42 points per night, depending on the season.

. Even if you went with smaller accommodations, they aren't going to want to sell less than 8-16 points per night - the cost would just be TOO low. . I don't want to come off like a DVC snob or anything, because we spent a lot of years staying at moderates and enjoyed them very much, but doubt they very much want to add a DVC property that's a "lesser" property. They also would have to price it SOOO low. In order to make it compare favorable to just renting a moderate room, you would have to price it so the point costs per night only come out to $50-125 per night in maintenance fees costs - and quite honestly Disney would not look at that as profitable enough.

What I more picture is a resort similar to OKW or SSR - not a true moderate, but not as luxe as say VGF or Poly. Points would be in the same range as those resorts - not some lower rate.

 

[Fantasia79]

The gator attack was terribly tragic and as a father, I certainly feel for that family, nor can I imagine their grief or want to.

Crocodile images will probably go away for a few years, then come back without much pomp & circumstance.

The over reaction to beaches/bungalow is a bit much. It's like people think there will be an alligator flying at you from all directions once you're in central Florida. You're not waking up one sleeping in your bed either. They're not running out of the water and grabbing people off sidewalks. They're not climbing up the walls of the grand. I hope a majority of this is out of respect to that family that deserves the respect, and not catering to a public enfatuated with fear dejour.

 

[Fantasia79]

I am very interested and watching closely with what will happen with points/price per point at Caribbean Beach.

Disney has a big decision to make with real consequences: they could devalue current points, create a system where you only stay home resort (maybe), create a gold rush for points, or create two tiers of DVC owners.

Animal Kingdom had the value rooms (due to small sized rooms apparently), if they create a new resort for lower points, they have some precedent. Buying in a high rate......wow

 

[Budshark]

$175 a point
6/Pts week night
$4.50 maintenance fees

Over 7 years (standard) DVC pay back, comes to $177/night for an updated moderate. Not great not bad for customer.

For Disney they get on a point / maint fee about 18% cash to cash. Deluxe DVCs are closer to 25% - but without the food and deluxe amenities? I can see them giving this a go. I'm going with sub 8 point value season studios and points priced the same.

 

[zaccaglin]

Tikiman reported that the beaches were open this evening for wishes. They were manned but we're open.

 

[zaccaglin]

Warning signs now posted near drainage canals in the parking lots.

 

[LSLS]

Im going to call this the "snowflake" effect...Disney doesn't want to deal with parents who might complain that their precious little snowflake may be "traumatized" by Tic Toc or Louis. I mean, can parents not just have a conversation with their kids? The fact is that many parents put WAY more emphasis on this than their kids. UGH I truly hope they don't overreact.

I think this goes back to why they didn't have signs in the first place. They don't want guests thinking about it. I doubt it has much to do about kids, but more to do with keeping gators off the minds of parents (because tic to croc in a parade wil suddenly make parents think of gator attacks and cancel the rest of their vacation along with all future ones).

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The cheapest regular studio at OKW can run you between 10 points a night and as high as 26, though typically between 10-19 per night outside of high season. The most "expensive" studios at Poly and Grand Floridian (lake view) are 20-42 points per night, depending on the season.

. Even if you went with smaller accommodations, they aren't going to want to sell less than 8-16 points per night - the cost would just be TOO low. . I don't want to come off like a DVC snob or anything, because we spent a lot of years staying at moderates and enjoyed them very much, but doubt they very much want to add a DVC property that's a "lesser" property. They also would have to price it SOOO low. In order to make it compare favorable to just renting a moderate room, you would have to price it so the point costs per night only come out to $50-125 per night in maintenance fees costs - and quite honestly Disney would not look at that as profitable enough.

What I more picture is a resort similar to OKW or SSR - not a true moderate, but not as luxe as say VGF or Poly. Points would be in the same range as those resorts - not some lower rate.

This is it to a T