News Round Up

[BrytEydBelle]

Would love this. I am a big fan of the Pixar movies (and am in the minority that hates Star Wars) so this would give me more reason to spend a day at DHS.

 

[mvk]

I doubt the pixar place rumor too. More likely the whole park will be renamed (again) and drop much of the studio theme if they go all in. (If that bigger rumbling rumor is true means the great movie ride goes too)

I wouldn't hold my breath for any of it actually happening though.

I would guess it would be Disney Studios or Walt Disney Studios, nothing drastically different. Though I think they'll keep it Disney Hollywood Studios, and keep the Hollywood/Sunset areas thematically correct, with the Theater/GMR there.

They'll have areas for LucasFilms (with or without Indy), Muppet Studios, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation (along with the Hollywood/Sunset areas). Keeping the IP's together in studio clusters would help give the park some organization, and help it live up to a Studios name, in a sense.

 

[jon18uk]

I would guess it would be Disney Studios or Walt Disney Studios, nothing drastically different. Though I think they'll keep it Disney Hollywood Studios, and keep the Hollywood/Sunset areas thematically correct, with the Theater/GMR there.

They'll have areas for LucasFilms (with or without Indy), Muppet Studios, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation (along with the Hollywood/Sunset areas). Keeping the IP's together in studio clusters would help give the park some organization, and help it live up to a Studios name, in a sense.

One other idea that has been talked about is Disney Hollywood Adventure.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

One other idea that has been talked about is Disney Hollywood Adventure.

I wouldn't get the point of the name change...or why they keep wasting time on this at all...

Are they worried that the "studios" moniker is being taken seriously...

I mean...has anyone cared about that? (I'm asking)

 

[Reddog1134]

I wouldn't get the point of the name change...or why they keep wasting time on this at all...

Are they worried that the "studios" moniker is being taken seriously...

I mean...has anyone cared about that? (I'm asking)

I've actually seen a lot of posts asking "Why is it still called 'Studios' when the studios have been gone for years?"

My point is "It was never in Hollywood either". There are plenty of things in WDW that names aren't literal. For some reason, some people have a hard time accepting this name because it WAS literal at one time.

 

[rteetz]

The Planet Hollywood outdoor retail location (found at Downtown Disney) closed on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, due to construction walls being placed in the area to make way for hardscape work for future phases of the Disney Springs expansion. Construction walls will remain up around Planet Hollywood in various stages through 2016. Planet Hollywood merchandise will still be available at the retail location inside the restaurant, as well as at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2014/09/downtown-disney-planet-hollywood.html

 

[PFopma]

A Pixar Place expansion is fine but please leave that god-awful Toy Story Playland in Paris. We just visited there this past Summer and although I loved Disneyland Paris I did not care for the Walt Disney Studios at all. The new Remy area is nice but I was shocked at the rest of the park. The layout was poor - it reminded me of Universal Studios in Hollywood. I have always loved the fact that Disney attractions are unique but Toy Story Land was nothing but a bunch of traditional theme park rides with a Toy Story theme. The Green Army men parachutes, Slinky Dog (aka Caterpillar), and RC Racer (think swinging pirate ship) attractions are all based on boring traditional theme park rides. It might be a great area for very young kids but we left in 5 minutes. At least Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area had some imagination. TS Playland in Paris was like the Imagineers decided to take the day off when they were planning it! It's the only time I remember being disappointed in a Disney Park (and yes I have been to the OLD California Adventure).

 

[Reddog1134]

It's the only time I remember being disappointed in a Disney Park (and yes I have been to the OLD California Adventure).

Really? Because it sounds like you just described the old Paradise Pier section of DCA (which had even less original themeing).

 

[lockedoutlogic]

A Pixar Place expansion is fine but please leave that god-awful Toy Story Playland in Paris. We just visited there this past Summer and although I loved Disneyland Paris I did not care for the Walt Disney Studios at all. The new Remy area is nice but I was shocked at the rest of the park. The layout was poor - it reminded me of Universal Studios in Hollywood. I have always loved the fact that Disney attractions are unique but Toy Story Land was nothing but a bunch of traditional theme park rides with a Toy Story theme. The Green Army men parachutes, Slinky Dog (aka Caterpillar), and RC Racer (think swinging pirate ship) attractions are all based on boring traditional theme park rides. It might be a great area for very young kids but we left in 5 minutes. At least Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area had some imagination. TS Playland in Paris was like the Imagineers decided to take the day off when they were planning it! It's the only time I remember being disappointed in a Disney Park (and yes I have been to the OLD California Adventure).

Thanks for the review...

I was at that park in 2006 and it honestly was so embarassing it should have been bulldozed.

It was a couple of plain buildings in a square with a hastily constructed rockinroller coaster and a tower of terror under hasty construction at the time.

This is a bigger point...
One of the reasons Eisner lost his job was that he couldn't talk to other Hollywood brass without being 100% arrogant...

The other...was building bad parks. DCA and studios Paris... And Hong Kong under construction that has struggled.
Animal kingdom wasnt a bad park... But it was sliced in half and opened early in bad taste. Studios also...as the great movie ride was basically the ONLY attraction on opening day.

Studios has been the little brother park for 25 years.
I honestly want then to do nothing...or rebuild it into a respectable full gate.

I don't want a dabble more of Pixar or a dabble of Lucas...
Start with dirt moving and out the infrastructure for significant expansion in place. Then time is on your side.

The problem is that dirt doesn't directly fund stock prices...
So what shall we get? (Mine is still nothing... And yes expanding toy story mania is nothing)

Fascinating to watch, nonetheless.

 

[rteetz]

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2014/09/confirmed-studio-backlot-tour-closes-september-27th-2014/

 

[cel_disney]

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2014/09/confirmed-studio-backlot-tour-closes-september-27th-2014/

Wow - that's really short notice! We will be at DHS on the 29th - guess that can come out of the touring plan!!

 

[rteetz]

Dates for refurbishment

Splash Mountain - Jan 4th-30th 2015
Kali River Rapids - Jan 20th-Feb 4th

I'll just miss splash mountain darn it

 

[rteetz]

Some updates at DTD

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2014/09/downtown-disney-project-updates-sept-21.html

 

[ell13]

Dates for refurbishment

Splash Mountain - Jan 4th-30th 2015
Kali River Rapids - Jan 20th-Feb 4th

I'll just miss splash mountain darn it

I'm just missing it, too. Not very happy about it. Missed it in 2013 as well. And this may be my grandparents' last trip. It was one of their favorite rides.

ETA: Just took a look at our sigs... we're getting there the same date. Running one of the races? We're doing the Dopey challenge.

 

[rteetz]

I'm just missing it, too. Not very happy about it. Missed it in 2013 as well. And this may be my grandparents' last trip. It was one of their favorite rides. ETA: Just took a look at our sigs... we're getting there the same date. Running one of the races? We're doing the Dopey challenge.

I'll be in the 10k only I've never done a race before so I thought that would be a good place to start.

 

[ell13]

It's a great place to start! Good luck!!!

 

[rteetz]

It's a great place to start! Good luck!!!

Thanks and good luck to you too.

 

[rteetz]

Support for Pal Mickey, the original interactive guide at the parks that was introduced in 2008, will be ending this week.

From September 27 2014, the plush Pal Mickey will no longer work at Walt Disney World. Pal Mickey uses a series of infra-red transmitters around the parks, which is now an aging technology, and has mostly been replaced with RFID as part of MyMagic+.

Using the infra-red locators positioned around the parks, Pal Mickey shared location aware timesaving tips, fun facts and jokes.

Via wdwmagic.com

 

[rteetz]

Monorail schedule starting September 27th.

Magic Kingdom Resort beam - 7am to 1 hour after park close
Magic Kingdom Express beam - 8:30am to 1 hour following park close
Epcot beam - 8am to 11pm or 1 hour after Magic Kingdom closes (whichever is earliest)

 

[rteetz]

Here is a great aerial update on the construction of Disney Springs.


http://damouse.com/2014/09/19/soar-...n-site-give-your-farewell-to-pleasure-island/