*Rumor* Iger at WDW

[rteetz]

Martin at wdwmagic says Indiana Jones is on borrowed time.

He also says that Horizons was never on top of a sink hole.

 

[eXo]

None of this bodes well for a trip in 5 months. It seems every time DHS has been coming up lately its closure this and closure that. It seems to me they have plenty of space they could start working with as-is without closing more of the park.

 

[Ismo]

Not surprised about Indiana Jones. I love the show, but how many times do I really want to see the same stunt show over and over again? The first time it was amazing, the second time was still very cool, but by the 3rd time I knew all of the tricks and it wasn't as fun. Maybe they'll end up adding an Indiana Jones ride like they have in DLR in the future.

 

[rteetz]

Not surprised about Indiana Jones. I love the show, but how many times do I really want to see the same stunt show over and over again? The first time it was amazing, the second time was still very cool, but by the 3rd time I knew all of the tricks and it wasn't as fun. Maybe they'll end up adding an Indiana Jones ride like they have in DLR in the future.

Well the Indiana jones ride in DLR uses the exact same ride system that AK has with Dinosaur.

 

[skier_pete]

I am sure we'll see some stuff trickle in over a few years, but I'm guessing most of it will be "done" just before 2021. I assume that's what they're aiming for.

If it is a DCA level overhaul, than yes I agree - they'll probably want it 100% done though for the 50th, so actually will probably be shooting for 2020. Remember, this is Disney. The 50th year celebration will probably start in December 2020 and run until May 2022.

 

[skier_pete]

Not surprised about Indiana Jones. I love the show, but how many times do I really want to see the same stunt show over and over again? The first time it was amazing, the second time was still very cool, but by the 3rd time I knew all of the tricks and it wasn't as fun. Maybe they'll end up adding an Indiana Jones ride like they have in DLR in the future.

Next time, volunteer to be in the show. THAT is a blast. My wife and I have both done it, and my DD hopes the show sticks around long enough that SHE can do it one day!

 

[DDLand]

A comparison was made between the somewhat lurching on-again-off-again-on-again approach to developing Hyperion/Disney Springs and attractions like Monsters Inc. and I think it is a fair one.

Yes they could plan, announce and build an attraction a reasonable speed but they almost never do. The lurching approach is apparent in practically every non-DVC construction program at WDW: Hyperion/Springs, Monsters Inc, Pixar Place, Star Wars, Avatar, New Fantasy Land.

The only outlier is Frozen Fo'Evah which was probably viewed as a hands-down no-brainer money grab. And to be honest, it doesn't even count as a new ride. Compared to a new ride, it's more like the makeover of the Pirates attraction to include Johnny Depp, Davey Jones and the Pirate training academy. A couple of new AAs, some video effects, a meet and greet, and toy sales. Ba-da-bing, ka-ching.

It's an interesting and significant piece of NewSpeak that Disney decided to re-christen the lurching approach to theme park development "extreme deliberation" ... in Iger's statement on the much-expected and much-ballyhooed Star Wars Land. Call it what you like, Bob. I'll be down the road checking out the new rides at Universal, SeaWorld and Busch while you're, ah, deliberating.

I'm not sure how accurate that is @Josh Hendy. Here's my take. We hear a lot of rumors from multiple divisions within WDC which all have their own agendas and expectations. Sometimes I'm sure we hear rumors that Cars Land is happening at WDW from Imagineering even though Corporate and TDO know there's no chance that's going to happen. Sometimes I suspect there are even those who leak plans to get public support. The two closest things we haven't gotten recently that were announced or basically announced were Star Wars and Hyperion. Besides that all the rumors have been internal or subject to change. Things change internally until they get what they want. If you compare it to Avatar, Harambe, ROL, Not so new NF, Star Tours, and even Disney Springs once announcements go out things do get going.

I think what you're saying about Frozen is valid if you are simply looking at the content delivery mechanism. Boat ride. Besides that similarities end there. I tend to think of ride systems as what a movie, TV show, or a book is. Just the way to tell a story. Just because you have two movies doesn't mean they're the same thing. There have been thousands of movies. In the same way you can build tons of different boat rides but have them be different. I think looking merely at the ride system and labeling the same thing isn't the right call. If Pirates is your expectation than I think you're going to be impressed. You do bring up some valid points though. Could they have done so much more? Oh yeah.

Update:So many fixes!

 

[umichigan10]

I'm not sure how accurate that is @Josh Hendy. Here's my take. We hear a lot of rumors from multiple divisions within WDC which all have their own agendas and expectations. Sometimes I'm sure we hear rumors that Cars Land is happening at WDW from Imagineering even though Corporate and TDO know there's no chance that's going to happen. Sometimes I suspect there are even those who leak plans to get public support. The two closest things we haven't gotten recently that were announced or basically announced were Star Wars and Hyperion. Besides that all the rumors have been internal or subject to change. Things change internally until they get what they want. If you compare it to Avatar, Harambe, ROL, Not so new NF, Star Tours, and even Disney Springs once announcements go out things do get going.

I think what you're saying about Frozen is valid if you are simply looking at the content delivery mechanism. Boat ride. Besides that similarities end there. I tend to think of ride systems as what a movie, TV show, or a book is. Just the way to tell a story. Just because you have two movies doesn't mean they're the same thing. There have been thousands of movies. In the same way you can build tons of different boat rides but have them be different. I think looking merely at the ride system and labeling the same thing isn't the right call. If Pirates is your expectation than I think you're going to be impressed. You do bring up some valid points though. Could they have done so much more? Oh yeah.

Update:So many fixes!

Things get announced and shelved though throughout park history. Like western river expedition (had its own model in MK for a while) and beastly kingdom sometimes things change in the company where things don't work out. I do agree the inner workings of TWDC ate ever changing and always changing though

 

[DDLand]

Things get announced and shelved though throughout park history. Like western river expedition (had its own model in MK for a while) and beastly kingdom sometimes things change in the company where things don't work out. I do agree the inner workings of TWDC ate ever changing and always changing though

Except recently the company has been much more cautious and deliberative in their announcements. When they announce something in this day and age they generally will build it. That's a difference between today's Disney and the 70s Disney or even the 90s Disney. Not saying they couldn't reverse course if they wanted to. They could. However once all that money is invested in designing and deploying construction equipment it becomes hard to turn back. Part of the problem of the Disney Decade for example is they announced stuff a decade away. Now Disney holds their cards close until they're only a few years away. It's a good strategy also followed by Uni. We didn't learn about VB until they already were moving dirt.

 

[916chipndale]

I agree that whatever they do at DHS will be done by the 50th barring something crazy. I am thinking about just waiting for my next trip to be for the 50th. Avatarland will be open, DHS expansion and maybe something else along the way.

 

[rteetz]

Spirit says that BILLIONS will be spent in WDW very soon but not all of it on DHS. The vast majority of it will be spent there tho.

 

[rteetz]

So just to recap. Iger and the board are in WDW. A massive budget seems to been approved. This budget will primarily focus on DHS but it seems small portions will go to other parks as well. Several sources have now said this to be true and all say this is a time to be excited for what the future of WDW can bring.

 

[luisov]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the estimate for DCA's 5 year renovation about 1.1 billion? This might be good after all. I assume Pandora and Frozen budgets are independent and were approved long ago, so this new budget would go mostly to DHS and minor work at the other parks. Is that the case?

 

[rteetz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the estimate for DCA's 5 year renovation about 1.1 billion? This might be good after all. I assume Pandora and Frozen budgets are independent and were approved long ago, so this new budget would go mostly to DHS and minor work at the other parks. Is that the case?

DCA was closer to 1.5-1.6. Correct pandora and frozen are separate. And correct that this new budget will be mostly for DHS but with minor work at other parks.

 

[umichigan10]

So just to recap. Iger and the board are in WDW. A massive budget seems to been approved. This budget will primarily focus on DHS but it seems small portions will go to other parks as well. Several sources have now said this to be true and all say this is a time to be excited for what the future of WDW can bring.

Makes me think this work is all definitely for the 50th

 

[OKW Lover]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the estimate for DCA's 5 year renovation about 1.1 billion? This might be good after all. I assume Pandora and Frozen budgets are independent and were approved long ago, so this new budget would go mostly to DHS and minor work at the other parks. Is that the case?

Either that or there will be a deafening silence.

 

[eXo]

Am I correct in that no one really knows what the board approved other than it was "billions"? And that we are hoping to hear what has been approved at D23 in August?

Also (these are honest questions, I don't know much about this), presumably if these were new plans they wouldn't have much to show at D23. So it is more likely these plans have been in development for sometime and are just now getting signed off on?

Knowing nothing about this (seems some have heard there would be a Pixar place and a Star Wars section), it makes sense to me that they would port the Cars Race ride from California Adventure over to Disney World. It seems they usually opt for existing rides over designing new ones. With Midway mania that gives them 2 pixar rides, and so maybe one more and they call it a day?

I'm guessing that by the time this is all said and down Tower of Terror, Aerosmith Coaster, Star Tours and Midway Mania will be the only rides/attractions leftover from the DHS days. Then again, that's pretty much all the rides they currently have.. ins't it? lol.

 

[Ismo]

Next time, volunteer to be in the show. THAT is a blast. My wife and I have both done it, and my DD hopes the show sticks around long enough that SHE can do it one day!

That's a good point, we've never done that. If it's still open in September, we'll give it a go!

 

[Ismo]

DCA was closer to 1.5-1.6. Correct pandora and frozen are separate. And correct that this new budget will be mostly for DHS but with minor work at other parks.

I'm guessing some of the money is going to go towards Epcot and maybe even a new nighttime show at MK?

Isn't the cars ride in DLR very similar to Test Track? I've never been on it but I've watched POV videos of the cars ride and other than the theme and the race between 2 cars at the end, the whole concept seems very similar. I definitely get Disney wanting to duplicate rides to save time and money, but I'd rather seem them push the boat out a bit.

 

[mcjaco]

He also says that Horizons was never on top of a sink hole.

How does anyone still even believe that is was?