Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

[CyForDisney]

I don't know how many of you remember the problems and delays they had with Test Track. Compared to that debacle, this seems minor.

This. I remember going to Disney twice after it was scheduled to be completed and it still wasn't done! I think it was scheduled to open 1997 and didn't fully open until 1999. I still remember being disappointed twice but when I was finally able to ride it, it was well worth the wait! Bottom line, I don't think Snow White will be postponed 2 years like Test Track was.

 

[BenKling]

Oh man, I thought for sure that it would be open by our trip in May. I really can't believe it's taking so long!

Maybe the Diagon Alley opening will line up with our trip, so we can go to that instead...

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

Has anyone heard when this is supposed to open? Everything I have seen just says Spring 2014. We are going in May and wondered if we might be able to experience it!

~I know I must sound like a broken record but......

~Back when Disney announced the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train several years ago, way back when -- my original prediction was that it would not debut until the FP+ and Magic bands were online, so guests could reserve a FP+ in advance. I never expected the 7DMT or FP+/Magicbands to be ready in 2013, at all, despite all of the rumors. I was expecting everything to be up and running by Spring Break of 2014.

~But, now there is this "June" thing that has surfaced and it appears to be credible. This makes no sense to me. We have been waiting on this coaster forever. The first time I heard about June for the mine train -- I immediately said, Disney must be trying to line this up against Universal's Diagon Alley which is also supposed to debut in June. If this is true, I think it's ridiculous. June is just unreal.

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201401/3844/

 

[JanaDee]

~I know I must sound like a broken record but......

~Back when Disney announced the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train several years ago, way back when -- my original prediction was that it would not debut until the FP+ and Magic bands were online, so guests could reserve a FP+ in advance. I never expected the 7DMT or FP+/Magicbands to be ready in 2013, at all, despite all of the rumors. I was expecting everything to be up and running by Spring Break of 2014.

~But, now there is this "June" thing that has surfaced and it appears to be credible. This makes no sense to me. We have been waiting on this coaster forever. The first time I heard about June for the mine train -- I immediately said, Disney must be trying to line this up against Universal's Diagon Alley which is also supposed to debut in June. If this is true, I think it's ridiculous. June is just unreal.

Were FP+ and Magic Bands even announced way back when they announced the SDMT?

 

[JanaDee]

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201401/3844/

Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

All of the expansion at Universal and putting money back into their parks is really making Disney look bad.

They may want to take note of some of the comments underneath the article.

Whether they will admit it or not, Disney is lagging behind Universal when it comes to showing guests they are willing to invest in new attractions, not just make their big shareholders more profit.

People aren't stupid. They see Disney is hoarding its money and Universal is spending it to make a better experience.

 

[mom2rtk]

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201401/3844/

Well, Disney is nothing if not consistent. They said they weren't interested in an arms race of rides. Apparently they meant it.

I like rewarding companies that try hard. I will really be reevaluating our days when we go back to Orlando.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201401/3844/

~Thanks for sharing this, Dan. It's a great article.

The head of Universal's parent company is "doubling down" on theme parks and going after the Walt Disney Company's market share. But not only does Universal's braggadocio not seem to phase the industry leader, Disney is continuing to take its sweet time in proceeding with several major theme park projects.

"We think that there is a lot of 'there' there in the theme-park business for many years to come and that we have a low market share  and only one way to go," Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts told analysts in Las Vegas this week. Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of the Universal theme parks. NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke (a former Disney executive) previously declared Universal's intention to build up to 12,000 additional hotel rooms at Universal Orlando, while investing half a billion dollars a year in its theme parks worldwide.

Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley, under construction at Universal Studios Florida. Photo submitted by Michael B.

Universal Orlando will open its new 1,800-room Cabana Bay Beach resort hotel later this spring and a second Harry Potter land, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, at Universal Studios Florida, likely in June. Universal Studios Hollywood is working on a billion-dollar-plus "Evolution" makeover of its property, with a new Despicable Me-themed land opening this spring (likely April) and a Wizarding World of Harry Potter also under construction. The Wizarding World will debut at Universal Studios Japan later this year, and a Universal theme park is proceeding toward construction in China, too.

Disney's reaction? To "no comment" to the Orlando Sentinel, when it asked about Roberts' comments. And Disney continues to keep its plans for new Star Wars-themed lands at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida on the shelf, according to one online report.

Outside the CEO suite and the PR offices, many Disney cast members are eager to fight back against Universal's efforts. Disney Imagineering Chief Creative Executive Bruce Vaughn said "bring it on" when asked at last year's D23 convention about competing with Universal. Imagineering teased its Star Wars lands at that gathering, and Disney's attraction designers have developed plans for a wide variety of themed attractions to match Universal's new developments.

But Disney's executives haven't yet given their approval to proceed, as the company diverts budget allocations toward making its MyMagic+ initiative work at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney's beaten every competitor that's stepped up to fight it since Disneyland opened in 1955, from Six Flags in the 1960s and 70s to Universal today. But those victories have come from great effort. No competitor yet has spent the money that Universal's now devoting to taking Disney's theme park market share. Will a new reservation system for the same old rides continue to allow Disney to protect its market share in Orlando and beyond? Or, at some point, will Disney's executives need to open the budget and spend the money to develop its Star Wars, Marvel and other theme park plans? Theme park visitors will answer those questions by where they spend their money in the year ahead.

~This the first I've heard about plans for Star Wars being shelved??? Really? I don't know about that. It seems a little too soon to shelf something was never planned to begin with.

~I really miss the old Disney under Eisner. We would have five full parks by now. I think Free Dining, Food & Wine and DVC are working very well for Disney. Why build expensive new E ticket attractions, when people are demanding Free Dining?

~While Universal is firebombing Disney with one new attraction after the next, Disney shoots out a flare every now and then for damage control as a response. I really don't get it. But, part of me says -- ultimately we're to blame for this new Disney. The signs were glaring and present for several years, but profits and attendance continued to soar at Disney. It took Harry Potter at Universal for Disney to even notice how bad the parks were neglected. Oh well, we'll see.

~With that said, I still am excited about the 7MDT -- but now we may have to wait until June for this???? Ugh....

~ETA: I think June is a mistake. Why does Disney want to go to war with Universal's Diagon Alley? It's just not enough, lol. I hope the Mine Train debuts before Spring Break.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

All of the expansion at Universal and putting money back into their parks is really making Disney look bad.

They may want to take note of some of the comments underneath the article.

Whether they will admit it or not, Disney is lagging behind Universal when it comes to showing guests they are willing to invest in new attractions, not just make their big shareholders more profit.

People aren't stupid. They see Disney is hoarding its money and Universal is spending it to make a better experience.

Sounds awfully familiar doesn't it? I truly believe that some people here on the DIS actually think that there is only a small group here that find Disney's current state unacceptable.

Who knew? Thanks for the link, Dan!

 

[agavegirl1]

Thanks Dan. I read that article yesterday but didn't know if I could post a link here.

Yes, there are a lot of other theme park fans out there that are not focused on Disney. I am one of them. I love theme parks and I love 3D movies and themed zoos and immersive attractions of all types. It is kind of obvious that Disney is not meeting fan expectations with MM+ instead of attractions.

 

[Kate and Family]

Does Universal offer the variety of shows that Disney does? If so, then Disney could be in trouble. I do not think of Disney as primarily a thrill ride sort of park. I think they put the capital "T" in Theme park. Harry Potter, sure seems like great a great theme to do all sorts of shows and such.

 

[rastuso]

Disney has been coasting on their laurels for years, and Universal is finally making a difference in crowds. IOA SHOULD have done something, but it was successfully called a teenager park, and it floundered. I, and many others, realized its awesomeness, and started spending equal time between Disney and Universal about 10 years ago.

Harry Potter is making even the average Orlando visitor start thinking of less Disney days. Magical Express saved Disney for many years. It was brilliant. Kidnap your visitors at the airport, raise their room price, and give them "free" food. ANYTHING to keep them from leaving Disney property.

However, limiting their rides sure isn't going to keep people onsite. Neither is the most insanely overhyped roller coaster ever built. Especially when it opens at the same time as an insanely UNDERhyped coaster. I mean really, we're just a few months away from the Troll coaster at Universal, and there is NOTHING released about it. Universal has barely even admitted it is part of the expansion. Although the blueprints leaked on Monday, there are still NO official details. Universal is going to blow people away this summer. Disney, on the other hand is going to greet visitors with a 2 hour wait for a one minute kiddie coaster, and a new 3 ride limit.

Disney SHOULD take an enormous plunge in attendance in the last half of this year. And they deserve it. There is no reason a Star Wars land shouldn't be half built at DHS right now.

One of the local car rental places, or Meers, should be preparing to offer transportation to Universal for thousands of upset Disney visitors a day. if they aren't, they are just plain stupid. Hell, I should move there and get a limo license and run a bus from Disney to Uni all day. It would be EXTREMELY lucrative, until Disney banned your from their property, or something similarly crazy.

Jason

 

[Lyndarella]

I don't think Disney feels it needs to compete at all, or even improve things there. They can crowd people in there all day without changing a thing.

 

[jcemom]

I don't think Disney feels it needs to compete at all, or even improve things there. They can crowd people in there all day without changing a thing.

True. Every year we go it seems more crowded than the year before.

For the past ten years we have gone once or twice a year for 8-11 days each trip. We typically get 8 day hoppers plus water parks/DQ, and do two MNSSHPs on fall trips. We got the DDP sometimes but not every time as we don't like TS every day.

Last year we spent six days at Disney (rented DVC) with one MNSSHP and 4 day base tickets, plus a 4 night cruise. We ate mostly CS meals and bought no souvenirs except a Belle cup.

This year we are spending 4 days at Disney (rented DVC), doing one MVMCP, no other parks. We will plan one character breakfast, Beaches and Cream, and the rest CS or eat in our villa. Right now we are considering one day at Sea World or Universal, but haven't given it too much thought. We have plenty of time yet.

So Disney is still getting the bulk of our vacation dollars, but on the DCL side rather than the parks.

We are planning on US/IOA and SW/Discovery Cove for 2015, but that's a long way off.

 

[Masonmj84]

Amen!

If the decision to delay until June is strategic, I can't see the logic behind it.

If anything, with Easter being so late this year, you'd think they'd be motivated to finish before then.

 

[disneylovin24]

Does Universal offer the variety of shows that Disney does? If so, then Disney could be in trouble. I do not think of Disney as primarily a thrill ride sort of park. I think they put the capital "T" in Theme park. Harry Potter, sure seems like great a great theme to do all sorts of shows and such.

This is how I feel. I am not a theme park fan, I am a Disney Parks fan. Disney is so much more than just rides and shows and that IMO is the Disney appeal and why people keep going back and back. Disney has this entire paradise that takes you away from the outside world, when my family goes there we do not always go for just the rides, we spend a lot of time relaxing at our resort and doing all that Disney has to offer outside of the parks. Yes, people who are fans of big rides may start to go to Universal but hey, that's fine with me

I will keep going to Disney because it is so much more than just rides. I also like Disney movies and characters better, not too many of the Universal brand characters and movies appeal to me. I loved Harry Potter but not enough to rush to Universal and take time away from Disney, Universal is too much more like the real world and I head to Florida to escape the real world

I don't think Disney feels it needs to compete at all, or even improve things there. They can crowd people in there all day without changing a thing.

There certainly has been no decrease in crowds at Disney despite all of the complaints on here and the lack of new rides!

 

[bwang123]

There certainly has been no decrease in crowds at Disney despite all of the complaints on here and the lack of new rides!

Yes, people on here and other theme park related websites represent a very small percentage of people that visit the parks. Look at all the people who didn't know what fast pass was while in the parks and that information is available on many websites. That means people are probably just going without knowledge of other aspects, including new rides. New Harry Potter Land will have little to no effect on Disney World attendance. For every 2 DISboard members that put off a Disney trip because of complaints, there will be double the amount of newcomers and repeats off that.

 

[RMulieri]

Does Universal offer the variety of shows that Disney does? If so, then Disney could be in trouble. I do not think of Disney as primarily a thrill ride sort of park. I think they put the capital "T" in Theme park. Harry Potter, sure seems like great a great theme to do all sorts of shows and such.

Actually, Universal has really stepped up its game..Several years ago they would have had to pay me to set foot into their parks, now that is pretty much my destination in Florida with side trips to Disney, and my 10 yr old feels the same and has for 3 years now...It isnt just rides or thrills.Universal has characters and shows and really is putting its money into its resorts and parks and it is obvious.

 

[StewHouTx]

Was really hoping they wold be able to build this thing in less than 3 years...apparently just not going to happen. From the newest video, I can see this being Summer now before opening.

 

[mom2rtk]

If anything, with Easter being so late this year, you'd think they'd be motivated to finish before then.

I think Disney knows they'll be crazy busy over Easter anyway. Why not delay until they will have room to increase attendance?

Of course most of those Easter people thought "spring 2014" meant the ride would be open and will be quite disappointed..... but they'll get over it, right?