What I heard on the Disney bus....

[mom0299]

....today: The lady sitting beside me on a Disney bus today had a lot to say. She apparently travels to WDW often and heard the following information when she booked her trip. She said that 2013 is the year to come back because the FLE will be finished (no surprise there) and that the new part of the expansion will then be bigger than all of MK is today. Then she went on to say that the next project will be to expand Epcot and DHS and connect those two parks.
I've read a lot about the FLE and have read a lot of the rumors on this board, but that was the first I had heard of all this. Granted, I was listening to a random stranger on a Disney bus, but I was wondering if there is any truth to anything she said. I really can't see them combining the two parks, but enlarger or adding to them, maybe.

 

[GingerJay]

Certainly, it will be wonderful with the FLE is done, and I'm sure that it will make MK bigger- aren't they adding more land along with Toon Town? I'm specifically waiting until after 2013 to come back just for that reason.

As for connecting Epcot and DHS, that sounds pretty cool but a little ambitious- I wouldn't be too surprised, though. Disney is usually changing and evolving. If the FLE turns out to be a huge moneymaker for the parks, its stands to reason that we could see the same with their other parks too.

It'll be interesting to see if we hear any more about this rumour.

 

[skiingfast]

Listening to the rumors bus drivers spread is never a good idea. Listening to rumors that a bus passenger is telling may be worse.

 

[Oglet]

Listening the rumore bus drivers spread is never a good idea. Listening to rumors that a bus passenger is telling may be worse.

Unless its Magicbus and one of his passengers

 

[jlewisinsyr]

And why would you connect EPCOT, a full day (at least) park with a 1/2 Day Park? To what benefit, plus how and the distance, it would be something that would need some sort of people mover.

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=nq...l Prototype Community of Tomorrow, FL&q=EPCOT

All the same, VERY unlikely, almost no chance, ever.

 

[MJMcBride]

yeah, I remember the bus driver telling us in 1998, how they were building a monorail thru the Swan and Dolphin and that they were gonna build a Sports Themed park by the Wide World of Sports

12 years later I'm still waiting

 

[Disco]

No, the FLR won't be bigger then the entire MK. It will be the biggest of the lands when done but it will not be any bigger than it was when the sub ride was working. Well I guess you could argue that it's going to be a little bigger because the new restaurant is being built over a 30 spot parking lot. But then I would counter that they turned the Galaxy Theater into a parking lot so it all balances out.
It's nice to see the trend reversing from a shrinking park to one that gets back to where it used to be though. I mean c’mon Disney, it's a flagship park and only the most visited park in the world! Let’s keep shutting attractions down...
Sorry I'm ranting again, it's a sore subject with me.
Also, I think just the first phase of construction is finishing in 2013. I think the second phase is going to take longer (might be wrong though)?
As for Epcot and MGM, I don't think there's a way to connect them really. Might be able to build a more direct walkway so you can huff it between the two or it would be nice to see the monorail extended. I think all the monorail expansion theories have been laid to rest though.

 

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[WDWisTheBest]

yeah, I remember the bus driver telling us in 1998, how they were building a monorail thru the Swan and Dolphin and that they were gonna build a Sports Themed park by the Wide World of Sports

12 years later I'm still waiting

Right on. Rumors on buses are just that accurate.

 

[DCTooTall]

Definately going to have call BS on the Epcot/MGM park merge rumor. Besides the fact that it'd be one hell of a hike from Morocco to the Fantasmic stage area. (The closest 2 points in the parks), You'd also end up having a problem with the Boardwalk and a couple major or semi-major roads in the way.

And if you went with a more round about path to avoid those obstacles, you still end up with an extremely long hike.... almost the same as the existing length from the parking lot of EPCOT to the American Adventure Pavilion.

 

[Metsoskil]

Definately going to have call BS on the Epcot/MGM park merge rumor. Besides the fact that it'd be one hell of a hike from Morocco to the Fantasmic stage area. (The closest 2 points in the parks), You'd also end up having a problem with the Boardwalk and a couple major or semi-major roads in the way.

And if you went with a more round about path to avoid those obstacles, you still end up with an extremely long hike.... almost the same as the existing length from the parking lot of EPCOT to the American Adventure Pavilion.

I'm sure they can work around all that. Maybe build the new parts of the park in glass domes under the lake between BW and BC, kind of like the Gungan city in Star Wars Episode 1.

Come to think of it, they can add a new country to the WS - Atlantis. It could have a killer seafood restaurant. Kind of like the Coral Reef, only with good food.

And as for the the walking issue, I've heard they are going to expand the monorail. Something about a new spur that will run from the airport to Tampa. They could just run it right through the new Epcot Studios park and let park guests hop on and off. They can even knock out those rooms in the Swan and Dolphin that were painted black and run the monorail through there like it was meant to be in the first place.

And the nighttime show can be called "Illumitastic" or "Fantinations", which will save Disney lots of money since they only have to put on one show. And only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.

I love it. Maybe they can make a "Magic Animal Kingdom", too, where Cinderella greets guests at her castle in safari get-up.

 

[doconeill]

Epcot and DHS are already "connected". They aren't going to magically get closer or anything and the resorts are in the way. And no way Disney's going to turn two gates into one and lose revenue.

Epcot has plenty of spaces open for expansion - it doesn't need to take more area.

Now, a major expansion to DHS itself, I can definitely see. Relocate the road in to the parking area and fill in all that area.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Actually, what they are going to do is install a "people mover" system property-wide that will connect all the Resorts and Parks. This will totally replace the buses. It will be available only to Resort Guests. You get in a car, let it scan your KTTW, and highlight your destination on a touch screen. The door will automatically close and you will get sent out on a track, with switching centers as needed so you will promptly get to your destingation.

For Security, all the cars will be video monitored and since you will have had to scan you currently valid KTTW to use a car they will know who you are.

The boats and monorails would still run, but no more buses.

 

[plutotek]

Actually, what they are going to do is install a "people mover" system property-wide that will connect all the Resorts and Parks. This will totally replace the buses. It will be available only to Resort Guests. You get in a car, let it scan your KTTW, and highlight your destination on a touch screen. The door will automatically close and you will get sent out on a track, with switching centers as needed so you will promptly get to your destingation.

For Security, all the cars will be video monitored and since you will have had to scan you currently valid KTTW to use a car they will know who you are.

The boats and monorails would still run, but no more buses.

But this is just a stop-gap measure til the transporters are up and running??

 

[joelkfla]

Actually, what they are going to do is install a "people mover" system property-wide that will connect all the Resorts and Parks. This will totally replace the buses. It will be available only to Resort Guests. You get in a car, let it scan your KTTW, and highlight your destination on a touch screen. The door will automatically close and you will get sent out on a track, with switching centers as needed so you will promptly get to your destingation.

For Security, all the cars will be video monitored and since you will have had to scan you currently valid KTTW to use a car they will know who you are.

The boats and monorails would still run, but no more buses.

Not so far-fetched as you might think. Visionaries have been pushing just such systems for decades: they're called PRT, for Personal Rapid Transit.

The first fully functional switched system is undergoing testing at Heathrow Airport.

The problem is capacity -- with 4-6 passengers per vehicle, it might take thousands of them to handle a park close. And, of course, money and commitment to an untested technology.

 

[doconeill]

But this is just a stop-gap measure til the transporters are up and running??

You won't get me in one of those transportator thingies. Scramble your insides...

Not so far-fetched as you might think. Visionaries have been pushing just such systems for decades: they're called PRT, for Personal Rapid Transit.

The first fully functional switched system is undergoing testing at Heathrow Airport.

The problem is capacity -- with 4-6 passengers per vehicle, it might take thousands of them to handle a park close. And, of course, money and commitment to an untested technology.

Several companies have touted their versions of these things, without even test vehicles produced. They love to bring up Disney's name, however...like the one recently that was human powered like a bike and they called a "monorail" as well to get that buzzword as well. Of course, they looked like glass bullets with the rider in a rather uncomfortable position.

 

[Michael623]

Are they using the Logan's Run vehicles as the models?

 

[smangan10`]

What is FLE or FLR?

 

[Disco]

What is FLE or FLR?

Fantasy Land Expansion
But it really isn't being expanded so it is more properly called the
Fantasy Land Renovation