Why doesn't Disney have a preview center??

[skier_pete]

So - here's a question that I am postulating, because I don't think it is answerable, but I was just thinking about this. During all the DCA work out in California, there was a "Blue Sky" preview center in DCA, which was designed to show some of the concepts that were being worked on to get people excited for what was to come.

With the Fantasyland Expansion, Avatar, FrozenStrom, and the possible DHS redo, why don't they put something like that together for WDW. Admittedly WDW caters slightly more to the new / less frequent visitors, but you would think that there's a good portion of people that are more like the every 2-4 year types that are more likely to say "Next time lets go to Universal". Wouldn't it make a lot of sense for Disney to have a "here's what coming" area in one of the parks to get people excited to come back. Maybe with just concept art and models we've already seen, but you would think that something that simple would stoke *SOME* return business for the resort with very little cost.

Just wondering...what do you think? Why don't they have something like this?? Would it only interest the Disney fanatics that are coming back no matter what anyways?

 

[Reddog1134]

Don't they put things like that in One Man's Dream at DHS?

 

[LuitaChris]

Yea I believe they have some form of this at One Man's Dream. But I agree, I think this would be a great idea to have a dedicated area for future projects. With how huge WDW is and how much stuff is always going on, there would always be something to show. Avatar, DHS, Disney Springs, Wilderness Lodge refurb... There is so much stuff they could potentially do. I think it would be a great idea.

 

[circus4u]

Years ago, they had something like this in the Magic Kingdom at what is now the Town Square Theater. I remember seeing a large mock up of Epcot in that building before it opened. They used to have what is now the One Man's Dream presentation in that building also. I also remember seeing the locomotive that Walt Disney had in his backyard, ride-on railroad displayed there.

 

[DanBoris]

Don't they put things like that in One Man's Dream at DHS?

There is some stuff in One Man's Dream, but it's no where near what the do at Blue Sky Cellar in DCA.

 

[rteetz]

Don't they put things like that in One Man's Dream at DHS?

They did put the model of NFL in one mans dream but no models are there currently. They also have concept art in there.

 

[skier_pete]

Don't they put things like that in One Man's Dream at DHS?

We went last October, and there wasn't really any future plans in there. There were some awesome models, but nothing that was a "coming attraction".

Years ago, they had something like this in the Magic Kingdom at what is now the Town Square Theater. I remember seeing a large mock up of Epcot in that building before it opened. They used to have what is now the One Man's Dream presentation in that building also. I also remember seeing the locomotive that Walt Disney had in his backyard, ride-on railroad displayed there.

OT - but that train is in the Wilderness Lodge now I think:
http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com/content/secrets-and-history-wilderness-lodge

Or if you are in Los Angeles on the 3rd Sunday of any month, you can ride it (actually a replica):
http://carolwood.org/index.html

 

[maltdizzy]

At DCA, they opened Blue Sky in 2007 after the official announcement was made for the DCA expansion. With no major expansion coming, Blue Sky is now in hiatus.

DHS will be the first expansion even remotely that large at WDW since they opened AK. DCA wasn't just Cars land, but a complete facelift for almost the entire park. But nothing official is announced yet...maybe they will have something once they make an official announcement of the new park name and layout.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Years ago, they had something like this in the Magic Kingdom at what is now the Town Square Theater. I remember seeing a large mock up of Epcot in that building before it opened. They used to have what is now the One Man's Dream presentation in that building also. I also remember seeing the locomotive that Walt Disney had in his backyard, ride-on railroad displayed there.

Yes, you're correct. At one time there was a preview center in the location of what was "The Walt Disney Story" in Town Square. I think it now houses the Mickey/Minnie meet and greet. There was a model of Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom when those parks were in development and during their construction. It seems like there was also a model of Pleasure Island and Typhoon Lagoon when those attractions were in development.

There was also a preview center built in the late 1960's on Buena Vista Drive which had a model of the initial phase of WDW - Magic Kingdom, Resorts, etc.

 

[HopperFan]

The original was "The Walt Disney World Preview Center" and it was/is located on Hotel Plaza Blvd.
Its the one story building now housing the Amateur Athletic Union. It was open in 1970 until Magic Kingdom opened.
I went and still have all the postcards I bought - they were renderings. I remember a movie, I think model and you could buy stuff.


http://www.disneyavenue.com/2015/05/the-walt-disney-world-preview-center.html