Fantasyland Expansion - Part 2
- Thread starter Brian G.
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WOW! Really? I haven't checked these boards for like 3 weeks and that's all they've gotten done in that time??? Less than ten pages of posts to go through (most of which was bickering) and only enough going on for one photo update. For shame, Disney... for shame! Meanwhile on the Harry Potter thread I had about 60! pages to catch up on and dozens of photo updates. They practically built a whole city of steel at Universal Studios in the same time its taken Disney to put up less than a tenth the amount of steel work on the front roof of this project and the rock work they started over two months ago on that side still isn't done yet! Universal's current construction schedule has me spoiled I guess.
Sorry, I just had to vent. By the way, great pics Frenzy88! Thanks.
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These are two total different expansions been built for total different reasons with total different budgets and time scales. I would get all the hate for Disney building slow IF they hadn’t all ready told everyone the time scale for opening so don’t really understand why they constantly get bashed.
Because the other guys across I-4 are on a building rampage.
That and having a "Grand Opening" of New Fantasyland and the main addition is so "new" that you wont see it for almost 2 years!
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They're getting bashed because the execution of the entire project was botched. How do you open the first major project in the Magic Kingdom in over 20 years over the course of 3 years! It's a cheap move to drag out one land and pinch your customers wallet for the least amount given forth. What if Universal opened phase 1 of Potter with just the FJ and DC open? People come to see the opening of the The Wizarding World and once they show up they have to walk through all of Hogsmeade under construction. Oh btw now that we have your money we will let you know that it's only half way done. Come back next year and give us more money to see the rest of what you should of seen today. And don't say it's ok because they announced the Dwarves open in 2014. The general public had no idea that half of the project was still behind fences when they held there grand opening. It was a terrible move and there customer service took a hit.
But then again that's the difference between Universal and Disney today. Here is a direct example of how Disney and Universal are treating there new lands. And for those who don't think there are actually 5 planned opening phases of New Fantasyland I assure you I'm right. It was planned like this from day 1.
Magic Kingdoms New Fantasyland
Phase 1: Q1FY 2011 Pooh Interactive Queue
Phase 2: Q2FY 2012 Relocated Spinner + 1 and inside queue, re themed kiddie coaster, and re themed train station.
Phase 3: Q3FY 2012 New M&G and playground
Phase 4: Q1FY 2013 New D Ticket, New Restaurant, New M&G, New Small quickserve, and store
Phase 5: Q2FY 2014 New D Ticket and New M&G
Universal Orlando Wizarding World
Phase 1: June 2010 New E ticket, 3 re themed coasters, new restaurant, 5 new stores, and one interactive experience
Phase 2: Summer 2014, 2 New E Tickets, New Restaurant, New Quickserve, and several new stores and interactive elements
But then again that's the difference between Universal and Disney today. Here is a direct example of how Disney and Universal are treating there new lands. And for those who don't think there are actually 5 planned opening phases of New Fantasyland I assure you I'm right. It was planned like this from day 1.
Magic Kingdoms New Fantasyland
Phase 1: Q1FY 2011 Pooh Interactive Queue
Phase 2: Q2FY 2012 Relocated Spinner + 1 and inside queue, re themed kiddie coaster, and re themed train station.
Phase 3: Q3FY 2012 New M&G and playground
Phase 4: Q1FY 2013 New D Ticket, New Restaurant, New M&G, New Small quickserve, and store
Phase 5: Q2FY 2014 New D Ticket and New M&G
Universal Orlando Wizarding World
Phase 1: June 2010 New E ticket, 3 re themed coasters, new restaurant, 5 new stores, and one interactive experience
Phase 2: Summer 2014, 2 New E Tickets, New Restaurant, New Quickserve, and several new stores and interactive elements
Look I love Disney to death, but I have to agree with Hate here. Was it neccessary for 3 different media previews for each new wing of Art of Animation? They cancelled the 4th one for a reason.
They cancelled the 4th one for a reason.
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Look I love Disney to death, but I have to agree with Hate here. Was it neccessary for 3 different media previews for each new wing of Art of Animation?
Yeah because even the Media stopped showing up.
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So, if I tell someone that I'm gonna punch them in the face, they can't complain once I do? Awesome!
I hope you see my point :thumbs: It's irrelevant whether they said so or not, it's still upsetting that they've decided to take this long, and they're following through on this snail-pace timeline. Not to mention, the way they hype themselves with all the grand openings, it's a bit deceiving to guests... to say the least. A normal visitor who isn't following the project, but sees a commercial on TV about New Fantasyland being now open, would guess that the place is finished, but nope...
Why does Disney do it this way? They believe their fanboys are gullible enough to buy it as Disney Magic. And you know what? It's worked up till now...But with Universal changing the way the game is played, the gig may be up for Disney, not in the short run, but in the long run. The rule in any industry is adapt to survive. Disney will have to change their game plan or they will lose market share as the Disneyfied generation grows up. I think Disney will ultimately change, but Universal has a few years up on them now.
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As long as people continue to fall victim to TDO's greedy yet brilliant business model, things will continue to be this way. We do it to ourselves really. We all love Disney and some of us were involved with Disney during the glory years of the resort, a time when over the course of your annual pass something major would open at one park with another soon to follow. I myself dropped over a grand for AP's for my wife about six months ago as I knew Fantasyland would be opening and I expected some projects to begin months ago that I could cover for the site. Here we are six months later and I have nothing to photograph besides a bathroom and a glorified kiddie coaster that looks the same it did six months ago. Even my wife with our first baby on the way who is FAR from a theme park person (she doesn't even know the name of most of the rides) has expressed her feelings on Disney's laziness. She told me not to renew the passes, and said the baby's first park will be SeaWorld... Yes dear... I'm still pushing for Universal, go figure right...
Sorry, I didn't mean to start another fight or anything. I just can't believe how slowly this is progressing. It looks almost the same as it did in February when I saw it in person. I like Disney (although I'm not a 'fanboy' or anything) and I grew up on them. Heck, I'm going to Epcot tomorrow. However it definitely isn't the same Disney I grew up with anymore. If it hadn't been for the Discover Disney Florida resident pass I would have gone to Universal or Busch Gardens instead this year for sure (I will be next year). Its pretty telling when someone like me, who lives about an hour away and used to go to Disney every year at least once, hasn't been back to Epcot in over 10 years. Hopefully something changes soon...
People will continue feeding Disney money until the end of the world. Doesn't matter how slow they go, doesn't matter how bad they treat people...Disney is a household name and people for generations have and always will keep coming back. And they know that.
- Mar 14, 2010
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Nope.
They pretty much told Disney "if you have nothing worthy to announce or show off, don't bother". The pixie dusters will show up for anything.
I wonder if the people putting on the gladiator fights in the Colosseum thought the same thing. Its only a household name as long as people have a reason to talk about it. When it comes down to it, WDW has only been there since 1971 (That's only ten years more than I've been alive). Heck, I drive a car older than it is (1969 Firebird). It hasn't been around all that long. The only reason it has the reputation it does today is because of those people who saw,talked about, and encouraged others to visit it in its hay day. Do you really mean to tell me that if in 20 more years they still haven't added anything new of substance (and god I hope that doesn't happen) people will continue to regard Disney as a world leader in theme parks? If so then I guess people's standards of quality have really fallen to an all time low. You can only rest on your laurels for so long. People aren't stupid, well some are, but not all of them. If you are treated bad or are unhappy with your experience you're not going to waste your time/money to go back to a place like that are you? If things continue this way, in another 40 years, people may be saying the same things about Universal instead. Universal may be the new household name, or Seaworld, or some other park somewhere else. And YES that could happen! I'm not saying it will necessarily but it definitely could. Nothing is forever... NOTHING!
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Disney has been around for a lot longer than that. Its about the "magic". We nerds know the issues. The tourists are just on vacation. My family has no idea that Disney is low-grade lately and hasnt added anything for 20 years, they just wanna go bc its a vacation. Therein lies my point. To US, its a standard...to them its a day away from work.
