WDW 50th Celebration

[shiekra38]

The company is in triage mode. It doesn’t have to make sense to guests that all the new stuff for the resort’s 50th is at EPCOT. EPCOT has the least park reservations of all the parks, I think it’s pretty clear why they’d be focusing on it first. If Magic Kingdom is already hitting adjusted max capacity and EPCOT isn’t, it’s not that crazy to not want to open a new ride there until they actually have a reason to attract more people to it (when they can fit more).

Nothing really makes sense in these topsy-turvy times. At least they’re not stopping all construction at the resort altogether.

Yes, it's a sucky situation as Covid has slowed projects down, Epcot is in dire need of an attractor, People will come to MK anyway, and Epcot is in a terrible state lol

 

[Magic Feather]

The company is in triage mode. It doesn’t have to make sense to guests that all the new stuff for the resort’s 50th is at EPCOT. EPCOT has the least park reservations of all the parks, I think it’s pretty clear why they’d be focusing on it first. If Magic Kingdom is already hitting adjusted max capacity and EPCOT isn’t, it’s not that crazy to not want to open a new ride there until they actually have a reason to attract more people to it (when they can fit more).

Nothing really makes sense in these topsy-turvy times. At least they’re not stopping all construction at the resort altogether.

This is also a big reason why park hopping was pushed through: to save Epcot’s a** by letting it be the Disney Springs Dining Annex that it has been. This, and a potential push for EF this summer, along with it getting construction priority are all a part of an effort to effectively prioritize.

Of all things, the park I’m most worried about is DAK.

 

[Nick]

This is also a big reason why park hopping was pushed through: to save Epcot’s a** by letting it be the Disney Springs Dining Annex that it has been. This, and a potential push for EF this summer, along with it getting construction priority are all a part of an effort to effectively prioritize.

Of all things, the park I’m most worried about is DAK.

I agree about DAK. It has nothing on the horizon being built, nothing even really all that heavily rumored, and tbh I don’t see them green lighting any projects any time soon (and even if they did, it’d be 3 years minimum in all likelihood before a new major ride opened).

 

[shiekra38]

I agree about DAK. It has nothing on the horizon being built, nothing even really all that heavily rumored, and tbh I don’t see them green lighting any projects any time soon (and even if they did, it’d be 3 years minimum in all likelihood before a new major ride opened).

That's true it has been very silent in AK recently

Perhaps they think Avatar is enough for many years

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

That's true it has been very silent in AK recently

Perhaps they think Avatar is enough for many years

I hope not. They need another dark ride. Either Jungle Book or Lion King should be next, but early in the decade rather than later.

EDIT: Or just put a moderately themed GCI Excavator in Chester and Hester's.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Big 50th Anniversary of Disneyland vibes. "Happy birthday Disneyland, here's a bunch of new attractions to WDW!"

I agree about DAK. It has nothing on the horizon being built, nothing even really all that heavily rumored, and tbh I don’t see them green lighting any projects any time soon (and even if they did, it’d be 3 years minimum in all likelihood before a new major ride opened).

And the parks' main man being told to get out.

 

[Nick]

And the parks' main man being told to get out.

I actually think that could lead to more rides being built at DAK, as I think he was being extremely picky with projects. However, if things get pushed through, we will definitely lose thematic integrity, which is what Joe was protecting. It's a delicate balance as DAK really does need more rides, but imo, it's true the most beautiful park in Orlando and I'd hate to see that ruined, too.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I actually think that could lead to more rides being built at DAK, as I think he was being extremely picky with projects. However, if things get pushed through, we will definitely lose thematic integrity, which is what Joe was protecting. It's a delicate balance as DAK really does need more rides, but imo, it's true the most beautiful park in Orlando and I'd hate to see that ruined, too.

Considering Joe oversaw and Dinorama, Rivers of Light, and Pandora I don't think he's "extremely picky with projects", the park has lost "thematic integrity" already (ET and Jaws fits just as much into DAK as freaking Avatar if the bar is "animals amirite" is the critera), and cracked concrete and an abandoned 10,000 person seating space hardly contributes to the most beautiful park in Orlando.

 

[Nick]

Considering Joe oversaw and Dinorama, Rivers of Light, and Pandora I don't think he's "extremely picky with projects", the park has lost "thematic integrity" already (ET and Jaws fits just as much into DAK as freaking Avatar if the bar is "animals amirite" is the critera), and cracked concrete and an abandoned 10,000 person seating space hardly contributes to the most beautiful park in Orlando.

Joe had absolutely no say in Pandora first of all, that was thrown on him by Bob Iger (and personally, I think it fits the park just fine as it's about conservation and originally there was supposed to be a land for fantastical creatures). Rivers of Light was 100% original, which I appreciate, but unfortunately the show just wasn't all that engaging - partially due to the fact that there was no pyro, unlike other WDW shows. I kinda think his only real MAJOR misstep is Dinorama.

 

[belloq87]

Pandora fits the park perfectly fine. To imply there's no distinction between it and E.T. and Jaws is kind of ridiculous; the entire thematic thrust of AVATAR is about respect for the natural world (in the movie's case, an alien natural world, but Cameron wasn't subtle about the real world parallels he wanted to draw).

JAWS, meanwhile, ends up becoming about a quest to violently destroy an animal.

 

[belloq87]

Dropping this in here because Disney says it will be in effect for the 50th...

Disney Confirms 'Resort Guest Early Entry' Replacing Extra Magic Hours

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

This will be awful for non-resort guests, as it will now be impossible to rope drop and get on any headliner attraction without a wait.

I'm not pleased.

 

[Grabnar]

Dropping this in here because Disney says it will be in effect for the 50th...

Disney Confirms 'Resort Guest Early Entry' Replacing Extra Magic Hours

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

This will be awful for non-resort guests, as it will now be impossible to rope drop and get on any headliner attraction without a wait.

I'm not pleased.

Replace your day ticket with an After Hours party and you might be happier tbh

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Seems like a bad trade. Half an hour is nothing and it’s mornings only.

 

[Nick]

Seems like a bad trade. Half an hour is nothing and it’s mornings only.

January 11th, 2021 shall be known as the day where Disney took all the freebies away.

 

[BigHouseFootball]

Nice spin “giving resort guests more time in the parks!”....except it’s less than what we got before.

I mean...what’s the benefit of staying on property now? My family rarely, if ever, rope drop a park. We prefer to close down the parks. So if I’m not getting extra hours at night and can close down the parks as a non resort guest...why pay hundreds more to stay on property? I can be off property, Dave hundreds, have the same type of accommodations, and still experience the parks the way I like too.

These changes make no sense. Disney should be doing everything it can to make people want to stay at their resorts and these changes make staying at Disney not worth it.

 

[belloq87]

I mean...what’s the benefit of staying on property now?

In a weird way, this isn't a benefit of staying on-property, but it is an extreme disincentive to stay off-property.

If you're going to stay at a non-Disney hotel or condo or townhouse, you won't be able to beat morning crowds to any of the popular attractions. Flight of Passage, Runaway Railway, Slinky Dog, Smuggler's Run, Seven Dwarfs, Test Track, Soarin', etc. will all already have lengthy lines before you're even allowed in.

Theoretically.

 

[GAcoaster]

They'll most likely add more of those upcharge early morning and late night events and probably offer them at a discount to resort guests. They just keep looking for more ways to squeeze cash out of their guests.

 

[WAJAS]

Welp, this thread is pretty much about nothing at this point.

 

[BigHouseFootball]

In a weird way, this isn't a benefit of staying on-property, but it is an extreme disincentive to stay off-property.

If you're going to stay at a non-Disney hotel or condo or townhouse, you won't be able to beat morning crowds to any of the popular attractions. Flight of Passage, Runaway Railway, Slinky Dog, Smuggler's Run, Seven Dwarfs, Test Track, Soarin', etc. will all already have lengthy lines before you're even allowed in.

Theoretically.

Right, but if I don’t do park openings anyways...

 

[belloq87]

Then your wait times will be just as long as usual!