Disney's Hollywood Studios (General Discussion)

[UniversalRBLX]

Most of the ideas people are suggesting for this space target older audiences. AC has one of the only attractions in the park that directly targets little kids with Disney Jr. Do they want to continue that with this space?

If they really need to, they can relocate that to either Pixar Place or Mickey Shorts theater.

 

[moth]

So some updates from WDWMagic:

Another insider claims the AC replacement will not be Simpsons (bullet dodged) Posters there (in their minds) have narrowed it down to either Zootopia or Marvel which would be the dark horse possibility.

User Moth is questioning the validity of rumor due the timing of the announcement. Most likely no matter what they announced it would not be enough to steal the thunder from away from EU. An animation courtyard replacement probably has been fast tracked, but won't get a mention until Destination D23 when Disney has the press cycle all to themselves.

You've invoked my name. Prepare to meet your maker!

I still hold true to all of this, I can believe it being announced on a blog post before the week or after the week, but doing it so close, and on a blog post for what will be seen as one of the biggest expansions for DHS is just, plain and simple, a waste. Especially when Destination D23 is three months from that, and they can probably just announce when Test Track 3 is opening or something.

The person who posted the date is a trustworthy source though, so I believe he knows what he's talking about. I got told Simpsons or Zootopia were the two main contenders back in mid-2024 and I'm happy they've moved from both, since Zootopia apparently hasn't been circulating as the IP for the land according to other "insiders".

An AC makeover has been spitballed for years, and has gone through a lot of "versions" with different IP, I wouldn't be shocked if a bluesky was shown off at DD23 in August, but I have no idea what IP it could be if it's a single IP land, and if it's not Zootopia, Simpsons, and they haven't wrestled Marvel from Universal yet.


The only IP I can think of that could potentially steal some of the thunder from EU at this point is Bluey. Maybe a catch-all superhero land with the Marvel stuff they can use (Dr. Strange?), Big Hero 6, and Incredibles? That wouldn't be as exciting though. The point another user brought up on replacing Disney.Jr with more "grown up" stuff has me thinking Bluey could be the play, especially since Disney just penned out a deal for theme park rights.

 

[DrStarlander]

It feels like there's a dozen or fewer IPs -- mostly from recent years -- that are the "usual suspects" for potential new Disney lands or mini-lands, some of which have already been built overseas. Here are a few outlier options I would be excited about:

Alice in Wonderland -- I realize Mad Tea Party is at Magic Kingdom but a modern dark ride using trackless or scoop vehicle (as used on Peter Pan in Fantasy Springs) and modern effects like projection-mapping and transition effects could be amazing It's an all-ages IP (great for kids, but cool for adults due to psychedelic/subversive qualities). A great dark ride with walk-through garden hedge maze queue, and Tea Party restaurant, would bring a classic Disney (but not "Princess") element to DHS it doesn't have.

Fantasia --Like Alice in Wonderland, a modern dark ride that uses new effects and ride vehicle (trackless or scoop) would be amazing for Fantasia. Plus this has incredible music! The "meta" aspect of Fantasia (it's a higher-level celebration of music, story and entertainment) is particularly good for a park that has its origin-history as a meta park about movies. That is, similar to why the Great Movie Ride made sense here, Fantasia makes sense. This would not be a Fantasia mini-land but it would allow the art deco mid-century studio buildings to be retained, and this could live happily next to Little Mermaid and other animation-themed attractions.

101 Dalmations -- I still can't believe we don't have a wild dark ride in Cruella De Vil style cars. Doing this with trackless technology would be great. It would all be located in Hell Hall, which would be a great park landmark.

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

It feels like there's a dozen or fewer IPs -- mostly from recent years -- that are the "usual suspects" for potential new Disney lands or mini-lands, some of which have already been built overseas. Here are a few outlier options I would be excited about:

Alice in Wonderland -- I realize Mad Tea Party is at Magic Kingdom but a modern dark ride using trackless or scoop vehicle (as used on Peter Pan in Fantasy Springs) and modern effects like projection-mapping and transition effects could be amazing It's an all-ages IP (great for kids, but cool for adults due to psychedelic/subversive qualities). A great dark ride with walk-through garden hedge maze queue, and Tea Party restaurant, would bring a classic Disney (but not "Princess") element to DHS it doesn't have.

Fantasia --Like Alice in Wonderland, a modern dark ride that uses new effects and ride vehicle (trackless or scoop) would be amazing for Fantasia. Plus this has incredible music! The "meta" aspect of Fantasia (it's a higher-level celebration of music, story and entertainment) is particularly good for a park that has its origin-history as a meta park about movies. That is, similar to why the Great Movie Ride made sense here, Fantasia makes sense. This would not be a Fantasia mini-land but it would allow the art deco mid-century studio buildings to be retained, and this could live happily next to Little Mermaid and other animation-themed attractions.

101 Dalmations -- I still can't believe we don't have a wild dark ride in Cruella De Vil style cars. Doing this with trackless technology would be great. It would all be located in Hell Hall, which would be a great park landmark.

I always love your ideas, DrStar. The only down-side is -imo- i don't think we need another trackless dark ride, cause we have RotR and M&MRR in HS already. I don't think we need a 3rd. I'd argue for a more traditional style omnimover or darkride vehicle with new tech, less down-time tbe. I'm all for these IPs, especially Fantastia, but i can see any of them working.

I'd personally be more excited for stuff like this, in order of personal importance:

Wreck-It Ralph:
Enter through the Game Central Station and go to separate experiences and mini-games(aping Nintendo World from Epic) for things like Sugar Rush, Wreck-It Ralph, Hero's Duty, Slaughter Race, etc. Maybe have one book report dark-ride in the back of the GCS.

Incredibles:
I'd want a new-age dark-ride or Spider-man/Transformers style ride for them if we can't/don't want a coaster, but i'd expect it to be tracked to differentiate the scale between RotR and M&MRR

Big Hero 6:
Honestly, let's remake the Spiderman ride in CA but BETTER. Less like Toy Story Mania and more like an interactive dark-ride. Think Lego Ninjago but Disney. OH - like the Monsters Inc ride in Japan - Ride n Go Seek! Different style/different system!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

What I hope is we get a whole new concept of a land based on Disney Animation, with a signature attraction that celebrates the whole medium.

What I frustratingly think we'll get is a land based on the "real life" version of The Lion King/Mufasa with the ride based off the one going into DLP.

 

[DrStarlander]

i don't think we need another trackless dark ride, cause we have RotR and M&MRR in HS already. I don't think we need a 3rd. I'd argue for a more traditional style omnimover or darkride vehicle with new tech, less down-time tbe. I'm all for these IPs, especially Fantastia, but i can see any of them working.

Good point. I haven't been to DHS since these trackless additions have come in so I wasn't internalizing that.

Actually, thinking more about it, I'd rather see Fantasia as a boat ride. I can imagine a sublime intro scene in a large room with a huge IMAX floor to ceiling screen showing the orchestra warming up and vivid background colors...our boat would move toward it.



The expansive, still, dark water would offer a dramatic reflection of the screen. It would be a "beautiful" vibe....but things can get just a little more kinetic using Shanghai Pirates tech in the Sorcerer's Apprentice scene when the water spins our boat in a circle a bit.



With so many frenetic, perilous, high-energy attractions at DHS, a mostly relaxing, aesthetic boat ride would really offer the park something it doesn't have at all.

 

[saint.piss]

I just hope whatever the expansion is, that it's Moana. It's currently Disney's biggest IP, there's a live action remake coming next year and the only presence she has at the resort is the walk-through experience at Epcot and the Polynesian. I know it wouldn't be the most ideal park for the IP but at this point I don't care lol. DHS needs a water attraction anyway. It's long overdue.

 

[Viator]

I just hope whatever the expansion is, that it's Moana. It's currently Disney's biggest IP, there's a live action remake coming next year and the only presence she has at the resort is the walk-through experience at Epcot and the Polynesian. I know it wouldn't be the most ideal park for the IP but at this point I don't care lol. DHS needs a water attraction anyway. It's long overdue.

I'd still think Fire Mountain would be good. Blend it more better with Adventureland, a portion of MK that hasn't really had an opportunity to grow and expand as much as it could; with an attraction that'd be a slam dunk for that area.

Bluey, Simpsons, other brands all feel more suited for AC.

 

[OrlLover]

I just hope whatever the expansion is, that it's Moana. It's currently Disney's biggest IP, there's a live action remake coming next year and the only presence she has at the resort is the walk-through experience at Epcot and the Polynesian. I know it wouldn't be the most ideal park for the IP but at this point I don't care lol. DHS needs a water attraction anyway. It's long overdue.

We almost got Moana at MK but it wasn’t approved for a budget according to insiders on WDWMagic.

Cars and Villains Land ate up all the money.

So I think it’s very much in the cards still but not at HS.

 

[Disneyland/DCA]

What if it's a clone of the Coco ride coming to DCA, but with a more substantial land and a flat ride attached?

 

[Jake S]

What if it's a clone of the Coco ride coming to DCA, but with a more substantial land and a flat ride attached?

My guess (and that's all it is!) is that if we see a Coco boat ride come to Walt Disney World, it's going in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot.

 

[saint.piss]

My guess (and that's all it is!) is that if we see a Coco boat ride come to Walt Disney World, it's going in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot.

I could see Coco replacing Gran Fiesta Tour. I know that's been rumored for years

 

[Disneyland/DCA]

Ya but if they were doing that, wouldn't they have done it already? What's wrong with a little more Mexican representation spread across the resort?

 

[TheAlaskanBullworm]

My guess (and that's all it is!) is that if we see a Coco boat ride come to Walt Disney World, it's going in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot.

I’ve been under the impression the reason they don’t pull the trigger on any Coco ride in the pavilion is lack of queue space it would require.

To be fair I could’ve made this up in my head haha but I swear I’ve read that on the forums at some point.

 

[mccgavin]

I’ve been under the impression the reason they don’t pull the trigger on any Coco ride in the pavilion is lack of queue space it would require.

To be fair I could’ve made this up in my head haha but I swear I’ve read that on the forums at some point.

Yeah, they would need to pretty much gut the entirety of the interior of the Mexico pavilion to have enough queue space, which they aren't going to do. The San Angel Inn Restaurant and the shops in there do good business, so they'd rather build elsewhere.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Ya but if they were doing that, wouldn't they have done it already? What's wrong with a little more Mexican representation spread across the resort?

Chapek & Covid got in the way.

Yeah, they would need to pretty much gut the entirety of the interior of the Mexico pavilion to have enough queue space, which they aren't going to do. The San Angel Inn Restaurant and the shops in there do good business, so they'd rather build elsewhere.

With some simple problem-solving (and money) they can do it. I propose they build a ride entrance to the right of the pavilion and add a building with a queue adjacent to the existing pavilion. They can then add to the pavilion with a ride building expansion between Norway and Mexico (since they're not using that for a country anymore). The purple dotted line is the current route while the red is what could be added.

You can flip the ride to go the other way so you can have the same starting effect flowing through the pavilion interior first and then the actual ride portion.

You can then "punch a hole" and make guests exit in a new space between La Cava & San Angel. The existing extended queue can be utilized for more dining space. Win win.

 

[OrlLover]

Chapek & Covid got in the way.


With some simple problem-solving (and money) they can do it. I propose they build a ride entrance to the right of the pavilion and add a building with a queue adjacent to the existing pavilion. They can then add to the pavilion with a ride building expansion between Norway and Mexico (since they're not using that for a country anymore). The purple dotted line is the current route while the red is what could be added.

You can flip the ride to go the other way so you can have the same starting effect flowing through the pavilion interior first and then the actual ride portion.

You can then "punch a hole" and make guests exit in a new space between La Cava & San Angel. The existing extended queue can be utilized for more dining space. Win win.

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I think fans at this point are sick of replacements.

While I was fan of this plan years ago I think Disney needs to focus on actually adding capacity to under utilized spaces across the resort.

The Mexico Pavilion is extremely popular and doesn’t need Coco to bring guests there.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think fans at this point are sick of replacements.

While I was fan of this plan years ago I think need to focus on actually adding capacity to under utilized spaces across the resort.

The Mexico Pavilion is extremely popular and doesn’t need Coco to bring guests there.

I agree, this is just a more realistic scenario since modern Disney is afraid of new stuff lol. There’s a lot more I’d rather they tackle first like additional world showcase pavilions and attractions.

 

[TheUniC6]

The only IP I can think of that could potentially steal some of the thunder from EU at this point is Bluey.

My impression was that Bluey would just be used for Meet and Greets and maybe an overlay for Disney Junior. In fact, DCA's DJL show has no performances scheduled after march 24th. Bluey overlay incoming there. DHS's DJL staying open after DCA's is slated to close could be a hint a Bluey land is indeed happening as the AC replacement, as if it wasn't, they could have started the overlay process alongside what is happening at DLR.

A Bluey land sounds interesting and could lead to some high capacity family rides that DHS needs like an omnimover.

 

[Mad Dog]

and....they just did a significant refurb of the Gran Fiesta Tour.