WDW Hollywood Studios: General Discussion

[Tim]

I think now is the right time to build the Monsters Inc. Land. Based on Zootopia in Shanghai this could be an incredible area with similar character meet and greets and world building potential.

I've seen there is a model at D23 for the ride as well, but I've yet to see a breakdown of it. From what I could see the load/unload area has 2 tracks across 2 different levels, presumably this is the Scare / Laugh floor.
I wonder if they will be using a loading system not to dissimilar to FLY (loading facing forward then raised and twisted onto the track).

Love that on that concept the power canisters are incorporated into Vekoma's coaster design. I wonder if they will be LED lit and fill as the riders scream!

 

[tayspru]

Judging from the model, I think it’s two sets of “elevators” - with one track rising as the other comes down ready for the next car. The loading and unloading is linear, then there’s a left turn that split to one of two of the pairs. This means the ride can continue to run if one elevator isn’t working. This would be hard to manage if this was also the on load area

 

[Themeparksandy1981]

There’s talk that this could go where currently star tours and the backlot express is currently now.

 

[Andrew]

There’s talk that this could go where currently star tours and the backlot express is currently now.

Muppets and Animation Courtyard are rumoured too

From the sounds of it, even Disney aren’t 100% sure where it’s going

I’d ideally like to think they’ll find space for it without removing an attraction like Muppets as they need to boost capacity, not just replace an existing ride or experience

 

[Squiggs]

I thought it was sounding more like this was due for Animation Courtyard? Apparently, cast members have already been told that the backstage parking behind the building will soon be unavailable, indicating upcoming work in that area.

 

[Ian]

There seems to be a whole host of rumour flying round, though the most probable seems to be Animation Courtyard. It’s a big space that hasn’t really had much use for some time. I always find it strange how much backstage there is at DHS relative to the size of the park nowadays. Always feels like a lot of underutilised space.

For reference, it’s roughly the area highlighted here in yellow:


Whilst this is Disney so you can never be too sure on these things, I personally find Muppets unlikely is as Muppetvision only recently had a decent sized refurbishment, including replacing all of the seats. It’d be odd to do something like that if you knew it es going to be closing just a year or so later.

I think Star Tours going is even less likely. Not only is it a massive crowd sponge, providing much needed support capacity at DHS, but it’s also both a licence to print money whilst being pretty economical to re-market when they need a new draw on a budget. It’s pretty easy for them to add new scenes to the ride, plus they can then package it up for the other parks too, spreading costs whilst maximising guest draw.

 

[jon81uk]

There are two separate pieces of concept art for Monsters Inc, one showing it in the Muppets area and the other in the Animation building area.

 

[Tim]

I don't know quite how Disney is structured, but it is worth noting that for most parks the local operations team (who manage general refurbishments) and the new projects team are usually completely different divisions of a company (often located in a completely different part of the world). This would not be the first time an attraction has been refurbished only for a replacement to suddenly be announced, because both teams were working on a solution simultaneously without realising it.

In this case both Animation and Muppets Courtyard have seen recent refurbishments. The Little Murmaid show is just about to finish a major overhaul.

Personally I think Animation Courtyard is a better fit. The Little Murmaid could always move to another theatre in the park, saving all the sets and props. I also think the area works in that location, being next to other Pixar properties. On the other side it would blend with Sunset Boulevard as the show building could easily be made to look like a movie production sound stage (WDS Paris style).

If it does replace mupets however I'd love it if they create a themed portal to the land (presumably lots of doors) as an excuse to build a sky bridge over the portal so that Star Tours can actually lead directly into Galaxy's Edge.
Although I don't think it's worth loosing the Muppets just for that.

 

[tayspru]

The concept art that matches Grand Avenue appears to be dated with a “20” which suggests it was produced much earlier in the development phase of the monsters land

Animation Courtyard or even Rock N Rollercoaster seem more likely

 

[Slugjc]

I can image rock n rollercoaster surviving for now. Even when I rode it 7 years ago, building it around aerosmith looked dated then.

All these opinions stem from 7 years ago. The park was clearly in a transition period. The foundations for Toy Story and star wars lands was being laid. Some of older attractions just seemed out of place. Think I rode the great movie ride in its death throws at the time, when I was told it had been shut, I didn't morn the loss.

The one thing it did still have. That 1980s version of the 1940s. Hope they never loose that.

But it's good that Disney are investing in this park. The additions across all parks seems bob on. Yes shutting X,Y And z will upset folk. Folk on social media are always upset. That's what it's programmed us to do. Be angry.