WDW Disney's Hollywood Studios Discussion Thread

[Jew]

^More Dinosaur, less dark?

[jray21]

I'd love for them to re-do and expand Dinoland. More dinosaurs, less carnival!

[Divv3k]

^ I wonder if Pixar's The Good Dinosaur is a hit we might see an update of the Dinoland area to get rid of the carnival stuff and reflect the movie.

 

Really looking forward to the Hollywood Studios redux announcement, when I was there last month it really hit home how little there is to do in that park now.

[robbalvey]

So on the MDX app, the Disney's Hollywood Studios icon is now Tower of Terror. Not the Earful Tower, not the Chinese Theater. Interesting, no?

[cfc]

^I know it's the first thing that comes to my mind when someone mentions the Studios park.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

LOL! I do think that Tower of Terror is a better Icon then the Earful Tower or the Chinese Theater. But I don't think its correct. I'd bet in the end, when all is said and done, the park will have a new Icon. Whether its at the end of the street or not.

[robbalvey]

^ My thoughts exactly.

[gisco]

Interesting they used Good Tower for the icon. On the shirts for the marathon a few pages back they used the Earful Tower.

[robbalvey]

^ If I had to guess it was because those shirts required a longer lead time to manufacture and perhaps at the time they didn't know what icon to go with because it was right about the time that the transition was happening. This new version of the app, which got released yesterday, could have had that artwork swapped out just hours before it was submitted to Apple for approval. You really can't even see the Earful Tower anymore from inside the park unless you're REALLY looking for it. It will be interesting to see what icon they go with in near-future products.

[robbalvey]

A couple of photos via Twitter today:

 

@heatherw25 It's gone!!

 

@TheSkyDog And it's gone! All that's left over the construction walls this morning are the supports. Goodbye Sorcerer's Hat.

[jray21]

I didn't care for the hat, but it was definitely more iconic and big than the Chinese Theater.

[Intimidator305]

^ Agreed. Hopefully, we will see something better than the both of them at the end of the street eventually. Until then, it ought to be interesting to see how they utilize the area and fill it up.

[halltd]

I'm so loving the fact that the BAH is finally gone. It should have never been installed...at least for more than a year. Let's hope they bulldoze the tombstones in front of Epcot next!

[cfc]

I do like the view better without the hat.

[megametal]

They should put a small Mount Rushmore of Bogart, Hepbern (Audrey or Katherine), Errol Flynn, and Bette Davis there.

[Stu K]

<

 

Would tie in with what i heard about re useing the hat at the entrance to Fantasmic but due to the hill the hat would dwarf the TOT. So they scraped the idea.

 

This is the 1st time i have seen it with no hat sad to see it go but will reserve judgement until i see the whole park finish.

 

Stu K

[JaxStrumley]

Great to see that the hat is gone! But I hope that the spires that used to be on the wings of the Chinese Theater will be restored; the view is a bit 'empty' without them. Does anyone know why these were removed in the first place?

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/03/more-opportunities-to-soar-enjoy-toy-story-mania-coming-to-walt-disney-world-resort

 

Here at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, we’re always making investments to exceed your expectations – whether it’s creating new attractions and entertainment or making existing experiences even better.

 

One of the things we’ve heard from our guests is that a visit to Walt Disney World Resort just isn’t complete without enjoying the spectacular views at Soarin’ in Epcot or a spin through Toy Story Mania! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Well, I’m excited to share that we are expanding both attractions by adding another theater at Soarin’ and more midway track at Toy Story Mania! We’ll also be updating the screens and projection system at Soarin,’ bringing a visually enhanced experience.

 

These expansions are expected to be complete by late 2016, offering even more opportunities for you to enjoy these beloved attractions during your Walt Disney World Resort vacation.

Edited March 5, 2015 by jedimaster1227

[cfc]

^Definitely necessary. Mania is always mobbed.

[coasterfreak101]

Chances they'll switch over to Soarin' Over the World when the third theater opens? I imagine this is as much a retroactive 'this thing has horrible capacity' decision as much as it is a future 'and now we're going to make it brand new again' one.

[robbalvey]

^ We are discussing Soarin' in the Epcot Discussion Thread.

[coasterfreak101]

^Whoops. Wasn't even paying attention to which one I was in!

[coasterchitchat]

Toy Story Mania definitely needed the extra track. Good move!

[Hilltopper39]

So are they adding a "third track" to attraction or extending the ride length of the existing attraction with additional scenes? Either way an increase in capcity for this ride is greatly needed.

 

I've always wondered if the imagineers really thought the attraction would be this popular when they were designing it, it always felt undersized for the crowds it draws but maybe it was never expected to be this popular. Not that Disney really uses the E-ticket or D-ticket labels anymore but this has to be the most popular "non-E-ticket" attraction at any ofthe parks.

[coasterfreak101]

So are they adding a "third track" to attraction or extending the ride length of the existing attraction with additional scenes? Either way an increase in capcity for this ride is greatly needed.

 

From my understanding, they're building an entirely independent third track. No switches to meet the existing two, loading and unloading at its own (new) station, etc.

 

I'm more curious to see what they do with the queue - I'm guessing they'll use the existing queue, station, and two tracks for standby guests, and the new one exclusively for FastPass+ holders. That would make the existing standby queue move a lot quicker, and it would give anybody with a FastPass+ a ride without any line at all.