Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Time Bombs...


"Are we there yet?"

"Are we there yet?"

"Are we there yet?"

You know the questions we get when kids become impatient about where they're going...

We all know after hearing the rumors for the past few years that many Disney Geeks/Fans will be asking a similar question:

"When will it be done?"

Well, I guess it's time to show you a preliminary guide to the divisions of work to be done in "Phase One". Now, some of these could change depending on construction delays, weather and other factors but you can pretty much use this as a guide to the coming construction and which projects will go before others.

I call these phases "Time Bombs"...

Weapons of creativity to fend off the mediocrity of a generic theme park. These things have already had their timer set. Once they go off they're going to explode these areas and the results will be a decimation of the bland and boring with the plastering of rich, lavish theming all through the park.

These Time Bombs are set to go off at different places at different times and the results will be nothing short of being visually stunning. Four and a half years from now you'll walk through DCA(don't get used to that acronym) and not realize it's the same park... sure some areas will be familiar, but overall you'll have never been to this park before.

Shall we get started on our bombing run? Good...

Time Bomb 1

Paradise Pier and the surrounding area has been under construction since 2005 so it's had a bit of a head start. The Pier with its richly themed heavy D ticket will be through with construction in July. Actually, it'll be done mainly by April, but there will be tests and previews all the way through July which is when it is tentatively scheduled to open. The surrounding midway with its rethemed games will be open as well. Basically everything between the Carousel and Maliboomer will be finished by next summer. All the additions in the pier will be installed early next year so as to not interrupt the view of that new section. The retheming of the Sun Wheel is currently scheduled to be completed around this time as well. Once redressed, Mickey's Fun Wheel should make its debut by the end of 2008 unless the current plans change.

Time Bomb 2

The transformation of Sunshine Plaza to Walt Disney Plaza is supposed to get started in fall of next year. Once the temporary entrance is done expect bulldozers to start rolling and construction to be completed on this visually extravagant set-back to the late 20's/early 30's by late 2009 or early 2010. The construction will probably be done in two phases with the front section being done first and then the courtyard with its trolley, restaurants and shops going up after that part is done.

Time Bomb 3

The retheming of this section of Paradise Pier and the absorption of Route 66 will start in late 2009 and continue through late 2010 or early 2011 to be finished around the time of the tenth anniversary. The shops and beer garden will layer the area in a bygone era... while "Goofy's Sky School" will stick out, but be a much more immersive and lavishly themed coaster that doesn't resemble the Mulholland Madness kiddie coaster of today. The Maliboomer should be removed around this time and the work on the Orange Stinger and the surrounding area will begin as well.

Time Bomb 4

The Little Mermaid attraction and area will start to arise when the Golden Dreams building is removed in early 2009 and the construction of an elaborate show building is constructed. Work on the expanded viewing area should start in late 2008 so that the area will be available for use in late 2009 when "Disney's World of Color" is tentatively scheduled to make its bow.

Time Bomb 5

The areas atop where Ariel's Grotto and the surrounding stores should start to see work begin on them in early 2009. The plan is to have construction done by the time DWOC debuts and the lower levels are supposed to get enclosed so as to not get any paying diners wet. This area should be done by late 2009 should no delays come up.

Time Bomb 6

The final and largest part of the expansion gets underway in late 2009 when planning for "Cars Land" turns into overdrive. By early 2010 the area will be a hive of activity. The construction walls and signs will point to the great new addition that takes up 20 percent of the park and will change the skyline and theming once done. The area around "Bugs Land" that people see when walking by that exposes the outside of the resort(hotels, power-lines) will disappear by the time this expansion opens up in 2012.

By the time DCA has its tenth anniversary the entire park will be remade and look brand spanking new... the only thing that won't be open by the tenth will be "Cars Land", but it will be ever-so present... with the construction of those giant mesas looming overhead Disney Geeks/Fans will be running about the new park, most likely with the new name all giddy. Peering over their shoulder at the final jewel, the final present of "Phase One" to be opened in the summer of 2012.

If by that fall the clicks are starting to edge up to the 9 million mark...

Iger will give the official nod to "Phase Two" and you can expect some form of announcement at the end of that year or the beginning of 2013 talking about even more goodies. John Lasseter and Bob Weis have a few surprises up their sleeves that are expected and at least one that will give the faithful a reason to have faith.

A LOT of faith...

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Phase 2... any ideas yet? Any clues?

Anonymous said...

Is Mickey's fun wheel a new attraction? the way you have worded it: "The Sun Wheel is currently scheduled to be completed around this time as well, although construction on it may drag a bit. Mickey's Fun Wheel should be done by the end of 2008 unless the current plans change." Makes it sound like a seperate attraction to the sun wheel? This would make sense to all the messageboard chatter on the LA Times map labeling the sun wheel wrong....

Honor Hunter said...

It's not a new attraction, just the retheming of the wheel to more match the area it's in. More Victorian theming and the Mickey face going over where the sun face is now.

It's going to play a part in the WOC show. The new lighting will be more interactive and the face will play a part of the show a bit.

Anonymous said...

Why is Mickey's Fun Wheel mislabeled on your map, then?

Anonymous said...

Hunter, is Mickey's Fun Wheel moving to in front of Triton's Carousel or is this a minor mistake on the wonderful map you provided?

Honor Hunter said...

It's the map. The Wheel won't be moving... just a little pixel problem there. Sorry for the confusion.

Anonymous said...

No mention of the DCA preivew center in the San Francisco buildings. Timeframe in the press release mentioned late 2008. That would put some sort of action in that area by mid 2008. Would that bump up your phase 4 timing a little?

Anonymous said...

The preview center isn't really a ride or qualify as an attraction I don't think he put it in because of that. My guess.

Anonymous said...

More fishing for phase II clues - let's put it this way, does WDI have concrete ideas of what they'd like if funding came through or is it all still blue sky?

BC Morris said...

Great update honor,

Your map includes Philharmagic in Time Bomb 2. Care to comment?

Unknown said...

I'm always saying "Is it done yet" as soon as I see any construction walls going up. I'm impatient as it is especially for something new.

To me it's like trying to wait for Christmas. That's why my wife and I usually get our Christmas presents from each other way before December 25th

Anonymous said...

Are they really going to build Mickey's Philharmagic from the Magic Kingdom in Florida. I heard rumors about them building it at Disney's California Adventure where Muppet Vision 3-D is still playing on screamscape.com I didn't hear anything saying it would be confirmed on the internet or the news.

Also are they going to call the Little Mermaid Ride Voyage of the Little Mermaid isn't that the name of the Little Mermaid show at Disney Studios Florida.

Are they going to call Toy Story Mania Toy Story Midway Mania? because I heard there was a rumor going around on screamscape.com saying they wanted to call it Midway Mania because of Paradise Pier

Anonymous said...

You didnt talk about Mickey's PhillharMagic.

Another thing that worries me is that Hollywood Pictures Backlot isn't mentioned much. One of the worst things in that area are those horrible stairs and boring walkway towards the ToT. Any ideas on if they plan on creating a theatre lobby for the Hyperion and a themed avenue leading up to the ToT or any other theming or additions for the HPB?

Brian said...

haha anonymous. you make it seem as if you are the first person to say/mention/ask about a lobby. If it doesn't come, does that make the park a bad park. Everything single thing doesn't have to be a certain way. If disney doesn't wanna ouch it, will it really, really really, matter?

Anonymous said...

Maybe PhilharMagic will be going in the former "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" building, leaving Muppet-Vision alone.

Anonymous said...

Well, then, what WILL be going into the "Millionaire" building?

And why are they taking out Muppet-Vision? Lack of attendance?

Will they maybe build a new Muppet-themed attraction at DCA?

Honor Hunter said...

One is not currently schedule... but you never know what the future will hold. WDI is always proposing something. I'm sure that something in the future will be used in the parks that feature the Muppets. After all, they own them and will want to leverage that property. But who can say what or when? That's going to be up to the new management and Iger and his crew to decide.

Anonymous said...

The current proposal released as part of the new DCA big budget rehab is a bit confusing. Various sources of information skips Muppets/Philharmagic, removal of Maliboomer, mis-locates the re-themed Mickey’s Fun Wheel and attributes the World of Color and Midway Mania (both previously funded) to the recent $1.2 billion enhancement.

The LA Times and OC register have slightly differing maps (the Times being the more informative but mislabeled).

So, this whole expansion/enhancement/rehab/upgrade or whatever it is and however it’s ‘phased’ is an uncertain mix that appears to be being dragged out over five to ten years.

Anyway, The times calls out the “Mickey’s Philharmonic Music Show” being put in the current Muppets location. So that may be where some of the controversy is coming from.

Anonymous said...

Everything Sounds great, I think they should start the little mermaid attraction right away do they really need to keep golden dreams open honesty? Honor Hunter? It doesnt bring in any crowds whats the point of bringing it back after the first of the year

DCABearAZ said...

I'm wondering about the Route 66 section of the park.. looking at some of the maps, there appears to be some work around the Pizza and McDonalds. Are they razing those buildings to put in the beer garden? or just retheming them? and if that's the case, will the SS Rustworthy be ripped out for space? (crosses fingers)

Also, from all the maps I've seen so far, the Orange Stinger appears to be moved or gone? Any comments?