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dshimel
07-01-2003, 03:18 PM
In scanning old threads, I found one asking what you'd do to fix DLR, if you had $10 million over 3 years..... My answer to that would be to find another job because fixing DLR with $10 million would be like patching the hole in the Titanic given a stick of gun and a paper clip. It may help someone realize what a no win situation park management is in, but isn't a fun topic for a discussion board.

To really make this interesting, I think we need more money. Like $500 million to spend on the parks, but you have to build another hotel the size of GCH (700-800 rooms). The hotel revenue is what is paying for the $500 million in park upgrades.

Rules
1) For this thread, DLR is broken. Poor attendance at DCA, closed rides and sad Tomorrowland at DL. The goal is to get attendance up at both parks and fill the rooms in the new hotel.

2) No sponsor funds are available.

3) 3rd park property must be left open. Keep it in the foot print of DL, DCA, Timon, DLH, DTD and associated parking.

4) E ticket = $100-$150 million.
D ticket = $50-75 mill
C ticket = $25-50 mill

5) Capacity, space, crowd control and guest satisfaction must all be taken into account.

6) Money for ToT and redo of Space with current track layout is already allocated. The $500 million is addition improvements.

7) Minimal impact on current guests. New hotel must open by 2007.

8) Let's have fun.

disNeytEen
07-01-2003, 03:32 PM
I use my 500 million to clone Walt Disney

DivaPrincess
07-01-2003, 04:36 PM
Originally posted by disNeytEen
I use my 500 million to clone Walt Disney

Oh my gosh, I about died as I scrolled down because that is what I was going to say. This game is too complicated for my little mind - and no one could beat Walt Disney!

DisneyFan25863
07-01-2003, 07:56 PM
First, I would bulid a new e-ticket in each park (tot. 200 mil) One in the sub lagoon/motorboat lagoon, and one behind HPB

Then, I would bulid a new "transportation" thingy around DCA (50 mil)

I would then bulid a berm around DCA (about 20 mil)

I would bulid a new e-ticket along Rt. 66 (125 mil)

I would bring back the people mover (25 mil)

I would re-do Splash (25 mil)

I would then add a new ride to Tomorrowland (d-tkt) 50 mil

I would spend the rest (5mil) fixing the parks. (paint, siding, ect..)

At the same time, I would bulid a hotel to pay for all of it

cemeinke
07-01-2003, 08:02 PM
I'd spend a million at Mission Tortilla designing a machine that made mysterious images of the Virgin Mary appear in every 1000th Tortilla.

Then I'd take the remaining $499 million as a bonus and vacation with Michael and Paul.

JenGood008
07-01-2003, 09:12 PM
I'd spend a million at Mission Tortilla designing a machine that made mysterious images of the Virgin Mary appear in every 1000th Tortilla.

lol...cemeinke. That sounds like a GREAT plan!!! Who knows...maybe we will see it happen??

This is a little complicated for me to wrap my little blonde head around, but I'll give it a go.

Hmmm...

First I'd build an E-ticket (Atlantis??) in the sub lagoon, and some sort of time machine D-ticket in Innoventions (150 million..yikes!)

I'd bring the Peoplemover back with some sort of new special effects (25 million, or is that wishful thinking??)

I'd update and improve the classic attractions such as the Tiki Room, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, etc. Nothing major, just some sprucing of effects and audio...that sort of thing (25 million)

New E-ticket for DCA. Possibly something with San Francisco or the gold rush... (100 million)

Bring the Country Bears on over to DCA...oh how I miss them already! (25 million)

A new show for the Paradise Pier area at DCA...something like Fantasmic this time, definitely not the last *attempt* (50 million)

That should do it for now. I guess the new hotel was probably supposed to be included in that somewhere, wasn't it?? ;) Oh well...

It really would be easier to clone Walt ;)

jerjer2005
07-01-2003, 10:18 PM
some people on this board just have too much time on there hands

JenGood008
07-01-2003, 11:03 PM
some people on this board just have too much time on their hands

So true. Pretty good way to kill time when you can't sleep, right? :)

jerjer2005
07-01-2003, 11:06 PM
true...

or you could lay in bed naming disneyland attractions... that always makes me go to sleep lol jk:p

jrad32
07-02-2003, 07:18 AM
Well you couldn't name DCA attractions as that would take all of 30 seconds.

dshimel
07-02-2003, 10:16 AM
It's early in the life of this thread, but I'm truely shocked at the lack of creativity so far. Wow.


I'd start with a lesson learned from Pooh, Rocket Rods, and Journey into your Imagination. A low budget shoehorning of an attraction into an existing building results in a poor quality new attraction. Even Buzz at WDW seems "disjounted" as the ride was put on an existing ride system. Innoventions could be better if it weren't forced into an existing structure. I wonder if Test Track would have had as many problems if it weren't put into the existing World of Motion building.

If I got the $500 budget to fix DLR, construction walls would be up all over Tomorrowland by the end of next week. Strip anything useful out of Circle Vision and Redd Rockets plus the People Mover/Rocket Rods tracks.

Within a month, the entire Circle Vision building, Redd Rockets/Mission to Mars, and People Mover/Rocket Rods load structures would be gone. Cost, $5 million?

+++++++++++
Okay, I can hear the screaming about the perminant removal of People Mover. Too bad. It's not cost effective to operate or bring back. It's in the way of future development and has to go.
+++++++++++


I'd then build a new building specifically designed to hold Buzz Lightyear laser tag omni mover where Circle Vision was. We have to break into Zerg headquarters. Pirates/Mansion quality robot AAs for us to shoot at. Cost $50 million.

Mission Space goes into the former Mission to Mars location. Cost, $100 million.

Giant water feature, artistic water fountain, thingy goes in where People Mover load platform used to be. $1 million. Cyber Space Mountain goes into the old Starcade area. Design the coaster upstairs, ride it downstairs. Cost $10 million.

Get moving on the Space Mt. retrack/retheme.

This stuff all has to be done for the 50th. Space Mt. and Cyber Space Mt. open to kick off the 50th in Oct 2004. Buzz has to be done by Jan-Feb 2005. Mission Space will be the pinacle of the 50th celebration, opening in July 2005.

I'm at about $165 million, but have to add about 15% for cost over runs. We'll call it an even $190 million for Tomorrowland 2005.

Additional changes for the 50th. $2 million to enhance the Fantasyland theater stage so that Aladdin quality shows can be put on there. First show would probably be Snow White, with sets for the Queen's castle (courtyard and magic room/dungeon), the woods and cottage, a trap door floor for queen to transform into hag, and some effetcs for the hag falling off the cliff in the end.

$2 million to open a foot path between the North edge of the rivers and the train tracks to ease NOS, Critter Country traffic congestion. Move the canoes and Tom Sawer Island raft docks back here to further ease congestion

A couple million for a new parade and fireworks show.

A million for Tiki Room repairs. A million to rework the Indianna Jones entrance. Put in a better stroller parking area and kid-swap waiting area between current exit and Fast Pass distrib. Narrow the current Exit to make a FastPass return line. Let Standby line back into the main queue.

Count that another $10 million, so through $2005 I've spent $200 milliion. We now have a much more balanced park, 3 new rides, some updated classics, and better guest flow around the rivers and Adventureland.


******************

Okay, I've avoided controversy so far (except People Mover). Now it gets ugly.

As soon as the 18-month 50th celebration ends in Spring 2006, Autotopia, Innoventions and monorail close. The new Tomorrowland Hotel takes over the entire Harbor Blvd side of the park. Sub Lagoon, motor boat cruise, autotopia, innoventions area become a Contemporary style hotel. Private entrance to DL for hotel guests. Balcony views into the park and fireworks. Lagoon with dancing waters show to separate the hotel from the park. Monorail station moves into the new hotel and becomes for DLR hotel room guests only to get Tomorrowland hotel people to DTD and DLH/GCH/PPH people to Tomorrowland Hotel.

A restaurant in the hotel will replace Redd Rocket's for Eastside dining. Maybe allow monorail ride with meal purchase.

We lose Innoventions, Autopia, and (kind of) the Monorail, but get the hotel that is paying for all this. High priced rooms with awesome theme park views.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The other $300 million goes into DCA.

Spring 2006 RnRC opens off Hollywood ($75 million)
Superstar Lamo overlay ($10 mill)
Total cost: $85 mill

Removal of wave swinger, zephyr, sun glass dino from route 66. Nemo dark ride, nemo flat ride, retheme MadMouse(into EAC), and additional area retheming.
Spring 2007 Nemo land opens
Total Cost: $75 million

Fall 2007 Pier goes into soft close. Screamin' operates when possible. The Boomer is removed and sold off for the cost of removal. All that white fake wood under screaming goes away. The main supports are dressed up as under the sea sand castles reminiscent of King Triton's castle. ($10 mill)
Ursula Spinner($20 mill),
Little Mermaid (Alice quality) dark ride($35 mill)
Additional retheming of Pier into Under-the-Sea ($10 mill)
Spring 2008, Under the sea land opend
Total cost: $75 million

Name change from CA adventure to Disney Imagination Locations (A New DIL) $10 million.

That gives me 4 more years and only $50 million to do something with wharf and empty bay. By 10 year anniversary, all DCA placeholder attractions are gone.

laldava
07-03-2003, 11:18 AM
Wow! that last reply is a hard act to follow. If money was less of an issue, there is so much I would do to DL. I think proper funding must first be allocated to freshening up all areas of the park that have gone into disrepair (painting, mechanics and what not). Also, money should be set aside for updating areas of the park. Now, this is just my opinion, but I think DCA is a major waste of space. With the room Disney has there, they could expand Disneyland and forget the whole notion of re-theming the park. I know this idea is pretty radical and would proabably require the movement of entire attractions. But hey its not like it hasnt been done before (attractions from the 1964 worlds fair). I think main st. could be expanded out into what is now the entrance plaza to both parks. Of course the scaling of the buildings would have to similar to the originals. With the expansion of main st. the liberty square section that was originally planned could be incorporated complete with a hall of presidents attraction. By moving previous sections of main st. the other areas that border it such as tomorrowland could expand out into former main st. land. Basically the borders of all of the lands could all be altered, increasing them in size, well some more than others.

Now I dont think that attractions from DCA have to necessarily be scrapped either. I think rides such as Grizzly River Run could be incorporated into areas such as critter country. The ride system in soarin could be used for a tomorrowland attraction. I dunno. I do think major money should be spend on DL. Would the park ever expand - probably not. The DCA problem is a whole separate issue and budget. =P

SimpTwister
07-04-2003, 12:24 AM
OK, You asked...

Here's the current SimpTwister Master Plan:

Like dshimel says, tear out most of TL. I would say leave nothing but Space itself.

The New TL has the same entrance from the hub, but then opens onto a large plaza. More of an open feeling, less like the 'corridor' feeling TL has now. Around the edge of the Plaza are the TL attractions: Space, Buzz, Star Tours, and Something Else (Mission:Space would be fine). Oh, and there's a brand new PeopleMover, with a brand new layout, just for that retro feel.

The current Sub Lagoon/Motor Boat Cruise area would become a Jules Verne-themed area. Discoveryland, Discovery Bay, whatever. The main attractions here are Discovery Mountain from DLP and 20,000 Leagues from TDS.

That pretty much takes care of DL.


Over in DCA, the Route 66 area (NW of Paradise Pier) would be demolished. McDonald's, Mulholland, Orange Stinger, Jellyfish, etc. would be gone.

In their place would be an extension of San Francisco. This would consist of a large 'show building' that resembles a cluster of tallish (10 story) buildings. Along the waterfront (Paradise Bay) resembles Fisherman's Wharf, with appropriate watercraft docked in the bay.

As you walk away from the bay, you walk into the show building. It is always nighttime inside. Think of it as a smaller version of NOS, but indoors like Blue Bayou or Studio One at DSP.

Inside the building (on the streets of San Francisco) are many shops and restaurants, like NOS.

There is also a C- or D-ticket dark ride: A cable-car ride through San Francisco history (there actually was a ride like that IN San Francisco back in the '70s). This is a mid-level dark ride, about like Pinocchio.


Timon becomes 19th century Spanish/Mexican California ('Alta California'?). Paradise Bay is extended to the east, so there's water east of Screamin' and south of Pacific Wharf. Across the smallish bit of water from the existing attractions is a Spanish port. A galleon is docked here. The ship is fully explorable. There is a restaurant at the dock.

Beyond the port, in the SE corner of DCA, is a Mexican village and a new Mountain. Inside the mountain is an E-Ticket dark ride based on Zorro. Maybe the mountain is called 'La Montana del Diego' or something (sorry, my Spanish is horrible). This ride is similar to Pirates, or maybe more like Sinbad at TDS.


Over in HPB, I would convert the derelict eatery into the Sci-Fi Dine In like at WDW.


And that's it for DCA.



I would then build the fountain between the two parks that was shown in the concept art.


As for the new hotel, I'd put it SW of the PPH, along with a smallish waterpark, built around a mountain (that gives us a new mountain in the SE corner of the Resort, and a new mountain in the SW corner). The waterpark would be mainly targeted at resort guests, but would be open to the public.



And there you have it.

DL4EVER
07-04-2003, 05:24 AM
hate to bring this up, but I highly doubt we could get a good mission space....TL just doesn't have the room to make it as good as epcots...

dshimel
07-04-2003, 01:45 PM
SimpTwister.... You've used your whole $500 million, just on Tomorrowland.

You've got $200-300 million in rides (DiscMt and 20K) and $50-100 million in retheming in your Jules Vernes area alone. Add in another $250 million+ ($100 mission space, $50 mill. buzz, $50-100 mill for new people mover, + major area retheming) for the rest of Tomorrowland and you're near your $500K.

I too had thought of an indoor SanFran at night area similar to a mix of NoS and Pirates. Mine would have been a trip through time, with differnt areas themed to different decades Roaring 20s, war years, hippy 60s, trendy 80s. Problem is, shops, restaurants and reality is the last thing DCA needs. It needs to keep moving toward fantastic rather than realiy.


Anyone can dream anything. Design forces dreams into a set of constraints. In this thread, the constraint is half a billion dollars.


laldava,
while expansion of DL vs. construction of a scond gate may make sense from a guest prespective, it does not make sense from a business prespective. If you say it is one park, people will try to do it in a day or two. Making it a multi-park resort will get more people to block 3-4 days out of their so-cal vacation. More days means more people staying on property, easting on property, and shopping on property. That is where the real money is. That money is needed to pay for these improvements.

sleepyjeff
07-11-2003, 11:08 PM
Ok, I ll take a stab at it:

HOTEL---Locate this across the st. from TL and call it the Tommorwland Hotel. The Hotel would be shaped like EPCOTs space ship Earth but instead of White Tiles it would have an all glass exterior. (Yes we will have to tear out HoJo and the Fairfield Hotels.

DISNEYLAND---

Main st.---1) Remodel the old Plaza Pavillion into a Fine Dining Establishment and call it Auroras.*{2 million}
2) Bring back the Preview of coming attractions room.{.15 million}

Adventureland---1) Remodel the Tahitian Terrace into a Jungle style food court.* {2 million}

New Orleans Sq.---1) Touch up Pirates a little just to keep it fresh without changing it. {1 million}

Critter Country---1) Remodel Hungry Bear Restuarnt with a sizzler type menu/service. Have a few of the Playhouse gang hanging around on the walls breaking into song every now and then.*{7 million}
2) Touch up Splash Mt. quite a bit.{4 million}


Frontierland---1) Bring the keel boats out of retirement and add a small adventure to their trip around the Rivers of America; maybe a dark cave with wind and simulated bats, placed on the back side of the island.{20 million}

2) Bambi dark ride done up even better than Tokyos Pooh ride. The indivdual cars would be modeled after various characters from the movie----and they would ride like there namesakes personality---thumper cars would thump---flower cars would "shy away" from things etc. The show building[built on the big thunder bbq area] would take the guests right into Bambis forest with a third of the ride outdoors and the meat of the ride indoors. The transistion would be seamless however with show building lights adjusted to outdoor light conditions. {100 million}

Fantasyland---1) Skyway to TL re-opened.{20 million}

2) Evanrude(Rescuers) bayou boats. In the former motor boat cruise lagoon a cleverly themed overlay brings back this old ride.{12 million}

3) The lift hill on the Matterhorn would be improved with an avalanche tunnel (similar to Universals).{20 million}

Tommorowland---1) Buzz will be built so I am going to cheat here and not charge myself for that:)

2) Bring back the Subs with a Sea Base scene similar to the one in the old Horizons ride from EPCOT. More realistic animatronics and padded seats;) {90 million}

3) People mover returns with a well themed speed room that simulates traveling at high speed in a futuristic city that floats in the clouds; this ride will feature the same seamless lighting that the New Bambi Ride has. Mover will also feature two destinations(TL Hotel)(DCA) or Roundtrip options.
{40 million}

4) "The Orion Project".......a ship that uses nuclear explosions to propel itself thru space...would be the subject of the Ride to replace innoventions. Similar to mission space in orlando but on a smaller scale with a more forward looking theme. {100 million}

DCA:

Paradise Pier---A most spectacular water show {100 million}

Only a little over budget;+


*Why all the restuarants? Disneyland needs to get those pesky food carts off the crowded walkways. Opening a few sit down eateries will bleed off some of the walkway pressure.

DrIndianaJones
07-16-2003, 09:30 PM
Okay here is a quick breakdown of what I would do if I had the chance.
However, I want to change the rules just a wee bit.
First, Bill Gates has come in and bought up a large chunk of Disney, thus the $500 million is now $800...hey this could really happen here folks (I'm in the computer field, and rumors like this are going around)
Second, despite the odds of it never happening, DL and DCA are merged in my plan

In the current Plaza area will be the entrance to the New Disneyland Park.

Extension of Main Street to lead to current MS.
Liberty Square where the DCA gates are with a Hall of Presidents and the Lincoln speech attraction moved here. (current Lincoln hall becomes a restaurant themed around the Main Street idea…small town America)
History of America mini museum that is a brief rundown on…well…America’s history.

Total cost (max) $75m

Now the “lands” in DCA would have to be renamed entirely, as follows.

Golden State is now Discoveryland with the following changes to the land:

GRR themed to the wildest rivers in America (ie Colorado, Snake, ect)
Soarin' would remain the same
Redwood Creek Trail would become National Parks
Chip 'n Dale remains
Golden Dreams would be changed into a 360 degree theater that goes through time from the Dinosaures to the deck of the Santa Maria to a Revolutionary War battle to a mid-50’s (Disneyland under construction perhaps?) to finally an empty future...why? Well as the guide/scientist explains, because the future has yet to be written, and its up to you to write it

Total (max) $50m

Paradise Pier would be The Waterfront

Mulholland Maddness would be renamed the EAC…”It like Whoa! Then Whoa!! And then whooooaa.” (thanks to dshimel for the idea)
SS Rustworthy, Orange, and Jumpin’ would all suffer a terrible fate of the bulldozer to make room for two dark rides: Nemo & Little Mermaid
Mailboomer would remain, mainly because nothing else fits there.
Gaming area same as above
California Screamin’ would be renamed to fit…Waterfront Screamin’ doesn’t really work, but it might if needed.
King Triton would remain

Total (max) $150m

Hollywood Pictures Backlot would be split into two areas: Walt Disney Studio & Hollywoodland

Country Bears brought to WDS in the Millionaire building. No changes to fit the movie! The original show, plus others “shows” that gives the attraction variety.
“Welcome to Monstropolis”, (Monster’s Inc dark ride) in the SuperStar Limo building, part of Hollywoodland area.

Total (max) $75m

Now over Disneyland
Adventureland

Tiki Room, update the AA’s to modern technology, add a Christmas show.
Jungle Cruise major overhaul. (I might make some mad at me) Make a greater tie in with Indy, as well as a theme more towards the Jungle Book (live action film that came out a few years ago). The humor and such must stay, since it is the best part of the ride, however the rest of the ride needs to change!

Total (max) $50m

NOS

PotC major overhaul to the AA’s and effects, with the grotto changed to fit the movie, and several scenes within to tie in with the film a bit more. I want the sinister-ness of the Pirates added back in.
HM updated AA’s…no changes other newer equipment/effects.

Total (max) $50m

Frontierland

BBQ torn out and replaced with a motion simulator ride that puts guests in a stagecoach which is robbed by a gang of outlaws. Ride name: “Outlaws”.

Total (max) $35m

Fantasyland

Next door to the “Outlaws” ride and under the “Skyway” hill, would be a Beauty and the Beast dark ride.
In the empty garden/water area between the “Matterhorn & “it’s a small world” would be the building that houses the new “Fantasia” dark ride. Like the movies, an experiment with themepark entertainment.

Total (max) $100m

Tomorrowland

Again this assumes that the Buzz ride is already covered in terms of cost and completion.
Subs return as a journey to Atlantis, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the (terrible) movie. Instead inside this futuristic sub, guests take a “SeaQuest”-type journey that gives guests the vision of our future underwater along with a sense of adventure via Atlantis which is a ruined city.
Innoventions has one of three fates:
A true Innovention attraction that shows technology not as it is (ie games), but what it could be ten – fifteen years down the road.
Or
Alien EncounTERROR
Or
A Stargate-ish idea that has the guests planet hopping to help find a lost expedition.

Total (min)$25m to (max)$100m

Hotel
Directly to the East of Tomorrowland, across the street.
This trendy, modern style, 4 star hotel, would feature a Monorail stop that gives guests staying at the hotel direct access to the park. Featuring the latest in technology, as far as hotels go, the Constellation Hotel is the perfect place for families with older children (age 12+). It would have about 500 rooms, a pool area, as well as the best food this side of the universe.
Total (max) $200m

Total costs: Max approx $785m…yeah! $15m under budget! The rest would go to raises for the entire DLR “cast”. However, I think that all of these changes could happen for under $500m, but I wanted to give myself plenty of breathing space.