Hollywood Studios Update: Jedi Academy Refurbishment
Despite the sad state of Disney's Hollywood Studios, walking down Hollywood Boulevard is much more rewarding now, thanks to the lack of the Sorcerer's Hat that has blocked the view of the amazing Chinese Theater for about 14 years.
While the rest of the park still has plenty of issues (many of which are going to be removed in the next few years), the park is introducing a multitude of minor additions that will keep Guests busy while work on the new lands progresses.
While the rest of the park still has plenty of issues (many of which are going to be removed in the next few years), the park is introducing a multitude of minor additions that will keep Guests busy while work on the new lands progresses.
Hollywood Blvd.:
This view is absolutely gorgeous:
The Center Stage area as a whole looks great. Retractable light fixtures would be a nice addition:
Looking back towards the exit of the park:
The new "We Love Disney" preview recently opened in the Echo Lake area of the park:
As we reported on our social media pages, the carpet and all the seats inside the ABC Sound Studio have been changed. The theater now sports a completely new look. Could this mean that the location will remain as is for the foreseeable future? Old rumors pointed to a possible removal of the theater.
Gone are the old seats with headphones:
The actual preview is by no means a must-see. The A/C was much appreciated, though.
The Star Tours area:
The former Jedi Training Academy is now closed for refurbsihment:
The new "Trials of the Temple" version of the show will open in December:
Muppet*Vision 3D:
New advertisements for the new Muppets television series have replaced the classic posters:
Watto's Grotto is still open in the Streets of America area of the park:
The main entrance:
Another look inside this temporary location:
The FastPass+ line for Toy Story Mania! now spills outside the building on many occasions. As we shared on our Facebook and Twitter pages, we might have identified the problem behind this unfortunate change. The reason why the FastPass+ line is so long could be the lack of emergency exits on the stairway leading to the loading area. In fact, the Cast Members working at the location are now leaving the stairs mostly clear of Guests. That causes the line to be longer outside the building. We are sure this is just a temporary issue that will be solved with the opening of the third track:
New Jungle Book ad near Pixar Place:
The Soundstage Lounge is now closed:
The covering over the former queue area for The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow has been removed:
As reported by other sites, Walt Disney's office was recently removed from "One Man's Dream":
Walls are now up around a section of Sunset Boulevard:
Catalina Eddie’s and Rosie’s All American Café are closed through November 19:
The Hollywood Tower Hotel:
It's time to head home:
And that is all for now. Before concluding, remember to like us on our official Facebook page and follow us on Twitter for live updates from the parks. If you would like to make a donation to OTPN, feel free to use the "DONATE" button found on the sidebar. Thank you for your support, and see you again soon.
I'm surprised they're advertising that terrible Muppets show, since people were complaining about its maturity and sex jokes.
ReplyDeleteThe Muppets show is hilarious!.
ReplyDeleteMy prediction is the muppets will be out when the new toy story area opens.
ReplyDeleteToy story area is going behind the current toy story ride, where the backlot tour used to be, that's the opposite side of the park from Muppets....but I do believe if the show is a flop, they're on life support in the park, if it succeeds, I'm sure they'll have a niche somewhere.....
ReplyDeleteI know the location of the muppets is not threatened by the toy story area. The muppets is threatened by Star Wars and other possible rearrangements of its own area. The muppets attraction is also most certainly threatened by its newfound adult focused show on television and the absence of the product on Seasme Street. The muppets are a 1970s creation, have grown very long in the tooth. It is entirely possible that when the new large toy story land is open, the closing of the muppets will not be noticed much by kids totally absorbed by the new land.
ReplyDeleteIt will be the perfect time to close it up.
There are enormous changes coming to DHS.
The muppets are insignificant compared to the power of those changes.
I have read on another very reliable site that there are plans to plus this area if the show does well. The plans would be to update the movie (and actually the area in general), as well as the addition of a Muppet-themed restaurant.
ReplyDeleteAnd I also think that the new show is good so far. My kids enjoy it also.
The last 2 muppet movies made 200 million at the box office and only cost 95 million to make. There's plans to make another movie in 2017.
ReplyDeleteAndy, it sounds good, but not that great compared to just 2 of Disney's own original movies, totally within their control.
ReplyDeleteMonster's Inc: Worldwide Gross: ~560 million Cost ~ 115 million
Monster's U : Worldwide Gross: ~740 million Cost ~ 200 million
(Box Office Mojo, and various mainstream media interviews with key individuals)
So, where is the BIG Monster's Inc presence at DHS?? A meet and greet?
The Laugh Floor at MK - hardly the stuff of a good Tomorrowland (imho).
Rumors of a Monsters coaster for 5, 6 years now - nothing.
I'm not saying Monsters is going to replace Muppets, but I'm trying to point out that if the decision basis is an ROI ration: there are better choices.
You have to remember that Disney is a media conglomerate whose goal is to cross promote. There isn't a new Monsters, Inc. movie planned at the moment. However, The Muppets have a new show plus a potential movie in the pipeline. Sometimes these decisions aren't based on past ROI only. Sometimes they have to look at future expansion potential of a franchise. I'm not saying the Muppets are staying (if the show flops it likely will go), but I wouldn't count them completely out unless Waldorf and Statler have moved into the Villages. Remember, that attraction is the only mention of that francise in the entire resort.
ReplyDeleteAll good points, good discussion.
ReplyDeletePost above this one, last sentence about muppets only having a single attraction. This is not necessarily a good thing, makes it an outlier and an easier target to just phase out. But, as noted this often loveable group of foam is getting a bit of a rewrite - as they have just celebrated 60 years of existence.
With so much out there for the kid demographic now, going more adult is a bit of a Hail Mary.
Does anyone know what the long term plan is for the building that One mans dream and Captain Jack Sparrow attraction is in? With 1 already closed and the other closing soon
ReplyDelete