WDW Resorts - Update & Rumor Thread

[SeventyOne]

Now though, I don’t know if it falls into some sort of “is he an Avenger” gray area. Surely he would have been an Avenger in comic form before showing up in the movies.

I believe this has been discussed to death before, but from what I remember, traditionally pre-1989, no. He was one of the original Defenders, a team created to contrast the Avengers. May have popped up in Avengers books from time to time, but was not officially on the roster. There is a "cut-out" of him in IoA IIRC, but I've never believed that to be legally binding.

Also note The Daily Bugle prop (very much a Spider-Man reference) was removed from the DHS show after Day 1, but the show itself finished its run. Granted there is a lot less at stake with a promotional show than a new E-ticket, and I don't know that you want to budget tens of millions knowing an arbitrator could make that money disappear in an instant, but signs point to Dr Strange being available for WDW use.

 

[Nico]

It’s funny that BC talked about this himself recently.

Doctor Strange Is Not an Avenger According to Benedict Cumberbatch

Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch says that his character is not an Avenger. In an interview with KCRW for The Power of the Dog, the actor explained how he’s technically not a part of the team. Basically, Doctor Strange is one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but not in the same way as...

comicbook.com

 

[Nick]

It’s funny that BC talked about this himself recently.

Doctor Strange Is Not an Avenger According to Benedict Cumberbatch

Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch says that his character is not an Avenger. In an interview with KCRW for The Power of the Dog, the actor explained how he’s technically not a part of the team. Basically, Doctor Strange is one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but not in the same way as...

comicbook.com

That's in the MCU though, although he never was really in the Avengers even in the MCU (He didn't meet Tony until Infinity War and decided to help them out).

The theme park rights have to do with the comics.

 

[therock]

While I’m not sure if Tom is entirely working towards the “leak things to get them cancelled” angle, people absolutely have in the past.

The big reason why WDW didn’t get a version of Mission: Breakout (when it was somewhat the impetus for the idea) was the combination of fan reaction to the leak and George Kalogridis.

That said I chuckled when Tom tried to pass off concept art of a Moana M&G in the current Tiki preshow area as proof that the show was to be replaced by Moana.

That said, it was a proposal, and it did get a not insignificant distance, but it definitely wasn’t approved, nor was it particularly close to being approved.

I wonder if there are times where 2 people have competing projects and they each have multiple usernames on boards like this that they use to purposely talk negatively about the other project in hopes that it gets cancelled and their project gets picked instead?

 

[Nick]

Maybe i'm just out of the loop, but this seems to be out of no where. ESPN Club closed with The Cake Bake Shop planned to replace it.

 

[SpyderDan]

Maybe i'm just out of the loop, but this seems to be out of no where. ESPN Club closed with The Cake Bake Shop planned to replace it.

ESPN really fell off in quality in recent years but seeing it close permanently, especially as a result of stupid covid, is absolutely gutting. My family and I have many memories of watching games there. Replacing a popular sports bar with an uppity hoitey toitey expensive bakery seems peak Disney these days.

 

[GAcoaster]

With the push by shareholders to spin off or sell ESPN we may see other ESPN branding disappear...

 

[Nick]

With the push by shareholders to spin off or sell ESPN we may see other ESPN branding disappear...

Shareholders have wanted ESPN gone for years and it never happens. And ESPN WWoS is the easiest name drop as it wasn't even ESPN originally, it can go back to Disney's WWoS. It would take some money for signage changes, but honestly that's it.

 

[HandsomePete]

Shareholders have wanted ESPN gone for years and it never happens. And ESPN WWoS is the easiest name drop as it wasn't even ESPN originally, it can go back to Disney's WWoS. It would take some money for signage changes, but honestly that's it.

Idiot investors don’t really have a clue. That guaranteed cash flow was clutch during Covid.

ESPN Club going away has a lot more to do with it being one of the worst-rated restaurants on property than ESPN branding.

 

[Nick]

Idiot investors don’t really have a clue. That guaranteed cash flow was clutch during Covid.

ESPN Club going away has a lot more to do with it being one of the worst-rated restaurants on property than ESPN branding.

The argument for getting rid of ESPN is that sports rights are just ridiculously expensive. That said, live sports are the highest rated thing on TV these days and the only reason many people hang onto cable or even streaming equivalents like Hulu with Live TV or Youtube TV.

The COVID thing isn't an overly convincing argument though as for all we know even if Disney didn't have NBA rights, the NBA still may have chosen WWoS due to how controlled the Disney could make the environment for the NBA with the implementation of MagicBands for pretty much every entry and exit point and it was able to track if a player had tested for COVID for the day or not and wouldn't let them do anything else before doing so. Disney just had the ideal setup for what was needed during that time with or without ESPN.

And absolutely on why ESPN Club went away. I remember almost a decade ago reading in the latest copy of Touring Plans at the time how it was pretty much at the bottom even then.

 

[SpyderDan]

It's very true that there has been a huge drop off in quality the last several years but still sucks seeing it close. You'd think the Boardwalk would benefit from having a sports bar on it. What else is there to do there?

 

[snayberry]

It's very true that there has been a huge drop off in quality the last several years but still sucks seeing it close. You'd think the Boardwalk would benefit from having a sports bar on it. What else is there to do there?

They have a dance hall that serves drinks till 1am.

 

[Nick]

It's very true that there has been a huge drop off in quality the last several years but still sucks seeing it close. You'd think the Boardwalk would benefit from having a sports bar on it. What else is there to do there?

So The Cake Bake Shop is replacing ESPN. The BoardWalk Bakery and Boardwalk Pizza are nearby. There's also still quite a few restaurants around in Flying Fish, Trattoria al Forno, and Big River Grille as far as a sports bar type of place. Abracadabar, Atlantic Dance Hall, and Jelly Rolls are also still around.

All spaces are occupied and there's a decent variety among the offerings, the most nightlife out of anywhere on Disney property, and it's also just a short boat trip away from Swan & Dolphin, which has some great dining options (not to mention being right next to Epcot). I'd say that overall The Boardwalk is doing fine for what it's purpose is and the fact that it isn't really that easy to get to. If you aren't staying at one of the hotels connected to it or can take a boat over, then you really have to go out of your way to get to The Boardwalk.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

It's very true that there has been a huge drop off in quality the last several years but still sucks seeing it close. You'd think the Boardwalk would benefit from having a sports bar on it. What else is there to do there?

I feel like large sports bars are on their way out in general, though. Anecdotal, but in my immediate area I’ve lost three major sports bars that have apparently all been shut down since before COVID.

That ESPN Club also wasn’t very good. It was the ESPN Zone restaurants that were actually fun (also seemingly gone extinct, though).

 

[Parkscope Joe]

ESPN Club was also sorta redundant with City Works in Disney Springs. At that rate the only people going to ESPN Club are part of three resorts or Epcot is just too crowded.

 

[HandsomePete]

I feel like large sports bars are on their way out in general, though. Anecdotal, but in my immediate area I’ve lost three major sports bars that have apparently all been shut down since before COVID.

Yeah, as out of market game availability improved and RedZone became a thing and 4K TVs got dirt cheap, it really reduced the need for sports bars. That's football specific but it goes for other sports too - take soccer, Champions League matches other than the one shown on ESPN used to only be on Setanta, which was a bar-only channel. I also think Covid showed a good number of people that it's cheaper and usually more fun to drink and have people over to watch games at home. I can either pay $20 a bucket for beers and $15 for a hamburger to watch NFL out and have to listen to every fan group try to out-screech the others OR get good beer from Total Wine or BOGO at Publix and pull three TVs out and show the games people want or RedZone.

I would probably go to Miller Fieldhouse (not Alehouse) on Sand Lake if it still existed because they had legitimately great food, but they shut down the week before Covid hit the city because of a rent dispute with whoever owns Dellagio. To make it as a sports bar now, it seems like it needs to be a good standalone restaurant, which ESPN was not and I suspect CityWorks is (I have not eaten there).

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Yeah, as out of market game availability improved and RedZone became a thing and 4K TVs got dirt cheap, it really reduced the need for sports bars. That's football specific but it goes for other sports too - take soccer, Champions League matches other than the one shown on ESPN used to only be on Setanta, which was a bar-only channel. I also think Covid showed a good number of people that it's cheaper and usually more fun to drink and have people over to watch games at home. I can either pay $20 a bucket for beers and $15 for a hamburger to watch NFL out and have to listen to every fan group try to out-screech the others OR get good beer from Total Wine or BOGO at Publix and pull three TVs out and show the games people want or RedZone.

I would probably go to Miller Fieldhouse (not Alehouse) on Sand Lake if it still existed because they had legitimately great food, but they shut down the week before Covid hit the city because of a rent dispute with whoever owns Dellagio. To make it as a sports bar now, it seems like it needs to be a good standalone restaurant, which ESPN was not and I suspect CityWorks is (I have not eaten there).

Yep Field House was one of the three I was referring to (the other two being Dewey’s on Turkey Lake and Buffalo Wild Wings across from Disney Springs). They also had a Walk On’s being built but the Target next door absorbed it since I guess the demand was greater for Target.

I was gonna mention how the appeal of watching at home has grown, but I’m such a proponent for theaters/live sports venues that I couldn’t bring myself to type it out It’s 100% true though.

 

[Nick]

Complimentary parking has returned:

Beginning this evening, Jan. 10, overnight self-parking will once again be offered complimentary to guests staying at Disney Resort hotels at Walt Disney World. This is a Disney difference many of you have asked us to bring back, and we’re happy to reintroduce it to make your vacation a little easier and more affordable – whether you’re road tripping across the country, renting a car or vacationing as a local Florida resident. As a reminder, Disney Resort hotel guests also continue to receive complimentary standard parking at Walt Disney World theme parks, daily early theme park entry (with valid admission and a park reservation) and complimentary on-site transportation options such as buses, monorails and Disney Skyliner.

Complimentary Self-Parking Returns to Disney World Hotels Effective Immediately

Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro has announced that complimentary self-parking will return to Disney World hotels starting tonight

blogmickey.com

 

[HandsomePete]

Shadow discounting.

 

[Nick]

Shadow discounting.

Yes, but also, based on some of the other moves they are making, it seems they are generally just trying to make a Disney trip less annoying. This along with beginning to change the Park Pass stuff achieves that.