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Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom: Which park should get revamped

Walt Disney World: Which park should get the revamp: Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios

From Javi Badillo
Posted August 16, 2010 at 10:22 AM
If Disney decided to do a 1 billion dollar expansion on Walt Dinsey World like they are doing in DCA, Which park should they spend the money on Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios? Should the money be used on Animal Kingdom to bring Beastly Kingdom to the park? Should they destory Dinorama and build a new dinsaour ride there? Maybye turn Kali Rapids into the original planned Tiger cruise like the jungle cruise but with real animals and still have a wild rapids part? What other continet would you like to see with the expansion? What would Disney do if they spent the money on HS? Should they expand pixar palace with e-ticket rides like radiator springs and an incredibles ride. Maybye turn Streets of America into Muppet Studois with the great muppet movie ride. Should finally demolish Backlot Studio and create a whole new land. Or could also demolish the Indian Stunt Show and Backlot Express restaurant with the Indian Jones Adeventure and the Forbidden Eye. What should WDW do?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From duncan henny
Posted August 16, 2010 at 10:36 AM
i think they are already bringing beastly kingdom to animal kingdom, and they're extending the magic kingdom so i would revamp hollywood studios

From Bob Miller
Posted August 16, 2010 at 11:18 AM
I don't think either needs a revamp i think they should spend that much money on another theme park

From David L.
Posted August 16, 2010 at 1:09 PM
They should take it and split it:
400 million on DHS
400 million on AK
100 on Epcot
100 on MK
Notes: I'm using this as money after all the planned or semiconfermed or major new things comming around come. Mk has it's fantasyland expansion(and possibly the frontierland). Somethings happening at epcot(screamscape) so only DHS and AK need the real additions so they'll get the big chunks. Unless there's a case like DCA(or if DHS declines majorly and AK increases in rides greatly) WDW should NEVER have a single billion bucks spent on 1 theme park unless the others get tons of love too.

From Tim W
Posted August 16, 2010 at 1:15 PM
Ooooh very tough decision. I think I'd have to go for Animal Kingdom however. It's in desperate need of an expansion due to it being deemed a half day park by many visitors. DHS is a full day park, but only if you see at least 3 or 4 shows.

From Jay Glenn
Posted August 16, 2010 at 1:17 PM
MGM Studios needs it. They could invest that money in expanding over the world drive toll plaza and creating a new, real backlot. With 4 new soundstages, new sets, more production facilities and another working set like Catasrtophe Canyon.

From Formula 40
Posted August 16, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Hollywood Studios. They should update/replace some of the older shows, destroy the studio tour and expand Pixar Place, Add more/bigger sound stages and possibly one more E-ticket attractions.

From Nick Markham
Posted August 16, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Disney's Hollywood Studios does NOT need it, and I do not see why everyone thinks it does. It is already a great park, and only needs the annual or biannual additions of new attractions as it is already recieving.

Animal Kingdom needs some more attractions, but not a $1 Billion refurb. The park looks very nice as it is, and while you all hate Dinoland, you can't say that one land should be enough for the ENTIRE park to be redone.

Spend the money on a new park. Bring Tokyo DisneySeas to WDW!!!

From Formula 40
Posted August 16, 2010 at 5:11 PM
^^I don't think 1 billion is enough to build a park that cost a US 4 billion. But DHS needs a refurb more. Its clearly the least favorite Disney park and just needs something fresh. Most of the shows are dated and there are only 3 rides that are really worth getting on so another e-ticket wouldn't hurt.

From Katie White
Posted August 16, 2010 at 6:39 PM
I'd do a 60/40 split between Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Magic Kingdom is already the most attended themepark and if they bring in more thrilling rides, it can really become a full family themepark for not just parents and younger kids, but the teenagers, because the 3 mountains are only fun so many times before the thrill is lost. And then they could update Hollywood Studios and it would be perfect, seeing as its already a very enjoyable park, just a little dated.

From Rob P
Posted August 18, 2010 at 12:19 AM
$1 billion is lot of money but what does that actually buy you ?

If it's enough to divide between the Parks rather than commit to just the one then that may be a better way to go. I'm not sure if either of these 2 Parks really need that much money thrown at them. They are both already pretty good. Hollywood Studios would probably benefit from a revamp of a couple of it's areas . The MGM Great Movie Ride could use a facelift........but NOT wholesale changes. A freshening up of Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular but, once again, no real changes.
The Backlot area gets a lot of unfair criticism and could possibly use a few additional elements. ( a half dozen props from the movies strewn on the ground with no real thought is disturbingly poor by Disney standards ).
Animal Kingdom is a good Park. Why all the negative criticism ?
I like the idea proposed by Javi with Kali Rapids being supplemented by the Tiger Cruise. And the Dinoland area isn't the best. But the introduction of Everest has been a good move ( albeit with Yeti problems ). An expansion of the animal areas would be nice. The Safari is only going to be really worthwhile early in the morning when the animals are more active too. So how about late nights at AK to see nocturnal beasts ? Maybe even sleep overs so you could be there at dawn to witness the other animals at their most active ?
There might even be money left over for MK and EPCOT redevelopments too.

From Flavio de Souza
Posted August 20, 2010 at 8:17 AM
WDW parks are in good shape compared with Disney´s parks overseas. 1 billion would have a better effect if spend in Disney Studios Paris (a half day park) and Hong Kong Disneyland (as far as I know a second class park).

From Nick Markham
Posted August 20, 2010 at 2:25 PM
Hong Kong Disneyland may be a smaller version of Disneyland in CA, but I have heard it is a very nice theme park, to the quality of all Disney parks just with less attractions.

From Joshua Counsil
Posted August 24, 2010 at 11:21 AM
Whatever they do, they should not build a new theme park. They can barely take care of four to our standards - just look at this thread!

I'd give it to the Studios. I had an excellent time at Animal Kingdom on my last trip, despite the Yeti. The park is beautiful and most of the attractions are still pretty fresh. The Studios is having an identity crisis. It seems to be gradually shifting towards a fantasy world rather than movie studio theme, yet there are still enough studio elements to prevent the theme from being full circle. Before they build anything new, they need to sit down and decide what the park wants to be.

From Tim W
Posted August 24, 2010 at 11:29 AM
I have to agree with Joshua about DHS. It is having an identity crisis and needs to be defined in its theme. The park does come across a bit as a second MK, but the rides are good. I think only a few updates and a more prominent emphasis on the movie theme can bring the actual theme of this park out. I'd love for them to bring back filming and animating movies here, as well as an extended backlot tour. If they won't extend it, then just ditch it. It's not worth the ride.

From Mike Shirley Jr
Posted August 24, 2010 at 12:18 PM
I agree with Tim. There has got to be some continuity in the themeing @ DHS. Also the layout can be really confusing for first, second, AND third timers. Recongifure, retheme, re-Disnify!

From Brandon Townsend
Posted August 24, 2010 at 12:39 PM
If Disney had $1 billion to spend it should open a 'thrill' park aimed at teens and young adults. Every thrill ride could have a place for little kids to play while parents went on the rides. If Disney wants to compete with IoA they need to aim for that specific demographic.
If I want thrills, I go to Cedar Point. If I want to feel like a kid again I go to Disney.

From Nick Markham
Posted August 24, 2010 at 2:52 PM
@Joshua: Disney HAS to add a fifth park! Each and every one of their parks are great, just some of these grouchy TPI'ers have WAY to high expectations. Disney outdoes most competitors in almost every catagory, meaning if Disney is doing anything really really wrong in ones mind, they have a serious problem.

Disney has plenty of franchises just begging and waiting to become a theme park attraction! Walt Disney World is in much more need of a new Disney park than Shenghei or any other international country/city.

From Rob P
Posted August 25, 2010 at 12:52 AM
The only thing in favour of a new theme park is that I do feel there's a maximum size to a Park.
I think expanding a Park too far might make people rush around trying to fit it all in in one day and missing the experience in the process. It has to be big enough to ensure a full day without over-extending.
So the Parks that can be seen in a half day have the capacity to be increased to a full day experience.
DHS fits the bill and could do with a bit of re-branding into the bargain. Like the others here I think it's lost it's way a bit. Guide it back to it's movie based personality rather than letting it drift into MK part 2.

From Shannon Beauchemin
Posted August 27, 2010 at 6:44 PM
How many of you remember when DHS was a studio. You were able to go along the catwalk and see the sets of some of the early Disney cable channel shows. The backlot tour had a bit of a backlot. Not NOW. The place needs some help.

From David Graham
Posted August 30, 2010 at 5:53 AM
^ Shannon I remember that lol

From Joshua Counsil
Posted August 31, 2010 at 12:39 PM
@Nick -

They will add a fifth park eventually, but it is not necessary to do that now. Don't buy more stuff for your house until you clear out the attic.

From Donna McKay
Posted September 1, 2010 at 5:48 AM
Revamp the Studios in my opinion. Its my favourite park actually but it needs a bit of TLC.

From Javi Badillo
Posted September 4, 2010 at 2:53 PM
To talk about dhs i agree that it has lost it's theme from movie studio. However the theme of Showbiz is still very visible. So the real theme is riding the movies alot like in usf. So instead of watching how movies are made u actually are put into the expiernce. In star tours u fly through space doging x1 fighters. In toy story mania u are put in the middle of a a toy story film. In tower of terror u plunge into the twilght zone. In the great movie ride u go through many famous movie scenes. And around all these movies is hollywood. So the real theme is Hollywood and being able to ride the movies. Every ride in dhs should be based of a film or tv or anything showbiz. Not all the rides in animal kingdom magic kingdom and epcot are based off movies ( space mountain, it's a small world, expedition everest, test track, mission space, big thunder mountain, and hall of presidents)

From Jennie Lea
Posted September 5, 2010 at 10:13 AM
I would love to see an extended pixar place in DHS. It's probably my second favourite park at WDW behind Epcot. And I love Pixar films in general. I'd love to see some more unique rides too, in all the parks. Something really innovative.

From Andrew Holden
Posted September 5, 2010 at 10:19 AM
^I agree. Get rid of the back lot tour and put in a new, E-ticket attraction. Stop trying to be a movie studio and just roll with the theme of Showbiz. Get rid of Sounds Dangerous and Narnia and everything that is already there is great. Just add some attractions to Pixar place, and replace the backlot tour with a big new E-ticket attraction.

From Jamar Miller
Posted December 14, 2010 at 7:13 PM
All of the WDW parks are great but yes Disney Hollywood studios is the one that is ranked last for me out of the disney parks. Magica Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom all run neck to neck with me, but Disneys Hollywood studios is definately very clearly the least enjoyable park. Now dont get me wrong I love it still but IMVHO its lacking two more ride attractions. Until it gets two more rides Id say this park is the least enjoyable for me.

I dont think a new park would be good at this point.
I live in Japan and love the Disney Seas here but I think WDW needs to concentrate on the four parks they have now and beef DHS up for sure to make it as good as the others. Right now Disney Seas is better than Hollywood studios.

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