Originally Posted By jmuboy Another one bites the dust (following the closure of the DTD Anahiem location earlier this year). WDW's DTD is starting to look like a real downtown. Vacant and "for lease" signs everywhere! Maybe "The Dresses of Michele Obama" exhibit can open in the space. ;-) Seriously, I wonder what they will do with all this mounting dead space? I still keep hoping that a high end bowling alley makes its way to Pleasure Island. I also strongly believe that the Virgin Store should be demolished and replaced with a permanent Broadway venue to show Disney's touring Broadway shows. That idea seems like a real no brainer and would really help add more family elements of DTD. Plus it would be a great draw for locals.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I also strongly believe that the Virgin Store should be demolished and replaced with a permanent Broadway venue to show Disney's touring Broadway shows.<< That is a great idea!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Addition by subtraction... I think there might be something to a big theater venue there. It seems like there might really be a good market for it, since I'm sure a lot of WDW guests would like those types of shows, without having to go to New York (or where ever they happen to be touring) to see them. On the down side, they would be in direct competition with Cirque du Soleil, and I think they might have some sort of exclusivity built into their contract. Also, if the theater is anything like a normal theater that's home to touring shows, it will be spending a lot of time sitting empty. I'm sure that they would be able to work out some deal to get the Disney shows to stay longer than usual, but there's still going to be a lot of down time. It also adds another location at that end of DTD that won't have a lot of foot traffic during most of the day. The other big locations in that area are Cirque, which only gets traffic when there's a show about to start/just ended, and Disney Quest, which rarely has a lot of traffic. I don't see how adding a big theater venue would help this area feel like less of a ghost town, with the exception that you know that there will be something going on there in a few hours (rather than a few months/years). It would definatley fill in an empty storefront or two (and large ones at that), but I don't know how much it would help the stores around it during the rest of the day. The other problem with a theater there for Disney's Broadway shows is that a lot of them are based on the same material as the theme park shows. I realize that nobody expects The Voyage of the Little Mermaid to be a Broadway-caliber show, but I think that having a Broadway version of the same movie might just be a little much. And since most of the Broadway shows already have a park counterpart (Little Mermaid, Lion King, Beauty and the Beast), this might either discourage folks from paying the extra price to see the Broadway shows, or finally reveal to them how out of date the ones in the parks are. I know it sounds like I don't want DTD to get a theater, but I really do. I think it would bring a great level of class to an area that is often percieved as a little tacky, and it's something that WDW could really use. I would love to see them put it in, but I'm not sure how realistic it is.
Originally Posted By -em >>On the down side, they would be in direct competition with Cirque du Soleil, and I think they might have some sort of exclusivity built into their contract<< You are correct I went to DTD today and saw the celebrate today wrap on Starbillias- add the fact the balloon wasn't flying due to weather and that whole area was pretty dead...
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Earl of Sandwich is still in DD and Ghirardelli Ice Cream also. Both places I wish would be duplicated in Anaheim's DD. I know they won't but I don't know why. Earl of Sandwich lines are similar to a WDW attraction and should probably have FP option. Just kidding. They both are very popular.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I wonder about the success/business for the Hot Air Balloon. It is really fun but seems to be grounded a lot. I was able to catch a good daytime flight but still want to try the nightime view.
Originally Posted By MPierce I'm starting to picture DTD like the Main street in the movie The Last Picture Show.
Originally Posted By -em >>but seems to be grounded a lot<< I think the same thing as statistically I should see it a lot more than I do... Yesterday was the 4th time in almost a year I went to DTD and beyond the time I picked up a shift there, it was my longest stay there (almost an hour- though I only went for one reason and left after it ended) I miss spending time there- I used to hit DTD atleast 2-3 times a week if not more. I saw all movies there, hit the club, shopped, dined everything there.. Now all the reasons I went are gone and instead of paying a few extra bucks for a movie at AMC (which would be coupled with dinner or the club) I hit the Cinemark near my house Course I do have to thank WDW- I've saved so much money since they closed my fav places... -em
Originally Posted By dshyates How good is the Cinemark at Festival Bay? I went to one movie at the DtD AMC and was shocked that it wasn't stadium seating and didn't have digital projectors. Its a long way from a high end theater complex. I usually go to the Regal at Pointe Orlando because they have the IMAX and digital projectors. And a great selections of restaurants.
Originally Posted By -em Its okay... Its fairly cheap (5-6 bucks for a matinee), never had any issues, though wont say its high class at all.. its all (or most) stadium seating (and the arm rests raise) never crowded, but I won't go there after dark (dumb but not stupid)- They do have a Fudds in the mall which is really good but being the cheap person I now am- usually hit the taco bell across the street... I've actually never been to Pointe Orlando (driven by it a few times) so will need to keep it on the radar... -em
Originally Posted By dshyates Thanks for the info. Pointe Orlando has a wide variety of food choices. Mostly pricey stuff. But there is Johnny Rockets, Hooters, and Adobe Gilla's.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<They do have a Fudds in the mall which is really good but being the cheap person I now am- usually hit the taco bell across the street... >> Actually went into the local Taco Hell for the first time in years the other night ... had a few of their fresco tacos (150 calories, not awful) ... but now that Del Taco has returned to Florida (one opened in Oviedo and there will be 15 soon in the area) I have another thing to look forward to about my fall visit!
