What happened to that Disney Quest rumor?
Taking a look at the latest news and rumors offered by the Disney Enquirer we are able to perhaps draw some conclusions about an old and often repeated rumor. The clue is found in a small portion of a sentence…
…while a new flooring system and carpeting will be installed at Disney Quest’s 1st floor.
Remember a rumor from a few months back that suggested Disney Quest may soon be closing and in its place would be the flagship store from ESPN Zone? It even said the ESPN Club over at the Boardwalk may close as a result. Well, if the rumor was to be believed, construction should either have already begun or would commence soon. Now I understand this is only flooring and some carpeting, but I find it hard to believe Disney would be investing anything at all into a site the plan to close soon and gut.
Personally, I am a bit disappointed. I was hoping this would happen. Disney Quest never really seemed a good value to me and I have never returned after my first time there. A huge ESPN Zone has some serious potential.
Mike said,
August 9, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
I have always found Disney Quest to be a waste of time. Though I did like Cyber Space Mountain. I think a couple of these attractions like that one and the Pirates, Alladin and/or Jungle Cruise attractions from DQ qould be nice additions to the Cruise Line
cfgtyh said,
August 9, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
I’m always a fan of new flooring or carpeting.
Raidermatt said,
August 10, 2007 @ 1:53 am
In fairness, I think the rumor said by the end of this year, so it’s still possible I guess. Though if there really is new flooring going in that would seem to finally invalidate the rumor once and for all. Unless of course the new flooring is really for the ESPN Zone.
I would prefer a full-blown ESPN Zone myself, though I’d miss the Club at the BW.
DisneyQuest is ok once in awhile, but it’s horribly over-priced. It’s really only worth it if you have the Premium AP.
biblioadonis aka George said,
August 10, 2007 @ 2:38 am
DisneyQuest was an amazing tradition for me and my son. We would run around and play games all night and gat a hot dog at the Wonderland Cafe. This past trip, he was finally big enough for the Buzz Lightyear Astro-Blasters.
Such a great bonding experience. Especially letting him beat me at air hockey over and over again.
DQ will be missed!
Kitty-Chan said,
August 10, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
I wish they’d move Cyberspace Mountain and the POTC game out of DisneyQuest . . . install them somewhere in the parks, like they have Cyberspace Mountain in Disney Studios Paris. There’s really nothing else at DQ that I find compelling.
Raidermatt said,
August 10, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
Good point. Those attractions definitely have some value. Isn’t there some unused space in or above one of the Tomorrowland arcades, either MK’s or DL’s?
Joe Shelby said,
August 10, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
It’s a tough call. On the one hand, putting ESPN into DTD would likely get more attendees to it than its current Boardwalk location. The issue with the boardwalk is parking. DTD parking is free; Boardwalk parking comes at a fee since it doubles for hotel parking and also is in such close walking distance to EPCOT that they don’t want people to use the parking lot for.
So anything on the Boardwalk effectively is only for Resort guests, not for casual and local visitors the way DTD is. Thus, that ESPN zone is quite under-filled. Moving ESPN to DTD would also have the advantage of making the east and west coast DTDs more similar and thus less confusing to the worldly traveler.
But on the other hand, I rather like the Boardwalk’s atmosphere and would rather they add more to it to build up its attendance beyond just Boardwalk/Beach/Yacht/S&D resort guests. Taking ESPN away would just empty the place more.
And I *really* doubt there’s room for a second ESPN. if there was, they would more likely have tried it down in the sports zone to build up attendance down there.
Joe Shelby said,
August 10, 2007 @ 4:03 pm
As for DQ? The biggest issues is price, price, price. Secondary issues include how often the food service inside is closed. I was there last May and found that after 3 games, I needed a break and a drink and really wanted a beer, only to find the bar closed by 10pm (though the building closed at 11). Bad form, that.
Granted, you don’t want people getting drunk and then trying the 3D games or Jungle Cruise and thus getting sick all over the place (which both cheap entry and later bar opening would invite), but still…
Raidermatt said,
August 10, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
I don’t know, I think we’re talking about 3 very different areas. As you pointed out, DTD is different from the BW, and isn’t the Wild World of Sports even more different? It’s primarily filled with people there to play in or watch the various tournaments they have going on there, as opposed to a place where locals or tourists come to hangout.
So I don’t think the failure of the All Star Cafe is really indicative of how successful a 2nd ESPN place would be at DTD. Since the current ESPN Club at the BW seems to attract mostly resort guests, they might be able to do just fine by just adding a Zone at DTD, where it would be much more accesable for locals.
Of course, the topic of this article was about DQ probably not closing anyway, so the whole discussion could just be academic.
Dxgirl75 said,
October 4, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
Disney Quest is not closing. I checked on this with the Walt Disney Travel Company when booking a vacation. It is simply a rumor.