So we've talked on and off about crowd-pinch points around the park and the need for a new entrance, but with the crowds this Christmas season it's starting to become clear that the extent of the issue is pretty huge for the PTB. The park in general is just not setup for the crowds they are building up for. It's not just pinch points, it's large areas that need to be completely reconfigured. And that's before you get into the old issues with aging buildings, ADA access, and the topography...
I'm a huge fan of the old parts of SDC, and hate the thought of them having to bulldoze large areas and start over, but from a business and engineering perspective I have to admit that I'm thinking about it more and more on each visit. Even though they've done a good job most of the time with the new architecture and keeping with the general classic SDC look, the old buildings were built with certain qualities and love that can't be replaced. Unfortunately I don't see how they can keep going like this much longer either.
I've heard rumblings that the park is finally coming to terms with this themselves and perhaps we'll start seeing some of the streets expanded before long. I'm very curious to know what the comprehensive plan is - you know that they have to have one by now. Perhaps in a few years it will be SDC's turn to have a decade-long several hundred million-dollar round of investments to rebuild large parts of the park.
I think it's shaping up to be a transformative era for the park, and a tough one for fans of the "old" SDC to get through. They need a new entrance, a reconfigured and expanded parking system, more space in the main square, bigger and more ADA-compliant pathways around the main loop of the park, more restaurant space, and the two big classic rides are coming due for some kind of rebuild or major refurbishment before they completely fall apart. Plus a lot of buildings in general could stand to be replaced to be larger and more accessible.
I don't mean any of this in a doomsday tone either, I'm excited for progress in general and I enjoy seeing the park grow. I just think they've already hit the breaking point and I'm actually curious why they haven't done more of this already.
Thoughts?