Future WDW Additions/Expansion

[DarkMetroid567]

Put another way, Disney balked during Covid and is paying for it now. Universal kept going during Covid and is about to enjoy those dividends.

Exactly.

Though those dividends, at least financially, are still premature. Epic should be a success (and I’d bet on it) but it isn’t yet!

 

[HandsomePete]

This is on Disney for being too full of themselves and now they have to sink or swim.

They’ll swim.

That said, do I think they have the right people in the right director/VP seats in Orlando to make the case to push forward through this? No. Something will probably end up getting cut.

Put another way, Disney balked during Covid and is paying for it now.

Almost every hotel company would kill for Disney’s hotel occupancy about now so “paying for it” is a bit relative.

 

[TheUniC6]

They’ll swim.

That said, do I think they have the right people in the right director/VP seats in Orlando to make the case to push forward through this? No. Something will probably end up getting cut.

Someone on WDWMagic thought that what might get cut is the door coaster. It's a fun idea, but not what DHS needs to increase capacity in a meaningful way. Something like a boat ride or omnimover would fit the bill better. Villains should be happening because there is a lot of Lighting Lane potential with that one They also speculated that for whatever reason Disney seems to really want Cars to happen. Maybe because it's just vehicles going around on a track that doesn't really need to be themed heavily?

 

[Freak]

Someone on WDWMagic thought that what might get cut is the door coaster. It's a fun idea, but not what DHS needs to increase capacity in a meaningful way. Something like a boat ride or omnimover would fit the bill better. Villains should be happening because there is a lot of Lighting Lane potential with that one They also speculated that for whatever reason Disney seems to really want Cars to happen. Maybe because it's just vehicles going around on a track that doesn't really need to be themed heavily?

So they are looking to cut Monsters Inc, the one ride I would actually get my butt to Disney to see, but they want to keep Cars?

WTH kind of crack is Disney smoking!?!?

 

[OrlLover]

So they are looking to cut Monsters Inc, the one ride I would actually get my butt to Disney to see, but they want to keep Cars?

WTH kind of crack is Disney smoking!?!?

Typically most posters WDWMagic are Sooners so I would take anything said there with a grain of salt.

They pick the worst cast scenario and run with it.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

The economic problem is just different than Covid though, as the things they will be using will cost more to produce these attractions. On top of that, it’s possible they are expecting less guests over the next 4 years for various economic and political reasons, along with international tourism spiraling. Universal I do believe was smart going ahead with Epic in Covid and Disney staying pat may not work out in the longterm. If they continue that strategy, that’s extremely risky, albeit I can kind of understand it this time around.

But, Potter being built in 2008-2010, and epic being built in Covid and possibly thriving, should teach them a lesson. Will see.

 

[Jake S]

The economic problem is just different than Covid though, as the things they will be using will cost more to produce these attractions. On top of that, it’s possible they are expecting less guests over the next 4 years for various economic and political reasons, along with international tourism spiraling.

just about all of these things also happened with covid, though.

 

[HandsomePete]

They also speculated that for whatever reason Disney seems to really want Cars to happen.

So they are looking to cut Monsters Inc, the one ride I would actually get my butt to Disney to see, but they want to keep Cars?

WTH kind of crack is Disney smoking!?!?

An old post but…

It’s like they’ve… just spitballing here… turned attraction development over to the marketing and sales people and are going to learn some lessons the hard way in a few years.

My guess is they’ve worked themselves into a tizzy over 1) young family demographic trends despite there being easily explainable macro-level reasons and 2) having no Cars presence at WDW for what is one of their highest grossing merchandise franchises. Because *points back up at my quote*

 

[Parkscope Joe]

An old post but…

My guess is they’ve worked themselves into a tizzy over 1) young family demographic trends despite there being easily explainable macro-level reasons and 2) having no Cars presence at WDW for what is one of their highest grossing merchandise franchises. Because *points back up at my quote*

It does feel like something they've been doing since th 2000s though. I mean WDW management turned down several original concept Beastley Kingdome ideas over the years leading up to Pandora, so is it WDI that now has a marketing focus?

 

[Mad Dog]

Seems like they 'have' to go forward with AK expansions. The park has been losing attendance since the effect of Pandora's opening has worn off. AK really needs more and new attractions....DHS needs capacity, but the long lines are down a good bit since SWGE has matured. So DHS isn't as critical as AK. MK really doesn't need new attractions, though that would be nice, so if anything is placed on hold it could be MK.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Seems like they 'have' to go forward with AK expansions. The park has been losing attendance since the effect of Pandora's opening has worn off. AK really needs more and new attractions....DHS needs capacity, but the long lines are down a good bit since SWGE has matured. So DHS isn't as critical as AK. MK really doesn't need new attractions, though that would be nice, so if anything is placed on hold it could be MK.

DAK is going to suffer under Epic opening. I expect Epcot to also falter as their expansion plans were cut back.

 

[Mad Dog]

Already more cracks in the tariff news. Electronics and I phones from China are now exempt (Washington Post). There may be more stuff once the dust settles. Some of these product and supply concerns affecting theme park attraction builds may end up being moot.

 

[GA-MBIT]

Put another way, Disney balked during Covid and is paying for it now. Universal kept going during Covid and is about to enjoy those dividends.

Well, hopefully they will. We still have to see what actually happens with Epic long-term. A new park at this scale is unprecedented as of the past two decades. I'm curious to see how Epic does specifically around August; post-back to school season and pre-HHN, without APs and priced as the most expensive park in the Orlando market.

If Disney expansions do end up being cut, I wouldn't be shocked to see some Universal plans going a similar way. Zelda, Creature, Great Hall dinner theatre, etc.