The Official 5th Disney Park Discussion

[Magic-Man]

Mythology totally works! (Granted I'm bias for Greek, Egyptian etc Mythology). As pointed out, there are different IPs that can be showcased within the lands but it'd also allow for some original or literature related content. The themes would be visually stunning too.

The problem is EPCOT doesn't have the space or specific countries to an extent. And Avatar sits where Beastly Kingdom was supposed to go

Oh I'm not saying Mythology wouldn't work in general, just not as the basis for a whole park. That ties in the EPCOT point. You could easily build a Chinese mythology ride in the China pavilion, or do a Greece pavilion with Hercules, or an Egypt pavilion with Moon Knight. There's enough space for two new pavilions at EPCOT. As for Beastly Kingdom, there's other places they can put it (Dinoland).

 

[Wesker69]

Well ....China was supposed to get a Mount Everest coaster. Unfortunately that was cut & well... Disco Yeti at AK.

I'd be all for a Mulan/Mushu attraction since it is one of my favorite animated movies. I feel actual mythology would fall under "too scary" possibly.

Yea, I guess the dinosaurs could evolve into dragons. It'd feel like a sad attempt after Epic Universe opens though.

 

[Mad Dog]

Looking at how far in advance, and how deep, Disney hotel discounts have been (another one yesterday that goes through the Fall), I doubt there's much Disney corporate internal appetite to build a fifth park. Future demand must be very flat for these really early deals.

 

[HandsomePete]

It’s a hard no for staffing reasons. The city already has a housing crisis that people ignore because all of the people affected by it don’t actually live in “Orlando” and spend over an hour sitting in traffic to go back to the counties where they vote, or just because they’re usually hourly workers. Look at I-4, Western Way, Reams on Google Maps at 5-6pm… there’s literally no way to accommodate thousands more workers in a way that makes any economic sense to them.

Orlando doesn’t grow like a normal city in the sense that the massive job growth occurs in a condensed location and the suburbs have to take the influx because the majority don’t make the money professional office people make to live close to work. It’s also a geographic mess in that you can’t build across wetlands or bridges across the Butler Chain of Lakes where all the bazillionaires live.

From an urban planning perspective I find Epic Universe to be irresponsible, but yay tourists. It hasn’t actually been established that the city can accommodate that many new jobs. There’s going to be a lot of shifts going on in the labor market as they hoover up people who couldn’t get a job there before, which means lord knows what’s going to happen to things like fast food service in that part of town. And all of the public transportation options/proposals center around how everyone can help the tourists instead of getting people to work, but I guess that’s the price tag on no income tax.

Sorry, rant over.

 

[Magic-Man]

It’s a hard no for staffing reasons. The city already has a housing crisis that people ignore because all of the people affected by it don’t actually live in “Orlando” and spend over an hour sitting in traffic to go back to the counties where they vote, or just because they’re usually hourly workers. Look at I-4, Western Way, Reams on Google Maps at 5-6pm… there’s literally no way to accommodate thousands more workers in a way that makes any economic sense to them.

Orlando doesn’t grow like a normal city in the sense that the massive job growth occurs in a condensed location and the suburbs have to take the influx because the majority don’t make the money professional office people make to live close to work. It’s also a geographic mess in that you can’t build across wetlands or bridges across the Butler Chain of Lakes where all the bazillionaires live.

From an urban planning perspective I find Epic Universe to be irresponsible, but yay tourists. It hasn’t actually been established that the city can accommodate that many new jobs. There’s going to be a lot of shifts going on in the labor market as they hoover up people who couldn’t get a job there before, which means lord knows what’s going to happen to things like fast food service in that part of town. And all of the public transportation options/proposals center around how everyone can help the tourists instead of getting people to work, but I guess that’s the price tag on no income tax.

Sorry, rant over.

An easy solution to this would be employee housing. Disney and Universal are both working on this.

 

[SeventyOne]

An easy solution to this would be employee housing. Disney and Universal are both working on this.

Not easy--have to find the land, fight NIMBY issues, and then act as a landlord, a job your company is not cut out for.

Nor is it particularly desirable--bad enough for college kids who (should) know they're only here for 6 months, imagine having to relocate your family on 24 hours notice after you're termed. The WDW CP housing situation has always been seen as a scam, not a model for national housing policy.

 

[Jake S]

Creating an honest-to-god company town would certainly bring Walt Disney's original dream for EPCOT to life, from a certain point of view.

 

[Mad Dog]

There's a zillion former coal mining company towns/villages here in western Pa. They kind of pioneered the concept. In our township alone there are 7 former coal mine factory towns/villages, all of which had their own company store where the minors had to purchase their dry goods and food from. Most of those across the state are pretty much economic wastelands now. But there was one very successful company town in central Pa., namely Hershey. Most of the housing was built to accommodate the many thousands of Hershey chocolate factory workers.

 

[Freak]

I don't think going to bring anything to the discussion that's really provocative or ground-breaking, but I'll throw in my $.02 anyway.

Building a fifth park is the last, last thing Disney should be prioritizing. They can barely handle the four they already have. If they go through with this, the already existing parks ain't getting anything for 15 years at least. The few proposals they do have that would actually expand the parks would go straight to the fifth park. Remember the "cutz" the US parks had when Shanghai opened? Imagine that but on a grander scale.

So if Disney is stubborn and decides they need to compete against Epic with a new park, what would the theme be? Will it be based on mythology? Imagination? Exploration? Literature? LMAO you kidding? This is modern day Disney. I expect it to be the laziest, most half-baked concept we can imagine. They gotta milk them IPs, baby! It would probably be something like "Disney's Grand Adventures" or something generic. The lands would literally just be several IP lands or concepts made for the other parks to be thrown in there. Forget Zootopia and Moana coming to Animal Kingdom, let's shove them into the fifth park. Villains Kingdom, Coco and Encanto are also going to be shoved in there.

Now you can argue that what I just described was Epic Universe. Well, at least with Epic, they are building brand new lands and only copying one (SNW). With Disney, do you really expect them to put the money in to be creative, innovative, and one-up EU? Forget about that.

I really hope Disney doesn't build a fifth park, but sadly, I think they may try it at the expense of their domestic parks budget and already planned additions for the existing parks.

 

[Wesker69]

Will it be based on mythology? Imagination? Exploration? Literature?

That's either 4 cool lands or the theme of 4 new future cruise ships lol

oh wait, even their cruise ships have become basic. *sigh

 

[TheCodeMan95]

There's a zillion former coal mining company towns/villages here in western Pa. They kind of pioneered the concept. In our township alone there are 7 former coal mine factory towns/villages, all of which had their own company store where the minors had to purchase their dry goods and food from. Most of those across the state are pretty much economic wastelands now. But there was one very successful company town in central Pa., namely Hershey. Most of the housing was build to accommodate the many thousands of Hershey chocolate factory workers.

Hey, my local park!

And Hersheypark was created as a leisure area for factory workers. My how things change.

 

[Ahmanet]

WDW took their shot with Galaxy Edge and Star Cruiser hotel ... didn't work out.

 

[Wesker69]

WDW took their shot with Galaxy Edge and Star Cruiser hotel ... didn't work out.

That was doomed/dead on arrival.. Disney did better with Star Wars before the dark times, before the empire they owned it..

...Star Wars Weekends

 

[GAcoaster]

Maybe-- and I know it would be a bad idea, but that's never stopped Disney before-- they build a "boutique park"? Something small, unique, and exclusive where people need to book months/years in advance, but it offers a better and more immersive experience?

I know they looked at purchasing Discovery Cove when AB sold off the parks, and that is a similar small scale, all inclusive experience. Basically the Star Cruiser, but a full park instead with a handful of attractions but lots of actors and immersive elements. That would be the way to do a villains park...

 

[BatCom]

Maybe-- and I know it would be a bad idea, but that's never stopped Disney before-- they build a "boutique park"? Something small, unique, and exclusive where people need to book months/years in advance, but it offers a better and more immersive experience?

I know they looked at purchasing Discovery Cove when AB sold off the parks, and that is a similar small scale, all inclusive experience. Basically the Star Cruiser, but a full park instead with a handful of attractions but lots of actors and immersive elements. That would be the way to do a villains park...

Kinda feel like this is what Galaxy's Edge should have been, a separately ticketed mini-park. Or at least in DLR maybe.

 

[Mad Dog]

Heh, DHS actually started as a mini park of sorts.....but then it grew and grew due to more guests than expected....but there's still not enough rides to keep the lines a decent length.

 

[TheUniC6]

For a while I thought and hoped that DLR would get a third gate in the Toy Story lot long before WDW got a fifth gate.

 

[BigHouseFootball]

You need to find a product that is missing in the market and Orlando is lacking a boutique adventure park. A small park that offers Zip Lines, ATVs, underground rivers, underground rafting, a buffet lunch is included. Something like Xplore Park in Cancun. Heck, you could even theme it around Indiana Jones.

 

[HandsomePete]

The issue with a boutique park is that a VIP tour is essentially a substitute for any sort of small park they could build. In one day for the price they would need to charge to make a boutique park viable, you can just book a tour and build your own personal experience getting dropped off next to the things you want to do in the four existing parks.

Personally, I feel like all of the good ideas have been tapped out in Orlando for the time being and more parks isn‘t the answer. Based on where Disney is spending their money, if Comcast really wants to have a go at Disney they should

Spoiler

build a cruise ship to pair 3/4 night sailings with 3/4 night UOR stays

 

[fryoj]

You need to find a product that is missing in the market and Orlando is lacking a boutique adventure park. A small park that offers Zip Lines, ATVs, underground rivers, underground rafting, a buffet lunch is included. Something like Xplore Park in Cancun. Heck, you could even theme it around Indiana Jones.

I'm not sure if that exactly fits the Disney clientele. Unless they severely limit the activities. Which would alienate the people who typically enjoy that type of thing. So, at the price a boutique Disney park would charge, would leave just about everyone unhappy.