WDW 50th Celebration

[WAJAS]

With the great success of Disneyland's 60th Diamond Celebration, Walt Disney World is bound to have a celebration of its own in 2021 for the 50th. This thread is dedicated to discussing blue sky ideas for what is to come.

I predict at some of the following occur (realize these are options, I know that not all will occur):

Magic Kingdom

• Fantasyland dark ride update like what Disneyland got
• New nighttime spectacular (show, fireworks, or parade)

Epcot

• Either a complete update of Illuminations or a new nighttime spectacular
• Film updates for all of the World Showcase films
• New ride at the Energy Pavilion
• New ride at the Imagination Pavilion
• New attraction in both of the Innovention buildings

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Re-branding of the whole park. This would be advertised as a whole new park.
• Star Wars Land (may be completed earlier but will be re-advertised for this)
• Rockin' Roller Coaster update with new more current artists
• The Fantasmic! update that Disneyland is getting now, and maybe a bit more

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• New parade (oh how I miss Jammin Jungle)
• Updated Nemo
• Disco Yeti finally gets some moves (pipe dream right here)

What do you guys think? Possible or not so much? Have your own ideas of what will come?

December 2019 Update: looks like my Epcot prediction were pretty spot on

 

[Viator]

With the great success of Disneyland's 60th Diamond Celebration, Walt Disney World is bound to have a celebration of its own in 2021 for the 50th. This thread is dedicated to discussing blue sky ideas for what is to come.

I predict at some of the following occur (realize these are options, I know that not all will occur):

Magic Kingdom

• Fantasyland dark ride update like what Disneyland got
• New nighttime spectacular (show, fireworks, or parade)

Epcot

• Either a complete update of Illuminations or a new nighttime spectacular
• Film updates for all of the World Showcase films
• New ride at the Energy Pavilion
• New ride at the Imagination Pavilion
• New attraction in both of the Innovention buildings

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Re-branding of the whole park. This would be advertised as a whole new park.
• Star Wars Land (may be completed earlier but will be re-advertised for this)
• Rockin' Roller Coaster update with new more current artists
• The Fantasmic! update that Disneyland is getting now, and maybe a bit more

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• New parade (oh how I miss Jammin Jungle)
• Updated Nemo
• Disco Yeti finally gets some moves (pipe dream right here)

What do you guys think? Possible or not so much? Have your own ideas of what will come?

Disneyland didn't get a new dark ride for the 60th, they did get some minor changes to Peter Pans Flight though..

My guess:

Magic Kingdom:

• New Daytime Parade (no Night time Parade)
• Replacement for Wishes (Heavy Projection Mapping use, much like Forever with decreasing on current amount of Fireworks)
• Enhancements to Peter Pans Flight and IASW

EPCOT:

• New E-Ticket Dark Ride replacing Imagination

HWS:

• The Rumored Mickey Mouse Dark Ride
• Rebranding of HWS
• New Fireworks show replacing current show

DAK:

• Nothing (I think they are going to leave DAK be for a while, unfortunately; unless Avatar earns enough to get TWDC intrigued into investing more into it, but even then; I doubt it)

With the current state of WDI, I really doubt anything big is happening for WDW and it's 50th; which at its core is a damned shame..

 

[s8film40]

Maybe they'll just paint the castle, SSE, tree of life and whatever the icon of DHS is at the time gold.

 

[WAJAS]

@Alexshow Thats what I meant by update. Probably should have said upgrade. The Alice in Wonderland got some projection mapping upgrades as well.

 

[WAJAS]

Maybe they'll just paint the castle, SSE, tree of life and whatever the icon of DHS is at the time gold.

The Disney marketing machine could make that work.

 

[Nick]

I think we're a little far out for predicting the 50th, but if MK doesn't have a new Electrical parade by then... well I have no words.

Also I think DHS needs a daytime parade again - won't say that about DAK because the layout of the park simply doesn't call for one. It was always a clunky mess trying to navigate during that parade.

 

[Viator]

@Alexshow Thats what I meant by update. Probably should have said upgrade. The Alice in Wonderland got some projection mapping upgrades as well.

Then I should've reread that before posting, but my point stands.

The condition of WDI makes me think that nothing major will happen to WDW, and if it does; it will be replacing attractions and not expanding footspace within any of their parks..

In my mind, if they actually did budgets correctly and wanted to invest heavily for the 50th..replace the MK Speedway with Two Major attractions.

 

[WAJAS]

My current predictions:

Magic Kingdom

• Fantasyland dark ride update like what Disneyland got
• BtMR update like what Disneyland got (dynamite projection mapping)
• 2 New nighttime spectaculars (show, fireworks, and/or parade)
• New attractions that replace the Speedway for either Tomorrowland or Fantasyland (like what @Alexshow mentioned above)

Epcot

• Either a complete update of Illuminations or a new nighttime spectacular
• Film updates for all of the World Showcase films
• New attraction at the Energy Pavilion
• New attraction at the Imagination Pavilion
• New attraction in both of the Innovention buildings
• Ratatouille ride from DLP in France (This seems easy/obvious, but it is the one I'm least sure about)
• New entrance plaza
• New innoventions plaza

Disney's Hollywood Studios

• Re-branding of the whole park. This would be advertised as a whole new park. (Maybe occur earlier for SWL)
• Rockin' Roller Coaster update with new and more current artists
• The Fantasmic! update that Disneyland is getting now, and maybe a bit more

Disney's Animal Kingdom

• New parade (oh how I miss Jammin Jungle) I want this to happen, but with the way DAK is built it's highly unlikely.
• New Show (Replaces Nemo or maybe even RoL)
• Disco Yeti finally gets some moves (still pipe dream right here)

I'm posting this because the discussion in some of the other threads are referring back to this again. Keep in mind that this is a complete list of options, I do not expect all of this to happen at all! MK and Epcot will definitely get the vast majority of the attention.

 

[Nick]

One of the Innoventions sides is marked for a F&B location... Electric Umbrella is planned to go away eventually. I really don't think a ride is in the cards for Innoventions space though.

EDIT: Figured I would bring this over from the other thread as it's more fitting here:

You are right though, MK and Epcot will be seeing the vast majority of the love.

If all is approved, Epcot could see more work and actual expansion within the next 4-5 years than it has throughout the course of the park's entire existence combined.

We're talking new entryway (bye bye grave stones), renewed innoventions plaza (tarps gone), new usage for all of Innoventions/Communicore, Energy gutted and WoL possibly torn down (for GotG), Modernization of Living with the Land, New attraction in France, and possibly a new pavilion (with ride).

 

[Nick]

SSE, Mission Space, and the Seas are getting refurbs too. Martin also didn't shut down a Coco ride for Mexico, but it's not greenlit.

Yes, i've heard the Coco rumor too. I've heard it's actually quite likely. However it would mostly be flipping a few switches and having the screens be for Coco instead of the Three Caballeros. Some small updates around the physical portions.

It would be one of the cheapest things they could do to give coco it's own ride and I honestly worry where the queue would be as it would undeniably have a longer wait time. The queue for the current ride is set up for only about a 20 minute wait max without spilling out into the pavilion. They may have to demo the neighboring shop for more queue space.

 

[belloq87]

Yes, i've heard the Coco rumor too. I've heard it's actually quite likely. However it would mostly be flipping a few switches and having the screens be for Coco instead of the Three Caballeros. Some small updates around the physical portions.

It would be one of the cheapest things they could do to give coco it's own ride and I honestly worry where the queue would be as it would undeniably have a longer wait time. The queue for the current ride is set up for only about a 20 minute wait max without spilling out into the pavilion. They may have to demo the neighboring shop for more queue space.

I'd really hate to see them monkey around too much with the interior of the Mexico pavilion; that place has a really special atmosphere.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

MK: Something
EPCOT: Elephant in the Room
DHS: Refurbished shows? RnR makeover? TOT to Guardians (Just kidding), Star Tours
AK: Not much, but definitely a ROL replacement, possibly a Dino land refurb?

 

[Nick]

MK: Something
EPCOT: Elephant in the Room
DHS: Refurbished shows? RnR makeover? TOT to Guardians (Just kidding), Star Tours
AK: Not much, but definitely a ROL replacement, possibly a Dino land refurb?

I know this is Disney we're talking about, but you're dreaming far too small here.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I know this is Disney we're talking about, but you're dreaming far too small here.

Whoops, forgot to mention the Gondolas.

 

[Viator]

Updating the guess I have,

MK

Nighttime Parade
Ride enhancements to ISAW, PPF, and Haunted Mansion

Epcot

New Attraction
Name change to "Epcot Center"
Changes to infrastructure of Future World
Illuminations 2.0

DHS

Overhaul of RNRC to "classic rock", with no marketing to a solo artist

DAK

ROL replacement

 

[Nick]

Updating the guess I have,

MK

Nighttime Parade
Ride enhancements to ISAW, PPF, and Haunted Mansion

Epcot

New Attraction
Name change to "Epcot Center"
Changes to infrastructure of Future World
Illuminations 2.0

DHS

Overhaul of RNRC to "classic rock", with no marketing to a solo artist

DAK

ROL replacement

Magic Kingdom will be getting a ride. There is almost no doubt about that from what i've heard. Tomorrowland could see a drastic overhaul by 2021 and there's also proposals for Frontierland. The Tomorrowland proposal is the most likely scenario and it could be as big as replacing SGE, replacing the Speedway and expanding the land as well. It would be marketed as the largest expansion in MK history, even though it wouldn't be true.

This new fireworks show won't last too long either.

 

[LieutLaww]

I wonder what they will do to Mission Space for a refurb tho, a complete redo or just a sprucing up of the building, insides etc, or perhaps a mixture of both ?

 

[Nick]

I wonder what they will do to Mission Space for a refurb tho, a complete redo or just a sprucing up of the building, insides etc, or perhaps a mixture of both ?

I haven't heard anything of a M:S refurb, but it's certainly possible. A new film/ride profile would be fairly easy to do.

The thing is that the ride is not that popular so any update of M:S, if it's even still being considered, is likely very low priority.

 

[LieutLaww]

Unless they just decide to replace it completely if its popularity has waned.

 

[Nick]

Unless they just decide to replace it completely if its popularity has waned.

Well they could also turn it into a proper space pavilion by splitting the land that Wonders of Life occupies with Energy and really make it a more compelling area to visit.

That probably makes too much sense though.