$3.5 Billion Walt Disney World Expansion? (Part 1)
We’ve all heard the timeless fable in which the Loch Ness Monster relentlessly begs the couple for ’bout tree fiddy. As with all good fables, this one can be applied to real life, with the monster in our story here being the behemoth theme park resort known as Walt Disney World, the couple being The Walt Disney Company’s Board of Directors, and the ’bout tree fiddy not being three dollars and fifty cents or even three hundred and fifty million, but about $3.5 billion.
Rumor has it that the Board of Directors has given in to the monster, approving some $3.5 billion for the Walt Disney World, which purportedly will go principally to the park currently known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with some funds also going to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and more going to infrastructure improvements. In this post (Part 1 of 2 posts) we will take a look at the current rumors as to what is coming, and I’ll offer my take on what is rumored to be coming and what should be coming.
I want to make it abundantly clear that what is discussed in this post is purely rumor, and rumor that I have indirectly sourced from typically-reliable insiders. I have absolutely no direct sources on this (or anything), so this is sort of like a nerdy game of telephone. Moreover, as with all rumors, until construction actually starts (and sometimes even after that) this is all subject to change. This is all a roundabout way of saying: take all of this with a grain of salt and don’t get too excited about the substance of anything here.
Enough with the caveats, let’s jump to the meat of the rumors…
The Rumors
First up, credit where credit is due. As mentioned, this is like a game of telephone, and I’m the creeper listening in on the line while others converse. The substance of all of the rumors presented here has been sourced from several insiders on the WDWMagic forums.
It’s somewhat difficult to follow there due to those long threads going off topic, but fortunately, one poster has summarized everything encompassed in this large Walt Disney World investment, and put together a synopsis thread. If you’re mostly interested in the substance of the rumors rather than my opinions, I’d suggest going directly to the source.
It should come as no surprise that the bulk of the funds here are rumored to be allocated to the park currently known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which will likely be relaunched as Disney Hollywood Adventure. A large portion of the park is slated to be rebuilt from the ground up. It sounds as if only the major E-Ticket attractions are “safe” from replacement during the expansion.
If you’ve been following the rumors for this park since, well, since Disney purchased Lucasfilm, nothing here should come as a huge surprise (heck, even I predicted this stuff…and I know nothing!) and the wheels are already in motion in some regards.
Most of the money is said to be going to Star Wars Land, with a smaller amount going to expanding Pixar Place, adding re-skinned attractions in the style of the Toy Story Playlands in Paris and Hong Kong. Other additions are possible and infrastructure changes are necessary, but contrary to other rumors floating around, Indiana Jones Adventure is not currently part of this expansion.
The more surprising portion of this $3.5 billion rumor (I’ve actually heard this number is somewhere between $3 and $4 billion, so that’s just a ‘compromise’ amount) is the additions to the Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. I have yet to read any details of substance concerning this, aside from it receiving upwards of $300 million, which would put it just south of the amount the New Fantasyland investment.
Epcot is slated to receive roughly the same amount as the Magic Kingdom, with the only thing insiders agreeing on is that a replacement for IllumiNations is coming. Beyond that, not much is out there about what else might be on the table. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is unlikely to be receiving any of the funds (AVATAR Land, Rivers of Light, and the rest of the construction there are done deals) nor are any of the hotels, the monorail system, or Disney Springs.
I think that about covers the reliable rumors that are floating around. There are a ton of ‘wishful thinking’ fan ideas also out there, and I’ll cover some of those, plus my own, in the Reaction section below…
My Reaction
My general reaction to this news is a resounding amount of excitement…and also surprise. I’m excited because the vibe I get from everyone who has some insight into the project (much of which insight they haven’t shared to protect their own sources) is excitement. Even those who are cynical and jaded seem to be excited, particularly about the Star Wars stuff.
I’m surprised because for so long, Walt Disney World has been the cash cow of the Disney Parks empire, but has not received a level of investment in new attractions commensurate with its size, revenue, or other worldwide Disney Parks. Some would say this is because it’s a mature business unit (a cold view, but not altogether wrong) or because significant infrastructure investments have instead been made (also true).
While true, I don’t think either of these things preclude adding new attractions being a savvy business decision, but hey, the past is the past. It seems like the ‘monster’ is on the precipice of having a significant number of new attractions added, so the future is bright. I’m certainly giddy, and think now is a great time to be a Walt Disney World fan.
Like I stated, I’m excited to see such a bright future for the resort I view as my “home” one. While I think some integral components have been on an upward trajectory (merchandise, dining, and resorts) for the past few years, there haven’t been any attraction additions with a ‘wow’ factor since Expedition Everest, and that was nearly a decade ago. New Fantasyland is a beautiful environment with some flashes of brilliance and solid supporting attractions, but I wouldn’t say there’s anything that wows.
This is actually why I’m pleased that a big chunk of money is rumored to be going to the Magic Kingdom. It almost feels like a mulligan on the New Fantasyland project. This is not to say that I think New Fantasyland was a bust–I actually really like what it brings to the table for the most part. I just don’t think it delivered a flagship attraction, but maybe that was never the intent.
I am a bit surprised that the rumors focus on Frontierland, the land (along with Liberty Square) with the least issues and one that already has two killer E-Ticket attractions. I would have hoped for something to fix Tomorrowland, or even more for the ever-popular Fantasyland. Both areas could use cosmetic improvements, and new or replaced attractions. I’m hard-pressed to complain, though, as I did not expect anything big for Magic Kingdom anytime in the near future.
From the tone of the Frontierland rumors, it seems like this will reconfigure the land (there was a rumor a few years ago of expansion that would effectively annex and eliminate Tom Sawyer Island, which would make sense here) and add a big-time attraction that utilizes popular Disney intellectual property. Since popular is the operative word there, I think we can safely surmise that it won’t be anything The Lone Ranger related.
I’m surprised by this because the Magic Kingdom already substantially outdraws the other 3 parks, and I figured all additions would be made with the mindset of drawing guests away from the Magic Kingdom to the other parks. Instead of that tact, it would appear the strategy is to improve the draw of the other three parks, while also increasing the capacity and allure of the Magic Kingdom.
I think this is a really wise strategy: no matter how much the other parks improve, I don’t think they are going to cannibalize business from the Magic Kingdom. It’s Walt Disney World’s crown jewel, the park to which guests will be drawn because seeing that castle is a rite of passage. Instead, the other parks improving means cannibalizing vacation days from spots outside of Walt Disney World, like the beach or other theme parks in Florida (with Universal Orlando also making significant investment, I’m betting marginal players like SeaWorld and Busch Gardens will be the parks most impacted).
My hope is that the money allocated to the Magic Kingdom is spent on something with a huge wow factor (that is also high capacity). A water-cooler attraction that gets people outside of Disney fan circles talking–the kind of buzzworthy attraction that alone gets people to book trips. I would prefer a single attraction of this variety to several smaller-scale additions, simply because I think Walt Disney World’s crown jewel deserves to have one of the best, most innovative attractions in the world. It should have something on par with Mystic Manor (in terms of innovation, not that exact attraction or even one similar to it in story) that really blows guests away. That’s totally the Disney geek in me talking.
From an operational perspective, smaller-scale high-capacity attractions probably might make more sense to absorb crowds that have made Magic Kingdom feel especially packed in the last few years…but what fun is that?! Actually, I think there is a lot of value in adding a single killer, tentpole-caliber attraction. These are the types of attractions that can be effectively marketed, get hyped up in the mainstream, and draw new guests. Expedition Everest, Radiator Springs Racers, and even the two Harry Potter attractions have taught us this. There are other ways to address how crowded the park feels.
This is wishful thinking, but I would also like to see the Magic Kingdom replace Wishes! I know there are a lot of Wishes fans out there, and I get that a lot of people hold nostalgia for it. It’s a show that effectively tugs at the heartstrings and is an emotive experience. However, the mixed-media shows that have debuted at Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland in the last few years really are the next generation of nighttime entertainment in the castle parks. Heck, I’d put Celebrate the Magic with these shows; I think it is criminally underrated, and actually superior to Wishes in a number of ways.
Disneyland Forever (the fireworks show for Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary) really nails what the Magic Kingdom could use. The shows in Paris and Tokyo are light on fireworks, and I think end-of-the-day fireworks are an iconic part of the Magic Kingdom experience, so those shows as impressive as they are, are not good fits in Florida.
Disneyland Forever is the first of these new shows to feature a lot of projections, lasers, and other effects–and also feature a ton of fireworks. This is perfect for Magic Kingdom. No matter what new technology brings to the table, people will always love fireworks (just ask a scientist: humans are hardwired to love explosions…probably). Fireworks are the wow factor, with the projections and lasers (humans are also hardwired to love lasers) being the icing on the cake.
As far as this rumor goes, I suspect the Magic Kingdom’s additions (if any) are the most speculative part. I want to reiterate and make crystal clear that the above rumors may not come to fruition. It’s a foregone conclusion that something big consisting of Star Wars Land + ??? is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
You don’t need to be an insider to know that. It’s also pretty easy to see that Epcot needs help, and personnel changes there in the last year or so are indicative of some sort of fix being on the horizon. The Magic Kingdom, though, is different. There are a lot of things that could potentially be changed there…and also the potential for a ‘hands off’ approach as it just received significant investment and could be left alone while attention is directed at the other parks.
As for those other parks, we will be back later this week to delve deeper into the rumors swirling about those parks. Stay tuned…
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Your Thoughts…
Are you excited about the future of Walt Disney World? Are you optimistic about these rumors? Pessimistic? What do you think will happen? What do you think won’t come to fruition? I’d love to hear your takes on this rumored $3.5 billion investment in WDW, what your dream changes would be, and other ideas, so if you have any thoughts, post them in the comments!
I completely agree that Celebrate the Magic is superior to Wishes! In the spirit of being concise and Disney nerd-ish, Celebrate the Magic is just more magical of an experience than Wishes! Has anyone found the music to Celebrate the Magic? I can’t find it on iTunes.
Whatever WDW does, I don’t want to see any more rollercoaster type rides. In the New Fantasyland, they added the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Barnstormer. I have not been on Barnstormer but tried the Mine Train once but shouldn’t have. It was attractive but I have not been able to handle rollercoasters for years.
Also, I did Enchanted Tales with Belle once and did not like that concept. Hopefully, they won’t do that type of concept (regardless of the storyline) again.
Looking forward to any great new attractions.
The Frontierland rumors are fascinating to me. It makes me a little nervous for Splash Mountain, though. I just hope that Disney doesn’t decide to complete its burial of Song of the South by removing the Br’er characters. Regardless of their cultural irrelevance, I enjoy visiting the Laughing Place. Then again, as long as the dark ride components are kept, I could be happy with another property (please not Pooh) residing in the attraction.
I couldn’t agree more! Splash Mtn is my all time fav WDW attraction. I hope it remains there always! Like many of you, I am a little surprised by Frontierland being the next in line for expansion/updates @ MK, really thought it would be Tomorrowland. Excited to see what is in store for Epcot & HS too.
Thanks for reading all the forums and summing this up for us Tom! Now we wait for the big announcements…
Tom I’m interesting to know your opinion on DHS… do you think they would be better off to close the park for a year and speed up the construction? I know it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense but as of right now I would only visit Hollywood Studios if I had a park hopper.
Also with all the change coming to DHS do you think they would keep the Osborne Spectacle? I know there are rumors that the Streets of America will be completely re-done, but I would hate to see it go, especially because I have yet to see it in person.
Thanks!
Also surprised not even a rumor about a Marvel attraction. And while it’s not a surprise I am disappointed that most of the money will be going for Star Wars land. I know I’m probably a minority but never been a SW fan at all.
In my fever dreams they start HS over from scratch and bring us Disney’s Middle Earth. The Shire would be the Main St. equivalent and then for lands you could have any or all of Rivendell, Moria, Mirkwood, Lothlorien, Fangorn forest, Rohan, Isengard, Gondor and of course Mordor. Both the theming and the attraction possibilities would be awesome.
Disney doesn’t own the theme park rights to Marvel east of the Mississippi. See above comment for more information.
I knew about that but my understanding was that Universal only owns the rights to properties that had been used cinematically at the time of that agreement like Spidey, Hulk, F. Four so things like Avengers, Thor, Cap. America etc would not be covered under that. Probably something the lawyers for each side would argue about for years though.
See above comment for more information.
Sorry, WordPress wouldn’t post my comment.
I am surprised to see no marvel expansion to be rumored with how much money they are raking in at the box office for the mouse.
The answer is pretty complicated. Universal currently owns the rights to Marvel theme park attractions east of the Mississippi. In the 90’s, Marvel Entertainment was facing bankruptcy, and started selling film rights, tv rights, animated tv rights, theme park rights, video game rights, and other things to various companies. That’s why Fox owns film rights to Fantastic Four and X-Men, Sony owns the rights to Spider-man, NBC/Universal owns theme park rights for all Marvel Characters and film rights to Hulk and Namor. When Disney bought the entire company in 2009 (Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios, everything Marvel still owned), they’ve been slowly attempting to require various properties. They already have an agreement with Universal about allowing the Hulk to be in the Avengers films, so it is possible that they eventually could come to an agreement about theme park rights, especially since Universal now owns the theme park rights to Nintendo.
Count me in as another person who thinks Tomorrowland is the land that needs the most love in MK. It’s the land that holds the most intrinsic appeal to me (I’ve always been a sci-fi fan) and I’d love to see it really shine.
Hey Tom,
If I’m not mistaken, the insiders are currently saying that the Frontierland expansion (if it is approved) is a separate budget from the ~$300 million in the ~$3.5 billion package that was approved by the board.
Hard to understand why they would put all of Magic Kingdom’s allotted money towards Frontierland when Tomorrowland seems to be in such obvious need of updating. It is so dated right now, but it could be awesome. I LOVE the People Mover and I love Space Mountain, but SM really needs a refurbishment. It stopped running 2 out of the 4 times we tried to ride it on our last trip. Why not put some money into making an already popular attraction more reliable? I also hope they don’t get rid of Tom Sawyer Island.
I’m very excited for the rumors about the Hollywood Studios, which has needed help for a while (even before the closures). I’m always excited to see new things at the Magic Kingdom too. However, what bugs me is the lack of attention that seems to going to EPCOT (beyond Frozen and the Soarin’ theater). I feel like its Future World needs a ton of attention, but I don’t see it happening for a while.
I think Epcot needs the most investment. It is getting very dated. I would love to see an authentic quick service restaurant in Canada, Smokes Poutinerrie, …….hell, Tim Hortons, that’s as Canadian as it gets. Definitely be great for new shows and countries representated. Australia, Africa, Thailand, etc. Future world is also not very futuristic, unfortunately it’s the opposite. Captain EO from the 80’s, etc.
I wouldn’t want Tim Hortons to be in Canada. Although it used to be Canadian, the majority of the shares are now owned by a Brazilian investment firm. This occurred at the same time that Burger King and Timmies merged, there was a tax inversion and Warren Buffet’s Berkeshire Hathaway also became involved. Thus, I no longer view it as being Canadian culture.
It’s time for Illuminations to go. It’s very tired. I’m hoping they do something like World of Color but fill the whole lake with fountains and make it a very “let’s bring the world together” type of emotional show…not let’s just throw in a bunch of Disney movie clips like World of Color does. Just blow everyone away with it.
Would also love to see Future World feel like the future…not some cheesy “trying to be cool” shopping mall. Imagine all of the walls/surfaces in Future World as LED screens that interact with your Magic Band. With this and the new Illuminations, it could make Epcot THE place to be at night.
I also have a feeling that the Wonders of Life pavilion will become the Inside Out pavilion which could be an incredible thing.
Two or three new country pavilions would be nice too…Brazil (hang gliding over Rio/Brazil ride that is a hanging roller coaster mixed with Soarin’ screens), Australia (some sort of Outback ride that uses the Disneyland Indy ride system), and Spain or Greece.
To me, Epcot needs as much money as DHS does…or even more.
OK. I’ll stop. So much potential for being the best theme park in the world. Wish I had a ton of cash to just throw at Epcot myself.
Good ideas. You’ll see some similar thoughts in Part 2 so I won’t address them now…
I will say that I’ve always wondered what Disney would do if a wealthy individual wanted to sponsor an attraction. I’ve dreamed of winning the lotto and making Journey into Imagination awesome again, but I’m betting even if I did and had the money, they wouldn’t go for it. I’ll just keep dreaming, anyway.
I think I would want to put up the money for a new country to be put in place. Although I have absolutely no connection to India, I think that would be my first choice. Heck, I don’t even really like the traditional food, but can you imagine the Taj Mahal there! All the sights and sounds (and yes, the food) would be outstanding! Day dreams…they keep us going, don’t they?
Love the ideas for MK’s Future World. You’re right, it doesn’t feel very “future” any more. Buzz Lightyear needs some work, that’s for sure. Love the ride, but it sure is showing signs of wear and tear.
Would love to see an expansion of Living the Land too. This is such a wonderful experience but would like to see the next step forward done on it.
More countries in EPCOT is a must! So much potential…so little done. Frozen in Norway is not an improvement…more like a lateral move. Something from South or Central America would be so exciting!
Thank you for providing a concise summary of the rumors out there. This is indeed exciting. My only sad part is the possible loss of Illuminations – it’s my favorite of the nighttime shows and I’d far rather see Wishes updated.
I’d also rather see expansion in Tomorrowland vs. Frontierland, as you said. But that’s more of a win/win.
I am fascinated to read all the changes on the horizon for WDW and see how rumor and supposition pan out. I admit I was hesitant to accept major changes (I.e. FP+) but having the chance to see “other” worlds has opened my eyes to the why in a lot of these developments – seriously, a trip to Tokyo Disney explained the Fp+ need greatly)
I hope that the changes that come to WDW help enhance existing and original attractions and revitalize some of the neglected areas (I still love you Hollywood Studios!!!). I also hope they do borrow from their foreign cousins and bring some of the amazing technology and attractions to the states… Mystic Manor, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, DisneySea all have become faves for our family and a lot of “this would be amazing in he US”.
One selfish dream is that Pixar decides Figment is a worthy cause and brings back the original feel and idea of his ride. After watching INSIDE OUT, I miss Journey Into Imagination even more!!!
It’s an exciting time to be a Disney fan. Can’t wait to see what they come up with. I’m all for a new night time parade AND fireworks show. I also can’t wait for the new DVC expansion at WL! 🙂
I think Pete from Dis unplugged nailed the layout. I think a lot of the excite is we know it’s going to be awesome we just want to here it already. We have all been waiting for major upgrades, to bad it’s 10 years of work
Do you by chance have a link to his podcast that discusses the changes?
I think this is it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJQTGqztccU
thanks megan
The 2 things I would like to see, and probably won’t, are the Indiana Jones ride like in Disneyland, and a nearly identical Pirates of the Carribean, like in Disneyland.
Indie is like Dinosaur, but more intense. Pirates is longer and narrower, making you feel like you are more “in the scene”. And I love the trip through the bayou setting at the beginning.
I think there’s almost no chance of them extending Pirates of the Caribbean. You’ll have to go to Anaheim, Paris, or Tokyo for the longer versions.
As for Indiana Jones Adventure, rumors suggest it isn’t coming, and I think that’s a mistake. Dinosaur using the same ride system shouldn’t make a difference–no one besides us Disney nerds knows that, anyway. Besides, plenty of attractions at Walt Disney World use the same ride system, but are still totally different experiences. The two attractions in question here are totally different in terms of substance, and that’s what matters.
With Disney set to make more Indiana Jones films, I’d think there would be interest in an increased in-park presence. But, what do I know?
Would like to see more done to frontiers and and tied to something recent. Also love to see updates to dinoland at AK so it ties into the new movie. Surely frozen ride will be somewhere in that mix in Epcot, personally my fave park! Would like to see HS as never been there, yet!
While I am really excited for The Good Dinosaur, I’d rather have Dinoland updated to something with a realistic, ‘adult’ portrayal of dinosaurs. Add The Good Dinosaur stuff to Pixar Place.
The ‘Frozen’ attraction at Epcot isn’t included in this mix. Its budget is already allocated, and that project has been underway for a while.
I agree, Tom- Dinosaurs are a crowd pleaser (or in this context, have the potential to draw crowds), and so Disney owe it to AK to ensure that Dinoland does the Dinos justice! The area surrounding the Dino Institute and Dinosaur is great, but unfortunately Dinorama is anything but. It has very little tangible connection to Dinosaurs- you really could be anywhere- and (I hate to say this) is unimaginative considering the literal and metaphorical scale of the creatures it represents. I really hope that in the future Disney give Dinoland some much needed TLC to allow it to compete with Universal’s much more sophisticated Jurassic Park at IOA.
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I am in total agreement…let’s get some life size something going on here! Our Detroit Zoo does a better job during the summer exhibit. Disney could and should go all out on this idea. Dinosaurs will NEVER go out of fashion. Bring some meat and substance to them and they will become huge draws. They are not just a children fantasy…adults embrace them too.
Hi Tom i was wondering how you would rank the U.S. Disney theme parks from your favorite to least favorite option? Im going to Disneyland in 2 weeks and Im a WDW Veteran so i was wondering what someone who has been to all the parks would rank them.
This is all of the worldwide parks, but you can just mentally subtract the non-US ones: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/top-10-disney-theme-parks/
Good to find an expert who knows what he’s taniklg about!
I worked as an ICP in Hollywood Studio’s last year and I think this (rumor) is super exciting. I’m glad that not only DHS is gonna be plussed, but also the other parks. I think that in 2025, we might have a totally fresh and fit Walt Disney World. I might barely recognize it when I return!
I’m really hoping that aside from DHS and MK, Epcot will receive some much needed TLC. Word has been floating around about a new Imagination pavillion, and considering the success of the Figment comics, things might be looking good for it 🙂 Replacing Illuminations will be sad, but needed. There is so much that can be done with Epcot, it’s exciting to think about what those funds can do.
I would agree that in 2025, Walt Disney World will be almost unrecognizable in parts. Work that is already underway in Animal Kingdom should really transform and revitalize that park, and I think the changes coming to DHS will be much more dramatic. It’s too bad that it will likely take a while for all of the changes to be completed, but I suspect it will be worth the wait. It’ll also be fun to watch the parks take shape.
I am very excited about all of this. I think the future of Walt Disney World is incredibly bright. Maybe someday soon, I won’t have to fly all the way to Tokyo to experience the “Disney Difference.” 😉
Maybe haha 😉 I feel like they felt Universal’s hot breath!
As a European, I really hope such a revitalization will come to Walt Disney Studios Parc in Disneyland Paris. That resort really suffers from lack of commitment, adequate management and maintenance. It’s really sad, because the Disneyland Park is absolutely gorgeous, but deserving of expansion and refurbishments.