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New Expansions and Additions at Walt Disney World

It seems crazy that beyond the Splash Mountain refurbs we don't really have any definite plans for the US Disney Parks. Disneyland 'might' get an expansion over the road, Animal Kingdom 'might' get a replacement for DInoland, Magic Kingdoms 'might' get a new area behind Big Thunder Mountain.

But no construction, no new hotels or rides, just feels like there's nothing to look forward to with US Disney.
 
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Disney's problem is they take way too long to build anything. It took them years to finish the third parking deck for Springs and it took them years to finish all of their 2020 projects. They probably didn't have too much planned beyond Splash, Tron and Guardians but Uni's massive new resort has caused them to pay a bit more attention.

Disney has largely been reactionary since the first Wizarding World opened. I'm hoping Epic can finally kick Disney into high gear and force them to start putting more focus into their resorts.
 
didnt wdw get tron and star wars in the last few years? not so bad all up, especially considering RotR is one of the best rides of all time. Given that disney cant even seem to lower demand with crazy high ticket prices, I find it wishful thinking to imagine they feel under any pressure at all for major expansions. (other than luxury hotels and high $$$ services) . I wouldn't even be surprised if they project that more universal guests -> more disney guests.

to be honest, if I was disney and felt like doing something, I would probably be inclined to push for a new park instead of expanding existing ones---which already have enough content for a full day in most cases, at least for the average slightly-clueless and slightly-rich family.
 
Yes Epic Universe will bring plenty of people to Disney property. Disney's issue is that more people will definitely devote more time to Uni than stay in the Disney bubble like people have in the past.

Uni has spent the last decade essentially turning Uni into a weeklong destination like Disney has been. They've beefed up their hotel offerings, added a water park, added two blockbuster lands, added world class coasters, and its all cumulated to the newest theme park in the city since Islands. All these additions mean less people spending their weeklong vacations at Disney, which Disney pretty much relies on. It shows because they've dropped their hotel room prices, brought back free dining and added tons of promotions to stay on property. Uni is already a better value anyway. Their hotels tend to be cheaper and they pretty much give away the gate the more days you buy. Even the APs give you a few months free if you buy within a certain time frame.
 
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cocoa said:
didnt wdw get tron and star wars in the last few years? not so bad all up, especially considering RotR is one of the best rides of all time. Given that disney cant even seem to lower demand with crazy high ticket prices, I find it wishful thinking to imagine they feel under any pressure at all for major expansions. (other than luxury hotels and high $$$ services) . I wouldn't even be surprised if they project that more universal guests -> more disney guests.

to be honest, if I was disney and felt like doing something, I would probably be inclined to push for a new park instead of expanding existing ones---which already have enough content for a full day in most cases, at least for the average slightly-clueless and slightly-rich family.
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Attendances have been falling fast since the end of the 50th celebrations last March... Last summer was their quietest summer in a decade according to articles.


theweek.com

Why Disney World is so empty this summer

The park recently saw its slowest July Fourth weekend in nearly a decade
theweek.com theweek.com

www.cbsnews.com

Disney World's crowds are thinning. Growing competition — and cost — may be to blame.

Some families may be bypassing Disney World because of high costs and more alluring destinations.
www.cbsnews.com www.cbsnews.com

news.yahoo.com

New report shares the concerning reason why attendance at Disney’s theme parks is dropping — they’re becoming a ‘ghost town’

One Redditor described the parks as "barren."
news.yahoo.com news.yahoo.com

I haven't seen anything recently to suggest that there's been a shift in this trend... Has anybody else?
 
Nicky Borrill said:
Attendances have been falling fast since the end of the 50th celebrations last March... Last summer was their quietest summer in a decade according to articles.


theweek.com

Why Disney World is so empty this summer

The park recently saw its slowest July Fourth weekend in nearly a decade
theweek.com theweek.com

www.cbsnews.com

Disney World's crowds are thinning. Growing competition — and cost — may be to blame.

Some families may be bypassing Disney World because of high costs and more alluring destinations.
www.cbsnews.com www.cbsnews.com

news.yahoo.com

New report shares the concerning reason why attendance at Disney’s theme parks is dropping — they’re becoming a ‘ghost town’

One Redditor described the parks as "barren."
news.yahoo.com news.yahoo.com

I haven't seen anything recently to suggest that there's been a shift in this trend... Has anybody else?
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My dad tells me it's because they've gone woke.

I tend to ignore most things my dad tells me these days though 😂
 
roomraider said:
My dad tells me it's because they've gone woke.

I tend to ignore most things my dad tells me these days though 😂
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Like it or not woke is definitely a factor that’s been lumped into this Disney anchor the last few years. Political posturing is inherently divisive in its nature and does nothing but invite negative perception from half of their potential audience. Same critique can be levelled at Mandy and Adventure Island for using their businesses to shill for the Tories. It’s also conspicuously a factor more rooted in the American markets rather than internationally.

But its def not solely responsible for dragging Disney’s attendance down. That honor goes to their recent management, ****ty film/TV output, worsened guest experience, and the absolutely insane acceleration in price gouging that’s gradually driving middle class families away.

Big huge investments will help WDW bounce back eventually but in the meantime its been clear that Disney is in a company wide crisis and spin doctoring away from factors such as “woke” isn’t doing any good. It’s contributing to a currently poor public image of Disney (referring to the general population, not the horde of Disney brand loyalists or frequent park goers), which ultimately right now is just as big a problem as the guest experience and price gouging.
 
roomraider said:
My dad tells me it's because they've gone woke.

I tend to ignore most things my dad tells me these days though 😂
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Ahh yes, the old 'go woke, go broke' chestnut... Because 40 something white homophobic males are Disney's target demographic.

To be honest, if the parks are quiet because the 40 year old white homophobic males are staying away... Then that probably means Disney is finally worth the ticket prices!!!

That being said, businesses should remain apolitical. Keep their noses out of stuff. Nothing good ever came from businesses getting involved in politics.
 
Disney has had a hand in politics since the beginning. This is nothing new.

Disney has reached that point where they're pricing people out of a weeklong vacation. Why go to WDW and pay insane prices when you can basically go on a weeklong cruise or a trip around Europe for less? Couple that with a decline in service, constant maintenance issues and most families having to plan out every minute of their day in advance, it gets exhausting.
 
cookie said:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is set to close on January 6, 2025 for a major refurbishment that’s expected to last until sometime in 2026. Retracking appears likely going by recent permits.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845902737667449299
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Walt Disney World also announced the phased closure of DinoLand U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom starting in January 2025, as it prepares to transform the area into Tropical Americas by 2027. While some attractions will close permanently on Jan. 13, others will remain open temporarily. Source
 
cookie said:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom is set to close on January 6, 2025 for a major refurbishment that’s expected to last until sometime in 2026. Retracking appears likely going by recent permits.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1845902737667449299
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You would think they would just close BTM at the same time they start construction on the new cars land?

It is going to be closed for a year to reopen inside a construction site in 2026?
 
Rivers of America will now close on July 7th. Construction walls are set to be erected within a few weeks of closing, but the boardwalk area along the south end of the river is set to remain when the new Cars area opens, according to new concept art.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1929916011173548107
https://twitter.com/x/status/1929923361812938790
https://twitter.com/x/status/1929918264957690321
https://twitter.com/x/status/1929918868342092244

Meanwhile, the Walt Disney World Railroad will be operating in shuttle mode between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland while both Cars and Villains Land are being constructed, suggesting that the railroad will be rerouted similar to when Disneyland Railroad changed its route to allow for Galaxy’s Edge.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1929918725907509432
 
cookie said:
Rivers of America will now close on July 7th. Construction walls are set to be erected within a few weeks of closing, but the boardwalk area along the south end of the river is set to remain when the new Cars area opens, according to new concept art.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1929916011173548107
https://twitter.com/x/status/1929923361812938790
https://twitter.com/x/status/1929918264957690321
https://twitter.com/x/status/1929918868342092244

Meanwhile, the Walt Disney World Railroad will be operating in shuttle mode between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland while both Cars and Villains Land are being constructed, suggesting that the railroad will be rerouted similar to when Disneyland Railroad changed its route to allow for Galaxy’s Edge.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1929918725907509432
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Have you seen the replies to that first post?

Twitter really is cementing itself as the cesspit of humanity, isn't it?
 
Nicky Borrill said:
Have you seen the replies to that first post?

Twitter really is cementing itself as the cesspit of humanity, isn't it?
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I didn’t see anything overly bad, although I could not have been looking closely enough or looking at the wrong post… I still think the most offensive thing I’ve seen on Twitter by far was the comments under Keir Starmer’s livestream of the Universal UK announcement.

On a more on-topic note, I’m surprised to see this closing so soon. I thought Disney stuff typically took longer to materialise?
 
the funny thing about this is that this area would actually fit DCA way better thematically, and the regular radiator springs would actually fit into frontierland way better thematically. can we just do a quick swapsies
 
Many bombshells from The Wrap on the future Villains Land;

The project is now getting reimagined with a focus on bolder, bigger ideas, with Imagineers having just been notified before the new year that the previously laid plans were scrapped, according to people familiar with the situation. The expansion, after all, will serve as the first significant addition to the theme parks under D’Amaro’s watch, one meant to drive shareholder value and reinvigorate interest in Orlando, Florida’s Disney World.
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According to several sources, the point of reference for the land has gone from Dark Universe, the Universal Monsters-themed area of the recently opened Epic Universe, to the Isle of Berk, a land centered on “How to Train Your Dragons,” also at Epic Universe. Berk, which won the 2026 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theme Park Land category, is not only more expansive, with several rides, fun food options, an immersive stage show and tons of exclusive merchandise, but it is also, crucially, brighter and more family friendly.
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Original concept art for Villain Land featured a large, black roller coaster, its spindly track curving around the land, adored with the prickly thorn bushes from “Sleeping Beauty.” It would be one of two rides plotted for the area, along with the dining and entertainment offerings, alluded to in D’Amaro’s initial D23 presentation. And while the new plan loosely follows these contours, according to those with knowledge of the plans, virtually everything else has changed.
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Now, it is being converted to a more family-friendly coaster, along the lines of Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this time themed to “The Emperor’s New Groove.” This makes sense, considering that antagonists Yzma and Kronk actually ride a rollercoaster in that 2000 comedy, and how many more guests you can get on the ride with a lower height requirement. (Before you ask, yes, there is a “pull the lever” moment in the ride currently.)
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www.youtube.com

The Emperor's New Groove - Pull the Lever, Kronk

www.TheMouseCastle.com. Yzma (Eartha Kitt) and Kronk (Patrick Warburton) visit their secret lab in this scene from Disney's "The Emperor's New Groove," avail...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

Elsewhere in Villains Land, Hades will rule over a dinner show that is being described as in the same vein as the Diamond Horseshoe Revue, a dinner show at the Magic Kingdom. Pain and Panic will also be along for the fun, with additional villains filtering in.
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The major attraction is going to be themed to Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty,” with an indoor water-based ride system that could emulate the Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure attraction at Shanghai Disneyland.
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The stakes are high. To justify the Maleficent attraction being a Lighting Lane Single Ticket experience, it has to be really, really good.
If you’re D’Amaro right now, according to Tesa, “You need to know that when this thing opens, he can get Lightning Lane Single Pass revenue for 10 years. And if you want families from Denver to give you $20 per person to ride that ride, you have to make sure that you can make it worthwhile. If you can’t, you can’t take another run at it.”
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According to multiple sources, there will also be a third, as-yet-unannounced ride in the land... a carnival-style “flat ride.” According to one source, the likely ride will be a spinner, like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, themed to Ursula from “The Little Mermaid.”
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According to one source, these updated plans for Villains Land are due in the next couple of weeks. Then D’Amaro will take the proposal to the board, which will decide whether or not to proceed with the more elaborate and, really, more fun version of the land.
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Original Source & Non-Paywalled Version
 
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