Featured Image Courtesy: Disboards
You might think that Walt Disney World theme parks have seen the last of their expansions for a while given a likely recession on the horizon and rampant inflation taking over the US economy. You might also be wrong.
Having spoken with and seen some information from people very familiar with the on-goings at the parks, it seems obvious to me that Disney has reached a point where their only way to increase profits at Walt Disney World is to grow. They’re trying their darndest to get that off the ground at Disneyland Resort (at massive expense if it happens), but Disney World is much easier. At a time when people simply don’t have as much discretionary spending available, and Disney has nickel and dimed their guests to the limit, there’s only one way to keep up the good stockholder reports:
Expand.
That’s exactly what I’m hearing is on the table for Disney World over the next decade. I’m told there is a roadmap, and that roadmap is specifically intended to help increase capacity at the parks. They have the parking and the infrastructure to do it, the only problem for bumping up the number of people through turnstiles is adding more pedestrian space and some time sinks to soak up the guests. So, what am I now hearing is on the table for Disney World over the next decade? Let’s look at two parks today: Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.
Hollywood Studios
At Hollywood Studios, there are two major projects that have been waiting for final approval for years now and are likely to be greenlit very soon. The first is an expansion that will connect the Animation Courtyard with the Rock’n Roller Coaster pavilion. This will require a path that goes behind the Sunset Boulevard outdoor dining areas, which means larger storage buildings added to assist them, as well as facades to hide their backstage areas. The new walkway would feature a new omnimover ride, and previous submissions had been to have the attraction be based around movie music, tying in the Rock’n Roller Coaster area to the new pathway. The restroom for Rock’n Roller Coaster would also have to be repositioned. Details can shift, but the pathway is nearly 100% going to happen.
The other project for increasing capacity at Hollywood Studios is to transform the Disney Magic of Animation queue area into something more meaningful than the Star Wars Launch Bay. Details on what this might be are scant, but I suspect it will be a return to an animation theme. It’s likely to be more from the pre-school crowd.
Magic Kingdom
Over at Magic Kingdom, there are two expansion projects that are likely to see the light of day over the next decade. If you’ve been following Disney fan blogs and sites closely, it’s likely that you’ve seen these before.
First, the Main Street theater is not dead. It may be heavily modified, but the previously shelved concept is high on the list of things to get done over the next ten years. The reason is simple and logistical. For Magic Kingdom to increase capacity, they need to alleviate the bottleneck through Main Street USA at the end of the day. Allowing in even more people can create a dangerous situation. The secondary street through previous backstage areas is there, but it lacks quite a bit in appearance. More importantly, because it is only used at specific times, many guests don’t know about it and it doesn’t get its intended job done. The thinking is that a theater (plus museum attachment) and addition of the pathway on the official map would solve the problem. Speaking of the museum, the most likely change here is that I’m hearing the theater would likely have a wrap-around museum in which One Man’s Dream is moved into the space.
The second expansion is one that I covered before, and many have speculated upon after Disney announced expensive infrastructure changes to roadways that seemingly free up a new area of land for a hotel near Disney World. I said at the time that Disney was planning to install their most luxurious hotel ever, with direct access to Magic Kingdom. I think that’s still true. It’s not only true because Disney executives would love to offer a high-end resort for the $400k+ annual income crowd, but also because they would connect the resort with an expansion pad south of the Pirates of the Caribbean show building. With a new E-Ticket built there, the theme park would pull crowds away from Frontierland and Tomorrowland, dispersing congestion. Expect a City of Gold theme with the new resort, and potentially the expansion pad.
Oh… and there’s one more thing…
For you coffee lovers out there, I’m hearing that Disney and Starbucks may be reaching a deal in the next couple of years to bring a second coffee location into each park. I suppose that’s related to capacity, right?
Of course, everything I’ve said in this article is subject to what happens with the economy, with the pandemic, etc. But just know that Disney executives are aware that they need to increase park capacity, and there are plans that have been drawn up pre-pandemic. They’re likely closer to 2030, but they’re on the way.
For all your Disney World rumors and leaks, keep coming back to That Park Place. And let me know in the comments below about the latest I’ve been hearing!
