Will there every be a 5th theme park?

[tentaguasu]

I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I liked AK. I feel like with each successive theme park Disney did an even better job.

I'm wondering if we can hold out hope for yet another park in WDW?

My understanding (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that from a financial standpoint AK has been something of a disappointment. People aren't staying longer or spending more.

So my guess is that financially there is no reason to do another theme park...

Still I'd love to see it.

Any chance it'll happen?

 

[skier_pete]

I don't know what the "official" line is, but my guess is we will not see a 5th Disney theme park anytime soon. The reasoning behind the 4 parks is to get people to come to Orlando and stay for a full week solely at Disney. They get some additional business beyond the 7-10 day stays, but most Americans at least don't take more than one week at a time. So, with 4 parks, there is enough here to keep people occupied for a full week. A 5th park would increase the time the majority of people would spend at WDW, but would instead cannibalize attendance at the other four parks. (Even Universal/IOA found this out when they opened the second theme park, and found they took a significant hit away their own park.)

Probably the best you could hope for would be an expansion of one of the existing parks to try to increase the gate at that park.

SkierPete

 

[David R]

Yes but we are at least 10 years out from that happening.

 

[jarrdisney]

I've heard from multiple CM's that they are in the process of building a new park right now. I take it as a grain of salt though.

 

[tentaguasu]

I've heard from multiple CM's that they are in the process of building a new park right now. I take it as a grain of salt though.

How could they possibly do this without it getting out immediately? We could punch up the area on google maps right now and pick out any construction going on.

I'd love it to be true but I just can't imagine how it could be kept secret in today's world.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Until lately I had thought that a 5th gate was a far-fetched idea. However, now that we all know that WDW is doing booming business lately, I can foresee a new gate opening sooner rather than later. That still means 8-10 years out at the soonest though. If there is to be a 5th gate Iger and the big wigs will need to make that commitment soon.

 

[raidermatt]

It's been my hope that they would continue to make significant additions/enhancements to the existing four parks, especially AK and MGM, before building a 5th park.

While I'm not sure Disney sees that as being as great a need as most of us do, it did appear that the somewhat lackluster performance of DCA and AK would make them hesitate before pulling the trigger on another park in either location.

But with all of the hotel expansion being planned/discussed, I'm starting to wonder. Those people are going need somewhere to go.

WDW has the new Contemporary tower, AKL DVC, The Four Seasons, 4000-5000 third party rooms being added right outside the gate but still on property, and supposedly Pop Century to finish. Sure, some of these people will just be people who used to stay off-site, but not all.

Are all of these people going to go into the existing 4 parks?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

According to RCID planning documents, Disney has three large sites for future theme parks. Will any of those sites are ever be developed as a fifth major WDW theme park? There is no answer to that question.

I assume that there have been and will continue to be "blue sky" planning efforts for a fifth park, but that's not the same as actually green-lighting a fifth park.

I think that the Disney executives have now learned that the Disney brand alone isn't enough make people rush to the entrance gate. They know what happened at Disney's California Adventure and Disney Studios Paris.

A fifth theme park would require a huge investment of up-front capital, and it would generate huge ongoing operating costs. Each new WDW park adds substantial overhead expense, regardless of whether total attendance at the WDW parks increases or stays the same.

Unless Disney executives are convinced that the fifth park would generate a proportional increase in revenue and profit, they won't approve such a park.

To put it another way, if Disney adds 25% to theme park capacity and operating expense, would there be a 25% increase in overall guest attendance and spending?

 

[ChrisFL]

To put it another way, if Disney adds 25% to theme park capacity and operating expense, would there be a 25% increase in overall guest attendance and spending?

Unless they make something quality as good as Tokyo DisneySea I'd say no

 

[ASilmser]

Unless they make something quality as good as Tokyo DisneySea I'd say no

To quote Dr Seuss:

"if I ran the zoo. . . "

I would first bring the rest of the parks up to the same quality as Tokyo Disney Sea. . . . and THEN think about adding a 5th gate.

Each park has it's "issues" right now. I think if they invest the amount of money into the existing parks as a new park would cost, the people would come in droves. They could THEN justify the expansion, with the numbers to prove it. Right now, they are still getting a handle on the damage that years of uninspired management, 9-11, and a hurricane or two have done. I wish they would use their new-found numbers and set those imagineers loose with a pile of cash and a vision.

By the way, the jury is still out as to whether we are still dealing with uninspired management--at least as far as WDW is concerned.

 

[All Aboard]

I feel like with each successive theme park Disney did an even better job.

That might be the first time I've ever read that statement.

I agree with others. WAAAAY before WDW adds another gate (especially if it is going to be on the scale of AK or DCA when they opened) they need to focus on enhancing the 3rd and 4th gates first. And, throw World Showcase in there while they're at it.

 

[larry_poppins]

I know I will be flamed for this, but I consider Universal and Sea World the fifth, sixth, and seventh parks. I don't expect anymore US parks from Disney. Iger is only interested in putting mini parks in India and China. The Magic Your Way tickets give you days past #5 for just a few dollars. I don't think this will encourage new park construction. I expect future attraction development along Monsters Laugh floor.

If you want to see a great park visit Tokyo DisneySea!

Larry

 

[ChrisFL]

I feel like with each successive theme park Disney did an even better job.

I guess you could say that if you're not a fan of rides

 

[raidermatt]

I guess you could say that if you're not a fan of rides.

Guest Survey CM: Sir, what did you like least about your experience today?

Guest: The lines!



1 month later...

Jay Rasulo: Bob, can you put down your iPod? I need to go over something with you.

Bob Iger: Great piece of technology, Jay. I invented the internet you know...

Jay: Yes, Bob, I know. Anyway, we've been going over some of our guest survey data from the parks, and our biggest complaint is the length of the lines.

Bob: You're the park guy, Jay. Isn't technology great?

Jay: Sure, but I just need to make sure you're ok with this. I think if we take out the attractions, we can eliminate the lines, and thereby take care of our biggest guest complaint. Then we can shift that attraction money over to the marketing of next year's celebration: "The Most Happiest Celebration of Dreams on Earth".

Bob: You're the park guy Jay. Don't like going to 'em myself. Can't repackage and distribute network content there.

Jay: Don't worry sir, I don't go to 'em either. So, we good?

Bob: You're the park guy Jay.

 

[DancingBear]

I feel like with each successive theme park Disney did an even better job.

Are you serious? Studios was better than Magic Kingdom and Epcot?

 

[mitros]

Guest Survey CM: Sir, what did you like least about your experience today?

Guest: The lines!



1 month later...

Jay Rasulo: Bob, can you put down your iPod? I need to go over something with you.

Bob Iger: Great piece of technology, Jay. I invented the internet you know...

Jay: Yes, Bob, I know. Anyway, we've been going over some of our guest survey data from the parks, and our biggest complaint is the length of the lines.

Bob: You're the park guy, Jay. Isn't technology great?

Jay: Sure, but I just need to make sure you're ok with this. I think if we take out the attractions, we can eliminate the lines, and thereby take care of our biggest guest complaint. Then we can shift that attraction money over to the marketing of next year's celebration: "The Most Happiest Celebration of Dreams on Earth".

Bob: You're the park guy Jay. Don't like going to 'em myself. Can't repackage and distribute network content there.

Jay: Don't worry sir, I don't go to 'em either. So, we good?

Bob: You're the park guy Jay.

All right, cut out the jokes matt. Everyone knows that Al Gore invented the internet!

 

[CanadianGuy]

ScreamScape has mapped out two key locations (Eastern & Western) they perceive as likely spots for a fifth park -- should one ever come to pass.

It's an interesting theory.

Map of those Eastern & Western proposed park locations here

Map of land proposed for the Western Dev and Four Seasons Dev here

And scroll about 80% of the way down this page for '5th park' rumors..

ScreamScape opinions aside.. I think a 5th gate is inevitable in Florida. It's a matter of time.. how much? Probably 12 to 15 years at least.

Knox

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

ScreamScape has mapped out two key locations (Eastern & Western) they perceive as likely spots for a fifth park -- should one ever come to pass.

It's an interesting theory.

Map of those Eastern & Western proposed park locations here

Map of land proposed for the Western Dev and Four Seasons Dev here

And scroll about 80% of the way down this page for '5th park' rumors..

The webmaster of Screamscape has apparently never looked at the Reedy Creek Improvement District 2008 Plan documents. His "Eastern Site" and "Western Site" are conservation areas and flood plains. There are large, undeveloped, buildable sites at WDW -- but not Screamscape's "Eastern Site" and "Western Site."

There is no doubt that there's enough land at WDW for a fifth park... and a sixth and a seventh.

But there's a lot of doubt that Disney executives are willing to spend two billion dollars or so to build a compelling fifth theme park.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Agreed.. I hadn't seen that document before.. but the areas ScreamScapes indicates are clearly both identified as flood plains and conservation areas.

Thanks for the link!

Knox

 

[CanadianGuy]

As a side note.. on the many transportation maps in the 'traffic' portion of the RCID plans..

There is a "Proposed Road" leaving the I-4 outside of Disney property on the west side and heading north to the Disney property west of Magic Kingdom.. Any ideas what that is?

Knox