5th park at WDW?

[ibela]

I was at WDW last week and talking to a local who works in the construction industry (yeah, I know kinda like a bus driver's cousin ) and he said that paperwork was submitted for a new park at WDW and it was getting circulated around the industry because this was going to be sucking up the resources in the area. I asked if he meant the Fantasyland expansion but he was adamant that it was a 5th park. Anyone heard anything?

 

[Disco]

I was at WDW last week and talking to a local who works in the construction industry (yeah, I know kinda like a bus driver's cousin ) and he said that paperwork was submitted for a new park at WDW and it was getting circulated around the industry because this was going to be sucking up the resources in the area. I asked if he meant the Fantasyland expansion but he was adamant that it was a 5th park. Anyone heard anything?

Na, they need to fix the ones they got first. The only big things going on are the FLR and the finishing of the POP century motels.
I highly doubt Disney is eager to throw a few more billion out there after fixing DCA and Fantasy Land.
But you never know, maybe the new CEO wants to make his mark...

 

[skiingfast]

I was at WDW last week and talking to a local who works in the construction industry (yeah, I know kinda like a bus driver's cousin ) and he said that paperwork was submitted for a new park at WDW and it was getting circulated around the industry because this was going to be sucking up the resources in the area. I asked if he meant the Fantasyland expansion but he was adamant that it was a 5th park. Anyone heard anything?

Seriously did you post this same question a month ago? Because I saw somthing phrased very similar to this not long back.


Anyhow Iger said during the shareholders meeting last Spring that no major projects are planned for the parks division beyond what is already happening.

 

[fannatic]

Actually, I believe that Iger said something like that they weren't going to be spending as much in their parks division as in the past few years. I believe with the cruise lines and DCA expansion that number is probably over $2 billion. In the Orlando Sentinel last Nov. they released a document from the Reedy Creek District. It outlined plans for the next 10 years. They said that a 5th major park would be built, but not before 2013. It implied that they should have one up by 2018, so it should be between those years. They also said that 2 minor parks would be built (water park, etc.). Thousands of hotel and DVC rooms are also planned for the next 10 years. - Anyone know what theme a 5th major park could be?

 

[MassJester]

That would be an interesting read--do you happen to have a link to that news story?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Actually, I believe that Iger said something like that they weren't going to be spending as much in their parks division as in the past few years. I believe with the cruise lines and DCA expansion that number is probably over $2 billion. In the Orlando Sentinel last Nov. they released a document from the Reedy Creek District. It outlined plans for the next 10 years. They said that a 5th major park would be built, but not before 2013. It implied that they should have one up by 2018, so it should be between those years. They also said that 2 minor parks would be built (water park, etc.). Thousands of hotel and DVC rooms are also planned for the next 10 years. - Anyone know what theme a 5th major park could be?

that all sounds well and good...but as always the ten year plan is a best case scenario listing of projects....

the only thing i would count on right now is more timeshares and more food/ retail outlets. Those are near certainties...all else is if some major economic windfalls come their way.

If you look closely...the economy is at a real crossroads/ turning point in our history...we are not very certain at all of where we are going. our debt, destroyed manufacturing base (and yes...you politicians wanted it that way), real largescale unemployment (downplayed and tweaked with numbers to not cut into spending by consumers), and the scramble by the greed sector to recoup "losses" ( of money that never existed) in the markets, financial system, and real estate are all things that are not being addressed head on.

Disney would need a serious head exam if any themeparks are any beyond "blue sky" phase at this point. the outlay is way more risky now than it ever has been for a park project undertaken by Disney (EPCOT being perhaps the most risky...but it took alot of non-money based guile to build that)

So really...it's not an option...nor should it be. Disney's last two "travel booms" have turned out to be based on false economic trends that caused pretty bad hangovers for their business (the Clintonian tech flim flam and the real estate/ banking/ insurance bamboozle)...so i can't see anybody with the authority to do so greenlighting any new parks.

And this is sad...but i also don't think they have anything resembling a good enough idea to build a park around...and not enough creativity, guts to build it properly.

Signs of the Times...i suppose

 

[MassJester]

I think the only thing that would make the next year or so a good time to embark on a large project is that debt, labor and construction materials are comparatively less expensive now.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think the only thing that would make the next year or so a good time to embark on a large project is that debt, labor and construction materials are comparatively less expensive now.

yeah...but for the first time ever they wouldn't have nearly enough confidence that they'd get the money back to move forward....

perhaps if AK hadn't of lagged for 10 years....california adventure hadn't bombed...and studios paris and hong kong hadn't been dismal underachievers as well....

but it's way too much money to throw out now...it will take a long time to see the outlay for a new gate, imho

the best case scenario is more larger chunks of cash being thrown into AK and DHS....

500 mil each should get the ball rolling...

 

[MassJester]

500 mil each should get the ball rolling...

Oh heck, I'll do it for 450

 

[fannatic]

By the way, the economy is recovering, we're slowly being bailed out of the worst recession in history. I get frustrated when people believe that the economy should be roaring back over night. Maybe it's because we now live in the Internet age and expect instant solutions, or more than likely it's the lame talking heads on a certain cable news network constantly brain washing people that we're heading for doom and gloom, but that's beside the point. The worst thing that Disney can do now is play it too Conservatively. That's part of the reason that attendance is going down at the parks - very few New attractions. In WDW's history, every time a new park is added it adds millions of new guests. People can argue that it will take guests away from other parks, of course it will, but that hasn't stopped Disney from going ahead with new parks in the past. The need to be bold and build to give make people excited about WDW again. They need to show them that it's not just the same old attractions from the past, that there are new things to see and enjoy.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

By the way, the economy is recovering, we're slowly being bailed out of the worst recession in history. I get frustrated when people believe that the economy should be roaring back over night. Maybe it's because we now live in the Internet age and expect instant solutions, or more than likely it's the lame talking heads on a certain cable news network constantly brain washing people that we're heading for doom and gloom, but that's beside the point. The worst thing that Disney can do now is play it too Conservatively. That's part of the reason that attendance is going down at the parks - very few New attractions. In WDW's history, every time a new park is added it adds millions of new guests. People can argue that it will take guests away from other parks, of course it will, but that hasn't stopped Disney from going ahead with new parks in the past. The need to be bold and build to give make people excited about WDW again. They need to show them that it's not just the same old attractions from the past, that there are new things to see and enjoy.

I have to say that i pretty much disagree with what you've said...but that is not a problem...difference of opinion is good.

It takes a little more than new attractions to generate "millions" of new visitors...that isn't how it works. WDW has at least 50% repeat visitors at any given time...they have strived for it to be that way. so there goal isn't to generate new visitors...its to lock in on those that will spend their disposable cash on them repeatedly. DVC is the best example or the manifestation of that goal.

But one place we might agree is that i don't expect an overnight recovery of the economy...and the fact that the "recovery" will take time. I'm just not anywhere close to convinced that the "recovery" is what we think it is. All the safeguards that we have had for really 150 years are gone...the pigs are unregulated at the trough and are much better at manipulation than they even are at counting money. We will fall to nationalized ponzi schemes (government permitted schemes) again and probably soon...and perhaps the damage won't be easily patch the next time around.
To not at least consider this thought is short-sighted based on what we've seen.

 

[Figment632]

Not happening within the next 20 years and there is no need what soever for it.

 

[ibela]

Seriously did you post this same question a month ago? Because I saw somthing phrased very similar to this not long back.


Anyhow Iger said during the shareholders meeting last Spring that no major projects are planned for the parks division beyond what is already happening.

No, I love lurking on this board but don't think I've EVER posted before. Maybe the same guy is feeding multiple people stories on purpose? He said something about it being a "Villains" park with coasters to compete with Universal which made me think of the new DCL Villains show but now that I'm thinking about it, if the plans are just being drawn why would it be named already?

 

[jerivera]

Disney needs to plan long term. If they only planned short term, they'd never have built other parks. They'd just have milked the ones they had, like most "theme parks" out there.

Having said that, will they be building a new park any time soon? Who knows. If they do, what would be the "theme"? I know in DCA they're putting up the Cars Land, but that's not enough to warrant a full fledged park elsewhere. "Disney's Florida Adventure" just doesn't have a nice ring to it. Maybe "Disney's Pirate Land"?

I'd love to have more parks, but I just don't see it happening any time soon.



... It's pure conjecture, but I'm thinking it's more likely we'll get more expansions to the existing parks. Wasn't there a rumor that they planned to add an expansion to AK for "fantastical" animals? Beastly Kingdom or something like that?

 

[OldsDr]

I would much prefer seeing them add to AK and studios. There is a lot of untapped potential at both those locations. Once they are both up to snuff then they should consider a 5th major gate. A 5th gate concerns me from a shareholders point of view. I consider Epcot and MK both 2 day parks, with Studios and AK each being a day. HS maybe a day and a half. At what point to you hit saturation where poeple just can not afford(weather it is what they can afford or how much vacation time they have) to spend enough time at WDW to visit all of the parks. If most people are not visiting all of the parks during their vacation do they need to be built?

 

[fannatic]

I'm an optimist and am hoping (praying) that we'll see an economic recovery soon. I agree that it will take more than a few new attractions to see a significant increase in attendance. That's why I believe that something is up with the 5th park plans, plus all of the new hotel and DVC rooms that are planned. As for the theme, this is just an educated guess and could be way off, but I think they may be reconsidering the Dark Kingdom (Shadowlands) theme. This is what most people refer to as the Villain park. I'm considering that there is new activity around promoting the villain characters and the fact that it is the answer on most "question" sites about the fifth park. If so, I don't think that it will be just roller coasters. Imagineers have said that they won't make an all coaster park. I'm thinking there will be more thrilling dark rides as well as things for all ages. I also think that they will include some Marvel characters.

 

[Figment632]

Please enough with the 5th gate nonsense they can't even keep the four parks and two water parks that they have up to Disney Standards.

 

[OldsDr]

Please enough with the 5th gate nonsense they can't even keep the four parks and two water parks that they have up to Disney Standards.

I don't think anyone truly believes that a 5th gate announcement in coming anytime soon, if ever. There is nothing wrong with discussing what the themeing could possibly be and people’s concerns about it if it did happen.

I watched and discussed the show life after people, but I would expect a 5th gate to open before all the people on earth suddenly disappear.

 

[Disjunky]

ive heard thee rumors form my dad who worked in park for about 10 years. they want a park geared towards the villains but not much real interest yet. I do believe a 5th park will be completed before 2020. but not sure the idea of it. They def need that park for the tweeners out there with rollercoasters and a slightly younger feel. But we shall see.

 

[JoShan1719]

DH and I both feel a fifth park would be too much. Between the four parks, two water parks and DTD there's already so much to do. I think I'd be too tired to do a fifth park!