Do you think there will ever be a 5th gate?

[DisneyPrince1982]

On the other hand, Disney World does have uniqueness going for it, so my long term prediction is that a portion of the park, Main Street and Cinderella's castle perhaps, will be saved for historic preservation purposes, and turned into a museum, where people can learn about the quaint entertainment options of the past, like theme parks.

But Candle, if it's just Main St. and the Castle preserved for merely historical purposes, and everything else is either shut down, gone, or rotting, then Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler can film a movie, "Disney has Fallen."

 

[GaryDis]

On the other hand, Disney World does have uniqueness going for it, so my long term prediction is that a portion of the park, Main Street and Cinderella's castle perhaps, will be saved for historic preservation purposes, and turned into a museum, where people can learn about the quaint entertainment options of the past, like theme parks.

Here's one artist's view on what it will look like: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/07/15/abandoned-disney-world_n_7801356.html

 

[grimley1968]

I'm no Nostradamus and cannot predict what will happen with the Disney corporation and their parks outside of the next 20 years, but it seems to me that if Disney can barely manage the 4 gates they have now at WDW (look at all the closures in DHS and EPCOT), and it takes them multiple years to build single attractions or re-do the Hub in MK, a 5th gate won't be around for decades.

 

[dayvewc]

I'm no Nostradamus and cannot predict what will happen with the Disney corporation and their parks outside of the next 20 years, but it seems to me that if Disney can barely manage the 4 gates they have now at WDW (look at all the closures in DHS and EPCOT), and it takes them multiple years to build single attractions or re-do the Hub in MK, a 5th gate won't be around for decades.

I would think that building a 5th gate would be orders of magnitude easier than the New Fantasyland expansion, or remodeling of the Hub in MK. On an entirely new park, they wouldn't have to do construction around guests or worry about blocking out huge viewing areas for Wishes. I'm not saying that they are planning a 5th gate to open next Oct. 1, just that I am not sure it is a valid extrapolation on the time it would take to build an entire new park based on how long it took to do in-park expansions.

 

[GaryDis]

I would think that building a 5th gate would be orders of magnitude easier than the New Fantasyland expansion, or remodeling of the Hub in MK. On an entirely new park, they wouldn't have to do construction around guests or worry about blocking out huge viewing areas for Wishes. I'm not saying that they are planning a 5th gate to open next Oct. 1, just that I am not sure it is a valid extrapolation on the time it would take to build an entire new park based on how long it took to do in-park expansions.

What you're describing creates some technical challenges for the architects, on-site supervisors, and such, but it doesn't make it more expensive.

A new park requires new roads just to get to the park, new infrastructure, new backstage construction (Utilidors), new plumbing and sewage. They probably have a very good handle on the ground and subsurface water conditions immediately around the existing park, but when excavating for a new park, Murphy will have a field day.

 

[chartle]

I would think that building a 5th gate would be orders of magnitude easier than the New Fantasyland expansion, or remodeling of the Hub in MK.

You are only looking at how they had to work to around the guests from a customer stand point but from a cost stand point a new park is orders of magnitude above an expansion.

You have to build a parking lot, entrance gate and everything else that a stand alone park needs. You also have rearrange and or figure out how the park is going to fit into the current traffic layout of the property.

But I don't think anyone has brought up that there would also need to a quantum leap on how the US takes vacations. Most families of 2 parents and 2.3 children usually take a 6 day vacation. (I'm generalizing).

I believe the US is last on number of days available and numbers of days that are usually taken at one time. Right now people stress about how they can fit in the current number of parks and you are going to try to add another one.

Disney is expanding the right way by building parks around the world where there is low hanging fruit. Not building another park in an already saturated area that would just steal guests from other parks.

Oh and Universal building another park is only going to saturate the area more and maybe make it less likely to build in Florida. When WDW built DHS to compete with US and AK to compete with Bush Gardens there was a lot of money to grab. Now they would have invest more money trying to grab less money.

 

[W.E.D.]

I'm not looking to have a debate on the who. why, or how. If the oceans keep rising, they might want to wait on 5th gates as they may have to relocate the entire thing to middle-Georgia. Just sayin'.

I'd like a 5th gate, as I think most would, but I agree with PPs that there is plenty to work on with the four that exist.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The current set of executives will not build a 5th park. Have you seen how they've been screwing around with the parks since Animal Kingdom opened? The biggest investment was replacing a system that already was working pretty decently. The FantasyLand expansion added net one new ride. One. A fifth gate? Not any time soon.

 

[Ambear]

I think they might build another park someday. I'm expecting I'll probably be at least 55+ before they do it lol. I guess that's good for retired life though...

 

[flicx]

There's no money in building new attractions. Just ride allotment systems!

 

[dayvewc]

I'm no Nostradamus and cannot predict what will happen with the Disney corporation and their parks outside of the next 20 years, but it seems to me that if Disney can barely manage the 4 gates they have now at WDW (look at all the closures in DHS and EPCOT), and it takes them multiple years to build single attractions or re-do the Hub in MK, a 5th gate won't be around for decades.

What you're describing creates some technical challenges for the architects, on-site supervisors, and such, but it doesn't make it more expensive.

A new park requires new roads just to get to the park, new infrastructure, new backstage construction (Utilidors), new plumbing and sewage. They probably have a very good handle on the ground and subsurface water conditions immediately around the existing park, but when excavating for a new park, Murphy will have a field day.

You are only looking at how they had to work to around the guests from a customer stand point but from a cost stand point a new park is orders of magnitude above an expansion.

You have to build a parking lot, entrance gate and everything else that a stand alone park needs. You also have rearrange and or figure out how the park is going to fit into the current traffic layout of the property.

But I don't think anyone has brought up that there would also need to a quantum leap on how the US takes vacations. Most families of 2 parents and 2.3 children usually take a 6 day vacation. (I'm generalizing).

I believe the US is last on number of days available and numbers of days that are usually taken at one time. Right now people stress about how they can fit in the current number of parks and you are going to try to add another one.

Disney is expanding the right way by building parks around the world where there is low hanging fruit. Not building another park in an already saturated area that would just steal guests from other parks.

Oh and Universal building another park is only going to saturate the area more and maybe make it less likely to build in Florida. When WDW built DHS to compete with US and AK to compete with Bush Gardens there was a lot of money to grab. Now they would have invest more money trying to grab less money.

I wasn't addressing cost, just stating that I don't think that you can extrapolate how long it would take to build an entire park, based on the length of time it takes to build 1 ride or refurbish 1 area inside an existing park.

I also agree with Chartle that until the US has more vacation days available it is unlikely to happen. With a week vacation (9 days if you get both weekends), that gives 7 full days for guests to do "something". With 4 Disney parks, 2 US parks, and SeaWorld - that's 1 park per day with one travel day on either end, and doesn't even include water parks or any of the other attractions in the area. I wouldn't think Disney would invest in another park in WDW until or unless they are guaranteed a captive audience that can't go to the other options, or vacationers have more time (days) to spend. They'd probably prefer the first option, but would be happy with either, but something else would have to change before they would consider it feasible.

 

[madhavok]

we had an 8:05 BOG reservation this AM. We were done eating & out waiting near Mine Train at 8:30. They did not let us in early. They told us we had to wait until they saw the rope droppers come around the corner, near teacups/pooh. Once the masses showed up, they held us back & made us get at the END OF THE LINE. We jumped out & went to SM. We were at the very back of the RD pack . We ran into another family that was waiting with us, outside of BOG, THE DAD WAS LIVUD. They were in the exact opposite situation earlier in the week. They were at the fron of the RD pack & the BOG people were sent in first.

I'm sure some will disagree but that's unacceptable. You should contact guest relations.

 

[chartle]

I'm sure some will disagree but that's unacceptable. You should contact guest relations.

This got posted in the wrong thread. Look at the title.