Magic Kingdom Expansion Confirmed!

[Sabi]

Today Kris Theiler (VP of operations support for domestic parks and resorts) had the chance to speak to a couple of Disneyland Cast members about her experience with the company. She talked a little bit about the restructuring and how she now does double duty for both DLR and WDW. She mentioned her work on DCA including the expansion and then mentioned she was also working on the expansion in the Magic Kingdom. During a Q&A after her presentation a cm asked if she could elaborate on the Magic Kingdom project, wanting to know if it was for the park or the recent DVC expansion. Kris responded saying it is inside the park but she couldn't elaborate any further and said there would be an announcement about the project soon.

Also another small tidbit from Kris was that Disney is constantly looking at ways to improve and change Fastpass including even charging for fastpass (no surprise there.) She did mention that the "father" of fastpass believes that fastpass should always remain free as it is a service that they owe to the public however a pay system for a "magic pass" is currently being tested in HKDL.

 

[Disney~Rocks~08]

Do you have a link for this???

If this is true the expansion certainly sounds great, with the exception of the charging for Fasspass' part. If they are going to charge for them though, They should definatley have some sort of discount at the very least for AP holders and DVC members. It is the very least they can do for the people who visit their parks most often.

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

Expand where? There is not much space left at MK. Unless you move World Drive or Floridian Way, MK is kind of locked in. My first guess would be to kill the whole Tom Sawyer Island area, and create land where the RoA is today.

Just a guess.

With WDW's 40th a year and a half away, they'd better work quick.

 

[Schmeck]

Expand where? There is not much space left at MK. Unless you move World Drive or Floridian Way, MK is kind of locked in. My first guess would be to kill the whole Tom Sawyer Island area, and create land where the RoA is today.

Just a guess.

With WDW's 40th a year and a half away, they'd better work quick.

There's all that land where 20,000 leagues was, and there's space beyond Toontown/Speedway, you'd just have to make access above or under the tracks (or move the tracks). There's also lots of space up to Floridian Way. Between going up to Floridian, and out behind the speedway, you could get 2 more lands at MK. The view wouldn't be that great though, as you'd be getting really close to the storage/utility areas, and roads.

 

[jpolak]

We need an aerial map of MK so we can really start to guess where they could add on. Sounds like a job for Robo!!

 

[Disneyfanatic108]

An expansion sounds great. What if they offered the resort guests a pass like they have at Universal Studios for their guests? I guess if you show your room key or something you basically have an all day fastpass.

 

[DisneyWisher]

Just use the map on google. Type in Magic Kingdom. No way is there any room to add on to MK. Also, isn't the Pooh playground now where 20,000 Leagues used to be. I also don't like the idea of coming up with a magic pass (where is the magic if you have to pay for it). The reason this works at Universal is because it has a totally seperate line. Very few of the rides merge the two lines. There is a seperate loading area for express pass users, is Disney going to change this? Make one side of Space Mountain for Magic Pass users only?

 

[TheRustyScupper]

An expansion sounds great. What if they offered the resort guests a pass like they have at Universal Studios for their guests? I guess if you show your room key or something you basically have an all day fastpass.

1) Sounds good.
2) But, impossible.
3) If every guest used such a Fast Pass, there would not be enough capacity.
4) Then the resort guests would complaint they couldn't get a Fast Pass.
5) Ironic, huh?

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Just use the map on google. Type in Magic Kingdom. No way is there any room to add on to MK. Also, isn't the Pooh playground now where 20,000 Leagues used to be. I also don't like the idea of coming up with a magic pass (where is the magic if you have to pay for it). The reason this works at Universal is because it has a totally seperate line. Very few of the rides merge the two lines. There is a seperate loading area for express pass users, is Disney going to change this? Make one side of Space Mountain for Magic Pass users only?

I used the microsoft (bing) live maps and I think there is room for expansion. I don't think we're talking about a huge expansion. If you look at the current sizes of rides and such there is room to go right up to Floridian Way on the western side. Plus you can reroute some of the interior WDW roads and expand to the north of ToonTown, or even slightly to the east.

I'm just basing this off the current sizes of the "lands" and it seems they do have room. From what I see you could fit all of FantasyLand in the area north of ToonTown (Magic Kingdom Drive area).

 

[WaitTimes]

I wonder if there's any room where the Swiss Family Tree is. My guess is Tom Sawyer's Island (which would make me sad; it was my favorite place to go as a kid.)
As for a "Magic Pass", one of the things I appreciate about WDW is that anyone with a ticket can get a FP, and then another when your time is up. The universal system feels more like "Okay rich people, you can go first. The rest of you stand over there."
brent

 

[Robo]

If they could expand DL so creatively over the years (PotC, Space Mtn., HM,) they will have no trouble expanding MK.

 

[seashoreCM]

A ride could be put where the Futureworld stage used to be, no? Someone mentioned that there is a parking lot or some other flat paved surface there now.

Also air-rights building of a ride or attraction could occur above a cast members and utility area behind It's A Small World and/or that utility area relocated a little further out.

While the railroad is supposed to be the boundary of Magic Kingdom, ride entrances can be just inside and part of the ride building be outside that "circle".

 

[cap'njack.]

Also another small tidbit from Kris was that Disney is constantly looking at ways to improve and change Fastpass including even charging for fastpass (no surprise there.) She did mention that the "father" of fastpass believes that fastpass should always remain free as it is a service that they owe to the public however a pay system for a "magic pass" is currently being tested in HKDL.

They are trialing this at Disneyland Paris too. It's a VIP Fastpass which allows you instant access to all Fastpass Attractions for the entire day. It is trialing at a cost of 100 Euros (£85/$140) per person per day.

With only 9 fastpass attractions over the two parks I think this is a very expensive was of visiting the parks!

 

[goofy4tink]

An expansion sounds great. What if they offered the resort guests a pass like they have at Universal Studios for their guests? I guess if you show your room key or something you basically have an all day fastpass.

Universal has only three onsite resorts. As already noted, there is no way that Disney could offer the same Front of Line Pass to their resort guests. There are just many of them!! Look what the parks at like at night, for the EMHs. Can you imagine what it would be like if every guest had an automatic FP??? Very scary.
Now...they could keep the existing FP system but offer a more comprehensive one that you could pay for. It could be a perk for those staying onsite only. Maybe $10 a day pp, and you get a FP for each FP attraction in that park. Kind of like a Dream FP.

 

[Kathy Z]

They are trialing this at Disneyland Paris too. It's a VIP Fastpass which allows you instant access to all Fastpass Attractions for the entire day. It is trialing at a cost of 100 Euros (£85/$140) per person per day.

With only 9 fastpass attractions over the two parks I think this is a very expensive was of visiting the parks!

Ouch! I certainly hope this expensive FP plan never comes to WDW FL.

 

[Kayka]

The fast pass system might not be perfect, but overall, it is fair. I hope they leave it alone.

 

[Belle102498]

Ouch! I certainly hope this expensive FP plan never comes to WDW FL.

It's coming...it's just a matter of when and how much. I know I would be willing to pay $140 per person if it included ALL rides in the park, for all parks: not just the fastpass rides in one park. If I could get through lines without having to wait at all I would be happy to pay for it. The thing Disney has to think through too is that people park hop. Would the Magic Pass include all parks that day, or just the park you purchased the ticket on?

It wouldn't be worth it to have a magic pass for the fastpass rides. That seems like a waste of money to me. Just get a fastpass.

Just a few thoughts

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Looking at information in the AAA book, Universal has a total of 2,400 rooms in their three on-property resort. Disney has over 30,000 including both hotels and DVC (and this does not include Swolphin, SoG or Hotel Plaza Blvd).

Figuring an average of three people per room that would mean 90,000 people with express fastpasses per day.

 

[Dznefreek]

Universal has only three onsite resorts. As already noted, there is no way that Disney could offer the same Front of Line Pass to their resort guests. There are just many of them!! Look what the parks at like at night, for the EMHs. Can you imagine what it would be like if every guest had an automatic FP??? Very scary.
Now...they could keep the existing FP system but offer a more comprehensive one that you could pay for. It could be a perk for those staying onsite only. Maybe $10 a day pp, and you get a FP for each FP attraction in that park. Kind of like a Dream FP.

They choose not to. Remember not every guest at every hotel is in the park at one time. Also the hotels are not 100% occupied all year round. They are also at the water parks, DTD, other non-disney parks and other Orlando/Central Florida attractions, visiting with relatives etc.

 

[neilsalop]

Paid for fastpasses would be a lousy idea IMO. The current system is more than adequate and as long as you don't lie in too late you can generally get all the major rides done in a day or two in each park.

I can see where some of you Americans would benefit, as a lot seem to go for less than a week and having a 100% chance to go on everything at least once in your trip would be great. Us Brits however tend to come for two or more weeks and so we have more time to do everything and the fastpass system definately works for us.

The other drawback of paid for passes would be the tour groups, can you imagine ten groups working together to do ten fastpass attractions on a rota? At any one time you would have at least fifty groupies in every fastpass line