New park needed!!!

[wendy522]

I know that many of us have wondered and even gossiped about a 5th park, I really, really believe that it is way over due for a new park. Disney keeps refurbing the parks and taking out one ride to add a new one, they also keep adding more and more rooms. Has anyone else done the math? Ther are more people with the same amount of park space and attractions. Therefore, everything is much more crowed. They really need to finally add that 5th park to help spread out all the quests this might also help the long line wait. On sun it will be exactly 14 yrs since a new park has opened.

 

[RMulieri]

I think they need to FIX the ones they have.Epcot Future World needs work, DHS needs some more family friendly attractions and Animal Kingdom has room to expand( and will with Avatarland).I don't see them adding a 5th gate anytime soon

 

[mesaboy2]

Disagree. If anything, they only need to add attractions--at two parks in particular. Anyone care to hazard a guess which ones?

 

[Karabee]

I do agree - but I also wouldnt mind just expanding the current parks. The more resorts they build, the more crowded it seems - which is worrisome. Apparently it hasn't stopped me from booking year after year though

 

[michsig]

Disagree. If anything, they only need to add attractions--at two parks in particular. Anyone care to hazard a guess which ones?

 

[CentralFloridian99]

Disagree. If anything, they only need to add attractions--at two parks in particular. Anyone care to hazard a guess which ones?

Epcot and Animal Kingdom. I don't think adding a 5th park is nescessary. Epcot is out of shape in Future World, AK needs more besides Avatar, and DHS needs to add a Monsters Inc Coaster and Star Wars land. Also, I would love if IJA came to MK.

 

[michsig]

I agree with the other posters - let's expand on what already exists!

 

[mesaboy2]

Epcot and Animal Kingdom. I don't think adding a 5th park is nescessary. Epcot is out of shape in Future World, AK needs more besides Avatar, and DHS needs to add a Monsters Inc Coaster and Star Wars land. Also, I would love if IJA came to MK.

Ah yes, the half-day park known as Epcot. You jokester you.

 

[ChloroFiend]

Until we see a time where a.) guest attendance shows decline correlated with surveys indicating dissatisfaction from overcrowding, and/or b.) all existing parks are regularly hitting various capacity closure statuses, I don't think we'll see a new park on the horizon. Or at least trending towards either of those situations, since the lead time on construction be be several years.

As much as I'd like another gate down the road, I think the sentiments around expanding and improving the existing parks is the more feasible and wiser course of action.

 

[agame2323]

There IS a fifth park. Its called Universal Studio's

 

[chartle]

Until we see a time where a.) guest attendance shows decline correlated with surveys indicating dissatisfaction from overcrowding, and/or b.) all existing parks are regularly hitting various capacity closure statuses, I don't think we'll see a new park on the horizon. Or at least trending towards either of those situations, since the lead time on construction be be several years.

As much as I'd like another gate down the road, I think the sentiments around expanding and improving the existing parks is the more feasible and wiser course of action.

Also factor in that right now an average family only has a limited amount of time for vacation and I don't see that changing anytime in the near future so their is barely enough time to see it all as it is.

Adding a fifth park will just spread out the existing crowd to more facilities that will only drive WDW's cost up with no rise in revenue thats the math that Disney cares about and rightly so.

Now you will say but what about the people that go every year and want to see more. Cheshire Figment once posted a stat that said something like for 70% of guests its their first trip.

 

[Reddog1134]

The fanboy in me would love to see a 5th gate, but realist doesn't think it's feasible.

Having 4 well developed theme parks is much more conducive to the way most people vacation then having 5 parks.

 

[wendy522]

I am not against adding on to the parks they already have, they would actually do it. The new fantasy is just a replacement of what is already they with and addition of 1 ride. They added a Dumbo(which is a great idea), but is just a duplicate of what is already there. There are adding the the seven drawfs mine ride, but they took out Snow White's Adventure. There is no additional space just all redone and new to us. I agree that Epcot needs some refurb done. Although, adding on another country or two would be fantastic and even opening up what is closed. An addition or two to the Animal Kingdom is also a fantastic idea. Avatar would be a great start but something else is also needed.

 

[AshleeH]

I don't disagree with the OP, but I do think it would be better to have updates done in Epcot and HS (more rides in Epcot, more family-friendly rides in HS so the TSM line will finally settle down).

I love what they're doing to MK, so seeing the same facelift for EP and HS would be fantastic.

I would be super excited if/when they announce a 5th park, but I'm not expecting an announcement anytime soon.

 

[blainekyle]

There IS a fifth park. Its called Universal Studio's

Wouldn't that be a fifth AND sixth park? And what about SeaWorld?

Seriously though, I actually agree with the OP; we need a new park. I absolutely understand why that is not happening, and I agree that there is room for expansion at other parks, but I also think there is a reason that Uncle Walt bought so much land. Yes, a big part of that reason was so that he could build his own resorts for guests to stay at without having to break the Disney magic, but I don't think he envisioned building so many resorts that the capacity ratio skewed in their favor. Of course, we'll never know what he would say.

I don't think that building a new park and expanding current parks are mutually exclusive notions. Definitely there are some good opportunities for expansion at MGM (I'm sorry, that's what I'm calling it). I love the idea that CentralFloridian99 raised, that MGM should build an entire Star Wars "land." If they can get G. Lucas to sign off on that, they absolutely should. I've always wanted to go for Star Wars weekends, but haven't yet had the opportunity.

I read recently on another thread a suggestion that they should build a Lord of the Rings/Middle Earth park or land. I know Disney doesn't have the rights to that property, but if they could get the Tolkien family's blessing, that would be possibly the greatest thing ever. Regarding licensing for the film franchise, I can imagine that would be feasible. After all, it's a Warner Bros. property, and they are free agents in the theme park business. They already license their cartoon properties to Six Flags, and the Harry Potter films, obviously, are represented at IoA. Plus, if I'm not mistaken, WB has multiple properties represented in the Great Movie Ride. Casablanca, at least, but I think there are others. And really, you could easily build an entire park around Middle Earth.

Apart from the business and financial reasons, I think another big hurdle to Disney's building a new park is the fact that it would need to stand apart from the existing parks. Of course, there is always that LotR idea, but I expect Disney would rather do something with broader appeal if they were building a new park. The problem is that most good ideas for attractions could already fit right in at one of the other parks. For example, I could see where it would be a good idea for Disney to build their own version of Sea World, but then it would make a lot of sense to just add that on to Animal Kingdom, especially considering that AK is in need of some new attractions anyway.

Maybe now that they've closed ToonTown Fair, they could take all the classic Disney characters and give them the royal treatment with a park of their own. Give Mickey and Minnie and the rest of the gang their own houses again, but make them bigger. Maybe build a restaurant in one, even. Build a Fantasia dark ride, a la Peter Pan's Flight or the Scary Adventures of Snow White. Stage an animatronic version of "Conductor Mickey" (Yes, I know that already has representation in Philharmagic). Steamboat Willie could easily be made into a boat ride. I have to say, I see some potential here .

 

[WDW Points]

Building a 5th park isn't necessary. WDW needs to fill up their parks, not make it less crowded. With the expansion of Fantasyland, the building of Avatarland, updating existing attractions in Epcot and DHS, they don't need to build a 5th park. They are also updating a lot at Downtown Disney too.

They are also building a new resort and one (maybe two) new on-site DVC properties.

It is an incredibly daunting and expensive task to build a park and the infrastructure (roads, parking, electric, water, sewer) etc. It is simpler and less expensive to add-on to exisiting structures than to create an entirely new one. WDW would rather have 4 parks 100% full than 5 parks 20% empty.

 

[smj2610]

I know I will probably get shot but a perfect idea is to create a land at one of the parks just for character meet and greets, I am tired of seeing them take out rides just to put another meet and greet in. I think major updates are needed at Epcot and DHS more rides are desperately needed, especially thrill rides, they started out well at DHS with rock and roll coaster and tower of terror then just kinda stopped

 

[Jennasis]

I am in the "fix what they've got" camp. A 5th gate would pull funds away from updating and upgrading the current parks (and they are badly in need of updates/upgrades). There is enough room to expand Epcot, DHS, and AK that would be the equivalent of building a 5th park.

 

[jcwedit]

It would be nice to expand the current parks. Just like double Dumbo how about double everything!

 

[WizardLarz]

Try a Cruise! Skip a year and head to DisneyLand Paris or Tokyo Disney!
Do an Adventures By Disney trip.

Athough Disney does have the Land space for a 5th Park, ungrades and Expansion of the current Parks will likely happen first.

As other have said, EPCOT's Future World needs work, especially with several building being vacant. World Showcase has room for at least 2 if not more new countries. Both DHS and AK have plenty of room to expand.

I'm certain that within the next year or so before FantasyLand fully opens we will hear of the next project do out. Heck Disney has already annouce preliminary plans for a 3rd park at DLP, agranted that is for 2035 but it shows Disney does have a Future mapped out. They just don't like to always share the detail with US the loyal fans.