Lightsoutx12
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2016
I think one day it will happen. Probably not for quite sometime though, Disney seems to have a lot of projects on hand and probably even some we don't know about.
I guess I don't see that much "resort construction" going on from my perspective. Gran Destino at 545 rooms (arguably a more convention oriented resort)... Reflections at 900 rooms (partial DVC)... Disney Riviera at 300 rooms (all DVC)....
Sure there's the new S/D hotel (not a Disney resort) and Star Wars resort... but those are boutique concepts with a niche clientele and small room counts.
1,800 ish rooms on top of an inventory of, what, 35k+? That's relatively small....and a lot of those rooms are DVC...a near-instant return of and on capital for Disney, so they have different motivations there. Since Disney is running low on resort rooms that make for good conversion options, I'm not all that surprised with new construction like Riviera and Reflections. I tend to view DVC construction/conversion and theme parks as different worlds / business models within the Disney ecosystem, generally speaking.
That is quite a bit at once. The last time Disney did this much resort expansion was during the Disney decade when they built the Epcot area resorts and added the value category.
This is only partially true... the hotels are only so profitable because of the parks. Disney is able to make gangbusters off these new hotels in the short term because the parks are already there and they are taking market share from the i drive hotels.
If disney never spent money on the parks they couldnt fill hotel rooms...
Im of the opinion that a 5th gate will only happen when all 4 parks are fully fleshed out and expanded... we arent there yet.
MK is the closest of the 4 but tomorrowland and adventureland need some updates
AK is the next closest but Dinoland needs attention, i suspect there is room for at least 1-2 more lands and a need for additional attractions especially in Pandora. I would also like to see another animal trail.
DHS is next only because SWGE opens in less than a year. This park will still need work after it opens but will finally be a full day park again.The Launch Bay area will need a redo and eventually SWGE has space for 1-2 expansions. Star Tours will either be rethemed or removed. RnR coaster will need to be rethemed and that side of the park expanded. and fantasmic will need updates.
And finally EPCOT: the over engineered and underbilt park that has cost disney more than they would like to admit. Futureworld: wonders of life empty, innoventions: empty imagination: should be empty and is half used
the seas needs a refurb on the inside... spaceship earth needs a refurb to the end to include info abt smartphones not just pcs from the 80s... the legacy tombstones and the whole feel of futureworld could use some freshening up. World Showcase has between 5 and 10 vacant pads for country pavilions that either need rides for existing countries or new countries.
All of this work is in addition to things disney is already doing which is pretty extensive right now.
You could make the argument that disney springs is already a 5th gate... it just doesn’t require admission.
Adventureland really doesn’t need much. Tomorrowland is getting updates.I absolutely agree! Epcot needs serious updating to all the attractions you mentioned. A lot of the rides seem so dated and historic rather than futuristic. MK needs updates to Adventureland and Tomorrowland but they first need to make the actual ride cars for the Mountain rides larger. There is absolutely no space and I'm only 5'2". I love AK and the ride Dinosaur but they could definitely flesh out this area more. I also this HS could get rid of Muppet Theater, Indiana Jones, and yes retheme RnR Coaster. Star Tours should be moved to be in new Star Wars area.
If and when Disney sells off all of the extra land at WDW for short term profits, that will be the time to proclaim there will never be a 5th gate and have a good chance of being correct. Until then, I would never say never.
Some land is specifically set as not suitable for building and nature preserves.If and when Disney sells off all of the extra land at WDW for short term profits, that will be the time to proclaim there will never be a 5th gate and have a good chance of being correct. Until then, I would never say never.
And I believe a percentage of their land (I wanna say it’s a third, could be more or less) has to be kept in its natural stateSome land is specifically set as not suitable for building and nature preserves.
Correct there is a certain percentage but I don’t remember what it is.And I believe a percentage of their land (I wanna say it’s a third, could be more or less) has to be kept in its natural state
I seriously hope not. My hope is Disney sort out the parks they already have. Currently each park has one or two attractions people desperately want to do with the rest being filler.
And I believe a percentage of their land (I wanna say it’s a third, could be more or less) has to be kept in its natural state
Euro Disney is getting a big revamp of the studios park which they need desperately. I’ve never heard of them getting a third park, but if they get their act together and some stability I could see it happening way down the road.Hasn't that already been floated a few times and dismissed? Because I think WDW already has enough parks, and instead, they should focus on enhancing and expanding what they have at the moment. Plus, haven't they already got their plate full with expanding DLP's second park with the potential to add a 3rd park, which could possibly be either a water park, a European AK or even a 'Euro-Epcot/EuroCot'?
That blows my mind they’ve only used a quarter of that land. I don’t think satellite pictures even do justice what they have to work withYeah, though currently they are only at about 25% usage and no way is it more than 50% that they can’t build on. So while that is a factor it isn’t the main thing preventing a 5th Gate