Chapek: Avengers, Mary Poppins Attractions On Hold
During yesterday’s call with shareholders, Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek discussed a wealth of important topics, including the future of a couple of long-proposed new attractions. Specifically, Chapek hinted at the future of a big-ticket attraction once set for Avengers Campus, the Quinjet thrill ride, as well as the Mary Poppins-themed Cherry Tree Lane expansion proposed for EPCOT.
“Certainly, the Poppins project, which I was very excited about, has had to be put on hold for awhile – as has the Quinjet. But you know, those are projects that we’ve got sort of in a holding pattern right now. And as our cash situation becomes a bit more robust and a little bit back to normal, in terms of our liquidity, we look forward to hopefully refunding those projects in the future,” Chapek said during the call as reported by Orlando News 6 yesterday.
The announcement for the Mary Poppins-themed project at the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow’s United Kingdom pavillion first came from Dick Van Dyke himself during the D23 Expo in August 2019. As described during the expo, the new space will take guests back in time. They will immersively stroll through Cherry Tree Lane, including past Admiral Boom’s house. As guests approach, the Banks family home at Number 17 will be a focal point that leads to a new attraction based on the timeless stories based on the original announcements.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Dick Van Dyke is here to help reveal that the first-ever attraction inspired by Mary Poppins will join the United Kingdom pavilion at Epcot. #D23Expo pic.twitter.com/FMPLq1wGmd
— Disney D23 (@DisneyD23) August 25, 2019
The Quinjet attraction set for Avengers Campus also remains in a “holding pattern,” according to the call yesterday. Announced during that same D23 Expo, the new attraction will sit inside of the already-built Avengers Headquarters, which is why a full-scale Quinjet serves as a focal point there.
Image Credit: Disney
According to Walt Disney Imagineering at the expo, the attraction will take place in Wakanda with guests battling alongside the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s collection of heroes and heroines. The incredible concept art hints at a new ride system design as well as a riveting journey with many Avengers favorites.
Despite the impacts of the pandemic, many new attractions in development prepare to open in the near future, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewing at EPCOT. Other large-scale projects opened in the past year, including Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park, as well as Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure also at EPCOT.
Feature Image Credit: CNBC.com
