How Should Walt Disney World Approach Future Expansion?
When Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens in 2024, Walt Disney World will reach the end of an era.
Starting with the reinvention of New Fantasyland in late 2012, Walt Disney World has expanded dramatically.
Currently, only two significant theme park projects are underway at Walt Disney World, and we’ll get both over the next 18 months.
What happens after that? How should Walt Disney World approach future expansion? It’s time to consider the plan for 2025 and beyond.
Photo: orlandoattractions.com
The Decade of Growth
Depending on your age, you may not even know a time without Walt Disney World expansion.
To older fans, that’s hard to believe, though. At the turn of the 21st century, Disney notoriously moved slowly with Orlando projects.
Photo: Yesterland
The cause for this lack of expansion involved developments elsewhere, especially Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort.
During the early 2000s, the most hyped Disney expansion was Mission: SPACE, and most of its headlines happened for the wrong reasons.
With the arrival of New Fantasyland, that expansion gap ended. Attractions like Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train debuted.
All those additions happened in 18 months, along with the corresponding Storybook Circus enhancements.
Image Credit: Disney
Three years after Seven Dwarfs Mine Train arrived, Pandora – The World of Avatar debuted and redefined what was possible at a theme park.
The following year witnessed the opening of Toy Story Land, with its two new attractions, Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey.
Credit: Disney
Disney’s Hollywood Studios sustained its momentum with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened in two phases.
Just before the pandemic started, that park opened Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
The Two Projects in Development
Meanwhile, EPCOT prepared its two new E-ticket attractions, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
The pandemic delayed their arrival a bit, but that aspect played in Disney’s favor.
Walt Disney World has unveiled a new ride every year from 2017-2023, and that trend should continue in 2024 with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Here’s the expected/completed list:
- Avatar Flight of Passage (2017)
- Na’vi River Journey (2017)
- Alien Swirling Saucers (2018)
- Slinky Dog Dash (2018)
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (2019)
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (2019)
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway (2020)
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (2021)
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (2022)
- Tron: Lightcycle / Run (2023)
You didn’t realize how good you had it before reading that list, did you?
This hot streak will continue through 2024, as Walt Disney World is still working on two attractions.
Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana should open at some point in the next six months. MickeyBlog frequently chronicles its construction.
Then, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure arrives at some point in 2024 to continue the streak.
Credit: Disney
Including Princess Fairytale Hall and Jingle Cruise in 2013, we’re talking about at least one new., high-quality attraction for 13 straight years.
Promises Made
Once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens, that’s it. Walt Disney World will list no remaining significant park upgrades on its schedule.
So, the new attraction streak ostensibly ends in 2025, barring something unforeseen.
MickeyBlog tracks the attraction schedule quarterly, which has made the whole situation fascinating to watch.
Photo: Disney
At several points, I’ve expected Disney to announce new projects, but something inevitably happens to prevent that.
The pandemic was obviously the most pressing concern, but the Florida Feud isn’t helping the matter any.
Photo: Dr DIsney
On multiple occasions, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro and CEO Bob Iger have suggested that massive investments are impending.
The two executives have indicated that Disney will spend $17 billion over the next decade to improve Walt Disney World.
Photo: orlandothemeparkzone.com
Notably, Disney has clarified that this investment didn’t include Lake Nona.
So, we’re talking about upcoming financial outlays of $1.7 billion annually from 2024-2033.
Naturally, your first question is what Disney will build, a subject I cover in the monthly Disney Rumors articles.
Photo: Disney
Recently, we’ve discussed possibilities for a Zootopia themed land, which seems more likely than not, and a wilder idea for Magic Kingdom.
I should clarify that Disney won’t spend the $17 billion exclusively on the parks.
Other projects like new hotels and even a water park are possibilities.
Disney gave itself those abilities during the final days of its Reedy Creek governance.
The company hasn’t moved forward with anything yet, though. Also, Disney hasn’t announced anything, which is odd.
Photo: Disney
Imagineering construction takes time, much more than competitors in the industry.
For example, Universal Orlando Resort started work on Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast in January. It soft-opened in mid-July.
Pandora — World of Avatar
Disney spent six years on Pandora – The World of Avatar and four years on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Disney takes its sweet time to perfect multi-generational theme park experiences.
(Kent Phillips, photographer)
Announcements Coming Soon?
Obviously, for Walt Disney World to continue its streak of years with a new attraction added, something must happen soon.
Thankfully, we have an event coming up that could shine on Disney’s future expansion plans in Central Florida.
Photo: Pixabay
Disney hosts Destination D23 From September 8th through September 10th.
While the current Hollywood strikes may limit which celebrities appear (as Disney spokespeople anyway), Josh D’Amaro will host a panel.
Image: Disney
Disney hasn’t described this event as a parks panel, which is why I’m a bit cautious about my excitement.
Instead, D23 calls it “a fun and entertaining presentation about what makes a Disney experience so magical and memorable for guests and fans around the world.
Photo: Disney (Chairman; Disney Parks, Experiences and Products)
Historically, Disney has saved the big announcements for the D23 Expo in Anaheim.
Meanwhile, the Florida Feud nonsense could leave Disney unwilling to commit to anything until after the 2024 presidential campaign.
Photo: Getty Images
Hopefully, Disney won’t delay its reveals for an entire year, though.
The Disney Timelines to Remember
I say this because something I said earlier didn’t tell the whole story.
Yes, Disney worked on Pandora for six years. However, the construction time there and at Galaxy’s Edge required three years each.
Disney could feasibly announce something in September and have it ready by Fall 2026, maybe even summer, depending on the scope.
Credit: Disney
In the interim, park officials may reveal a re-theme of an existing attraction to fill in the gap.
For example, the conversion from Maelstrom to Frozen Ever After took 20 months.
That’s probably the timeline for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as well.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
The switch from The Great Movie Ride to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway required more time, about 30 months.
That one comes with an asterisk, though. Disney’s Hollywood Studios stretched its Imagineers thin at the time due to all the expansions.
If I were guessing, I’d expect leadership’s park approach to entail one attraction conversion announcement this year.
That ride would likely debut in 2025, giving Disney something to promote that year, an essential part of these considerations.
Photo: Facebook/d23
Then, at D23 in 2024, I’d expect Disney to reveal multiple themed lands and other projects.
I’d love for this to happen in September instead, though. After all, that’s less than two months from now!
Photo: MickeyBlog
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