Disney Rumors for October 2023
This month’s Disney Rumors is one of the most exciting articles I’ve ever written because of what has happened this month.
At Destination D23, Disney confirmed several projects and hinted at much bigger ones.
Since then, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced and, more importantly, filed the paperwork for $60 billion in theme park expansion.
Now, what’s left is to decide where the money could go. So, in the latest Disney Rumors, we’ll talk about a few long-gestating possibilities.
The Meta of Disney’s Theme Park Empire Expansion


Photo: WHO
I know that none of us wants to think about the pandemic, which was probably the bleakest time in all our lives.
Since I talk about Disney plans, I must reference that period in Disney history frequently because it’s a clean divide between the now and what might have been.


Photo:visitorlando.com
In 2018, Disney theme parks were humming along at a remarkable pace, and the company aspired to reinvent the entire experience.
At the time, Disney and its Imagineers spoke on record about the “problems” facing the parks, many of which involved congestion.


Photo: @michael.e.moriarty via Instagram
Too many people wanted to visit the parks, which caused Disney to think of new ways to expand.
Then, everything stopped in March 2020, and the parks have only fully recovered this year.


Photo: Disney
As a consequence of this strangeness, Disney now finds itself in the same place it had been five years ago.
That’s why I’ve spent some time reviewing my notes from back then, as well as some of the articles published at the time.


Photo: Disney
The New York Times published perhaps the most relevant one for October 2023 in…November 2018. Yes, that’s weird.
Anyway, here’s a key takeaway from that article:
“Michael Nathanson, a longtime media analyst, estimates that Disney will spend $24 billion on new attractions, hotels and ships over the next five years.”
You don’t need a math degree to recognize that $24 billion in five years would extrapolate to $48 billion in ten years.


Photo: Disney
We can throw in five years of hyperinflation plus the cost of four cruise ships, and that’s pretty much your $60 billion right there.
That’s right. Disney has had a plan in place since 2018. We haven’t gotten to it due to extenuating circumstances.
On the plus side, that’s given Imagineers five more years to perfect ideas.
Frozen at Disneyland


Photo: Playbuzz.com
What kind of plans have they chosen? Some of them are obvious and already well-chronicled.
One of Disney’s favorite tactics during the 21st century is to debut something at international parks.
This way, Imagineers can learn the process and improve it by the time an attraction like Tron Lightcycle / Run comes to the United States.
Disney has taken attractions and entire themed lands from its international theme parks and transferred the concepts to America.


(Matt Stroshane, photographer)
My favorite example is Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, a near-perfect attraction that kept Disneyland Paris operational before the pandemic.
I’m not even being hyperbolic. That one ride held the park afloat for several years due to its popularity.


Photo: Disney
Similarly, Disney started its Frozen Fever at EPCOT, which opened Frozen Ever After in 2016.
Park officials knew they were onto something when some guests stayed in line literally the entire day and still never got to ride it.


Photo: Disney
Since then, Disney has announced Frozen Kingdom at Tokyo DisneySea. Yes, it’s an entire themed land of Frozen…and not the only one.
Currently, Imagineers are building three different World of Frozen variants, each with a different name. We’ll also have World of Frozen and Kingdom of Arendelle.


Photo: Disney
Disney wants to bring that themed land to the United States as well.
Not coincidentally, D’Amaro recently stated that Frozen could “have a presence at the Disneyland Resort.”
I’m fairly confident a Frozen land or Neighborhood is in the offing in Anaheim. The only question is whether Walt Disney World gets one, too.
Improved Transportation at Disneyland


Photo: @bioreconstruct on Twitter/X
Okay, I realize that when you read this one, you probably aren’t too excited.
Among all the vast possibilities at Disney parks, why would you care about transportation?
The reason here is the kind of transportation that Disney could prioritize.


Image Credit: Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG
Specifically, the recently updated plans for DisneylandForward suggest “ride crossing” options for pedestrian walking areas.
What’s a “ride crossing” option? Friends, you’re gonna like the choices. Here’s Scott Gustin with a Tweet:
In the Disneyland Forward proposal, the report mentions Disneyland Drive pedestrian crossings. Possibilities include a Downtown Disney-type pedestrian bridge or even … “themed ride” crossings?!
Skyliner? PeopleMover?!?! All CONCEPTUAL but … Disneyland, you have my attention. pic.twitter.com/DMr4byoisl
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) September 14, 2023
I’ll acknowledge that one of the suggested options, a pedestrian bridge, is quite dull. Sadly, it’s also the most pragmatic solution.
However, Disney also suggests two other tantalizing possibilities. Those are the PeopleMover and the Skyway, aka the Disney Skyliner.
Yes, Disney knows that it must approach Anaheim traffic from a new perspective.
That’s especially true since Disney plans to expand the Disneyland Resort campus by as much as 50 percent.
What are the ripple effects of such a move? The area will face more foot and car traffic than ever before.


Photo: Disney
Anyone who has spent time at Disneyland is acutely aware that’s a nightmare scenario unfolding.
Well, Disney has a plan or, at the very least, some fallback strategies if needed.
Disney has apparently performed studies that support the return of the PeopleMover.
That’s not even the best part. Disney’s plans would honor Walt Disney’s vision for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.


Photo: Flickr
Uncle Walt envisioned the PeopleMover as a method of transporting guests across short distances at Progress City.
At Disneyland, that’s precisely how expansion plans would implement the PeopleMovers. They’d carry guests from park to park and/or parking lot.


Photo: ResortsGal
Similarly, Disney could avoid Anaheim traffic entirely by introducing a Disney Skyliner system.
These are BIG ideas…and smart ones. Oh, a monorail expansion is a possibility as well. Stay tuned!
Wakanda…as a Roller Coaster?


Photo:impulsecreative.com
Circling back to that New York Times article from 2018, it casually mentioned something. Here’s the quote:
“So Disney’s expansion plan is more ambitious than building a “Black Panther” roller coaster here or introducing an “Incredibles” character there.”


Photo: Orlando Sentinel
Fast forward five years. D’Amaro just said, “Imagine bringing Wakanda to life…”
So, I am imagining it, and as part of the construction, I’m wondering whether that previous quote was theoretical.


Photo: D23
Did Disney have a Black Panther roller coaster in the advanced planning stages before the pandemic?
I’m led to believe that the answer is yes, although it may come in a different form now.
At the time, the hot rumor involved a re-theme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith into a Black Panther ride.
Do I think that’s still the case? Honestly, who could say? The Aerosmith theming on this roller coaster is always in question.


Photo: Deadline.com
We’ve discussed countless re-themes over the years, most recently Queen. It never happens.
Every time it closes for a refurb, we wonder about a new version. Then, it reopens, and little has changed.


Photo: Disney
At this point, you need a wooden stake, a silver bullet, and a rocket launcher to kill this thing.
Realistically, we need to face the fact that Disney likes this ride and wants to keep it.
Final Thoughts


Photo: Also Marvel
For this reason, I’m operating under the assumption that if we do get a Wakanda roller coaster, it’ll be its own thing rather than a re-theme.
However, a Black Panther coaster would definitely qualify as an E-ticket attraction worthy of anchoring a Wakanda-themed land.


Photo: Marvel
I fully believe that idea is in play, although I think Disney could tell a better Wakanda story with a trackless dark ride.
These are the kinds of debates we’ll have until Disney finalizes and confirms its expansion plans.


Photo: MickeyBlog
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