How Big Is This Magic Kingdom Expansion?
Soon, we will learn what lies beyond Big Thunder Mountain.
The mystery of this question lingers like it’s a fantasy movie, and we must cross a rickety bridge across a smoky riverbed.
Park officials are leaning hard into the excitement by championing this expansion as the biggest one ever at Magic Kingdom.
That sounds soooo exciting…in theory. Once we do the math, you may want to tone down your excitement, though.
How big is this Magic Kingdom expansion? It’s probably big, but it’s not Universal Epic Universe big.
Managing Expectations
Let’s temper expectations right from the start. Then, if Disney surprises us, we’ll be pleasantly surprised rather than disappointed.
I learned to do this during my days training to be a computer programmer. As a terrible coder, I was never gonna make it.
However, I showed skill as a project manager, and I’ve stayed in touch with some programmers who made it.
Anyone within the industry knows the danger of not setting expectations.
When someone overhypes a project at the start, the combination of frequent delays, budget overruns, and disappointing results infuriate customers.
Project managers thereby learn to communicate reasonable goals for a product ahead of time. Then, they try to exceed those goals.
That philosophy translates to many different businesses, but it’s particularly true at Disney.
When park officials mentioned Toy Story Land, fans had visions of Woody, Little Bo Peep, and Buzz dancing in their heads.
They never considered the dangers of an outdoor themed land positioned where the sun shines brightest at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Similarly, few acknowledged that by its very definition, a land themed to toys would skew young.
So, adults griped about the child-friendly attraction Disney built, Alien Swirling Saucers.
The blistering heat in an unshaded area only made people grumpier. And Disney cut part of the project, too.
The changes occurred because Imagineers were working on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, too, which strained resources, including the budget.
Disney could have prevented all this by saying right from the start: “Galaxy’s Edge will obviously be better.”
Management could have added, “Toy Story Land is where we want kids to play.
“Adults who have lost touch with their inner child may not love it.”
That’s a brutal assessment, but it sets expectations.
What We Know About the Project
Obviously, the marketing department feels strongly that downplaying Toy Story Land isn’t what’s best for business.
Disney is constantly selling something at the parks, and it must act like everything is Pandora – The World of Avatar. Spoiler: it’s not!
So, Disney just spent a full day telling a group of theme park analysts and influencers about how spectacular the expansion will be.
I’d be inclined to believe them if I didn’t understand math.
Before I break your heart, I’ll emphasize how little we actually know, though.
Thus far, we’re relying solely on Disney’s statements, some of which executives could be keeping close to the vest.
I’m taking Disney at its word, when it could be hiding a much more exciting announcement for the 2024 D23 Expo.
Alternatively, I’m leveling with you that “biggest expansion ever at Magic Kingdom” could be a bit misleading.
I mean, you could have your best pickup basketball game ever, but it wouldn’t match Victor Wembanyama’s.
Similarly, if Disney had indicated its biggest expansion ever, that’d be a bigger deal than just the biggest at Magic Kingdom.
According to CNN, Disney officials said as much. One described the expansion as roughly the size of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
The author explains that this themed land “occupies about 14 acres.”
For comparison, New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom increased the park by 11 acres…or so.
Confusion remains about the 2010s expansion because Disney listed contradictory information.
One report suggested that New Fantasyland added 26 acres.
At a different point, Disney suggested that Fantasyland more than doubled from ten to 21 acres, and that’s the number most use now.
Fourteen acres would be bigger than that, but it’s not as big as the 26-acre number.
What Can Disney Do with This Much Land?
Part of the source of confusion regarding New Fantasyland stems from how much Disney added versus what was already there.
That theme will likely recur with What Lies Beyond Big Thunder Mountain because we don’t know yet how Disney will proceed.
Disney could remove some of the water around Tom Sawyer Island and maybe even landlock part of this area.
I don’t think that’s in the current plans, but such a move would more than double the size of the expansion.
If that doesn’t happen, we’re talking about something akin to New Fantasyland and Galaxy’s Edge.
Those locations added two new attractions each and plenty of other Disneyfied elements.
Disney had previously indicated attractions based on Coco, Encanto, and an area themed to Disney Villains.
Of course, Disney also suggests that Encanto is coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Pictures suggest that an Encanto House Madrigal would fit nicely at the Big Thunder expansion.
The specifics of theming don’t really matter at this juncture, though.
Instead, we’re trying to determine how big this new area will be.
Based on photos, I can tell you that the answer is “big…but maybe not as big as you’re thinking.”
However, that statement comes with a massive “UNLESS…”
If you’ve ever studied the images of what lies beyond Big Thunder Mountain, it’s a forest.
Disney cares about the environment, so I’m not expecting Magic Kingdom to repurpose that land.
If Disney chose that path, the Magic Kingdom expansion would prove massive in scope.
For the time being, the park is an incomplete circle on its outer limits.
So, all I’m expecting is for Disney to finish the circle, though. Prove me wrong, Josh D’Amaro!
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon.