Why Disney Isn’t Naming Names Yet

During an unusually transparent media event, Disney allowed several influencers and analysts behind the curtain.

These guests got to visit Walt Disney Imagineering and interact with several of the new toys.

I wasn’t among them, but something I’ve taken from the comments is the inconsistency of the reports.

Some differ on which franchises will gain a new foothold at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, and Disneyland Resort.

Yes, that’s weird, but there’s a thought process behind it.

Here’s why Disney isn’t naming names yet.

The Source of Confusion

Over the past few weeks, Disney has filed the paperwork to perform construction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom.

As soon as the Anaheim City Council rubber-stamps its consent, the expected outcome, Disneyland Resort will follow soon afterward.

Theme park expansion is happening, it’s real, and it’s spectacular.

As analysts have noted a lot recently, Disney Experiences claimed two-thirds of Disney’s operating income in 2023.

Since you have to spend money to make money, Disney will invest its free cash where it’ll provide the best return. That’s theme parks.

However, Disney hasn’t stepped up to the plate to confirm which experiences are coming to the parks yet.

Presumably, we’ll learn specifics at the 2024 D23 Expo, but we’re flying blind right now.

Also, some of Disney’s information directly conflicts.

According to reporters at this presentation, Animal Kingdom will add Encanto and Coco experiences.

Based on past comments, when we finally explore what lies Big Thunder Mountain, we’ll discover…Encanto and Coco experiences.

Disney isn’t about to create entirely new attractions and themed lands for the same two franchises at two different Walt Disney World parks.

The thought of that fails the laugh test, but those comments are being regurgitated right now because it’s what Disney has said.

Of course, some of those comments occurred at previous D23 events, and Disney couched them by calling them blue-sky ideas.

So, none of that is finite. We’d like to think that what Disney said during an event it hosted is reliable, but…

Well, you’ve lived through the past five years. You know the deal.

At this moment, Disney doesn’t appear the least bit interested in providing clarity. Let’s explore the reasons behind this odd move.

Why Iger Isn’t in a Hurry

For his part, Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, isn’t willing to commit to anything yet.

Perhaps that stems from the fact that he’s older and more patient than a younger executive would be.

Since Iger has seen and done it all at Disney, he understands the importance of timing.

For example, Iger got out at the perfect time, leaving Disney in February 2020, about two weeks before society shut down.

Then, he returned in November 2022, just when the company was in position to turn around its recent misfortunes.

Some people are lucky, while others are good. Throughout his career, Iger has proven he’s both.

Nobody buys that low on Pixar and Marvel unless they’re the best and luckiest player at the poker table.

Similarly, having worked in television before leading Disney, Iger recognizes that there’s a fine line between a hit and a failure.

The CEO famously gave what he now considers bad advice for Twin Peaks.

Older readers may recall the hysteria over the sudden resolution of the Who Killed Laura Palmer? storyline. Yeah, that was Iger.

The show’s ratings collapsed immediately afterward. Timing, luck, and fate are the unpredictable x-factors in any pursuit.

Those concepts translate to theme park design as well.

For example, nobody could have predicted the rise of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Film analysts scoffed at the thought that this Marvel title would do well, and I speak from experience there.

I was among the most hostile critics of the very idea. Whoops!

Now, we have two different Guardians of the Galaxy attractions in North America, both of which debuted within eight years of the first film.

Iger’s Philosophy

Given this fact, you can understand Iger’s thinking here. And he added more context last week.

Here are the CEO’s applicable quotes about naming franchises well ahead of time:

“You know, we have a lot of projects in development. Many of them are known to us.

“But, we disclose these at a cadence, when we really feel we’re ready, and we have something more tangible to show people.”

Then, he added the key takeaway from this entire article.

“We actually have a fairly good idea in the near term of what’s being built, but we’re purposefully not going to allocate it all.

“Because who knows? In five years we can end up with a giant hit movie — think Frozen — that we may want to mine essentially as an attraction, or a hotel or restaurant in our parks.

“So, you want to maintain some flexibility.”

And that’s what this is all about. Disney knows full well which franchises it could attach to the rides it’s developing.

However, here’s a dirty secret about (some) technology and also programming/robotics.

You develop the products and applications first. Later, you find the use cases to maximize the item’s potential.

We’re actually witnessing that right now with two tech items that basically do the same thing: the Meta Quest and the Apple Vision Pro.

They exist, and they’re fascinating. Now what? Disney did the same thing with its flying Audio-Animatronic.

Disney spent years refining the tech before deciding it was for Spider-Man.

Imagineers can build these attractions whenever they want. Picking the right theme requires more finesse.

Why Disney Isn’t Naming Names

You’re probably thinking, “Well, what’s the worst that can happen?”

I can answer that in three different ways. First, let’s start with the Kang Scenario.

Marvel was building multiple phases of its cinematic universe around Kang, whom Kevin Feige intended as the next Thanos.

Then, less than a year into those plans, the actor cast to portray Kang committed a crime.

Marvel has since fired him and has signaled it’ll reconfigure its Avengers plans accordingly.

If Disney had promised a Kang attraction as part of the expansion, it’d be apologizing and changing plans right now.

Then, we have the John Carter scenario, which has actually played out twice over the past decade.

Disney had high hopes for an expensive production of John Carter, but audiences yawned.

If Disney had planned a theme park ride/land around John Carter, that would have been disastrous.

Smaller scale examples of this scenario occurred with Ralph Breaks the Internet and Mary Poppins Returns.

Both of those had attractions planned around them before the tepid box office response killed those ideas.

Finally, we have the one Iger mentioned: Frozen.

Let’s say that Disney announced a new themed land based on Elemental. Personally, I would LOVE that.

However, Pixar will release Inside Out soon and then Elio next year.

If either of those films tore up the box office, Disney would want to pivot to themed lands based on them. It’s just good business.

Frozen and Guardians of the Galaxy represent two versions of this scenario, the one where a surprise blockbuster changes Disney’s plans.

For these reasons, Disney isn’t naming names yet…and probably shouldn’t.

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