All We Know about Disney World’s Potential New Theme Park

A few days ago, I wrote about the potential of a fifth gate at Walt Disney World.

For those unfamiliar with industry terms, a fifth gate equates to a new theme park at Walt Disney World.

Obviously, that’s a big deal, and I know you have questions.

In fact, a friend of mine wanted to know everything I did before our podcast the other day. People are interested.

So, here’s what I said about a potential fifth gate the other day.  

Now, let’s discuss all we know about Disney’s potential new theme park.

Is Disney World Building a Fifth Park?

Friends, the only people who know the answer to this question work at Disney, and they ain’t talking.

Based on recent Disney behavior, I’d presume that only a small circle of trusted executives, Cast Members, and Imagineers know for sure.

Everyone else is speculating based on something that hasn’t technically happened yet.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) held a final vote on a new development plan on June 12th.

Before the development plan officially goes into effect, everything we’re discussing is entirely theoretical anyway.

Afterward, the answer depends on many variables, many of which people outside Disney don’t even know.

So, I will say this as emphatically as I possibly can. The answer to the question of whether Disney World is building a fifth theme park is MAYBE.

Anybody saying otherwise has gotten way ahead of themselves in reporting the story.

Let’s backtrack a moment to remember how we reached this point and what it signifies.

The King Charles Clause

Disney fans remember the past two years of nonsense. The Walt Disney Company found itself in a weird feud with Florida’s governor.

As part of that imbroglio, Florida legislators took control of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, turning it into the CFTOD.

At that point, Disney officials knew they could no longer rubberstamp the needed changes on Walt Disney World land.

In short, Disney faced the loss of self-governance, one of the central reasons why Walt Disney had chosen Florida in the first place.

The former Reedy Creek board pulled off a political masterstroke of the highest order to protect itself.

Disney gave itself a vital form of control over the Reedy Creek land for up to a century based on the so-called King Charles Clause.

In the process, Disney maintained the control it needed over Reedy Creek for, well, a long time. Here’s the quote:

“(This agreement) shall continue in effect until 21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England, living as of the date of this declaration.”

Since England must always have an heir to the throne, it’s as close to an eternal contract as a company can have.

As part of that agreement, Disney provided itself with the ability to develop a fifth gate, aka a fifth theme park.

Florida’s legislature later removed this ability via changes to the law, which is what led to the parties suing one another.

However, now that we have a proposed agreement in place, the new 15-year plan authorizes a fifth gate at Disney World.

Doesn’t That Confirm a Fifth Theme Park?

I’m honestly not trying to equivocate here but rather clarify as precisely as possible.

If the new agreement passes—and we all expect that right now—a key part of this conversation will change.

Currently, due to the previous Florida legislation, Disney lacks the right to build a fifth theme park.

That option will again exist once the CFTOD ratifies the new developer agreement, which should happen later this week.

In other words, reports that suggest Disney World will add a fifth theme park are premature.

Instead, Disney will soon possess the ability to add a fifth theme park.

That distinction is everything in this conversation. Disney couldn’t do it right now even if CEO Bob Iger wanted.

Disney must file permits to perform even the most rudimentary of maintenance tasks at the parks and hotels.

The company cannot construct a full counter to Epic Universe without CFTOD approval.

So, we’re in the bureaucratic stage right now. After that’s done, all bets are off.

Soon, Disney will once again possess freedom of choice about how best to develop the land at Walt Disney World.

People have gotten ahead of themselves in saying that this agreement indicates a fifth park is a go.

Instead, the new deal empowers Disney to build one over the next fifteen years if that’s the call.

Is This Park What Lies Beyond Big Thunder?

That’s the only lingering question right now. Disney officials have leaned into the idea of theme park expansion.

Recent Disney history underscores that the company would rather add a modular series of new themed lands and attractions.

The formerly blue-sky concept of What Lies Beyond Big Thunder is apparently going to happen, although Disney hasn’t confirmed that.

Is there enough space behind Magic Kingdom to construct an entirely new themed land?

I previously discussed the prevailing expectation for the Magic Kingdom expansion and erred on the side of caution.

That’s not set in stone, though. Disney could feasibly build out much more of this area.

Then again, Disney could build anywhere it wants. Walt Disney World covers more than twice as much land as Manhattan.

The question has never been whether the company could do it, at least not until Florida altered the rules in 2023.

Instead, the debate involved Disney’s willingness to do so, something I discussed here.

As Bob Iger recently stated, building a single theme park comes with marketing problems.

You’re in business the year it opens. After that, each year grows more challenging to market once the newness wears off.

I frequently discuss Disney history here, and it’s a recurring theme at parks like Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure.

Iger’s comments at the time suggested that Disney prefers a more modular approach, adding new rides and themed lands annually.

However, Universal Epic Universe and the recent Florida Feud may have changed the calculus here.

Then, we have the other consideration.

Disney Got It in Writing. Twice.

I’ve always glossed over Disney’s dealings with the King Charles Clause.

That’s because while Disney absolutely had the authorized power to do it, the whole thing was like a legal troll.

The Reedy Creek team knew that Florida officials held little understanding of the self-governance laws.

So, when Disney provided itself the power to build a fifth gate, the timeline was comically wide open.

I mean, some of King Charles III’s grandchildren are single digits in age. That deal would have lasted into the 2100s.

As such, I struggled to take any of the details seriously until such a point as Disney confirmed something was happening.

This new deal works much differently. Disney has negotiated an agreement with its former lobbyist, Stephanie Kopelousos.

She’s now the person in charge of the CFTOD, and she probably would have given Disney anything.

What did park officials request? They wanted the ability to build a fifth theme park put back in writing.

When I’d Expect an Announcement

That fact should become a reality later this week, and that’s why I wrote the previous piece.

Disney officials have requested the legal leeway to build a fifth gate within the next fifteen years…and sooner makes sense than later.

No, I’m not expecting anything this year. Sure, the D23 Expo is coming up in less than two months, but that’s in California.

When should Disney announce an Orlando expansion?

Isn’t the ideal time during the Destination D23 in 2025 at Walt Disney World?

That event technically hasn’t even been announced yet, but I suspect that’s when we’d learn of a fifth gate.

After all, that announcement would come after Universal Epic Universe’s opening, thereby stealing Universal’s thunder.

Of course, that’s assuming we even get a fifth gate. Some mainstream publications have jumped the gun here.

Until Disney says something, this is all theoretical. (But I’m starting to believe it’ll happen.)

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