It’s attainable that there’s by no means been a greater time to be a mildly obsessive theme park fan. 2025 is a 12 months that shall be enormous, with the opening of each Epic Universe in Florida and Disneyland’s Seventieth-anniversary celebration, however the subsequent few years are promising huge adjustments, updates, and expansions everywhere in the theme park house.
Disney is planning on spending $60 billion over the following decade on its parks, and most of that shall be targeted on enlargement, from the large DisneylandForward mission in California to a number of new lands on the best way at Walt Disney World. Whereas there’s each purpose to be excited, there’s additionally one large purpose to be involved that not less than among the deliberate adjustments might by no means occur.
Disney World And Disneyland Are Planning Main Growth Over The Subsequent A number of Years
On each coasts, some main work is already being performed at Disney Parks. Dinoland U.S.A. has closed down a big chunk of its house, and building has already begun on the brand new Tropical Americas land deliberate for the world, which can embrace main sights primarily based on Encanto and Indiana Jones. Early work has additionally begun on Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort, which can add two new sights and double the dimensions of the land.
Past that, the Muppets Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is ready to shut this 12 months to make method for a brand new Monsters Inc. land, with an unbelievable new curler coaster at its heart. Disneyland has introduced its personal Avatar land, the situation of which remains to be largely a thriller.
Then there’s the large overhaul of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, which can embrace the tip of the Rivers of America. It should shut to get replaced by Vehicles sights and a brand new Villains land which can broaden the dimensions of Magic Kingdom.
Not all of those adjustments are in style with followers, with the Rivers of America closure being significantly unpopular. Nevertheless, seeing a lot deliberate for the long run remains to be thrilling… assuming it occurs.
Disney Will Have A New CEO By 2027 Who Might And Probably Will, Change The whole lot
The initiatives that Disney already has underway are nonetheless years away from completion, and people who haven’t even began but are additional away than that. As such, the one who will in the end decide what occurs with these plans shouldn’t be present Disney CEO Bob Iger, it’s whomever takes over his job.
Disney has introduced {that a} alternative for Bob Iger as CEO shall be introduced early in 2026, with that particular person taking up full management when Iger’s present contract expires on the finish of subsequent 12 months. As soon as that occurs, they’re in cost, which suggests all bets are off. A number of the work being performed will doubtless be too far alongside to be value stopping or altering, but when the brand new boss is already dedicated to spending cash on a few of this, it may very well be dangerous information for the remainder.
One of many individuals on the shortlist in Disney’s succession battle to the demise is Josh D’Amaro, the pinnacle of Disney Experiences, the division that runs the parks. If he finally ends up getting the job, issues will doubtless observe their present path. One assumes that he’s already in favor of the plan as it’s, or in all probability would not be taking place.
Nevertheless, with three different sturdy contenders, together with Disney Leisure co-heads Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, whose curiosity within the parks is questionable, issues may very well be very totally different. The actual fact is that not less than proper now, Disney Parks are nonetheless getting cash hand over fist. So if there are different locations the place cash is required that’s thought-about extra speedy, different plans might find yourself on the again burner.
Disney World and Disneyland Will Nonetheless Change, However Possibly Not In The Method We Assume
We’re already getting into into an period of nice financial uncertainty, and the final time that occurred, a brand new CEO took over. On this Bob Chapek oversaw, some theme park initiatives, like a Mary Poppins attraction at Epcot, have been canceled, and others, just like the Guardians of the Galaxy and Tron curler coasters, took rather a lot longer than they in all probability ought to have.
Some initiatives that may have been deliberate to begin quickly might get delayed merely as a “wait and see” measure. In the event that they wait lengthy sufficient in order that the greenlight must be given by the following CEO it won’t occur in any respect.
That’s to not say these adjustments received’t occur ever, but when there are important delays, we might find yourself seeing issues change in methods apart from what’s anticipated. If one thing occurs and followers’ prayers are answered, and the Rivers of America isn’t closed to make method for Vehicles rides, that doesn’t imply it’s secure without end. It might find yourself altering, however otherwise, particularly if another new Disney IP turns into an enormous hit within the interim.
DisneylandForward is occurring. Disneyland labored arduous to get the town of Anaheim to approve the plan. Not transferring ahead appears all however unattainable at this level. We don’t even know what the plan is for the enlargement so far as what lands or sights are being thought-about for inclusion, so it’s a secure guess we’ll by no means actually know if these plans change drastically. Nevertheless, it’s additionally a secure guess the following CEO will put their stamp on such a giant change, as it would occur nearly totally below their watch.
Possibly Disney’s subsequent CEO received’t care a lot in regards to the parks, and issues will stay largely unchanged for years to come back. Possibly Disney’s subsequent CEO shall be a giant constructive for the way forward for Disney parks. In the event that they see the parks as a worthy funding, as previous Disney CEOs have performed, it might imply seeing way more funding, better enlargement, and solely larger and higher issues for years to come back.
The actual end result will doubtless be someplace within the center. Disney’s subsequent CEO, whomever they’re, will pave the best way for some adjustments within the firm, which might imply that the model of the parks we’re now anticipating might by no means occur. Whether or not that’s or dangerous factor is a completely separate query.