Is The 2020's Disneyland Resort's Lost Decade???

[TP2000]

I was thinking about this after the underwhelming Destination D23 presentations this weekend, where Josh D'Amaro and a gaggle of Imagineers rolled out a word-salad of corporate buzzwords that only amount to a list of deferred maintenance items for WDW and DLR.

Josh N' Friends also offered up some extremely vague free words about "Blue Sky ideas" that were accompanied by the obligatory vague aerial concept art of hazy buildings partially obscured by wispy clouds in existing parks. Which is a smarmy stunt they already pulled last year at D23 Expo.

It now appears as though Disneyland Resort is going into a period of extended stagnation when it comes to building and opening new attractions, and that it's about to begin one of the longest periods of its history without any new attractions in either park.

No new ride is under construction on either coast. No night parade exists in any American park. Only two afternoon parades exist for the six (6) theme parks in the USA; the 9 year old Festival Of Fantasy at WDW, and the 3 year old Magic Happens at Disneyland. The Hyperion Theater is abandoned. Park entertainment in Anaheim is a faded shell of its former self from just a few years ago, much less 20 years ago. There's not a bulldozer in sight. But at least Josh is cute and super sweet to CM's, right?

Assuming that some new ride or park expansion gets announced next August at D23 Expo Ultimate Fan SigAlert On Katella, that would mean that construction could start within a few months. Which means the new ride/land wouldn't open until early 2028 at best. And that's best case. Maybe construction doesn't start until 2025 and it doesn't open until 2029 or '30?

Here's a list of the new attractions that have opened since the Disneyland Resort was born in 2001 with the opening of DCA:

2001 DCA Opens (DCA)
2002 Nothing
2003 Winnie The Pooh & A Bug's Land (DL & DCA)
2004 Tower of Terror (DCA)
2005 50th & Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (DL)
2006 Nothing
2007 Finding Nemo Submarine RETHEME (DL)
2008 Midway Mania (DCA)
2009 Nothing
2010 Goofy's Sky School/Silly Symphony Swings RETHEME (DCA)
2011 Little Mermaid (DCA)
2012 Cars Land/Trolley/Buena Vista Street (DCA)
2013 Princess Fantasy Faire (DL)
2014 Frozenland & Singalong (DCA)
2015 60th & Star Wars Launch Bay (DL & DCA)
2016 Luigi's Roadsters (DCA)
2017 Mission: Breakout RETHEME (DCA)
2018 Pixar Pier & Incredicoaster RETHEME (DCA)
2019 Millennium Falcon: Target Run, Star Wars Land & Mickey's Philharmagic (DL & DCA)
2020 Rise Before Dawn (DL)
2021 Avenger's Campus & Spiderman (DCA)
2022 Nothing
2023 Runaway Railway & Toontown Refresh, Presented by Monsanto (DL)
2024 Tiana's Bayou Adventure RETHEME (DL)
2025 ????
2026 ????
2027 ????
2028 Next New Attraction Opens in Best Case Scenario
2029 Next New Attraction Opens in More Likely Scenario
2030 Next New Attraction Opens in Worst Case Scenario

So, that's potentially a five or six year gap where no new ride or major attraction opens at either Disneyland or DCA. The mid 2020's look like they are going to be very sleepy around Anaheim. What will they do instead? More cupcakes? More Instagram walls? More free words from a smiling Josh D'Amaro as he reveals yet another unfunded and unapproved "Blue Sky" park idea seen from above through wispy clouds?

This entire decade doesn't look good for Anaheim, in my amateur opinion.

 

[ParkPeeker]

I was thinking about this after the underwhelming Destination D23 presentations this weekend, where Josh D'Amaro and a gaggle of Imagineers rolled out a word-salad of corporate buzzwords that only amount to a list of deferred maintenance items for WDW and DLR.

Josh N' Friends also offered up some extremely vague free words about "Blue Sky ideas" that were accompanied by the obligatory vague aerial concept art of hazy buildings partially obscured by wispy clouds in existing parks. Which is a smarmy stunt they already pulled last year at D23 Expo.

It now appears as though Disneyland Resort is going into a period of extended stagnation when it comes to building and opening new attractions, and that it's about to begin one of the longest periods of its history without any new attractions in either park.

No new ride is under construction on either coast. No night parade exists in any American park. Only two afternoon parades exist for the six (6) theme parks in the USA; the 9 year old Festival Of Fantasy at WDW, and the 3 year old Magic Happens at Disneyland. The Hyperion Theater is abandoned. Park entertainment in Anaheim is a faded shell of its former self from just a few years ago, much less 20 years ago. There's not a bulldozer in sight. But at least Josh is cute and super sweet to CM's, right?

Assuming that some new ride or park expansion gets announced next August at D23 Expo Ultimate Fan SigAlert On Katella, that would mean that construction could start within a few months. Which means the new ride/land wouldn't open until early 2028 at best. And that's best case. Maybe construction doesn't start until 2025 and it doesn't open until 2029 or '30?

Here's a list of the new attractions that have opened since the Disneyland Resort was born in 2001 with the opening of DCA:

2001 DCA Opens (DCA)
2002 Nothing
2003 Winnie The Pooh & A Bug's Land (DL & DCA)
2004 Tower of Terror (DCA)
2005 50th & Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (DL)
2006 Nothing
2007 Finding Nemo Submarine RETHEME (DL)
2008 Midway Mania (DCA)
2009 Nothing
2010 Goofy's Sky School/Silly Symphony Swings RETHEME (DCA)
2011 Little Mermaid (DCA)
2012 Cars Land/Trolley/Buena Vista Street (DCA)
2013 Princess Fantasy Faire (DL)
2014 Frozenland & Singalong (DCA)
2015 60th & Star Wars Launch Bay (DL & DCA)
2016 Luigi's Roadsters (DCA)
2017 Nothing
2018 Pixar Pier & Incredicoaster RETHEME (DCA)
2019 Millennium Falcon: Target Run, Star Wars Land & Mickey's Philharmagic (DL & DCA)
2020 Rise Before Dawn (DL)
2021 Avenger's Campus & Spiderman (DCA)
2022 Nothing
2023 Runaway Railway & Toontown Refresh, Presented by Monsanto (DL)
2024 Tiana's Bayou Adventure RETHEME (DL)
2025 ????
2026 ????
2027 ????
2028 Next New Attraction Opens in Best Case Scenario
2029 Next New Attraction Opens in More Likely Scenario
2030 Next New Attraction Opens in Worst Case Scenario

So, that's potentially a five or six year gap where no new ride or major attraction opens at either Disneyland or DCA. The mid 2020's look like they are going to be very sleepy around Anaheim. What will they do instead? More cupcakes? More Instagram walls? More free words from a smiling Josh D'Amaro as he reveals yet another unfunded and unapproved "Blue Sky" park idea seen from above through wispy clouds?

This entire decade doesn't look good for Anaheim, in my amateur opinion.

Well we have avengers e ticket and unique avatar experience to look forward to, (and Disneyland modifications here and there) and perhaps Disneyland forward in the next decade? But what happens after we run out of land? They must be negotiating or planning some stuff right? Right??

 

[No Name]

2017 Nothing

Walt didn’t build this beauty himself.

 

[ParkPeeker]

View attachment 742266
Walt didn’t build this beauty himself.

Someone said it in another thread and I actually agree. Not talking about the attraction, aesthetically this looks better than our drab version of the Hollywood tower hotel.

 

[TP2000]

Well we have avengers e ticket and unique avatar experience to look forward to,

No, we don't actually have that yet. What we do have are;

1. An endless series of non-announcement announcements since May, 2017 that they may build some new Avengers ride to the southwest of Mission: Breakout. But it's been over six years since they announced that, and this weekend all Josh did was say they're still thinking about it, and then showed a vague concept sketch of a low capacity ride vehicle flying into a scary cloud of coarsely ground black pepper.

1. One vague non-announcement announcement by the 72 year old CEO that there would be an "experience" built at Disneyland. But not even the TDA President Du Jour knew what that meant, and had to admit that to the Anaheim City Council. There may be some Avatar thing built at Disneyland by 2035. It may be a whole new land on the existing Downtown Disney parking lot, it may be a new E Ticket that replaces the Submarines/Autopia, or it may be a snack bar where the Lunching Pad used to be. We don't know. No one seems to know what Bob was talking about.

 

[TP2000]

View attachment 742266
Walt didn’t build this beauty himself.

Oh, geez, you'r right. I knew I was going to forget something, and there it is.

I've fixed it in the timeline and labeled it a RETHEME for 2017.

 

[CaptinEO]

The lack of new attractions just makes me think they'll announce some on the cheap rethemes. Maybe Tiki Room birds will only sing Disney songs in a polynesian way. Mr Lincoln can be a Black Panther interactive show.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Someone said it in another thread and I actually agree. Not talking about the attraction, aesthetically this looks better than our drab version of the Hollywood tower hotel.

…that’s a lovely consolation prize

 

[mlayton144]

Since when does “Disney 100 Decor at main st USA” count as an attraction ? Grateful this is included in the price of admission, no Genie required

 

[mlayton144]

For those who can’t wait , below is a photo and information about the attraction

 

[drizgirl]

Since when does “Disney 100 Decor at main st USA” count as an attraction ? Grateful this is included in the price of admission, no Genie required
View attachment 742358

That's pretty revealing.

 

[shambolicdefending]

IMO, it's apparent that Disney is putting all of its Anaheim eggs in the DisneylandForward basket right now, and that's probably smart. Lots of good reasons to get that settled as top priority.

 

[Consumer]

Someone said it in another thread and I actually agree. Not talking about the attraction, aesthetically this looks better than our drab version of the Hollywood tower hotel.

I genuinely cannot understand how people can think like you. Although not as elaborate as its Floridian counterpart, DCA's Tower of Terror was iconic and far less intrusive in the Disneyland skyline. Mission Breakout is an unsightly gaggle of pipes and dishes.

 

[Dear Prudence]

I was thinking about this after the underwhelming Destination D23 presentations this weekend, where Josh D'Amaro and a gaggle of Imagineers rolled out a word-salad of corporate buzzwords that only amount to a list of deferred maintenance items for WDW and DLR.

Josh N' Friends also offered up some extremely vague free words about "Blue Sky ideas" that were accompanied by the obligatory vague aerial concept art of hazy buildings partially obscured by wispy clouds in existing parks. Which is a smarmy stunt they already pulled last year at D23 Expo.

It now appears as though Disneyland Resort is going into a period of extended stagnation when it comes to building and opening new attractions, and that it's about to begin one of the longest periods of its history without any new attractions in either park.

No new ride is under construction on either coast. No night parade exists in any American park. Only two afternoon parades exist for the six (6) theme parks in the USA; the 9 year old Festival Of Fantasy at WDW, and the 3 year old Magic Happens at Disneyland. The Hyperion Theater is abandoned. Park entertainment in Anaheim is a faded shell of its former self from just a few years ago, much less 20 years ago. There's not a bulldozer in sight. But at least Josh is cute and super sweet to CM's, right?

Assuming that some new ride or park expansion gets announced next August at D23 Expo Ultimate Fan SigAlert On Katella, that would mean that construction could start within a few months. Which means the new ride/land wouldn't open until early 2028 at best. And that's best case. Maybe construction doesn't start until 2025 and it doesn't open until 2029 or '30?

Here's a list of the new attractions that have opened since the Disneyland Resort was born in 2001 with the opening of DCA:

2001 DCA Opens (DCA)
2002 Nothing
2003 Winnie The Pooh & A Bug's Land (DL & DCA)
2004 Tower of Terror (DCA)
2005 50th & Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (DL)
2006 Nothing
2007 Finding Nemo Submarine RETHEME (DL)
2008 Midway Mania (DCA)
2009 Nothing
2010 Goofy's Sky School/Silly Symphony Swings RETHEME (DCA)
2011 Little Mermaid (DCA)
2012 Cars Land/Trolley/Buena Vista Street (DCA)
2013 Princess Fantasy Faire (DL)
2014 Frozenland & Singalong (DCA)
2015 60th & Star Wars Launch Bay (DL & DCA)
2016 Luigi's Roadsters (DCA)
2017 Mission: Breakout RETHEME (DCA)
2018 Pixar Pier & Incredicoaster RETHEME (DCA)
2019 Millennium Falcon: Target Run, Star Wars Land & Mickey's Philharmagic (DL & DCA)
2020 Rise Before Dawn (DL)
2021 Avenger's Campus & Spiderman (DCA)
2022 Nothing
2023 Runaway Railway & Toontown Refresh, Presented by Monsanto (DL)
2024 Tiana's Bayou Adventure RETHEME (DL)
2025 ????
2026 ????
2027 ????
2028 Next New Attraction Opens in Best Case Scenario
2029 Next New Attraction Opens in More Likely Scenario
2030 Next New Attraction Opens in Worst Case Scenario

So, that's potentially a five or six year gap where no new ride or major attraction opens at either Disneyland or DCA. The mid 2020's look like they are going to be very sleepy around Anaheim. What will they do instead? More cupcakes? More Instagram walls? More free words from a smiling Josh D'Amaro as he reveals yet another unfunded and unapproved "Blue Sky" park idea seen from above through wispy clouds?

This entire decade doesn't look good for Anaheim, in my amateur opinion.

the land that time forgot is what you're saying

 

[Pacnw]

I genuinely cannot understand how people can think like you. Although not as elaborate as its Floridian counterpart, DCA's Tower of Terror was iconic and far less intrusive in the Disneyland skyline. Mission Breakout is an unsightly gaggle of pipes and dishes.
View attachment 742380

I tend to agree. The oil refinery suffers mightily to the original.

 

[Pacnw]

I was thinking about this after the underwhelming Destination D23 presentations this weekend, where Josh D'Amaro and a gaggle of Imagineers rolled out a word-salad of corporate buzzwords that only amount to a list of deferred maintenance items for WDW and DLR.

Josh N' Friends also offered up some extremely vague free words about "Blue Sky ideas" that were accompanied by the obligatory vague aerial concept art of hazy buildings partially obscured by wispy clouds in existing parks. Which is a smarmy stunt they already pulled last year at D23 Expo.

It now appears as though Disneyland Resort is going into a period of extended stagnation when it comes to building and opening new attractions, and that it's about to begin one of the longest periods of its history without any new attractions in either park.

No new ride is under construction on either coast. No night parade exists in any American park. Only two afternoon parades exist for the six (6) theme parks in the USA; the 9 year old Festival Of Fantasy at WDW, and the 3 year old Magic Happens at Disneyland. The Hyperion Theater is abandoned. Park entertainment in Anaheim is a faded shell of its former self from just a few years ago, much less 20 years ago. There's not a bulldozer in sight. But at least Josh is cute and super sweet to CM's, right?

Assuming that some new ride or park expansion gets announced next August at D23 Expo Ultimate Fan SigAlert On Katella, that would mean that construction could start within a few months. Which means the new ride/land wouldn't open until early 2028 at best. And that's best case. Maybe construction doesn't start until 2025 and it doesn't open until 2029 or '30?

Here's a list of the new attractions that have opened since the Disneyland Resort was born in 2001 with the opening of DCA:

2001 DCA Opens (DCA)
2002 Nothing
2003 Winnie The Pooh & A Bug's Land (DL & DCA)
2004 Tower of Terror (DCA)
2005 50th & Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (DL)
2006 Nothing
2007 Finding Nemo Submarine RETHEME (DL)
2008 Midway Mania (DCA)
2009 Nothing
2010 Goofy's Sky School/Silly Symphony Swings RETHEME (DCA)
2011 Little Mermaid (DCA)
2012 Cars Land/Trolley/Buena Vista Street (DCA)
2013 Princess Fantasy Faire (DL)
2014 Frozenland & Singalong (DCA)
2015 60th & Star Wars Launch Bay (DL & DCA)
2016 Luigi's Roadsters (DCA)
2017 Mission: Breakout RETHEME (DCA)
2018 Pixar Pier & Incredicoaster RETHEME (DCA)
2019 Millennium Falcon: Target Run, Star Wars Land & Mickey's Philharmagic (DL & DCA)
2020 Rise Before Dawn (DL)
2021 Avenger's Campus & Spiderman (DCA)
2022 Nothing
2023 Runaway Railway & Toontown Refresh, Presented by Monsanto (DL)
2024 Tiana's Bayou Adventure RETHEME (DL)
2025 ????
2026 ????
2027 ????
2028 Next New Attraction Opens in Best Case Scenario
2029 Next New Attraction Opens in More Likely Scenario
2030 Next New Attraction Opens in Worst Case Scenario

So, that's potentially a five or six year gap where no new ride or major attraction opens at either Disneyland or DCA. The mid 2020's look like they are going to be very sleepy around Anaheim. What will they do instead? More cupcakes? More Instagram walls? More free words from a smiling Josh D'Amaro as he reveals yet another unfunded and unapproved "Blue Sky" park idea seen from above through wispy clouds?

This entire decade doesn't look good for Anaheim, in my amateur opinion.

Great summary. And depressing as heck to say the least. While there was so much hope and excitement with the opening of Radiator Springs and Buena Vista Blvd in DCA, there has been so much disappointment since then. So many lost opportunities to build upon that success and continue to make it a true compliment to the original Disneyland.

 

[TP2000]

the land that time forgot is what you're saying

Sadly, its looking that way.

There's generally a lag time of at least one fiscal year between when they announce a major park expansion and when the bulldozers move in. Then it takes at least 3 years to get a new ride/land built and open. Sometimes 4 years.

The huge DCA Remake was announced publicly by Bob Iger in September, 2007. The first construction in DCA started in 2008, and the new rides and facilities opened in phases from 2011 to 2012. That's a five year timeline from Executive Announcement to Confetti Cannons.

Even if Josh announced something notable for Disneyland Resort last Saturday, it wouldn't be opening until 2027 at the earliest. But nothing was announced. The only active construction on either coast is the retheme of Splash Mountain into Tiana Mountain. Nothing is happening.

Settle in kids, this is going to take awhile.

 

[choco choco]

What I don't understand is why they keep wasting money on stupid overlays, like Tiana's Palace or the Tokyo thingie in DCA, or the Pixar Pier thing in DCA. Or the Haunted Mansion outdoor thing.

For that kind of money, why can't you simply add a few simple busbar dark rides in an empty building (there are plenty in DCA). Or plus Winnie the Pooh? Or add another flight onto Millenium Falcon?

You took a thing that was busy and now made it so that it will be...the same kind of busy (no capacity increase). This is money well-spent?

 

[Pacnw]

What I don't understand is why they keep wasting money on stupid overlays, like Tiana's Palace or the Tokyo thingie in DCA, or the Pixar Pier thing in DCA. Or the Haunted Mansion outdoor thing.

For that kind of money, why can't you simply add a few simple busbar dark rides in an empty building (there are plenty in DCA). Or plus Winnie the Pooh? Or add another flight onto Millenium Falcon?

You took a thing that was busy and now made it so that it will be...the same kind of busy (no capacity increase). This is money well-spent?

Because that would make sense…

 

[TP2000]

What I don't understand is why they keep wasting money on stupid overlays, like Tiana's Palace or the Tokyo thingie in DCA, or the Pixar Pier thing in DCA. Or the Haunted Mansion outdoor thing.

For that kind of money, why can't you simply add a few simple busbar dark rides in an empty building (there are plenty in DCA). Or plus Winnie the Pooh? Or add another flight onto Millenium Falcon?

You took a thing that was busy and now made it so that it will be...the same kind of busy (no capacity increase). This is money well-spent?

Exactly. This problem is much worse out at WDW, where they are at least 25 years behind in building new ride capacity.

But it's getting worse at Disneyland now too. This years-long period where nothing new will open in Anaheim is going to make things much worse in Anaheim, almost to the point of being just as bad as WDW.