Rumor D23 2024 WDW Rumors, Predictions & Discussion

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It appears that WDW only allocates a fixed amount of $$ for construction (CAPEX) per quarter. As a indidual attraction does not have an explicit income per ride (LL not included), ROI is difficult to define. Therefore, construction expenditures have to be justified across park ticket sales as a whole. If park attendance decreases without price increases (no revenue increase), one can expect construction timelines to increase.

And that’s complete accounting Merican style
Get it done.

 

[MisterPenguin]

From an online source:

• For a typical new thrill ride or dark ride attraction, the construction timeline is often 3-5 years. This allows for the design, engineering, fabrication, and installation of the ride systems, show elements, and supporting infrastructure
• Larger, more complex attractions like roller coasters or dark ride-based lands can take 4-6 years to complete. Projects like the new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land at Disney's Hollywood Studios took around 5 years from announcement to opening.
• Expansions to existing lands, such as adding a new ride or show to an established area, usually require 2-3 years for design, permitting, and construction

Cite for the source?

 

[Vinnie Mac]

He feels like a industry plant to me.

LOL! Him and Jolly the gingerbread man both

 

[Big_Shakalaka]

maybe it’s that COP horizons update that was rumored

Please elaborate on this. COP Horizons???

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

I wonder if Disney’s waiting to announce any Epcot projects not only to allow for the park to breathe a little from walls, but also in order to announce a CoP refresh & a Tomorrowland redo for DL at the same time.

I feel like those announcements alone would be enough to garner alot of easy goodwill amongst fans, especially after this whole thing with ROA. It could be advertised as some sort of legacy presentation

 

[Loose Pebble]

Please elaborate on this. COP Horizons???

There were some rumors that they were going to update the last scene of CoP and have some callbacks to Horizons - I think @Moth was the one who heard the rumors?

 

[Moth]

There were some rumors that they were going to update the last scene of CoP and have some callbacks to Horizons - I think @Moth was the one who heard the rumors?

Yeah but the talks of it cooled off in the weeks leading up to it. It was probably just an idea kicked around for general QOL and fanservice

 

[easyrowrdw]

Where are you getting that from? There is no reason they need to wait until Cars is done before starting on Villains. And they even said at D23 that "work has already begun" on Villains (though who know what that really means).

The beauty of working on currently unbuilt and backstage land for Villains is they have a lot more flexibility in their construction timeline.

Given that the concept art didn't seem especially detailed, I really do wonder how much they've decided for the land. Work began more than two years ago when they pitched it as a possibility so who knows what that means, indeed.

 

[Bocabear]

I thought in the initial announcement they talked about Carsland....and then after Carsland they would then begin creating Villainsland...but that would push the beginning construction for Villains to 2030 with a completion date of 2034-5?

 

[doctornick]

I thought in the initial announcement they talked about Carsland....and then after Carsland they would then begin creating Villainsland...but that would push the beginning construction for Villains to 2030 with a completion date of 2034-5?

Why wouldn't they be doing both at the same time? They indicated that work has begun on all the projects and that everything announced is planned to be completed within 5 years.

I'm not saying they will keep to that schedule, but it seems to be the intent and it is certainly a plausible timeline if they wanted.

 

[Loose Pebble]

Yeah but the talks of it cooled off in the weeks leading up to it. It was probably just an idea kicked around for general QOL and fanservice

Pity - that could have been really cool; and nice to have it next to Space Mountain's Horizons callbacks as well

 

[Nubs70]

Why wouldn't they be doing both at the same time? They indicated that work has begun on all the projects and that everything announced is planned to be completed within 5 years.

I'm not saying they will keep to that schedule, but it seems to be the intent and it is certainly a plausible timeline if they wanted.

Why??

Fixed CAPEX expenditures.

They seem to only want to spend a fixed amount for construction per month. If you build 2 projects at once, they will take 2x as long to complete.

 

[doctornick]

Why??

Fixed CAPEX expenditures.

They seem to only want to spend a fixed amount for construction per month. If you build 2 projects at once, they will take 2x as long to complete.

But they are increasing their Capex spend. That's kind of the entire point of the "we'll be spending $60B on the parks division in the next 10 years" announcement.

 

[bwr827]

But they are increasing their Capex spend. That's kind of the entire point of the "we'll be spending $60B on the parks division in the next 10 years" announcement.

Yup — setting clear expectations for the market.

“As we previously shared, we’re on a multi-year path of investing $60B to turbocharge our parks…” (not an actual quote)

 

[doctornick]

So I was just thinking... I know many of us are jittery about how the financial state of the company can impact decisions to cut funding or value engineer projects. And the stock price not doing well has me on edge a bit as to whether the planned parks investment will be cut.

But I will say that the recent movie successes (Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, now Aliens) means that that division will be healthier in the shorter term. and with streaming collectively turning a profit last quarter, can we be optimistic that they will let investments in the parks happen rather than siphoning off that profits there to support other branches of the company? The parks alone generate enough net profit to find the $6B/year that they planned.

 

[Andrew25]

So I was just thinking... I know many of us are jittery about how the financial state of the company can impact decisions to cut funding or value engineer projects. And the stock price not doing well has me on edge a bit as to whether the planned parks investment will be cut.

But I will say that the recent movie successes (Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, now Aliens) means that that division will be healthier in the shorter term. and with streaming collectively turning a profit last quarter, can we be optimistic that they will let investments in the parks happen rather than siphoning off that profits there to support other branches of the company? The parks alone generate enough net profit to find the $6B/year that they planned.

Yes - but 2025's film slate is worrying... but WDW should benefit from increased travel to Orlando next year. (Even if people skip a WDW park or two, Disney's hotels should benefit).

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

Maybe GE will reconsider the 3rd ride and put it into the park.

 

[J4546]

Maybe GE will reconsider the 3rd ride and put it into the park.
View attachment 810754

i dont think so....it was gonna be a capacity and maintenance nightmare

 

[SWGalaxys_Edge]

i dont think so....it was gonna be a capacity and maintenance nightmare

Maybe then add a "speeder chase" as depicted in the trading cards...

 

[wutisgood]

My assumption was villinans land does will not require reconfiguration of existing areas as a true expansion so they can start work sooner even if the area is more complex. I would think it was possible they would want to open villians land first for extra capacity while they take down frontierland to reconfigure it. In any case especially with with big thunder moutain retrack there has to be some clear phased opening plan. Disney wasn't really direct about what that was.

I expect thatsome of this constuction may be accelerated if the Universal 3rd gate does prove sucessfull in taking marketshare away more than disney thought. I could also see timelines accelertaing or slowing base on other unnanouced projects being finalized.