Rumor D23 2024 WDW Rumors, Predictions & Discussion

[Fox&Hound]

What are talking about less replacements? The only actual addition will be Villains. Cars is likely replacing Rivers and Tom Sawyer Island. Tropical Americas is replacing Dinoland. Monsters is likely replacing Muppets and Star Tours.

Seriously? If Cars replaces TSI that no one visits or Tropical Americas replaces an area most view as a joke- then yes it is an expansion. People can argue all they want about location or IP choice but this whole argument about “it’s not a net gain cause it just replaces another ride” despite the fact that no one rides/enjoys the original is so ludicrous and ignorant. I can’t….

 

[SplashJacket]

Based on announcements and timelines, 2026 looks to be a stale year with the only thing next year is the light parade and test track

Each park should have had a different expansion planned already underway with something new opening every year.

They announced a lot of openings for 2025, 2027, 2028, and 2029.

Like a lot a lot. Only openings, if I’m remembering correctly were Frozen and the DAW lagoon.

I expect some smaller stop-gap things to fill that void.

 

[GhostHost1000]

They announced a lot of openings for 2025, 2027, 2028, and 2029.

Like a lot a lot. Only openings, if I’m remembering correctly were Frozen and the DAW lagoon.

I expect some smaller stop-gap things to fill that void.

My fear is the more time they have to deliver. The more time they have to cut and adjust budgets and plans. It’s happened many times before sadly

 

[SplashJacket]

Seriously? If Cars replaces TSI that no one visits or Tropical Americas replaces an area most view as a joke- then yes it is an expansion. People can argue all they want about location or IP choice but this whole argument about “it’s not a net gain cause it just replaces another ride” despite the fact that no one rides/enjoys the original is so ludicrous and ignorant. I can’t….

Semantics, but not technically true expansion, but I don’t think it matters. I 100%, people complaining that a horrible Hollywood Land, Animation Courtyard, or Chester and Hesters gets replaced is beyond silly, but there’s one important key:

Capacity Expansion TSI and a cars land with multiple rides are not created equally. Animation courtyard and a Monsters Inc land and coaster are not created equally for capacity. An underutilized Dinosaur is not created equally with a slammed Indy. A low capacity wild-mouse coaster is not created equally to a high capacity omnimover.

They’re substantially expanding capacity if they’re not expanding the physical footprint of the parks.

These announcements are such a huge win.

And like you said, having capacity that no one wants to ride isn’t getting the full advantage of that capacity, but more importantly, if I don’t want to ride a ride, I don’t care if it’s high capacity / low wait.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The circumstances around Iger's abrupt departure are still incredibly weird. Feels like something happened there that never surfaced publicly.

Some have speculated that Iger saw the early writing on the wall that things were about to hit the fan with COVID and he wanted to cash in his retirement while he still could.

There's some journalist, I forget who, who's writing a book on the Chapek vs. Iger period. Maybe we'll know more then.

Bob Iger stepped down from his position as CEO on February 25th, 2020. Right as Covid was really starting to tear its way through the US and less than three weeks before lockdowns began. They were being discussed and planned well before they were actually implemented. Iger knew they were coming and jumped ship at the last second to try and avoid a reputation hit, but he made sure to keep his foot in the door and got himself a front-row seat to Chapek's downfall. He remained on as an "advisor" for a long while after (though there were ample business articles that stated he was still effectively CEO in all but name, much to Chapek's displeasaure). Iger then jumped back in after the storm was over.

Bob stayed on for a whole year during the worst part of the pandemic being the shadow-CEO.

I don't understand the narrative of "he bailed at first sight of COVID" when that's demonstrably not true.

Disney "fans": Iger will never leave.

Reality: He already left once. It's possible for him to leave.​

Disney "fans": Iger fled when COVID arrived.

Reality: He stayed on for a year during the worst of it pretty much saying he was still in charge.​

 

[Lilofan]

My fear is the more time they have to deliver. The more time they have to cut and adjust budgets and plans. It’s happened many times before.

Its actually a business method of spreading out openings and like you said build adjust cancel due to company conditions. The whet of the appetite of a number of things in the pipeline is what people will remember and talk about.

 

[Sneaky]

Man, this crow were all eating is delicious!

 

[Tha Realest]

There was nothing announced that would replace GRR though

They announced four new attractions to DCA (two in Avengers land, at least one Avatar ride, and Coco). Assuming the Avengers attractions eat into old Hollywood land, that Avatar land has to go somewhere, likewise a big boat ride for Encanto.

It’s possible all that is part of Disneyland forward, but that’s a lot of space to eat up.

 

[GhostHost1000]

It’s actually a business method of spreading out openings and like you said build adjust cancel due to company conditions. The whet of the appetite of a number of things in the pipeline is what people will remember and talk about.

If they were smart about spreading out openings they would have announced some of these things years ago and be opening something major every year.

This is all about the now “need” they have to do something because things are becoming stale and spreading these major projects over a number of years is for accounting purposes only. They could rush all these things if they want. Uni built an entire theme park in the time it takes Disney to build 1 major attraction these days

 

[MisterPenguin]

Do we know why they called it horizons yet?

Nostalgia bait.

Disney has no qualms -- absolutely none at all -- of using defunct Disney park memorabilia in marketing. While some "super fans" shake their fist when Disney uses closed attractions (Toad, Horizons, etc...), the general public doesn't care.

Disney doesn't care about upsetting "super fans" since they tend to be demanding.

And yes, we should demand excellence in quality, artistry, and operations. But demanding a closed attraction to come back or to tell Disney "you keep the name 'Horizons' out of your mouth!!!" -- Disney doesn't play that game.

 

[Lilofan]

Bob stayed on for a whole year during the worst part of the pandemic being the shadow-CEO.

I don't understand the narrative of "he bailed at first sight of COVID" when that's demonstrably not true.

Disney "fans": Iger will never leave.

Reality: He already left once. It's possible for him to leave.​

Disney "fans": Iger fled when COVID arrived.

Reality: He stayed on for a year during the worst of it pretty much saying he was still in charge.​

While Chapek was promoted to CEO , he didn't even move into Iger's office with the private bathroom and shower. A local CEO in my area has the same office set up like Iger. The bathroom and shower comes in handy when that CEO arrives on the red eye and goes straight to the office in the early morning and or freshening up after a long day at work before going out to dinner meetings with clients .

 

[MisterPenguin]

is it uncool now to announce attractions without a title?

Now the other theme park CEOs won't let Bob sit with them at lunch!!

Ew. He's so uncool, don't look at him. Oh, hai, Bob, that seat's taken. We're saving it for a friend who can name things.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Man, this crow we’re all eating is delicious!

What crow? AK is getting no net new attractions or a night show, 2026 is a stale year because of lack of past planning, and while I’m glad they announced some big things, nothing has been delivered yet and I’ll believe all of these things turn out like the announcements and concept art when I see it open. There is too much time for plans and budgets to change

New Fantasyland, Hyperion Wharf, Main Street Theater, Pixar Play Pavilion, Epcot transformation are some of the more recent examples. There are plenty more.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Aside from Dinoland in AK what else is being torn down to make room for any of the things announced last night?

AFAIK, definite locations haven't been announced (except maybe DL's Avengers E-ticket and WAD's Lion King mini-land).

 

[jason976]

Seriously? If Cars replaces TSI that no one visits or Tropical Americas replaces an area most view as a joke- then yes it is an expansion. People can argue all they want about location or IP choice but this whole argument about “it’s not a net gain cause it just replaces another ride” despite the fact that no one rides/enjoys the original is so ludicrous and ignorant. I can’t….

I’m 50 and have been going to Disney since I was 5. Even I have no interest in TSI. My college aged kids think it’s a joke and a waste of space. I respect those who enjoy it and are sad if it goes away, but the fact is that the majority would not know anything is missing.

 

[aladdin2007]

The problem with most of these new things announced is once they are reality, its not going to exactly be accessible. You'll either have to pay up by buying your way into it on the app or winning the lottery in that mess....so its hard to get excited when its way too complicated to get in or on to ride.

 

[Brian]

They announced a lot of openings for 2025, 2027, 2028, and 2029.

Like a lot a lot. Only openings, if I’m remembering correctly were Frozen and the DAW lagoon.

I expect some smaller stop-gap things to fill that void.

2026 is light in terms of openings based on what they announced last night, but there's a handful of things they did not announce which I'd expect a press release for if they have not been/end up being cut. In part, some cool stuff surrounding resorts (not just DVC), and some other entertainment they're not quite sure about yet.

 

[MisterPenguin]

If they were smart about spreading out openings they would have announced some of these things years ago and be opening something major every year.

Between D+ starting up and buying out Hulu co-owners, and buying Fox, and the pandemic, Disney didn't have the free cash to commit to this level of investment in the parks.

They do now.

 

[SplashJacket]

My fear is the more time they have to deliver. The more time they have to cut and adjust budgets and plans. It’s happened many times before sadly

I think the main risk for cuts is for Villains.

SDL needs an additional expansion.

HKDL has the E-ticket partially budgeted for by the local government.

Paris needs more after Frozen opens.

DCA needs the Avengers E-ticket, and it seems to be starting imminently.

Avatar is a future anchor land, so I don’t think it’s at much risk of getting cut. In theory, I could see them green lighting a third park and plopping it there, but regardless, I don’t see Disneyland resort losing its Avatar.

Coco is a maybe because it’s so far away, but Coco will absolutely be a slam dunk success. DCA also just physically needs more rides to sell Genie+, and doesn’t have the capacity for it. Coco shouldn’t be that expensive, relatively speaking. I could also see Coco being moved to somewhere else as part of a broader Coco mini-land or something. Or even the DisneylandForever Frontierland plot with Encanto, but if they’re spending, I don’t think Coco gets cut.

If they’re spending, is obviously a big caveat, and Avatar and Coco are more at risk because they seem less imminent.

For WDW, we know the AK stuff is happening.

For HWS, I don’t know how imminent Monster’s Inc is, but it seems to be somewhat imminent. HWS needs it really badly, because it and Animal Kingdom will likely falter the most at the hands of Epic (they target a similar audience).

I also think HWS is one of the better parks at driving new attendance to the resort. Monsters Inc is also really crucial and likely a direct product of Genie+ and ILL. You need new attractions to continue selling ILL, and Slinky needs to be relieved of a rule if was never designed to fill.

Cars, I have no idea at MK. Same for Villains. I think both are risky due to their scale and long timelines. Really shocked they’re doing Cars and Villains and not Moana and Villains (I wasn’t really expecting Villains, but if it were to happen, that was my expectation).

I think most everything, if not everything, they announced will actually get built.

Cars and Villains being the most murky, but even Avatar and Coco I see coming in some form or another. I also think they realize they have such a winner on their hands for Villains that they will go through with it as well.

Villains, unlike something like an Avatar or Galaxy’s Edge, won’t go out of style and will easily stand the test of time at Magic Kingdom. It speaks to the core audience of Magic Kingdom while simultaneously bringing additional guests and adding capacity. It’s the perfect expansion.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Between D+ starting up and buying out Hulu co-owners, and buying Fox, and the pandemic, Disney didn't have the free cash to commit to this level of investment in the parks.

They do now.

Then that was poor planning imo. The parks are the cash cow for their other poor decisions.