DAK 'Encanto' and 'Indiana Jones'-themed experiences at Animal Kingdom

Loose Pebble

Loose Pebble

Active Member
Marc Davis Fan said:
I've been thinking about the following, and decided this is the best thread for it (since Tropical Americas is the soonest-to-open of the truly major upcoming projects).

The likely budgets of all the announced projects combined would be only a small fraction of the supposed $17 billion in capital expenditures for a 10-year period.

If erring towards the high end, I might imagine something like:
  • Tropical Americas: $600 million
  • Monstropolis: $500 million
  • Muppets RnRC: $100 million
  • Cars: $500 million
  • Villains: $1.5 billion
That totals just over $3 billion. Maybe I'm still underestimating - maybe the Villains land is an unprecedented $2 billion (is that possible?), maybe Cars is a whopping $1 billion due to infrastructure complexities, maybe Tropical Americas and Monstropolis are several hundred million dollars more, plus we should count hotel expansions, etc. - so let's round it up and say $5 billion.

If they're really budgeting $17 billion for the 10-year period with the supposed aim of leapfrogging over the competition via extraordinary scale/ambition, why do they appear so budget-constrained right now... especially considering what we know about these additions: the Encanto attraction only being a D-ticket (if still true?), the Indiana Jones Adventure plans being downsized so it's no longer anticipated to be the superior version (if still true?), and not even to be going all-out with the door coaster (according to insiders in that thread)? Is this only because the anticipated cash won't be available until the second half of the decade? (I know they said the capex would be rear-loaded, but this seems really rear-loaded... like, $10-15 billion in capex over the remaining five years is nearly inconceivable to me...)
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I wonder how that would change though once you add in the non-park investments. There’s all the stuff for cruises, and then there’s the Epic investment of 1.5 bil. There’s also the international parks investments - Lion King in Paris, Spider-Man in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Not sure how much these would cost but it gets much closer to that 50/50 split.
 
Marc Davis Fan

Marc Davis Fan

Well-Known Member
Loose Pebble said:
I wonder how that would change though once you add in the non-park investments. There’s all the stuff for cruises, and then there’s the Epic investment of 1.5 bil. There’s also the international parks investments - Lion King in Paris, Spider-Man in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Not sure how much these would cost but it gets much closer to that 50/50 split.
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Disney states that the $17 billion is for WDW specifically.

If you include non-WDW parks/“experiences,” they state that the total capex will be $60 billion.
 
Rosso11

Rosso11

Well-Known Member
Marc Davis Fan said:
the Indiana Jones Adventure plans being downsized so it's no longer anticipated to be the superior version (if still true?),
Click to expand...

This I can speak for specifically. That is not true at all and never was. It is absolutely designed and planned to be the superior version. At least on paper it is and everyone involved I’ve spoken to believes it will be but as we know until it opens we will see if the public perception feels the same way.

As far as budgets in general Disney has always stated that the second half of the 10 year plan will see the bulk of the money. So if true there is a lot more coming.
 
Marc Davis Fan

Marc Davis Fan

Well-Known Member
Rosso11 said:
This I can speak for specifically. That is not true at all and never was. It is absolutely designed and planned to be the superior version. At least on paper it is and everyone involved I’ve spoken to believes it will be…
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This is wonderful news. I thought the situation had changed (per other insiders earlier in this thread). You just made my day.
 
Marc Davis Fan

Marc Davis Fan

Well-Known Member
Casper Gutman said:
Which insiders said it was scaled down?
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@celluloid unless I misunderstood and they just meant the facade, see several posts from them about it starting here: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads...iences-at-animal-kingdom.981958/post-11062289

doctornick said:
I’m too lazy to look but was the $17B said to be specifically for WDW or was it “in Florida”? I ask because the latter could conceivably include investments related to the cruise line (especially things at the port).
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Per Iger, Disney plans “to invest over $17 billion in Walt Disney World over the next 10 years.”
 
C

celluloid

Well-Known Member
The thing is, when you have over 22 square miles of property that features 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, large recreation venues and over 20 hotels with roads and transportation methods connecting them all. 17 billion in 10 to 20 years is something thst should just be done at a general rate of progress.
 
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C

celluloid

Well-Known Member
Casper Gutman said:
Which insiders said it was scaled down?
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I don't consider myself an insider. But I was one who have seen the plans differ enough from DL's design features and what has made it appreciated. That was discussed awhile back and it is not to say that differences won't automatically make it less, but I have little faith in modern leadership that will make it so.
 
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Disnutz311

Disnutz311

Disney World Purist
Marc Davis Fan said:
I've been thinking about the following, and
Click to expand...

Marc Davis Fan said:
I've been thinking about the following, and decided this is the best thread for it (since Tropical Americas is the soonest-to-open of the truly major upcoming projects).

The likely budgets of all the announced projects combined would be only a small fraction of the supposed $17 billion in capital expenditures for a 10-year period.

If erring towards the high end, I might imagine something like:
  • Tropical Americas: $600 million
  • Monstropolis: $500 million
  • Muppets RnRC: $100 million
  • Cars: $500 million
  • Villains: $1.5 billion
That totals just over $3 billion. Maybe I'm still underestimating - maybe the Villains land is an unprecedented $2 billion (is that possible?), maybe Cars is a whopping $1 billion due to infrastructure complexities, maybe Tropical Americas and Monstropolis are several hundred million dollars more, plus we should count hotel expansions, etc. - so let's round it up and say $5 billion.

If they're really budgeting $17 billion for the 10-year period with the supposed aim of leapfrogging over the competition via extraordinary scale/ambition, why do they appear so budget-constrained right now... especially considering what we know about these additions: the Encanto attraction only being a D-ticket (if still true?), the Indiana Jones Adventure plans being downsized so it's no longer anticipated to be the superior version (if still true?), and not even to be going all-out with the door coaster (according to insiders in that thread)? Is this only because the anticipated cash won't be available until the second half of the decade? (I know they said the capex would be rear-loaded, but this seems really rear-loaded... like, $10-15 billion in capex over the remaining five years is nearly inconceivable to me...)
Click to expand...
This is Disney we are talking about so there will be massive cost overruns...

Tropical Americas - 750m (Encanto will be 300m easy)
Monstropolis - 650m (Coaster will be 400m)
Muppets - 75m (Hoping they spend this much)
Cars - 1b (So much earth to move and then build a stupid ride nobody wants)
Villans 2b (If done right and there better be a Haunted Mansion themed bar before you get to the land)

Keep in mind CAPEX is also maintainance and general repairs. So when Disney says CAPEX a big chunk will go into fixing things (BTRM track, Sewage issue in Frontierland, New food kiosks, villains show at Studios, paint the castle another stupid color, etc) and their standard maintenance and upgrade yearly budget. Phase two will be luck to have 4b left and that better go to EPCOT 50th and at least a new figment ride.

I think we all love big new shiny stuff, but there is some low lying fruit that I wish they would do alongside these big lands. A replacement for Stitch could happen by 2027, Electric Autopia vehicles 2025, New Galaxy Edge characters and show 2025, Inside and Out in Magic Eye 2026, New Morocco restaurant 2025, Fix the Yeti 2026, etc. But they have to want this.

Everyone in Imagineering is contract base (Except for a small core few) so that is why it takes so long and costs so much. They have to hire new people, teach the interns they hire to be Imagineers, get Gensler and other companies to do some work, and have executives make the wrong decisions and then start over.
 
JackCH

JackCH

Well-Known Member
Rosso11 said:
This I can speak for specifically. That is not true at all and never was. It is absolutely designed and planned to be the superior version. At least on paper it is and everyone involved I’ve spoken to believes it will be but as we know until it opens we will see if the public perception feels the same way.

As far as budgets in general Disney has always stated that the second half of the 10 year plan will see the bulk of the money. So if true there is a lot more coming.
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I personally hope this cycle was viewed as "prioritize MK" and the next one is either AK or DHS.
 
Timothy_Q

Timothy_Q

Well-Known Member
Based on their rotation of park investments, I'd guess the first big project after Villains would be something for Epcot, followed by DAK and DHS

MK (New Fantasyland)
↓
DAK (Pandora, Harambe expansion, RoL, park enhancements)
↓
DHS (TSL, SWGE, MMRR)
↓
Epcot (GotG, Rat, Moana, TT, Spine, Luminous, new films)
↓
DAK (Tropical Americas, Zoo)
↓
DHS (Monstropolis, Muppets, Villains show, Mermaid)
↓
MK (Cars, Villains)
↓
Epcot? (Figment, WoL, new ride for WS?)
↓
DAK? (Lion King, Pandora expansion?)
↓
DHS? (New land behind Animation Courtyard?)
↓
MK? (Tomorrowland redo?)
 
Marc Davis Fan

Marc Davis Fan

Well-Known Member
Timothy_Q said:
Based on their rotation of park investments, I'd guess the first big project after Villains would be something for Epcot, followed by DAK and DHS

MK (New Fantasyland)
↓
DAK (Pandora, Harambe expansion, RoL, park enhancements)
↓
DHS (TSL, SWGE, MMRR)
↓
Epcot (GotG, Rat, Moana, TT, Spine, Luminous, new films)
↓
DAK (Tropical Americas, Zoo)
↓
DHS (Monstropolis, Muppets, Villains show, Mermaid)
↓
MK (Cars, Villains)
↓
Epcot? (Figment, WoL, new ride for WS?)
↓
DAK? (Lion King, Pandora expansion?)
↓
DHS? (New land behind Animation Courtyard?)
↓
MK? (Tomorrowland redo?)
Click to expand...
For MK, it’s possible the Adventureland expansion (Moana?) plans are still on the table, too. My fingers are crossed for that, in large part because of the addition-by-subtraction that would be the removal of a carnival spinner from an otherwise-transportive and beautifully-detailed environment.
 
peter11435

peter11435

Well-Known Member
Marc Davis Fan said:
For MK, it’s possible the Adventureland expansion (Moana?) plans are still on the table, too. My fingers are crossed for that, in large part because of the addition-by-subtraction that would be the removal of a carnival spinner from an otherwise-transportive and beautifully-detailed environment.
Click to expand...
I would not expect Aladdin to be removed as part of any Adventureland expansion.
 
JackCH

JackCH

Well-Known Member
peter11435 said:
I would not expect Aladdin to be removed as part of any Adventureland expansion.
Click to expand...
Bernie Sanders I am Once Again Asking Meme Template — Kapwing

I am once again asking for a Cave of Wonders ride in Adventureland!!
 

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