Look,, if WDW is this crowded.. the OPEN A FIFTH PARK...

[JIMINYCR]

My time in Texas courtesy of Uncle Sam taught me that parts Texas have some of the best and worst weather in the US, depending on the time of year. Very pleasant in the winter and spring, unbearable in the summer. I wouldn't voluntarily set foot in Texas again between the months of May and early October. At least those afternoon thunderstorms in Florida often cool things off for awhile. I remember waiting until almost 11 PM during the summer in San Antonio before temperatures were bearable enough to exercise outside.

So, no Disney park in Texas...

That’s why many theme parks southward open in select months usually periods of April to October and then some only weekends. Disney can’t be down for lengthy time periods and survive. Walt did his research long ago and couldn’t find many spots he felt were worth building year long parks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

you can say that about almost anywhere in the USA.

pretty much every place has a time of the year where weather is desirable(or undesirable as well)

exception to the hard rule: San Diego.

Maui says “hold my beer”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That’s why many theme parks southward open in select months usually periods of April to October and then some only weekends. Disney can’t be down for lengthy time periods and survive. Walt did his research long ago and couldn’t find many spots he felt were worth building year long parks.

He found one…

people may not know that Miami was REJECTED due to the occasional hurricane and “too hot”

Orlando often feels worse.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Has Disney ever seriously talked about a 5th gate like the OP is saying? I agree with the others, put in 3rd MK somewhere. I would say Texas somewhere would work I guess.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Has Disney ever seriously talked about a 5th gate like the OP is saying? I agree with the others, put in 3rd MK somewhere. I would say Texas somewhere would work I guess.

Beyond master planning “placeholders”…no

I think Eisner would have entertained it. But it wouldn’t have come to pass.

The Bob’s? Hell freakin no. That involves money and expenses and guts


The most chatter was the discovery cove spawned “night park”…a higher cost exclusive

Instead we got “galactic yesterday’s news”

Boy…don’t hear much chatter about that, do you?

 

[Walt Disney1955]

we are all complaining about the disney Greedy and Bob Cheapskate.. and ol' Bob says.. hey if you are gonna come then you are gonna pay for it.. Well if you want to relieve OVER CROWDING. OPEN ANOTHER PARK.. if you start today.. it can be open in a year.. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT.. Epcot was built in just over a year.. Magic Kingdom, in a year.. in the past.. it was we can't build it, its a recession.. we couldn't build it last year. it was covid.. well guess what.. no recession and covid has cut way back, and you have more money then GOD...and they are bringing more in ..in dump trucks each and every day.. BUILD ANOTHER PARK.. No excuse now..

Didn't construction start in 1966 for WDW? I know there is footage of Walt actually standing in a spot that was just dirt at one point, so I assume they were starting to dig then. Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. So didn't it technically take 5 years to build? Just doing the math on this.

But I do agree, things can be built fast. Disneyland went up quite quick if I recall (a year?)

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Look,, if WDW is this crowded.. the OPEN A FIFTH PARK...​

OR

Hear me out.

---

1. Get rid of the reservation system. If Disney wants to make sure their parks don't go over the daily capacity, just worry about the daily ticket sells. Stop trying to oversell tickets.

2. Get rid of the Genie plus-sickly Lightning Let-me-take-your-money systems and put back the single file Stand By Line for EVERYONE TO USE! *

*Of course there would be an exception for the handicap.

3. Lower the dang prices...

Oh wait. Ha! I'm getting off topic.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

Right up - DW & I live in MI.

But given the increasing population of TEXAS, easy access to the ocean, fairly cheap land, reasonable climate....
I'm totally mystified as to why Disney would not want to expand by building in TEXAS. Anyone have any deal-killers regarding that concept?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

There is another option. Build a 3rd domestic resort.

This is the only realistic solution to overcrowding at the US parks, another park at DLR or WDW won’t reduce overcrowding at DL or MK at all.

I suppose that is possible, but I am convinced that the price could be raised to 500 per person per day, and Disney gate attendants get to punch every visitor in the gut upon entry, and the parks would still be packed with people. This is the result of having a product that tons of people want no matter how bad the actual experience is while partaking in said product.

Despite all their flaws the Disney parks are still vastly superior to all other US parks, Universal Orlando being their only direct competition. Unless Disney falls to amusement park level there will always be demand because there’s no other option.

There is also nowhere that is “close enough” to draw a significant market away from wdw or DL…

And you can’t go where it’s a “seasonal” weather climate.

What I’m saying is: nobody wants to go to Texas. And if they go there instead of wdw…what’s the point in paying for it again?

DL and MK are capped, they can’t squeeze any more people in, the only way to grow the market is add a third park in another state.

If they could add 15 million visits a year in a TX park it would more than offset the couple million lost on the coasts, make a better experience for everyone, and make Disney boatloads more money.

I’d choose to go to a TX park in a heartbeat over DL, the worst part about DL is getting there, driving is horrible, flying there is horrible… it’s a wonderful park but not convenient to get to at all.

Unfortunately it’s easier to just raise prices so that’s the likely future.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is the only realistic solution to overcrowding at the US parks, another park at DLR or WDW won’t reduce overcrowding at DL or MK at all.



Despite all their flaws the Disney parks are still vastly superior to all other US parks, Universal Orlando being their only direct competition. Unless Disney falls to amusement park level there will always be demand because there’s no other option.



DL and MK are capped, they can’t squeeze any more people in, the only way to grow the market is add a third park in another state.

If they could add 15 million visits a year in a TX park it would more than offset the couple million lost on the coasts, make a better experience for everyone, and make Disney boatloads more money.

I’d choose to go to a TX park in a heartbeat over DL, the worst part about DL is getting there, driving is horrible, flying there is horrible… it’s a wonderful park but not convenient to get to at all.

Unfortunately it’s easier to just raise prices so that’s the likely future.

Growth is not their intention.

Here’s where I’ll cut to the bone. I am on record as to tell people not to believe a DAMN word of what the Bob’s said.

Except believe they don’t really want to “grow” in park traffic. Sure…they want more people at what was long paid for…at maximum price. Blue ocean in practice.

They don’t want “less attendance”. Don’t be a fool. They want what’s already there filled to the gills…the ROI is so much better.

But they have ZERO desire to take on Longterm overhead to do it. You have to look at what they DON’T tell you to find the truth. Which is why so many praets get so frustrated when they’re proven wrong. That’s been going on for 15 years.

Trust you instincts/brain…hearts are for losers

 

[Patcheslee]

Right up - DW & I live in MI.

But given the increasing population of TEXAS, easy access to the ocean, fairly cheap land, reasonable climate....
I'm totally mystified as to why Disney would not want to expand by building in TEXAS. Anyone have any deal-killers regarding that concept?

Six flags, Cedar Fairs, and Sea Worlds already around the major cities. Unless they built something Texas size, it'd probably be a one day theme park. Houston would be the most logical with Galveston port being a little over an hour away.

 

[networkpro]

My time in Texas courtesy of Uncle Sam taught me that parts Texas have some of the best and worst weather in the US, depending on the time of year. Very pleasant in the winter and spring, unbearable in the summer. I wouldn't voluntarily set foot in Texas again between the months of May and early October. At least those afternoon thunderstorms in Florida often cool things off for awhile. I remember waiting until almost 11 PM during the summer in San Antonio before temperatures were bearable enough to exercise outside.

So, no Disney park in Texas...

Well we have ranches in North Texas and its not for the meek. Its lacking in water resources for a large park (unless you want to use brackish water like Possum Kingdom), Too many tornados, killer hail, and you'd be mindful to follow the locals during late spring until October ... get up early, stop by 10AM when it starts to be warm, dont start back up until a few hours before sunset, work until its really dark, then think about eating supper around 9 or 10PM.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Right up - DW & I live in MI.

But given the increasing population of TEXAS, easy access to the ocean, fairly cheap land, reasonable climate....
I'm totally mystified as to why Disney would not want to expand by building in TEXAS. Anyone have any deal-killers regarding that concept?

Because the people from Texas already go to wdw and Disneyland…you know - to go on vacation from Texas?

They have really no reason to dilute their demand across the country. In the 80/90’s when Eisner chased his ‘Merica park…and Disney quest…and Broadway…and dcl…and DVC…

“Growth” was the idea. The paradigm has shifted. They have mostly dumped what can reasonably considered the “middle class”…there are about 60% of Americans that aren’t in the market now…and I think I’m way low on that estimate.

 

[Brer Panther]

So from what I'm getting, there's literally no way that Disney could possibly make the parks less crowded?

As for a fifth park, I'd say the chances of that are pretty slim... and, honestly, do we even WANT to see a fifth park under Chapek? We could wind up with Walt Disney Studios Paris 2.0.

 

[networkpro]

Right up - DW & I live in MI.

But given the increasing population of TEXAS, easy access to the ocean, fairly cheap land, reasonable climate....
I'm totally mystified as to why Disney would not want to expand by building in TEXAS. Anyone have any deal-killers regarding that concept?

Climate.

 

[networkpro]

Because the people from Texas already go to wdw and Disneyland…you know - to go on vacation from Texas?

They have really no reason to dilute their demand across the country. In the 80/90’s when Eisner chased his ‘Merica park…and Disney quest…and Broadway…and dcl…and DVC…

“Growth” was the idea. The paradigm has shifted. They have mostly dumped what can reasonably considered the “middle class”…there are about 60% of Americans that aren’t in the market now…and I think I’m way low on that estimate.

By your estimation that still leaves a potential customer base of 131 million.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

By your estimation that still leaves a potential customer base of 131 million.

Many who do other things. The nuts only hang out at the nuthouse at places like this

Actually…I looked it up and household Income above $100,000 was only about 22% in 2014…and inequality always grows during “booms”

So I’m way low now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So from what I'm getting, there's literally no way that Disney could possibly make the parks less crowded?

As for a fifth park, I'd say the chances of that are pretty slim... and, honestly, do we even WANT to see a fifth park under Chapek? We could wind up with Walt Disney Studios Paris 2.0.

There’s one way they have regulated attendance over the 50 years…and it has nothing to do with management decisions.

 

[Skibum1970]

Look,, if WDW is this crowded.. the OPEN A FIFTH PARK...​

OR

Hear me out.

---

1. Get rid of the reservation system. If Disney wants to make sure their parks don't go over the daily capacity, just worry about the daily ticket sells. Stop trying to oversell tickets.

2. Get rid of the Genie plus-sickly Lightning Let-me-take-your-money systems and put back the single file Stand By Line for EVERYONE TO USE! *

*Of course there would be an exception for the handicap.

3. Lower the dang prices...

Oh wait. Ha! I'm getting off topic.

I'll add a fourth point. Stop spending $450M on every ride. Instead, build quality rides without breaking the bank, increase capacity in the other three parks (EP, HS, and AK) and spread the crowds out.

 

[BrianLo]

Aren't Epcot and Animal Kingdom generally (outside of holidays) tolerable these days?

The obvious answer, again, is to expand the existing parks. While needed, the last round bordered on fixing rather than expansion.