Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary Plans

[sporadic]

Maybe they'll add "Patriot Land", similar to Russia's "Patriot Park"? http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/17/europe/russia-military-theme-park-reporters-notebook/index.html

 

[Siren]

@Siren you are assuming someone at TWDC actually cares about the company, As long as the stock price is lofty and the bonuses keep rolling in current TWDC management will continue doing the same stuff, When it all comes unglued the the executive suite will deploy their golden parachutes and float off to retirement with millions in the kitty. Meanwhile the wreckage of the company will be sold off to the highest bidder and many careers will be ruined through no fault of their own.

This is way to draconian for me. I see WDW for what it is -- a timeshare resort with parks. Because of DVC, Disney does not have to follow the same model of traditional theme parks that must add a new major attraction every other year or so. I just noticed that Disney has been plummeted by an unusual amount of negative press recently.

Because UNI's parent company of Comcast has a STERLING reputation right now. Their customer service is unilaterally lauded as being prompt, polite, and efficient, and the news anchors on their television stations have never been caught lying.

LOL, Comcast. I get it. But, Universal's recent news has been pretty exciting and I haven't seen any negative news about them.

 

[gmajew]

Because UNI's parent company of Comcast has a STERLING reputation right now. Their customer service is unilaterally lauded as being prompt, polite, and efficient, and the news anchors on their television stations have never been caught lying.

Comcast customer service is horrible.... we'll cable company customer service... Wait 30 min on hold and every time I get hung up on when transferred to operator... Never fails

 

[Brer Panther]

I'm a bit worried they might retheme Splash Mountain... I mean, I know that if they were gonna retheme it they would have done it by now, but I'm still kind of worried... The Song of the South theme is my favorite part of the ride.

And with our luck, Stitch's Great Escape will probably survive the expansion.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm a bit worried they might retheme Splash Mountain... I mean, I know that if they were gonna retheme it they would have done it by now, but I'm still kind of worried... The Song of the South theme is my favorite part of the ride.

Why would they retheme Splash Mountain? The ride is more famous than the movie so it doesn't matter much that nobody knows the movie.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Because UNI's parent company of Comcast has a STERLING reputation right now. Their customer service is unilaterally lauded as being prompt, polite, and efficient, and the news anchors on their television stations have never been caught lying.

Not to mention the Net Neutrality civil war between "old media" and "new media." Everyone knows that the social media generation loves Comcast and Time Warner and despises YouTube, Google, and Facebook.

 

[TP2000]

We (the CMs in the part of MK where I work) had a meeting with two of our leaders who were talking about various internal things (high guest satisfaction ratings, great job, here's where we can improve, etc etc). Our leaders also mentioned that, while there won't be a huge celebration for the 45th anniversary coming up next year, Disney is already planning for the 50th anniversary. They said that the current plans are to completely overhaul both Frontierland and Tomorrowland both in the facades and adding new attractions. They said to expect some big, big changes in those two lands, although they admitted they didn't have any specifics as to what "New" Frontierland and "New" Tomorrowland would look like, nor what attractions would be added.

Thank you for sharing this info and the spark that has created an interesting thread!

That said, were these "leaders" of yours the type who wear slightly wrinkled Dockers, short sleeved shirts, jangling pin lanyards, and a radio earpiece so they can respond to spilled popcorn and ride break downs? In other words, low level management who wander the theme parks supervising hourly workers?

If so, I wouldn't put too much stock in what they would know five years out, much less what they might share in a team meeting. I doubt even the senior executives in TDO have given much thought yet about MK's 50th anniversary plans for 2021. But that certainly wouldn't have filtered down to the low level managers in charge of hourly CM's by this point.

What's more likely is that Magic Kingdom may finally be getting some of the high-profile and very extensive makeovers that two of Disneyland's E Tickets have received; the 2.5 year closure of Space Mountain in 2003-2005 that led to its current showmanship. And the 1.5 year closure of Big Thunder Mountain in 2013-2014 that created its current all-new plotline and special effects. Perhaps add in a big remake of Tom Sawyer Island like Disneyland got that required a six month closure in 2007, and the rumored additions of Star Wars to the parks for Tomorrowland, and you've got a few neat things in the pipeline for Magic Kingdom over the next few years. And those rumors have morphed into a botched attempt at hinting at 50th Anniversary plans in a team meeting.

But a full scale re-Imagineering of both Tomorrowland and Frontierland that has already filtered down to lower management in the theme parks? That's way too aggressive to be talked about at this early stage, much less at that low level on the management totem pole. And the last 15 years of history at WDW parks don't support such a strategy either.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Charging $115 dollars for a steak is OK as long as they have reasonably priced options as well.

Under what obligation must they offer reasonably priced options? Spoiler alert: you're not going to find a $12,000 sedan at the Tesla dealership.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I doubt even the senior executives in TDO have given much thought yet about MK's 50th anniversary plans for 2021.

Wanna bet? I'd be SHOCKED if Parks & Resorts capital budgets were done on anything shorter than a 10-year horizon. They have plans out to fiscal 2024 at least.

 

[gmajew]

They have got to do something big for this have to... Does not need to be anything at MK but the WDW needs some continued projects.... They need to get on pace to open up something new at least every 18months... At least for the next 10 years... With a major major addition of star wars!!!

If they can keep that pace it will not fix everything wrong in the parks but it for sure would help!! The question is do they have the land etc to do it? Prob not so some of it may have to be the dreaded retheme of existing rides!!

 

[doctornick]

Wanna bet? I'd be SHOCKED if Parks & Resorts capital budgets were done on anything shorter than a 10-year horizon. They have plans out to fiscal 2024 at least.

Yeah, this I would agree with. Plans are certainly fluid, but it's almost certain that high level executives have already discussed and planned out potential ideas for MK/WDW's 50th anniversary.

 

[invader]

Under what obligation must they offer reasonably priced options? Spoiler alert: you're not going to find a $12,000 sedan at the Tesla dealership.

But, but, but everyone wants to be included!!!

 

[Cesar R M]

Not to mention the Net Neutrality civil war between "old media" and "new media." Everyone knows that the social media generation loves Comcast and Time Warner and despises YouTube, Google, and Facebook.

you mean "new media" as in giant conglomerates like cnn?
because I'm pretty sure that 99% of the real people who use the network.. wants to tell comcast and time warner to f*** with their lousy service.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

you mean "new media" as in giant conglomerates like cnn?
because I'm pretty sure that 99% of the real people who use the network.. wants to tell comcast and time warner to f*** with their lousy service.

Sarcasm.

 

[Cesar R M]

Sarcasm.

Im unfortunately not Drax. My reflexes are too slow...the sarcasm fled above my head and I couldn't catch it.

 

[1023]

Charging $115 dollars for a steak is OK as long as they have reasonably priced options as well. Some of the visitors to WDW could have their servants find $115 in their couch cushions for them, so it's not a big deal. As long as they have reasonably priced options, this isn't too much of an issue. I do agree that the other items you listed could be PR nightmares.

I only have weekly maid service so if they find $115 in my couch my guess is they'll keep it... If someone chooses to overpay for meat and ambiance, it shouldn't matter to others...

*1023*

 

[TP2000]

Wanna bet? I'd be SHOCKED if Parks & Resorts capital budgets were done on anything shorter than a 10-year horizon. They have plans out to fiscal 2024 at least.

I'd be shocked if they had anything concrete past 5 years. 3 years out, I'm sure they've got stuff pegged down pretty good. Then it gets hazy on the 4 to 5 year calendar, but with some major tentpole items like a new ride or new parade likely in the mix. But beyond 5 years, I doubt they've got much of anything nailed down aside from vague bullets like "New Epcot Area Moderate Hotel" or "E Ticket - DAK".

And any of those plans beyond 3 years out can be easily cancelled within days of a Eurozone bank panic, a major ISIS terrorist attack in America, or war breaking out in the South China Sea. Or even just a run-of-the-mill recession we already seem to be slipping towards.

WDI, on the other hand, has drawers full of ideas for all the parks that could begin construction in six months and be open in three years. But getting the sharp pencil boys in Burbank and the painfully scripted suits in TDA and TDO to pay for them is the roadblock.

But a major overhaul of two entire Magic Kingdom lands six years out already known by lower level management wearing Dockers and tacky pin lanyards? I'm very, very skeptical that wasn't anything but water cooler gossip thrown out to the front line troops to try to look cool.

Tip for Disney Theme Park Managers: Wanna look cool? Iron your Dockers and buy better shirts. Your Dry Cleaner is your friend.

 

[Sped2424]

Thank you for sharing this info and the spark that has created an interesting thread!

That said, were these "leaders" of yours the type who wear slightly wrinkled Dockers, short sleeved shirts, jangling pin lanyards, and a radio earpiece so they can respond to spilled popcorn and ride break downs? In other words, low level management who wander the theme parks supervising hourly workers?

If so, I wouldn't put too much stock in what they would know five years out, much less what they might share in a team meeting. I doubt even the senior executives in TDO have given much thought yet about MK's 50th anniversary plans for 2021. But that certainly wouldn't have filtered down to the low level managers in charge of hourly CM's by this point.

What's more likely is that Magic Kingdom may finally be getting some of the high-profile and very extensive makeovers that two of Disneyland's E Tickets have received; the 2.5 year closure of Space Mountain in 2003-2005 that led to its current showmanship. And the 1.5 year closure of Big Thunder Mountain in 2013-2014 that created its current all-new plotline and special effects. Perhaps add in a big remake of Tom Sawyer Island like Disneyland got that required a six month closure in 2007, and the rumored additions of Star Wars to the parks for Tomorrowland, and you've got a few neat things in the pipeline for Magic Kingdom over the next few years. And those rumors have morphed into a botched attempt at hinting at 50th Anniversary plans in a team meeting.

But a full scale re-Imagineering of both Tomorrowland and Frontierland that has already filtered down to lower management in the theme parks? That's way too aggressive to be talked about at this early stage, much less at that low level on the management totem pole. And the last 15 years of history at WDW parks don't support such a strategy either.

Star wars is not going anywhere near Magic Kingdom's tomorrowland DHS has always been the landing zone for that.

 

[Brer Panther]

Instead of kick out Ol' Tom Sawyer. They should expand north past Big Thunder. They could build a walkway behind big thunder and across barge canal access to RoA. Like the Bridge at Mexico in EPCOT that allows friendship boats from backstage storage onto world showcase lagoon.
They could then have a decent sized land in the wooded area between Big Thunder and Floridan Way.
They could tie into the existing queue outlet at splash shown at the base of the red markings. This is the area where when you exit Splash you walk under the Railroad Station/Tracks.

Tada!! expansion and not taking any existing rides/attractions away.

View attachment 97118

Looks like a perfect spot for a resurrected Western River Expedition, though they'd have to tweak it so that it's not so similar to Pirates and Splash Mountain.

 

[Horizons '83]

Wanna bet? I'd be SHOCKED if Parks & Resorts capital budgets were done on anything shorter than a 10-year horizon. They have plans out to fiscal 2024 at least.

Any other industry I (outside of the oil industry) I would say you were incorrect, but with the theme park industry, you are spot on. I handle capital planning for a large company and we typical have a "long range model" up to five years in the future. Of course we plan annually for any changes but with Disney, I would only assume they have a 10 year model.