Magic Kingdom's future ?

[gonnichi]

I was thinking about how I use to vacation in Orlando, how I vacation now, and how I may vacation in the future. I realized that I use to spend a lot of time at the MK but now that Universal Florida has got my attention I am spending a lot less time at WDW to make room for all of the parks in Orlando. I am still spending a lot more time at the MK then the other WDW parks. If Universal Florida continues to improve its parks and TDO starts to improve Epcot, DHS and AK I fear that these parks will become closer to the MK in prominence. I am not sure what I will do if this occurs. Will I just spend less time at the MK to spend full days at the other parks or will I extend my vacations to be longer then one week and make room for everything else. I can see that maybe the MK attendance numbers may drop if people see the other parks as being at par with the MK in the future. Will TDO improve the MK by redoing Tomorrowland, possibly expanding frontierland, bring Indy into Adventureland? All of these seem to have been discussed before. Will TDO possibly do something new to the MK to keep it as undisputedly the Number 1 theme park in Orlando? I was just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on the future of the MK?

 

[Bairstow]

The Magic Kingdom needs no help to be the #1 theme park in Orlando. Heck, the world.
I wouldn't worry about any Disney park eclipsing it in value or density any time soon.
If anything, the Fantasyland expansion has shown that for whatever reason management would rather continue to plus and expand the Magic Kingdom even when the other parks are in dire, embarrassing need of expansion and updating.

Disney learned years ago that adding new parks and/or improving them never serves to drop attendance to the Magic Kingdom. What happens is that the other parks cannibalize each other for numbers, so a 3-day park family might split a half day between Animal Kingdom and MGM.

If such a thing were even possible, upgrading the other Disney parks to the point that they dip into the Magic Kingdom's numbers would take billions of dollars' worth of investment in each of them, something that Disney couldn't even do if they wanted to.

 

[Sped2424]

Unless something serious/game changer the likes a theme park has never seen happens I don't think Magic kingdom will have anything to worry about.

 

[Prototype82]

MK is an icon. It will always be on top. Even if Universal keeps raising the bar. I want to see new attractions brought to DHS and AK. Even more so I want to see relevant World Showcase attractions happen. MK is in decent shape right now and New Fantasyland is absolutely stunning. I want to see some focus on improving the rest of the resort.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

Even though I don't agree with what was put in New Fantasyland, it only helps further solidify MK's place at the top. I think that time and $$ would have been better spent in updating Future World at Epcot, but that's just me. As far as the future of MK, that's anyone's guess. I know of certain attractions I'd love to see permanently removed from MK (Jungle Cruise, Swiss Family Treehouse, Tomorrowland Speedway) and replaced with something better and more fitting, but that most likely won't happen.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Universal isn't going to have more attendance than Magic Kingdom. Universal's 2 theme parks don't have the capacity.

Magic Kingdom really isn't in any danger of loosing attendance due to it be an icon. Magic Kingdom also is ranked last at DIsney theme parks that people going WDW wouldn't visit.

Disney's big issue is guests cutting down the amount days spent in WDW theme parks. The parks your normal guests Disney would get would skip AK, or DHS for Universal if Universal is keeping adding attractions that people want.

 

[jkl2000]

Even though I don't agree with what was put in New Fantasyland, it only helps further solidify MK's place at the top. I think that time and $$ would have been better spent in updating Future World at Epcot, but that's just me. As far as the future of MK, that's anyone's guess. I know of certain attractions I'd love to see permanently removed from MK (Jungle Cruise, Swiss Family Treehouse, Tomorrowland Speedway) and replaced with something better and more fitting, but that most likely won't happen.

I agree that JC and SFT will probably always be there (I love Jungle Cruise, so want it to stay!), but is Tomorrowland Speedway a beloved attraction? If I had to guess, I would have thought they could remove that and no one would shed a tear. Granted it's been over 30 years since I rode it, but it doesn't seem so special to me.

 

[gonnichi]

Thanks for all the response's. I was not so worried about the MK not being the number one theme park in Orlando anymore but more just pointing out that I wont have as much time to spend at the MK in the future. I use to spend at least a little bit of everyday at the Mk in the past, now I do not anymore because of Universal Florida. I was just afraid that this trend may lead me to even less days at the MK once the other WDW parks get improved. If you look at Disneylands attendance numbers for 2012 they did drop a bit when DCA opened Carsland. It was a very small drop. I am just afraid that by 2020 if the MK doesn't have any new attractions that are great it may seem to look old compared to the other parks in Orlando with major expansions. Im just thinking about what the future may bring and what new attractions may hopefully come to the MK!

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Oh you have nothing to worry about at all. Here's why:

2012 Attendance figures:
Magic Kingdom - 17.5 million
Disneyland - 15.9 million
Tokyo Disneyland - 14.8 million
Tokyo DisneySea - 12.6 million
Disneyland Paris - 11.2 million
Epcot - 11.0 million
Animal Kingdom - 9.9 million
DHS - 9.9 million
Universal Japan - 9.9 million
Islands of Adventure - 7.9 million
.........
........
.......
Universal Florida - 6.1 million
Universal Hollywood 5.9 million


There was a spike from 2010 to 2011 for Islands of Adventure but only 300,000 more people showed up from 2011 to 2012. That's not bad, but in context the Magic Kingdom had 400,000 more people from 2011 to 2012.

Don't worry about it at all. Magic Kingdom has always been the flagship park of Orlando and always will. It has over double the guests Islands of Adventure does and either one of the Universal parks in America it triples them.

Also, if you look at the stats you see that Epcot, DHS and AK are rather close in numbers while MK still blows them out of the water. It goes to show you that if people have time for just one Disney park in Central Florida they still go to Magic Kingdom. Only Disneyland is relatively close in sheer numbers but they are still usually a couple million people behind despite being located in Southern California.

Don't worry, nobody goes to Orlando with the intention NOT to hit Magic Kingdom. This isn't to disrespect great parks like at Universal, but Disney is always the flagship park and still gives the best experience ever.

 

[coachwnh]

Oh you have nothing to worry about at all. Here's why:

2012 Attendance figures:
Magic Kingdom - 17.5 million
Disneyland - 15.9 million
Tokyo Disneyland - 14.8 million
Tokyo DisneySea - 12.6 million
Disneyland Paris - 11.2 million
Epcot - 11.0 million
Animal Kingdom - 9.9 million
DHS - 9.9 million
Universal Japan - 9.9 million
Islands of Adventure - 7.9 million
.........
........
.......
Universal Florida - 6.1 million
Universal Hollywood 5.9 million


There was a spike from 2010 to 2011 for Islands of Adventure but only 300,000 more people showed up from 2011 to 2012. That's not bad, but in context the Magic Kingdom had 400,000 more people from 2011 to 2012.

Don't worry about it at all. Magic Kingdom has always been the flagship park of Orlando and always will. It has over double the guests Islands of Adventure does and either one of the Universal parks in America it triples them.

Also, if you look at the stats you see that Epcot, DHS and AK are rather close in numbers while MK still blows them out of the water. It goes to show you that if people have time for just one Disney park in Central Florida they still go to Magic Kingdom. Only Disneyland is relatively close in sheer numbers but they are still usually a couple million people behind despite being located in Southern California.

Don't worry, nobody goes to Orlando with the intention NOT to hit Magic Kingdom. This isn't to disrespect great parks like at Universal, but Disney is always the flagship park and still gives the best experience ever.

Do you have numbers for DCA?

 

[Bairstow]

I was just afraid that this trend may lead me to even less days at the MK once the other WDW parks get improved.

We should be so lucky.
Disney's strategy, for whatever reason, has been to neglect all of their Florida parks except the Magic Kingdom.

 

[Bairstow]

Do you have numbers for DCA?

# 11, just behind Islands.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_amusement_park_rankings

1 Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort 17,536,000
2 Disneyland at Disneyland Resort 15,963,000
3 Tokyo Disneyland 14,847,000
4 Tokyo DisneySea 12,656,000
5 Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris 11,200,000
6 Epcot at Walt Disney World Resort 11,063,000
7 Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort 9,998,000
8 Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort 9,912,000
9 Universal Studios Japan 9,700,000
10 Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort 7,981,000
11 Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort 7,775,000

 

[Disneyhead'71]

The Walt Disney World Resort can still be in a world of hurt even while the MK remains #1.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Do you have numbers for DCA?

7.7 million. Still not bad, but noticeably less than Disneyland, actually half of that. But still good enough to compete with all the Universals. So if Disney's least visited park in America is better than 2/3 of the Universal parks I don't think there is anything to worry about.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thanks for all the response's. I was not so worried about the MK not being the number one theme park in Orlando anymore but more just pointing out that I wont have as much time to spend at the MK in the future. I use to spend at least a little bit of everyday at the Mk in the past, now I do not anymore because of Universal Florida. I was just afraid that this trend may lead me to even less days at the MK once the other WDW parks get improved. If you look at Disneylands attendance numbers for 2012 they did drop a bit when DCA opened Carsland. It was a very small drop. I am just afraid that by 2020 if the MK doesn't have any new attractions that are great it may seem to look old compared to the other parks in Orlando with major expansions. Im just thinking about what the future may bring and what new attractions may hopefully come to the MK!

I'm curious, why do you care if MK is number one or not? An honest question, I don't want to come off as rude or anything.

In regards to Disneyland's attendance drop, that's actually good news. Disney wants DL's and DCA's attendance to be more equal, so they were quite happy with the new numbers.

 

[gonnichi]

I'm curious, why do you care if MK is number one or not? An honest question, I don't want to come off as rude or anything.

In regards to Disneyland's attendance drop, that's actually good news. Disney wants DL's and DCA's attendance to be more equal, so they were quite happy with the new numbers.

I guess I don't really care if MK is number one or not. I just love the MK so I guess it would be good to be Number 1? I just want a great Disney park with improvements and upkeep to have fun in really. Doesn't matter if it is Number 1 or not really to me. Im just wondering what the MK will be like in say 2020. After the other parks have all had expansions.

I didn't say Disneylands drop in attendance was a good or bad thing. I was just responding to others saying that the MK attendance Numbers would never drop if DHS and AK got expansions and became full day parks. I used Disneyland as an example of how it could drop I guess.

Hope that cleared it up and I hope I didn't sound rude either because that's not how it was supposed to sound, lol.

 

[G00fyDad]

The Magic Kingdom needs no help to be the #1 theme park in Orlando. Heck, the world.
I wouldn't worry about any Disney park eclipsing it in value or density any time soon.
If anything, the Fantasyland expansion has shown that for whatever reason management would rather continue to plus and expand the Magic Kingdom even when the other parks are in dire, embarrassing need of expansion and updating.

Disney learned years ago that adding new parks and/or improving them never serves to drop attendance to the Magic Kingdom. What happens is that the other parks cannibalize each other for numbers, so a 3-day park family might split a half day between Animal Kingdom and MGM.

If such a thing were even possible, upgrading the other Disney parks to the point that they dip into the Magic Kingdom's numbers would take billions of dollars' worth of investment in each of them, something that Disney couldn't even do if they wanted to.

 

[jensenrick]

I was just afraid that this trend may lead me to even less days at the MK once the other WDW parks get improved.

No worries there. Epcot isn't getting anything, DAK is only getting Avatar, and DHS could be/maybe/sorta getting some nebulous dream of something in the distant future. Nothing to distract anyone from MK.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I think MK will stay at the top.

 

[MikeTaylorSound]

Magic Kingdom has little room for physical expansion (there's land behind small world and next to Space Mountain), but ideas can be improved if approved...

Stitch's big mistake could easily be replaced by something from Meet The Robinsons. Something to tie into the Tomorrowland theme.

Tom Sawyer's Island could be replaced by an interactive Jack Sparrow hideout or something to make the Pirates League membership seem more enticing because of exclusivity to help boost sales.

Those are just two things off the top of my head.