What will Disney announce for Disney World at the 2022 D23 expo?

[bhg469]

IOA is great (definitely preferable to UO in terms of theming, at least for me) but lacks the timelessness of MK. Port of Entry, Lost Continent, Hogwarts/Hogsmeade and Jurassic Park are all beautifully themed and will stand the test of time, but I cringe a bit every time I walk through Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon. Even Marvel Superhero Island is showing its age imo. Universal has been adding a lot of truly fantastic areas & attractions, but I think it's about time they start revisiting and retheming existing areas that no longer work.

I would imagine that after UO opens, those areas will get some love.

 

[Amidala]

I would imagine that after UO opens, those areas will get some love.

That's what I'm hoping! Wasn't Nintendo initially rumored to replace Toon Lagoon before the plans for EU were finalized? That area in particular seems like a shoe-in for a retheme.

 

[bhg469]

That's what I'm hoping! Wasn't Nintendo initially rumored to replace Toon Lagoon before the plans for EU were finalized? That area in particular seems like a shoe-in for a retheme.

I think it was supposed to be kidzone at the studios originally but I could be wrong.. I'm glad they decided to go with the new park as it will be even more impressive IMO.. The Donkey Kong coaster looks like its gonna be incredibly fun. I told my wife about the concept and she was thrilled about the theme but mortified about the missing tracks.. Mentally that is going to be pretty scary.

 

[DCLcruiser]

We'll be down in Florida in November, and my in laws have passes that are blacked out at WDW one day but not in Universal for that same day. The determining factor for what we do that day is how tall my toddler is. If she's 36 inches, there will be enough for her to do that we can justify a one day Universal park hopper for my wife and I.

Some odd / frustrating things:

• Kong has a height requirement of 36 inches, Fast and Furious has a height requirement of 40 inches.
• The High in the Sky Suess Trolley train has a height requirement of 36 inches. I understand why, but nothing in that land should have a height requirement.
• Cat in the Hat has a height requirement of 36 inches. Again, poor design choice setting them up with a height requirement.

It's small and I understand that the under 3 crowd isn't paying for admission, but their parents are. By not having attractions that everyone can do together, Universal is leaving money on the table.

Would Sea World be better? Less about rides, more about the animals.

IOA is great (definitely preferable to UO in terms of theming, at least for me) but lacks the timelessness of MK. Port of Entry, Lost Continent, Hogwarts/Hogsmeade and Jurassic Park are all beautifully themed and will stand the test of time, but I cringe a bit every time I walk through Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon. Even Marvel Superhero Island is showing its age imo. Universal has been adding a lot of truly fantastic areas & attractions, but I think it's about time they start revisiting and retheming existing areas that no longer work.

IOA and UO are a step above Six Flags. They are fun. We do both IOA and USO in one day (skip Seuss/Toon). But they don't have the nostaglia or level of detail as WDW. The queue theming alone shows the difference.

 

[Amidala]

I think it was supposed to be kidzone at the studios originally but I could be wrong.. I'm glad they decided to go with the new park as it will be even more impressive IMO.. The Donkey Kong coaster looks like its gonna be incredibly fun. I told my wife about the concept and she was thrilled about the theme but mortified about the missing tracks.. Mentally that is going to be pretty scary.

Wait, missing tracks? Will this be something similar to the devil's snare scene on Hagrid's where the track drops out from under you?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That's what I'm hoping! Wasn't Nintendo initially rumored to replace Toon Lagoon before the plans for EU were finalized? That area in particular seems like a shoe-in for a retheme.

The deal with toon lagoon is it has two of the better water rides you’ll ever see…if a bit overboard…

So any retheme should preserve those

 

[Amidala]

IOA and USO are a step above Six Flags.

I strongly prefer WDW over Universal but I wouldn't go that far. I think Universal has been gaining ground on Disney, and EU will be extremely competitive in the theming department. UO has some pretty impressive queues as well - not just newer examples like Hogwarts/Gringotts but ET, Men in Black, Revenge of the Mummy, etc. I'd say they have a better lineup of themed queues than Disneyland, which is arguably a superior park to both MK and IOA, but I guess it's all pretty subjective.

 

[drizgirl]

IOA is great (definitely preferable to UO in terms of theming, at least for me) but lacks the timelessness of MK. Port of Entry, Lost Continent, Hogwarts/Hogsmeade and Jurassic Park are all beautifully themed and will stand the test of time, but I cringe a bit every time I walk through Seuss Landing and Toon Lagoon. Even Marvel Superhero Island is showing its age imo. Universal has been adding a lot of truly fantastic areas & attractions, but I think it's about time they start revisiting and retheming existing areas that no longer work.

Nothing wrong with Seuss Landing. Seuss is timeless and that park definitely needs things for younger family members.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I strongly prefer WDW over Universal but I wouldn't go that far. I think Universal has been gaining ground on Disney, and EU will be extremely competitive in the theming department. UO has some pretty impressive queues as well - not just newer examples like Hogwarts/Gringotts but ET, Men in Black, Revenge of the Mummy, etc. I'd say they have a better lineup of themed queues than Disneyland, which is arguably a superior park to both MK and IOA, but I guess it's all pretty subjective.

Theme wise…Disney is still superior because of the quality of the original builds - long before the Bobs…

But universal is way better than a six flags now. The Jurassic world redo is very nice and the Harry Potter - specifically Diagon - is as good with theme/cohesion as any Disney individual land. Better than the new mgm lands and on par with the old mk areas, Epcot and dak with the maybe exception of Pandora…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Nothing wrong with Seuss Landing. Seuss is timeless and that park definitely needs things for younger family members.

It needs a refresh

What annoys me is not the theme…but the sun has bleached a lot of the paint

 

[Amidala]

It needs a refresh

What annoys me is not the theme…but the sun has bleached a lot of the paint

Agreed. Nothing wrong with the IP, but that area looks very shabby. The attractions are also pretty awful IMO, Cat in the Hat almost comically so. To me it's the perfect example of a themed area only children can enjoy, as opposed to an area like Storybook Circus that was made with children in mind but has visual appeal for people of all ages. I like the idea of a Seuss-themed land in theory, but I don't like the execution at all.

Toon Lagoon has the opposite problem. Some great attractions like you said, but the IP isn't relevant for modern kids.

 

[ppete1975]

Agreed. Nothing wrong with the IP, but that area looks very shabby. The attractions are also pretty awful IMO, Cat in the Hat almost comically so. To me it's the perfect example of a themed area only children can enjoy, as opposed to an area like Storybook Circus that was made with children in mind but has visual appeal for people of all ages. I like the idea of a Seuss-themed land in theory, but I don't like the execution at all.

Toon Lagoon has the opposite problem. Some great attractions like you said, but the IP isn't relevant for modern kids.

Be glad Seuss land still exists. I think it was almost yanked a few years ago about the same time some of his books were removed from shelves and princess and the frog/splash mountain was being revealed.

 

[Amidala]

Be glad Seuss land still exists. I think it was almost yanked a few years ago about the same time some of his books were removed from shelves and princess and the frog/splash mountain was being revealed.

I would be fine with that...the area does nothing for me.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would be fine with that...the area does nothing for me.

The problem is what do you replace it with?

That’s a huge issue. IP tie ins are no longer optional…and Disney has a tremendous advantage there. They spend too much on all these mini lands now…which means the IP is locked in for decades

 

[Amidala]

The problem is what do you replace it with?

That’s a huge issue. IP tie ins are no longer optional…and Disney has a tremendous advantage there. They spend too much on all these mini lands now…which means the IP is locked in for decades

I guess an Illumination property. Not something I would personally be thrilled about, but I'm sure it would be a hit with kids and if it was executed well enough with a proper dark ride to go along with it, that would be a plus in my book. Maybe a clone of UOH's Secret Life of Pets ride with an accompanying mini-land? A more unlikely pitch (but one I would be 100% thrilled about) is Kung Fu Panda, which is not only a great little movie but arguably a better fit for IOA as a whole than Seuss. I think a KFP mini-land and ride would be really charming!

 

[sullyinMT]

Wait, missing tracks? Will this be something similar to the devil's snare scene on Hagrid's where the track drops out from under you?

A false track can then be installed under the cart, with gaps in the false track giving the impression of a “leaping” mine cart similar to some of the DK video game play.

Even as a non gamer these days, this looks really exciting if they pull it off.

 

[sullyinMT]

The problem is what do you replace it with?

That’s a huge issue. IP tie ins are no longer optional…and Disney has a tremendous advantage there. They spend too much on all these mini lands now…which means the IP is locked in for decades

Is Madagascar/Penguins relevant enough to flesh out a small land? I personally love Seuss, and my wife might picket at construction walls, but we both recognize that change is the only constant in theme park life cycles.

 

[Amidala]

Is Madagascar/Penguins relevant enough to flesh out a small land? I personally love Seuss, and my wife might picket at construction walls, but we both recognize that change is the only constant in theme park life cycles.

Not sure. Too bad Road to El Dorado is likely unrecognizable among kids today since that would be a PERFECT fit for IOA.

Edit: Another option is Trolls, which is significantly less irritating than the Illumination properties in my book & would definitely lend itself to some very lush, colorful theming for a mini-land and attraction.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Is Madagascar/Penguins relevant enough to flesh out a small land? I personally love Seuss, and my wife might picket at construction walls, but we both recognize that change is the only constant in theme park life cycles.

 

[networkpro]

As long as Comcast is still “into it” when the new park and hotels open - I think you’ll see large and accelerated reinvestment in the two older parks.

Comcast is facing some financial challenges in its near future with fixed wireless internet access eating into its monthly income.