Will a fifth gate ever be built at WDW?

[Bleed0range]

Not to be negative here folks, but what exactly would that 5th gate be?

First you have Fantasy and family with MK - which is supposedly getting an expansion of Villians world
Second you have the "adult" oriented park with EPCOT - and its worlds to see how people interact and how everyone is different but one - I love EPCOT by the way.
Third you get the magic of cinema and TV with Hollywood Studios
Fourth was the magic of nature and ecology with Animal Kingdom.

So what is left for 5th park? I don't think they will do Villains if they do Villains at MK. So Space or Oceans?

ME - I would love a space based park - make it totally indoors(so could be anywhere in country) and have transport that shows moving through space like a space station, have anti-gravity type rides, and resorts based on different planets.

but I don't see it happening though

Just do what Epic Universe are doing. Make it a set of lands that are all themed like Pandora or GE. They’ve got all these ideas already, just put them into a fifth park.

1. Villains Land could be one of the lands. They’ve already been thinking about it.
2. To the left of it stick in Encanto and / or CoCo.
3. Then they can copy Cars Land
4. Then they could copy Zootopia
5. Throw in that Moana land/concept they’ve been cooking for AK ~ water rides..
6. Indiana Jones land that fully embraces the IP and has a mine cart ride that can compete with Donkey Kong

Just put all the ideas into one park.

Or just make the whole fifth gate a big Villains land with Malefecients castle as the mirror opposite of MK. With each land being anchored by some specific villains.

Just looking at Epic Universe, I don’t see how Disney can really do anything to compete with it save for announcing a fifth park. Sure, they probably should “fix” the other parks but will that have the same excitement behind it that will attract people to it like EU?

 

[Blue Squirrel]

Disney PLAY would be a great 5th gate. What was Walt’s original inspiration behind Disneyland? The need to have fun and play with his daughters. Many of the attractions happen to you…make the 5th gate completely interactive; a place to play. What do we play with each other and our kids? A digital/video games land (IP Wreck it Ralph), a sports section (tons of Goofey , Mickey, Donald sports), make believe/fantasy (pirates, Alice, , fantasia), music, cars/vehicles. Imagineering could make figure out how to make this world interactive!

 

[Phicinfan]

Just do what Epic Universe are doing. Make it a set of lands that are all themed like Pandora or GE. They’ve got all these ideas already, just put them into a fifth park.

1. Villains Land could be one of the lands. They’ve already been thinking about it.
2. To the left of it stick in Encanto and / or CoCo.
3. Then they can copy Cars Land
4. Then they could copy Zootopia
5. Throw in that Moana land/concept they’ve been cooking for AK ~ water rides..
6. Indiana Jones land that fully embraces the IP and has a mine cart ride that can compete with Donkey Kong

Just put all the ideas into one park.

Or just make the whole fifth gate a big Villains land with Malefecients castle as the mirror opposite of MK. With each land being anchored by some specific villains.

Just looking at Epic Universe, I don’t see how Disney can really do anything to compete with it save for announcing a fifth park. Sure, they probably should “fix” the other parks but will that have the same excitement behind it that will attract people to it like EU?

That only works if they don't do current park expansions, which is all that they have committed to. If you do expansions of current parks, they won't double down in a new park. That isn't how they operate.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

I don't think it is going to happen, at least not as things currently stand, and it probably shouldn't. They really need to significantly invest in filling, improving, maintaining, and expanding what they currently have.

If it were actually feasible, I imagine you'd see DisneySea Orlando, an east coast version of California Adventure, or perhaps some sort of hybrid of the two. I have contemplated other options in my armchair Imagineering sessions, but the aforementioned would seem to be the most realistic options in this otherwise unlikely scenario.

The water parks were mentioned which got me thinking - I guess one or both do not necessarily have to remain traditional water parks but both sites are relatively small with limited, if any, areas left for growth (at least not without significant, very costly, and likely prohibitive efforts to re-work existing features and infrastructure).

 

[Mark Dunne]

Yes they will, its called the imagination pavilion

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That only works if they don't do current park expansions, which is all that they have committed to. If you do expansions of current parks, they won't double down in a new park. That isn't how they operate.

I don't think it is going to happen, at least not as things currently stand, and it probably shouldn't. They really need to significantly invest in filling, improving, maintaining, and expanding what they currently have.

If it were actually feasible, I imagine you'd see DisneySea Orlando, an east coast version of California Adventure, or perhaps some sort of hybrid of the two. I have contemplated other options in my armchair Imagineering sessions, but the aforementioned would seem to be the most realistic options in this otherwise unlikely scenario.

The water parks were mentioned which got me thinking - I guess one or both do not necessarily have to remain traditional water parks but both sites are relatively small with limited, if any, areas left for growth (at least not without significant, very costly, and likely prohibitive efforts to re-work existing features and infrastructure).

They misread the data prior to building the dak area….

If they had it to do over again - it’s likely they wouldn’t build it again

So talk of new parks is always silly…it doesn’t make financial sense and there’s no way to change that

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

So many other things Disney could do to draw/keep people on property.

• Broadway/Vegas type production shows
• Re-committing to the "Foodie" experience with some better restaurants and concepts - in the parks and resort wide
• Another Entertainment District (that doesn't part mimic an outlet mall)
• Properly maintaining the parks they have now.
• Investing in larger resort style pools with more down-time options for the guest (see Bonnet Creek area, Hilton Orlando etc)
• More entertainment options at the resorts.
• More dinner shows

That's just scratching the surface. Disney doesn't need a 5th gate.

 

[DisneyDoctor]

So many other things Disney could do to draw/keep people on property.

• Broadway/Vegas type production shows
• Re-committing to the "Foodie" experience with some better restaurants and concepts - in the parks and resort wide
• Another Entertainment District (that doesn't part mimic an outlet mall)
• Properly maintaining the parks they have now.
• Investing in larger resort style pools with more down-time options for the guest (see Bonnet Creek area, Hilton Orlando etc)
• More entertainment options at the resorts.
• More dinner shows

That's just scratching the surface. Disney doesn't need a 5th gate.

Adding pools like Stormalong Bay to existing resorts would be pretty cool.

 

[KDM31091]

I struggle to even think of what they would do with a 5th gate when there is ample underutilized space in Animal Kingdom, MK, and Epcot. 5 years of construction in Epcot (and counting) has netted a garden area with benches.

 

[SplashJacket]

I struggle to even think of what they would do with a 5th gate when there is ample underutilized space in Animal Kingdom, MK, and Epcot. 5 years of construction in Epcot (and counting) has netted a garden area with benches.

Which is why it’ll only happen after the current 4 parks get a wave of investment.

Not sure what the current plan is, but I really wouldn’t be surprised to see a new gate 2032-2035.

There were early plans for a 5th just before Covid afterall…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Which is why it’ll only happen after the current 4 parks get a wave of investment.

Not sure what the current plan is, but I really wouldn’t be surprised to see a new gate 2032-2035.

There were early plans for a 5th just before Covid afterall…

If US customers start taking 2 week vacations…instead of 1…you would see more parks.

Until then…no

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I think they have enough with maintaining and updating their current parks. If anything they could stand to open another park in a location other than Florida within the USA. Universal's idea of opening a more kid specific park in Texas isn't a terrible idea.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Just do what Epic Universe are doing. Make it a set of lands that are all themed like Pandora or GE. They’ve got all these ideas already, just put them into a fifth park.

1. Villains Land could be one of the lands. They’ve already been thinking about it.
2. To the left of it stick in Encanto and / or CoCo.
3. Then they can copy Cars Land
4. Then they could copy Zootopia
5. Throw in that Moana land/concept they’ve been cooking for AK ~ water rides..
6. Indiana Jones land that fully embraces the IP and has a mine cart ride that can compete with Donkey Kong

Just put all the ideas into one park.

Or just make the whole fifth gate a big Villains land with Malefecients castle as the mirror opposite of MK. With each land being anchored by some specific villains.

Just looking at Epic Universe, I don’t see how Disney can really do anything to compete with it save for announcing a fifth park. Sure, they probably should “fix” the other parks but will that have the same excitement behind it that will attract people to it like EU?

I do like your idea of dark mirror opposite of MK for the villains. It would be a gutsy move by Disney because it has to be done in a way that it's not too scary for the younger kids, but I envision theming of the level of Diagon Alley

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I envision theming of the level of Diagon Alley

Sadly, I don't know that Disney can do that anymore. They used to be able to. And everybody else was miles behind. But it's a different Disney now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Sadly, I don't know that Disney can do that anymore. They used to be able to. And everybody else was miles behind. But it's a different Disney now.

I don’t think a lot of people are aware of how well they did in Diagon in particular. It lacks rides…but the hidden details remind a lot of what gave classic Disney parks their lasting appeal…a full attempt at escapism

 

[Andrew25]

I don’t think a lot of people are aware of how well they did in Diagon in particular. It lacks rides…but the hidden details remind a lot of what gave classic Disney parks their lasting appeal…a full attempt at escapism

Diagon Alley proved that Universal can match (I'd argue outdo) Disney in attraction/land design. Universal still has lots of work to do when it comes to operating their parks (mainly having more consistent operating hours and better food service), but Imagineer and Creative are fairly equal in the quality of the products they produce.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Diagon Alley proved that Universal can match (I'd argue outdo) Disney in attraction/land design. Universal still has lots of work to do when it comes to operating their parks (mainly having more consistent operating hours and better food service), but Imagineer and Creative are fairly equal in the quality of the products they produce.

It floored me the first time my family went through Diagon Alley. We weren't even big Harry Potter fans, but it made us more interested in the movies and books. That is what good theming can do, make you interested in the source material because it's so good. Instead of bad theming(looking at you Toy Story Land) that relies on fans love of the films to create interest in the land and thus skimp on details as opposed to providing such good detail you become more interested in the IP that it's based on.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It floored me the first time my family went through Diagon Alley. We weren't even big Harry Potter fans, but it made us more interested in the movies and books. That is what good theming can do, make you interested in the source material because it's so good. Instead of bad theming(looking at you Toy Story Land) that relies on fans love of the films to create interest in the land and thus skimp on details as opposed to providing such good detail you become more interested in the IP that it's based on.

…blue ocean…no one can resist a good “label”

 

[Brer Panther]

Y'know, if Disney WERE to build a fifth park (just hypothetically), I think @SteamboatJoe's DisneySea Orlando idea could be cool.

I imagine it shouldn't be an exact copy of Tokyo DisneySea (Mermaid Lagoon would be redundant when we already have two Little Mermaid attractions, for one thing), but still...

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Y'know, if Disney WERE to build a fifth park (just hypothetically), I think @SteamboatJoe's DisneySea Orlando idea could be cool.

I imagine it shouldn't be an exact copy of Tokyo DisneySea (Mermaid Lagoon would be redundant when we already have two Little Mermaid attractions, for one thing), but still...

But it still makes no sense to build another park