Possible upcoming announcements

[davej]

@MMCC32470

which is really 25 years in reality

Or never

[Nicky_S]

@len

We just heard about the return of The Little Mermaid musical at DHS.

Rumor is that we might hear an Encanto project soon.

Also, that Universal park rumor for England is definitely true. I expect to hear something official closer to the UK general election, so next year.

This is the BBC report on the Universal plans:

Universal Studios buys Bedford brickworks for theme park plan

[heathernoel]

@len

They’re doing the bare minimum and acting like it’s special.

This describes so many things in my life. I’m gonna barrow it.

[heathernoel]

@MMCC32470

Just my opinion, but if they are going to bring back Tiers park wide for the whole day then i would rather they do not change anything at all.

Completely agree. And I hate, hate when people can book for the duration of their trip because of what that does to availability.

[davej]

@heathernoel

And I hate, hate when people can book for the duration of their trip

And then all the “leading reservation” crap that follows …

[StinsyLinson]

@len

details are going to be decided at the last minute

Disney IT does last minute so well, so that’s exciting.

[davej]

@len

Rumor is that we might hear an Encanto project soon.

Let me guess … a small walkthrough house next to Journey of Water that will take 5 years to construct (and doesn’t fit with any EP theme). But wait … there’s more … the Mirabel meet and greet will be moving from MK to EP!

[heathernoel]

Have you seen Journey of Water yet? I love it. Just love it. To me it is everything old Epcot was, just updated. I know it took way too long, but it made me feel like I was 13 in the Imagination Pavillion.

I hope they can create something special with Encanto too - and I do hope there is an actual ride.

[len]

Agreed. It’s a hoot and would’ve been good in OG EPCOT.

[feep]

@Jeff_AZ

Well, the show was great

I have to disagree with this. Also it wasn’t even a good nap show because they doused you with water (more or less).

[ryan1]

@heathernoel

To me it is everything old Epcot was, just updated.

That is what I was hoping…and it fits perfectly with World Nature. I just wish they hadn’t included Moana.

[davej]

@heathernoel

Have you seen Journey of Water yet?

Yes. It is a nice addition to EP. We enjoyed it. My issue is it took too long to complete and was overly hyped for what it is. There’s a reason that VQ was only needed for a few days and then it became “walk right in”.

4 parks and in 2023/2024, all we get is Tron (great!), Journey of Water, a redo of Splash (which adds zero capacity), and a likely a change in the LL rules (which reallocates the supply of ride seats without adding any capacity).

And at the pace WDW completes construction, it is unlikely there will be anything major that is new in 2025.

[heathernoel]

I guess I haven’t figured out what I want the pacing of additions to the parks to be.

I am somewhat sympathetic to the disruption that COVID caused to the creative and construction pipeline (that I think people underestimate) but also agree with the point @ryan1 often makes that all of the profits from the parks are being poured into streaming because of some really poor decisions on the entertainment side. Which is super frustrating.

When I think that we could potentially get the equivalent of Pandora, Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land and I think new Fantasy Land with this new expansion, I am very excited. But ideally that is over the next 8 years. Not the next 20.

They do need to solve their capacity issues, but I do find those additions (and the EPCOT reconstruction) to be compelling. . Not the LL rules - those are a mess. They have no idea what they are doing and how people actually experience their parks.

[heathernoel]

@davej

There’s a reason that VQ was only needed for a few days and then it became “walk right in”.

When I was there the first weekend of December, there were always lines and crowds. So it is doing something for capacity - I have no idea what those numbers are though…

[TwoBits]

Yep. Meanwhile, Universal is building a whole new park in the same time Disney does a copy of a ride elsewhere, a retheme, and a walkthough attraction, and the domestic parks currently have no attendance drivers being constructed at this time.

2025-2026 is going to be an interesting period for Orlando parks once Epic Universe opens!

[MMCC32470]

I think all day Tiers will seriously de value Genie+ and thats why I dont think they will do it

[heathernoel]

I am really keeping my fingers crossed and just waiting for the announcement. My family will be there over spring break. They want to take itneasy and sleep in. I don’t mind stacking LL, and I know exactly how to plan a day for them.

If they move back to this tiered system, even if you can get another after your ride your first, we will have to change our day. It will definitely make me go early instead of late, which doesn’t really help Disney with crowd distribution.

[feep]

@heathernoel

It will definitely make me go early instead of late, which doesn’t really help Disney with crowd distribution

I think that money is more important than crowd distribution to Disney.

[heathernoel]

100%, but they seem to be making a lot of money with the current system!

[Flavita]

@MMCC32470

Tiers will seriously de value Genie+

Tiers would allow for more people to buy Genie and be happy with it, which is why I bet it’s coming back. Unfortunately.