It’s a Great Time to be a Disney Fan: What’s in Store for Disney Parks and Experiences
If you’re a Disney fan, you’re in luck. Last September, during an investor summit in Orlando, Disney announced its plans to “accelerate and expand investment” in its theme parks, cruise line, and other vacation experiences. With a whopping $60 billion earmarked for these projects over the next decade, it’s clear that Disney is committed to providing its fans with incredible new experiences.
During a recent first-quarter earnings call, Disney revealed that every one of its parks was profitable during the first quarter of Disney’s 2024 fiscal year. This success further solidifies Disney’s ambitious growth story and its bold vision for the future of its Parks business, as stated by Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro.
Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston disclosed that around 70% of the $60 billion investment, roughly $42 billion, will be allocated for “incremental capacity-expanding investments around the globe.” This means that Disney plans to increase its footprint and enhance the offerings at its existing parks, as well as explore new locations for expansion.
Disney CEO Bob Iger also shared that the company is already hard at work determining where these new investments will be placed and what they will entail. He hinted that every single one of Disney’s locations, including its cruise line, will benefit from increased investment and capacity. In fact, Disney is currently building three more ships to cater to the growing demand for its cruise experiences.
While specific details about the upcoming projects are scarce, Disney has become more open about sharing its plans in recent years. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, who is also an avid Disney fan, believes in giving guests a glimpse into what the future holds. He wants to share the magic and creativity of Disney’s Imagineers with the world.
During the 2022 D23 Expo fan convention, D’Amaro, along with other Disney executives, shared exciting “blue sky” ideas for the Disney parks. These ideas included new lands themed to popular movies like “Coco,” “Encanto,” and Disney villains. The team also unveiled concept art for a reimagined Dinoland U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which would draw inspiration from the tropical Americas and the “Indiana Jones” franchise.
Disney continued to showcase these blue sky concepts during the 2023 Destination D23 event. This event gave attendees a glimpse of what could be in store for Disney’s parks, including attractions and experiences based on the beloved movies “Frozen” and “Zootopia.”
Disney has already started bringing these concepts to life with the recent openings of the World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland and Zootopia at Shanghai Disney Resort. Given the worldwide popularity of “Frozen” and the confirmed third and fourth installments of the franchise, it’s clear that Disney will continue to bring Anna, Elsa, and Olaf to its theme parks.
In addition to “Frozen” and “Zootopia”-themed lands, Disney has several other projects in the pipeline. Animal Kingdom will see a new “Zootopia” attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at Disney World and Disneyland, and Avengers Campus in Disneyland will feature a new attraction.
Despite these exciting developments, Disney still has plenty of room for growth within its existing parks. D’Amaro emphasized that Disney stands alone when it comes to scale, and it has no shortage of space or regions of the world in which to tell new stories.
With over 1,000 acres of land available for future development, Disney has the potential to expand its capacity across its existing theme parks. This means that fans may soon have the opportunity to step into the world of their favorite Disney films like never before.
D’Amaro summed it up best when he said, “Over the next decade, we’re going to have more projects underway than at any point in our history. Our sole purpose is to give you more and more of what you love about a Disney experience. And then surprise and delight you with things you never dreamed possible.”
So, if you’re a Disney fan, get ready for an incredible journey. The next few years promise to be an exciting time for Disney parks and experiences, with new lands, attractions, and immersive storytelling awaiting fans around the world. Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to be whisked away into the magic of Disney like never before.