Epic Universe is the theme park opening in 2025 at Common Orlando. It appears wonderful and is bound to be vastly common due to lands primarily based on Nintendo, Harry Potter, Practice Your Dragon, and Monsters. Unsurprisingly, this has induced many followers to surprise how Walt Disney World will compete with that new third gate. This put up makes an attempt to reply the titular query, with lifelike potentialities as to what WDW will do.
Let’s begin with what Walt Disney World will not do. Many followers need an equal “reply” to Epic Universe, and the one factor that may actually compete with a brand new theme park is a brand new theme park. That completely won’t occur. Actually not in 2025 and nearly definitely not by 2035. (Right here’s Why a fifth Theme Park Will NOT Be Constructed at Walt Disney World within the Subsequent Decade.)
On a smaller scale, we will additionally rule out new lands or rides. That ship has sailed–there isn’t sufficient time. The one factor even formally introduced on that entrance is Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, which is a mixture of reimaginings and growth. In all probability, Tropical Americas is the subsequent main undertaking on the horizon (exterior of experience reimaginings) and it’ll begin in late 2024 and be performed in 2026 or 2027.
Formally, Disney received’t have any official reply to Epic Universe. CEO Bob Iger claims that Epic Universe is definitely Common’s reply to Disney, enjoying catch-up on a decade of nonstop improvement at Walt Disney World and that the corporate doesn’t have nervousness about Common’s third theme park.
That’s posturing. Disney received’t acknowledge the undertaking as a menace or Common as a bona fide competitor. Disney has doubtless concluded that the one technique to “win” is to not play the sport–to fall again on the “rising tide lifts all boats” mantra that they used again when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened and Walt Disney World had no speedy reply to that.
Actually, sitting out this spherical of the theme park wars and conceding the highlight for 2025 is perhaps the very best hand that Disney can play. Disney followers don’t need to hear this, however nothing Disney can do will prime Epic Universe or steal Common’s thunder, so why even strive going tit for tat?
Therefore Iger’s reply. Past that…what else is he going to say? That behind closed doorways, Disney’s c-suite is deeply involved about Common gaining marketshare, shedding attendance and–extra importantly–lodge occupancy? That the corporate sat on its fingers for too lengthy because of streaming and different points, and it’s too late for an enough response? I’m certain that might play very well with Wall Road! After all Iger isn’t going to be trustworthy; don’t be naive.
That brings us to the excellent news. Unofficially, Walt Disney World will do one thing as an try at counterprogramming to Epic Universe. Clearly not on the identical scale–it can not conceivably be a brand new theme park, land, and even experience in 2025. However there are however issues that might be performed to peel days–and even lodge stays–away from Common when guests come to Orlando for Epic Universe.
That is the listing of lifelike smaller scale ways in which Walt Disney World may be aggressive in 2025 even when they’re not on the identical degree as Epic Universe…
Drones – I refuse to imagine Disney Goals That Soar is the top sport for drone shows at Walt Disney World. There’s no means that the corporate spent all of that cash growing nighttime leisure for a present at Disney Springs. It’s simply too good to be the ultimate fruits of drone exhibits at Walt Disney World. It’s gotta be proof of idea–a take a look at of the know-how for one thing larger and higher in 2025. C’mon, does anybody actually suppose Disney would purposefully positioned its finest new summer time leisure exterior of a park in a spot that’s free to see?!
I do know the considerations and counterpoints. That drone exhibits require giant staging areas and Disney Springs has an appropriate space. That the authorized division has legal responsibility considerations about drones flying over visitor areas. Neither of those are insurmountable obstacles. The visitor response to Disney Goals That Soar has been so resoundingly optimistic and crowds are colossal. That has to have executives salivating, understanding the type of shot within the arm {that a} drone show may give Animal Kingdom.
There are a number of causes for Walt Disney World lastly getting a drone present, however in a nutshell, attendance is considerably decrease at Animal Kingdom than some other park at Walt Disney World. The park is in pressing want for additions, and there’s a superb likelihood that the opposite parks begin cannibalizing Animal Kingdom attendance till that occurs. If Epic Universe goes to “steal” park days from Walt Disney World, the primary place folks will minimize is Animal Kingdom.
That is exactly why Tropical Americas was formally introduced for Animal Kingdom. That’ll give DAK a shot within the arm, and assist revitalize the flailing park. Within the meantime, Animal Kingdom wants one thing to attract friends to the park–and maintain them there in afternoons and evenings.
A drone present at Animal Kingdom would clear up loads of issues. It might be the ace up Disney’s sleeve that provides them majorly marketable leisure for 2025 that additionally doesn’t require expensive (in Disney’s eyes) performers. Though they’re changing into more and more frequent, drone exhibits nonetheless have a sure wow-factor not present in fireworks or fountain exhibits on a lagoon. A Walt Disney World drone present might be the key sauce to one way or the other competing with Common for eyeballs in 2025–the type of factor that resonates on social media nearly as a lot as Mario.
Summer season Celebration – My hope is that Walt Disney World pulls out the entire Summer season Nightastic playbook to “compete” with Epic Universe. Make it a summer time of spectaculars, with quite a lot of new and returning leisure. For these unfamiliar with Summer season Nightastic, it was a particular occasion held in Summer season 2010 and was, basically, Walt Disney World’s “reply” to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Throughout Summer season Nightastic, Major Road Electrical Parade got here to Magic Kingdom from DCA; Magic, Music & Mayhem fireworks returned to the skies over Cinderella Citadel; minor leisure was added; rides obtained enhancements. It was a extremely enjoyable occasion, and though it didn’t even come near stealing Common’s thunder, it gave Walt Disney World a marketable draw that attracted vacationers. It was as a lot a “success” as presumably may’ve been anticipated given the circumstances.
By the point Summer season 2025 rolls round, Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary will probably be a distant reminiscence–the guts of it over for a number of years. Disney100 by no means actually was all that a lot of a celebration at Walt Disney World. Level being, simply the correct quantity of time may have handed for an additional large-scale occasion with out followers and informal friends getting “celebration fatigue.”
This method would make full sense, as leisure and celebrations are the tried and true response to attendance woes, stopgaps between new large-scale additions, or counterprogramming to new choices at Common. All three of these situations will apply in 2025, so a twist on Summer season Nightastic simply is sensible. Right here’s hoping that Walt Disney World goals larger than only a Summer season Nightastic–perhaps that combined with 12 months of a Million Goals 2.0?!
Different Leisure – Talking of extra leisure, right here’s a listing of what’s nonetheless lacking from Walt Disney World:
- Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular
- As soon as Upon a Time
- Rivers of Mild
- Residents of Hollywood
- Jedi Coaching Academy
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid (returns in late 2024)
- Residents of Major Road
- Major Road Trolley Present
- Pandora Rangers & Drummers
No less than half of that stuff is rarely coming again, in all probability extra. However bringing again a few of it may assist spherical out the advertising for 2025. Or Walt Disney World may introduce new projections exhibits, cavalcades, character appearances, and so on.
Regardless that Competition of Fantasy is now a decade outdated, it nonetheless feels too new (and beloved) for Walt Disney World to exchange outright. A few new items from latest movies may give it renewed life, although. A brand-new daytime parade at DHS is also a welcome addition that rounds out the leisure slate there. Bringing again Jedi Coaching Academy looks like low-hanging fruit and an apparent win with mother and father.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Mushy Reboot – Imagineering has launched quite a lot of little teases that appear to counsel they’ve a giant image plan to do a gentle reboot and relaunch of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. There are a selection of causes for this, from Galactic Starcruiser closing to the strengths of Avengers Campus being evident to R&D exams within the parks.
Talking of Starcruiser, there have been an increasing number of rumblings revolving round a future dinner present. The entire latest chatter we’ve heard means that Walt Disney World is actively exploring concepts for a Star Wars dinner present (and perhaps extra). Once more, this may be one thing that was initially supposed for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The area was put aside for it.
With the good thing about zero inside data, our wager is a dinner present held inside Starcruiser that ‘departs’ from Galaxy’s Edge is launched in some unspecified time in the future at Walt Disney World. Ought to that go properly, we’d count on development to start on a correct venue inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for a dinner present to open in 2025 or 2026 at each Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
It’s not troublesome to check a gentle reboot of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to launch the land to thrilling new time intervals and locations–breaking the sacred timeline (however tastefully!) and utilizing the setting of the land as a leaping off level for brand spanking new adventures. (We’ve advocated for this for some time–see Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Must Break the Guidelines for my tackle all of that.)
A gentle reboot of the Star Wars land could be a chance to introduce beloved characters, use the catwalks within the land for mini-shows, and make the land extra lived-in due to droids and extra performers. All of this may breathe new life into the land, and provide renewed advertising potential. Heck, they might take issues a step additional and provides the Star Wars land a brand new subtitle, changing “Galaxy’s Edge.”
Return of Disney’s Magical Specific – It is a longshot and I don’t need to give a false sense of hope. It’s unlikely that Disney’s Magical Specific is ever coming again. Nonetheless, if ever there was a time to carry again the airport transportation that gave Walt Disney World a quasi-captive viewers and helped improve occupancy, it’s when the competitor throughout city is opening a brand new theme park and has a glut of lodge stock awaiting the event.
For the reason that resolution to finish Disney’s Magical Specific was made, we’ve been saying it is unnecessary even from a enterprise perspective–that there have to be extra to the story. It is because, in contrast to different on-site visitor perks, the “free” service was extremely helpful to Walt Disney World. It made vacationers a captive viewers who had been much less prone to go and spend cash elsewhere.
Way back, Walt Disney World decided that the rise in common per visitor spending with Disney’s Magical Specific plus the perceived comfort and goodwill obtained from providing the service outweighs the common per visitor value of providing the service. It’s attainable that calculus modified in the course of the period of pent-up demand, particularly as rideshare providers turned extra frequent and simpler to burst the Disney bubble, so to talk.
However the opening of Epic Universe is perhaps event for revisiting the choice. We’ve additionally been saying for some time that the largest menace Common poses to Disney comes by way of lodge occupancy numbers. If Epic Universe can peel away even ~10% of on-site friends from Walt Disney World, that’s a giant drawback.
Disney’s Magical Specific may assist tackle that, whereas additionally preserving some friends completely on-site. The bubble isn’t as robust because it as soon as was and there’s actually no means to stop WDW friends from taking day journeys to Common, however there are methods to maintain them staying on-site at Walt Disney World. Perks is one among them, and there’s no higher perk than DME! (That is in all probability one of many huge causes for Lightning Lane Multi Go changing Genie, given the numerous on-site benefit the brand new service will provide.)
Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights – You’ve in all probability heard this one earlier than, however I’ll by no means move up the chance to sing the praises of the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights. These icicle lights had been one among our favourite issues about Christmas at Walt Disney World for the decade-plus previous to them being cancelled in 2020. We spent many a late evening on Major Road, merely gazing down at these resplendent lights, savoring the scene. I misplaced rely of what number of instances we did this through the years–in all probability over 100.
No projections can match the greater than 200,000 tiny white lights that illuminate Cinderella Citadel and remodel it right into a veritable ice palace. The Dream Lights would cease you in your tracks, with the resplendent bodily show being an absolute jaw-dropper. Phrases, pictures, and video completely can not do it justice. No matter reward you’ve heard in regards to the Dream Lights, it’s true. All of it.
Dream Lights returning wouldn’t assist Walt Disney World compete with Common in the course of the summer time, clearly, however followers would–unquestionably–guide journeys for Christmas to see them once more, serving to prop up the final two months of the calendar yr. I refuse to imagine that the terrible Frozen projections are really the long-term plan for decking Cinderella Citadel out for Christmas.
Take a look at Monitor 3.0 – This one is a certain factor on condition that Take a look at Monitor 2.0 already closed final month to make means for Take a look at Monitor 3.0. If I needed to guess, this undertaking is extra concerned than the final experience reimagining and can basically reboot the attraction with all new present scenes and extra. It’ll nonetheless use the identical experience system and monitor format.
The marketability of Take a look at Monitor 3.0 relies upon largely on Common Motors, the finances and parameters they’ve given Imagineering. Thrill rides can have loads of drawing energy, even reimagined ones. So this must rise to that degree, and never merely be a lightweight aesthetic refresh together with bringing again “It’s Enjoyable to Be Free” to throw old fashioned EPCOT Middle followers a bone. There must be extra there there. If the finances, timeline, scale and scope are all giant/lengthy sufficient, there might be Take a look at Monitor 3.0 billboards and adverts when it debuts–my guess is someday in Spring 2025.
Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster – Lately reopened after its second multi-month refurbishment in as a few years, Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster was not reimagined…throughout this closure. There’s nothing to say these two closures weren’t laying the groundwork for a reimagining, and doing vital work to the experience system to increase the curler coaster’s life.
We’ve lined all of this earlier than, however I can not think about Aerosmith nonetheless being connected to this experience in 5 years. The time for the reimagining is now (2025), earlier than the large, brand-new capex investments. Once more, thrill rides are marketable, so if that is reimagined right into a Marvel experience, it might be large with minimal funding (comparatively talking) and a good turnaround time. My cash is on this being the large “new” experience for 2025.
The Taylor Swift Card – Disney spent a reported $75 million to amass the unique streaming rights to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. I’m no math whiz, however that feels like some huge cash to me. And you recognize what? It was in all probability value each penny for the brand new Disney+ subs it added.
As for what this might be–your guess is pretty much as good as mine. The final time the world had this huge of a pop star, Disney introduced in George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola and made Captain EO with him and a bunch of area Muppet kinda critters. So yeah, Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster would possibly appear to be the apparent alternative for a Taylor Swift attraction, however there are means weirder choices.
Oh, and George Lucas appears to have loads of free time and Francis Ford Coppola is gonna want some cash as soon as Megalopolis bombs, so perhaps we will get Captain ShE-O out of this. May I humbly counsel that, as an alternative of a 3D film (that’s so performed out), they persist with a RnRC reimagining and so one thing bizarre with it?! So many followers have been clamoring for a Muppet takeover of that experience…so how about area Muppets plus Taylor Swift plus a curler coaster plus considerable weirdness.
Joking apart, there are few extra apparent reimaginings than an easy Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster: Taylor’s Model. Love or hate her, there’s no denying Taylor Swift’s recognition–she transcends pop stardom at a degree in all probability not seen since Michael Jackson. That is one attraction overlay that might carry a wholly new viewers to Walt Disney World and would have larger drawing energy than a Black Panther (or different Marvel) redo of RnRC. This reimagining alone might be a reliable reply to Epic Universe when it comes to drawing energy, which is sorta miserable…but in addition correct.
Night time Parade – Major Road Electrical Parade has been the McRib of Disney Reside Leisure–the “break glass in case of emergency” leisure when attendance urgently wanted a lift. You understand the state of affairs is dire when there’s a last-minute announcement of MSEP returning and Disney is scrambling.
For the final decade or so, Walt Disney World has held out on breaking that cup. I believe 2025 is lastly the yr after they’ll don’t have any different choice. I additionally suppose that wheeling out the traditional Major Road Electrical Parade (may it even survive one other journey from California?!) isn’t going to chop it. And that Walt Disney World management is aware of this.
That leaves a few precise potentialities: importing Paint the Night time from California or getting a brand-new evening parade, lastly fulfilling fan needs for SpectroMagic 2.0. There have already been rumblings in regards to the latter and it appears to make sense–however I’ll imagine it after I see it. I’ve been burned too many instances by the rumor mill, even by way of credible sources claiming an evening parade at Walt Disney World was a “performed deal.”
Like Mulder, I need to imagine. I additionally suppose it makes full sense for a brand-new evening parade to lastly debut at Walt Disney World in 2025. Given how a lot they’ve resisted previously decade, the announcement of a brand new evening parade is the surest signal that Disney management truly is fearful about Epic Universe, regardless of what they are saying.
2024 D23 Expo – The upcoming D23 occasion is make or break. This would be the occasion the place we discover out whether or not Disney CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro are literally severe in regards to the $60 billion of funding in theme parks ($17 billion of which is supposedly earmarked for Walt Disney World), or if it’s all empty guarantees.
Regardless, none of that’s coming to fruition till 2027 or later. It received’t truly be an “reply” to Epic Universe, even when it does reassure followers. My extra hope and expectation is that the 2024 D23 Expo is well-rounded, with near-term singles and doubles along with swinging for the fences with the brand new rides and lands (however nonetheless no new parks) within the long-term. I’m optimistic that we are going to get really-for-real information, and loads of it, and never simply blue sky bluster. However I’m additionally ready to be improper.
A few of these singles and doubles might be extra experience reimaginings or plussings of current points of interest. Something from our listing of Prime 10 Journey Reimaginings Wanted at Walt Disney World could be a superb choice, though I doubt that a few of these may realistically be achieved throughout the subsequent yr. They’ll in all probability have to do lesser enhancements, alongside the strains of inserting Hatbox Ghost into Haunted Mansion (however good ones this time, please).
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YOUR THOUGHTS
How do you suppose Walt Disney World will (unofficially) reply to Epic Universe? Play the tried and true ‘leisure celebration’ card? Much more experience reimaginings? Or is “do nothing in any respect” changing into a extra distinct chance in your thoughts? Suppose Disney has trigger for concern, or do you usually agree {that a} rising tide lifts all boats? Suppose rising the marketplace for Central Florida theme parks is an ‘everyone-wins’ finest case situation? Another ideas or commentary so as to add? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
