The Tom Anstey Column
www.parkworld-online.com
Does Disney actually need a fifth gate in Florida?
With news recently emerging that Disney could build a lucrative fifth gate in Florida, the question is: does it really need to? Tom Anstey reports…
T
he idea of a fifth Disney theme park in Florida is enough to get the internet talking. But while the prospect of another gate
is undeniably exciting, Disney finds itself in the unusual position of not actually needing one. It was back in June last year that the Central
Florida Tourism Oversight District floated plans for a new Disney theme park in Florida as early as 2035. Dubbed the Comprehensive Plan 2045, a recent update to the document has sent fans into overdrive, with new details outlining plans and intentions for future development and growth around the massive Walt Disney World site. The plan essentially legally reserves capacity for
a major theme park expansion. While that might sound exciting, Disney is not thought to have any active plans to act on the proposal right now. But it does raise two questions: first, should it? And second, does it even need to?
Pipe dream? Super Mario World may be coming to Epic Universe, but is a new Disney park just a pipe
40
dream? Yes, for now. However, the new regulatory framework earmarks approximately 850 to 900 acres of undeveloped land for potential expansion. According to the district’s framework, a potential park wouldn’t open for nearly another decade at the earliest, with 2035 the earliest possible date and a development window extending as far as 2045 for the full project. Personally, I think Disney would be better served
by turbocharging its existing footprints rather than reinventing the wheel, as Universal did with Epic Universe. Look at what Disney has already achieved
with Avatar at Animal Kingdom and Star Wars at Hollywood Studios – genuinely immersive worlds that demonstrate what a fully realised IP-driven experience can be. Disney could take what isn’t working across its existing parks and use underutilised IP to strengthen those offerings.
Marvel Universe Marvel is perhaps the most obvious contender for a major Disney addition in Florida. Its impact,
relatively speaking, remains tiny across Walt Disney World, despite the strength of the brand. There’s a reason the rumour mill suggested a US$17bn Marvel theme park was in the works. That story proved false, but the speculation itself indicates that demand for more Marvel in Florida is certainly there. While Universal still holds the theme park rights
to many Marvel characters, that doesn’t prevent Disney from being smart about how it uses the IP elsewhere. Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure has already demonstrated what is possible. If you were to dedicate a singular IP to an entire theme park, surely that would be the undisputed choice for Disney? That being said, it has a hell of a roster to choose from - Moana, Zootopia and The Simpsons just to name a few.
Universal vs Disney Universal has, of course, made huge strides in the Florida market, with Epic Universe adding to an already stacked roster of attractions in the Orlando area.
DARK RIDE EDITION 2026
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
