Frankly, the next three years are not going to be easy for Disney fans web sites. And especially theme parcs articles. Why, you ask? Well, you see, we all have a big problem as almost any new attractions, lands, etc...are known and most of them have been officially announced or will be in a near future.
I know, I know, the Disney marketing machine is so incredible that we can count on them for weekly special announcements. But for Disney fans who always eagerly await what will be the next big one, i'm sorry to say that all of you could almost go to sleep and come back in quite a while when we will have something else than fences and cranes all around the pictures to show you.
And I don't talk about Disney movies! Here, too, we know most of the program: Princess and the Frog this Year, Rapunzel in 2010 with also Toy Story 3, The Bear and the Bow and Cars 2 in 2010, Prep and Landing, eventually if they find a good idea Monsters Inc 2, Tron Legacy, John Carter of Mars, Prince of Persia, Pirates of Caribbean 4, 20000 Leagues under the sea prequel, Brad Bird's "1906" - about San Francisco 1906 earthquake, etc... without forgetting some nice short animated from Disney or Pixar. Of course we still have to discover all these great movies, there will be trailers, pictures, artwork, etc... but we know already what to expect at least until 2012.
Let's come back to theme parks where the problem is even worst. As i've said - and although a great news awaits you at the end of the article - we know already what will be the new attractions that WDI will build in the next three years. Thanks God, there is still a huge surprise to come with Shanghaî Disneyland and hopefully - if the chinese officials finally stop to ask more and more from the WDC - we can expect an announcement probably this fall. And i agree there will be a lot to talk about it - and hopefully artwork to show - when the big news will be finally announced.
But for other Disney parks in the world, it's another problem. Don't believe me? Let's do the list of what is planning for each park until 2012-13, whether it's officially announced or not.
Disneyland, Anaheim2009 - A new Disney Gallery, Great Moments with Mr Lincoln come back, Tiana's Show Boat Jubilee, New Monorails, and eventually the come back of Captain EO
2010 - World of Wonder Parade
2011 - Star Tours 2
Others with no dates : A new Tomorrowland with probably a new movie to replace Honey I schrunk the audience, People Mover come back, etc...
Disney's California Adventure 2010 - World of Color show, Silly Simphony Swings, Goofy's sky school, Paradise Gardens
2011 - New DCA entrance, Carthay theater, Red Trolley Transportation, New show for Hyperion theatre, and probably a new show to replace the Muppets 3D
And most of all, the highly awaited Little Mermaid Ride
2012 - Cars Land with Tow Mater's Junkyard jamboree and Luigi's Roamin Tires attractions and the major E+ Ticket Radiator Springs Racer (not too mention other great Restaurants and shops like Flo's Restaurant, Filmore's Organic Foods, etc...)
2013 - Soarin' over the World
Walt Disney WorldMagic Kingdom Fall 2011-2012 - New Fantasyland with The Little Mermaid, Cinderella and Aurora houses meet and greet, Belle's Village, Gaston's Tavern, Be our Guest Restaurant.
Epcot Nothing, or almost, before 2012 and probably the new Soarin' over the world movie
Disney's Hollywood studios 2011 - Star Tours 2
The Monsters Inc coaster is apparently cancelled for now, WDW putting all the money - probably around $250 M - in the new MK Fantasyland.
Animal Kingdom May be a good surprise to expect, but probably not before 2012
Tokyo Disneyland2011 - Mickey's Philarmagic
Tokyo Disney SeaFall 2009 - Turtle talk with Crush (inside the Columbia ship)
Not officially announced and no dates yet but very probably coming: Soarin' over the world and a Toy Story Mania attraction apparently on a different theme
Hong Kong Disneyland2011 - Toy story Land
2012 - Grizzly Trail
2013 - Mystic Point
Disneyland ParisNo attractions announced for DLP Magic Kingdom but may be Star Tours 2 in 2012, and probably a new movie to replace Honey I schrunk the audience in Discoveryland. We can also count on new shows or parades for DLP 20th
Fantasyland - The Little Mermaid should come to Fantasyland but probably not before 2014 if Ratatouille stays as the 20th Anniversary attraction
Walt Disney Studios2010 - Toy story playland
2012 - Ratatouille dark ride
Also expected : A WDS expansion and a night show, Soarin' over the world, New Hotels and Disney Village expansion, World of Disney shop, Villages Nature with a big water park, all this, let's say, between 2011 and 2015-17
And that's it. Now, frankly, is there any big surprise for you in this list? For 90% of them we've already seen artwork, we know exactly where attractions will be build, etc... For sure Disney will release more infos little by little - i think we can expect more details about the WDW MK new Fantasyland during the D23 Expo - but don't expect WDI Imagineers to tell you all about the most awaited attractions like the Little Mermaid ride or Cars Land Radiator Springs Racer.
Which means what? It means that for the next three years parks weekly updates will show a lot of construction works pictures, with cranes all around, fences, etc, etc... And although it will be fun to watch DCA's Cars Land become reality, we must not forget that the final buildings won't rise before two years or so. As usual it's all the preparative ground process which takes most of the time. Of course there will be the new World of Color show next year, but, hey, it's a fountain show! Which means that it will be beautiful during the show, and that there will be nothing to look at when the show will be over, no decor, no building, nothing, except of course the new Paradise Park. Only the Orange Stinger and Mulholland Madness re-theming will bring some kind of new visual elements in 2010 at DCA. The rest of the park is going to be a big mess until 2011, but we all know that's the price to pay to have a real nice and enjoyable park.
In Florida it's even worst as there is definitely no new attractions to expect before at least fall 2011-12 - which will be also the date of the two new Disney Cruise Line ships. I don't want to be provocative, but thanks God, the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure will open in 2010!
So, everybody - i mean the main Disney fans web sites - will show almost the same pictures of construction works, etc... I think it's going to be a bit boring to see the same pictures and that's why i've decided to stay out of the game. It doesn't mean that i will stop new Disney and more articles, but it means that i will leave other sites - which generally do it extremely well and even better than me - do their weekly update. Very probably i will do new articles only once or twice a week, with DLP updates when there will be something new to show, but not more. I've noticed that we are now all talking about the same things, same news, and it doesn't make sense, really.
Of course i will keep an eye on the daily Disney news and you can count on D&M to react as fast as before when a REAL major news will be announced - like Shanghaî Disneyland, for instance.
Talking about new Disney park, i've kept for the end the scoop news! First, you may have read the OC Register August 14th article. Basically, the article announces that a parking lot will be build on part of the land where Disney envisioned to build the third Californian Disney park. Apparently it's not good news, but the parking lot won't stay forever, probably not more than ten years. So, all hopes are not lost for this third theme park, it just mean that we don't have to expect it before 2018-20.
And when i've read that, i thought "that's interesting...". Why? Well, simply because my good sources confirmed me recently that
another "third" Disney theme park should rise at the horizon 2020. But this one will be on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
That's right, Disneyland Paris executives are seriously planning to open a third theme park at DLP "at the horizon 2017-20". And please, don't ask me what will be its theme as not only i don't know it, but probably DLP executives don't know it either. There is plenty of land available to build a third theme park and in the next 8-10 years WDI Imagineers will obviously propose different themes to DLP management. But don't expect any official announcement before at least eight years, if not ten.
As for an opening date, i will bet more on 2020 or 2022 - the 30th anniversary - than 2017. Why? Simply because they need to expand the Walt Disney Studios and transform DLP's second gate in a real full day park before opening a third theme park. Considering all what remains to be done to achieve this goal, i think it will take them at least 8 years, if not ten. As generally a new theme park opening matches with a big anniversary date, 2017 - DLP 25th anniversary date - looks too close to me for the opening of a third park. But 2022 - DLP 30th anniversary - for all the reasons explained above looks a more reasonable date...although they could also decide to don't wait for a "special anniversary" date and that "2020" is a good date in itself. Let's also hope that they will have learn from the WDS mistakes and that this third park will be from day one a real full day park...
But yes, Disneyland Paris executives are definitely planning a third theme park for the resort, and that's a great news for all DLP fans.
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