After Universal Orlando made a TON of announcements and gave new details about its upcoming Epic Universe park, the third park at the resort, many believe that Disney World needs to step it up and add a new park.
Disney World entrance sign
Some analysts believe Disney will announce a fifth park soon (although it hasn’t happened yet, even after Disney’s Q1 2024 earnings call), but what exactly should that park be? What should its theme be? We decided to go to the Disney experts, aka YOU, our DFB Readers to see what you thought. Let’s just say, you have some strong opinions about the matter!
Something with more thrill rides
Some of you aren’t concerned with a specific theme but think that Disney World needs a park with more thrill rides to compete with Universal. Michael wrote, “A theme park that gives Universal some competition. Thrilling rides, bigger and better coasters.”
What? Mission: SPACE isn’t thrilling enough?
Robert commented, “Disney Worlds Fair….Go back to Disney’s Roots. Fair rides, roller coasters, thrill rides. Something more exiting. Of course all themed as only Disney can do it. Put hotels in or right on the perimeter of the park so guests can just walk right in.”
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We do agree that a new theme park should also mean some new hotels!
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Something like Tokyo DisneySea
Many of you like the concept of Tokyo DisneySea with its themed ports (not to mention its upcoming Fantasy Springs). This gives the park a chance to bring in a variety of themed lands, which could work well for Disney World.
©Disney
Brittany can visualize it: “An aquatic Tokyo DisneySea type park with lots of steampunk and Atlantis, Little Mermaid, just a beautiful park modern / interesting park. With lots of waterfalls. I can picture it in my head.”
Tokyo DisneySea
Spencer took that idea even further: “If Tokyo Land Company can take the best of MK and DL. We should take the best of what the Asian parks have. Base it on Tokyo DisneySea and then add, Mystic Manor, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, Arendelle and Zootopia.”
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Villains Park
Okay, the OVERWHELMING response is that our readers REALLY want to see a Villains Park. Now there have been discussion for YEARS about such a park called Dark Kingdom based on a lot of speculation about unrelated Disney Parks projects, rumors, and people who insist Disney needs to make a Villains-themed park happen. So it seems like this concept remains VERY popular with Disney fans.
Hades at Oogie Boogie Bash in Disneyland
Kim said, “I like the idea of a Villains Park. There is a lot of cool theming you could do.”
Lisa greed, “Villains! They need some love!” (Yes, Villains need love, too.)
Meanwhile, Tina had some SERIOUS ideas, “Villains with Maleficent’s castle being the anchor of the park. And like others are saying, geared toward older kids. Have more thrill rides, with a smaller kids section like US- IOA. There are so many awesome Disney villains to build attractions, shows, and dining experiences around.”
Fire-breathing Maleficent
Mary also had some great ideas, “Villains with coasters aimed for the more mature crowd. Give Universal Studios and Sea World a run for their money with some great Coasters. The Teens will LOVE this. And maybe add some type of small city Walk adjacent to it, that has bars with bands and DJs for dancing—- like the old Pleasure Island. It would do awesome!!”
Captain Hook
So yes, a lot of you want to see a Villains Park happen. We wouldn’t be mad about it — how much fun would that be?!?!? Hey, Disney, are you paying attention?
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So as you can see, our readers have some pretty great ideas when it comes to Disney World’s fifth park. Now, as we said, Disney has not confirmed a fifth park, although there are still plans for a Magic Kingdom expansion, as well as a DinoLand re-theme in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. As for the fifth gate, though, we’re all just still holding our breath and waiting for that announcement.
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What do you think? What should Disney World’s fifth park be? Let us know in the comments!
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As long As some of the attraction are wheelchair accessible
If Disney does go through with creating a 5th park, then it should have rides & attractions based on Atlantis the Lost Empire, Treasure Planet, ABC & ABC Family, Disney Channel shows and movies and anything that doesn’t get enough credit and recognition.
For me I would go for an elements park (fire, ice, water, sun) which allows Disney branding in each of these 4 quarters. And maybe they are all connected by a core in the middle. Alternatively I would suggest a Disney Sports theme park as sport is a huge part of leisure. My third option would be a retro park somewhere to home and retire old rides, and maybe have a black and white land to allow some seriously old characters to come to life.
I would never go in, or take my little grandchildren into a villains park. I think they should expand past Rapunzel‘s tower and make something related to tangled.
The Imagineers have kicked the Villains idea around in the past (shortly after Universal opened Islands), but if it didn’t happen in the 2010’s, I honestly don’t really see a 5th park happening. They still haven’t really finished the fourth park, which seems to be less than half of a zoo and less than half of an amusement park. One of the biggest problems World has is that the volume of guests has greatly impinged on the overall guest experience over the last decade. Pair that with dwindling territory (yes I know the territory is huge, but much of it is unsuitable wetland and a large portion was ceded to Celebration) and an increasingly unfavorable political environment that yearns to over-regulate; and signs point to creating a new US location being a wiser choice. Expansion has been long overdue, but I think they’ve been gun-shy since they were rebuffed in Virginia. Texas would be an ideal choice, but it seems that Universal has beaten them to that punch as well.
I really like the S.E.A. idea. You can never. replace The Adventurer’s Club, but the vibe and expand on that. It also opens up a myriad of possibilities to incorporate a lot of the Disney IP I think they were envisioning for Animal Kingdom. Exploration and adventures, what could better? It would bring everything together that is mentioned in Julian’s comment, plus leave the theming open enough for other ideas.
Yesterland…where all the gone but not forgotten rides live again (20,000 Leagues under the Sea, Horizons, Mr. Toad, Snow White’s Scary Adventures, the Great Movie Ride, Maelstrom, World of Motion, Mickey Mouse Review, Journey Into Imagination (the original), etc).
A villains park would be awesome!
A villains park would be awesome and great competition to the other places in Orlando.