Imagine you’re the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. You’ve got a lot on your plate. There’s the ever-precarious state of Disney+, which gains and loses subscribers on a quarterly basis. There’s the Parks and Experiences division, with rising costs and a passionate fanbase. And then there’s your competition, who is building a brand-new theme park in your backyard, and no one will let you forget it. They don’t pay you the big bucks for nothing!

But since you’re an excellent CEO, you put on a brave face and try your best to give the people what they want. What do the people want? An answer to Epic Universe. A place for the Disney Villains. New attractions that are innovative yet nostalgic yet creative yet timeless. Easy, right? At D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney did its best to cater to fans. They unveiled a Monsters, INC. coaster that fans have been talking about for years. They announced a new nighttime parade to assuage the live entertainment fans. They even confirmed that a Villains Land will, in fact, be built “beyond Big Thunder Mountain” in Magic Kingdom. But despite the news, fans were quick to voice their concerns. Is it fair to judge so soon?

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