The rumors are flying!Rumors are running rampant that Walt Disney World is going to build a fifth theme park. These rumors are not from a satire site. Instead, they are based in fact. Well, sort of.
The Walt Disney Company and the state of Florida have been battling for months. I’m not going into that here, I have a “no politics” rule for Disney Over 50. (If someone tries to turn the comments political on my Facebook or Instagram pages, I’ll turn commenting off.) The Central Florida Tourism District, which now oversees Walt Disney World, and Disney have finally come to an agreement. This agreement clears the way for a fifth park, two more smaller parks, hotels, and more.
Just because the way has been cleared doesn’t mean that a fifth Walt Disney World theme park is coming. It doesn’t mean that we’re about to get two more water parks either. All that this means is that if Disney decides to expand, they should be able to.
Something as important as a fifth Walt Disney World theme park will not be announced casually on the evening news. There is always a lot of theme park news at D23: the Ultimate Disney Fan Event (formerly D23 Expo), which will take place August 9-11 in Anaheim. The Disney Experiences Evening Showcase will be held on August 10. That’s when any theme park news should be announced.
The next time there will be major theme park news should be Destination D23 in 2025. We don’t have the dates for that yet, or even confirmation that it will take place. Traditionally, it’s held every other year in September.
Should Walt Disney World add a fifth park? A lot of people think so. Universal Orlando Resort has upped its game, and will soar even higher next year when Epic Universe opens. Universal’s newest theme park is sure to bring crowds to Walt Disney World as well, because many people don’t want to make a trip to Orlando without spending at least a day or two at Walt Disney World. But Universal Orlando Resort is becoming a major destination in its own right. Without a major expansion, will Walt Disney World end up taking a back seat to Universal?
Remember, take anything you hear as “fact” with a grain of salt, unless there’s a reliable source to back it up. There are a lot of sites that are just looking for clicks, and will put anything out there to grab your attention. I’m local. I watch the news. I read the press releases. I visit the parks often. I do my best to bring you accurate information here at Disney Over 50. Thank you for your trust and your support.