In less than 70 years, Disney went from one theme park in Anaheim, California, to six incredible resorts worldwide. Guests can still visit the original Disneyland Resort, then head to the East Coast and visit Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Then, there is also Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney, Shanghai Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland. And each resort will leave guests with magical memories that will last a lifetime.
Disney prides itself on never settling for what is and always dreaming of what could be. That’s why fans were thrilled when Bob Iger recently spoke about seven new lands and a massive Disneyland expansion. He made these comments while speaking at a conference hosted by Morgan Stanley in San Francisco, California.
During the Morgan Stanley teleconference, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company “could actually build seven new full lands if we wanted to around the world.” He also said they have enough land to expand Disneyland Resort by more than 50%.
During the Morgan Stanley teleconference, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company "could actually build seven new full lands if we wanted to around the world." He also said they have enough land to expand Disneyland Resort by more than 50%. pic.twitter.com/l4Set7Eqgk
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) March 5, 2024
But Disney does not want anyone to get too excited. Just one day after making those comments, Disney emphasized that Iger said that Disney COULD build seven new lands around the world, not that they would.
A clarification: When Iger said Disney could build “7 new lands” he was actually referencing a 2023 company statement that said Disney has “over 1,000 acres of land for possible future development … across its existing sites – the equivalent of about 7 new Disneyland Parks.”
A clarification: When Iger said Disney could build "7 new lands" he was actually referencing a 2023 company statement that said Disney has "over 1,000 acres of land for possible future development … across its existing sites – the equivalent of about 7 new Disneyland Parks." https://t.co/c1OKndYZFf
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) March 6, 2024
Reminiscent of D23 Disappointment
Iger making those statements, and then Disney walking them back, is very reminiscent of some of the disappointment felt during the 2022 D23 Expo Parks panel.
The Parks Panel is typically the highlight of the massive event. But during the 2022 panel, Disney Parks chairman Josh D’Amaro left a lot of fans disappointed when he presented “Beyond Big Thunder Mountain”.
Related: Disney Teases Coco-Themed Area Coming to the Magic Kingdom
D’Amaro was excited when he told fans that Disney Imagineers were dreaming of what could lie beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park. The only problem? There wasn’t actually anything announced. The entire presentation was just about what could be, not about what was actually going to happen.
Still Hope For Disneyland
Just because Disney made it clear that it is not promising the creation of seven new lands does not mean that all hope is lost. In fact, there are some exciting things to look forward to, especially at Disneyland Resort.
For a couple of years, Disney has been working with the city of Anaheim on getting all the paperwork and permits approved for a MASSIVE Disneyland Expansion. The project is called DisneylandForward and will create an entirely new theme park at The Happiest Place on Earth.
Should DisneylandForward be approved, a massive new theme park will be built alongside Disney California Adventure Park. The new theme park will feature a whopping 16 new attractions — five thrill rides, nine family attractions, two round rides, and an outdoor show.
Related: No, the Anaheim PD Did NOT Leak DisneylandForward
Nothing has been confirmed by Disney, since the project hasn’t been approved yet. However, if it is approved, Disney has teased that the new theme park could have areas dedicated to popular Disney films like Peter Pan (1953), Frozen (2013), Tangled (2010), Zootopia (2016), Toy Story (1995), and possibly even TRON (1982).
Do you think Disney should be building new lands? Let us know in the comments!