Disney Parks just gave clues about the company’s plans for a new theme park resort, as well as the potential location for the new resort.
On Monday, Disney’s President of Parks, Experiences, and Products, Josh D’Amaro, sat down for a Q&A session during JPMorgan’s shareholder’s meeting with Philip Cusick, Managing Director and Senior Analyst in the Research Division for JPMorgan Chase.
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During Monday’s event, D’Amaro touted The Walt Disney Company’s investments in its theme park resorts around the globe–at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort in California, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Shanghai Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort–and the positive response to those investments from Guests who visit.
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“We’ve invested aggressively in these parks,” he said. “We were investing before we went into COVID. We continued to invest once we came out of COVID. And the Guests have responded to that. We have a lot of celebrations going on around the world, while at Walt Disney World specifically, we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary. And when we do these celebrations, we’re serious about them. These are big celebrations. So our Guests have responded to that.”
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D’Amaro continued, saying, “I’m pretty proud of the results that we’ve had domestically in our parks.”
Cusick and D’Amaro had several exchanges about The Walt Disney Company, the culture inside the company, Disney’s financial picture, and the company’s plans for the future, including a new theme park resort in Singapore, located more than 1600 miles from Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.
“Can we think of the–that–whether it’s Singapore or somewhere in that region, is at the beginning of maybe more parks to come around the world?” Cusick asked D’Amaro. “How should we think about that?”
While he didn’t skirt around the question of a Singaporean Disneyland, D’Amaro didn’t shoot the arrow entirely straight, either. But he did give Cusick a response that seemed to include a bit of foreshadowing about Disney’s plans for a new Southeast Asian Disney theme park resort.
“Well, as we talked about a little bit earlier, I think we’ve got so much opportunity within our existing parks to continue to grow,” D’Amaro said. “But certainly, when you have a cruise coming into a new market, it kind of gives you some indication in terms of how Guests are receiving the Disney brand and what the opportunities might look like going forward. Certainly, nothing to announce from a new theme park perspective right now, but there’s always opportunity.”
D’Amaro referred to the announcement that was made during the Parks Panel at the D23 Expo in September 2022, during which D’Amaro himself shared the exciting news that Disney Cruise Line will soon be adding Singapore to its itineraries.
Per Disney Parks Blog (March 29, 2023):
Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board today announced magical cruise vacations to Southeast Asia for the first time, revealed by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro and Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, S. Iswaran.
Under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding, Disney Cruise Line and Singapore Tourism Board agreed to collaborate to homeport a brand-new Disney cruise ship exclusively in Singapore for at least five years beginning in 2025. More details about the maiden voyage, itineraries, and onboard experiences will be announced at a later date.
Singapore is a beautiful tropical island in Southeast Asia, just off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, making it a perfect spot for a brand-new Disney park. After all, we’re pretty sure a Dole Whip will taste just as good in Singapore as it does in Florida, Star Wars rides and attractions will be just as thrilling, and a Singaporean Disney castle will be just as beautiful. (Wonder if it’ll be a new version of Cinderella Castle?)
Though D’Amaro didn’t say definitive plans are in the works, we’re keeping our eyes on Singapore as a very possible location for Disney’s next exciting park.
