Disney World moves forward on massive park expansion after settling lawsuits with Florida
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Walt Disney World is reportedly moving forward with a massive expansion to its Magic Kingdom theme park just days after the company settled out of court with the Gov. Ron DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
“Walt Disney World is currently in the process of filing permits for development work behind Magic Kingdom that will prepare the area for a future expansion expected to be the largest expansion in the park’s history,” reported Scott Gustin.
“Not quite what the media/left/corporate GOP were predicting last year,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis in reaction.
The project is set to take place next to the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, located in one of the corners of the Magic Kingdom park in its western American-themed area.
The announcement was made during a Walt Disney Imagineering showcase this week, Gustin said.
“Imagineers confirmed Disney will file water management permits in the next few weeks – marking the start of finding out what’s ‘Beyond Big Thunder,'” Gustin said.
Permits are set to be filed in the coming weeks, he said.
Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World site portfolio executive, told CNN that the expansion is “probably the largest” the resort has ever done in Magic Kingdom.
The new area will be around the size as Hollywood Studios’ 14-acre “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” land.
The expansion has been dubbed the “Beyond Big Thunder” expansion, and speculation has raged about Disney’s potential plans in that section of the park for months.
DeSantis suggests Disney World build a fifth theme park to compete with Universal
Immediately after the lawsuits ended under a new settlement, DeSantis shifted his tone on Disney, encouraging collaboration and more economic development.
Specifically, DeSantis noted Universal is constructing a third theme park on its property in Orlando, “Epic Universe,” and that Disney should be interested in a response of its own.
“It’s just gonna be a huge game changer,” he said. “It’s bigger than [Universal’s] other two parks combined. I’ve got to think that Disney would want to answer that [to] keep up with the competition.”
“I’ve got to think Disney would have an interest in maybe offering another one,” DeSantis said. “The district will be ready to negotiate something.”
While not a fifth theme park, the Magic Kingdom is Disney’s most popular theme park, and the most popular in the world.
