Disney’s ‘Mary Poppins’ Ride is Delayed – NOT Canceled

We never thought we’d hear Disney say it has run out of money.

Amid controversy surrounding Florida’s new “Don’t Say Gay” bill and Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s lackluster response, Disney has revealed that certain exciting projects have been put on the shelf due to a lack of funding.

COVID-19 affected operations significantly at Walt Disney World, with experiences and rules modified at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom after their reopenings post-pandemic.

Alongside mask mandates, social distancing, and Disney Genie, the new Park Pass system affected Guest capacity, and ultimately it seems, Disney Park’s revenue.

Now, Chapek has revealed that certain attractions previously assumed to be canceled are actually just “on hold”.

During the 2022 Shareholder Meeting on March 9, Bob Chapek was put on the spot about many topics related to Disney’s current reputation, including the Florida legislation and delayed attractions.

Chapek finally broke his silence this week about the controversial Florida bill with a company-wide email that sparked backlash. Chapek fell short of denouncing the legislation and said that the company will instead continue to “focus on creating an inclusive environment” in its content.

Speaking at the annual shareholder’s meeting, Chapek denounced the bill in what many are calling “too little, too late”, but did answer a question from a shareholder about the status of several rides that were previously announced but had been indefinitely delayed during the pandemic.

One of the most eagerly-awaited rides was one based on the Julie Andrews classic movie Mary Poppins (1964), announced at the 2019 D23 Expo in California.

The attraction would be located in the United Kingdom pavilion of the EPCOT theme park,adding an entirely new neighborhood, complete with a ride. In the plans, Disney Guests would step in time down Cherry Tree Lane past Admiral Boom’s house, then enter Number 17, home of the Banks family, where their adventure would begin.

The other attraction mentioned was a Quinjet ride that was to anchor a “Phase 2” of Marvel’s Avengers Campus in Disneyland Park.

Chapek responded that these planned attractions were in a “holding pattern” due to a lack of cash caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while the rides aren’t currently under construction, Chapek noted that they hoped to fund the projects eventually.

Disney officially revealed that the United Kingdom Pavilion expansion was paused in July 2020 as Walt Disney World reopened from the COVID-19 shutdown. In addition to pausing Mary Poppins and the Quinjet, Disney also put a halt to the update to EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth.

The news surprised Disney fans who haven’t heard anything related to these rides for a long time. Construction on attractions like TRON Lightcycle Run at Magic Kingdom, and the Moana Journey of Water walkthrough have been delayed due to labor and supply shortages.

Disney has apparently had money, however for several other rides at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Construction is underway for a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed roller coaster at EPCOT, while Mickey’s Toontown is getting a major retheme at Disneyland. When Mickey’s Toontown reopens, it will include a new version of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway similar to the one currently operating at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.