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As expansion plans are underway, any remnants of America or patriotism will soon be eliminated from Walt Disney World Resort. This has caused millions of guests to react negatively to the announcements.
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Walt Disney World Resort To See Massive Expansions, First Time in Its History
Walt Disney World Resort is set for a substantial transformation across its four theme parks, as revealed at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. The announced expansions will introduce new attractions, lands, and experiences, with debut dates between 2025 and 2027. Magic Kingdom Park will experience its most significant expansion, starting with a reimagined Frontierland.
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be replaced by a new “Cars”-themed area featuring three attractions, including an Indiana Jones adventure and an Encanto-themed ride. A new nighttime parade, Disney Starlight, will debut in the summer of 2025. An expansion beyond Big Thunder Mountain will introduce a new land dedicated to Disney Villains.
This extensive area will offer two major attractions and dining and shopping options. Walt Disney Imagineering is focused on innovating to bring this dark and intriguing land to fruition. Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park will unveil an 11-acre area named Tropical Americas. This new land will include Pueblo Esperanza, a lively town featuring a large fountain, an open-air market, and a hacienda that will become one of the most prominent quick-service restaurants at Walt Disney World.
Credit: Inside The Magic
Inspired by research trips to biodiverse regions in northern South America and Central America, the expansion will feature new attractions and entertainment across EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including a Monsters, Inc.-themed area with the park’s first suspended coaster. EPCOT’s Test Track is set to reimagine and highlight the evolution of mobility. At the same time, Hollywood Studios’ Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will introduce a new Millennium Falcon mission featuring the Mandalorian and Grogu.
The resort will also add new themed lounges, such as a Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired tavern in Magic Kingdom and a Spaceship Earth-themed lounge at EPCOT. These developments signify a significant investment in Walt Disney World Resort’s future. The phased approach to these projects will allow guests to enjoy existing attractions while looking forward to the new additions.
Disney has assured visitors that there will be ample opportunity to experience the current offerings before implementing the changes. The announcement of Walt Disney World Resort’s extensive expansion plans has ignited a wave of criticism from fans who view the changes as a deliberate removal of patriotic themes and American cultural references from the park. The plans, unveiled at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, encompass a broad transformation across all four theme parks, including reimagining existing areas and introducing new attractions.
Credit: Ed Aguila, Inside the Magic
The House of Mouse Is Eliminating Patriotism?
However, the sweeping nature of these changes has led to concerns that Disney is erasing the final remnants of “Americana” from its flagship resort. At the heart of the controversy is the planned overhaul of Frontierland, a beloved section of Magic Kingdom Park that has long celebrated American frontier history. The expansion will replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island with a “Cars”-themed area featuring new attractions inspired by the popular animated film.
To the people in support of demolishing the Rivers of America, claiming it's just empty space or not popular:
1. Rivers of America and the Liberty Belle steamship are Walt's own vision. The river is meant to represent several important rivers in American history: the Mississippi… https://t.co/lPyft9NdCt
— Mickey Central (@Mickey_Central) August 12, 2024
To the people in support of demolishing the Rivers of America, claiming it’s just empty space or not popular: 1. Rivers of America and the Liberty Belle steamship are Walt’s own vision. The river is meant to represent several important rivers in American history: the Mississippi (where The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn take place), the Columbia, the Potomac, and the Rio Grande. 2. Disneyland has kept their Rivers of America for 70 years specifically because it is Walt’s vision. Without RoA, Magic Kingdom isn’t a Magic Kingdom park. It’s like removing Tomorrowland or Fantasyland. 3. WDW property is 40 square miles. Act like it! 4. Magic Kingdom is the world’s #1 theme park. Act like it! 5. It’s Florida and we need cool open spaces and water features. 6. Sight lines and nostalgia should be preserved whenever possible. It is essential to maintain the old, to respect the old, to replenish the old, to enhance the old, to modernize the old. 7. For the love of god, stop demolishing attractions to add attractions.
While Disney promises exciting new experiences, many fans feel that this move represents a departure from the park’s historical connections to American heritage. With its rustic charm and nods to the American West, Frontierland has been a cornerstone of Disney’s celebration of American history and pioneering spirit. Replacing this area with a commercial franchise-themed land has been perceived as diluting these patriotic elements.
So… even after they’ve destroyed the cultural core of Magic Kingdom, all they free up is a maximum amount of space that’s less than Super Nintendo World….
Yeahhhhhh that Villains land concept art is never coming to fruition 😬 https://t.co/OqXw8pxRlK
— Wallin Ballin (@wallin_ballin) August 13, 2024
So… even after they’ve destroyed the cultural core of Magic Kingdom, all they free up is a maximum amount of space that’s less than Super Nintendo World…. Yeahhhhhh that Villains land concept art is never coming to fruition
In addition to the Frontierland changes, the planned creation of a Disney Villains-themed land beyond Big Thunder Mountain has further fueled concerns. This new area, intended to introduce a darker and more fantastical dimension to the park, will include two significant attractions: dining and shopping. Critics argue that the focus on Disney Villains while offering fresh and innovative experiences, shifts the park’s thematic focus away from traditional American values and cultural references.
There are certain things that should be untouchable in a Disney park. This is like gutting the Haunted Mansion or bulldozing the castle. Truly feels like we’ve lost the plot here https://t.co/ClSSGGbzYv
— Wesley Boutilier (@WesleyBout) August 12, 2024
There are certain things that should be untouchable in a Disney park. This is like gutting the Haunted Mansion or bulldozing the castle. Truly feels like we’ve lost the plot here
Credit: Disney
They contend that this move marks a significant departure from the nostalgic elements that have defined Disney World for decades. The planned expansions extend beyond Magic Kingdom, impacting other parks within the resort. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, the development of a new 11-acre land called Tropical Americas is underway.
People aren't upset about losing an attraction that nobody rode. They're upset about a complete tonal shift in an entire corner of the park they grew up with and I think that's justified. pic.twitter.com/uD666CUi60
— ɢɪᴀɴ (@retr0gate) August 12, 2024
People aren’t upset about losing an attraction that nobody rode. They’re upset about a complete tonal shift in an entire corner of the park they grew up with and I think that’s justified.
This area will feature Pueblo Esperanza, a vibrant town inspired by research trips to biodiverse regions in northern South America and Central America. While this expansion is an effort to broaden the park’s global appeal, some fans view it as further evidence of Disney’s move away from its American-centric themes. EPCOT’s Test Track will undergo a reimagining that celebrates the evolution of mobility, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will introduce a new Millennium Falcon mission featuring characters from the popular Star Wars franchise.
The real reason it's going there. pic.twitter.com/mhCJuGG63N
— 🚂 Wildest Ride (@Wildest_Ride) August 13, 2024
The real reason it’s going there.
While these updates are intended to enhance the park’s attractions, some have interpreted them as contributing to the broader trend of moving away from American cultural references. Critics say Disney’s focus on global themes and popular franchises represents a shift away from the celebration of American history and culture that has been integral to the resort’s identity. The changes are part of a larger pattern of prioritizing commercial interests and modern trends over traditional themes.
Credit: Inside The Magic
This shift is seen as particularly significant given that Disney World was designed initially to tribute American ideals and values, from its early “American Frontier” themes to its celebration of the American Dream. As Disney World embarks on these ambitious expansions, fans’ reactions highlight a more profound concern about preserving the park’s heritage. The transition from classic American-themed attractions to new, franchise-driven experiences is being seen by many as a loss of the cultural and nostalgic elements that visitors have long cherished.
This is the same company that removed the “To Honor America” float from the Main Street Electrical Parade 🇺🇸 https://t.co/HtDUnYyswB
— Showcase of Wishes (@ShowcaseWishes) August 13, 2024
This is the same company that removed the “To Honor America” float from the Main Street Electrical Parade
The growing nostalgia for the park’s original themes underscores the tension between maintaining a connection to the past and embracing innovations. In summary, the expansion plans for Walt Disney World Resort have stirred significant controversy, with many fans interpreting the changes as an erasure of patriotic and American cultural elements from the park. As Disney continues to evolve, the debate over these transformations reflects broader questions about the balance between innovation and tradition and the impact of such changes on the legacy of one of the world’s most iconic entertainment destinations.
Good is always Good. People want to share the things they experienced with their kids. Disney can't keep ripping out things and think people will continue to care. It will make the park disposable—use it and discard it. That's what Six Flags does—it cheapens the experience. https://t.co/QGzAv9Y5ok
— Savethemagic (@Savethedmagic) August 13, 2024
Good is always Good. People want to share the things they experienced with their kids. Disney can’t keep ripping out things and think people will continue to care. It will make the park disposable—use it and discard it. That’s what Six Flags does—it cheapens the experience.
The recent announcement of Walt Disney World’s ambitious expansion plans has received considerable backlash from many Disney guests. These guests are concerned that the changes signify an effort to eliminate American cultural references and patriotic themes from the theme parks. This negative feedback has surfaced in various forums, including social media platforms and fan-driven discussion groups, where visitors express disappointment over what they perceive as a departure from the resort’s traditional focus on Americana.
Credit: Inside the Magic
The Heart of Americana Being Left Behind With the Times
Critics argue that the transformation of iconic areas such as Frontierland, which has long been associated with American frontier history, and new, non-American-themed attractions signal a shift away from celebrating American heritage. The replacement of Frontierland’s historic elements with a “Cars”-themed area and the planned Disney Villains land have been particularly contentious. Many long-time visitors and fans feel that these changes dilute the park’s connection to its original patriotic and nostalgic themes, which have been a significant part of its identity since its opening.
Additionally, the development of global-themed areas, such as the Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the focus on international franchises in EPCOT, has further fueled the perception that Disney prioritizes commercial interests and international appeal over its American roots. This sentiment has led to concerns that Disney is shifting away from the core themes that have traditionally resonated with its American audience.
In response to these criticisms, Disney must address its guests’ concerns and clarify its intentions behind the expansion plans. The company might consider issuing a detailed statement explaining the rationale behind the changes, emphasizing how the new attractions align with the overall vision for the resort while also honoring its legacy. Disney could also engage with fans through town hall meetings or online forums to address concerns and gather feedback.
Credit: Disney Parks
Furthermore, Disney may need to demonstrate how the new expansions will incorporate elements that still reflect its commitment to American culture and history, even as the park embraces new themes and global perspectives. By highlighting any aspects of the latest attractions that pay homage to American heritage or introducing additional themed areas that celebrate American traditions, Disney could mitigate some of the backlash and reassure guests that the park’s cultural roots remain an important consideration.
Hard to argue with Glimpses on this one.
My goodness I hope this gets cancelled.
Can we just skip the cars land and only do Disney Villains? 😬 https://t.co/k9nWCdbiUd
— Wallin Ballin (@wallin_ballin) August 12, 2024
Hard to argue with Glimpses on this one. My goodness I hope this gets cancelled. Can we just skip the cars land and only do Disney Villains?
Ultimately, the company faces the challenge of balancing innovation with tradition as it moves forward with its expansion plans. Addressing the concerns of its audience transparently and thoughtfully will be crucial in maintaining the strong relationship Disney has built with its guests over the years.
With the future of “Americana” on the line at Disney World, millions of guests who enjoyed that aspect of the parks in Orlando might not want to visit any longer, completely changing the scale and scope of its fanbase forever. But again, could this be an overstretch from a couple of disgruntled fans, or will this be applauded as something Disney is actively but quietly trying to eliminate from one of the most magical places on earth? Only time will tell.
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