David KrisoEaster has come and gone. Spring Break is underway for schools across the country. Spring in general, is here! All of this should mean something to Disney Parks and Resorts. Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Josh D’Amaro should have long to-do list on his desk. Oh, the list is long! There cannot be enough things for Josh D’Amaro to keep high on his list of priorities. With Spring in full swing, and summer just around the corner, Disney guests of all walks of life cannot wait for these things to finally happen. What things are Disney guests most deserving of? Long behold the laundry list for Josh D’Amaro.
3) A fifth theme park: Of course, Josh D’Amaro and Disney’s CEO Bob Iger are talking massive park expansions at various resorts around the world. That’s all good. However, at Walt Disney World in central FL, the anticipation thermometer is showing more and more red. Universal is counting down to the opening of its third major theme park, “Epic Universe”, due to open in Spring 2025. So, the clock is ticking for Josh D’Amaro to figure out and act on how, when, and where a fifth theme park in Florida could fit in. Where can a fifth theme park fit in? With nearly forty-seven square miles of land to play with, there’s ample room to build a fifth theme park. With the exception of the 1/3 of the land being set aside for wildlife conservation, there is enough land to imagine such an idea. The Walt Disney World property is twice the size of New York City’s Manhattan Island. Long behold Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Both theme parks are right next door to each other. Why not? A fifth theme park should fit right next door to the Magic Kingdom. Whether on the east or west side, the fifth theme park would look incredible. Disney’s Skyliner conveniently connects Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. So, Disney’s Skyliner should be expanded to connect the fifth theme park with the Magic Kingdom. All that Josh D’Amaro needs to do is “Dig a little deeper”.
2) Reinstate Disney’s Magical Express: The discontinuation of Disney’s Magical Express on December 31st, 2021, was among the worst decisions Bob Chapek and Josh D’Amaro made together. Bob Chapek was a “numbers” kind of guy, but it was the wrong direction for Disney. Disney’s Magical Express was the guests’ complimentary bus service to and from Orlando International Airport. At best, guests didn’t have to wait for their luggage at the baggage claim. As soon as their luggage was taken off the plane, it was loaded onto a box truck and shipped to their Disney resort. Guests would later see their luggage in their resort rooms, like “magic”. That magic has been absent. It’s time for that magic to be brought back, and never to be touched again. Why would anyone lie by saying “If it works, don’t fix it!”. Disney’s Magical Express was more than the guests’ perk. It was a golden privilege. Guests didn’t deserve to have a golden privilege taken away. The guests didn’t do anything wrong. They deserve to have Disney’s Magical Express back. Disney’s Magical Express is what kept the magic rolling. It deserves to keep on rolling!
1) No park reservations for annual passholders: This has been an ongoing process-a process taking too long to roll back. As of January 9th, 2024, length-of-stay passholders no longer needed to make park reservations. Woo-hoo! That was great news! Unfortunately, it’s still unfair for on-property guests who are annual passholders to be making park reservations. Annual passholders staying at any Disney resort should have the same perk as the length-of-stay passholders. The same goes for Disney Vacation Club members. Disney Vacation Club members pay big money for their membership, their perks, and the incredible second-to-none attention they’re given. Many thousands of of Disney Vacation Club members are annual passholders. Park reservations for annual passholders staying on the Walt Disney World resort property should be done away with. It’s that simple. It’s acceptable, feasible, and above all-plausible.
Hello Spring! It’s time for the real fun and excitement to heat up. Before the fun and excitement can heat up, it’s time for Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Josh D’Amaro to put on his ”thinking ears” and take action. Disney guests have been patient enough post-pandemic. Life has returned to normal. Theme park numbers are back at their pre-pandemic numbers. They’re not perfect, but they’re right back where things were before the world stopped turning in March 2020. It’s great to hear that CEO Bob Iger and Parks and Resorts chairman Josh D’Amaro are unveiling park expansions. That’s great, but plans to construct a fifth theme park would show some legit competition with Universal. Such plans would be utmost satisfactory. Further, it would greatly increase the morale of Disney guests around the world. Disney guests sure miss Disney’s Magical Express! Dragging their luggage from the baggage claim onto a Mears Connect bus is heartbreaking to see. It’s a heartbreaking reality with no end in sight. Unless there is a light at the end of the tunnel? Ultimately, Josh D’Amaro needs to make the big move-a move which all Disney annual passholders are patiently awaiting. It’s time for Josh D’Amaro to lift park reservations for annual passholders staying on the Walt Disney World resort property. It’s only fair that Disney guests, including Disney Vacation Club members, should be granted the same privilege as length-of-stay passholders. As soon as the laundry list is complete, all of Disney guests’ dreams will come true.
