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Credit: Theme Park Tourist, FlickrAs Walt Disney World Resort gears up for a $17 billion investment, the demolition of one of Disney’s most nostalgic lands seems inevitable.
Disney fans worldwide were treated to some good news yesterday (September 19) when the Walt Disney Company pledged to invest $60 million into its theme parks over the next decade.
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The announcement – which came at Disney’s annual investors’ summit – applies to all Disney-owned theme parks, which means that the next ten years could be one of the most exciting periods for Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland in living memory.
As noted by Josh D’Amaro, Disney has no shortage of space right now. In fact, its 1,000 acres of available land across its resorts could contain seven new Disneyland parks (although considering the rate at which Disney currently builds attractions, we wouldn’t get our hopes up for seven new parks by 2033).
Disney’s Florida resort is receiving $17 billion of this investment, as was previously reported. For now, there’s no concrete confirmation of what lies in store. However, D’Amaro did tease specific franchises that could crop up at the US parks.
“We have a wealth of untapped stories to bring to life across our business,” he said. “Frozen, one of the most successful and popular animated franchises of all time, could have a presence at the Disneyland Resort. Wakanda has yet to be brought to life. The world of Coco is just waiting to be explored. There’s a lot of storytelling opportunity.”
While we don’t know which of these IPs – if any – will make their way to Walt Disney World in particular, one area seems ripe for replacement.
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Disney Hollywood Studios currently boasts a totally unused land: Animation Courtyard. Once home to Voyage of the Little Mermaid, One Man’s Dream, and The Magic of Disney Animation, today it’s primarily used for character meet and greets at Star Wars Launch Bay (which was basically made redundant in 2019 with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) and Walt Disney Presents (another character space, currently home to Ariel from 2023’s The Little Mermaid live-action remake).
It also features Disney Junior Play and Dance!, a 10-minute “high-energy musical celebration” featuring Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Timon, and Mickey Mouse that’s performed multiple times a day.
As Disney fans debate which parks had space for expansion – and where – Animation Courtyard frequently comes up as a possibility.
“Animation Courtyard is begging for something to take over it,” wrote one Reddit user.
As another user phrased it, the area is “a dated relic from a Hollywood Studios of another era, not to mention another name.” They suggested that Disney demolish the current show buildings wasted on character meet and greets and instead “open the area up, maybe even expand Pixar Place and make that whole side of the park Pixar.”
They also pointed out that Disney could open up Animation Courtyard all the way through to where Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is currently tucked in the corner of Sunset Boulevard. “Give it a Pixar retheme. If they’re going to go IP crazy in this park, may as well go big or go home.”
If Disney is truly focused on “plussing” all of its Florida parks, then a compelling point for Animation Courtyard’s demolition comes with the fact that Hollywood Studios is extremely limited in space. Disney may have 1,000 spare acres, but very few of those are located at Hollywood Studios, which is bordered by World Drive.
Then there’s the fact that Disney hasn’t developed Animation Courtyard for years and that one of its biggest unused show buildings, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, is reportedly so infested with mold that it cannot reopen.
Once home to Disney’s Florida animation studios, Animation Courtyard is an important part of Disney’s history. However, leveling it to build exciting new attractions inspired by Disney animation is surely a better way of honoring the area than leaving it to rot. Watch this (potentially demolished) space.
Would you be for or against Disney cutting Animation Courtyard? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!