Since the pandemic hit, Disney fans around the world have been wondering just how these prolonged closures were going to affect what we see inside the parks. Speaking earlier today to the crowd at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), Josh D'Amaro took to the virtual stage as the Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, and delivered a presentation on where the company is looking to make changes, and what's on the horizon.
D'Amaro's presentation was pre-recorded, and featured points-of view from various locations across the Park, like Main Street, and even in front of a wall of Stormtroopers from Rise of the Resistance. Seems a bit excessive, but Disney does like to tug on your nostalgian strings, even if you can't do anything about it.
In his speech, D'Amaro hit all the talking points that the Chairman of a major sector of a powerhouse company like Disney should hit during challenging times - we are strong, we are resilient, we'll get through this. For the most part it was very corporate, motivational-like vocabulary, with the common reminders of how much Disney gives back to their communities and their cast members, hoping we'll forget about the thousands of layoffs the company had to implement. However, he did mention a couple of very interesting things that will have Disney News hounds digging through for days.
One of the more notable comments was that Disney will be advancing the timeline of ther Splash Mountain re-theme to the Princess and the Frog sooner than was originally planned. This news was welcomed and maybe even a bit expected. The park is closed, and the want to keep as many people working as they can, so why not just overhaul Splash Mountain now?
The more cryptic message, and the one that probably worries more people than calms, is that we can expect more transformations like the Princess and the Frog to come to Disney Parks. This re-theme is a major transition - gutting a ride and sticking all new animatronics into it is no easy task. What rides are potentially on the chopping block at the level that Splash Mountain was? We could be seeing a very different Disneyland in the next 5 years.
What do you think is next up to get a big overhaul at Disneyland? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo credit: IAAPA on Twitter
