Things are getting pretty competitive in the world of major theme parks, and Walt Disney World is one of the hotbeds of activity that have been plugging away to shore up their position as the world’s pre-eminent source of entertainment destinations.
With a bunch of new attractions planning to open in 2020, and other rides like the TRON Lightcycle/Run coaster planned for not too far in the future, the Orlando based park is readying itself for its 50th anniversary, and beyond.
Which makes the fact that a recent purchase 235 acres to the tune of $6 million dollars an extremely mysterious prospect. Reported as closing in the recent weeks, the deal between The Walt Disney Company’s Compass Rose Corp. and Lake Reedy Creek, LLC has now secured that specific parcel of land for Walt Disney World to do whatever they’d like with the land.
But that’s where the mystery comes in, as 235 acres isn’t exactly the acreage you’d expect for a new gate to open at the multi-park campus. The positioning of this new purchase helps narrow things down a little bit, as across from the new undeveloped land are several Disney golf courses.
It doesn’t feel like these 235 acres are going to be used for any sort of new park activity either, as the acreage and that positioning wouldn’t make sense. For comparison, Universal Studios Orlando’s latest attraction, the Epic Universe park set to open in 2023, clocks in at 700 acres. So if you think Walt Disney World is trying to compete with this brand new world of wonder and merriment in their latest purchase, you’ve thought wrong.
However, WDW News Today’s news item on the acquisition has theorized a couple of other, more practical usages for this new tract of land. Specifically, they think one of two possibilities seem the most likely.
The first possibility is that Walt Disney World could be an undeveloped buffer zone between competing interests, which would continue to keep the park separated from anyone who would want to take advantage of being in the same neighborhood as the park.
Another distinct potential for this land is that Walt Disney World could actually be using it for practical business purposes, and might even turn it into a luxury mini-resort that gives the more discerning theme park attendee a more restful experience.
So if you’re one of those types who like to game out how to be banned from Walt Disney World in the most interesting way possible, you’re probably not going to want to go to this hypothetical hot spot. But if you want to be a little more removed from the constant hustle and bustle and refrains of “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah,” this could be your dream.
Naturally, none of this is confirmed as happening, so these theorized usages for the 235 acres could be flat out wrong. We’ll keep our ears peeled for what new developments come out of this mysterious purchase, and report back once further details are available.
In the meantime, if you’re in the Walt Disney World area, and want to get into some new and exciting trouble that won’t get you removed from the park, you can ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which is currently open in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge section of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
