Walt Disney famously said that “Disneyland will never be complete,” and his words have remained true for nearly 70 years. With a major milestone happening for the original theme park this year and massive construction plans slated for Walt Disney World in Orlando, no statement has been more true.
Super fans don’t always agree on the changes made to the parks, but it's always exciting to see how the company finds new ways to incorporate brand-new ideas and beloved IP into the world’s greatest theme park. A new round of guest surveys that rolled out in December 2024 suggest the Walt Disney Company may be thinking about adding The Simpsons to its various theme parks, and I’m honestly not on board with the idea.
How Disney Parks Is Apparently Gauging Interest In The Simpsons
For years, guests have received surveys after spending in the House of Mouse's various theme parks. The overviews often vary in length and questions but, ultimately, they’re all used to analyze one’s experience in the parks and find ways to make improvements. As an avid Disneyland goer, I love receiving these surveys because they often include hints as to new ideas Imagineers are floating around. That can include seeing if guests are interested in seeing fans' favorite Springfield family in the theme parks.
X user Drew Smith, who shares news about the Walt Disney Company on his account, was one of the first to break the news in December. He shared a screenshot of a recent survey question regarding whether consumers would like the parks to utilize The Simpsons. The options ranged from more short-form content and an episode of the long-running series that's long surpassed 10 seasons to character meet and greets inside the theme parks and even a new land or attraction.
It goes without saying that there are a lot of possibilities here. However, just because Disney -- which owns the famous characters -- could do this, it doesn't mean the company should.
Why I Don’t Think Adding The Simpsons Is A Good Idea
As much as I love seeing Walt Disney’s vision for the theme parks honored, I can’t help but feel like incorporating The Simpsons into the locations would be a bad idea. The vibe of the beloved animated show just doesn't seem to fit in with the atmosphere of the existing Disney parks around the world.
My biggest concern, if Disney were to go through with this, comes down to one big question: Where would the characters be utilized? Disneyland is already packed full, and I don’t see Homer and the rest of his family fitting in with any of the themed lands in the park. One might argue that they could could be added to to Disney’s California Adventure Park’s Hollywood Land but, with rumors of it being demolished to make room for the new Avatar land, that doesn’t seem likely.
I can’t see The Simpsons being incorporated into any of the international parks either, which leaves either the Disneyland Forward project or one of the four Walt Disney World parks as its only option for a full-sized land or attraction. But, again, with all the new attractions coming to the four parks, I just don’t see it happening any time soon. And, without a full-fledged land, I don’t know where the Simpson family could have a meet and greet without disrupting the theme of the existing lands.
Not to mention, a nearly perfect Simpsons-themed land already exists on both coasts at Universal Studios. Why would Disney Parks want to invest time and money into a new version of land and attraction that their competitor has already had for years now? Of course, with Universal’s rumored contract set to be up in 2028, there is a very real possibility that the beloved Krustyland section of the parks will be transformed into something else if Disney decides it wants the theme park rights itself.
Still, I’m hoping the Mouse House decides that The Simpsons don’t fit into their theme parks and let Universal keep giving fans of the series a place to interact with their favorite characters. In the meantime, you can stream the storied animated series using a Disney+ subscription.
