USA: Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Reveals Latest Plans

This past weekend, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ Chairman Bob Chapek gave an overview of the newest attractions to join the Disney theme parks around the world. According to these plans, visitors of Florida’s and California’s theme parks will be faced with new and enhanced Star Wars experiences, such as a “Star Tours” adventure, the “Season of the Force” seasonal event beginning in early 2016, and new characters at “Jedi Training Academy”. Furthermore, Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida will introduce an eleven-acre (around 44,500 square meters) “Toy Story Land” featuring a family-friendly roller coaster and a 3-D attraction. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom there will also be a new AVATAR-themed land named “Pandora – The World of Avatar” which is already under construction (cf. EAP, issue 2/2014). Furthermore, the popular “Kilimanjaro Safaris” ride will be extended for a new nighttime adventure in coming spring. Chapek also announced that “Soarin’ Around the World” will make its U.S. film debut at Disney California Adventure and at Epcot in Florida next year. A further highlight expected to open in 2016 will be the “Iron Man Experience” at Hong Kong Disneyland. It will be the first Marvel attraction at any Disney park. “From Disneyland’s 60^th anniversary celebration to the anticipation of Shanghai Disney Resort, we’re in the midst of unprecedented growth and expansion around the globe. With these new announcements, we continue our legacy in creating innovative attractions, worldwide entertainment, and magical lands that take our guests into the worlds of stories they love,” Chapek comments. (eap)