[Park Hopper]

Has anyone ever given any thought to what Disney World will be like 50 . . . 75 . . . or even 100 years from now? Heck, will WDW even exist then?

I think we all take for granted that WDW will always be there, but sometimes I wonder. A hundred years from now, will the Magic Kingdom be a big office complex? Will Epcot be converted to time shares? Will MGM be a huge shopping mall?

I know the possibility of these things actually happening seems far-fetched, but is it really? WDW has only been around for 34 years. Who's to say what might happen in the next 100 years? Can the Disney brand keep reinventing itself indefinitely? Will the changing of the guard in Disney leadership eventually lead to weaknesses in the company?

What if down the road a hostile company takeover bid, like Comcast's aborted attempt in 2004, is successful? What if new owners want to cash in on the incredible land boom in the Orlando area and start selling off portions of the 30,000 acres that Disney owns?

On the surface, I think these things will never happen. But then I look around and see how much Orlando and Orange County have changed in a relatively short time. A sleepy little Southern town has become a thriving metropolis that voraciously gobbles undeveloped land, killing off the freeze-damaged citrus industry in the process. Who's to say what the land barons will do in another 100 years?

These are disturbing thoughts to me. What do you think?

[Dana]

PH -
I have thought about it from time to time too and can't see it going anywhere in my lifetime....or at least that may be the thing I keep telling myself. I just can't imagine not having WDW to go to for my vacations. To me there is no other place to go.

[ddoll]

I don't know if it'll still be there. But you can bet it won't resemble the same WDW we know today. If Disney stays competitive, which there's no reason to believe they won't, they'll have re-invented everything a few times over in that amount of time.

But it's interesting to think that our kids can tell their grandchildren and great-grandchildren that they were at the origina parks!

[tinkerbell]

honestly I can not bare to think that it will not always be around. But I feel like Walt himself was a man who had so much vision of the future, surely some how the Magic will always be there. The thought of no WDW makes me feel very sad for the future.

[Ready2Go]

I would hate to think of a world without WDW. But you never know. If the wrong people get control it could be run into the ground trying to make a faster buck. I would really hope it would be twice as big and still have the Disney Magic.

[Erin]

What is a hostile bid?

[dwoodz]

I think Disney will always be around. There are too many Disney fanatics that won't allow "OUR" parks to be taken away from us.

[Park Hopper]

Originally Posted by Erin

What is a hostile bid?

In the business world, a hostile takeover bid is when one company attempts to acquire another and the directors of the target company oppose the bid. This was the case when cable giant Comcast Corp. made an unsolicited $66 billion stock-and-debt offer in an attempt to acquire the Walt Disney Co. in 2004. Disney's board, taken by surprise, opposed the offer but Comcast had Disney sweating for 11 weeks before Comcast withdrew its bid.

[JM0318]

I just could not bare the thought that Disney would not be there. Disney is my sanity saver. When all else goes wrong and it does regularly I can go to Disney and forget at least for the time I am there... Disney is my Sunshine, please don't take my sunshine away....

[Disneywife]

Considering that most of what existed a 100 years ago doesn't exist now...I don't know. If we don't destroy ourselves before then or if Florida isn't washed away by hurricanes, I sure hope it's still there!

[WishUponAStar]

the answer is yes. I jsut consulted my crystal ball and WOW, WDW in 100 looks absolutely amazing. You should see how AK has expanded and MGM is completely unrecognizable, thank god. wooo, look at some of these resorts.

Want more information? Any further inquiries can be addressed for an additional charge of $20. (I accept PayPal)

[palmickey]

Originally Posted by WishUponAStar

the answer is yes. I jsut consulted my crystal ball and WOW, WDW in 100 looks absolutely amazing. You should see how AK has expanded and MGM is completely unrecognizable, thank god. wooo, look at some of these resorts.

Want more information? Any further inquiries can be addressed for an additional charge of $20. (I accept PayPal)

THANK YOU WISH! I feel much better now! So in that crystal ball of yours can you tell if I ever make it to WDW to work! Just how many DC'ers are running the park in the next 5 to 10 years????

[WishUponAStar]

Originally Posted by palmickey

THANK YOU WISH! I feel much better now! So in that crystal ball of yours can you tell if I ever make it to WDW to work! Just how many DC'ers are running the park in the next 5 to 10 years????

[awaiting PayPal confirmation]

Assuming you have already credited my PayPal account with the required $20 services fee, I will give some more info.

PalMickey, I think you will be suprised where you end up in retirement in "the world." It may not be your first choice, but it suits you well. As far as other DCers go, let's just say I am scanning through the years and I see some really exciting positions held by our fellow friends here on DC in the future....

-Ingamba seems to be driving a monorail from a new section of WDW to EPCOT.

-I myself, well it's foggy, but I see myself near a mirror somewhere asking if I am the fairest of them all.
(see, I CAN make fun of myself people )

- Dana is the new mayor of Main Street

- Cavey is a currator of a new attraction in EPCOT where you can actually go below the earth and explore realisitic manmade caves (while making fun of all the guests)


-Each additional name is another $20.

[Baloo85]

WDW will be there...without a doubt...and the jc too!! hehe

[palmickey]

Originally Posted by WishUponAStar

[awaiting PayPal confirmation]

Assuming you have already credited my PayPal account with the required $20 services fee, I will give some more info.

PalMickey, I think you will be suprised where you end up in retirement in "the world." It may not be your first choice, but it suits you well. As far as other DCers go, let's just say I am scanning through the years and I see some really exciting positions held by our fellow friends here on DC in the future....

-Ingamba seems to be driving a monorail from a new section of WDW to EPCOT.

-I myself, well it's foggy, but I see myself near a mirror somewhere asking if I am the fairest of them all.
(see, I CAN make fun of myself people )

- Dana is the new mayor of Main Street

- Cavey is a currator of a new attraction in EPCOT where you can actually go below the earth and explore realisitic manmade caves (while making fun of all the guests)


-Each additional name is another $20.

I am sure I sent that payment to the correct paypal account - (or was that Cavey's lol) I am so happy we are all getting the jobs that we all dreamed of, although I really thought you would be at EPCOT with Cavey in the new "From The Caves To The Stars" attraction!