Now that Disney has settled its state-level lawsuit with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), Walt Disney World is expected to begin the permit process for the long-teased “Beyond Big Thunder” project in the coming weeks.
What’s happening:
- Walt Disney World is readying plans to start the permit process for a major expansion at Magic Kingdom
- This comes on the heels of the company reaching a settlement agreement with the CFTOD.
- The District also recently saw the hiring of a new Administrator, Stephanie Kopelousos, and appointment of Craig Mateer to the Board. They replace Glen Gilzean and Martin Garcia, respectively.
- During this week’s Meeting of Shareholders, Disney CEO Bob Iger referenced the agreement with the CFTOD, stating that it was a “win-win,” adding that it would “actually enable us to pursue the kinds of significant investment in our Florida parks.”
- With that in mind, the upcoming D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event would give Disney the opportunity to finally announce solid plans for Walt Disney World — and at a time when theme park competition in Central Florida is heating up thanks to the impending debut of Universal’s Epic Universe.
About Beyond Big Thunder:
- An expansion of Magic Kingdom was first teased by Josh D’Amaro at the 2022 D23 Expo.
- At the time, Coco, Encanto, and Disney Villains were presented as potential themes for the area.
- However, it would seem that the Encanto inclusion has shifted over to the Tropical Americas project currently in development to replace DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.