The Modern Theme Park Guest

What It Means for Disney World's Future

I recently stood in line for Rise of the Resistance and struck up a conversation with a mother and daughter. It was their first time riding, but they weren’t there for the story or the full experience. They were in the single rider line. Skipping parts of the attraction didn’t bother them. Why? Because for them, it was about checking the box — moving fast, doing more, and staying in motion. In many ways, they represent today’s average theme park guest.

Photo by Brandi Alexandra on Unsplash

That conversation has stayed with me. It felt less like small talk and more like a moment of accidental market research. This mother and daughter were frequent visitors to both Disney and Universal.

Now think about Epic Universe. I haven’t been, but based on what’s been shown, it’s a collage — a mashup of IP experiences. Themed lands like Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon, and the Universal Monsters area all look amazing on paper. But together, they don’t carry the cohesive integrity we once associated with places like EPCOT or Disneyland. In fact, Hollywood Studios — once a prime example of that Disney cohesion — now feels just as fragmented.

Muppet Courtyard is a perfect example. It used to coast on its charm and legacy. Now, it’s gone — to be replaced by a couple of attractions, some shops, and dining. This is Disney Imagineering’s current equivalent of a Super Value Menu. It’s cookie-cutter theme park planning.

I worry that EPCOT’s World Showcase might be next.

The same mother and daughter told me their last trip to EPCOT was for "drinking around the world." It’s a ritual now — not about learning, experiencing culture, or spending family time. It’s become a bar crawl in a theme park setting. That’s not necessarily wrong, but it is a departure from the original spirit of World Showcase. This shift leaves many gaps to fill and cost centers to justify.

Now, as for Tom Sawyer Island: that mother remembered it fondly, but now they skip it. There’s no snack stand. No entertainment. It’s just exploration. But in today’s culture, exploration isn’t enough. People want content — something to do, a perceived value.

On top of these evolving trends are the operational realities of running a theme park. Often, areas are left to sit because it’s convenient. Other times, they’re demolished for the same reason.

Rare these days is an overarching thematic decision.

Particularly in Walt Disney World, which once coasted on its quieter areas. The ambiance alone used to be enough. Perhaps that’s what modern Disney is trying to replace — with more of everything: faster, slicker, louder.

But in chasing that goal, what are they giving up?

Despite the massive amount of unused land across Walt Disney World, we keep seeing projects that feel reactive rather than visionary. And that’s the real threat. Not just that the parks might change — they must — but that they could lose the very thing that once set them apart. Because once a Disney park feels no different than a Universal or Six Flags park, the magic is gone.

I don’t believe it’s too late. In fact, for the first time in a long time, I think Progress City — Walt’s original dream of a forward-thinking, tech-integrated community — could still happen. The tools are here. The technology is ubiquitous.

But it won’t happen under leadership that lacks vision.

The next executive team at Disney needs to come from both tech and entertainment. They need imagination and infrastructure. I make the case for Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer not out of nostalgia, but because they’ve proven they understand both sides of the business. They’re fluent in storytelling and scale. And they’ve remained just close enough to the company — and just far enough from its recent missteps — to bring perspective.

I’ve even come around on the idea of an Apple acquisition. For years, it seemed like an unwanted fit, despite the synergy and history between both entities. But now? It could be the stabilizing force Disney requires.

Apple understands design. Experience. Ecosystems. And it doesn’t rush things. That may be exactly what Disney needs.

Otherwise, Disney’s greatest strength may become just another IP — consumed, monetized, and forgotten.