It is no secret that Disney World is under construction.
The Orlando theme park has previously announced plans to open up a slew of new attractions this year, including the upcoming debut of Villans Land at Magic Kingdom, which will feature rides and attractions inspired by classic Disney villains.
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A new nighttime parade called “Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away” is also set to debut at the theme park this summer. In addition, a Pirates of the Caribbean Tavern is expected to launch at Magic Kingdom towards the end of the year.
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The upcoming attractions are part of Disney’s plan to spend $60 billion in 10 years to expand its parks worldwide.
“You can look at every single location that we’ve got; there’s land, but most importantly, we have so much IP (intellectual property) to mine that there’s opportunity there to create experiences that we know people will love to have in our parks,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger during a conference in March last year.
The addition of new Disney World attractions is especially crucial as it comes during a time when Disney’s U.S. theme parks have been suffering declining attendance over the past few months as many consumers have become more cautious about their spending amid inflation and higher costs of living.
Disney World will soon open a hidden attraction to the public
One of the new attractions Disney World hopes will help bring in more visitors is the opening of its upcoming Spaceship Earth Lounge at Epcot, which was once hidden from the general public.
The lounge was previously known as the Siemens VIP Center, which was always attached to Spaceship Earth. It was exclusively used by corporate participants to entertain guests. Now, all Disney World visitors will have access to it as soon as this spring.
When Disney World first announced Spaceship Earth Lounge last year, it said that visitors could enjoy “culinary creations,” according to a post on the Disney Parks Blog. The lounge's menu has yet to be revealed.
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The lounge will also offer views of Epcot from “an entirely new angle.” Visitors will also be able to overlook World Celebration Gardens and nightly fireworks.
“Taking inspiration from the geometric sphere, the zen space to gather and enjoy refreshments will be draped with rich textures and warm metallic tones, giving it a mysterious and elegant intimacy,” said Disney World in a blog post last year.
Disney World's food and drink prices are on the rise
The upcoming release of Spaceship Earth Lounge comes after Disney World recently faced backlash from consumers for hiking prices for food and beverages at multiple dining locations at its theme park last year.
For example, at Cinderella’s Royal Table at Magic Kingdom, breakfast for adults increased from $69 to $74, and for children, it increased from $42 to $45. Also, dinner at Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort climbed from $66 to $69 for adults and $41 to $44 for children.
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Disney World also faced sharp criticism from consumers in October after it revealed menu prices for its Cake Bake Shop Bakery at Epcot park, which included $22 for a slice of cake and $8 for one scoop of ice cream. Consumers on social media called the prices "obscene," and since then, Disney World has lowered prices for a few items on the menu.
Amid recent price increases, a recent report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that Disney executives are allegedly worried that its theme parks and resorts have become too expensive for middle-class families.
These concerns come after a survey from LendingTree last year revealed that 24% of consumers have gone into financial debt to fund a Disney trip. For consumers who have young children, that figure spiked to 45%.
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