The closing week has noticed a flurry of filings for Walt Disney International building lets in–by means of my rely, there were no less than 40 throughout the closing week of January 2025 (most definitely over 50 by the point the day is over). This submit combs during the paperwork submitted by means of Disney to the Orange County, Florida Comptroller with information about the Notices of Graduation for Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios that stuck our consideration.
It will have to be unsurprising that there’s a surprising surge of building lets in. Walt Disney International is starting a brand new construction cycle that may lead to $17 billion of spending on new lands, rides, eating places, and inns. On most sensible of Walt Disney International’s 5-year plan laid out at D23, there has additionally been an build up in regimen refurbishments as Disney is in the end doing deferred repairs on points of interest and extra.
Lets in being filed every day is not anything new and by no means forestall the presses information. It’s been going down for years, and maximum lets in are wholly boring and uneventful. Stuff like new signage, electric paintings, and different ‘housework’ initiatives now not necessitating protection. That continues to be true in 2025. However with a mix of common refurbishments and floor in the end being damaged on building initiatives in Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom (possibly? nonetheless no updates at the water control back-and-forth), we’re additionally beginning to see extra lets in–and extra fascinating ones.
With that out of the way in which, let’s speak about some fundamentals about Walt Disney International building lets in that may practice around the board. Notices of Commencements are usually filed by means of Walt Disney International Lodge, Facility Asset Control (FAM), or Walt Disney Imagineering. The “higher” initiatives are usually helmed by means of WDI, in order that’s who to search for because the grantor title.
The grantee may be vital. Disney most commonly with numerous 3rd events contractors, and the similar ones incessantly arise over and over. Clearly, other contractors are able to dealing with initiatives of differing scope and scale. Something that’s notable about this week’s spherical of lets in is that Disney’s in-house Buena Vista Building Corporate is indexed because the grantee on a lot of them. They usually take care of smaller-scale initiatives of generalized nature, while large common contractors and the ones with specialised experience paintings on new lands and points of interest.
Many if now not maximum lets in should not have comprise a lovely quantity of specificity. Within the common description of the development, you’re going to look numerous “common building” or “supply exertions, subject material, and/or electric for building.” That is true even of initiatives which can be better in scale and scope. I suppose that is achieved for ease and potency (it’s a unmarried line at the shape), but in addition as a result of Disney is aware of bloggers are staring at these items they usually don’t all the time need to tip their hand. In different circumstances, there may be extra element equipped, but it surely’s inconsequential, like “set up signage.”
The general element of import is the expiration date. Except differently specified, the default expiration is one-year from the date filed. The default 1-year timeline isn’t noteworthy, however shorter or longer ones all the time are, as they’re prolonged or diminished purposefully. Extensions happen on initiatives like new lands or points of interest, that may take greater than a yr to construct. Or initiatives just like the Giant Thunder re-track. Others are shortened with regards to a experience reimagining or refurbishment that Disney desires to shed light on is being achieved on a good timeline. However, the set up of signage could be left to the one-year default, regardless of it now not even taking the federal government that lengthy to put in an indication.
With all of that out of the way in which, let’s dig into the doubtless fascinating lets in which have been filed within the closing week of January 2025…
Haunted Mansion – The primary allow lists the scope of the paintings as “supply exertions, subject material, and/or electric for building,” has the default one-year expiration, and is assigned to Buena Vista Building Corporate. The triple-whammy of non-noteworthiness, and to make certain, we wouldn’t even draw consideration to this most often.
On the other hand, a virtually an identical allow used to be filed in June 2023, and that laid the groundwork for the eventual set up of Hatbox Ghost within the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney International. That Audio Animatronics used to be firstly advanced for Disneyland, and used to be added to Magic Kingdom a number of years after the reality, in a a long way much less logical location.
Noteworthy here’s that Haunted Mansion at Disneyland simply gained primary updates, probably the most notable of which is a brand new bride within the attic. Not like Hatbox Ghost, there could be no want to shoehorn this Audio Animatronics into the Magic Kingdom model of the experience. It might merely change the present bride, which might make sense to do, because the tech has now not elderly neatly.
While Hatbox Ghost got here abruptly, we frankly be expecting Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion to get a brand new bride quicker fairly than later. The one query is whether or not Walt Disney International is prepared to take every other primary experience down at Magic Kingdom, or in the event that they’ll wait till 2026. Or possibly the paintings may also be achieved within the in a single day hours and the AA swapped out with minimum downtime. It’s additionally conceivable this allow is for one thing else totally, and is inconsequential. Both manner, we’ll be staring at to look whether or not a Haunted Mansion refurbishment is added to the calendar!
Tiana’s Bayou Journey – Very same setup right here with the outline, grantor/grantee, and default expiration.
As up to now reported, Tiana’s Bayou Journey at Magic Kingdom is Last Early all through Wintry weather 2025. That discusses how the experience is most likely receiving in a single day repairs because of its ongoing downtime and reliability woes, and it’s protected to suppose this allow relates to that.
Possibly an unpopular opinion, however I want Disney would simply rip the band-aid off and announce a correct refurbishment for Tiana’s Bayou Journey. The window of alternative (chillier climate) is last, and if the after hours paintings isn’t ready to handle the problem, we may well be caught with the appeal being plagued by means of issues–and a digital queue–till January 2026.
Spaceship Earth – Over at EPCOT, every other allow has been filed with the very same aggregate because the Magic Kingdom lets in above. Earlier than you get too excited, that is now not the lengthy late reimagining of Spaceship Earth we mentioned closing week. Nonetheless no information on that.
The deal with right here corresponds with the site of the defunct Siemens company front room, which is at the back of Spaceship Earth and above the post-show overlooking International Party. This has been utilized in restricted capability (we’ve heard Make A Want) within the years since SSE misplaced its sponsor.
On the other hand, Walt Disney International introduced {that a} new Spaceship Earth front room will open in Overdue Spring 2025. Building partitions simply went up across the out of doors of the post-show go out that we suppose are associated with the living room. The idea that artwork suggests a reasonably simple trendy search for the living room, so crews will have to be capable to have this achieved previous to Memorial Day.
Take a look at Observe – But every other allow has been filed for the Take a look at Observe 3.0 reimagining. Now not a lot to talk about right here. There were a number of lets in, a lot of that are extra consequential than this one and supply intrigue concerning the internal exhibit scenes.
Take a look at Observe 3.0 is slated to reopen in Overdue Summer season 2025. As we’ve discussed in other places, that is the kind of time-frame that would simply slip to October 1, 2025. One model of the announcement firstly stated “Overdue 2025” for the reopening, and if the experience isn’t able by means of July, there’s truly no rush to reopen in August or September.
The park’s anniversary then turns into probably the most logical choice, which additionally precedes Fall Ruin. If it by some means can’t hit that focus on, Veterans Day or Thanksgiving are subsequent up. Whilst I will not wait to revel in the brand new Take a look at Observe, I additionally need Imagineering to take its time and get it proper. Phrases I up to now wrote about Tiana’s Bayou Journey when suggesting a prolong could be higher than a fast-tracking. Secure to mention that standpoint has been vindicated.
Canada Pavilion – This one is somewhat over per week outdated, however I sought after to attract consideration to it right here since we haven’t coated the thriller undertaking within the Canada pavilion except for in passing. (It most definitely merits its personal submit, however I’ve felt like a statement has been drawing close for just like the closing yr.)
If you happen to’ve visited EPCOT within the closing ~18 months, there’s a tight likelihood you’ve noticed this paintings–or no less than encountered partitions blockading your trail at the higher degree of the pavilion. Partitions had been up close to the totem poles because of paintings on Lodge du Canada. This began as a repainting, but it surely was transparent closing summer season that one thing substantive used to be going down.
In the previous couple of months, it’s been conceivable to look visual paintings at the decrease degree of Lodge du Canada. The internal is turning into one thing with a guest-facing function, as evidenced by means of the most recent allow for the set up of signage. As for what, who is aware of. By no means wager in opposition to every other bar or Disney Holiday Membership gross sales heart.
For my part, I’m hoping for a maple syrup taste-testing counter, moose calf petting zoo, or Dan Flashes Flannel Outpost, with the Canada’s most intricate patterns ever. Be expecting an legit announcement any day now (or so we’ve been pondering for some time).
Villains Unfairly Ever After – Over at Hollywood Studios, every other allow has been filed with the similar aggregate because the others.
The deal with right here corresponds to Sundown Show off, particularly the courtyard house the place there was once parked Automobiles for meet & greets out of doors the now-extinct Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. As with the Lightning McQueen AA inside of, it’s protected to suppose those ancillary Automobiles are racing over to Magic Kingdom to be repurposed in Automobiles Land.
It’s additionally protected to suppose that one thing villains-related will change them for Villains Unfairly Ever After. The flex development that’ll residence the exhibit is an differently uninteresting blue field, and Walt Disney International most likely will need to draw eyes clear of that with meet & greets and different picture ops. Would possibly I recommend Muppet makeovers of the villains to supply a thematic transition between Rock ‘n’ Curler Coaster and Villains Unfairly Ever After? Who wouldn’t love to satisfy Pass over Maleficent Piggy or Gonzo the Nice Gaston?!
The Little Mermaid Musical Journey – This one is other! It’s assigned to a 3rd celebration contractor, MLC Theming, which makes a speciality of paintings on scenic portray, fabricating facades, and extra.
That exams out. The outdated marquee above the theater for the previous Voyage of The Little Mermaid exhibit used to be lately got rid of, and this may be a humdrum blue field (like such a lot of at Disney’s Hollywood Studios). It’s protected to suppose the development will obtain a recent coat of (blue!) paint and new posters…possibly certainly one of Bluey to head with the entire blue (and to promote it the Bluey meet & greet that’s most likely coming to Animation Courtyard). A brand new marquee may be a given.
“The Little Mermaid — A Musical Journey” is a reimagining of the former puppet-heavy degree exhibit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This venue has been empty for ~5 years, and it’s by some means taking Disney virtually two years from announcement to opening of the up to date exhibit, which used to be already behind schedule as soon as. An overly reassuring signal about their skill to construct whole lands on cheap timelines!
Monstropolis – Ok, so this is an engaging and bizarre one. Once more, it’s the similar Buena Vista Building, description, and expiration combo as many of the different lets in. Generally, you wouldn’t be expecting to look that with a real growth, because it’ll take longer than a yr and be helmed by means of a bigger contractor.
The twist here’s that there’s an bizarre metal construction by means of what’ll change into the Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster front that has gained some consideration in recent times, getting a brand new coat of blend-in blue paint. This implies that Walt Disney International intends to repurpose the construction for Monstropolis.
This would possibly sound bizarre, but it surely wouldn’t be the primary time Disney retained parts of present constructions in building initiatives. The similar factor came about with New Fantasyland repurposing a few the partitions (if I recall as it should be) from 20,000 Leagues Underneath the Sea regardless of the latter having been closed for over a decade ahead of paintings on New Fantasyland started.
Any other similarly most likely risk is that one hand doesn’t know what the opposite is doing–or doesn’t care. It wouldn’t be the primary time that Disney did paintings on constructions or inside of venues in a while ahead of their demolition. So whilst I’d love for this to be a favorable signal that Monstropolis has been fast-tracked, I’ll consider it after we get started seeing “meatier” lets in from Imagineering with primary 3rd celebration contractors.
Grand Floridian Lodge – Walt Disney International has additionally filed a brand new Understand of Graduation that corresponds with the deal with of the principle development of Disney’s Grand Floridian Lodge & Spa. Once more, similar imprecise and generalized combo because the above lets in.
This one is fascinating as a result of Walt Disney International reputedly deserted the foyer transforming undertaking. As you may recall, Disney introduced an ‘Enchanted Gardens’ reimagining of the hotel two years in the past, and finished that overhaul of the outlying structures, from the visitor rooms to the lobbies by means of overdue 2023.
Timing-wise, paintings used to be slated to continue to the principle foyer across the busy vacation season. Our assumption used to be that the undertaking used to be paused, as is incessantly the case, round Christmas because it’s this sort of standard and high-occupancy vacation. We figured paintings would resume early closing yr, as crews have been nonetheless doing external paintings. They by no means returned to the internal, even though.
Curiously, it’s been a an identical tale at BoardWalk Inn and Recent Lodge. Either one of the ones had introduced large-scale reimaginings that have been anticipated to surround their primary lobbies or atriums. In each circumstances, that by no means truly came about. Each have been debatable in numerous techniques, and we’re satisfied that Disney didn’t contact BoardWalk’s foyer (don’t repair what isn’t damaged). However, the Grand Canyon Concourse is this sort of hideous hodgepodge that there’s handiest room for growth–particularly in the event that they practice via at the mid-century and Mary Blair glance of the foyer (and new BLT rooms).
Again to the Grand Floridian, the result may move both manner. The Victorian taste and a spotlight to element is improbable, but it surely’s truthful to mention that the foyer isn’t purely Victorian–it’s Victorian as noticed via a Nineties lens. I really like the result of the ‘Enchanted Gardens’ overhaul of the outlying structures, however I’m additionally involved it wouldn’t translate to the principle foyer. On stability, I’d want that Disney go away neatly sufficient on my own at Grand Floridian and as a substitute center of attention at the Recent. Decrease chance, a lot upper praise.
Clearly, those don’t seem to be the one lets in to had been filed over the past week, however the overwhelming majority are pedestrian or pertain to behind the curtain spaces and amenities (there were some fascinating lets in for parade garage at Magic Kingdom, probably for Starlight).
If you wish to seek for Walt Disney International building lets in your self, you’ll accomplish that (freely) at the Orange County Comptroller site (the preface above will have to help with parameters to go into to assist slim your seek). Suffice to mention, it’s protected to be expecting that 2025 can be a hectic yr within the lets in division–we’ll stay you posted as intriguing Notices of Graduation are filed!
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Your Ideas
What do you bring to mind those building lets in? Do you suppose those lets in recommend initiatives at the horizon in Haunted Mansion, Grand Floridian, or in other places? Do you compromise or disagree with our evaluate? Do you compromise or disagree with our recommendation? Any questions we will be able to will let you solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas beneath within the feedback!
