Ah, 2017. What a time to be a Walt Disney Global fan. Big name Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Tale Land had been already underneath development, and forward of that yr’s D23 Expo, there have been rumors trickling out that the board had authorized a a number of billion greenback enlargement plan that would come with the Nice Mickey Journey, Gondolas, DVC at Caribbean Seashore, Spain and Brazil in Global Show off, and a lot more.
Clearly, a few of that was once reasonably mistaken. However with exception of Brazil and Spain, the rumors ended up being proper–with an emphasis at the “a lot more” section. As we wrote not too long ago in 2024 D23 Expo Want Checklist: Lion Kings & Figments & Bing Bongs, Oh My!, this yr’s tournament has the prospective to as soon as once more succeed in the similar highs as 2017.
That was once the most efficient D23 Expo for Parks & Hotels bulletins and one of the vital greatest days ever for Walt Disney Global information. A ton of game-changing tasks that experience rolled out within the years since and endlessly modified the panorama of Walt Disney Global. It was once the closing true blockbuster D23 Expo–going into and popping out of the pandemic, the 2019 and 2022 occasions weren’t just about as just right, with a large number of issues that had been cancelled or by no means took place. In contrast, what was once introduced on the 2017 D23 Expo in fact got here to fruition, with one evident exception…
Introduced on level by way of then-Parks Chairman (and long run umbrella fanatic) Bob Chapek, the Primary Boulevard USA Theater right through the Parks & Hotels panel was once the only giant mission that didn’t get constructed. The venue was once described as being impressed by way of Kansas Town’s Willis Wooden Theater from the Nineteen Twenties, the place Walt Disney lived after he left Marceline.
Chapek himself likened the Primary Boulevard Theater mission to the Hyperion at Disney California Journey, announcing it might area Broadway-style presentations like Frozen that have been large hits at Disneyland Hotel. “The brand new Primary Boulevard Theater at Walt Disney Global continues that streak by way of bringing a brand new venue for world-class leisure to the arena’s greatest park.”
Right here was once the idea that artwork shared by way of Bob Chapek and Disney again in 2017:
The mission were given underway only some months later, with Imagineering submitting a allow bundle for “Magic Kingdom East Aspect Changes” in November 2017 that encompassed each TRON Lightcycle Run and the Primary Boulevard Theater mission. Different lets in prompt that the theater could be completed by way of past due 2019 and would open in 2020.
The ones made transparent that it might move onto a behind the curtain car parking zone between Tomorrowland Terrace and The city Sq. Theater, alongside the present bypass that’s used for Halloween and Christmas celebration access and fireworks go out. (See the allow under–the theater is “MK1” on the backside; TRON is “MK2” on the best.)
Development was once about to start out at the Primary Boulevard USA Theater, with behind the curtain prep paintings starting and house being cleared to permit the paintings to get underway at the back of the present The city Sq. Theater and Tomorrowland. Then out of left box got here credible rumors in February 2018 that the Primary Boulevard Theater have been paused indefinitely–successfully leaving behind the mission proper because it were given going.
Walt Disney Global by no means made an reputable announcement (so I suppose technically it’s nonetheless in mission purgatory?!) to cancel the Primary Boulevard Theater, however the house was once un-cleared, the car parking zone was once put again into use, and next lets in for TRON Lightcycle Run scrubbed the Primary Boulevard Theater. And likewise, you haven’t stepped foot into this theater (as it doesn’t exist), so it’s protected to mention the rumors had been correct.
It was once additionally rumored that the Primary Boulevard Theater mission was once “behind schedule indefinitely” with a purpose to allocate budget to any other main mission that might debut in time for Walt Disney Global’s fiftieth Anniversary. A kind of rumors pointed to new monorails, because the fleet was once outdated and past due for substitute in 2017. Clearly, that didn’t happen. Some other chance was once a extra bold EPCOT overhaul, which I believe was once the true clarification…till March 2020 took place, after which it wasn’t. However that’s now not the purpose of this submit.
Right here’s my complete response to the Primary Boulevard Theater from my D23 Expo autopsy: “My preliminary response to this theater is that it does now not fit the dimensions of Primary Boulevard, U.S.A. If the dimensions is off, it doesn’t subject what real-world position impressed the theater–it’ll now not have compatibility. The concept that artwork additionally makes the fabrics (most commonly concrete) glance dissimilar to the remainder of Primary Boulevard, however that would simply be the artwork. At the plus facet, if this implies eliminating that infernal Cinderella Citadel Forecourt Degree, I suppose it’s now not all dangerous.” (I used to be so much much less verbose again within the day.)
In spite of the allow bundle revealing that the Primary Boulevard Theater could be off Primary Boulevard (there was once a large number of confusion on the time about whether or not it’d be changing The city Sq. Theater), I doubled down in this sentiment when phrase of the cancellation broke, calling the inside track “fantastic by way of me” and reiterating that the design regarded uninteresting and distinguished however poorly-themed.
Just a little of an apart, however I additionally mentioned the D23 Expo gave the vibe of a ‘Disney Decade 2.0’ with bulletins that had been sufficiently imprecise so that they might be deserted or altered with little fanfare, pointing in particular to how the EPCOT overhaul thought artwork handiest flashed at the display and was once by no means launched publicly.
3 iterations of the EPCOT overhaul later, I used to be proper about that closing level. However not anything else. The opposite tasks from the 2017 D23 Expo had been constructed and maximum grew to become out actually effectively. If anything else, Disney lovers underestimate simply how a lot the D23 Expos from 2015 and 2017 set Walt Disney Global up for the last decade to come back and to compete with Common in 2025 in spite of now not opening anything else new (sure, actually). I used to be additionally flawed in regards to the Primary Boulevard USA Theater mission–it’s unlucky that it wasn’t constructed.
In truth, I’m now not going to stroll that again the entire manner. The concept that artwork as printed was once underwhelming. No longer handiest that, however I believe I’ve been vindicated a couple of instances over with Imagineering’s “giant field” builds since 2017. No longer even Tokyo Disney Hotel has controlled to flee this development, as its new Delusion Springs Resort is set as bland because it will get, making Disney’s Riviera Hotel glance well-designed by way of comparability.
However I additionally assume the Primary Boulevard Theater may’ve been higher than the idea that artwork prompt and in addition wouldn’t have discovered my worst fears. For something, the large field accommodations are unpleasant partially as a result of their sightlines and partially as a result of their scale and visibility from each side.
Whilst this regarded dangerous in the idea that artwork, the viewing angles could be extra restricted because it’d be down a hall. Bushes may’ve achieved a large number of the heavy lifting in concealing it from the Primary Boulevard bypass, and it most likely wouldn’t have even been visual from Primary Boulevard USA right kind, because the constructions would’ve blocked it.
Additionally, there’s not anything to mention Imagineering couldn’t have constructed one thing that regarded higher than the starkly utilitarian thought artwork. No longer precisely a prime bar, there.
There are a couple of the explanation why it’s time to restore the Primary Boulevard Theater mission now. The primary was once intimated above, which is that it might get presentations off the Cinderella Citadel Forecourt Degree and right into a right kind venue. Daylight hours level presentations in that ‘venue’ are depressing lots of the yr.
As we reported previous this month, the Cinderella Citadel Forecourt Degree is closed in the course of the finish of summer season for “refurbishment.” Sure, paintings is in fact going down to the level, however it kind of feels like very handy timing given the oppressive warmth and humidity, which make the ones generally ugly sunlight hours level presentations even worse than commonplace. It’s no a laugh to camp out and watch those presentations within the sizzling solar, and it could possibly’t be just right for the performers, both.
Don’t get me flawed–Cinderella Citadel is an important backdrop for leisure. However it’s additionally extremely impractical (and lazy) for sunlight hours level presentations, that are the one sort Magic Kingdom does right through day by day operations. If it’s going to stay round, I’d love common midnight level presentations in that spot, however another way, an indoor and air-conditioned venue makes extra sense. It’s protected to mention that Orlando’s summers aren’t abruptly going to get cool and at ease.
In a similar fashion, it’s value stating that Magic Kingdom is the one park at Walt Disney Global that doesn’t have a large-scale musical level display. Sure, there’s Nation Undergo Musical Jamboree, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, and Carousel of Growth–however the ones aren’t the similar. It’s truthfully roughly extraordinary that Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom arguably have an overabundance of presentations, while Magic Kingdom doesn’t have sufficient.
No longer handiest that, however Magic Kingdom is the one fort park with this downside (assuming Disneyland plans on doing one thing with Fantasyland Theatre post-Pixar Fest). The entire leisure have level presentations, and lots of of them observe a an identical montage-style components that transfer out the framework however are another way very an identical. (That’s even true of the new-ish Mickey’s Magical Tune Global at Tokyo Disneyland, which I suppose is very similar to what this MSUSA theater would’ve been for the reason that building timelines had been an identical.)
As Magic Kingdom will get busier–probably the objective given Past Large Thunder–having an enormous Broadway level display venue would now not simply be just right for visitors, however nice for operations. This theater would assist take in crowds and be a very good change-of-pace appeal.
One more reason is extra tangential to the Primary Boulevard Theater itself, however similarly vital. Magic Kingdom wishes a Primary Boulevard bypass.
That is already glaring right through top season, in addition to round Fortunately Ever After and Pageant of Delusion Parade. And if Magic Kingdom is ever going to have a midnight parade once more (about that…), a bypass could be a useful asset for crowd keep an eye on. It’s important for leisure presently, however frankly, it’ll be important generally in ~5 years with Past Large Thunder.
If we’re being lifelike, the one manner a Primary Boulevard bypass will get right kind investment and turns into one thing higher than what’s there presently is that if there’s a mission anchoring it. This theater could be precisely that. Whilst I’m lifelike sufficient to not be expecting one thing on par with the present Primary Boulevard, I do know Imagineering could be bold and creative if given the risk–operating on a Primary Boulevard mission could be an honor for lots of Imagineers, and it might turn out to be a zeal mission.
In any case, as a result of we’ve noticed what those Broadway genre presentations will also be–and so they’re very good!
Disney Reside Leisure has gotten actually, actually just right at developing level presentations like this. I’d move so far as to mention that presently is a golden age of leisure, a minimum of from an inventive point of view (by no means in amount or atmospheric acts) and the Disney Reside Leisure crew can completely ship. Simply take a look at the level presentations they’ve delivered to existence at Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Hotel, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, or aboard Disney Cruise Line.
That is even true at Disneyland in California. The one slight downside there may be that every one of those nice presentations have fallen sufferer to cost-cutting. Even if each display staged there was nice, there isn’t anything else within the Hyperion–neither is there any exact leisure at Fantasyland Theater. However that’s now not an inventive failing of Disney Reside Leisure. Blame Disneyland control for being reasonable.
The issue is that Walt Disney Global control is, traditionally, additionally reasonable with regards to reside leisure.
The Florida parks have misplaced such a lot outstanding leisure during the last decade, and particularly since 2019-2020. Given the whole lot that has been lower or continues to be “briefly unavailable” following the phased reopening (that started over 4 years in the past) the entire premise of this submit feels a little bit foolish, frankly. Walt Disney Global spending the cash to supply and group of workers a Broadway genre level display? Positive factor, Bob. Simply once loose FastPass and Disney’s Magical Categorical go back.
On the other hand, I’m in all probability foolishly positive about Walt Disney Global’s long run leisure possibilities. The whole lot I’ve heard has me feeling just right in regards to the long run. As I’ve mentioned earlier than, there’s a reason why that Walt Disney Global introduced David Duffy over from Disneyland Paris and we will have to get started seeing the end result of that during 2025.
Whilst the Primary Boulevard Theater may now not be one in every of Walt Disney Global’s “solutions” to Epic Universe in 2025, it most likely might be able by way of Spring 2027 if the mission had been sped up. That’s manner earlier than Past Large Thunder and most likely previous to Tropical Americas, too.
Failing all else, if Walt Disney Global put the sources into making a impressive level display–one thing alongside the strains of Mickey and the Magician or Large Band Beat (pre-COVID), they may completely monetize it. I’m now not announcing that is what I need to see–rather the other–however they may simply promote Lightning Lane Unmarried Cross to a display that just right.
In the end, I’m now not disillusioned that the Primary Boulevard Theater mission were given behind schedule indefinitely in 2017. With such a lot of different tasks having upper precedence, it wouldn’t have shocked me if it had been constructed on a good finances and with out enough design and placemaking. Given the venue’s dimension and distinguished location on Primary Boulevard, it will have to be created with cautious consideration to element and thoughtfulness as to the way it’ll mix with the long-lasting house. With $17 billion to be spent within the subsequent decade, optimistically the Primary Boulevard USA Theater will also be revived and given a wholesome finances in conjunction with a right kind bypass.
Making plans a Walt Disney Global go back and forth? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney Global Inns Critiques web page. For the place to devour, learn our Walt Disney Global Eating place Critiques. To economize on tickets or resolve which kind to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney Global Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a novel take a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney Global Journey Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most efficient position to begin is our Walt Disney Global Shuttle Making plans Information for the whole lot you want to grasp!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What did you recall to mind the Primary Boulevard Theater mission? Satisfied it was once cancelled or do you want a Broadway-style level display and themed bypass of Primary Boulevard for crowd keep an eye on? Do you assume the illusion of the proposed theater was once ‘just right sufficient’ or will have to it had been themed higher? Agree or disagree with our take right here that the Primary Boulevard Theater will have to be revived? We like listening to from readers, so please proportion every other ideas or questions you might have within the feedback!
