File this under speculation but during the 2023 Annual Shareholder Meeting Bob Iger mentioned that Disney plans on spending billions at Walt Disney World over the next 10 years.
During the meeting, a caller mentioned Disney’s unfortunate battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Bob Iger used the opportunity to declare that the Florida Governor violated their freedom of speech as a company and Disney was the largest taxpayer in the state. Last time I checked being the largest taxpayer in a state doesn’t give a company the right to overstep, but I digress.
But what is standing out to many was something else he said during this “answer” that didn’t really answer anything. He said that Disney plans of investing $17 billion into Walt Disney World over the next 10 years, creating 13,000 jobs.
Now everyone is wondering if this means that Disney is going to open a fifth gate. The investment is much higher than the estimates for the cost of Universal’s new EPIC Universe park. But, the job creation numbers align with the job numbers Universal Orlando have put out with their new Epic Universe. Universal says they will create 14,000 jobs with Iger just announcing 13,000 more.
Of course, he did not say that was the case, but the investment amount is quite high. While they could just add the teased D23 additions to existing parks, that job number seems quite high for just some expansions.
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