14 Mar 2018
Bob Iger hails Disney’s ‘era of expansion’, as CEO hints at new IP additions for company’s parks
BY Tom Anstey
Bob Iger says Disney is going through a “tremendous era of expansion”, with the company’s chair and CEO adding that the new additions to the operator’s parks are going to be “truly extraordinary – even by our standards”.
Speaking during Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, Iger ran through the company’s ever-expanding list of IPs, hinting at future additions to the company’s parks from new releases scheduled for 2019.
“We’ve got an unbelievable slate of Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies scheduled for release through 2019 and there are many more beyond that,” said Iger.
“You look at next year and you see The Avengers, Dumbo, Aladdin and Frozen 2.
“The characters that we create and the stories that we tell don't just live on the screen, but we bring them to life at our parks and resorts around the world. We’re currently in the midst of a tremendous era of expansion at Parks and Resorts.
Disney has a plethora of upcoming additions to its parks, the next being Toy Story Land at Shanghai Disney, with a second Toy Story Land coming to Walt Disney World in June. At Disneyland California, the park’s Paradise Pier is getting a Pixar rebranding, while parks including Epcot and Hong Kong Disneyland are getting major expansions or new rides based on popular IPs. Arguably the biggest openings will be at Disney’s US parks, with both Florida and California set to welcome Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019, while Disneyland Paris recently announced a major, multi-billion Euro expansion, with three new lands based on Marvel, Frozen and Star Wars.
“As these lands rise from the ground, it is clear that they are going to be truly extraordinary, and that's even by our standards,” said Iger.
“They are huge in size and scale, and feature new technology and innovation. We’re extremely excited about the developments so far.”
In addition to its parks division, Disney is also ramping up its fleet of cruise ships, planning the addition of three more vessels to its existing four.
“The new ships will continue the elegant design of our existing fleet, but inside they're going to have many more innovations and more stunning entertainment, more Disney stories and characters than anyone has ever experienced on the high seas,” said Iger.
“After 13 years as CEO, I know for certain that leading this company is a profound privilege, and I deeply appreciate it. Together, we're doing extraordinary things that touch lives and lift hearts and give people a much needed respite from a challenging world. I'm enormously proud of what we've achieved as a company, and I am more excited than ever about the incredible opportunities ahead for all of us.”
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