New Theater Inspired By Kansas City's Willis Wood Theater to be built at the Magic Kingdom

Jul 15, 2017 in "Main Street, U.S.A."

Gallery / 1 Photo
New Main Street U.S.A. theater concept art

Posted: Sunday July 16, 2017 7:53pm EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

Theater is about to get serious at the Magic Kingdom with the addition of a brand new theater off Main Street U.S.A.

New Main Street U.S.A. theater concept art

The new entertainment venue will be based on the iconic Willis Wood theater in 1920s Kansas City, where Walt lived after he left Marceline.

“Across Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, we’ve been upping the game in Entertainment with shows like Frozen Live at the Hyperion,” Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts said. “It’s been a huge hit at the Disneyland Resort, and I’m sure many of you have seen it. This new theater at Walt Disney World continues that streak by bringing a new venue for world-class entertainment to the world’s biggest park.”

Plans call for the new theater to be built in what is currently backstage areas between Main Street U.S.A. and Tomorrowland.

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JoeCamelAug 26, 2022

Yes, in an appropiate place

Dear PrudenceAug 26, 2022

I still want a new theatre

JoeCamelAug 25, 2022

How's that cube working out? You settling in? Lots of dust in the break room?

capsshieldAug 25, 2022

I don't understand how universal gets so much love. IoA is awfully cheap looking especially superhero Island and toon lagoon. The rides are no better than 6 flags Spidermans que is El cheapo and really takes the ride down a notch or two. I stayed at a on site hotel and had free fast pass access Harry Potter and Spiderman do not a park make. I've been to Universal parks 3 times and every time I felt I should have gone to a Disney park. I've never left a Disney park not wanting to return. I will go see the new park eventually but not at expense of any Disney park time. I think Disney knows this will happen with 70 percent of their guests

JoeCamelAug 25, 2022

I got $20 in the bungalows, the recruiter let me lie on the application so he could go home, I guess they had a quota.

lazyboy97oAug 25, 2022

Most I’ve been offered is a $25 gift card. Back when it was over in New York it was a crisp $20 bill. Either way, I’ll take a meal in exchange for watching TV in a well conditioned space.

Animaniac93-98Aug 25, 2022

I almost did that for a $50 gift card, but I wasn't selected because I didn't pass the initial screening questions. They kept asking about streaming services (like Peacock) that are not available in Canada, lol.

lazyboy97oAug 25, 2022

If you’re there on the right day, Universal will pay you to watch television. They do audience testing at the NBC Preview Center.

Animaniac93-98Aug 25, 2022

IoA and Volcano Bay are the main reasons I'm a Passholder. I really love those parks. Universal Studios Florida is actually my least favorite of the Universal Studios parks I've visited. Both Japan and Singapore are better IMO.

Dear PrudenceAug 25, 2022

I haven't been to the latter two, so that makes sense!

UNCgolfAug 25, 2022

There are some good non-screen attractions at Universal (Jurassic Park River Adventure is great, as is E.T.), and some are combination screen and physical sets/AAs. With that said, as much as people love Forbidden Journey, I found it far too screen heavy, and in a relatively boring way. The non-screen parts were pretty good but most of the broom flight was a snore, and it's the majority of the ride. The ride system is also miserable (as in it throws you all over the place), which doesn't help. Flight of Passage is entirely screen based, which I generally don't like, and yet I enjoy it far more than Forbidden Journey. The attraction lineup at USF (not IoA) was much better in the 1990s than it is today, at least for me.

Animaniac93-98Aug 25, 2022

Islands of Adventure isn't majority screen rides, and dismissing Spider-Man and Forbidden Journey as just that is a bit over the top. When people say they don't like Universal I think they really mean the Studios because so much of the criticism doesn't make sense for IoA or Volcano Bay.

ToTBellHopAug 25, 2022

Imperfections CONFIRMED for Magic Kingdom! Overcorrections CONFIRMED for Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Erections CONFIRMED for Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Imagine the floor tiles!!!

the_richAug 25, 2022

It just doesn't offer me or my family enough. I have people who love world showcase and don't care about rides. I get motion sickness and am afraid of heights. So for me even if someone said I could go to universal for free, I would still pay to go to Disney instead.