Since 1923, The Walt Disney Company has been a leader in American entertainment. Over the past century, Disney has greatly expanded, having produced hundreds of movies and now owning several television networks, streaming platforms, film studios, cruise ships, and vacation destinations. As Disney enters its second century and looks toward the future, the Disney Board of Directors is at a crossroads. Delegates will write directives addressing pressing problems surrounding the seeming stagnation of the Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s ongoing live-action reimagination of animated classics. 

Topic 1 - Expansion of Walt Disney World Resort

Today, the Walt Disney World Resort consists of four theme parks, two water parks, and over 25 hotels. Disney World’s six parks all opened their gates between 1970 and 2000. The company then shifted into an era of refurbishments and additions to existing theme parks with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Pandora - The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and more. Meanwhile, the popularity of WDW water parks declined following the COVID-19 pandemic. To increase attendance, Disney granted Walt Disney World resort guests free entry to its water parks in 2025, leading to the resumption of simultaneous operation during the summer months. However, WDW doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Other competitors in the Orlando area are building new parks, especially Universal Studios. It opened Volcano Bay in 2017 and, more recently, Epic Universe in May 2025. How can the Walt Disney World Resort keep up?

Topic 2 - Future of Live-Action Remakes

Walt Disney Pictures released its first live-action remakes in the late 20th century with The Jungle Book in 1994 and 101 Dalmatians in 1996. In the 2010s, Disney ramped up this live-action trend with the reimagination of classics like Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. While some remakes and their modernized interpretations have been well-received by the general public, others have not. Snow White in 2025, for example, was considered a box office failure. Criticisms of live-action remakes are rooted in their perceived lack of creativity, over-reliance on CGI, decline in musical quality, and more. Thus, with more live-action remakes in the early stages of development, the Disney Board of Directors must reassess these projects. Should they be scrapped like Tangled or brought to fruition?