I think you might have something. But I would say it does have an admission fee much like Pleasure Island did. It keeps out the looky loos. And if we are going to get a quality product, with the possibility of characters and good entertainment, there needs to be a cover charge. Would it be my first choice? NO, because I think it will be packed with locals. I'd rather it be it's own land in an existing park ~ unless Disney can imagineer a cohesive 5th gate where it will fit. I'm not sure they can.
My gut agrees with yours .... but I think the numbers he put out are giving feet to the story because can any of us come up with that much spending in 10 years, unless it really does include the Nona campus, more hotels and DVC etc or a 5th park? "Walt Disney World" is so much more than theme parks so who knows what was between the lines.
But I know some argue you need more than 13,000 for a park alone, BUT I don't think those numbers include the Disney College Program. With the new housing not only is the internship more desirable but the program has grown. I believe it has a capacity of 11,000 per session. That is lots of extra bodies, especially since they often work more than fulltime hours (no benefits risk to Disney). Could part of the expansion be building more DCP housing? They are a great perk for Disney.
He sure laid a big egg out there and folks are going to run all over the place with ideas.
I think the 13,000 employees is going to be bulk DCP. We all want to say 17 is for a park, but they can easily send that on existing parks. Prior to Covid WDW had about 75,000 employees, and right now it's hovering around 70,000. Playing devils advocate, IF Igor is basing numbers at post-covid staffing, Disney only needs to create 8,000 jobs over pre-covid staff, it's still 10% growth, but a far cry from the 20% they would need otherwise.
As far as the 17 Billion is concerned, it's a bit far fetched to think it'll all go to the parks, I'm guessing at least 5 billion is slated for hotel refurbishments and building. Reflections and Epcot have been canceled but can easily be revived. The skyliner is likely to be added to. New trains for the monorail alone are $300million most likely.
For parks, each land remodel/expansion is probably $500 Million, and as it stands each park has at least 2 land refurbishments/expansions in the next 10years likely to happen, so another 2-4 Billion depending on cost (SW:GE was $1 Billion, while Pandora was closer to $500 Million).
This leaves $6-8 Billion for misc remodeling.
Disney Springs could always expand through the Strawberry parking lot, that's been on the docket since West Side was built. The skyliner could get updates. If they fill in the missing spaces on world showcase at $150 Million each.
We also have to account for the projects they've greenlighted that haven't started, Tiana's Bayou, Imagination Pavilion etc.
If we include the projects already under construction that aren't completed we're easily at the $17 Billion mark.