GTA 6 will not include its own spoof on one of Florida’s most iconic venues: Walt Disney World. I adore all things Disney, including the parks. But I also appreciate and enjoy Rockstar’s penchant for sarcasm and making fun of things. And Disney World? There is a lot to poke fun at. So I am a bit bummed that Walt Disney World–or whatever Rockstar would name its simulacrum–won’t appear in GTA 6.
Game Informer asked Rockstar if Florida’s central region, including Orlando and its tourist destinations like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, would be represented in GTA 6 in some form, and Jack McPherson said they wouldn’t. However, McPherson stressed that GTA 6 will offer the “full Florida experience” in numerous other ways.
“We have to constantly evaluate the diversity of landscapes, towns, structures, landmarks, vistas, plant species, rock formations and everything else before we work with design and narrative to distill a list down that best works with and serves the game’s needs. So, while we may not have those exact locations, everything we have is geared to getting that full Florida experience!”
GTA 6 also won’t feature SeaWorld or Florida’s iconic “Space Coast,” featuring Cape Canaveral’s historic launch pad.
I am not too surprised by any of this, though, considering GTA 6 takes place in Vice City, a stand-in for Miami, which is a four-hour, 230-mile drive from Orlando. I know GTA 6 is going to be a big game–featuring the biggest game map Rockstar ever made–but I never expected the map to run all the way up to Orlando.
Jay Klaitz, who famously portrayed Lester in Grand Theft Auto 5, previously said in an interview that he wondered if Rockstar would create its own, legally distinct version of Disney World that could be called “Psycho Park.”
“That would be interesting too if they sort of delve into that environment,” he said.
While GTA 6 might not feature its own take on Disney World, it’s possible the park could be referenced in GTA 6’s radio chatter, and some spoofs could come there. The well runs deep for things Rockstar can make fun of Disney World for, including its ever-increasing ticket prices, the price to buy literally anything in the parks, and the so-called Disney Adult phenomenon, just to name a few options. I love Disney, but even the most diehard fans have their issues.
As it happens, the last game in the series, GTA 5, was set where Disneyland–the OG Disney park–is located in the Los Angeles area, and that game also did not feature its own theme park spoof that players could visit. However, GTA 5 featured a film production company known as Fred’s Pictures, which was an obvious reference to Disney.
GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
