Disney, Merlin, and Others May Bid on SeaWorld and Sister Parks

[KentB3]

Merlin fights Disney for SeaWorld

by Helia Ebrahimi
Mail on Sunday
August 10, 2008

Merlin Entertainments, which owns Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers, and the London Eye, will have to compete with the biggest theme park business in the world - Disney - in the race to take over the £1.5bn SeaWorld business in Florida.

SeaWorld and dozens of sister theme parks across America are being put up for sale by brewing giant InBev as part of its takeover of the US brewing group Anheuser-Busch. As well as Disney, UK-based Merlin, which is owned by private equity group Blackstone, will face rival bids from Spain's Parques Reunidos, owned by private equity firm Candover, and Gulf state conglomerate Dubai World.

Earlier this year, InBev agreed a £26bn bid for Anheuser-Busch, the world's biggest beer producer and maker of Budweiser.
That deal will not be finalised until November at the earliest, but InBev's bankers - JPMorgan and Lazards - are keen to see arranged disposals to help recoup some of the massive loans required for the takeover.
'We've been approached by several companies,' said one leading banker, 'but this deal will be based on who can bring the money to the table to fund the debt needed.'

[thrillme]

That would be wonderful. I know that SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are NOT Disney but they are still very nice parks and they do a lot of work for wildlife.

SeaWorlds are beautiful "community" theme parks (especially in San Antonio and San Diego) and are a lovely way to spend the afternoon. My father loves to declare himself the "old man of the sea" and he spends every weekend there. He'd be crushed to see them disappear. I used to take my DS there every weekend and let him run off energy and watch a show or two. He loved it.

I really would love to see these parks continue. Disney would make a fine owner especially if they throw in a little of their creative genius with it.

[Marker]

Curious. I wonder how reliable the source is.

If Disney were to by Sea World, I wonder if they would rebrand them into Disney parks, or leave them as a separate brand and not have to Disney-fy them.

And I can only imagine the complaints from the Disney "fans" when a Disney owned Sea World spends money to save whales, or research dolphins instead of building more rides.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

You know, I love Disney and all, but I wouldn't want them to buy the parks from InBev.

I don't want them to add Disney references to those parks, and as you've said - people would complain about money going to save animals instead of rides. I'm sorry but I wouldn't want Disney to lower the amount of money that goes to the conservation and rehabilitation efforts just because the stockholders are complaining.

Nope, don't do it Disney. Let someone else take it over.

[brownie]

Expressing an interest is a way off from actually purchasing the parks; the InBev acquisition still needs to be completed first. It could be a good acquisition for Disney, but they would have to decide if they want to invest in the exisiting parks or put money to purchasing Sea World. One of the cons would seem to be that Sea World Orlando would not be "on property" were Disney to buy it.

[disneyfan328]

Personally I would love to see it happen, but I would appreciate them being left undisneyfied Have it be Disney run but leave it with the seaworld name and the characters that are there. (ok maybe with a snoerkling mickey walking around, that wouldn't be bad.)

Me personally although I have only been able to go to Disney twice (purely financial reasons) I am, always have been and always will be a HUGE HUGE disney fanatic. I would never have a problem with Disney supporting things like doing animal research or saving the whales or anything else. IMHO I think that there are others out there that would like to see Disney put some of its mega millions where its mouth is and do something good with all of the money that they have (ok or supposedly have). I think it to be a worthy cause and if anyone could do it and do it right it would be Disney.

[sonkist32]

As a major corporation when your direct competitor goes up for sale you MUST at least take a look at buying them up (the reporter doesn't need a "source" it's a for sure thing they are looking at it). Your shareholders would be furious if you passed up a good opportunity to buy a direct competitor.

As for a match, I doubt it. The cultures would not mix and whoever said it before was right..it's not "on property". Besides Sea World won't be sold cheaply and Disney could use this money elsewhere.

[Ian]

And I can only imagine the complaints from the Disney "fans" when a Disney owned Sea World spends money to save whales, or research dolphins instead of building more rides.

... people would complain about money going to save animals instead of rides. I'm sorry but I wouldn't want Disney to lower the amount of money that goes to the conservation and rehabilitation efforts just because the stockholders are complaining.

Honestly? These are two of the oddest posts I've ever read on INTERCOT.

Why in the world would people complain about something like that??? It's not like Disney doesn't already spend millions of dollars every year on conservation efforts (ever heard of "Environmentality"? the Disney's Animal Kingdom?) and I've never heard a soul complain about any of that money being spent in lieu of building new rides.

You know complaining about other people's complaining is still complaining ...

Anyway, I'm ambivalent. I know Disney has always considered Sea World to be their main competition in the Orlando area, since they don't really have a park to go head-to-head with either Sea World or Discovery Cove. So in that sense, I can see where they would be interested.

But at the same time, I wonder the same thing ... would they re-brand them as Disney parks and incorporate them into WDW? Leave them as separate attractions? Would park ticket prices rise if they're incorporated? Would they be treated like their other "extra" attractions (i.e. water parks, WWoS, etc.)?

But I wouldn't be shocked if they went after them pretty hard. I think this is the easiest way for them to eliminate what they see as their prime adversary in the Orlando theme park biz.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

It was more of the fact that whenever there is an oil spill, Sea World would be there. Whales or dolphins that had beached themselves, Sea World would be there. Manatees being harmed by boating accidents, Sea World was there.

A very large portion of Busch's income went to the animal rehabilitation efforts, and if Disney were to acquire them, they would have to match those efforts at the least, in addition to their own efforts with DAK.

That is what I think the a lot of the die-hard fanatics would complain about because there would be less money going to the improvement of the parks, building of attractions. They won't understand, or rather, be blind to the fact that Disney, if they purchase the parks, has to match what their predecessors did.

[GrumpyFan]

Strange rumour, but who knows what will happen.

I have to wonder how much InBev really understands the American mindset. The Busch name and their brands have gotten so big, in large part due to their massive advertising and marketing. In doing so, they have become an American Icon, almost as much so as Coca-Cola. In doing so, they Busch parks have achieved a similar status, but not as much as Disney. I have to wonder what will become of the brand/name once this company takes over? Will it turn out like the Daimler-Benz acquisition of Chrysler? Other American owned beer brewers could really take advantage of this, and should.

I think it's a mistake for the Busch name and for these beautiful parks that they built for InBev to come in like this and then just sell them off. I really hope that whoever buys them, gives them the same treatment, if not better than what Busch did. While they're not quite Disney parks, they are at least a step above Six Flags parks and the uniqueness of the mix of animals and attractions makes them an enjoyable destination for many Americans.

[shadowden]

...can anyone say 5th gate? hmmmm.....

[Aurora]

What a product to be putting out there right when the U.S. economy is so poor. InBev might be "leaking" some information to make the parks poised for a bidding war, but I don't see it happening when companies get down to the number crunching. Even worldwide economies are not so great anymore, and InBev says it's all about money, not "synergy," This will be interesting to watch.

[Grizz16]

I really would love to see these parks continue. Disney would make a fine owner especially if they throw in a little of their creative genius with it.

If "creative genius" means changing everything to Finding Nemo and other Pixar properties, I'd rather Disney not buy Sea World.

[GrumpyFan]

If "creative genius" means changing everything to Finding Nemo and other Pixar properties, I'd rather Disney not buy Sea World.

Touche'

[Goofster]

And this is exactly why the Comcast takeover of Disney was such a bad idea. The same situation would have happened then - our beloved parks would have been sold to the highest bidder.

[Ian]

What a product to be putting out there right when the U.S. economy is so poor.

Actually, now is the best time to sell/buy. No one bothers to sell when the market is high, because they're making money. And no one buys because the asking prices are too steep.

Almost all mergers and aquisitions take place when the market is depressed to one degree or another.

[potzie]

Purchasing SeaWorld would give Disney an in to the growing region of Dubai. Back in February SeaWorld had a pretty major announcement about entering the area and Universal is supposed to have a park open there in 2010, but no Disney announcement, so here's there opportunity.

SeaWorld Building Parks In Dubai

Thursday, February 28, 2008 3:31:22 PM
ORLANDO --SeaWorld made a major announcement Thursday saying that is it building four parks in Dubai.

Busch Entertainment Corporation president and chief operating officer Jim Atchison, Nakheel-BEC CEO Chris O'Donnell and The Palm Jebel Ali's managing director Marwan Al Qamzi announced the deal in a ceremony at SeaWorld Orlando.

The parks would be built on The Palm Jebel Ali, part of Dubai's ambitious "The World" complex.

According to the agreement, the parks to be built will be a SeaWorld park, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove.

Aquatica is a new water park that is opening in Orlando this weekend. At Discovery Cove, reservation-only visitors can swim with aquatic animals.

The first phase of the project is projected to open in 2012. The Worlds of Discovery on the Palm Jebel Ali will also include hotels, spas, shops and restaurants.

Chris O'Donnell said that Dubai has become "one of the world's leading tourist destinations." He said they already have agreements in place with Trump, Cirque du Soleil and Atlantis.

"It's a region of the world that is just amazing. It's cosmopolitan, it is really changing, literally, how the world and travelers view vacation destinations," Atchison said.

According to Atchinson, Dubai has the fastest growing economy on the planet and that 5 million people will visit the country by the time the parks open in 2012.

Early reports speculated that the theme park would be expanding to China.

Busch Entertainment has ten theme parks in the United States.

SeaWorld said Thursday that it has had years of record profits and it is time to expand internationally.

[Ed]

Interesting that I haven't seen or heard anything about this in the local print and TV media.....

[ParkMan]

If they buy Sea World, I wonder if they'd relocate the facility to WDW. Constructing new buildings would certainly be pricey, but the ability to use it to drive additional hotel revenue and lengthen resort stays may very will make up for it over the next 10 years.

I can certainly understand the international expansion opportunity for Disney - but I'd have to wonder. If Disney wanted to build in Dubai, couldn't they just do it?

[MegaDisney]

InBev as far as I have heard is not planning on selling the parks.