New Park?

[minniesfriend]

I heard a rumor that Disney just bought up a lot of land near Austin, Texas. Has anyone heard this?

[MartyS]

There's been rumors like that going around for years. A few years ago, I heard Disney bought a lot of land around Katy, Texas, then that they bought a large chunk of land north of Fort Worth. Although it would be great to have a Disney park here in Texas, and Austin would be perfect for one, I think they have enough parks to keep busy right now, and they are probably not lokking to build another one just yet. If they did buy some land in Austin, maybe they were buying it for a great investment in a growing area.

[Figment!]

It probably wouldn't be wise to hold one's breath considering this recent statment by the CFO:

... there {are} no plans by the company to develop another major theme park in the United States in the "foreseeable future."

[GrumpyFan]

to Intercot!


Since you're new here, we'll cut you a break on the "New Park" rumor. As others have mentioned, these rumors come up quite often. In fact, they happen so often, that if Disney actually WERE to buy land and start building something new, I think most of the people here (myself included) wouldn't believe it.

[lockedoutlogic]

Everyone seems to think Disney is going to go ahead and sink several billion dollars into developing a new park somewhere in the middle of the US out of the goodness of their hearts....probably so more people can take the yukon to a disney park four or five times a year....

It would be completely financially irresponsible and frankly- ridiculous given the fact that they still have much work to do in all of their locations...except maybe Japan.

Florida is not yet maxed out...California Adventure is a mess....Paris is forever with it's head barely above water...and Hong Kong is looking like a potential disaster....

no new parks...no one can seem to grasp just how much money it would require....

...which you can't take that kind of money away from the stockholders...not in today's world.

They do seem bent on building more DVC...welcome news to many of us...

[LibertyTreeGal]

6 hours from home....

But seriously, Austin is too stinkin' hot for a considerable portion of the year, for Disney to ever consider it. They need a temperate location, and Austin is not temperate. Nowhere in Texas is, for that matter. When your shoes sink into the ashphalt in April, that just ain't a magical feeling....

[battle beast]

Virgina, North Carolina, Now Texas...

The ONLy rumor I belive is the one my frined and I started about us building an INDOOR Disney park in Alberta, Canada...)

[magicman]

They could very well be buying land, but not for a park. I think Austin would be a good choice for a WDW Hotel, Restaurant, etc.

Welcome, minniesfriend!!!!.

[bleukarma]

I have no idea about the rumor, but now I'm wondering what they did with the land they bought in Virginia to build the american history theme park. I know for a fact that they bought the land and were planning on building on it until protests shut it down (I read the Michael Eisner book). I wonder if they resold it, or they still own it, or if they built something else on it...hmm...

[Ian]

Okay, while it may be true that they bought land in Texas, I wouldn't expect it to be for a theme park.

I think Disney has been pretty clear on this topic ... it's unlikely they will ever build a brand new theme park anywhere else in the U.S. that is comparable to Magic Kingdom/Disneyland, etc.

What you'll probably see them do more of is what they've announced for Hawaii ... a regional, family entertainment destination. When taken in that context, then, Austin wouldn't be totally crazy.

[Marker]

Maybe they'll put in a monorail to connect the new Texas park with the one they're building in the Branson area.

[big blue and hairy]

Virgina, North Carolina, Now Texas...

The ONLy rumor I belive is the one my frined and I started about us building an INDOOR Disney park in Alberta, Canada...)

You forgot South Carolina, Indiana, St Louis, and many others....

Just wishful thinking, but imagine how inferior they would be to WDW for decades....

[Greenlawler]

Don't forget the Nashville rumor, where Disney actualy looked into buying the Opryland Hotel and theme park. This was reported ligitimaly on the news there, but Gaylord decided to keep the property and build a mall. Not sure I ever believed it but the Nashville media bought in.

[Tekneek]

If anything, Disney is definitely involved in lots of speculation around the world. I am sure they do a fair amount of due diligence on lots of fronts that rarely mean what we hope it would (more theme parks), but are attempts to gather information to make sure they are looking at all of their options all of the time.

[HOLITRIN]

If Disney builds a new park, they only logical place will be WDW. They already have the land (more than enough) and with the popularity of WDW and the fact that the "slow" seasons are drying up, there is business justification to adding a new park.

Besides, its time for a new park!!

[Stevadore]

A land perchase of that size would be impossible to keep from local news. Among the precursors to an operation like this is major upgrades to the phone systems. The fiber optic upgrades we had about 9 yrs. ago didn't go too well. We permantly closed one of our power plants last week and the Nuke that supplies 1/3 of our power is nearing the end of it's life expectancy. The flow of newcomers is taxing the power grid that is already maxed out. I-35 is a major N to S shipping artery clogged with 18 wheelers like a Conga Line from Laredo to all points North. The current plans to surround the city with toll roads (2 opened in the past year) is unpopular with most residents.
Even a Theme Hotel seems ill concieved 70-90 miles from Schlitterbahn, 6 Flags, Sea World, and the Alamo.
We are a College/Government city with a "Music Capitol" disguise.

Sorry , I gotta' shoot this one out of any Blue Sky senario.

[future_imagineer]

I'm an Austinite... and I can tell you, without a doubt, there is no Disney complex ever going in near Austin, San Antonio, the metroplex, Katy/Houston, Orange County, or anywhere else in the state.

The post above me is really correct - the infrastructure isn't there.

I-35 has turned the nation's NAFTA superhighway (forget I-69). The Airport has just one terminal (although a second is planned). State Highway 71, which leads to the west suburbs (near where the rumors say the land was bought, I believe) is a complete and utter joke right now, and it's just getting worse with a new mall being built in Bee Cave right on 71. Our power grid is maxed out, and it is really too hilly to sustain development of a theme park.

[Stevadore]

Hi felow Austinite! You reminded me Future Imagineer about the airport!!!
Although fairly new, you can't get anywhere from here non-stop unless it is Dallas, Houston or San Antonio! If you are leaving the state or coming into Austin, you are going to have a connecting flight. Most likely Dallas .

Get out the butter and jelly....This one is toast!

[future_imagineer]

Hi felow Austinite! You reminded me Future Imagineer about the airport!!!
Although fairly new, you can't get anywhere from here non-stop unless it is Dallas, Houston or San Antonio! If you are leaving the state or coming into Austin, you are going to have a connecting flight. Most likely Dallas .

Get out the butter and jelly....This one is toast!

There are also Southwest directs to San Diego, and, of course, Orlando.

[Speedy1998]

6 hours from home....

But seriously, Austin is too stinkin' hot for a considerable portion of the year, for Disney to ever consider it. They need a temperate location, and Austin is not temperate. Nowhere in Texas is, for that matter. When your shoes sink into the ashphalt in April, that just ain't a magical feeling....

No warmer that Orlando.