Disney SeaWorld sounds interesting.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/Theme_Parks_Attractions/Disney_may_have_interest_in_Sea_World.htm
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/Theme_Parks_Attractions/Disney_may_have_interest_in_Sea_World.htm
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Disney may have interest in Sea World
- Thread starter Disney MDACK
- Start date
wickedfan07
Member
When they say SeaWorld, do they mean just the SeaWorld parks or ALL of the A-B parks? Hmmm...
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Odd...It's seems to farfetched though.
Would be interesting. Then you get to add charecters like Shamu to Disney's stable of charecters and create another cashcow like they did with ABC and ESPN. Plus they can sell Premium annual passes that include both Disneyland/Walt Disney World and Sea World San Diego/Sea World Orlando. It would also give them a presence in Texas unless they decide to shut down that seaworld.
mickeymatt
Active Member
Wow just think of all the Nemo and POTC attractions to be added there. And finally, they can bring back 20K leagues under the sea!
miles1
Active Member
Maybe not. Just my thoughts*:
1. Boom. Instant fifth gate with minimal development time and no need for an immediate cash outlay. Takes up another day of one's vacation that might be spent at Universal, plus admission prices can be raised because they've added value.
2. If Disney is afraid of any of the potential buyers, it would be the Dubai Land backers. They would have the bottomless cash and the chutzpah to possibly give WDW a run for their money if they get a toehold in central Florida. Disney may feel a pre-emptive strike is necessary.
*"Just my thoughts" means this is simply my unscientific opinion. Void in Arkansas and Hawaii. Consult a physician if this post leaves you excited for more than four hours, it could be a sign of a serious side effect. Performed by professional drivers on a closed course; do not attempt at home
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Them buying SeaWorld would probably eventually lead to purchasing the Universal Parks as well, since we know that NBC-Uni has been trying to find a buyer for them ever since those two companies joined. Disney adding a presence outside of the WDW 'resort' would make them inclined to look at the Uni parks more.
anamcara87
New Member
Interesting. It would be win/win for both parties.
krankenstein
Well-Known Member
I agree with EE. It sounds a bit far fetched.
Figment82
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think Disney would have to spend far too much money just to bring the SeaWorld parks up to their standards. Don't get me wrong, SeaWorld is a nice place, but no where near the quality of the Disney parks. I cite the super-cheesy Atlantis ride as my prime example. 
jt04
Well-Known Member
It would give them a 5th gate and a boutique park (which they want). Makes sense to me.
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think Disney would have to spend far too much money just to bring the SeaWorld parks up to their standards. Don't get me wrong, SeaWorld is a nice place, but no where near the quality of the Disney parks. I cite the super-cheesy Atlantis ride as my prime example.
Ah, but its far less money than building a DisneySea park in Florida from scratch.
Kamikaze
Well-Known Member
Totally forgot about Discovery Cove.
Figment82
Well-Known Member
Very true, but I'd rather see them invest that money into the 4 parks they already have. All that money towards fixing the parks, rebranding, signage, etc. could all be invested in more attractions, maintenence, etc. etc. for their current property.
But that's just my opinion of course.
dwightshrutefan
New Member
If they bought sea world, would they buy the whole Busch Entertainment Corporation?
Mr.EPCOT
Active Member
Stranger things have happened. I believe I read that Disney made a bid for Sea World in the 80's, but the deal did not go through because they did not want the Texas and Ohio parks. That certainly might not be a deterrent now with Disney trying to create a stronger regional entertainment presence across the country.
Spike-in-Berlin
Well-Known Member
You cannot compare both parks. TDS is a theme park about the seas from a much more entertainment orientated approach while Sea World is a classical marine park, more a kind of marine aquarium, with live animals and only a few rides. To change SW into a kind of Florida-TDS would be a huge task and cost a lot of money that is needed elsewhere.
Figment1986
Well-Known Member
if disney buys busch entertainment they would close Busch Gardens... and i doubt inbev would sell then just seaworld orlando...
sbkline
Well-Known Member
On the downside, I think it would be odd to have the entire WDW resort complex over there in Lake Buena Vista, then over here in Orlando, you have a 5th Disney Park. It seems like it would break some of the illusion, or the magic or whatever, to have to hop on a bus and go up the interstate to get to this other theme park.
On the upside, it would be nice for those of us interested in visiting Sea World on our trip not to have to shell out an extra 70 bucks a person (I think that's about how much our tickets were in April when we went) plus parking to visit Sea World. It would just be another park to visit with our parkhopper passes...go to Sea World for part of the day, go back to the hotel and freshen up, then into MK that night, all on one pass. Not to mention that you could eat at Sea World on the dining plan and not have to pay out of pocket for your food there.
That's all assumming that Disney would operate the park as a 5th gate of the WDW resort complex as opposed to running it as a seperate attraction from WDW, yet under the same ownership.
Myself, I think I would prefer that IF they acquired Sea World, that they would continue to run it almost as it's already run, and that it would be difficult to notice any real changes between your last trip under Bush ownership and this trip under Disney ownership. I think I would prefer that they would not integrate it into the WDW resort as a 5th park, and run it as a seperate attraction with seperate tickets and not have it have much to do with WDW at all. Perhaps if they bought Busch Gardens as well and continued to operate the two as sister parks, having little or nothing to do with the WDW resort.
On the upside, it would be nice for those of us interested in visiting Sea World on our trip not to have to shell out an extra 70 bucks a person (I think that's about how much our tickets were in April when we went) plus parking to visit Sea World. It would just be another park to visit with our parkhopper passes...go to Sea World for part of the day, go back to the hotel and freshen up, then into MK that night, all on one pass. Not to mention that you could eat at Sea World on the dining plan and not have to pay out of pocket for your food there.
That's all assumming that Disney would operate the park as a 5th gate of the WDW resort complex as opposed to running it as a seperate attraction from WDW, yet under the same ownership.
Myself, I think I would prefer that IF they acquired Sea World, that they would continue to run it almost as it's already run, and that it would be difficult to notice any real changes between your last trip under Bush ownership and this trip under Disney ownership. I think I would prefer that they would not integrate it into the WDW resort as a 5th park, and run it as a seperate attraction with seperate tickets and not have it have much to do with WDW at all. Perhaps if they bought Busch Gardens as well and continued to operate the two as sister parks, having little or nothing to do with the WDW resort.