5th Gate sold to an outsider (a question, not a rumor!)

[danstadnik]

Well, is there any possibility that Disney would ever sell (lease, rent, whatever) land in the WDW resort for another company to put in a 5th gate? Like to Six Flags or Cedar Fair or somebody else?
I mean, let's face it, the WDW of 20+ years ago has been cheapened in a lot of ways. And a lot of tweens and teens only care about how fast and how high they are traveling on a ride, not about theming, etc. So if Disney leased like 80 acres to Cedar Fair, and they put in a park with 8 huge fast coasters, some of those super high drop things, the real high swings, etc... They might call it "Thriller Island at WDW" or something even LESS interesting. Wouldn't a lot of families be more persuaded to do an exclusive Disney trip? Because now the 15 yr olds who HATE all the Disney parks would have somewhere to go, on a bus , with a Magic Your Way ticket. But then they can meet back up with Mom and Dad at Port Orleans for dinner (because Mom and Dad spent all day in World Showcase).
Can anyone see this sort of thing happening? I think a company like Six Flags would pay a TON of money to get in on this, and if it fails, Disney wouldn't really be out a lot...
(Just for the record, I am personally against this idea, but it strikes me as the kind of thing that COULD happen)

 

[Crockett]

Will never happen.

 

[lynnkatherine]

I HOPE this never happens!!!
We live surrounded by great-ride parks, Cedar Point, Kings Island, Six-Flags....our kids and grandkids may have gone once or twice.
It's a mind-set. Either a person wants the big thrills...or the "magic."

 

[Retlaw Yensid]

I hope this never happens and I don't think it ever will. After Walt built Disneyland, one of the things he wished was different about the park was that he wanted more control over the surrounding area so nothing would interfere with his creation. That is part of the reason why WDW is located where it is. Allowing a different company to operate a park on property would totally go against that (yes I know there's the Swan & Dolphin but that's a little different). Having exclusive control over such a large area is part of what makes WDW so great, it allows the guest to really feel immersed in a magical world. The only way I could see Disney allowing this is if they had some say in the construction/designing of the park, in which case they might as well build and run the park themselves. Should Disney create a park solely for thrill seekers? That is another question

 

[PyroKinesis]

Considering the new CEO of Cedar Fair is a Disney guy, I believe he will respect the property enough to NOT do something as absurd as this. Six Flags, however...

 

[britdaw]

Will never happen.

What he said. If it ever happened, I'd be scared the apocolypse was here.

 

[Big Cheese]

Sounds interesting, but why give profits to an outsider when you can build it yourself?:shrug:
Six Flags has to be the Scummiest Place on Earth.:hammer:

 

[Disaddict]

Wouldn't happen. Walt would roll over in his grave, get up, retrieve his frozen head, and go kick the crap out of the board members for that one.

 

[R W B]

I really hope it would never happen. If a 5th gate is to be built I hope Disney does it and no one else. Also correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Six Flags has nearly enough money for this, weren't they just in bankruptcy a year or 2 ago?

 

[ddbowdoin]

What he said. If it ever happened, I'd be scared the apocolypse was here.

the rapture would come first...

 

[disneygirl1024]

We live near Kings Island in Ohio. Its, eh, ok. I mean it gives us something to do if we get the urge to ride roller coasters. They have one that is just like Rockin Roller Coaster, as far as the ride goes, except its completely dark inside the ride. So it pacifies us to a point. As far as kids hating Disney....my kids still luv it and they are 17 and 15. We have been coming to Disney since for quite a few years now (since 2004). I hope Disney never goes that route and I really dont think that will ever happen.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Wouldn't happen. Walt would roll over in his grave, get up, retrieve his frozen head, and go kick the crap out of the board members for that one.

....and after that, launch the missiles hidden in the castle.....destroying said 5th gate.

 

[goofntink]

Considering they are not "allowing" a.k.a forbidding the Lego Store at DTD from promoting or the employees even talking about the new LEGOLAND theme park that opened this past weekend near WDW in Winter Haven... I THINK NOT!!!!!! BY the way it would be denied if asked by Disney, but they do have people going into the store asking the employees about it and seeing if they say something. The employees have been given a scripted response if asked by guests about the park.

 

[Disaddict]

We live near Kings Island in Ohio. Its, eh, ok. I mean it gives us something to do if we get the urge to ride roller coasters. They have one that is just like Rockin Roller Coaster, as far as the ride goes, except its completely dark inside the ride. So it pacifies us to a point. As far as kids hating Disney....my kids still luv it and they are 17 and 15. We have been coming to Disney since for quite a few years now (since 2004). I hope Disney never goes that route and I really dont think that will ever happen.

when I was a kid we would fly back to the states for a 2 week vacation every year and we always went to Kings Island. I loved that place! It was much better back in the 1980's when it was sold to Kings Entertainment. I feel that KI started to decline when paramount bought them. I'd like so see what Cedar Fair has done with it though. I was mostly upset that they got rid of the Smurf's boat ride and the entire Hannah Barberra Land.

....and after that, launch the missiles hidden in the castle.....destroying said 5th gate.

Ooooooo. The castle has missles? Awesome. :sohappy:

 

[trr1]

Will never happen.

never say never

were not people a few months ago saying the same thing about avatar?

 

[WorldKey]

Fifth gate? Are we now using 'gate' as slang for 'Park'. Just so I'm up to speed.....

 

[Retlaw Yensid]

Fifth gate? Are we now using 'gate' as slang for 'Park'. Just so I'm up to speed.....

Yup

 

[kylewr86]

I like my rides.I live in ohio and i ride everything, even Top thrill dragster at cedar point.However, i go to wdw every year because of its themes and overall feel when i am there the real world is far away and i'm in a new world.You never feel disconnected at a Cedar Point or six flags.

also the new coasters like Rockin and Everest are great roller coasters for thrill seekers.

 

[danstadnik]

Fifth gate? Are we now using 'gate' as slang for 'Park'. Just so I'm up to speed.....

Yeah, that's slang I actually picked up on here! :lol:
And I gotta say, I hate to admit it, but I'm definitely in the never say never crowd on all of this. A park like this, in WDW, and included in the Magic Your Way package could easily have annual attendance of 6-8 million a year. SOMEONE would be willing to either pay top dollar for that, or cut Disney in on a large percentage of the ticket sales. And if its not up to par (aka lacking the "magic"), Disney can just say "Its a Six Flags (Cedar Fair, whoever else) park! Its not ours! We just lease the land to them!" And they don't have to feel obligated to give it a billion dollar overhaul like DCA.

 

[SyracuseOrange]

I do see the logic that Disney would benefit from a completely thrill-ride dedicated park (I'm a HUGE roller coaster nut, but obviously a Disney fan) and I would love to be able to ride a few coasters and then see Wishes...just sounds fun. But I don't really like the idea of leasing it to Six Flags.