CanaDisneyland??? It could happen!

[Starlight67]

Disney’s America was announced and cancelled more than two decades ago.

Wow--I guess it was quite a while ago that these plans were scrapped!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney's_America

At least based on Wikipedia it seems there was some real thought that this project was going to move forward (got far enough in the planning to detail the nine lands). Found a couple of rare promotional brochures for Disney's America on pinterest too...interesting!

The thing is, that would have cut down a lot of guests going to Florida. If you live in the east coast do you go to Orlando or Virginia?

I live in northeast US and I think I would have continued to visit Orlando but also added the Virginia location as a vacation destination (as long as the finances of the year rolleyes permitted it!

 

[Raineman]

There was an article posted on dailyhive.com yesterday and, based on the date it was posted and the lack of information elsewhere, it has to be piece of April Fools Day trolling, but the article said that Toronto would be the next site for a North American Disney park, on Toronto Island which is just off the lakeshore in downtown Toronto. Now, seeing as I live less than a 2 hour drive from Toronto, this would be amazing if it was true, but I don't think it is.

 

[Kamikaze]

There was an article posted on dailyhive.com yesterday and, based on the date it was posted and the lack of information elsewhere, it has to be piece of April Fools Day trolling, but the article said that Toronto would be the next site for a North American Disney park, on Toronto Island which is just off the lakeshore in downtown Toronto. Now, seeing as I live less than a 2 hour drive from Toronto, this would be amazing if it was true, but I don't think it is.

It isn't.

 

[ppete1975]

"This is not a Pollyanna view of America. We want to make you a Civil War soldier. We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave or what it was like to escape through the underground railroad."


—Bob Weis, Disney Senior Vice President (November 1993

something tells me this park would have had some issues in todays climate

 

[bhg469]

There is a Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo experiences winter. If they can do it so can we! (Honestly I just really want a Canadian Disney World so i don't have to worry about currency exchange and flying)

I am more of the mindset that Florida needs more canada, specifically Tim Hortons instead of so many Dunkin locations.

 

[yensid67]

Never happen, but if it did first it can not be built in the City itself there is no land.
They can also to what they do for places like Canada's Wonderland open it from Spring to Fall only.

I am sure it could work.

If there is money to be made, I am sure Disney will find it! They have a nose for that! LOL

 

[ppete1975]

That and the whole issue with the planned location being on the site of a Civil War battlefield. Building a theme park on hallowed ground where lots of people died in a war was one of the major arguments against it.

its now a housing development isn't it?

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

"This is not a Pollyanna view of America. We want to make you a Civil War soldier. We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave or what it was like to escape through the underground railroad."


—Bob Weis, Disney Senior Vice President (November 1993

something tells me this park would have had some issues in todays climate

It was all to be done very tastefully. Museums do that kind of thing without issue.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Wow--I guess it was quite a while ago that these plans were scrapped!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney's_America

At least based on Wikipedia it seems there was some real thought that this project was going to move forward (got far enough in the planning to detail the nine lands). Found a couple of rare promotional brochures for Disney's America on pinterest too...interesting!



I live in northeast US and I think I would have continued to visit Orlando but also added the Virginia location as a vacation destination (as long as the finances of the year rolleyes permitted it!

Disney's America was officially announced before ultimately being cancelled. So, yes, it was pretty far along the development train.

Much of the development was used for DCA attractions after America was cancelled.

 

[Goofyernmost]

That and the whole issue with the planned location being on the site of a Civil War battlefield. Building a theme park on hallowed ground where lots of people died in a war was one of the major arguments against it.

And rightfully so... Worlds second worst decision, I'll leave to others to decide what the worst one was.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That and the whole issue with the planned location being on the site of a Civil War battlefield. Building a theme park on hallowed ground where lots of people died in a war was one of the major arguments against it.

It was near a battlefield and I believe the site is now a Walmart.

 

[thomas998]

Hey, if Simon can build outlet malls in winter weather locations, then Disney can build theme parks in winter locations. If I look at the rides that exist in WDW, most of them are indoors anyway. Transplant those rides with some convertable walking ways, attach it to a ski resort and you got yourself a new style theme park. Walt was going to build a ski resort anyway, so why not just take it to the next level.

While you might have indoor rides, the reality is you have outdoor walking to get from ride to ride and I've been in Canada in the dead of winter and it isn't an experience I would care to experience again. Even the ski resort has some issues. The only time I've ever been skiing and had them close the lift because it was too cold and they were afraid people would get frost bite on the way up was in Canada. In the summer the place would be great with lots of daylight... but I just can't see it being worth it the rest of the year.

Then of course you have the problem of population... less people in all of Canada than in California... That means you would need to target foreigners, with the most likely target audience of international travelers being Americans that would be problematic today as you now need a passport which only 1/3 of Americans have... So I just see too many issues going against a park in Canada.

 

[Astro_Digital]

Really I have lived in Canada all my life an Toronto is winter is no colder that say Chicago. Do you think we all live in Igloos?
And so Canada has 35 Million people most live in Southern Ontario and Quebec ..... what does that matter ?
The 1/3 of Americans with passports likely do not fly to WDW either for that matter. Do you think the 20 million or so people visiting WDW are all American ?

Does not matter it never will happen in Canada.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Tokyo Disney draws from Japan's population of nearly 130 million - along with the populations of South Korea, China, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.

A Canadian park would be drawing from a population of 36 million. If that. I could see someone in Vancouver opting for DL as opposed to a Toronto park - And the Quebecois would more than likely opt for WDW Orlando as part of their yearly pilgrimage to the "Sunshine State". The real problem comes from the lack of ability to draw from the US and Europe. Imagine it's March and you live in New Jersey. You want out of the cold - not an approach towards it. Your going to opt for the longer flight and warmer weather.

Canada would have currency conversion going for it (but I'm sure Disney would find a way to remedy that with some kooky pricing structure).
Toronto would be a more desirable place to visit weather wise during July, August and September due to the humidity - but it'd be hard to sustain a park based on limited drawing potential with only 3-4 months that are favorable for drawing the massive crowds Disney would need for any type of meaningful ROI.

 

[montyz81]

While you might have indoor rides, the reality is you have outdoor walking to get from ride to ride and I've been in Canada in the dead of winter and it isn't an experience I would care to experience again. Even the ski resort has some issues. The only time I've ever been skiing and had them close the lift because it was too cold and they were afraid people would get frost bite on the way up was in Canada. In the summer the place would be great with lots of daylight... but I just can't see it being worth it the rest of the year.

Then of course you have the problem of population... less people in all of Canada than in California... That means you would need to target foreigners, with the most likely target audience of international travelers being Americans that would be problematic today as you now need a passport which only 1/3 of Americans have... So I just see too many issues going against a park in Canada.

Wildcat mountain here in NH close their lifts all the time. Despite what everyone things, New Hampshire is actually in the United States.

Also, Walt Disney was going to build a Ski Resort. I don't see why Disney can't build a ski themed park. It would be a very different offering then what is available in the other parks. Sort of a Ski Resort and Theme park melded together. I think that would have a huge draw.

 

[thomas998]

Wildcat mountain here in NH close their lifts all the time. Despite what everyone things, New Hampshire is actually in the United States.

Also, Walt Disney was going to build a Ski Resort. I don't see why Disney can't build a ski themed park. It would be a very different offering then what is available in the other parks. Sort of a Ski Resort and Theme park melded together. I think that would have a huge draw.

I'm sure Disney could build a ski theme park... but if they did it I think they would be more likely to put it in the US, probably somewhere in the Rockies where they get more powder than ice. Though in the end I doubt they will ever do a ski resort because of the much higher risk of injury you get with skiing and the overly sue happy world we live in today. I can only imagine the PR at Disney going nuts with the possibility of near weekly serious injuries at a Disney resort that skiing would likely bring them.

I am curious about Wildcat mountain, how does it compare to Waterville Valley?

 

[AEfx]

I don't believe Disney would even think about it for one second. Canada simply does not have the market to support it.

For comparison, Japan is about the size of California and has 3x the population. This is why Tokyo Disneyland makes sense.

Canada is the size of the United States, with its population spread across it amounting to less than the state of California alone (Canada has about 36M people, CA 39M). Even when you consider the fact that most of the population of Canada is in the southern portion, it is rather evenly spread out across several thousand miles.

When you look at tourism, the vast majority of tourists to Canada (like 2/3) are from the US in the first place. According to Canadian Tourism, last year was the "biggest" year for tourism with about 20 million tourists visiting the country, period.

It is very difficult to imagine that Disney would open a resort with such a limited combination of population and tourist visits - unless they expect something like an entire 1/3 of the citizens and visitors to the country to visit the resort, every year.

 

[montyz81]

I'm sure Disney could build a ski theme park... but if they did it I think they would be more likely to put it in the US, probably somewhere in the Rockies where they get more powder than ice. Though in the end I doubt they will ever do a ski resort because of the much higher risk of injury you get with skiing and the overly sue happy world we live in today. I can only imagine the PR at Disney going nuts with the possibility of near weekly serious injuries at a Disney resort that skiing would likely bring them.

I am curious about Wildcat mountain, how does it compare to Waterville Valley?

Wildcat is colder then Waterville, but IMO Wildcat has better skiing. Because it is colder, Wildcat is usually less crowded too.

 

[Astro_Digital]

I don't believe Disney would even think about it for one second. Canada simply does not have the market to support it.

For comparison, Japan is about the size of California and has 3x the population. This is why Tokyo Disneyland makes sense.

Canada is the size of the United States, with its population spread across it amounting to less than the state of California alone (Canada has about 36M people, CA 39M). Even when you consider the fact that most of the population of Canada is in the southern portion, it is rather evenly spread out across several thousand miles.

When you look at tourism, the vast majority of tourists to Canada (like 2/3) are from the US in the first place. According to Canadian Tourism, last year was the "biggest" year for tourism with about 20 million tourists visiting the country, period.

It is very difficult to imagine that Disney would open a resort with such a limited combination of population and tourist visits - unless they expect something like an entire 1/3 of the citizens and visitors to the country to visit the resort, every year.

Wrong I encourage you to visit Canada one day of do a bit of research, the Greater Toronto Area has approx 6.5 million people and if you stay in Canada and do the Windsor to Quebec the number is over 10 million. Now if you count everybody one day from Toronto the figure will need to include cities like NYC. Also consider they value of the dollar US tourists will get about $1.30 for every dollar US but so what ..... I agree there will never be a Disney property in Canada and guess what I do not care.

 

[AEfx]

Wrong I encourage you to visit Canada one day of do a bit of research, the Greater Toronto Area has approx 6.5 million people and if you stay in Canada and do the Windsor to Quebec the number is over 10 million. Now if you count everybody one day from Toronto the figure will need to include cities like NYC. Also consider they value of the dollar US tourists will get about $1.30 for every dollar US but so what ..... I agree there will never be a Disney property in Canada and guess what I do not care.

I did my research, thanks - that's where I came up with those numbers. Congrats on being the one to take offense at it, though, in spite of the fact that you claim you "do not care".