IMHO this whole bidding story is about the number of future eyeballs that can be glued to the screens we stare at all day and nothing else. Those of us here care about parks but I don't think that parks are even a side note in this story to either Disney or Comcast. They both have parks and are using them to make money but parks are not the big driver of future revenue growth ( which drives up the price per share). If neither Disney or Comcast had parks in the US I don't think either would build them today. They are building them in Asia as a way to get their respective IP's wider recognition. If parks were a major growth engine in the US then there would be a bidding for Cedar Fair or Seaworld. I'm still waiting for that story to break on CNBC.You really think the soon to be number 4 themepark company should buy the number 2 company? I know most people have no idea how big Merlin is but they had attendance of 66 billion growing 7.8% while Universal attracted 49.458 million and grew at 4.4%. Merlin also has 2 expansions in the NYC area being built. Universal better watch out for the number 4 company which attracted 42.88 million and grew at 32.9%. BTW Six Flags has 11 gates being built in China and just purchased some more in the US. If Comcast does not do something soon about expanding Universal Parks they could see themselves the number 5 or 6 company based on Worldwide attendance. I honestly believe that Six Flags will pass Universal in worldwide attendance in the next 15 years as their international growth continues unless Universal purchases another themepark company. But Merlin is not for sale and infact has expressed interest in buying other themeparks. Beijing will be a major addition to Universals attendance but will not equal 11 gates Six Flags is building or what else is being built in China.
Universal and Disney are by far the highest quality parks but are not growing and returning value to stockholders the was Six Flags has.