Rumor Disney resort of some kind in Texas?

[celluloid]

Nutshell: Regional park in a super robust region aimed at an underserved demo.

Yep. That is why there are obviois and many data points showing why there are mang external stakeholders for this.
With unprecedented brand recognition that no other regional park has ever had.

Sea World was major when Sea World San Antonio opened and Six Flags had its time, but the Universal name for the last few decades, and last twenty years of IPs this park will have with their corporate standards is a little heavier hitting that is able to and plans operate year round.

 

[donaldtoo]

I'm in north Austin. I think the land Disney has bought in the Jarrell area (north of Austin) is either for one of the planned Storyliving by Disney communities (this would be an ideal place for it) or some type of data farm. Or both. If they were to build any parks here in TX -- I think north of Houston would be the place for it. Especially with no theme parks in the greater Houston area and with the Disney Cruises out of Galveston (south of Houston).

We used to live in Anderson Mill, in northwest Austin. We lived in that home for 33+ years, while raising our 3 children. As of the end of last year, we now live in the Round Rock/Pflugerville area.
I’ve heard rumors (besides here) about Jarrell and Disney, as well. That perplexes me a bit, since it’s really kinda’ in “no man’s land”, and at least two major tornadoes have gone through that area in pretty recent years. But, being on a major interstate highway (arguably the busiest in the country) makes some sense.
There is already a Kalahari Resorts & Conventions on Hwy 79 in Round Rock across from Dell Diamond, so that would make a little more sense to me, but a small tornado even did some damage there a few years ago.
My BIL and SIL live in Spring, just north of Houston. With all the tall pine trees, flat land and such, it very much looks like central Florida. Plus, it’s probably just far enough from the coast where any major hurricane damage would be avoided.
Regardless, I’m pretty sure anything appreciable won’t be built by Disney in Texas in my lifetime.
As far as Galveston goes, our oldest DDs in-laws have a house on Galveston Island, and we’ve taken 5 cruises from the Port of Galveston, including one Disney cruise.
Also, we never miss a stop at the Buc-ee’s in Waller, Texas on our drive home…!!!!!!

 

[Ayla]

If they ever actually go through with this, I still think between Austin and San Antonio makes the most sense. Put there, the resort would be served by two major cities and international airports. From there, further easy access to two heavily traveled interstate highways (I-35 and I-10). If built out where the resort would be more closely accessed by the 130 toll and you nearly have a copy of Orlando. Further, it puts the resort within a six hour drive of the major cities in Texas, western Louisiana, Oklahoma City, and northern Mexico.
It would need to be a third castle park, or something similar in scale, to have the right amount of pull to the destination. Even if they just built a castle park with the unique variations of rides that have been built in the international parks (especially as I don't see the park in Texas having as much of an international pull from European and Asian markets), that would make the park a must visit location for locals and WDW/Disneyland visitors alike. Pretty easy to put together - Adventureland like Hong Kong or Shanghai's Pirates and Adventure Isle, Frontierland like Grizzly Gulch, Phantom Manor, etc, Fantasyland with Fantasy Springs rides or Beauty and the Beast from Tokyo Disneyland, etc. All known quantities that work, all similar enough but unique from what is offered in the other stateside parks. Would seem to be the appropriate release valve for the crowds they are seeing in CA and FL.

Yeah, but it's still in Texas.

 

[Ayla]

How is that theme park in Oklahoma coming along? 2 billion was the price tag if I remember correctly.

Shockingly, nothing. Tied up in lawsuits and inaction.

 

[FigmentFan82]

this thread got to 6 pages?!

 

[celluloid]

​

It’s going to be hard to see how they thread the needle here. $120 for an annual pass is far too cheap and makes it hard to justify the investment, but the park also can’t be too much more than a regional/locals park, because a high-quality park would inherently take people away from Orlando and jeopardize Epic’s future.

Not really. Look at something like Knotts Berry Farm. They have Annual Passes for not much far off that mark. It is only one park. Busch Gardens sells Fun Cards for the year and more for around the same price point.

This is not competing with Orlando, it will compliment it for the segmentation that will see the value in it.

Imagine being a family who visited Universal with Annual or Seasonal Pass because they knew they would spend a week and a half there. They are a day or less drive from Frisco. There is a cross over there. For 90 bucks more incentive you think they will add a park they can visit with their kids/grandkids for the rest of the year and any events it has? A sure sell.

People keep thinking it will take people away from Orlando, but that is not the way Tourism works.

Some harsh critiques here say no one really visits Austin or Dallas. While it is no Orlando or Anaheim. There are still plenty of people who visit those areas.

50 percent of people travel for friends and family visits. Tourism industry knows this and relies on it as well as destination travel. The areas around Frisco are densely populated. They take a family/friend group to their local place of fun too. This assists huge and if you are a tourism or entertainment city local you know this well. This is not some uncalculated risk

Dallas and Austin have for example, become some of the fastest growing tourism choices for travel.

The (toursism) world is ever changing. This is not the Texas of 1970s. New dynamics and new industry avenues are explored. Which is why the mouse is also looking and deciding what they are going to do.

Granted, the Eclipse was a one off, but it is growing in general. People are exploring options. And there ARE options growing.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

​

Not really. Look at something like Knotts Berry Farm. They have Annual Passes for not much far off that mark. It is only one park. Busch Gardens sells Fun Cards for the year and more for around the same price point.

This is not competing with Orlando, it will compliment it for the segmentation that will see the value in it.

Imagine being a family who visited Universal with Annual or Seasonal Pass because they knew they would spend a week and a half there. They are a day or less drive from Frisco. There is a cross over there. For 90 bucks more incentive you think they will add a park they can visit with their kids/grandkids for the rest of the year and any events it has? A sure sell.

People keep thinking it will take people away from Orlando, but that is not the way Tourism works.

Some harsh critiques here say no one really visits Austin or Dallas. While it is no Orlando or Anaheim. There are still plenty of people who visit those areas.

50 percent of people travel for friends and family visits. Tourism industry knows this and relies on it as well as destination travel. The areas around Frisco are densely populated. They take a family/friend group to their local place of fun too. This assists huge and if you are a tourism or entertainment city local you know this well. This is not some uncalculated risk

Dallas and Austin have for example, become some of the fastest growing tourism choices for travel.

The (toursism) world is ever changing. This is not the Texas of 1970s. New dynamics and new industry avenues are explored. Which is why the mouse is also looking and deciding what they are going to do.

Granted, the Eclipse was a one off, but it is growing in general. People are exploring options. And there ARE options growing.

Where do you get the idea that tourist destinations in one location, don't compete with those in another?

First, WDW has never been in the day park/local market. This would be a completely new market, one that I don't know can be profitable. You are going to have a huge initial investment, in land, infrastructure, build out costs, but you are NOT going to be able to charge WDW or DL prices. There is a reason you don't see a ton of local park new construction as opposed to taking over existing parks and building them out.

Second, if WDW presses its one major advantage over other them park operators, its huge IP library, you will absolutely get canabalism of attendees from the costs. If families in the Midwest can get a similar or close to it experience visiting this Texas park, as opposed to paying the higher costs of flights and stays at the WDW or DL, a certain percentage of them are certainly going to take the savings and make that choice. The alterative is that the park doesn't have the offerings that either of the coast parks do, so for Disney fans, why are you going to make Texas your destination, for a single park that doesn't have the offerings of either coasts.

So really what you're saying is that you're looking to build a brand-new park that is going to cater to the local Texas market, at a price that is cheap enough to compete for local dollars, but not big/enough offerings that it takes away from the coastal parks....at a price point that is going to be profitable? I just don't see that niche market being enough or Disney wanting to get into that market.

 

[Robbiem]

Maybe Disney will tie some kind of entertainment complex into a story living development. Having a captive market of fans could help with the viability. Add a hotel and base it near a cruise terminal to add a day or two onto cruises and it could be an interesting proposition

 

[DarkMetroid567]

So really what you're saying is that you're looking to build a brand-new park that is going to cater to the local Texas market, at a price that is cheap enough to compete for local dollars, but not big/enough offerings that it takes away from the coastal parks....at a price point that is going to be profitable? I just don't see that niche market being enough or Disney wanting to get into that market.

This is why the SpongeBob/Krusty Krab concept kinda worries me. A real-life Krusty Krab is too good of a draw, especially if it’s done well as I would expect Universal to. It gets too popular, prices grow too high… but then the park gets a reputation for the rest of the park being a kiddy-land and there being “nothing to do.”

 

[Coaster Lover]

Should take one of their old cruise ships and dust off their plans for the S.S Disney... have a traveling theme park they can take to all sorts of ports not near any current Disney theme park.

 

[Brer Panther]

But to think this is a Sesame Place or less than a Legoland is also not sincere.

What's wrong with Sesame Place?

 

[celluloid]

What's wrong with Sesame Place?

Nothing is wrong with Sesame Place. Read the quote abour comparing it being in good faith.
It is wrong to compare this Texas venture to the scale of a smaller park near Philidelhia that closes for winter that is only 14 acres and has half of the operating hours the new Texas Venture for Uni will.

Business wise it does has it's eggs in one basket Of a property as great as that property was, it is not comparable.

 

[celluloid]

This is why the SpongeBob/Krusty Krab concept kinda worries me. A real-life Krusty Krab is too good of a draw, especially if it’s done well as I would expect Universal to. It gets too popular, prices grow too high… but then the park gets a reputation for the rest of the park being a kiddy-land and there being “nothing to do.”

The park being too good means it is elevated and they figure out a way to diversify.

If the worry is the park may be too good, the concern is the best kind to have.

 

[BrerFoxesBayouAdventure]

Well Disney parks fans, with villains land, the door coaster, a new mission coming to falcon all coming soon, and now this? It is a cold, cold day in Disney parks hell. Apparently some sort of Disney parks property is being considered for Texas. It is unknown what kind of property this will be.

The message really does all the talking I need to do. I apologize to the moderators for placing this in this section, I really have no idea where to put this. If there is a better location, I will be happy to move this.

Where'd you hear this from? A bus driver?

 

[celluloid]

First, WDW has never been in the day park/local market. This would be a completely new market, one that I don't know can be profitable. You are going to have a huge initial investment, in land, infrastructure, build out costs, but you are NOT going to be able to charge WDW or DL prices. There is a reason you don't see a ton of local park new construction as opposed to taking over existing parks and building them out.

Second, if WDW presses its one major advantage over other them park operators, its huge IP library, you will absolutely get canabalism of attendees from the costs. If families in the Midwest can get a similar or close to it experience visiting this Texas park, as opposed to paying the higher costs of flights and stays at the WDW or DL, a certain percentage of them are certainly going to take the savings and make that choice. The alterative is that the park doesn't have the offerings that either of the coast parks do, so for Disney fans, why are you going to make Texas your destination, for a single park that doesn't have the offerings of either coasts.

So really what you're saying is that you're looking to build a brand-new park that is going to cater to the local Texas market, at a price that is cheap enough to compete for local dollars, but not big/enough offerings that it takes away from the coastal parks....at a price point that is going to be profitable? I just don't see that niche market being enough or Disney wanting to get into that market.

You quoted me speaking and responding about what Uni is aiming for. Just because you don't see it, does not mean the data points show it's low risk and promising.
The cross over of cannibalization is low and this concept is not direct competition. Data does not show that.

I reccomend looking at many other examples.

Nutshell: This park is not often going to be the reason someone from Oklahoma City does not go to Orlando and check out the most famous and largest Universal Resort.
This is indirect competition.
The segment of clientele that live close e ough to check this one out far outnumber that.
If they are not going to go to the 1,000 acre three theme park ten hotel and a water park resort in Orlando because Texas has a single small park, they were probably not likely to go that year anyway.

Far more people that will be willing to go to both, and be excited that some of the incentives and perks are honored for the ancillary spending.
Disney is still figuring out which plan they are going to go with.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Where do you get the idea that tourist destinations in one location, don't compete with those in another?

First, WDW has never been in the day park/local market. This would be a completely new market, one that I don't know can be profitable. You are going to have a huge initial investment, in land, infrastructure, build out costs, but you are NOT going to be able to charge WDW or DL prices. There is a reason you don't see a ton of local park new construction as opposed to taking over existing parks and building them out.

Second, if WDW presses its one major advantage over other them park operators, its huge IP library, you will absolutely get canabalism of attendees from the costs. If families in the Midwest can get a similar or close to it experience visiting this Texas park, as opposed to paying the higher costs of flights and stays at the WDW or DL, a certain percentage of them are certainly going to take the savings and make that choice. The alterative is that the park doesn't have the offerings that either of the coast parks do, so for Disney fans, why are you going to make Texas your destination, for a single park that doesn't have the offerings of either coasts.

So really what you're saying is that you're looking to build a brand-new park that is going to cater to the local Texas market, at a price that is cheap enough to compete for local dollars, but not big/enough offerings that it takes away from the coastal parks....at a price point that is going to be profitable? I just don't see that niche market being enough or Disney wanting to get into that market.

Yeah, this. Disney will open a park in Texas around the same time that Universal opens a park on the moon.

 

[Bocabear]

I think the only thing that would make any sense is another "Story Living By Disney" community... anything else makes no sense at all... I do not see Disney ever going into the Mini-park business and cannibalizing their current parks and resorts....because it most definitely would.

 

[britain]

The fact that Disney keeps pushing lightning lane and timeshares, and that their “expansions” in Florida tend to be replacements indicates to me that they are sensing a ceiling to how much they can squeeze out of WDW. A mushy ceiling, granted, they’ll keep squeezing forever. It’s not like they are going to abandon their crown investment. And yes, DL and the CA audience has proven worthy of genuine expansion which will happen over the next few decades.

But they know that Wall Street expects bigger revenue streams to be added.

Now it used to make more sense to open a new park internationally roughly every 10 years than open a new domestic resort. But, given the turbulence in world events and world economies, I think it makes plenty of sense for new domestic opportunities to be developed.

But at what scale? They’ll never build another WDW-sized resort ever again. Possibly a Shanghai style resort, but also unlikely. If it’s still castle park in style, it would be Hong Kong in scale.

Could it theoretically be even smaller and yet avoid seeming like it’s half baked?

How would it feel to go to a park that’s just ONE land, a shopping district and a hotel, but the land is lush and immersive? The quality associated with the Disney brand would still be there, but let’s say the ticket price was half of what DL/WDW’s are. Could work.

(That’s the other thing that Disney has to grapple with: Fewer and fewer Americans are able to afford a DL/WDW trip. Since the parks are so close to capacity already, lowering prices isn’t the answer. But building a smaller less expensive park could do the job.)

 

[Moth]

I think the only thing that would make any sense is another "Story Living By Disney" community... anything else makes no sense at all... I do not see Disney ever going into the Mini-park business and cannibalizing their current parks and resorts....because it most definitely would.

THIS. This is where my brain went to first, especially because I thought one of those communities were supposed to hit Texas???

 

[UNCgolf]

THIS. This is where my brain went to first, especially because I thought one of those communities were supposed to hit Texas???

Does Disney actually own any of the land for those developments, though? I thought they were just partnering with real estate developers, who would generally be the ones actually purchasing/developing the property.