Is disney parks and resorts for sale?

[misterID]

Perhaps, like a couple others have said, the Prince is looking to invest in something at, or WDW specifically. This could be good news?

I don't buy an outright sell, though.

 

[Lee]

The Prince is not in Walt Disney World to buy into, purchase whole or expand any part of the resort. He is there to investigate the possibility of Disney being a partner and/or cooperating with the Mile-High Tower project in Jeddah. What the Prince hopes to accomplish there is basically what Walt Disney set out to do with the original plans of Epcot, and he would like a Disney park/Disneyland to represent the amusement aspect of that area.

Interesting theory...but hard to imagine he could get the whole board down to Orlando for a sales pitch.

 

[mickeysaver]

Let me just say it now.....

I am not liking this rumor. I have no idea what the future holds, but ownership by some middle eastern foreign dude is not going to keep me renewing my annual pass.

This sort of sale = PR problems x infinity and beyond.

 

[comics101]

This is the worst "secret" meeting in the history of the world.

:ROFLOL::ROFLOL:

You'd think they'd meet in the bunker underneath the 7 Seas Lagoon where Walt's head is kept frozen...

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Somehow selling off one of your most profitable divisions that promises to make money for decades to come doesn't really seem like the best use of resources, not matter how profitable in the short term.

Not to mention this would really throw off the whole Disney synergy and franchise concept they seem to be promoting at the moment.

Just don't see how this move would benefit the shareholders of Disney. Perhaps I'm just shortsighted.

 

[misterID]

Somehow selling off one of your most profitable divisions that promises to make money for decades to come doesn't really seem like the best use of resources, not matter how profitable in the short term.

Not to mention this would really throw off the whole Disney synergy and franchise concept they seem to be promoting at the moment.

Just don't see how this move would benefit the shareholders of Disney. Perhaps I'm just shortsighted.

But if someone wanted to come in and buy a stake of WDW, that would be pretty smart. Especially seeing how TDO is running on it's own for the most part, unlike DL. And they don't seem to have the drive to be innovative or compete... It could be interesting if someone bought a piece of it. It would mean WDW would be run completely differently. That's a theory, anyway.

There's just no way Disneyland would be part of any sale, parital or investment-wise, imo.

 

[Mouse Detective]

Maybe the Saudi Arabia pavilion is coming to EPCOT.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

If you read this prince's Wiki, he's already associated with Disney, and he could be a silent investor in some other fashion. There are other Disney bigwigs on property, people are reading way to much into this.

For all anyone knows, they all could be at Disney World on vacation in a weird investor bonding moment.




Jimmy Thick-Sell the parks? Yeah right...

 

[danv3]

The Prince is not in Walt Disney World to buy into, purchase whole or expand any part of the resort. He is there to investigate the possibility of Disney being a partner and/or cooperating with the Mile-High Tower project in Jeddah. What the Prince hopes to accomplish there is basically what Walt Disney set out to do with the original plans of Epcot, and he would like a Disney park/Disneyland to represent the amusement aspect of that area.

Not sure Disney would put a park in Saudi Arabia, but Dubai I could see.

I can't imagine the sale of the US parks is even being discussed.

 

[CJR]

When I heard about him touring the parks, I figured he was evaluating all the leaders at TDO. Maybe I'm just dreaming, but wouldn't it be nice? It doesn't seem like anyone was given much warning.

 

[wizards8507]

Let me just say it now.....

I am not liking this rumor. I have no idea what the future holds, but ownership by some middle eastern foreign dude is not going to keep me renewing my annual pass.

This sort of sale = PR problems x infinity and beyond.

I'm trying to decide if your refusal to buy an annual pass based on the race of the park's owner is more laughable or horrifying.

ON TOPIC: I really think that the more significant tidbit here is not the Prince, but rather the entire board of directors.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Somehow selling off one of your most profitable divisions that promises to make money for decades to come doesn't really seem like the best use of resources, not matter how profitable in the short term.

Not to mention this would really throw off the whole Disney synergy and franchise concept they seem to be promoting at the moment.

Disney would not be selling the parks off the way Paramount sold theirs. Any sale would involve licensing of the Disney name, characters, franchises, etc. As is done with all of the international Resorts. The benefit to Disney would be that they would still collect royalty checks and probably even a cut of the revenues, but without the financial liability if things do turn sour.

 

[wizards8507]

Disney would not be selling the parks off the way Paramount sold theirs. Any sale would involve licensing of the Disney name, characters, franchises, etc. As is done with all of the international Resorts. The benefit to Disney would be that they would still collect royalty checks and probably even a cut of the revenues, but without the financial liability if things do turn sour.

On that note, does anyone have any knowledge of the kind of revenue Disney sees from licensing of overseas Parks versus the running of their domestic parks? Their Annual Report doesn't give specific details park-to-park, but maybe someone around here is familiar with their international licensing agreements. The international interests are probably my weakest area of understanding about the Company.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Let me just say it now.....

I am not liking this rumor. I have no idea what the future holds, but ownership by some middle eastern foreign dude is not going to keep me renewing my annual pass.

This sort of sale = PR problems x infinity and beyond.

Nice to see that racism has reared its ugly head in this thread.

 

[wizards8507]

Nice to see that racism has reared its ugly head in this thread.

I love the way he phrased it, too. "Middle eastern foreign dude."

 

[Gracy_hm]

They won't sell it is making too much money. Unless they can assure themselves enough capital in one lump sum for the sale and a percentage large enough for licensed materials per quarter. Then business sense would justify. I suppose another way to look at it is would it benefit the prince enough to justify putting so much money on the line? I would like to purpose a suggest numerous meetings for numerous purposes. ALSO if Disney were having a secret meeting they wouldn't be in view of the public. They could meet anywhere. I am leaning toward an addition or expansion in the future at WdW.

Also to have hateful comments towards any group of people based on the action of a few from a completely different region then the discussed prince is well...stupid. Please, don't be stupid.

 

[puntagordabob]

Selling Walt Disney World to a foriegn company makes me ill....do not care which country or whatever... the idea of it is just plain sickening. Notice the ownership deals in France, Japan, and China all have the host country's business ownership % at greater than 50% in every case.... Only it seems in the USA would we seem to sell our Mom's house for a buck.

That being said I do not imagine the Wald Disney Company would ever do this.... would be a collassal slap in the face of the Disney family (Walt, Roy, etc)

 

[docandsix]

Nice to see that racism has reared its ugly head in this thread.

Ah, yes, the old, reliable ad hominem attack. There was a time when people realized and the rules of debate demanded that calling names and using pejorative words did not assure victory in an argument. No longer, it seems.

The Saudis epitmoze the phrase, "With friends like that, who needs enemies?" and since they, their "government" (read, "royalty") persecute and punish people who stray from state-endorsed dogma, the question of tolerance should be pointed in the other direction, I think.

If Walt Disney World represents anything in principle, it embodies something about the dreams of America and the diversity and unity of its people (and that of the world community, especially in Epcot). Saudi Arabian society, in its treatment of women, minorities and those of religious devotion other than the official state sect, hardly fits that vision.

Count me among those that would have serious reservations about further lining the pockets of a Saudi prince by frequenting an American cultural icon owned by a person wed to, if not explicitly responsible for a social perspective antithetical to American ideals and possibly overtly inimical toward freedom generally.

 

[wizards8507]

Ah, yes, the old, reliable ad hominem attack. There was a time when people realized and the rules of debate demanded that calling names and using pejorative words did not assure victory in an argument. No longer, it seems.

The Saudis epitmoze the phrase, "With friends like that, who needs enemies?" and at a time when they, their "government" (read, "royalty") are preventing a major U.S. Airline from allowing Jews from flying on and others from carrying onboard unapproved religious books and other items on its branch carrier, the question of tolerance should be pointed in the other direction, I think.

If Walt Disney World represents anything in principle, it embodies something about the dreams of America and the diversity and unity of its people (and that of the world community, especially in Epcot). Saudi Arabian society, in it's treatment of women, minorities and those of religious devotion other than the official state sect, hardly fits that vision.

Count me among those that would have serious reservations about further lining the pockets of a Saudi prince by frequenting an American cultural icon owned by a person wed to, if not explicitly responsible for a social perspective antithetical to American ideals and possibly overtly inimical toward freedom generally.

The poster didn't have a problem with the Prince's nationality or his politics. It was his race he didn't like. The same problem comes up all the time in debates about terrorism. "Radical Islam" is not the same as "Islam," and neither are the same as "Arab." If that poster had said he had reservations about the sociopolitical nature of Saudi society, then I don't think anyone would have had a problem with it, but that's not what he said. His problem was with the fact that he was an Arab.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

That being said I do not imagine the Wald Disney Company would ever do this.... would be a collassal slap in the face of the Disney family (Walt, Roy, etc)

The Disney Company has absolutely nothing to do with the Disney family anymore, they are just "there" in name only, and if slapping the face of the Disney family can net the Disney Company more money for shareholders, I assure you every cast member would be sporting Mickey gloves to do the task.

If some outside investor offered the Disney Company a trillion dollars for the Disney World resort and all the property around it, Disney would take that without thinking about it, and make a new Pirates movie.

Jimmy Thick-Never underestimate corporate greed...