Is disney parks and resorts for sale?

[Snow White 610]

I know this is all just crazy rumors, but you can bet your last dollar there would be a major uproar from many people here in the states if that were to happen. I know that the current Disney isn't really Walt's anymore either, but selling it to a Middle Eastern family would be a horrific PR nightmare for Disney.

Even if they made it light years better people would have a problem with it. As tolerant as many people here in the U.S. are, this would not be the case considering the nation's history out that way.

No kidding, "Hey Bob, what did you do over July 4th weekend?" ...."Helped sell WDW to that Saudi prince who offered 10 mill. dollars to the 9/11 recovery fund and then said that that it was all our fault." Not the greatest news on this particular holiday...

 

[wdwmagic]

Steve, does this "Spirit of 74" know you personally? He doesn't seem to like you very much.

No we have not met. Yeah he doesn't like me because he didn't gain a big following here and seems to blame for that. He likes a lot of attention and followers - as he gets at LP and other places. His views met quite a lot of opposition here.

 

[Horizonsfan]

If (and that's a big if obviously)...If the parks were sold, then what would become of WDI? Would they be A)liquidated, B) sold, or C)remain as is?

As long as Jobs is around, I have a hard time believing Iger could get the go-ahead to sell the parks department. That would be like Apple selling off their Ipod division, not going to happen, especially if their popularity remains what it is.

Has no one else pondered that they could have been discussing selling off more of DLP to the prince since, as was stated, it is the only foreign park that is still majority Disney-owned?

 

[Lee]

At least the original poster got a lot of attention that he so desperately craves.

Didn't catch that the first time, and feel I should respond.

I can assure you, attention was not the goal of that thread. I feel as though I know the OP pretty well, and have discussed this matter with him at some length. (He actually tends to try to avoid attention. Very private fellow.)

It's easy to dismiss the issue as attention seeking, but in reality, it is a real issue that could/should be of concern to all parks fans. The OP's intention, at least in part, was to draw attention to it and to ease it out into the public eye so that if/when something happened it would not come as a huge blow to folks like us. It, along with several other topics, has been addressed with the best of intentions.

No we have not met. Yeah he doesn't like me because he didn't gain a big following here and seems to blame for that. He likes a lot of attention and followers - as he gets at LP and other places. His views met quite a lot of opposition here.

Actually, I would be willing to bet you guys share a lot more opinions than you disagree upon. You just come at it from two very different angles. I meant it when I said it would be fun to get ya'll in a room together.

 

[trr1]

wouldnt they have to get the stock holders ok for this if they were going to sell?

 

[Did Knee]

Is this the guy we are discussing? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Waleed_bin_Talal

 

[stitch2008]

Is this the guy we are discussing? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Waleed_bin_Talal

Yes. If you notice on that page, it also mention his large investment Four Seasons.

 

[mrsdanalind]

parks for sale?

QUOTE=MerlinTheGoat;4641593]I'm not sure how to feel about this besides a good deal of worry. The unknown is the worst part here. Personally, i find it hard to believe that the Disney corporation would consider putting up an entire US-based theme park for sale regardless. I'll be very surprised if they do that. Weren't the WDW parks extremely popular and great for profits for Disney? Why would they consider selling them? Or did i miss something? I just cannot see this happening, at the very least for what could easily be considered their most popular and profitable park. Especially as it's in the US and not international.

Gonna have to side with Steve here. If this happens, color me the most astonished goat wizard you'll ever see.:lookaroun

I do think this major meeting of important people does mean something though (i'd have to figure this much is clear). I just can't see them selling the parks out to someone else. Maybe new attractions, new business plans, etc? Dunno.[/QUOTE]
:dazzle:I can't see the top brass selling the cash cow. The resorts while down in this economy, are doing twice the business that their movies are doing. The movies start out great and drop like a rock, the parks while a bit slow are still outpacing the rest of the DISNEY enterprises. IF it is a sale, it would be a shock to most of us.
Could be a new pavilion at WORLDS? or possibly a new park in the mid east. but who would want to travel there is beyond me, too dangerous!!!
:shrug:

 

[njDizFan]

Is this the guy we are discussing? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Waleed_bin_Talal

That's him. He's owns a lot of what most people would feel as truely "American".

 

[scottnj1966]

Maybe they are finally building the Persian resort, hahahah

 

[WDWFigment]

P&R as a stand-alone business held by an entity other than TWDC is not nearly as valuable as it is to TWDC. If there were a valuation of P&R, a lot of that value would be attributable to the parks as they add to Disney's "business goodwill" and as marketing vehicles for Disney intellectual property.

Obviously if you sell off that arm of the company, the business goodwill (to the rest of the company) and IP inside of P&R does not go with it. Unless Disney pays royalties to the new owner (highly unlikely and Disney might actually have the expectation that the converse occurs) for the marketing value those entities provide, I can't see any deal to sell working out.

The economics of this type of transaction just don't add up. I think it's far more likely that Staggs and Iger are in town for multiple reasons, including a meet and greet with this Prince, who potentially has investment interest in substantial third party investments on property.

The three of them certainly would not come to town to discuss a World Showcase country or new Disney themed hotel.

 

[stitch2008]

Again as I've said, I really feel the reason Al-Waleed is here is related to the Four Seasons resort. His investment group owns 45 percent of the company. There really is no evidence, in this "secret meeting", to say that Disney Parks will be sold in the near future.

 

[JDD]

Please, just add a Four Seasons Resort to WDW. Don't sell the place!!!

 

[devoy1701]

Why not? If I'm a board member, I'd like to see exactly what the company is spending money on now and what they will spending money on in the future. And meeting in secret? I'm sure the board members have "secret meetings" to discuss things regarding the company all the time.

Because most of these board members are presidents and CEOs of other companies and gabe plenty of other things to be doing. Getting them ALL together at once is a big deal. What that big deal is is anyones guess!

P&R as a stand-alone business held by an entity other than TWDC is not nearly as valuable as it is to TWDC. If there were a valuation of P&R, a lot of that value would be attributable to the parks as they add to Disney's "business goodwill" and as marketing vehicles for Disney intellectual property.

Obviously if you sell off that arm of the company, the business goodwill (to the rest of the company) and IP inside of P&R does not go with it. Unless Disney pays royalties to the new owner (highly unlikely and Disney might actually have the expectation that the converse occurs) for the marketing value those entities provide, I can't see any deal to sell working out.

The economics of this type of transaction just don't add up. I think it's far more likely that Staggs and Iger are in town for multiple reasons, including a meet and greet with this Prince, who potentially has investment interest in substantial third party investments on property.

The three of them certainly would not come to town to discuss a World Showcase country or new Disney themed hotel.

They don't have to sell the whole thing Tom. And owning part of P&R and only having to pay a portion if any of the operating cost could be more valuable than TWDC having sole ownership.

It is also being speculated that the hold up of the Four Seasons could be because something bigger is at play. why build a resort onproperty that is set to compete with some existing resorts if perhaps you could get ownership in those already existing resorts? Againjust speculation.

 

[djkidkaz]

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

Hahaha! Awesome joke!

 

[Mammymouse]

Maybe Mr. Iger and the Prince are collaborating on producing a secret new source for energy. Disney will provide the Imagineers to come up with the idea - they make magic happen you know - and the Prince will provide the financing, because oil is going to run out some day in the Mid-East and the Saudis want to plan ahead for their wealth. Ca-ching, ca-ching!

 

[djkidkaz]

Again as I've said, I really feel the reason Al-Waleed is here is related to the Four Seasons resort. His investment group owns 45 percent of the company. There really is no evidence, in this "secret meeting", to say that Disney Parks will be sold in the near future.

And wasn't it just announced a couple days ago that the four seasons resort was being delayed until 2014? Seems like a reason the prince would be in town, to mesh out the details of that.

And Spirit/WDW1974 is the biggest doom & gloomer of them all. He loves to try and find the negativity in everything! I'll stick with Steve over him any day!

 

[Zummi Gummi]

And wasn't it just announced a couple days ago that the four seasons resort was being delayed until 2014? Seems like a reason the prince would be in town, to mesh out the details of that.

Just playing devil's advocate, but couldn't those details be "meshed out" over a conference call? Also, given the Prince's huge portfolio of holdings and interests, is a delay in hote construction really something he'd be handling personally? That seems relatively insignificant, and the sort of thing that an underling would handle.

I'm not buying this whole "P&R are for sale" business, either, but something important enough is being discussed that these three men had to meet in person, ostensibly in "secret."

 

[stitch2008]

Just playing devil's advocate, but couldn't those details be "meshed out" over a conference call? Also, given the Prince's huge portfolio of holdings and interests, is a delay in hote construction really something he'd be handling personally? That seems relatively insignificant, and the sort of thing that an underling would handle.

I'm not buying this whole "P&R are for sale" business, either, but something important enough is being discussed that these three men had to meet in person, ostensibly in "secret."

According to the OS article here...http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...-hotel-disney-spokeswoman-marilyn-waters..... Jason Garcia says the following....

But plans for the hotel stalled during the global recession. Designers have also had to rework the project to ensure its scale and architecture match the aesthetic of Golden Oak.

Also add in the fact that this deal to make the resort was made in 2007 and was supposed to open last year. With all these delays happening, I'm sure he's worried about whats going on with the project.

 

[wedway71]

I would not worry about this.... Think back to all the times that Disney was in a worse situation and selling the parks made a lot more sense.... Right before Mike Eisner and Frank Wells came and all of those corporate raiders wanted to break up Disney....Did not happen.... About 6 or 7 years ago, when there was A HUGE rumor about Comcast merging or buying Disney...never happened and then a few other times there was rumor about it....

Not to say NEVER but I really don't see the value of this for Disney..... If Disney did sell to someone offshore, especially an Arab...... that would be a MAJOR PR nightmare....especially after 9/11 and the many lives lost since then....