Thoughts on whether Disney will add a 3rd theme park in the US (perhaps Midwest/east coast?)

[Quietmouse]

I know once upon a time a 3rd theme park was in the works in PA, but that fell thru.

Do you think it would make economic sense, down the road, for a 3rd theme park in the US? Or would that be over saturating the theme park business for Disney and take away customers from visiting California and Orlando?

My general thoughts are a Midwest or even east coast theme park could do very well. And can help Disney make a triangle with coverage the west coast (Disney land), south (Disney world) and Midwest (Kansas City? ) and make a Disney theme park more accessible for millions of Americans.

Florida has cheap flights, at least from Ohio, but those who prefer not to fly have to drive 16-18 hours.

I was thinking a theme park in Kansas City, or if east coast was more preferable, maybe Virginia?

What would be cool if it was a boutique version of Disney land/world. Maybe not as many e tickets, maybe theming isn’t a 10/10, but it gives a slice of the general disney experience without the hefty price tag attached (50/60 dollar tickets perhaps?)

The main competitors in the Midwest market would be Six flags, and ceder fair/point , but again these are all pretty much amusement parks with hardly any dark rides, and very low quality (if any at times ) theming.

So even if it was a downgraded - more budget friendly version of Disney land , I think it would still be a massive success and a lower price tag would mean even low income families could make visiting a Disney theme park more accessible.

Minorities and low income house holds have a very unrealistic chance of ever visiting Disney, especially in these hard times of inflation, so a boutique Disney theme park experience could allow Disney to be accessible to all and not just those who have professional careers and are clearing above 100k as a family.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I know once upon a time a 3rd theme park was in the works in PA, but that fell thru.

Do you think it would make economic sense, down the road, for a 3rd theme park in the US? Or would that be over saturating the theme park business for Disney and take away customers from visiting California and Orlando?

My general thoughts are a Midwest or even east coast theme park could do very well. And can help Disney make a triangle with coverage the west coast (Disney land), south (Disney world) and Midwest (Kansas City? ) and make a Disney theme park more accessible for millions of Americans.

Florida has cheap flights, at least from Ohio, but those who prefer not to fly have to drive 16-18 hours.

I was thinking a theme park in Kansas City, or if east coast was more preferable, maybe Virginia?

What would be cool if it was a boutique version of Disney land/world. Maybe not as many e tickets, maybe theming isn’t a 10/10, but it gives a slice of the general disney experience without the hefty price tag attached (50/60 dollar tickets perhaps?)

The main competitors in the Midwest market would be Six flags, and ceder fair/point , but again these are all pretty much amusement parks with hardly any dark rides, and very low quality (if any at times ) theming.

So even if it was a downgraded - more budget friendly version of Disney land , I think it would still be a massive success and a lower price tag would mean even low income families could make visiting a Disney theme park more accessible.

Minorities and low income house holds have a very unrealistic chance of ever visiting Disney, especially in these hard times of inflation, so a boutique Disney theme park experience could allow Disney to be accessible to all and not just those who have professional careers and are clearing above 100k as a family.

I would suggest reading “Project Future”, it’s a really amazing book that details a lot of the prehistory of Walt Disney world, and the background on picking the location for the new park, and the legal methods employed to get it built. It goes over a lot of why the areas you suggest were analyzed, and rejected as being viable for a new Disney park. Although true this took place around 55 years ago, most of reasoning still holds true.

 

[Dead2009]

They tried a Disney park in Virginia in the 90s and it was shot down. Plus a Disney park in the northeast would probably be the first one to have a "season" because of the winter months. Thats just gonna cause everyone wanting to go to Disney from November to March/April to flock to the Florida park anyway.

 

[drizgirl]

A Disney park in the northeast would decimate WDW. Maybe in Texas eventually. But not in my lifetime.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It was Virginia…

And the answer is “no”

 

[Dead2009]

A Disney park in the northeast would decimate WDW. Maybe in Texas eventually. But not in my lifetime.

Not only that but that same park would be decimated. Nobody's going to want to ride a rollercoaster when it's 20 or 30 degrees outside, and we all know Disney doesnt close for hurricanes that arent direct hits, what would they do for blizzards and nor'easters.

 

[Trueblood]

Probably not a theme park, but I could see them trying something else indoors like the old Celebrity Sport Center in Denver again. I went there a handful of times as a kid for the arcades and the pool.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would suggest reading “Project Future”, it’s a really amazing book that details a lot of the prehistory of Walt Disney world, and the background on picking the location for the new park, and the legal methods employed to get it built. It goes over a lot of why the areas you suggest were analyzed, and rejected as being viable for a new Disney park. Although true this took place around 55 years ago, most of reasoning still holds true.

Project future and married to the mouse are the best two Disney parks books

 

[DLR92]

It highly unlikely for another amusement/resort complex being build in the US.
Personally I think California could use another Disneyland. But IMO.

 

[Ayla]

Not a chance.

 

[lewisc]

Probably not a theme park, but I could see them trying something else indoors like the old Celebrity Sport Center in Denver again. I went there a handful of times as a kid for the arcades and the pool.

Disney Quest was an attempt to have indoor entertainment in multiple cities. ESPN Zone didn't last either

 

[DisneyHead123]

I could see them trying to compete with places like Great Wolf Lodge via expanded DVC offerings throughout the country. Orlando can only support so many DVC units after all.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

People do realize that Disneys parks business is in fact in decline…correct?

 

[Trueblood]

Disney Quest was an attempt to have indoor entertainment in multiple cities. ESPN Zone didn't last either

I see where you're going, but Celebrity was a different vibe. Disney Quest to gimmicky in comparison to what I remember of Celebrity from being a teenager. (that was a long time ago, I'm old, apparently)

 

[nickys]

I could see them trying to compete with places like Great Wolf Lodge via expanded DVC offerings throughout the country. Orlando can only support so many DVC units after all.

They’ve tried that. There isn't the demand -because the DVC brand can’t match places like Great Wolf Lodges. But also very few people want to buy DVC without a theme park near by.

 

[JIMINYCR]

For so many reasons.... NO. Dis would not build to risk pulling guests away from their existing parks on both coasts.

 

[TalkToEthan]

My general thoughts are a Midwest or even east coast theme park could do very well

**another** east coast theme park could do very well.
((Many people still don’t associate Florida as ‘east coast’ ))

 

[DisneyHead123]

They’ve tried that. There isn't the demand -because the DVC brand can’t match places like Great Wolf Lodges. But also very few people want to buy DVC without a theme park near by.

Interesting, I didn’t realize they’d tried it. I see what you mean about buying DVC but I think hotels like Aulani and the one in Hilton Head are sort of hybrid DVC / traditional pay per night resorts, as my impression is that they take a lot of non-DVC reservations.

 

[TalkToEthan]

What would be cool if it was a boutique version of Disney land/world. Maybe not as many e tickets, maybe theming isn’t a 10/10,

So you prefer a Disney park that isn’t, well, a Disney park.
I hate your idea

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

**another** east coast theme park could do very well.
((Many people still don’t associate Florida as ‘east coast’ ))

As a New England east coaster, I would 100% with the idea of not thinking of Florida as east coast.


As to the question of the park you don’t really have anywhere on the East Coast that is far enough south to be able to run the park year round, and far enough away from Orlando that it makes sense to build out new infrastructure for a new park. Besides Disney’s business model isn’t based on going to A park. They aren’t and don’t want to be a regional/seasonal day trip park. They want people coming for a week or more, going to multiple parks, on multiple days.