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

[nickys]

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.

Not sure about HHI but Aulani will never sell out. They’ve tried fire sales, promotions. It was aimed at the Japanese market and then the massive tsunami struck.

There were plans for NYC. Not sure where else. @Sirwalterraleigh ?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I think a Castle park in Texas makes a ton of sense, its population is growing like mad, it could operate year round, and it would spread out the crowds a bit from the CA and FL parks.

I don’t think anywhere else makes sense though, the south and southwest are already covered with DL and WDW, the northeast would have to close for the winter and the Midwest doesn’t have the population to justify it.

The population of TX is predicted to pass CA in the next 20-30 years so Disney would be smart to buy a chunk of land between Dallas, Houston, and Austin and future proof itself a bit.

 

[nickys]

I think a Castle park in Texas makes a ton of sense, its population is growing like mad, it could operate year round, and it would spread out the crowds a bit from the CA and FL parks.

I don’t think anywhere else makes sense though, the south and southwest are already covered with DL and WDW, the northeast would have to close for the winter and the Midwest doesn’t have the population to justify it.

The population of TX is predicted to pass CA in the next 20-30 years so Disney would be smart to buy a chunk of land between Dallas, Houston, and Austin and future proof itself a bit.

In Texas, year round?????

Have Disney filed a patent for outdoor air conditioning?

Paging @Bob for comment!

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

In Texas, year round?????

Have Disney filed a patent for outdoor air conditioning?

Paging @Bob for comment!

Can’t be worse than Orlando.

40 million residents as your potential AP base is going to be hard to ignore. Add a water park, problem solved.

 

[Bob]

In Texas, year round?????

Have Disney filed a patent for outdoor air conditioning?

Paging @Bob for comment!

Six Flags and Seaworld have parks in Dallas and San Antonio (Houston used to have Astroworld), so its already been done. That being said, you wouldn't catch me dead in any outdoor park during the summers here.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Six Flags and Seaworld have parks in Dallas and San Antonio (Houston used to have Astroworld), so its already been done. That being said, you wouldn't catch me dead in any outdoor park during the summers here.

This was my thought, it may be a struggle in July/August but the other 10 months would make up for it. I live in Vegas and those 2 excruciatingly hot months are offset by the 2 hot months, and 8 months of nice weather.

 

[Bob]

This was my thought, it may be a struggle in July/August but the other 10 months would make up for it. I live in Vegas and those 2 excruciatingly hot months are offset by the 2 hot months, and 8 months of nice weather.

No, the heat is horrible from May through Sept and it's only getting worse. This year has been an exception but for the most part, you want nothing to do with being outdoors for any extended periods of time during those months.

 

[Tjaden]

I think a Castle park in Texas makes a ton of sense, its population is growing like mad, it could operate year round, and it would spread out the crowds a bit from the CA and FL parks.

I don’t think anywhere else makes sense though, the south and southwest are already covered with DL and WDW, the northeast would have to close for the winter and the Midwest doesn’t have the population to justify it.

The population of TX is predicted to pass CA in the next 20-30 years so Disney would be smart to buy a chunk of land between Dallas, Houston, and Austin and future proof itself a bit.

Though we're almost halfway between WDW and DL It'd be taking from WDW far far more than DL. Some people visit DL, but "We went to Disney " means WDW in Texas. I'd wager it's 90%+ WDW, 10% DL, maybe even more for Texans.

Also our winter, while not being a "real" winter is much much more annoying than either Florida or California.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Though we're almost halfway between WDW and DL It'd be taking from WDW far far more than DL. Some people visit DL, but "We went to Disney " means WDW in Texas. I'd wager it's 90%+ WDW, 10% DL, maybe even more for Texans.

Also our winter, while not being a "real" winter is much much more annoying than either Florida or California.

If TX doesn’t fit the bill I don’t think a third park makes sense anywhere in the US, nowhere else has the population (and winter climate) to justify it.

We don’t do DL or WDW in the summer anymore, as we find both too hot, but the parks look full on videos so there’s people who will brave the heat, we’ve done DL Paris in the winter though (with light snow) and absolutely loved it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I love a good rhetorical debate as much as the next cat…

But we should nip this “third location” stuff in the bud. It’s more silly than the 5th park stuff and that’s complete nonsense.

Read the room…they’ve already maxed out what they can get with bad financial philosophy that’s just starting to come to a head.
The ROI would be terrible…they got enough problems from emperor Bob as is.

Whats next? Star Wars land expansion?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I love a good rhetorical debate as much as the next cat…

But we should nip this “third location” stuff in the bud. It’s more silly than the 5th park stuff and that’s complete nonsense.

Read the room…they’ve already maxed out what they can get with bad financial philosophy that’s just starting to come to a head.
The ROI would be terrible…they got enough problems from emperor Bob as is.

Whats next? Star Wars land expansion?

This is why I think a 3rd castle park is necessary though, DL and MK don’t have enough capacity, rather than ruining the parks with line schemes I’d rather they spread out the crowds with a third castle park. The 5th park idea has never made sense to me because it’ll pull people from EP, HS, and AK rather than pulling people from MK, I think the same is true of a 3rd park at DL, it won’t help the overcrowding at DL, it’ll just pull people from DCL.

In my mind it makes more sense to spend $10 billion on a new park that can accommodate an extra 15 million guests rather than spending $10 billion trying to accommodate an extra 1 or 2 million guests each at DL and WDW.

Pulling a couple million guests a year away from DL and MK would do far more to make them pleasant than adding a couple rides (and paving over more of the park) and you’d get the added bonus of adding 10 million new ticket sales.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Not sure about HHI but Aulani will never sell out. They’ve tried fire sales, promotions. It was aimed at the Japanese market and then the massive tsunami struck.

There were plans for NYC. Not sure where else. @Sirwalterraleigh ?

Yeah but is that a bad thing? I'm assuming it turns a profit as a resort where people make non-DVC reservations.

 

[TalkToEthan]

Texas makes a ton of sense,

When deciding where to setup a full resort Disney(and Universal, too) addresses 4 or 5 major concerns:

1)regional population—assumes only those with enough disposable income to support the project

2) climate

3) inherent tourist draw

4) proximity/distance to other competing destinations

**5) geopolitical stability if considering outside US**


#3 is a substantial impediment ………when dealing with needed large numbers close to nobody goes to Texas to “vacation” or tour; that means Disney and Disney alone would have to create enough interest to draw significant numbers to Texas.

#4 impedes also——competition /cannibalism would definitely factor

 

[nickys]

Six Flags and Seaworld have parks in Dallas and San Antonio (Houston used to have Astroworld), so its already been done. That being said, you wouldn't catch me dead in any outdoor park during the summers here.

Yeah but is that a bad thing? I'm assuming it turns a profit as a resort where people make non-DVC reservations.

I assume the sales should have paid for the resort building costs. Since it’s only around 2/3 sold, that’s still a lot of money that Disney has never recouped in sales after 12 years. Not sure how much of that room bookings have paid for, but some of the money taken will have to be put towards the maintenance fees.

Maintenance fees can only pay for the running costs, which includes capital reserves to pay for refurbs. And they are calculated based on the total number of points at the resort.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is why I think a 3rd castle park is necessary though, DL and MK don’t have enough capacity, rather than ruining the parks with line schemes I’d rather they spread out the crowds with a third castle park. The 5th park idea has never made sense to me because it’ll pull people from EP, HS, and AK rather than pulling people from MK, I think the same is true of a 3rd park at DL, it won’t help the overcrowding at DL, it’ll just pull people from DCL.

In my mind it makes more sense to spend $10 billion on a new park that can accommodate an extra 15 million guests rather than spending $10 billion trying to accommodate an extra 1 or 2 million guests each at DL and WDW.

Pulling a couple million guests a year away from DL and MK would do far more to make them pleasant than adding a couple rides (and paving over more of the park) and you’d get the added bonus of adding 10 million new ticket sales.

They could give 2 bleeps about the park experience

It’s all about getting stock price up by hook or crook until further notice

TWDC has been thoroughly mismanaged. It was always gonna go this way because they didnt learn from the past

 

[Prince-1]

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

Then those people are geographically ignorant.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

#3 is a substantial impediment ………when dealing with needed large numbers close to nobody goes to Texas to “vacation” or tour; that means Disney and Disney alone would have to create enough interest to draw significant numbers to Texas.

#4 impedes also——competition /cannibalism would definitely factor

I think a TX park would be much more similar to DL than WDW, with 30 million residents to draw from it could be primarily a locals park.

WDW has more profit potential from the hotels but is also more susceptible to economic swings.

I think it would poach a few people but I can’t see most people from the west coast traveling further to skip CA, I also can’t see the majority of the east coast traveling further to skip FL, I think the center of the country would love the convenience though and I think a ton of Disney fans would probably add a trip every year or 2 to do all 3, just like we currently do both coasts.

They could give 2 bleeps about the park experience

It’s all about getting stock price up by hook or crook until further notice

TWDC has been thoroughly mismanaged. It was always gonna go this way because they didnt learn from the past

Sadly I agree, the current goal seems to be spend the absolute least possible, while nickel and diming the guests as much as they can get away with, to maximize quarterly profit, sacrificing the future to do it doesn’t seem to concern them.

 

[Miru]

There is a solution to the problems of “seasonal operation” and “tornadoes and other such hazards”, and it can be found right here:




In addition to being indoors, it could become an IP dumpster like how Iger, Chapek, etc. prefer the parks to be, freeing up more space for original attractions/less relevant IP elsewhere. But I think it’s too late now… if Iger did do it it would be his HKDL, the project that destroys his credibility for good… if he doesn’t resign immediately then expect a hostile, possibly right-wing, takeover.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

In Texas, year round?????

Have Disney filed a patent for outdoor air conditioning?

Paging @Bob for comment!

Universal is building a year round kids theme park in Frisco, Texas despite the weather and that means weather wouldn't stop Disney in that state either.

 

[Haymarket]

Texas is the other megastate—California (1st) and Florida (3rd) being the others.

Houston lacks a theme park.

Maybe somewhere in the Houston area, towards Austin but not too far from Houston's airport.

Houston is about 1,000 miles from WDW.

Houston is about 1,500 miles from Disneyland.

It's still pretty cheap and easy to build big in Texas. NIMBYism isn't the norm in the Houston area yet.

Galveston is a major cruise port. It's 51 miles from Houston.

Port Canaveral is 60 miles from WDW.

You could have a WDW-Port Canaveral arrangement for DCL.

I have no idea what kind of park they'd build, however. Probably not another castle park.

Maybe a resort with an "IP portals" park like Epic Universe, a water park, resort hotels, shopping, golf, etc. Maybe another park if it's a hit.