Disney in Texas

[Horace Horsecollar]

Disney did at one time own property North of Houston near the Texas Renaissance Festival site. Property has since been turned into a subdivision. There were even gates up. My daughter worked for Disney at the time.

When was this? Do you have a link to a newspaper article about such a Disney real estate transaction? Surely news of this nature would not have been completely ignored by local, regional, and national media.

A new theme park with ex disney employees is being talked about in the Conroe area.

There's a promoter trying to build something called Grand Texas Theme Park in New Caney, Texas.

Official website: http://www.grandtexas.net/

YouTube video showing an animated flyover: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b67RKHeOPBk

Local ABC affiliate (KTRK-TV/DT, Houston, TX) news report: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=9001734​

There was also an eco-green park / dinosaur park called EarthQuest Adventures planned for New Caney.

Official website: http://www.earthquestadventures.com

TV news report from 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP8iNd-E1-k

Recent news story at yourHoustonNews.com: http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/humb...cle_54532b72-7047-5920-bb47-26619b02e342.html​

I might believe either park will actually open if and when construction is substantially in progress.

 

[Q-man]

FYI folks, that is New Caney and not in Waller. There is no theme park plans in Waller. But in New Caney, there are plans afoot for a new, non-Disney park.

EarthQuest has had a long and winding road. Latest reports are they're still trying to get to deal finished. Many think it is a Disney front/shell as former imagineers are involved in the project. http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/cypr...cle_ea430b68-e102-11e2-af57-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Many think it is a Disney front/shell as former imagineers are involved in the project.

The leadership of Contour Entertainment -- the design firm responsible for the high quality renderings of EarthQuest (and now apparently taking over the development of EarthQuest) -- includes former Disney Imagineers.

It seems that just about every theme park design firm includes former Disney Imagineers. Whenever WDI has layoffs, former Imagineers join other theme park design firms or start new ones.

If Disney were really behind EarthQuest, Disney would have no reason to hide its involvement. And Disney wouldn't have difficulty financing the project.

 

[Q-man]

If Disney were really behind EarthQuest, Disney would have no reason to hide its involvement. And Disney wouldn't have difficulty financing the project.

You do do know Disney used multiple levels of shell companies to acquire the WDW property so no one would know who was behind it?

I do agree that EarthQuest isn't a Disney front because the property is too small. I was just relaying that there are people who think it is a front.

 

[pilferk]

You do do know Disney used multiple levels of shell companies to acquire the WDW property so no one would know who was behind it?

I do agree that EarthQuest isn't a Disney front because the property is too small. I was just relaying that there are people who think it is a front.

Yes.

In the 1960's, when it was a lot harder to trace those shells back to a single corporate source.

And they did it simply to acquire the property at reasonable prices. Because if Disney had shown up, buying up swaths of land, property values would have jumped 500% (or more) over night and Disney would have been unable to get the acreage it wanted.

They weren't trying to keep a secret JUST to keep it secret.

They did not, however, persist using the fronts through development. Nor did they use the fronts to finance the project. Disney just funneled money (and their investors and bankers were well aware of what was going on) to those shell companies to buy property.

I don't think they would approach things quite the same way in this day and age. Given SEC filings and how corporate investors (especially institutional investors) eyeball things, I'm not sure it would work.

 

[Disneyspiderman]

i possibly believe Disney might Possibly have something behind this theme park i mean look at the detail and everything part of it plus Disney been crazy over dinosaurs for years when they 1st Build the Animal Kingdom but the question is when will Earth quest Be Open what year will they build and is it a coincidence that Disney cruise line is in Houston Texas as well.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

i possibly believe Disney might Possibly have something behind this theme park i mean look at the detail and everything part of it plus Disney been crazy over dinosaurs for years when they 1st Build the Animal Kingdom but the question is when will Earth quest Be Open what year will they build and is it a coincidence that Disney cruise line is in Houston Texas as well.

DCL in Galveston was an epic failure and no 2014 cruises will be sailing out of that port.

 

[TJSkinner]

The Grand Texas Theme Park was suppossed to have signed papers for the land in May. To be placed in Montgomery Co. which includes, Conroe, Magnolia and New Caney. The Earthquest location has been taken over by another group who say they will build a park in New Caney still. And there are reports of a third possible plan as well as some guy in Texas City talking about building a small park there.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Here's what all the recent theme park "activity" in Texas proves:

• It's easy to hire artists -- even former Disney Imagineers -- to draw up beautiful plans and renderings.
• It's easy to get local government officials excited about the potential for significant economic benefits from such a park.
• But it's very hard to get investors to part with hundreds of millions of dollars to turn the plans into reality.
• The media are wary of theme park promoters, which is why news articles typically have a tone of caution and skepticism.

You'll notice that neither EarthQuest Adventures nor Grand Texas is backed by a theme park company, entertainment company, or other established business with resources and a track record.

The fact that anyone thinks one or both of these ventures are somehow fronts for The Walt Disney Company shows how eager some Disney fans are to have a Disney destination in Texas. But that doesn't make it so.

Perhaps one of these parks will be built in some form. But, if so, there's no chance that developers will reveal they're all actually working for the Mouse.

 

[TJSkinner]

Sometimes people forget how large Texas is. It takes 12 hours to drive from Beaumont to El Paso, or Brownsville to Amarillo. Only 16 from Houston to Disney world, or 21 hours Houston to Disneyland. Texas is home to several large cities and has a population of over 20 million people. A big theme park in the middle of the country with the quality of a Disney Park would draw from these states as well as Mexico. The weather in the Houston area is comparable to that of Orlando, and is accessible 12 months out of the year. But not necessarily duplicate what is available on either coast. Reimagine what works. An American themed park seems like a great idea. As it has been said before, if you build it, they will come.

 

[mvk]

If Disney were to do a park in Texas, I'd say it would be 99% certain to include Marvel. Texas is, afterall, west of the Mississippi, and well over 600 miles from Orlando.

I don't think Disney is going to build a park in Texas, though. I doubt they build a park that relies mostly on single day visitors, and anything more would sort of cannibalize WDW/Disneyland I think. You may get some unique visitors, but by and large, it would be people going to DisneyTexas instead of one of the existing spots.

 

[Disneyspiderman]

everyone knows Texas love money but don't want thing that can bring it fast like how it was post to be a vegas strip but Texas boards i believe turned it down and we all just half to wait a few years to see what will happen in the Future i no at this point Dallas Texas are building a PGA golf course in 2019

 

[TJSkinner]

Came by the Earthquest property in New Caney this weekend, surprise, they are doing some prep work. Land is being cleared and moved all around the area where the sign is. Know the original planners had several disney imageneers working for them so have high hopes something is going to happen this time.

 

[Q-man]

everyone knows Texas love money but don't want thing that can bring it fast like how it was post to be a vegas strip but Texas boards i believe turned it down and we all just half to wait a few years to see what will happen in the Future i no at this point Dallas Texas are building a PGA golf course in 2019

Alright, you've got to be an anti-Texas troll. I've seen teenagers' twitter posts that make more sense than that.

 

[TJSkinner]

I agree. Texans love money and work hard and fast to get things accomplished. No Las vegas strip type project has ever been proposed although turning the Astrodome into a huge casino has been, as well as bringing casinos to Galveston to help recover after Hurricane Ike. There are several PGA golf courses already in Texas the Byron Nelson in Ft. Worth probably the premiere event here.(Sorry Houston)

 

[Q-man]

There are several PGA golf courses already in Texas the Byron Nelson in Ft. Worth probably the premiere event here.(Sorry Houston)

The Houston Shell Open got stuck with the weekend before the Masters. There is no way to overcome that. Being at its' third or fourth venue doesn't help either.

 

[mrsksomeday]

It's not Disney.


http://houston.culturemap.com/news/...me-park-gets-its-land/?utm_source=sf_facebook


AstroWorld replacement is no longer a pipe dream: New $205 million Houston theme park gets its land

By Whitney Radley
July 8th, 2013


Skeptics might have initially written off plans for Grand Texas Theme Park, with its equine mascot, its zip line dreams and its petting zoo splendor, but the pipe dream seems to be moving forward.

Investors, headed up by developer Monty Galland, officially closed on approximately 600 acres near the Flying J Travel Plaza in New Caney as first reported by Prime Property. (CultureMap was first to write about the proposed park back on Feb. 20). Now construction is expected to begin on the theme park later this year for a projected completion in the spring of 2015.

"This is a huge, huge market," said Chuck Hendrix, a former Six Flags executive who managed AstroWorld. He now serves as CEO of Innovation Leisure Partners, the group slated to manage Grand Texas Theme Park.

"Never before have you had a major theme park depart a market and then be gone for six years with nothing to replace it," Hendrix continued.

Cost estimates for the theme park were first anticipated near the $205 million mark, including four dining establishments, a 200- to 400-room hotel plus two limited-service hotels, a reception hall, a chapel, the Big Rivers Water Park, a paintball arena and an amphitheater for live music.

Judging by the enthusiasm of the park's Facebook fans, those amenities will be well received.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

That website seems awfully sketchy to me..

But, could someone fill me in on DisneyQuest Chicago? I haven't heard of that project before.

Thanks!

DisneyQuest Chicago and at WDW were part of a division of Disney called Disney Regional Entertainment, (DRE). It was started in the 90's and also included the ESPNZone restaurants and 5 Club Disney indoor entertainment facilities, (2 in CA, 2 in AZ, and 1 in CO). The division was started to bring Disney facilities throughout the US, but unfortunately never met Eisner's expectations and all of DRE was shut down. The 5 Club Disney's were completely closed and the Quests and Zones were put into a different division of Disney. The Quest at WDW is pretty boring, but the Zones are great! They have some amazing recliner seats in front of a huge TV that are great for watching sports.

 

[doconeill]

DisneyQuest Chicago and at WDW were part of a division of Disney called Disney Regional Entertainment, (DRE). It was started in the 90's and also included the ESPNZone restaurants and 5 Club Disney indoor entertainment facilities, (2 in CA, 2 in AZ, and 1 in CO). The division was started to bring Disney facilities throughout the US, but unfortunately never met Eisner's expectations and all of DRE was shut down. The 5 Club Disney's were completely closed and the Quests and Zones were put into a different division of Disney. The Quest at WDW is pretty boring, but the Zones are great! They have some amazing recliner seats in front of a huge TV that are great for watching sports.

All ESPN Zones locations were also closed in 2010, except for one in LA and one in Anaheim which were purchase and operated by different outside companies.

The ESPN Club at the Boardwalk was a different operation and never part of DRE, although it is often confused with the ESPN Zones.

 

[Partytime]

I do not think Disney is doing anything in the US beyond their current resorts at this time. The location mentioned here does not even make sense within the state of Texas (although I'm sure the Orlando area would have made no sense in mid 60s). The I-35 corridor is where most of the growth is occurring. An ideal situation would be off of 35 between DFW and Austin. That area has about 20 million or more (and growing) within a 3 hour drive.

At this time, I think only something on a smaller scale would not potentially hurt the other resorts. Such as what Disneyland originally was up until about 12 years ago--a Magic Kingdom/Disneyland park plus a resort hotel or two and perhaps a Downtown Disney and water park to go with it. To make it even less likely to cannabalize, a third Disneyland park can rather than be a full clone, can have for example the Western River Expedition rather than a POTC and a Phantom Manor clone or Mystic Manor Clone rather than a traditional HM. Again all that said I don't think they have plans beyond their current resorts at this time. But just a fun idea of what they can do if they decided to do a small third US resort that may not cannabalize.