Disney in Texas

An ideal situation would be off of 35 between DFW and Austin.
Strictly in terms of convenience, I think something in the middle of the triangle created by 35, 45, and 10 would be even better. There's room to build and it's reasonably close to three large population areas. Perhaps a location next to the Brazos.

Weather-wise, I hate to admit it, but a park should be further south and closer to the gulf. Texas gets hit by more ice storms in winter than hurricanes in summer. South of the Red River counties, snow is a minimal concern, but sleet and freezing rain is quite common in winter. Between the hazards of walking and driving on sheets of ice, and the way people foolishly treat sleet and freezing rain as nothing to worry about, a location nearer to Houston makes more sense. They aren't immune to such winter weather by any means, but the likelihood of problematic icing is much lower.

Money-wise, Disney needs to revamp certain areas of WDW before they consider building something in Texas. And for this reason alone, I don't see a park in Texas anytime soon (sigh).
 
Well... once you hit south of the DFW you usually have progressively milder winters. I think on avg along the 35 corridor over to the 45 corridor there are about 30 days a year where the temperatures hit freezing level and that is usually in the middle of the night on those days. Outside of those avg 30 days the weather in that region is very similar the weather in central Florida. But my point about that particular area of mentioned is that a location off of 59 North east of Houston makes no sense. If something--Disney or not --wants to come to the Houston area, it should be in the area of Houston that is in the triangle you mentioned. I still think the 35 corridor between DFW and SA is the best area for anyone to build a theme park resort in Texas.

I wanted to clarify what I said earlier when I mentioned Western River Expedition instead of POTC and Phantom or Mystic Manor instead of traditional HM. Those were just examples, of many things they could do to create a unique version of the Disneyland/Magic Kingdom park. I was pointing out that Disney could "re-imagine" the Disneyland park/Magic Kingdom park concept just like they have individual rides--making it both very unique and yet still essentially a Disneyland/Magic Kingdom theme park. That way it isnt just like the the counter part parks on the coasts. They can throw in a couple of things from Disney Sea and Disney Hollywood studios like a Tower of Terror ,as other examples, and incorporate that into this into one of the "lands" of this unique Disneyland/Magic Kingdom. It would be somewhat unique enough for people from other areas to come see--but would primarily be for the region where it is located--like what Disneyland is for Californians--and wouldnt directly compete with their other resorts. For lack of a better way of putting it, sort of an alternative version of the Disneyland/Magic Kingdom concept from the traditional/classic type in Cal and Florida. Here I was hypothetically talking about Texas being that region but I think if they built a third resort anywhere, this is what they would or should try to do where ever it was--Texas just makes the most sense actually (weather wise and demographically) for a third one if they ever did it.

Folks around the country will still book a trip to Florida if they want the full Disney experience of the traditional Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom--including folks in the region of the hypothetical third small scale resort.
 
I agree a theme park on the current 59 corridor seems out of the way; however, that is scheduled for development into I69. And it is about 30 min. from Bush Intercontinental Airport. I 45 is only about 30 min. away and from that location Austin, San Antonio, and DFW are all less than four hours. Texas has the second highest population of all the states. But I agree Disney's development of a Theme park in Texas seems like a pipe dream at this time.
 
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.

While the CenTex I-35 corridor growth rate is higher than Houston's, Houston's size makes Houston's volume of growth 50% higher than Austin and San Antonio's metro areas' volume combined. Also, by that rational the I-45 corridor(which includes Houston and DFW) is were most of the growth is. Dallas and Houston metroplexes combined added 275,000 people last year.

But the real issues would be the Central Texas area has way more winter weather than the Houston area and water availability in Central Texas would be a much larger concern.
 


RIGHT NOW THERE ARE PLANS FOR A SMALL Playland type park near the Tanger Outlet on I-45 near Texas City. Only 35 acres but nice for an afternoon trip with the kids. Hoping the owners will make it affordable for families. The Grand Texas Theme Park near New Caney is supposed to break ground in October, but not sure it will really live up to expectations. Their mascot seems trite, and just a little concerned about the theme. Seems like a six flags rip off from the original six flags theme. Think they are trying for too many venues, water park, amusement park, paintball, Rv at once. And only God knows what will come of Earthquest, which had the feel of Disney but unfortunately not the financing; although, site work has been going on at the property along 59. I just know that the Kemah boardwalk, Galveston Pleasure Pier owned by Landrys are pretty expensive considering the number of attractions. Plus at the Pleasure Pier everyone is charged admission to even walk on the pier.
 
I had not really thought of it until this thread. But Texas with its population of about 27 million (about the size California was just 20 years ago) and growing--I have seen projections of 37 million in 10 years--really doesnt have many theme park offerings to go with that size. It is also not like the population is all spread out over the large geographic space of the state, it is all pretty much concentrated (about 75% of it) in the triangle made up of DFW down 35 to SA, 10 from SA to Houston and 45 from Houston to DFW--a fairly small area and the growth projections are that this is the area that will keep growing.
 
But my point about that particular area of mentioned is that a location off of 59 North east of Houston makes no sense. If something--Disney or not --wants to come to the Houston area, it should be in the area of Houston that is in the triangle you mentioned. I still think the 35 corridor between DFW and SA is the best area for anyone to build a theme park resort in Texas.

Folks around the country will still book a trip to Florida if they want the full Disney experience of the traditional Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom--including folks in the region of the hypothetical third small scale resort.

Personally, I would prefer something along between DFW and SA, but that's mere personal preference. I wanted to take another look exactly where that property near Houston was alleged to be a new Disney park in order to see how much (or little) sense it made, but that webpage is gone.

But yeah, I'd still occasionally book a trip to WDW if I wanted and could afford the "full Disney experience" from time to time. In the meantime, four days on the road (2 going, 2 returning) vs. the rising cost of air travel is an unpleasant choice to make for a trip to Disney unless you're going solo.
 


I'm sure some of you are from the central states and west. How often do you travel to WDW? I have been to WDW so many times I cannot count and only to Disneyland once. I could see logistically that this might benefit them in terms of weather as someone said. I could not see the article and I did not read every reply on here but I am sure many of you have seen the documentary on how they acquired the land for World. They bought it under several different private names because they didn't want anyone to know. As soon as word got out that it was Disney who wanted it, the property cost sky rocketed. I am sure if Disney is intending on a property of that size that they will make sure they cover their tracks. They are very good at it. (Good and bad.)
 
DCL is pulling out of Galveston at the end of the year

which could suggest that the area wouldn't support a park

As for the Virginia suggestion, the idea was to put up a history park near manassas but the outcry over the 'historical' land being desecrated by a crass amusement park put the stops to that idea...now the parcel houses a shopping center, among other development.:rolleyes1

file this under I want to be an imaginer;):

All the tour groups clogging up WDW would indicate that South/Central America (even southern Mexico south of Mexican Riveria/Costa Maya) could support a park if the infrastructure could be developed. Heck, they could buy an island and put a mini park on it and cruise to it, dropping off guests for several days/taking them back to mainland as a split stay sort of trip.
 
which could suggest that the area wouldn't support a park

No, that means that Disney can not fill Ships during the school year from the Houston/Galveston area without the draw of a major, adjacent theme park.

We live 71 miles from the Island and we could not make a cruise work that did not conflict with the school schedule, and there is no DCL ship here during the summer to even test the waters of what occupancy would be like when school is out. The Magic would have been sold out during the summer months. Every holiday cruise was sold out while the Magic was here.
 
k5jmh...We are near you, we are in North Houston, basically Spring ;)

But I didn't read all the posts but Disney in Texas? All I can say is :rotfl2:

Thats just my thoughts. Oh, I think it would be cool, but I just don't know how it would affect the other parks. Of course, that would depend on what they exactly built in Texas also. If it was something totally different than a Magic Kingdom style park, then it might be a different story.

For now, I will head to WDW and DL!
 
I think theme parks and cruises are apples and oranges. I dont know that I would ever take a Disney cruise. I have heard they are really nice, however I dont really see the point of spending more for a cruise just because it has Disney murals on the walls and character appearances on the ship. That isnt something that really appeals to us or our kids at their ages. However, we just spent a week at WDW however, a month ago. My point here is that the theme park attraction is much greater than cruises or any other Disney run vacation that doesnt include a theme park development.

Disney is probably two decades away from giving serious consideration to a third theme/park resort location in the US. If they decide to do it, like I said earlier, it is not likely going to involve a lot of land. They will never duplicate what they did in Florida. It would be more like the Disneyland Resort in California I would think--a smaller resort that is more for the mega population of its host region.
 
It would be more like the Disneyland Resort in California I would think--a smaller resort that is more for the mega population of its host region.

This type of park is what most of us are saying the area could support with 20-25 million people presently w/i ~6 hours' drive and the projected growth by 2030 moves that number to ~35 million.

No one is saying that a second WDW is viable.
 
No, that means that Disney can not fill Ships during the school year from the Houston/Galveston area without the draw of a major, adjacent theme park.

We live 71 miles from the Island and we could not make a cruise work that did not conflict with the school schedule, and there is no DCL ship here during the summer to even test the waters of what occupancy would be like when school is out. The Magic would have been sold out during the summer months. Every holiday cruise was sold out while the Magic was here.

I'd also point out there is no unique destination/experience, Castaway Cay, as a draw for the more common 3-5 night cruises to get folks to spend a significant premium over the cost of other cruise lines going to the same places.
 
k5jmh...We are near you, we are in North Houston, basically Spring ;)

There are lots of us in the area. :thumbsup2



I'd also point out there is no unique destination, Castaway Cay, as a draw for the more common 3-5 night cruises to get folks to spend a significant premium over the cost of other cruise lines going to the same places.

So true! They did cruise to CC and Port Canaveral w/ an excursion to WDW, for several sailings from Galveston.
 
No, that means that Disney can not fill Ships during the school year from the Houston/Galveston area without the draw of a major, adjacent theme park.

We live 71 miles from the Island and we could not make a cruise work that did not conflict with the school schedule, and there is no DCL ship here during the summer to even test the waters of what occupancy would be like when school is out. The Magic would have been sold out during the summer months. Every holiday cruise was sold out while the Magic was here.

I agree it didn't seem as though they gave it a full shot:confused3bookings must've been far below their objective to make the abrupt change imo. If I lived in the area i'd be terribly disappointed.

Perhaps a regional thing but it's common practice in my area to permit students to vacation for a week during the school year with prior approval. We also have many in-service days combined with holidays (Columbus day is one that comes to mind) that equal only missing two days in many weeks of the school year. Naturally, school policies differ and each parent knows their child best as to making that decision.

Unscientific;)but I've found from speaking to the people on several DIS cruise meets, that the majority don't combine a week-long cruise out of PC with a WDW stay. Not me, I hit the park at least the day before and departure day before we fly home.
 
at this point its so much land disney or universal studios could buy land in texas
Call it either Disney lonstar park are Universal studios southern adventure
:cool1:

p.s did anyone here about the tragedy in Arlington six-flags over texas
its odd this year Big tex burns and the following night those people got stuck on the swing ride for four hours now this yeesh.
 
I agree it didn't seem as though they gave it a full shot:confused3bookings must've been far below their objective to make the abrupt change imo. If I lived in the area i'd be terribly disappointed.

Perhaps a regional thing but it's common practice in my area to permit students to vacation for a week during the school year with prior approval. We also have many in-service days combined with holidays (Columbus day is one that comes to mind) that equal only missing two days in many weeks of the school year. Naturally, school policies differ and each parent knows their child best as to making that decision.

Unscientific;)but I've found from speaking to the people on several DIS cruise meets, that the majority don't combine a week-long cruise out of PC with a WDW stay. Not me, I hit the park at least the day before and departure day before we fly home.

It believe it is a combination of things:

A. Other than the 7 or 8 night cruise that included Castaway Cay there was nothing different from other established cruise lines and Disney's premium over those cruise lines is equal to how cheap flights, from Texas, to GoM destinations with all inclusive properties are. Take the savings out of cruising over flying and there is not a lot of reason to cruise.

B. There isn't any weeks/months of bad/cold weather locally to escape except the summer heat. Nor are the winter daylight hours really short to induce cabin fever. 10-11 hours from sunrise to sunset on the shortest day of the year. That puts dawn to dusk at 11 hours or more for the shortest day of the year.

C. Likely the biggest issue is the state of Texas reimburses school districts based on daily attendance numbers. Your kid isn't at school that day your school district doesn't get any dollars on their behalf for that day. This leads to very tough attendance policies and heavy fines- $200 a day per kid in our district for more than 2 unexcused days absence in a row. In many Texas school districts, eight unexcused absences in a school year and you're in front of the school board appealing your kid not repeating the grade. This daily attendance reimbursement policy is likely why Texas school districts don't piggy back teacher in service days with three day weekends as they're scared of significant percentages taking a couple more days in conjuncture to take in a school year vacation and losing that attendance revenue.
 
Q-man very interesting. My youngest is in college but in PA it used to be a minimum # of days per student, expect for excused absenses (which an 'educational' trip would be considered). My kids participated in academic games which took them out of school during the day for a several days a month during the school year and then again for a week in the spring for the national competition (sometimes at Orlando;)where they usually had a day @ Universal or Disney) without any issue at all.

We had looked at booking out of Galveston but it was almost of the you can't get there from here sort of issue as to the air options from my area.
 
Q-Man's points are all good. Except there are cheap flights to Caribbean resort towns like Cancun from Texas--not just Gulf of Mexico resorts. Personally we would prefer to just go to Cancun for a week at an all inclusive resort that offers excursions than we would tour the Caribbean in a ship. There again--I dont have any desire to spend more for a resort in the Caribbean just because it has Disney characters and Disney murals on the hotel walls. (Just to make the point about apples and oranges again-- that if Disney built a resort hotel in Cancun, that wouldnt necessarily appeal to me either--and that Disney's theme park business is what makes Disney vacations "Disney vacations"). All the American and Mexican resort chains down there are really nice.
 

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