New Disney park in Branson?

[Horace Horsecollar]

I still think there are a ton of holes in this report, but does anyone think it's interesting that Disney refused to comment on the story? If there is no Disney connection, wouldn't they want to get their name disassociated quickly?

Many companies refuse to comment one way or the other about any business rumors.

If a company denies some rumors and then doesn't deny other rumors, that company is effectively confirming any rumors that the company doesn't deny. By refusing to comment until there is an official announcement, a company avoids lending credibility to rumors.

Also, a company spokesperson is not aware of every initiative that's being pursued by every group within the company. It looks bad if a company spokesperson denies something, and it subsequently turns out to be true after all.

 

[Claymax]

Seems like KC is quite the vacation destination of the future.

Schlitterbahn, the local Texas water park consistantly rated #1 in the US is building an entire resort there.

http://www.schlitterbahn.com/corp/media/vacation-village-factsheet.asp

I can tell you folks living up there are in for a treat.

 

[happygirl]

I've been thinking this thru and it's downright fishy...

It might be fishy, but even wdwinfo.com -- home to the DIS -- sounds intrigued. An excerpt:

"A possible Disney connection was raised when commissioners checked the company owners. On a form called "Registration of Fictitious Name" filed with the Missouri Secretary of State's office in March for ARM Risk, three owners are listed. Corporations routinely file such forms.

The owners are Michael Hill of Wilmington, Del.; Robert Brown, who lists his address as 500 South Buena Vista St., Burbank, Calif.; and Jason Johnson, who lists his address as Corporate Office, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

On the Internet, commissioners found that the Burbank address is corporate headquarters of the Walt Disney Co. Lake Buena Vista, Fla., is headquarters of Walt Disney World Resort.

Officials at Disney headquarters in Burbank said the company would not comment on the matter."

It's in the "Disney News" section of the wdwinfo home page. Here's the link:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/article_001348.htm

Very interesting!! thannks for that link

 

[allisonswonderland]

Ok about the DVC Disnet trades with Interval and they have Interval already there....I would orignially think that they would not want to go in someplace where they trade, BUT maybe the point is so they do not have to trade???

 

[DancingBear]

One of the articles mentions 6000 seasonal workers, and I can't see how Disney could run a seasonal park like others do with their overhead. Disney can't afford to build their style of attraction with just a 5-6 month revenue stream, and labor quality will always be a problem when dealing with part year employees.

I'm dubious about the rumor, and certainly weather is an issue, but WDW has lots and lots of part year employees--that's how they deal with the difference between low and high seasons.

 

[CanadianGuy]

One of the articles mentions the presiding Newton County commissioner as saying he understood that 40% of the land was secured.

Why on earth would Disney tip their hand on a 1 or 2 billion dollar development before ALL the land was secure? The price of land would skyrocket. It makes ZERO sense to open your mouth till the land is secure if you are serious about the development.

I remain extremely skeptical about this story. I'd be delighted to hear of a new Disney development.. but I don't think this is gonna be it.

WDWINFO, the parent to the DISBOARDS, is right to report on the rumor. And they did so correctly; clearly saying it is a rumor. Note the quote from the end of the WDWINFO story..

Developer Glenn Patch heard lots of Disney rumors after he purchased 7,000 acres of land just south of Hollister in the early '90s. His land is now the site of two golf courses, upscale homes and a commercial airport in development.

"When I was first coming here, I thought about painting a pair of black ears on my plane just for the fun of it," Patch said.

Surely if he thought there might be some perceived value (even if that value was just 'fun') in pretending to be the mouse at one point.. others have had the same thought.

Knox

 

[happygirl]

Well even if it's not Disney coming to Newton County, I'm excited for whatever it is!!! sounds like it's going to be HUGE!!!!

 

[Magalex]

I remember a similar rumor located in PA in the mid-1990's about Disney purchasing land. It was in the news and papers but then nothing again

 

[Robo]

I live in Kansas City and the local news is reporting that Disney bought 1000 acres near Branson and that Branson has requested money for road construction into and out of a park that will include rides, restaurants and hotels. Disney is not commenting. Hmmm....Apparently a Springfield, Missouri contractor is involved.

I looked on the news website of the news station I keep hearing it on (KCTV5.com) so I could link a story here, but I can't find a story. But I have heard it twice now on the news, last night and this morning.

I think I figured it out...

 

[DisOrBust]

Couldthis be one of the "small boutique" type parks that have been previously mentioned?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Couldthis be one of the "small boutique" type parks that have been previously mentioned?

Yes, it's possible. But then the number of hotel rooms looks questionable.

What makes this rumor interesting is the paperwork filed with the Missouri Secretary of State's office. The question is whether the Burbank and Lake Buena Vista addresses are a legitimate tie to Disney or if they're an attempt to mislead.

The whole thing still seems fishy to me, but I'll acknowledge that there's a possibility that this is the first step toward an actual smaller-scale Disney development.

 

[THEDISFANS]

After getting land locked like they did with DL. I doubt they would build a park with such little land. and after Disney starts to build somewhere the price of land sky rockets. Disney would do a better job of keeping it under wraps.

 

[DisOrBust]

Disney would do a better job of keeping it under wraps.


I use to think that as well untill you can find pictures of the DVC at the CR all over the net. All it takes is one idiot and we know they have plenty.

 

[tjkraz]

Many companies refuse to comment one way or the other about any business rumors.

If a company denies some rumors and then doesn't deny other rumors, that company is effectively confirming any rumors that the company doesn't deny. By refusing to comment until there is an official announcement, a company avoids lending credibility to rumors.

Also, a company spokesperson is not aware of every initiative that's being pursued by every group within the company. It looks bad if a company spokesperson denies something, and it subsequently turns out to be true after all.

Good points. I still wonder if Disney will comment. This story already has a life of its own. If Disney is completely uninvolved, it would be in their interests to keep someone else from blatantly using their name in an attempt to deceive the public.

 

[tjkraz]

I'm dubious about the rumor, and certainly weather is an issue, but WDW has lots and lots of part year employees--that's how they deal with the difference between low and high seasons.

I live about 50 miles away from Cedar Point, a well-known amusement park that is only open from May to September. Over the years I've seen the work force evolve from horny, ambivalent college kids to barely english-speaking foreigners (they have their home state / country on their nametags and these days most seem to be from Poland or the Czech).

So I guess that's just my own bias speaking. I hate to bring Walt into the discussion wrecklessly, but I know he was originally opposed to DL being a seasonal park out of concerns about the quality of the workforce. Perhaps he underestimated the loyalty that a park carrying the "Disney" name would engender.

 

[Jon99]

Wasn't Robert Brown the name of Walt's son-in-law?

 

[thevirgens]

Has anybody tried to see if Disney in fact owns the land by doing research at the local county office?? I know this can be done through the "Assesors office".

By the way if this is true, my son's name is Branson! We have named all our kids after cities. We have said that when they are older we would take them to the city they are named after!! Wouldn't that be fun!! Disney in Branson!!!

 

[SamIAm21]

"Yes virginia there is a santa claus"...

Well, here's a little news out of KC.

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/12816809/detail.html

 

[DisneyExplorer]

where is Branson Mo?

 

[CanadianGuy]

Wasn't Robert Brown the name of Walt's son-in-law?

Yes.. I noted this in another thread about this. He was Sharon's first husband and died shortly after Walt did.

All in all -=- very weird this whole deal.

Knox