Disney in Virgina

[DizCaptain]

I assume this is meant to be a joke. The Hollywood Tower Hotel was built by Disney, and, of course, is not really a hotel. Even when the park was named Disney-MGM Studios, it was completely owned by Disney.

Yes it was a joke, sarcasm in fact.

 

[soccerchick]

Here is a question, has anyone ever seen an example of Disney purchasing a park, hotel or anything else and rebranding it as their own?

Im not saying its never been done, Id just like to know if anyone has any specific examples.

I think this is what Disney is doing in either DC or Baltimore (maybe Annapolis). There was a local news stroy about it a few weeks ago, but I was in and out while it was on.

I didn't hear if they are buying property and tearing it down, or just refurbishing it as one of the travel destinations.

I'll see if I can find the news link...

I too remember the Disney fight ~ bumper stickers and road side signs everywhere. Was a little sorry it didn't happen. It would soooo have changed my county.

ETA ~ here's some links to the recent news: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/05/66974089/1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/18/AR2009051803201.html

 

[manning]

So you're one of the people we can blame for not having that park! It would have certainly been a huge asset to your community and to the area. Your statement about traffic infrastructure is ridiculous. Orlando didn't have the infrastructure either before Disney arrived, the infrastructure was the result of Disney coming to the area like it would be any place they built!

I was there when WDW opened. Believe me you would have liked the infrastructure then compared to now. Now it is one big traffic jam and one big urban jungle.

 

[Faldred]

I think the "traffic problem" of Front Royal was grossly overstated. While DC area traffic suffers badly from congestion, traffic going to/from a Disney park in Front Royal would be going the opposite direction from commuter traffic -- that is, while folks were heading into work in the morning primarily eastbound, traffic to the park would be primarily westbound, and vice-versa in the afternoon/evening. Especially along I-66.

It would also have been a good motivator to extend the metro line all the way to Front Royal.

 

[NLPRacing]

Here is a question, has anyone ever seen an example of Disney purchasing a park, hotel or anything else and rebranding it as their own?

Im not saying its never been done, Id just like to know if anyone has any specific examples.

I couldn't find any examples of where they did, but there is mention of a proposed conversion of Knott’s Berry Farm

From Wikipedia: A conversion of Knott's Berry Farm into Disney’s America was later drafted shortly after the Knott family announced that they would soon take bids for the property. The idea for the conversion reportedly came from the exact replica of Independence Hall which sits in the parking lot of Knott’s Berry Farm.

The plan called for stretching out the park’s entrance across the street over to Independence Hall. The new entrance to the park would then be built to resemble Liberty Square located at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, though the name of the entrance would have been referred to as "Presidents' Square." The major attraction for this area would have included “The Hall of Presidents.”

Another section of the park would have included the “Native American” territories as it was to pay tribute to the history of America’s native people. The area would have included the area at which the Mystery Lodge, Indian Trail, as well as Bigfoot Rapids are currently located. Along with that, Bigfoot Rapids would have had its name changed to “The Lewis & Clark River Expedition,” which was a similar attraction proposed for the original park. This idea was eventually scrapped because the Imagineers felt it was an "inconsistent hybrid of thrills and education."

Other proposed ideas would have been the conversion of the former Roaring '20s section into the “Enterprise” territory. Reflection Lake would have been converted to Freedom Bay, and would have showcased a recreation of the Ellis Island immigration center. And the Old Ghost Town section of the park would have been left much the same way as it had always been. Camp Snoopy and Fiesta Village would more than likely have been converted into different “territories” as well.

The project was eventually canceled due to a number of reasons. One reason was a lack of a practical means to transport guests from the current Disneyland Resort over to Disney’s America, ruling out that a monorail system would be far too expensive, also noting that bus transportation would be a nightmare. But the main factor was that the Knott family had rejected Disney's bid since they were afraid that the Imagineers would replace much of what their parents had originally put into the park. Ironically, Cedar Fair (the company that bought the park 2 years later) removed more original features from the park than Disney's plans would have done.

 

[TokyoDina]

A park not in Florida or California or on the doorstep of those states would be a seasonal park with very limited operational schedules, you would be better off building it where you could be open all year and use it to possibly draw more people to your existing parks and resorts.

Just my 2 cents worth

Well, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea appear to be doing very well. It snows in Tokyo. I should know I've lived there for 6 years. I don't think it should be built in say North Dakota or anything but there are places on the east coast that can and will attract crowds if Disney goes about it the right way. Snow is not a big thing to worry about. It actually make TDL and TDS look beautiful!

 

[movie77]

About 15yrs ago or so, Disney did secretly buy property in Haymarket Virginia to build Disney's America. Thankfully, we were able to chase them out, though I dispute Disney's assertion that we chased them out, I think they realized it was a bad investment and could make more money from movies, etc....Northern VA does not have the traffic infrastructure to support a theme park of that magnitude.

What are you kidding me? That was a huge mistake for PW County. Now you have all the traffic you could ever want with Ikea, Walmart, and various super stores. Disney would of brought jobs and tourists.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I couldn't find any examples of where they did, but there is mention of a proposed conversion of Knott’s Berry Farm

I think this is one of those cases when I wouldn't trust Wikipedia very much. Anybody can post anything to Wikipedia. Often, Wikipedia articles are very good and written by experts.

However, in this case, the Wikipedia entry is probably based on a Jim Hill article on the same subject (or, possibly, the Jim Hill article was based on the Wikipedia entry). In either case, I think it's 2% fact (Knott's was looking for a buyer and Disney took a look before Knott's eventually sold to Cedar Fair) and 98% creative conjecture.

 

[KimKBrown]

Unfortunately Disney didn't purchase Busch. It's a shame because Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a beautiful park and Disney would make sure it stayed that way. Nobody knows how to do it better than the Disney folks.

 

[Cobra B.]

I think this is what Disney is doing in either DC or Baltimore (maybe Annapolis). There was a local news stroy about it a few weeks ago, but I was in and out while it was on.

I didn't hear if they are buying property and tearing it down, or just refurbishing it as one of the travel destinations.

I'll see if I can find the news link...

I too remember the Disney fight ~ bumper stickers and road side signs everywhere. Was a little sorry it didn't happen. It would soooo have changed my county.

ETA ~ here's some links to the recent news: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/05/66974089/1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/18/AR2009051803201.html

DVC is building in VA. near D.C. DVC was originally going to build Long Island, NY first but it is rumored that they want D.C. completed first. They have, however, already begun hiring sales for the L.I. location.

 

[jennypenny]

DVC is building a SALES office in LI, not a resort. It will be just like the one in Chicago.

I'd love a disney resort in Virginia, but it surprises me that they haven't considered building something in the midwest. Doesn't Chicago have the most DVC members outside of the NY/NJ metro area?? Or even near Branson or somewhere less than a day's drive from the midwest. Or a resort near Scottsdale that's a day's drive from the Disneyland crowd.

 

[RNtheRN]

Disney did secretly buy property in Haymarket Virginia to build Disney's America. Thankfully, we were able to chase them out........


Yeah, that was right up there with fighting the Civil War.............and we all know how that worked out.

 

[KYMickey]

Disney did secretly buy property in Haymarket Virginia to build Disney's America. Thankfully, we were able to chase them out........

Yeah, that was right up there with fighting the Civil War.............and we all know how that worked out.

Yeah it worked out really well, now instead of a nice Disney park in that area you have subdivisions and strip malls! Sounds like it was really to your benefit to chase them out.

 

[Metro West]

Unfortunately Disney didn't purchase Busch. It's a shame because Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a beautiful park and Disney would make sure it stayed that way. Nobody knows how to do it better than the Disney folks.

Considering BGW consistantly wins awards for being the most beautiful park in the country, I think Busch has done just fine w/o Disney's help. I don't think the parks are going to be sold anything soon though.

 

[agnes!]

I think the "traffic problem" of Front Royal was grossly overstated. While DC area traffic suffers badly from congestion, traffic going to/from a Disney park in Front Royal would be going the opposite direction from commuter traffic -- that is, while folks were heading into work in the morning primarily eastbound, traffic to the park would be primarily westbound, and vice-versa in the afternoon/evening. Especially along I-66.

It would also have been a good motivator to extend the metro line all the way to Front Royal.

"Disney's America" was not going to be in Front Royal. Front Royal is in Warren County, slightly east of where I-66 and I-81 intersect. The city is at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley and Skyline Drive, which is associated with the Blue Ridge Parkway. "Disney's America" was slated for the Haymarket area, in Prince William County and near the Civil War Manassas Battlefield. Haymarket is located off of I-66, west of the Capitol Beltway(I-495) and south of Dulles Airport.

agnes!

 

[chartle]

Considering BGW consistantly wins awards for being the most beautiful park in the country, I think Busch has done just fine w/o Disney's help. I don't think the parks are going to be sold anything soon though.

It seems the only reason why the all the Seaworld and Busch Gardens Parks haven't been sold yet is because Inbev is waiting for the economy to pick up and someone steps up and makes an offer.

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/la...euser-busch-inbev-hasnt-sold-its-theme-parks/

From the beginning of the sale of Anheuser Busch InBev has stated they never wanted to be in the theme park business.

With Six Flags in Chapter 11, Disney has always seemed to be a logical buyer for BGW.

 

[Damien2213]

I don't know if anyone else keeps up with Scream Scape but they guy on there says Blackstone officials (who also own Merlin Entertainment) have been spotted in Busch Gardens Williamsburg the last few days. Doesn't look like this one is going to Disney...

 

[Metro West]

I don't know if anyone else keeps up with Scream Scape but they guy on there says Blackstone officials (who also own Merlin Entertainment) have been spotted in Busch Gardens Williamsburg the last few days. Doesn't look like this one is going to Disney...

Yup...here's an article from the paper today:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bk-blackstone-merlin-busch-parks-090909,0,502673.story

 

[doconeill]

I had also heard Merlin is in the hunt, possibly for the whole set of parks...

 

[Damien2213]

I had also heard Merlin is in the hunt, possibly for the whole set of parks...

Yeah and I've heard they have some deep pockets as well...They were named as an potential company that could give Disney fits in bidding for the Parks if Disney was even considering that route....My second strike being from VA (even though I reside in NC now) in having a Disney Park....