Disney Purchasing Land for New Theme Park????

[KNWVIKING]

Building a theme park somewhere is probably do-able at many locations in the country. But there will only ever be one WDW. If a Disney theme park were built in Va, I'd drive right by it to get to WDW. I'd go to BG before I'd visit a Disney park in Va because to me WDW means Disney. I like BG because it's BG. A Disney park would just leave me wishing I were in WDW.

We visited DL two years ago, stayed 9 nights at the DL Hotel. Great trip, BUT it wasn't WDW.

 

[DancingBear]

Williamsburg is a lot more than one hour south of Gettysburg. But, I agree, it shows you can have development near other sites.

The America project was never intended to be a WDW-type of development--it would have been more comparable to Busch Gardens.

The Manassas location was not any part of the battlefield. If you eliminated all development near historical sites, you wouldn't be able to build anything anywhere in Virginia.

The resistance to Manassas successfully fought off Disney in favor of more tract housing and strip centers.

 

[princess&tig]

300 acres is not enough room to build a park. If you include hotel and parking, no chance. The parking lot at any of the WDW resorts is bigger.

 

[Mickmse2002]

I think a regional "historically themed" park would be interesting and potentially very successful. I know I would go and check it out.

 

[TinaMedley]

Let's not forget that Disney was said to of bought land outside of Troy, MO. It's about 1-3 hours northwest of St. Louis, that transaction even made CNN.

 

[Mickmse2002]

It's a plot, I am starting to see the trend here. Disney is purchasing land in all 50 states with the sole purpose of opening small parks where hordes of pin collectors will travel to each one to purchase the special limited edition state pin. When you have collected all 50 you will receive a coupon for a free ice cream sundae at Downtown Disney. of course you will need to bring your Pal Mickey along to provide the appropriate narration and helpful hints along the way. Pal Mickey will be key in locating all of the DVC kiosks in each of the parks.

 

[bbalde01]

I also heard of a Texas land purchase in the Katy Tx area, which is a suburb of Houston.

Rumors are great !

 

[Coach Rick]

This just in...... . .. . .. . Rhode Island to become Walt Disney Island in 2010...Narraganssett Bay will be become the first salt water body of water to be turned into a water slide.........The Breakers Mansion (former summer home to the Vanderbuilts) in beautiful Newport by the sea will be converted into a DVC resort, with pets allowed (well only if your pet is a mouse ) A monorail will encirle the state, and connect all themed areas....Mikey E will be named Gov, and Goofy will be sent to the senate, with Minnie sent to the house.....end of transmission...

 

[Tjkane28]

Heck,

Disney just opened a new park in NYC! I swear I saw Mickey Mouse talking at Madison Square Garden this evening, and there was an awful lot of pixie dust making its way through the air this week!

Go, Arnold!

 

[40plus]

The rumor about Gettysburg is several years old. The idea was announced by Disney after the Va. deal fell thru. The Gettysburg idea was also reported by Disney to have been given up for the same reason as Va. Money. Disney in Va. wanted the locals to pay for major road construction along with some other concessions and the locals did not want any part of it. Also the history buffs came out in force against disney and effectively killed it. The same happened in Pa. both were reported prettily heavily in both local and national press. Sorry but I am not computer smart enough to do the search for the stories. But I do remember watching about it on the news.

 

[JonJehrio]

Good news for Disney fans in the extreme Northwest! I just heard Disney has been buying land in Alaska. They have been buying up baren wasteland for the past few years for a really great price. They are planning on a winter themed park, with a great resort to be named "The Ice Lodge". Guests will be required to wear ice skates to get themselves around the park and resort. This will assist guests who want to see everything in one day, since the days up there are very short in the winter and the skates will allow them to get from attraction to attraction more rapidly (depending on the guests skating ability that is). The list of attractions featured rides like "Pluto's Pipeline Plunge", "It's a Cold World", "The Miracle on Ice Haunted Mansion", "The Brother Bear Spin", "20'000 Leagues under the Ice", "Snow Mountain", "Alladins Magic Bobsleds", "Mickey's Goldmine Runaway Mountain Train", and "Expidition North Pole." The Ice Lodge is supposed to be a beautiful Deluxe resort built from ice, with the other hotel, the "Igloo Villa's" being a DVC property. Each of these will feature themed skating rinks for families to enjoy. There will also be an are called "Winter Country" featuring Luge, Bobsled, dog sledding, snowshoeing and other exciting winter activities. It should be a great park. They are also planning a water park called "Blizzard Beach." Along with the press release I saw, was list of the future operating hours. Unfortunately, this park would only be open in the winter, as both resorts would melt during the summer and need to be rebuilt in the late fall each year. The imagineers are working overtime trying to get this park finished, because with the current state of Global-Warming, The park is only projected to last 34 years.

 

[bbalde01]

Wow !
What an amazing park that will be. I hear that the Park hoppers will be edible, with different flavors like a popsicle.

The proposed Goofy's ski jump will be a try at your own risk ride with a waiver form to be signed beforehand.

Also no fireworks are planned for this park ( ice will melt )
instead they will have a water display that will shoot high into the sky and will automactically freeze creating mind blowing designs.

Wow, i'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.


Bobby

 

[greendoor678]

Sorry to rain on your Electrical Light Parade, but I'm just not believing the new park rumor.

It seems that these type of rumors surface and 'float around' as urban legends.

A similar, and VERY detailed rumor was circulating about a new WD park in Magnolia, TX.
I first heard the rumor close to 20 years ago when my family moved to Magnolia and it was still a small country town that few had heard of.
Magnolia is North of Houston, TX and years ago it seemed like a logical idea.
The rumors had specific details to back up the idea.
For example:
"friend of a friend is a real estate agent and they heard....."
"WDW plans to build a themepark in the Central U.S. so EVERYONE in the U.S. is close to a WD park"
"TX has mild winters similar to Orlando so it's an ideal location for year round tourism"
"A Texas Sized WD Themepark"
"Disney Corporation had purchased an abundant amount of land in an undeveloped area north of Houston (where the TX Ren Fest is) etc etc etc."


Of course, these were just rumors and over the years my family has learned to laugh at the idea. Though I must say, at first we were excited about the notion of a TX Disney Park!
Seems this TX rumor seemed to follow those involved in the TX Renaissance Festival as this is 'supposedly' where the land was acquired for the new park.

Magnolia is now one of the fastest growing areas in the state and is no longer a secluded country town, but I'm sure the rumor is still afloat.
Anyway, just thought I would share this info.
Perhaps a 'Disney Urban Legend' thread could be started (if not already!)?

Hey, maybe one day there WILL be a new US Disney park, but I'd have to actually see it to believe it.

 

[Mickmse2002]

Originally posted by greendoor678
Perhaps a 'Disney Urban Legend' thread could be started (if not already!)?

I think such a thing does exist at snopes.com

 

[stemikger]

I live in New York and I would love Disney to be within driving distance. I had a dream once where Disney was in Staten Island, New York where I live and I was able to walk. What a great dream. I would love not to fly to my favoriate place on earth. I have friends who drive, but to me it is too far and I would waste 4 days driving.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Originally posted by mikeymars
How could this possibly be true, given what Disney ran into with the Virginia project? That died because national historians AND VA locals didn't want a theme park near a comparatively non-top-of-mind Civil War war battleground (Manassas).

So why would Disney subsequently plan to try to place something near the location of THE single most most historic and important battleground in the entire country?

Or stated differently, this doesn't add up - at all.

How about the idea that it's a good idea, patriotism in on the rise, and people surrounding Gettysburg don't have the same inhibitions as those in Virginia. Virginia has a much larger community of reanacters than in the Gettysburg area. The surrounding community may greatly appreciate the jobs, emphasis on environment and conservation, and appeal of a patriotic park.

 

[Dumbo]

Has anybody been to Gettysburg, PA. in January? The average temperature is 24.8 degrees and this past Jan., 2004 they had 18 inches of snow.


Dumbo

 

[Desperado]

Originally posted by Dumbo
Has anybody been to Gettysburg, PA. in January? The average temperature is 24.8 degrees and this past Jan., 2004 they had 18 inches of snow.


Dumbo

Cool, skiing.

 

[JimmyBlaze]

I wish Disney would build parks all over the place. That would mean less crowds at WDW. That is my biggest disapointment with going to WDW, the huge Crowds.

 

[randytenn]

I went to college at School of the Ozarks, outside of Branson, and heard rumors in the early 80's about Disney buying property in the Ozark Mountains around Branson, to build a new park.

Folks. There are no other parks planned in the US, outside of CA and FL. It ain't going to happen. They have room at FL for several new parks, and CA has room for one more. But, after their experience with Disney's America, they gave up on other parks.

Although, I did hear the Disney bought up a local Wal Mart and Home Depot in Little Rock, and is planning on opening an All Disney Home Center, where everything will be in the shape of Mickey, including toliet seats. . . .