Disneyland DownUnder thoughts.....

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

I went to Walt Disney World for a few weeks in September & October 2012. It was amazing I went as a single girl & met awesome new friends and ran in the Tower of Terror 10 Miler Run. This was my last trip but i've taken my kids and family and friends on many other trips to the globes different Disney Parks.

It's now been 18 mths since I returned & i'm now having BIG time withdrawls. I've even had to book Disney on Ice tickets to tie me over. Does anyone else get this???

I have just gotten married in February 2014 (Valentine Day) and my wedding was a romantic fairytale in itself. I've always been a passionate traveller. So for our honeymoon I chose to see some other destinations instead of another Disney Trip. So we chose a Pacific Cruise for 11 nights to Fiji, Vanuatau and New Caledonia followed by 5 days on the Gold Coast.... I love Sea World and find Movie World is quite honestly a bit of a disappointment for a Disney fan (it's just not Disney & VERY VERY small).... but i still enjoy the rides and it's the best we have here in Oz.

Anyway, the cruise has left me desperately wanting to try a Disney Cruise and praying that Australia will one day get it's own Disney Parks.

What's your opinion of this????

There have been rumours over the years of Disney looking at land here in Australia but it never seems to happen. Do u think it might one day???

Would you like to see a Disneyland Down Under in your lifetime???

 

[Royal Consort]

I don't think we have nearly enough people to warrant a Disney park opening in Australia. Nor is our tourism market big enough for Disney to seriously consider building here. It's unfortunate but we're not really placed in a similar type of region/market to Hong Kong or Paris which attracts China and Europe respectively. We're too isolated and remote.

It'd be nice though. Even a lil one. If we had a lil one we'd be dissed by the Disney community for having a crap park though.

 

[Meemoo]

I HOPE I get to see Disney come to Australia in my life time. However, I think a Resort may be more on the cards than an actual park. The rumor before was that Disney was looking for land but more for a Resort. Not long after they purchased in Hawaii and Aulani was built so I think they went with this. Due to the success of DVC, I believe it may be on the cards for Australia some day as they expand their resorts for the membership. A resort would be a fun little escape but it would probably be Australian themed with a touch of Disney, similar to Aulani being Hawaiian with a touch of Disney. This is what I'm thinking may happen eventually - hopefully not too far away! Just a character breakfast here and there would be nice to provide a little magic in between the park visits!

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

Well we can all dream.... I must admit I unfortunately agree that we don't have the population for a Disney Park but I'd love to he wrong. I've been to Hong Kong Disneyland twice though & despite being small it's very beautiful and still a great experience for the magic.

I remember my first trip to Euro Disney as it was then called it was my 1st ever Disney trip and my friends I went with had been to WDW anyway I loved it and they slated it saying it was too small!!! It did ruin my first experience slightly... But I vote small park would be better than no park- ill keep dreaming of having an annual pass one day :0)

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

I'd settle for a resort with character meals but it's not quite the same experience as the parks... Disney on Ice will just have to do for me for now!!!

 

[Royal Consort]

I remember my first trip to Euro Disney as it was then called it was my 1st ever Disney trip and my friends I went with had been to WDW anyway I loved it and they slated it saying it was too small!!! It did ruin my first experience slightly...

Always puzzled me. Disneyland Paris is Magic Kingdom size and MUCH bigger than Disneyland. In terms of attractions maybe 'smaller' but the attraction quality is superior. I'd take Disneyland Paris over the Magic Kingdom any day of the week!

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

Always puzzled me. Disneyland Paris is Magic Kingdom size and MUCH bigger than Disneyland. In terms of attractions maybe 'smaller' but the attraction quality is superior. I'd take Disneyland Paris over the Magic Kingdom any day of the week!

Yes I've been to Disneyland Resort Paris on 6 trips now and it's awesome- though when I went in December 2011 the week before Christmas it was freezing. I'm presuming that they were just comparing it as a whole. Back then it didn't have Walt Disney Studios park and obviously WDW they'd been to had the 3 theme parks (no animal kingdom as it was early 90's) and the 2 water parks. I love ALL the Magic Kingdoms I just find it too impossible to have a favorite.

Of course WDW is probably my favorite overallcause there's soooo much to keep u entertained for weeks.

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

BTW- i'm loving the look of your forthcoming trip to HK, Tokyo and Paris- That's AWESOME.... One day i want to do all the parks on a world trip.... it's on my bucket list!!!

In December 2011 I took the kids to Hong Kong Hollywood Hotel for 4 nights then less than 2 weeks later my brother took us to Disneyland PaRIS for 4 nights in a suite at the Newport Bay Club... we even had 2 toilets and a doorbell.... it was like a dream come true- despite the cold the weekend before Christmas.

 

[Royal Consort]

BTW- i'm loving the look of your forthcoming trip to HK, Tokyo and Paris- That's AWESOME.... One day i want to do all the parks on a world trip.... it's on my bucket list!!!

In December 2011 I took the kids to Hong Kong Hollywood Hotel for 4 nights then less than 2 weeks later my brother took us to Disneyland PaRIS for 4 nights in a suite at the Newport Bay Club... we even had 2 toilets and a doorbell.... it was like a dream come true- despite the cold the weekend before Christmas.

That sounds amazing!!! A wonderful time to be at Disneyland Paris too!! Who cares about the cold right?! Disneyland Paris at Xmas is just stunning!

I can't wait for the upcoming trip. We've also booked a few days in Disneyland Anaheim before we fly home so it has become every Disney park other than Walt Disney World for this venture. I know people scoff but at least we can talk about this sort of thing on the Dis. hehe.

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

That sounds awesome- i definately UNDERSTAND your obsession though not too many in OZ do, there are plenty of people in America that will only ever dream of what your doing.... not only cause of the expense but because of the 'why bother' thought when they already have DL & WDW on their door steps.
Where do u live? I'm in Melbourne.

 

[Tashinwdw]

It sure would be nice to have a Disney park here, as you say "we can all dream" or even in NZ as sometimes its much cheaper to fly to NZ than it is around Australia. I guess its always cheaper to drive so at least if its in Australia we would have that option.

I honestly don't think I would stay at a Disney resort here in Australia. I would rather save a little bit more and go somewhere else.

 

[dollarmite]

Like other posters, I don't think there's enough of a population/tourist base for one here anyway, but if they did decide to build a park here, it would be great for Australian (and NZers) who can't visit the international ones, but I very highly doubt I'd visit it.

One of the main reasons I love visiting the parks, especially DLR, and that they seem so magical, is that they're overseas. Part of the 'magic' (for me) is knowing that they're slightly unattainable most of the time due to distance, so that when we are there it makes it extra special.

If I could just hop in my car and drive a few hours down the road to it (or fly a few hours to it), there'd be no magic. It'd just be another day out/theme park, along the lines of the ultra boring Movie World on the Gold Coast.

I know not everyone is in the fortunate position of being able to travel overseas to Disney, but part of the 'magic' for me is remembering watching the 'Magical World of Disney' as a kid and knowing that "America", and therefore Disney, were so far away that to go there would just be so ultra special.

 

[DisneyWorldTraveller]

I do understand that it becomes a bigger treat & that only a few can manage it... I'm sure in my daughters school very few if any that I know of have travelled to Disney parks... Her teacher though gets my vote cause she worked in WDW.
My daughter has been on 5 Disney trips to 4 countries & she's only 9... She just takes it forgranted which I thinks a shame. If we had one here she'd be worse. But I do personally think I'd love the accessibility of living nearby to a disneypark... I'm sure it'd lose some of its magic but on the other hand we NEED something more than Movie World here... Even the UK with its nasty weather has plenty of lesser theme parks.

 

[zanzibar138]

Personally I'd be happy to have Disney stores here, like they do in the US where they're all nicely themed and everything.

I agree that for me part of the appeal of going to Disney parks is that we make it part of another trip and see some more of the world while we're there. Although I'm sure I wouldn't complain if they built a Disney park here and would be first in line for an AP It wouldn't be where I spent all my holiday time though, there's just too much world (not to mention Australia) to see.

 

[ssour]

I agree that we won't ever see a Disney park here. I think the land they were looking at a while ago was for a DisneyQuest type location. I still haven't worked out why they don't bring the Magic over here for some cruises during our summer, I don't think they'd have any difficulty filling it up and I'd happily go on the relocation cruise from LA to Sydney via Hawaii or the reverse.

 

[Meemoo]

I agree that part of the magic comes from being in a foreign country. I'm not sure if I would get that feeling in Australia. I would visit it though if it was here. I would also do a weekender if they had a Disney Resort here but I wouldn't have a vacation there.

 

[dabecs]

I think an Australian Disney would be so much more expensive and unfortunately I don't feel our customer service is anywhere near as good as the USA.

I would love a Disney Cruise to come down under and I think one day it will.

I also think a nice hotel in the city which hosted a princess high tea would make a fortune. Or a bibbidi bobbidi boutique would be hugely popular.

I remember yeas ago there was a rumour Disney were looking to buy Werribee Zoo - don't know if that's true...

 

[Royal Consort]

I would love a Disney Cruise to come down under and I think one day it will.

I think it eventually will too. I had thought about hopping on when that happens.

I also think a nice hotel in the city which hosted a princess high tea would make a fortune.

The Langham in Melbourne already do this and have had several Disney themed successes. Obviously pitched for the young girls which couldn't be further from my demographic The princess brand is just so offensive.

 

[elphaba91]

I've heard rumours over the years that Disney was looking at Avalon (near Geelong) and in Sydney. I guess in Avalon they would have more of a monopoly on the market and be able to create the Disney bubble, whereas in Sydney they could use the existing tourism to their advantage. Personally though, as much as I would LOVE a park nearby, I just don't know that there is the market for it - or at least not the market for it to be particularly well done. Maybe if they had an Australian-themed Animal Kingdom type park (like a combination between AK and Healesville Sanctuary) then they would be a bit more successful at bringing people from overseas?

 

[bswift]

I agree that a park here wouldn't be as magical. I do think that a unique attraction like an Australian themed AK or another park without a castle would be better here.

I remember when there was a Disney store at Crown, I wish they would bring them back! I still have a Snow White snowglobe on display in my room that I got there when I was in primary school.