Is it possible that Disney would buy Busch/Sea World?

[ahoyle]

I was just reading over at Screamscape about the fact that Inbev would most likely end up selling the Busch/Sea World Parks now. According to the writer of the article, Disney is one of the few companies that would be in the financial position and have an interest in acquiring the parks. To me it would seem a good fit. The only park that would seem like a bad match to Disney would be Busch Gardens Tampa. I've always thought these parks were almost at a Disney level, and I don't think it would take much polish for Disney to create that in most of them. Thoughts?

 

[DisneyFanatic1072]

While i am not sure Disney would want these parks, due to the fact that they have not shown much interest in MAJOR thrill parks in the past. Here in cleveland Geauga Lake has closed, it is a small park like Kennywood, Six flags owned it for 3 years and sold it to Cedar Fair. which auctioned off everything 3 weeks ago. I would have to think that Six flags would be the front runner for the prop.

 

[DancingBear]

Not sure whether Six Flags has the access to capital. Their stock recently plunged so low that they were in danger of being delisted.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

In this economy? No way.

A future looking company may see the benifit. The Iger controlled bottom line feeders that Disney now is has no interest in anything risky or that would actually take creativity to spark.

 

[deej696]

I read the same article in todays paper, and wondered the same thing. I dismissed it pretty quickly however. Disney likes to create their own content, and that includes the experiences in the parks. The mindset has pretty much always been, "Why use someone elses idea when we can create our own." ie turning away Hard Rock Cafe and later regretting it. See: Planet Hollywood. Owning Sea World in Orlando would cut their competition thats for sure, but there isnt much about Shamu that says Disney, and it would be difficult to overcome that.

The other AB parks are of little to no value to Disney in my opinion. If Disney wanted to mass produce their parks here in the states they would have done so by now, and suffered as a result. Using Six Flags as an example, I have been to the one in ATL. I have no desire to go to any of the others because in my mind I've been there done that. I cant even tell you where the Six Flags parks are located, so I could visit a city and have no idea one was there, but I sure as heck know where to find Disney. Expanding the brand via hotels and timeshares is one thing, theme parks is a whole different story...

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I read the same article in todays paper, and wondered the same thing. I dismissed it pretty quickly however. Disney likes to create their own content, and that includes the experiences in the parks. The mindset has pretty much always been, "Why use someone elses idea when we can create our own." ie turning away Hard Rock Cafe and later regretting it. See: Planet Hollywood. Owning Sea World in Orlando would cut their competition thats for sure, but there isnt much about Shamu that says Disney, and it would be difficult to overcome that.

The other AB parks are of little to no value to Disney in my opinion. If Disney wanted to mass produce their parks here in the states they would have done so by now, and suffered as a result. Using Six Flags as an example, I have been to the one in ATL. I have no desire to go to any of the others because in my mind I've been there done that. I cant even tell you where the Six Flags parks are located, so I could visit a city and have no idea one was there, but I sure as heck know where to find Disney. Expanding the brand via hotels and timeshares is one thing, theme parks is a whole different story...

Disney likes to create their own content??? How? By buying PIXAR? By leasing out Pleasure Island? By renting the Disney name to Oriental Land Co.??? THEY haven't created anything legitimate in 20 years, I'll bet.

Shamu screams Disney and I'd bet Walt would have loved the Sea World concept and Busch Gardens? ...AK...Hello???

Disney won't acquire these assets, though they should, because they do not want to run or create anything. All they are currently interested in is milking the cow to the tune of maximum dollars, riding out this resession and then selling off the beast themselves for beacoup bucks for their shareholders.

Iger is a slug who has never created anything...Remember he's the guy who personally greenlighted "Caveman" on ABC!!!

 

[deej696]

Disney likes to create their own content??? How? By buying PIXAR? By leasing out Pleasure Island? By renting the Disney name to Oriental Land Co.??? THEY haven't created anything legitimate in 20 years, I'll bet.

Shamu screams Disney and I'd bet Walt would have loved the Sea World concept and Busch Gardens? ...AK...Hello???

Disney won't acquire these assets, though they should, because they do not want to run or create anything. All they are currently interested in is milking the cow to the tune of maximum dollars, riding out this resession and then selling off the beast themselves for beacoup bucks for their shareholders.

Iger is a slug who has never created anything...Remember he's the guy who personally greenlighted "Caveman" on ABC!!!

Nothing legitimate in 20 years? I'm pretty sure the Studios and AK came about during that time period, not to mention two water parks. And thats just WDW. The lease to Oriental Land? Well that was done in 1983, which pre-dates even Eisner's reign at the company. Pixar doesnt write movies, they simply "put them on paper". The content, thats all Disney. Pre-Pixar, I'm pretty sure Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast were a little successful.

No one hates to see other brand names at WDW more than I do. But my point still is the same, if Disney wanted to see their parks on every corner, they would have done so by now. If Shamu screams Disney, then they would have bought them years ago, and eliminated a competitor in both LA and Orlando. Surely the money hungry folks at Team Disney that you speak of would have been smart enough to realize this well before now...

And FWIW, I'm one of those shareholders, and I would never cast my vote in favor of a sale under any terms.....

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

And FWIW, I'm one of those shareholders, and I would never cast my vote in favor of a sale under any terms.....

Well, you share votes notwithstanding, the beast has been very close to sale a couple of times...Remember Comcast? Even good ole Roy would've gotten behind that would his interests have been in a more favorable light at that time. Eisner would've sold were he to get the kings ransom he wanted, it just didn't quite happen. Iger is worse than Eisner in the brand game. He thinks Disney is JUST a brand. Who owns it or runs it are irrelevent.

The recession is a big break for Disney fans as there will be no unloading of the place in this economy but mark my words, when Iger gets his little duckies in a row Disney will be owned by AT&T or someone equally unxious and Bobby boy will have Eisner's ransom.

 

[ahoyle]

Screamscape mentions that Disney did in fact try to buy Seaworld previously. Which, if true, would make this a possibility (even if fairly remote), right? And I wouldnt describe Busch Gardens Williamsburg as a Thrill Park. Yeah, I think it has 5 big roller coasters, but thats it. Its much more charming with its shows, restaurants, and decor than any non disney park I've been to. Comparing Busch Gardens to Six Flags or other like amusement parks is pretty pointless.