Five, Three, Three, Two, and One
Numbers are everything! Especially those on the bank accounts of the shareholders. However, with many shareholders happy on the latest Disney reports, I now would like to have a look at some other numbers. Did you guess them already? It’s the numbers fans like to see…
It has been a while, but since Disney’s financial numbers are that good, I wanted to have a look at possible new gates again. Not only the financial numbers make me do this, but also the fact that others seem to believe building new theme parks is a good investment at the moment. Again, I am looking at Dubai, but also at the Hard Rock park in Myrtle Beach. A park they say to be the first of what might be a world wide adventure. Several cities already approached them, including Santa Ana, just around the corner of Disneyland where a deserted golf course might well become their second adventure.
While there are some plans by Disney, other numbers I’ll talk about will include predictions that could be completely wrong. Many of the things you read about are my personal view and thoughts, including rumors and news, so take it with a grain of salt.
Lets start with the first number in the row…
FIVE; While many will say, “It’s not going to happen” I can’t help myself of dreaming about a fifth gate at Walt Disney World again. The numbers are good, the parks are full and ticket prices are an income Disney management and shareholders can only be happy about. The room is there and it looks like the market is right to expand. While a fifth park will bring its problems like finding enough cast members to get it up and running, the time feels right to at least think about another gate. I could be totally wrong here, but I can’t help myself thinking that the door is back on ajar.
THREE; Will the door might be open for Walt Disney World, even if only a little bit, the one at Disneyland Anaheim is closed completely. With the announcement of the big DCA overhaul a new gate is far, far away. DCA will pretty much become DCA 2,0 and it doesn’t look like there will be a chance to even dream about a third gate. With the DCA project I think we should not even think about it for at least another 10 years.
THREE; Another three? What could it be? Disneyland Resort Paris has always been a project that would involve three gates. But we all know how wrong it went and how money, or the lack of it, put salt into that wound. While there are contractual obligations with France, a third park didn’t look like an option for a long time. But Disneyland Resort Paris got some good points on the last report. Losses are down, spending is up, rooms are pretty much filled up. Would that not be enough for the Disney management to consider thinking about the original plans. Could a third gate be closer then we would have dreamed of? I do hope so, although I don’t think it will be soon, who knows, we might get it before Disneyland Anaheim. (one can dream)
TWO; Hong Kong on the other hand isn’t doing that well. A little while ago news floated around that the Hong Kong authorities would not support a second park and that Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean park are enough to please the tourist. Only weeks later did they change their minds and are they ready to talk with Disney to get a second gate open. The biggest problem Hong Kong Disneyland has is the size, or should we say lack of size. Reactions like not enough to see and to small a park might have helped making the decision to expand.
ONE; It’s on the table, it’s of the table, but it looks like it might be back on the table now. The second park in China, the park in Shanghai. Canned because it might hurt the Hong Kong park when opened, but some news and rumors are coming our way giving the impression the park is still an option. With the market growing would Disney want to miss out on the Shanghai project? Could be of course, and if so what would be the alternative and is that something Disney wants to risk. It seems preparations to get the location and surrounding area ready to welcome a park is in full swing. If Disney would not build there, who know, Hard Rock could fill in… (no this is not a rumor, just a little fitting ending to the article)
MORE? Sure, there more rumors out there. We already talked about some of them here. But at the moment I want to end my predictions and thoughts on Disney park expansions here. I know I left out Tokyo Disney Resort in this rant, but there is always another time (or blog entry) to talk about their possibilities. So.. with this said… what are your thoughts?