Disney in Missouri?

[christianscoasters]

Newton county huh? Why can't they change it from the county of Newton to the city of Newton (where I live)? I WANT A DISNEY PARK TOO

[Gnome]

1.1 billion? No way Disney would spend that little on a park. I mean, DCA was, what, 5 billion (correct me if I'm wrong), and it was still crap. They'd be putting in a lot more money after that mistake.

 

I call BS.

You are indeed wrong.

 

The Downtown Disney project (With the hotels) cost 1.1 billion.

 

DCA was about 700 million, which is why that park sucks.

[Jeezus Juice]

Yeah, but people in Europe can't hop on a plane to Orlando for a few hundred bucks in the winter like we can.

 

They absolutely can. I've flown to Paris from the west coast US in the off season from the mid $300's. Anybody can go anywhere cheaply, just not in July.

[Disney Dood]

When asked if it was related to Silver Dollar City or to Hard Rock International, which is building a Hard Rock Park in South Carolina, he said “no.”

Maybe it's Universal or Schlitterbahn, but my guess is Disney.

[ginzo]

They absolutely can. I've flown to Paris from the west coast US in the off season from the mid $300's. Anybody can go anywhere cheaply, just not in July.

 

Yeah, I don't think you can use whatever super discount tickets you found as a barometer for the average cost of international airfare. My point was self-evident: international flights cost more on average than domestic.

 

You'd be hard pressed to ever find an international fare that low out of Cincinnati (CVG). Delta has us on super rape fares.

[Jeezus Juice]

^ Right. I must have forgotten that I've never flown internationally before and that I never recieve e-mail updates on low european fares.

 

What is this magical place called Cincinnatti? And Delta...sounds mysterious!

[ginzo]

^ Right. I must have forgotten that I've never flown internationally before and that I never recieve e-mail updates on low european fares.

 

What is this magical place called Cincinnatti? And Delta...sounds mysterious!

 

No need to get snarky

 

Just count yourself lucky that you don't live near the most expensive airport in the country (according to the DOT).

 

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-01-03-cincinnati-has-nations-highest-airfares_x.htm

 

HEBRON, Ky. — With the average round-trip ticket costing $570, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG) continues to be the nation's most expensive major airport to fly to or from.

 

The airport topped the ticket price charts from April to June of 2006 — the third straight quarter — according to the latest fare price report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation's office of aviation analysis.

 

With the airport dominated by Delta Air Lines' second-largest hub, ticket prices have long been the target of criticism as CVG consistently places among the most expensive major airports in government statistics. The last time CVG wasn't No. 1 was during the third quarter of 2005 — when it was No. 5.

[OldJJman]

The bottom line people is: $$$$.

 

Branson is a mediocre tourist trap at best. No major highways or interstates. No major airports to handle an influx of people.

 

Demographically, an old cast off, wanna be Las Vegas. Generally, second rate shows catering to an older (older than me!) generation. Sure they occasionally get the bigger name stars, but that's usually tied into a contract where there are playing venues that are owned by the venues there in Branson.

 

Granted, SDC is a great park with good rides and some great food. CC is a carnival looking for a permanent home. (j/k, but you get the idea)

 

Unles you see MAJOR road improvements, and an expanded airport, don't look for Disney there anytime soon.

[Swoosh]

^Ahhh, but this is NOT IN BRANSON. This is on I-44 near Joplin, almost an hour away from Branson.

[mr_teisco_delrey]

 

Just count yourself lucky that you don't live near the most expensive airport in the country (according to the DOT).

 

 

Thank goodness for Louisville and Southwest. I avoid CVG like the plague!

[OldJJman]

^Ahhh, but this is NOT IN BRANSON. This is on I-44 near Joplin, almost an hour away from Branson.

 

Even so. You are also still an hour away from a "major" airport, if you can even count Tulsa and/or Springfield as major airports. Add in the fact that flying into smaller markets usually can cost anywhere from 20-50% more than major markets, it makes it a really tough sell. Families, the demographic that Disney is most interested in, want them to be able to spend their money IN the parks, hotels, etc... NOT in just getting there.

 

The demographics alone will NOT support a large park of any kind, and I seriously doubt that Disney would actually do anything (muchless with quality) on a small or medium size scale.

[snuggles]

^Ahhh, but this is NOT IN BRANSON. This is on I-44 near Joplin, almost an hour away from Branson.

Wow, Disney in/near Joplin? That would make me cream my jeans.

[Calvin]

Disney in Missouri? Cool, they can have KKK day.

 

If another Disneyblank is to be made, it should go somewhere like Vancouver. Anywhere else is either too close to the other Disneys or too cold or just plain boring. Can you imagine "Disneyfield"?

[snuggles]

Well, a disney in the midwest would bring in tons of money. It would probably be something good for missouri, and the midwest.

[holyblakbelt]

It'd be nice to have a Disney Park a little bit closer than Florida.

 

For me, it's just a drive down I-35 and bam (sort of) you're in Missouri! If only I can get someone to drive me down.

[Swoosh]

Well it would be a straight shot on I-35 to KC and the 435 around KC, then it gets a little hairy as you have to take US 71 (2-lane most of the way) through the middle of nowhere, or take US 13 to Springfield (which is 4-lane) and then I-44 to this area.

[sixflagsguy5]

It seems very unlikely to me. I don't think that they'd spend that much money for an area like that.

 

I guess you never know though...

[Swoosh]

Another article:

http://www.ksdk.com/news/watercooler/hot_topics_article.aspx?storyid=117482

 

Walt Disney Company Linked To Project In Branson

 

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) -- Could the Magic Kingdom be coming to southwest Missouri?

 

Speculation is increasing around Branson after a request for road improvements for a $1.1 billion theme park in Newton County.

 

Such rumors of the Walt Disney Company opening an attraction in Branson were common about a decade ago. But the recent road improvement request has county commissioners investigating whether Disney is involved in the theme park proposal made earlier this month.

 

A Springfield company called ARM Risk is behind the project

 

An early proposal includes the purchase of about a thousand acres of land. A hundred acres would be set aside for the park, and construction would include six hotels, 95 shops, 27 rides, 12 stages and 18 restaurants.

 

Officials at Disney declined to comment on a possible theme park in Missouri.

 

The Disney link arose when commissioners noticed that two of the three ARM owners have offices in Burbank, California, and Lake Buena Vista, Florida -- the corporate offices of Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World Resort.

[Shavethewhales]

The bottom line people is: $$$$.

 

Branson is a mediocre tourist trap at best. No major highways or interstates. No major airports to handle an influx of people.

 

Demographically, an old cast off, wanna be Las Vegas. Generally, second rate shows catering to an older (older than me!) generation. Sure they occasionally get the bigger name stars, but that's usually tied into a contract where there are playing venues that are owned by the venues there in Branson.

 

Granted, SDC is a great park with good rides and some great food. CC is a carnival looking for a permanent home. (j/k, but you get the idea)

 

Unles you see MAJOR road improvements, and an expanded airport, don't look for Disney there anytime soon.

 

Other than being way off one your perception of CC and Branson (have you even been there?), This is what I was saying. The West MO. area would require several years or more before it adjusted to fit this type of resort, and by the time traveling to that area became practical for the average 2-state away person, they would already have lost too much.

 

Besides, I still don't think this could fit in with all the Branson attractions an hour away plus everything to the north. This is the type of resort you would spend almost all your vacation at, I doubt many will try to hit this, SDC and CC, plus everything else.

 

I wonder though, if Disney's declining to comment on these matters mean anything? Surely, if they didn't have anything to do with this, they would say it? Or maybe they're just toeing the waters for far-fetched future plans?

[OldJJman]

Other than being way off one your perception of CC and Branson (have you even been there?),

 

As a matter of fact, yes. Four times: 1993 and 1994 (had family in the area) during the height of their campaign to be the "Las Vegas of the Midwest". The idea was completely squashed by the LACK of major roads and nearby MAJOR airports. Traffic was a pain, and the fact that there was nothing to keep people there for more than 2 days, effectively KILLED that campaign.

 

I also went again in both 2003 and 2004. The roads were basically the same, remaining unchanged (i.e. no new roads, no widening etc...) and most of the hotels/motels and tourist trap attractions were pretty much exactly the same as they were 10 years earlier, though now rundown, and not very attractive for even the curious passers-by.

 

This is what I was saying. The West MO. area would require several years or more before it adjusted to fit this type of resort, and by the time traveling to that area became practical for the average 2-state away person, they would already have lost too much.

 

Well, in the 10 years that passed since I went the first time and 2003, not much had changed. (Other than the OzCat being built!!! ) But, in that same amount of time, both Nashville and Las Vegas have made necessary improvements, to both roads and attractions (in Nashville's case, stages and theaters) and having a larger airport, to handle the influx of potential tourists.

 

In basically, what amounts to 14+ years, of casual observation, the desire of the area to be a real tourist destination has been lost on the locals, as well as the state as a whole. It has been forgotten.

 

Branson is dying. It is not being nurtured. Hell, I would guess that Pigeon Forge, TN. has become a larger (and much better) tourist trap than Branson was in it's heyday (the late 1990's).

 

FWIW - Yes, I've been to Pigeon Forge. Twice in the last 3 years. It's certainly easier to get around than Branson also. (Though OzCat is better than Thunderhead!!)

[Corkscrewed]

 

Coulda sworn I heard this rumor a couple of years ago too.

 

I very highly doubt Disney would ever build a park there. Looking at it from a broad geographical view, it's still too close to Florida. You'd have three parks spread across the same country at roughly the same latitude range.

 

Plus... out of all things.. Branson?? How many major metropolitan areas are close to that? St. Louis. Kansas City. Dallas... sorta. Memphis

 

In my opinion, some place like Ohio would be much better. Put a park near, say, Cleveland and you get Chicago, Detroit, New York, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toronto, D.C., and Philadelphia all within 500 miles (a day's drive, basically).

[snuggles]

Theres wichita, oklahoma city, tulsa, kansas city, fort smith, little rock, springfield, st. louis, and tons of other places. Hell, people can fly in too the only problem is, it wouldn't be year-round most likely.

[BeemerBoy]

Taken from a news report, Feb. 8th, 2007:

 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Walt Disney Co. is considering "blue sky concepts" of creating smaller theme parks and stand-alone hotels, retail, dining and entertainment centers, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney's Parks and Resorts told analysts at a conference on Wednesday.

 

Building stand-alone hotels in urban areas where families already travel would give Disney the chance to reach out to parents who feel their children are still too young to appreciate a trip to a Disney theme park, Rasulo said.

 

Along those lines, Disney could locate versions of its Downtown Disneyland, a high-end retail, dining and entertainment district, in urban areas far from its parks, he said.

 

The company also was exploring alternatives to full-size theme parks, including "a smaller, deeply immersive park" that would offer consumers a more interactive experience at higher prices.

These ideas are "blue sky concepts" that will not be executed unless the new businesses could achieve a high return on invested capital, Rasulo said.

 

Disney also was looking into expanding its water park offerings beyond Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach and possibly adding ships to its two-vessel cruise lines, Rasulo said.

 

Rasulo had little to add about the lackluster performance by Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in September of 2007, and failed to meet first-year attendance target of 5.6 million.

 

"Hong Kong Disneyland developed a little more slowly than we expected in 1999 when the deal was put together" but the company was confident of its growth trajectory, he said.

 

"We identified some challenges to be addressed in the near future in sales and marketing and seasonality," he added.

Just something to consider.

[ltp74]

Anyone else think this could be some sorta land scam, in the past I have seen stories about Disney buying land in Texas for a new theme park yet I havent been to Disney Texas yet.

 

I could see the scam working like this.

 

1. Find a place about and hour or so drive from a tourist area or growing metro area.

 

2. Pick out a parcel of land for a new "Disney" Theme Park

 

3. Buy a bunch of land along highway's and what could be main road's near the Theme Park parcel.

 

4. Create a company located in Burbank, CA and/or Lake Buena Vista, FL.

 

5. Buy the Theme Park parcel with the Burbank/Lake Buena Vista company and then start rumors about Disney buying it and opening a park.

 

6. Go to the local government and ask for road improvements along the highway's and future main roads for the new Theme Park.

 

7. Sell your land along the Highway's and future main roads to developers at a huge profit.

 

8. Sell parts of the Theme Park parcel to rubes who think they are buying land Disney want's.

[thrillrideseeker]

If this news would have came any sooner I would be overly happy! But since I am moving to Florida for Walt Disney World, it really does not affect me. Although I think it is awesome that Disney is finally building a new park! I bet Missouri is happy about it. I mean just think how many tourists will go to Missouri for the parks! I think this was a great decision on Disney's part!

~Matthew