new disney theme park???

[jenjen212]

Today, I went to a disney store to exchange an item for a different size for my godson. There was a regional manager there talking to the store manager at the front desk. my dh loves getting into disney "shop talk" with them.

She was telling us that she owns alot of shares in disney, and that she recently found out about a new theme park that disney is putting in the works to build, called "Villian Kingdom". They are projecting it to open in the next few years.

She said that they want to draw back the market of guests that enjoy going to "Islands of Adventure" for the roller coasters. That this park would be mainly roller coasters, each one with a villian theme. Like a Jaffar vs Genie ride (I am imagining something like the dueling dragons??), an Ursala water-based roller coaster, Cruella Devile ride, etc.

i can just imagine the type of characters that they could use for this... i thought that this was a wonderful idea, and that it would bring so much more people back to the parks that tend to want to only ride the roller coasters from IOA.

what do you think of this? Has anyone else heard about this too?

hey maybe this is where they could put back the Villain character meal???

I already can't wait to go to it!!

jen

 

[SpideyHulk24]

There has been alot of talk about this....but I don't think Disney will do it anytime soon. Based on the economy and the way things are just getting back to normal I would think they want all the parks to be full all the time before building another one. I would love that type of park. I am not crazy about the villains, but it sure would be cool!

 

[MyGoofy26]

I heard a new rumor a few months ago. I live in WV, and my uncle was telling me that one of his buddies was telling him that his wife came home (she works in the office of a stone quarry) and said that they'd been on the phone with reps from Disney and that they were considering buying up some property in an area that a lot of recent big development has just started to build a water park.

I haven't heard anything else about it, and I don't know if it was one of the many companies that fall under the Disney umbrella. *shrug* Who knows? Now sure why they'd build here, although there have been rumors for years of Disney wanting to expand further north on the east coast. They could certainly buy property cheap here.

Carrie

 

[The4OfUs]

I wonder if this might fit in anywhere:

http://www.thebooksofabarat.com/content4/xbarat99.html

Disney bought the rights to Clive Barker's "kid" book Arabat - the movie AND theme park rights. Great book, could be cool to fit into something like that.

(click on "The movie", the last icon on the left side)

 

[Ducky4Disney]

If Disney is listening - BUILD THE VILLIAN PARK! I will go over, and over, and over! That would be SO awesome! I'm excited and it's only a rumor!

Go Villians!

D4D

 

[leighe]

I think that a thrill ride park with a Villans theme would be sooooooo cool. But hasn't there always been a rumor floating around about a Villans park? I don't think Disney would build a new park right now with AK like it is.

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by leighe
.... I don't think Disney would build a new park right now with AK like it is.

I agree.....although I would love another park, I think they need to concentrate on expanding attractions at AK....we don't plan to go to AK for quite a few years b/c we are waiting for more attractions to be built/put in......

 

[wdwprncess77]

There has been talk of this park since AK opened. Right after AK opened was when we started to see more Villains merchandise, and Villains shop and so on. Disney was testing guest response to the theme of this. I personally think villains are a hit. A villains park would also get the teen market more excited about going to Disney instead of the "i'm too cool for cartoons" attitude. Maybe someday we'll get this park.....i get so excited just thinking about it.

 

[PneumaticTransit]

I agree, it's a great idea... but it has been circling the rumor drain for a long long time. Disney is struggling to bring attendance up and AK, and haven't even announced when they will finish the other half of Pop Century. They were supposed to open both Classic & Legend at the same time, but if anyone has visited Pop Century and seen those 3 empty shells of buildings across the lake... In my opinion, but the time they get around to finishing the resort they will have to redo them costing even MORE money. And not to mention (but I will ) the huge debt the company faces with Disneyland Paris. Disney will have to finish what they've started before they even CONSIDER opening a new park in Orlando. There is no evidence to believe that this will ever be more than a concept (at least not within the next 10 years).

Still, it's a great idea, but I don't think it's what Walt invisioned for his *family friendly* theme parks. Disney is on the right track with Tower or Terror, RnRC, Mission:Space, and building a new e-ticket attraction at Animal Kingdom. That way we still have a family friendly park that appeals to more mature crowds.
Lets face it: Disney and Universal are nothing alike. They are two seperate experiences - it would be best to keep it that way.

 

[tjkraz]

Before they can even build a single ride, a new theme park requires hundreds of millions of dollars worth of infrastructure: ground prep, utilities, restaurants, gift shops, guest services, security, parking, etc....

I hope everyone would agree that this money is much better spent to enhance either DS or DAK. Heck, even Future World could use a little work given the sorry state of The Living Seas and closing of Wonders of Life.

I'd love to see another "street" added to DS, another "land" at DAK (Beastly Kingdom?), another country in the World Showcase and even a new pavilion or two in Future World. No reason to make me get on ANOTHER bus to ANOTHER theme park when they've already got two parks that many folks can get through in 1/2 day during the slower seasons.

 

[swilphil]

Since they had a Villian character breakfast and discontinued it, doesn't that signal that they have dropped the idea? They also are putting in some new thrill rides: Soarin' and the AK roller coaster. With the economy, the leadership and the profits in question, I don't see a new theme park any time soon.

I am looking forward to the new Incredibles movie, and perhaps a ride or character breakfast to go with it. I hope since it's a Pixar they aren't going to shy away from that. The boys really do need something.

 

[jenjen212]

i think that anything that disney would build would maintain that "Disney Magic". even if it were with the villains from it's movies. i don't think that this would be done in distaste at all. plus, it is something that not just the teens would love...

jen

 

[JCTigger]

We use to hear all sorts of rumors like this when I worked at disney.... for instance that the villian kingdom will be just like the magic kingdom except all thrill rides which is what disney is lacking compared to all other theme parks so they loose a lot of business to that.... also there are 2 roller coasters that they are thinking about putting in the magic kingdom one called fire mountain in adventureland which would be like the matterhorn except bigger and thrillier and the other in liberty square on the water next to the haunted mansion based on the flying dutchman stories.... also there has been talk about converting space mountain in to an inverted coaster like in disney paris
and they have also talked about in epcot putting the matterhorn mountain in at norway as well as making a new water park next to the wide world of sports with a can you guess the theme? if you guessed sports give yourself a cookie cause you are correct.... at the moment those are the only things i can remember being talked about....
~Jill

 

[Aquagirl]

My WDW CM friend and CM hubby said that the villian park was proposed, but rejected a couple of years ago. Maybe they will rethink it in the future.

 

[DrTomorrow]

I heard the same story, except the guy escaped from an insane asylum, not a county jail.

As much fun as this "new park" sounds, I'd much rather that they put some $$$ back into the existing parks. DAK still seems a bit sparse (yes, "Everest" should help), DS could use some freshening up (make some use of Superstar TV & Monster Sound; heck, add a new 'land'), TL at MK needs some excitement, and FW at EPCOT is tres weak.

A fifth park is a nice idea, but I'd hate to see it built on the crumbling remains of the first four....

 

[jenjen212]

i know that disney does have some things to do before they could begin building something like this...

anyone know when they should finished with the completion of Animal Kingdom???

jen