New Sydney Theme Park Being Discussed

[bren79]

Whisperings in Macquarie Street about a new State Government working committee being formed in 2006 to investigate amusement park options for the Sydney area. Also interesting that the Premier last week had lunch with some execs from Disney that were over here on other business. Coincidence??? Who knows Will keep you informed if i hear any more.

[T-bone]

Coool. It's even better because Sydney is so close to Canberra, and I visit so often.

[bluman]

It may have been possible that the Premier was talking to Disney Film Ex's. OS Film production in NSW is down considerably. The Premier has also announced a new fund to atract OS Film investment in NSW.

[scott]

I don't think a Disney park is very likely for Aus, unless this is a dreamers thread

[Slick]

Dreamer's forum. Hence why I have an apostraphe you dolt.

[Richard]

If you're going to correct people, make sure you're correct yourself. At least come up with a way to be annoying that's actually original. The logical answer, and the one that came to mind for me when you mentioned the point about Disney officials would be the film industry, which is far more lucrative in the short term than theme parks and is an area that the NSW Government have invested considerable resources into.

[Gazza]

Hmm, the disney executives were probably just a co-incidence, but a comittee sounds cool. But I wont start getting my hopes up till they actually announce a project for real.

[DisneyDoll]

Although it would seem unlikely that Disney would build a park here in Sydney...it would be a dream come true for me if they did

[Adam]

We don't need Disney in Australia We have the next best thing..... Movie World! I have read many posts about Sydney getting a new theme park. I suppose most of these are just rumors?

[DisneyDoll]

Disney is in a league of it's own & you can hardly compare WBMW with a Disney park...c'mon now

[Gazza]

Yeah, we dont need Disney, but we dont need a lot other nice stuff either. These are both wants, therefore, we may not need disney, but we can sure as hell want it .

[zordmaker]

We don't need Disney in Australia

Hmm. Hasnt everyone forgotten.. the Lion King.... Guys, Disney has been here, in a big way... for several years now. ZordMaker

[DisneyDoll]

Yes I totally agree with you ZordMaker.....TLK has been a wonderful Disney stage show but like all shows, they run for a few seasons & go. Some may remember that Beauty & the Beast was also here aprox four years ago too. A Disney park would be a totally themed experience that's unparalleled in Australian theme parks today. They don't call it the " magic " kingdom for nothing. It's true that you generally won't find a lot of white knuckled rides at a Disney park but, that's NOT what they WERE all about. I say " were " because there has been a few additions over the last few years that enforce height restrictions. This kinda flies in the face of what Walt's vision was all about. I do however feel that the thrilling attractions like TOT & Rockin Rollercoaster etc ARE very well done. I guess I can enjoy them as much as the classic family attractions because, they have that sprinkle of Disney pixie dust on them No..we DON'T need a Disneyland Australia, but boy it would be cool

[T-bone]

More like a Want, not a need.

[nev]

On the contrary Diannasauraus, Disney will maintain a presence long after the Lion King closes in Sydney. Apart from the show moving to Melbourne, Disney actually own the deeds to the Captiol Theatre in Sydney for at least the next 6 years, and the current plan as I understand it is to stage another Disney production before the end of that period. Of course, the Disney group that produces stage shows is not the same group who go and build theme parks, just as they aren't the same ones who build those overpriced Disney stores! But Disney has been and will continue to have a strong presence in Australia - at the very least in the entertainment industry.

[DisneyDoll]

Well you know Nev, considering THIS discussion is really about a possible theme park being built here, I don't see how Disney's ongoing interest in the Capitol theatre is a really valid point. Stage shows are a far cry from a theme park & I don't know about you, but seeing TLK twice was plenty for me. Where as if it was a park I would certainly go more than twice over an 18 month period. Just so you know those overpriced Disney Stores you mentioned? They closed in Australia more than a year ago after Michael Eisner decided to down size &... what THAT had to do with a theme park being built here also baffles me. BTW, the Disney name IS associated with quality Nev, & quality usually comes at a premium price

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

the Disney Stores being closed in Australia is a shame, but may have been a necessary cost cutting excercise at the time. Disney has had a huge presence in Australia (in sydney anyway) and this may be a way for them to test out the waterstheir brand before they build... (theory?). There have been numerous Disney On Ice Spectaculars (I remember the theme song to Mickey's Diamond Jubilee), The Lion King and before that was Beauty and the Beast... Disney are showing a lot more interest in whats happening down under than they did 10-15 years ago. Would it be great if Disney did build a theme park in Aus? Hell Yeah. Am i holding my breath? Not Likely. Can it be done? Most Definitely. Particularly if Disney chooses NSW to build on, they will have almost exclusive local rights, whereas QLD, they would have to share their market with closely positioned rivals with a better foothold. I think if they were to build, NSW would be the one, close to Sydney, but far enough away that they can own enough land for their expansions, and not have dingy shops pop up right next door (as with Disneyland Anaheim). Also, Building in Sydney would bring a lot more of the tourism base that would ordinarily skip straight up to queensland... making the tourism industry in QLD a little tougher, and a heck of a lot more competitive, which means only one thing - more attractions from all parks to compete with each other - something Wonderland fell down on.... and since Wonderland is out of th epicture now, Disney has a clean canvas to work with.... *fingers crossed*

[DisneyDoll]

Exactly right AlexB, well said

[Gazza]

If a Disney park were to open here, it would probably end up being much smaller than a regular Disney park to make up for the fact there would be lower visitor rates than the other Disney parks. Another possiblity could be Disneys Australian Adventure, which would be a similar idea to Disneys California Adventure, I am well aware that DCA isnt as good as the other disney parks, but it is still better than what we have to offer here. But i think any sort of park with the Disney name would probably do well here, no matter how small since many people dream of "taking the kids to disneyland" and with the opportunity to do it here, they would jump on it.

[DisneyDoll]

I would hope that if they did build a park here ( & let's NOT swing by our necks waiting ) it would be in line with the other parks built around the world. The " Magic Kingdoms " Are Disney's signature parks. All those other parks such as DCA, Disney Studio's etc are all basically additions to the existing formula. Out of those additional parks, the only one IMHO that holds it's own in TDS...this awesome park has to be seen to be believed. Other than that I doubt that any of the others could hold their own alone. Yes, it IS very possible that a park for Australia would be scaled back accordingly however it would grow with time & would blitz everything in it's way. Can you just imagine the competition between WBMW, DW & Disneyland??? There would be new rides going into those other parks SO fast your head would spin LOL

[bigglesworth003]

On the contrary Diannasauraus, Disney will maintain a presence long after the Lion King closes in Sydney. Apart from the show moving to Melbourne, Disney actually own the deeds to the Captiol Theatre in Sydney for at least the next 6 years, and the current plan as I understand it is to stage another Disney production before the end of that period.  Of course, the Disney group that produces stage shows is not the same group who go and build theme parks, just as they aren't the same ones who build those overpriced Disney stores! But Disney has been and will continue to have a strong presence in Australia - at the very least in the entertainment industry.

My bet is that you will next see Mary Poppins in the Capitol, as it just opened in london. especially if they got it for the next 6 years they are going to want to make money off it!!

[nev]

Hi Bigglesworth, That's what I have heard too. The plan is for AusOpera to use the venue during the Opera House rennovations for the next two years or so, and then for a new show - quite possibly Mary Poppins - to go in after that. Diannasaurus, I just made the point after you said that Disney stage shows come and go - just wanted to point out that Disney has long term interests in Australia that exceed shows just passing through. The fact that Disney have invested a lot of time and money in bringing shows such as the Lion King and Beauty and the Beast to Australia is extremely significant as it shows that the company is developing an interest in our local market and that they recognise Australia as a commercially viable location to mount an operation. While this may not appear to have any direct effect on the construction of a theme park, it does show that Disney do have a commercial interest in the country that has been growing over time. My point is that their recent Australian investments show that Disney takes Australia seriously, to the point where the Australian incarnation of the Lion King will leave Australia with a predominantly Australian cast and crew after its Melbourne (and possibly Brisbane) seasons to tour South East Asia. The fact that Disney have chosen to base this tour from Australia highlights their commercial interest in the country, and as I said, while that doesn't mean a Disneyland will be created here, is still very relevant to the topic which has been exploring the possibility of linking Disney's recent Australian involvement with the construction of a new theme park.

[Whombex]

I too cannot see a Disney Park in Australia. Establishment cost for a whole new (DISNEY) Park are probably immense, even for a 'smaller' park. Recovering those costs would require a huge turnover, greater than what could be supplied from the greater Sydney area and Tourists. This is just an impression I have. Maybe they could do it cheaper, or have a huge attendace rate in its first few years... There is a great opportunity to grab the Greater Sydney theme park market. But I couldn't see Disney doing it. They would have other (ie greater populated/potential for greater visitor numbers) places to go before Australia. IMO My other thoughts, after reading Diannasaurus's post, would be that a Disney Park, even if located in another State, could be quite aggressive in its attempts at capturing a good slice of the market. WBMW/SW/W&W are backed by their foriegn owner. Dreamworld's owner, Maquarie, could find the fight too tough and sell DW, or even worse, be forced to close if their attempts at keeping guests (IE tens of millions of dollars in rides and most likley better THEMING) fail.

I would hope that if they did build a park here ( & let's NOT swing by our necks waiting ) it would be in line with the other parks built around the world. The " Magic Kingdoms " Are Disney's signature parks. All those other parks such as DCA, Disney Studio's etc are all basically additions to the existing formula. Out of those additional parks, the only one IMHO that holds it's own in TDS...this awesome park has to be seen to be believed. Other than that I doubt that any of the others could hold their own alone. Yes, it IS very possible that a park for Australia would be scaled back accordingly however it would grow with time & would blitz everything in it's way. Can you just imagine the competition between WBMW, DW & Disneyland??? There would be new rides going into those other parks SO fast your head would spin LOL

[Nebuchanezzar]

Disney park in Australia, I like it. It's gonna be several years before I'll be able to travel overseas, so this would make life a lot more enjoyable for young Jim! But uh, I'm not gonna get too excited over a mere luncheon involving the premier and some Disney executives.

[Gazza]

Well, KBF and SFMM have little themeing compared to Disney, but they survive.