Yes, I know that this whole discussion has been talked about many times that that like 13 years ago they considered it but felt that Branson's road system couldn't handle it. Well I have a good buddy that works at Chase here in Springfield and since Disney owns them once a year they have a Disney rep come and talk about vacations and employee discounts to Disney owned places. Well my buddy asked him straight out why the park fell through so many years ago. Long story short the guy said they did an assessment and the roads in Branson just weren't big enough to handle the traffic. Well fast forward to now and Branson has spent the better part of the last decade improving the roads a lot. The Disney rep said that they actually already have the land bought for the park and have very recently deemed the roads now acceptable. It should be announced in the next year when construction will begin.
Even though Disney now knows they're building the park they're keeping it on the down low because as soon as they publicly announce it all the land around the park will immediately be bought by developers for hotels, restaurants..ect and the price of the adjacent land will immediately go up. I'm assuming they want to buy that land for cheaper before the announcement. Not saying this will happen but the estimate is construction will start sometime in 2014. My friend is very reliable and I trust him fully that this information from the Disney rep is legit. You can believe this or not but it's interesting to think about.
When Disney begins building a theme park in Branson, I will buy everyone here their hearts desires at SDC. HEARTS DESIRES.
Same thing runs rampant in East Tennessee. If anything, they'll build timeshare resorts with heavy Disney Theming and go from there.
Disney owns Chase? I thought JPMorgan & Co owned it. Or is it that Disney has tie-ins with the Chase card?
I dunno. I just don't see Disney choosing Branson as a location for a park. I just don't think it's a large enough city. I can see them going to Kansas City before Branson.
as many other promises..... we will have to see if anything tranpsires from this info... long time until 2014..
But hey!! thanks for the info underdog!!
I am part of the Attractions Line of Business AT DISNEY....this is bogus.
I would guess the underdog's friend was given the "sales pitch" by the disney rep.. If nothing else to make sure there name stayed in local branson discussions.. ;D
no harm....no foul.
I would think this could be checked out by searching Taney and Stone County assessors records. They are public records.
Quote from: Gilligan on July 17, 2012, 07:55:37 PM
I would think this could be checked out by searching Taney and Stone County assessors records. They are public records.
A good idea, but if they have acquired any property it's probably not going to be listed as Disney, WDW, WD Holdings or anything that obvious. Even now most of the SDC land is listed on the plat map as belonging to College of the Ozarks. or some church I can't remember the name of right now.
After reading this yesterday I had a dream last night in which I saw a commercial on TV for Disney's new park in Branson: James River Castle. :-\ ??? I wish I had normal dreams....
Quote from: thelarsonsix on July 17, 2012, 09:52:19 PM
Quote from: Gilligan on July 17, 2012, 07:55:37 PM
I would think this could be checked out by searching Taney and Stone County assessors records. They are public records.
A good idea, but if they have acquired any property it's probably not going to be listed as Disney, WDW, WD Holdings or anything that obvious. Even now most of the SDC land is listed on the plat map as belonging to College of the Ozarks. or some church I can't remember the name of right now.
Larson, that's a very good thought! I hadn't thought about that. But, seriously? SDC has land holdings under College of the Ozarks? What would be the advantage of that? Tax exempt land? Very interesting -
Quote from: betamike on July 17, 2012, 06:39:46 PM
I am part of the Attractions Line of Business AT DISNEY....this is bogus.
THATS WHAT "THEY" WANT YOU TO THINK!! Lol, I knew it was a long shot but the story sounded somewhat legit. Fun to think about.
The Lynch Sisters left some of the land around the cave to College of the Ozarks as an endowment. They also left some of the property to their church, I believe a Presbyterian or Episcoplian church that is in downtown Branson. I think it is the same church that Jack and Pete and families attend. I believe there was a move by HFC to purchase the land from the church back in the early 1990s. I think the price was $1 million. I once thought that the offer was accepted, but others on this site over the last few years inform me it was not accepted. HFC owns hundreds, maybe even over a couple of thousand acres around the cave, but not the land that the college/church have. Since Marvel Cave was the principal attraction in the early days, and since it is a vital part of SDC today, it would be silly for any of the three...SDC, the church or the college, to change anything. It is a strong economic advantage for all three to keep things as they are for years to come. I hope they do. The Lynch sisters can rest at Evergreen Cemetery nearby knowing all is well today, all these years later. The Herschends and the company they founded ain't hurtin' and neither is the college or the church. Everybody is happy. ;D
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The Disney in Branson rumors have surfaced every few years. I remember a rumor Disney was going to buy SDC and make SDC the Frontierland section of a new Disney Magic Kingdom/Disneyland. It was BS then, and it likely is a BS rumor now. I have to side with BetaMike on this one. BetaMike is a highly esteemed member of this site, and, like me, he is a former SDC "citizen." If he says it, I believe it. If later we find out he was covering up to protect the company interests he works for now, well, he's blown all credibility with us here. I don't think that is the case. I trust BetaMike on this one, and I think everyone else should to. ;D
Hahaha! Thanks for the pitch Junior. If this were the early 90's in Branson's "Boom" then we might be talking a different story. ;) (thus the origin of all those rumors that won't die). YES, they have looked at it, and just like Wal-Mart, Disney is buying land smartly all over for revenue purposes so they can sell it later...and who knows, maybe build. They're too big not to dabble in real estate.
If anything, look for smaller Disney investments around the country in the form of something like Adventures by Disney that give local heritage vacation packages of the area they come into. Great product and brand that Adventures by Disney has, but another "gate" is dead in the water.
Quote from: betamike on July 18, 2012, 06:25:17 PM
Hahaha! Thanks for the pitch Junior. If this were the early 90's in Branson's "Boom" then we might be talking a different story. ;) (thus the origin of all those rumors that won't die).
I'm no Disney insider, but I suspect they're savvy enough to
not buy during a boom. Disney is a big dog: they buy low and
create a boom.
Hmmm, yeah, while I can't see a full-blown Disney park in Branson, I could totally see them doing something there with Adventures by Disney.
Man, it's hard to see something on a grand scale that folks think of when the name Disney that is feasible for a year around operation in Mid America.
Betamike, has Disney studied plans of themed resorts like Great Wolf Lodge or The Wilderness in the Smokies that would also serve their timeshare/ Vacation Club operation without diminishing the attractiveness of their destination parks.
I wouldn't know the lodging line of business priorities, but they are certainly about creating intuitive and integrated styles that blend with the culture and landscape. Aulani in Hawaii is our first off site Disney Vacation Club property so look for more Disney experiences like that which give you a resort atmosphere, but utilize the natural surroundings at the "attraction"
Aulani looks amazing.
I would be SO up for an Aulani-scale Disney resort in or near Branson. My friends and I camped at Fort Wilderness last year, and I loved it SOOOOO much. Every evening felt like I was coming home. I feel like if we hadn't done any of the parks, we still could have had a fun-filled week just hanging at the resort!
I go there sometimes after work just to walk or bike around the place. I agree. It reminds me so much of the old days of the Silver Dollar City Campground.
I've given this some fleeting thought to this and it's not to very serious but a spit balling what if.
A year round Disney presence in Branson keeping with the tradition it being a theater/live performance town.
Disney Resort. A place that caters to both the public and the Disney time share arm that offers amenities like a very large indoor water park as well as an outdoor one. All themed to the old style, think the old water park down in FLA.
movie theaters that show Disney classics free to lodge guests.
Part of the resort would be a state of the art theater that would host the rotating traveling shows that Disney tours with every year as well as stage shows.
Examples include current shows like this:
Disney on Ice
Phineas and Ferb
Loin King
Mary Poppins
as well as concerts from their young musical stars before they go ballistic.
Think Spears, Cyrus, Jonas Bros. Selena Gomez
They have tons to keep it booked and busy and they could put on a great Christmas show
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRskiVmIt4wIREHCj22ai_nednEFJfW0SHYysaHHtedufm8ytER)
the resort could offer outdoor activities like a circular man made stream for floating, adventure courses and a very shallow pond that would double as a ice skating rink in the winter.
If they wanted a small scale theme park, an indoor one like the ones that are being developed in Asia instead of a fullscale hundreds of acreas outdoor park, Themed around a disney carnival
Here's a Transsomething park in Asia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hT3RSXI0qE
Oh wow. That Trans Studio Bandung looks AWESOME!
An indoor Disney theme park would be a *literal* dream come true; ever since I first visited Disneyland at age 4, I've had a recurring dream of a giant Disney castle out in the middle of nowhere that housed an entire park inside.
And I don't think having a park in the Midwest is necessarily going to get in the way of operations, weather-wise. I mean, Disneyland Paris operates year-round, even when it snows and stuff.
wonder if it would drag some'a the crowd away at SDC.. ???
Quote from: How-doFolks on July 20, 2012, 04:57:12 PM
wonder if it would drag some'a the crowd away at SDC.. ???
No, it would help. It would bring in more folks to the region.
Like I said, not a big outdoor theme park to start but an inclosed structure. I love the mingling of rides tht intertwine and interact with each other and you are starting to see that alot during to space constraints of existing parks and indoor theme parks. The only thing that compares in the US is the Nick themed indoor park at Mall of America in Minny.
Another idea of mine that I knock around when it's slow and My job is such that I write cnc programs for one off or small run lathe and mill work and then set up and run it with some parts taking a whole day to complete and I just set there and listen for loud noises (which would be bad) until it's done. All the while I have a unused marketed degree hanging on the wall. I've milled the first resin models of many of the wheels you see on the road that's OEM equipment.
Back to the other idea, an Adventure Park with indoor and outdoor elements that bring rock climbing, caving, rafting/Kayaking, ropes courses, zip line course and snowboarding/sking. With a lodge and anemities like a cafe and such located on the grounds
My inspiration for this is that many caves are tourist traps now and there's no sense of exploring and discovering on your own. I'm sad that the caves at Devils Den and many others are now off limits due to protecting the bats from fungus. I'm glad my childern got to explore on their own before this happened but my nieces missed out. Several companies are making cave courses at all different levels, I've seen them as part of structure to build incredible, realistic rock climbing courses.
There are few man made river courses suitable for actual real life like rafting and kayaking. There's only 10 or so. Here's the one that got my interest.
Wisp Resort's man made river
(http://www.deepcreek2014.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ASCI-from-above-440x150.jpg)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/ASCI_Raft_Drop.jpg/300px-ASCI_Raft_Drop.jpg)
More info: http://www.adventuresportscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=2
and
http://usnwc.org/
A snowflex facility like Liberty University installed that I've previously posted
(http://www.skirebel.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/libertyusnowflex-slope.jpg%3Cbr%20/%3E+)
more info:
http://www.liberty.edu/snowflex/
All offerings would have the ability to serve children to adults and offering things that have year round aspects as well as some seasonal. It could host events and competitions.
but, maybe everyone would be going to this new place instead of SDC. be fine with me, less people at SDC. thats just the way i look at it.
Quote from: How-doFolks on July 20, 2012, 10:28:12 PM
but, maybe everyone would be going to this new place instead of SDC. be fine with me, less people at SDC. thats just the way i look at it.
Nah, just more to do, making Branson more appealing and attractive to a broader range of folks.
Yeah, I really do think Branson needs a bit more variety. Celebration City could have offered that, but it just didn't stay open late enough at night. If you're gonna tout yourself as a "nighttime" park, make it actually be really night when you close for the day.
Variety is the spice of life. I know plenty of people who check out both Disney and Universal when they take their vacations to CA and FL. The two rival companies thrive off each other.
Someone stated Aulani was the first offsite DVC property. What about Hilton Head and Vero Beach?
I could definitely see them doing something like that in Branson. Or Great Wolf building a resort. Hard to sustain either when the area is very slow for 3 months a year. If you look at the places they have built, it's places with year round population/visitors.
Quote from: misskim on July 22, 2012, 05:52:59 PM
Someone stated Aulani was the first offsite DVC property. What about Hilton Head and Vero Beach?
I could definitely see them doing something like that in Branson. Or Great Wolf building a resort. Hard to sustain either when the area is very slow for 3 months a year. If you look at the places they have built, it's places with year round population/visitors.
That's just it, It shouldn't be. Cabin Fever. We always end up going someplace in Jan or Feb for a weekend. That place has been Splash Country, and recently Great Wolf Lodge to pretend it's summer. That's why I said it should have a substantial weatherproof aspect to it.
Think Gaylord's Opryland Hotel in Nashville with those atriums only in this case one is Epcot-esque with fine restuarants and such . Kinda like this:
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3101/2396970109_7562979259.jpg)
and one a water wonderland liek the ones you see at Great Wolf Lodge or the places around Wisconsin Dells and the The Wilderness in the Smokies and one an indoor Disney Carnival the atmosphere of Downtown Disney but with rides. Bright and flashy.
We usually hit Splash Country in the winter also. You can get some great deals in Jan/Feb. and even though most shows are closed Grand Country still has theirs. It's also nice to pull out on 76 and make a left turn or drive from 376 to downtown without stopping. ;D
True or not, if it ever does happen, I fear for SDC. Disney is way more popular and I'd be afraid SDC would lose all the guests...
I am obsessed (I mean, obsessed) with Disney, but I don't want a theme park in Branson. And knowing my family, they'd rather spend their time with Disney and I'd have to sneak away to SDC...
i agree with ya tiff, thats what i was tryin' to say earlier in this topic. ya never know....
Quote from: tiffanylynnt on July 24, 2012, 10:36:34 PM
True or not, if it ever does happen, I fear for SDC. Disney is way more popular and I'd be afraid SDC would lose all the guests...
I am obsessed (I mean, obsessed) with Disney, but I don't want a theme park in Branson. And knowing my family, they'd rather spend their time with Disney and I'd have to sneak away to SDC...
I believe it would increase length of stay and frequency of visits and all would benefit. I think the type of Disney attraction we are just spitballing isn't a full fledged theme park and not remotely close to happening.