Get ready.. Disney's Islands of Adventure

The giant corperation Disney is rumored to be very interested in the Universal theme parks around the world in the event of a sale from Vivdendi the parent company, with the stock plummeting today, the CEO hinted at the theme parks going. If you have been on any Disney fan sites latly, this has been a widly disscussed happening. The popular opinion of what and should happen is keeping the parks exactly the same, but changing the name like Disney's Island's of Adventure and Disney's Universal Orlando. The same for the other 3 Universal's around the world. But Vivendi would probibly keep the Hollywood park, sence that place is not a theme park but a working studio/theme park. The sale is eveident, and will this happen? Maybe.

If you wrestling fans remember WCW vs WWF battels, people always wondered what if they got together?? Well who would of thought the WWF ( now WWE) would by all of WCW, when they went down the toilet and Time Warner wanted to sell. Disney will get these places for a bargain to, I bet for MAYBE 3-4 billion, just consider IOA cost 2 billion alone. Disney corperation loves to by and expand, just look at all the television networks they own. For now, this is a rumor, and if more of a what if? But it's possible.

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See THE ULTIMATE in Orlando TR'S! Right now in the TR fourm!

God Forbid...

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Thank You for challenging TOS: The Ride. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day, here at SFCB.

I have nothing against Disney parks but ,please Noooooooo. My favorite thing about USF and IOA is they are a relief from the constant barage of everything Disney. It's hard to find that in the Orlando area.The first step would probably be hidden mickey images so it won't feel strange when later the actual characters begin to invade.

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The countdown to gaydays 2003 at Disney and Universal has begun.

Then we always have Universal Studio Port Aventura...

IOA and universal are the two thrilll parks of Orlando. Who wants to see Mickey walking around there?

why is this fourm not locked, this is a rumor not fact

Well we all know that USF is the "teen and young adult" parks whereas the Disney parks are the "young child and parents with young children" park. Disney has always wanted a way to cater to the older middle group and by buying the Universal parks they would be able to accomplish this. If they keep the themes the same (which would be smart), then they could capatilize on the target group that they lack the most in.

Now comes the difficult part, IF they do buy the parks, USF is sort of the same thing as DSF (Disney-MGM). DO they A) take rides from one and combine them into one large park? B) Continue to have the two seperate parks even though they are the same theme? C) Retheme one to something else (IMHO that would be the DSF if that occured).

I just hope that if this does happen that it will happen before Spring Break, since I am going to Orlando this year. :) Also I hope the flex ticket will still be in affect only now include the Disney parks as well (not just Busch and Universal).

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SWOOSH
http://www.themeparksonline.org
(In cyberspace no one can hear you scream)

The only way Disney buys Universal's parks is if they buy ALL of the Universal movie-related assets. It wouldn't make sense for Disney to take over the parks set up to hype movies, most in the Universal catalog.

Disney HAS said it is interested in some of Vivendi's assets and Vivendi HAS said that it will have to sell $10 billion in assets (that part is NOT rumour) but everybody knows that Disney's interest is pretty much limited to the Houghton Mifflin publishing arm and possibly the Universal Music division -- areas in which Disney is weak.

If the price is right, anything is possible, but Disney is not really in a position to be cutting checks to a company that is only interested in cash (not stock) deals.

So, it might happen, but it is highly unlikely.

Don't you think it sounds strange to sell the florida parks now when they are adding new rides for 2003/4 in both parks. When i have read in the news section that the Vivendi Universal has lost very much in the european market i think that if Universal will sell a park it'll be the park in spain. Port Aventura hasn't got anything major but Templo del Fuego, not a bad ride but it's not really a big and unique thing, for the last years and what i've heard nothing big for the future either.

Also the theme wouldn't be so much different from the Disney themes so a convertion wouldn't cost that much either. They have the infrastructure and 2 new hotels and a waterpark.

My bet, if Universal will sell one of their parks it'll be Port Aventura.

Well it looks as if the company is goin down the tubes but i think it would be much more interesting to see busch buy the park, then it would be an even four on four battle of central florida.

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Track Record: 142 and counting.....

Disney doesnt deserve IoA and USF. Disney and universal do things completely different, and IMO, IoA is WAY better than disney. i even got the impression that the top ride for the non-coaster riders in my family was spiderman at IoA. Disney will throw in all that disney character stuff and the induviduality of IoA will be lost.

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#1-MF #2-S:RoS #3-WT

Disney will not be able to buy the parks, they will be too expensive for the company to purchase at this stage. Even though the parks will be bargain-priced I'm sure, they won't be able to even consider this when their stock prices are at an all-time low and their credit rating is looking to be downgraded by Moody's and S&P both. Plus, Dreamworks has been rumored to be interested in the theme-park business for awhile, and with Spielberg's close ties to Universal and in particular, IoA, I doubt they would even let Disney get close to purchasing the Universal parks. Just my two cents, but don't look for Disney to purchase these parks any time soon or at all.

djhush said:
why is this fourm not locked, this is a rumor not fact

djhush, it is fact that Vivendi's stock is in the toilet, and it is well-known that Disney is looking at Universal....doesn't mean the Mouse will take over IoA/USF, but it is a possibility.....let's let the mods moderate, OK.....

P.S. If it gets the "very unusual driving machines" up and running, or if it gets me that long-awaited ride on PF, I'm all for it...

*** This post was edited by rollergator on 8/17/2002. ***

Hmm... This exact same topic is on Theme Park Insider.

Well, due to the finacial condition of Disney, this would be an almost impossible move. It would definatley throw the company into Money Hell.

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"The fish are eating the guest, sir

Although I would prefer the Universal Parks to fall under someone other than Disney, it would not be impossible for Disney to run them (if they could come up with enough $$$ to purchase them....which seems very unlikely right now) But then again, who thought Premier would buy Six Flags and get the WB movie and animation rights?

Disney's cash problem is that they are too reliant on the movie/ABC side of the business. They have not had the huge success they had in the past with new movies. Give them another "Lion King", "Little Mermaid", and "Aladdin" (I am not referring to sequels to these, we all saw how well Lion King 2 and Little Mermaid 2 did finacially)and maybe they could generate the cash Vivendi is seeking. I purposely did not mention Toy Story due to the continuing saga between Dreamworks and Disney's top brass. How many more movies does Disney get to share with Dreamworks? Last update in the news I saw was 2.

Sorry for the offtrack thought...Disney could run the parks the same as they are now..thrill parks, but then again, their ego (and rightfully theirs) could produce some changes.

I could not see Cedar Fair or Six Flags come up with the money. SF is already debt heavy and CF, although profitible, doesn't have that high of a cash pile, nor could I see them borrow that much. They like to expand one park at a time...which I like, it helps eliminate the "red headed stepchild" situation. I can see your responses now, that CF treats MA, VF and WOF that way, but they really don't. MA is too new to compare, but WOF and Dorney always get something new every year (if you include the waterparks as well). VF on the other hand doesn't always get capital, but I don't think that is bc they consider the park inferior. Their attendence has remained steady while not adding anything, Why spend money to fix something that ain't broke?

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wof fan

Matt, good post. Just wanted to point out that it isn't Dreamworks, but, rather Pixar, that is the 50/50 deal with Disney. And it's actually three pictures to be put out over the next three years (Finding Nemo next year, The Incredibles in 2004 and Cars in 2005) that remain on the deal with Disney. However, Disney does can move ahead on sequels which Pixar has the right of first refusal on.

Thank you for correcting me Paris, I was thinking Pixar but wrote Dreamworks. I had just finished reading an article about dreamworks.

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wof fan

You say that they would leave USH since it is a real studio but so is Universal Orlando.

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"Grit your teeth, bear the load. Enjoy your ride on Thunder Road"

Universal Orlando has gone away from that concept, I believe rarely they'll film somthing their becuase talent lives in Hollywood. MGM at Disney is now also barely a working studio, in fact one of the last commercials filmed at Universal was a WDW one!!

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See THE ULTIMATE in Orlando TR'S! Right now in the TR fourm!

I know Nickelodeon films there(USF) every single day. Also, the tv show Sheena is filmed at MGM.