Home

[Owain]

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co is looking to build a theme park on a 500-acre (202-hectare) site in southern Malaysia, a business weekly reported on Saturday.

Citing unnamed sources, the Edge said the theme park, to be located in Bardar Nusajaya in the Iskandar development zone, would be ready six years after a deal was signed, according to early proposals.

The proposed Disneyland theme park and resort is slated to be bigger than Hong Kong Disneyland and about the size of Tokyo Disney Resort, it said.

The government unveiled a $105 billion blueprint late last year to transform the southern tip of Johor state, which neighbours Singapore, into a regional economic zone for industry, logistics, trade and leisure.

Although the talks with Disney are progressing fast, discussions with other theme park operators, including Warner Bros Entertainment and MGM, have not ceased, the Edge said.

"However, a deal with Walt Disney looks most promising as it has expressed its seriousness and has come out with specifications on its requirements," it quoted a source as saying.

If the talks with Disney are successful, a deal is expected to be signed by the middle of next year, it added.

//http://www.distantcreations.com/blog/2007/11/03/disney-park-12-in-malaysia/#more-2164

[dagobert]

They shouldn't built so many new parks, they are also thinking about a new park in Shanghai. Disney should spend the money on fixing the existing parks. In my opinion, there shouldn't be too much resorts, because disney is something special and I don't want the parks to be spread around like any other themeparks. This is just my opinion. How do you think about so many new parks in Asia. I know that Asia is big market, but there are already two resorts, one in China and one in Japan. It would be better to add new attractions to Hongkong Disneyland.

[Parkfisch]

They shouldn't even have built the Resort in Hong Kong. Like you said, Disney should remain something special. I hope there will never be a second Resort in Europe.

But I really think that Australia should get a Disney Resort.

[Kristof]

I don't think there's anything wrong with a resort in Hong Kong.  It's the size of the current park that's a let down.  If they would have gone for the resort they had announced in 1999, it would have been really something to travel to the other side of the world for.

[Alpop]

Just think if they ploughed the money into DLRP they could pay off the debt and maybe they would start making profit. Surely the interest on the debt is eating a chunk of the profits.

[tubbsy]

I lived in SE Asia, actually at the very top of Malaysia in the very tiny, but rich country of Brunei. As a complete Disney addict this would have been amazing and we would have gone when we lived there. And Hong Kong isnt close to Malaysia. Its a four hour flight.

However...

There is rip off Disney merchandise all over Malaysia, so Disney would have to work really had with the government to get this under control. Pirate DVD's? Every other shop is a pirate DVD stockist selling Disney DVD's for $3:00-about 2 euros each!

There is a lot of Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Sesame Street stuff everywhere, bedding, clothing, toys.....

And yes, I love Disney, but when we went to Malaysia, and travelled to Bali and Indonesia we enjoyed the fact that we (read I!) couldnt get distracted by Disney theme parks. We saw a lot of the countries around us... Aaaaah! The memories!

If Disney are going to do it, they could think about buying out the Sultan of Bruneis Park (not that he needs anymore money!) but there is a Park called Jeradong, made up of rides the Sultans wives have bought him for his birthday. For a minimal fee the residents of Brunei can go there on certain nights to go on the rides. Its got a pretty good roller coaster and log flume. We've been and there was never a queue! Reminds me of the pictures we've seen of Hong Kong! :lol: