Disneyland Thailand in Hua Hin?

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Locturian
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Post by Locturian »

The understudy wrote: I'm still young and energetic but HH is kinda My Chill Mension to chill and let the worrld pass by for once without covering it!
Me too.

The problem is, you cannot bring in the vast amount of tourists to do this. I've read somewhere, that Thailand has 5 million tourists every year. That's "only" (I think too much! :D) a third of what the DisneyWorld would require to make a decent profit. It is - Simply not fesable that the tourist-entry to Thailand, would explode, just cause there's a Disneyworld here... If that were the case, why is HongKong not flodding with tourists from all over Asia? Disney has a strong brand, but not THAT strong... It's not a "live or die" thing ;) DisneyWorld is Too big for Thailand.... Allthough, I would like to see a (smaller) amusementpart with some rollercoasters in Thailand - Somewhere between Hua Hin and Bangkok.... :)
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Post by STEVE G »

I spent about an hour searching news sites for any development on this, and it seems that apart from Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi making an approach to Disney in October, nothing has happened since.
Apparently Disney Hong Kong is only running at about half capacity, so this isn’t any real desire for Asian expansion from that end.
Obviously he could go it alone and build a Thai theme park of his own, but I can’t see that being anywhere near as big as the real thing. I remember visiting the Orlando one in the eighties and the whole site literally stretches for miles in every direction.
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Post by DILLIGAF »

STEVE G wrote:Apparently Disney Hong Kong is only running at about half capacity, so this isn’t any real desire for Asian expansion from that end..
G'Day,

Shanghai / China will have a much bigger then Hong-Kong Disneyland ,most probably will open before the World Expo 2010....
regards & seeya!
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Post by The understudy »

Ahhh another disney Theme Park location in china? It doesn't seem fit to Disney strategy. both locations would fight each other like crazy. and one location would have to be eventually close.
To open one in southeast Asia away from Hong Kong would make perfect sense. As it is as far away to not clash with the Hong Kong location. But where ?
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Post by Locturian »

Is the world really big enough, for more of those GIGANTIC themeparks? We have to look at the markets - Sure, in the US it's a HUGE succes, cause going to Disneyworld is an experience, something that HAS to be done - Many middle/upper-class families goes to Disneyworld. But is the market the same in the rest of the world? Are the rest of the world willing to pay the money it costs for a weekend of fun? Now, just to clarify, Disneyworld IS very expensive. The entrance, the food, the rides, the hotels - EVERYTHING is expensive - Do we really have the same type/mass of consumers here in eastasia? I... just don't see it. Look at Disneyland Paris - There's a succes? Or... guess not - It barely stays open due to red figures at the bottomline every year...

No, to be honest, I don't think we'll be seing another Disneyworld over here - We can only support a small size park here - And well, the Americans (Disney) has to do things BIG :)

So, untill I see some "ferm" evidence, and not just second-hand rumors, I will sleep safely, in the happy dream that Hua Hin will forever be my run-away paradise by the sea....
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Post by DILLIGAF »

The understudy wrote:Ahhh another disney Theme Park location in china? It doesn't seem fit to Disney strategy. both locations would fight each other like crazy. and one location would have to be eventually close.
To open one in southeast Asia away from Hong Kong would make perfect sense. As it is as far away to not clash with the Hong Kong location. But where ?
Hong-Kong = Hong-Kong
Mainland China = Mainland China

they do not like each other very much... 2 countries = 10000 systems.

I am involved in importation / distribution / manufacturing of very premium food + beverage products in Mainland China since 1989 and we have some Disney F+B sole distribution / manufacturing rights in Mainland China..... need to say more?!
regards & seeya!
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Post by Norseman »

Maybe they don't like each other, but they're still one country.
Like it or not.
I intend to live forever - so far so good.
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Post by big jimmy »

Norseman wrote:Maybe they don't like each other, but they're still one country.
Like it or not.
Having lived in Hong Kong for 25 years I can assure you one country we are not...... The local Chinese in HK hate the mainlanders...Chinese they all may be and they are proud of that ..but one country they are not...most of the people here fled the Cultural Revolution and the communists and want nothing to do with the mainland...except make money from them...its the HK way...
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Post by STEVE G »

DILLIGAF wrote:
Shanghai / China will have a much bigger then Hong-Kong Disneyland ,most probably will open before the World Expo 2010...
Whilst a site has been prepared for this park, the central Chinese government has yet to agree to it; one of the stumbling blocks being that Disney want the right to broadcast Disney TV in China before they agree to the deal.
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Post by DILLIGAF »

STEVE G wrote: Whilst a site has been prepared for this park, the central Chinese government has yet to agree to it; one of the stumbling blocks being that Disney want the right to broadcast Disney TV in China before they agree to the deal.
Hmm... my son watches Disney Channel right now via satelite in Shanghai... as he does every day... they started DW construction already near Pudong airport in Shanghai...

news flash! Universal Studios to build Shanghai Theme Park....
regards & seeya!
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Post by STEVE G »

Hi Dilligaf, cheers for the information, they have obviously agreed on the TV rights. How big is this site? In a press release there was mention of 1.87 square miles, if that is the case we are obviously talking about something far smaller than the one in Orlando, which apparently covers 47 square miles. Obviously something smaller is going to have a much lower impact on the area, I’m not sure exactly how big the Hong Kong Park is, but I think it too is quite small in comparison.
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Post by DILLIGAF »

STEVE G wrote:Hi Dilligaf, cheers for the information, they have obviously agreed on the TV rights. How big is this site? In a press release there was mention of 1.87 square miles, if that is the case we are obviously talking about something far smaller than the one in Orlando, which apparently covers 47 square miles. Obviously something smaller is going to have a much lower impact on the area, I’m not sure exactly how big the Hong Kong Park is, but I think it too is quite small in comparison.
G'Day,

actually the current satellite signal comes from the Philipines and many people in bigger PRC cities buy 120+ USD$ satellite systems to watch foreign TV channels... signals coming from Thailand, Taiwan, Philipines, South Africa.... depends on your system set-up...

the HK DW is very small and everyone i know who went there was sort of dissapointed. have not been there yet but will in January as my family will join me for yet another business trip down south to HK.
regards & seeya!
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Post by The understudy »

DILLICAF if you go to the HW Disneyland resort which it has been offically called please give me a Lowndwon of how it feels like. Been here to the Disneyland in California and I can say it's very large in deed. an I guess they have enough room for expnsion overthere
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Post by Guess »

prcscct wrote:
Guess wrote:I have spoken to an employee of Disney who says that they have heard nothing about it at all except that mention of a site in Malaysia was mentioned about two years ago and then dropped.
Next time you talk to Mickey or Minnie, please get their autograph for me...LOL. Not picking on you tonight Guess, just in a good mood...amazing ain't it!. :cheers: Pete
Sorry to let you down Pete, I have only just seen this. My contact is Goofy. I have heard though that autographed pairs of Minnie's undies are on sale on EBay.
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Post by Guess »

The problem is, you cannot bring in the vast amount of tourists to do this. I've read somewhere, that Thailand has 5 million tourists every year. That's "only" (I think too much! :D) a third of what the DisneyWorld would require to make a decent profit. It is - Simply not fesable that the tourist-entry to Thailand, would explode, just cause there's a Disneyworld here... If that were the case, why is HongKong not flodding with tourists from all over Asia? Disney has a strong brand, but not THAT strong... It's not a "live or die" thing ;) DisneyWorld is Too big for Thailand.... Allthough, I would like to see a (smaller) amusementpart with some rollercoasters in Thailand - Somewhere between Hua Hin and Bangkok.... :)[/quote]

Firstly on projects of this nature you cannot apply North American economic philosophies with European ones. In Asia things are completely different from both. You must discard all you baggage and rethink.

There would not necessarily be any of the requirement or knock on effects that you have mentioned.

The bonus of this scheme is that it would employ many Thai people in most cases for life. This gets you many brownie points in Thailand where the welfare system is almost no-existent.

A second bonus is that infrastructure to the area would have to improve dramatically and would presumably be funded by National Government.

Another bonus for the investor is that no matter what happens with the success of the park when opened, the investment should remain safe and gain high growth.

I cannot go into the development costs but much would be funded from overseas. There are only a handful of countries in the world who can build white knuckle rides. As for other buildings, the cost would be considerably less than in the West or Hong Kong or Japan. I doubt if the gate money will be reduced in the same proportion.

So there you have all the ingredients necessary to start a project in Thailand. If you are going to go ahead then Pran Buri must be ideal. Lots of flat land, near to Bangkok, least rainfall and highest number of hours of sunshine in Thailand.

On the negative side. The Thai government backed by the very squeaky TAT have earmarked many tourism related projects for about ten years now. Not one single one has even been started yet. Unless Mr Chang has the budget for the airport, new road, high speed railway etc., etc., etc., then he will be relying on the National Government. (In case anybody has missed some news lately, we don't actually have one of them).

As for the internal of the park, as I mentioned before many of them will have to be contracted out to companies in Europe or the US and they will have to be paid for in Dollars or Euros. Normally in amusement parks in the west a lease purchase deal is struck first with the inventors, developers and constructors who get a regular payment boosted by a usage bonus. I.e. the better your ride or show is then the more money you get. I doubt very much if any of these countries would enter such a deal with a Thai operation. The Thais would have to pay up front with cash or a WBO sanctioned loan internally or nearby in Asia.

So IMHO this project if it is real, which I strongly doubt (according to Goofy & Pluto), it would be decades before the first person takes a white knuckle rid and meets Mickey.

A hell of a lot of people will be taken for a ride in the meantime though.

So don't worry STEVE G it will be shuttles coming over your house. All 747s will have long been grounded and lots of annoying people on Honda Airwave 125cc gyrocopters will be buzzing round your house.
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