Disney in the Panhandle?

[Smiling JOe]

...

Now I realize this sounds far fetched. Why would Disney put a theme park a few hours away from their mega-park complex in Orlando? I'm certainly skeptical but thought it would be fun to throw this out for general comment.

...because Panama City Beach is the number one driving destination in the southeastern United States.

search back through the threads and you will see my posts regarding this matter. I can give you the specific property in question, but I have not heard of an executed contract yet.

 

[SHELLY]

Come to think about it...I saw Chip & Dale cruising down 30-A in the back-seat of a leased Beamer with a Century 21 magnetic sign stuck to the door chauffeured by a buxom, Botoxed, bleached-blonde with a sprayed-on suntan. Maybe it is true!! (If you are insulted by the description --I wouldn't admit it if I were you.) ;-)

Anything could happen....but I'd say Disney has got their hands full just trying to manage what they've got out there now. I don't know why they'd want to "cannibalize" their Orlando business by placing another theme park in Florida (especially since their California Adventure Theme Park tuned out to be a bomb). Their stock has been ho-hum (or "hi-ho-hi-ho-hum") for the last couple years. I expect going forward they will concentrate on digging their movie business out of the ditch, concentrating on their Hong Kong Disney Park (the Chinese have got all our money to spend); and trying to lure tapped-out US consumers to their current theme parks. But then again...anything can happen, if you wish upon a star (but investing in real estate based on "rumor"? NOT!).

 

[TN2FLA]

To lay one of the above rumors to rest, FedEx will not be putting a hub at the new airport as of this time...

 

[Bob]

Come to think about it...I saw Chip & Dale cruising down 30-A in the back-seat of a leased Beamer with a Century 21 magnetic sign stuck to the door chauffeured by a buxom, Botoxed, bleached-blonde with a sprayed-on suntan. Maybe it is true!! (If you are insulted by the description --I wouldn't admit it if I were you.) ;-)

Anything could happen....but I'd say Disney has got their hands full just trying to manage what they've got out there now. I don't know why they'd want to "cannibalize" their Orlando business by placing another theme park in Florida (especially since their California Adventure Theme Park tuned out to be a bomb). Their stock has been ho-hum (or "hi-ho-hi-ho-hum") for the last couple years. I expect going forward they will concentrate on digging their movie business out of the ditch, concentrating on their Hong Kong Disney Park (the Chinese have got all our money to spend); and trying to lure tapped-out US consumers to their current theme parks. But then again...anything can happen, if you wish upon a star (but investing in real estate based on "rumor"? NOT!).

Yes Shelly, Disney is managing OK here in Orlando. 2005 attendance figures:Magic Kingdom 16.1 million,up 6.5%, Anaheim Disneyland 14.5 million up 8.5%. All of their other theme parks averaged 5% growth in attendance. The 7.5 billion dollar merger with Pixar brings Steve Jobs aboard as Pixar's CEO and now Jobs will join Disney's Board. Nice company in the "ditch" isn't it?

 

[Cork On the Ocean]

Sorry I've been gone again guys. Went to NOLA but here's what we have. Would be interested in an email Joe regarding that parcel.

When we heard the Disney rumors we started watching large land parcel sales, specifically in Washington County which is where the rumors we heard were talking about. We began watching Disney corporate reports and while they mention the new PC airport as being the only new international airport in the next few years, nothing at all could be found on any plans for the panhandle. Then we looked at the fact that the ex-honcho with Disney is now a honcho with St Joe and thought, hmmm, maybe.

We then contacted Louis A. Mongello, Author of The Walt Disney World Trivia Book,Secrets, History and Fun Facts Behind the Magic who seems to watch Disney's activity very closely. His response to the Disney theory was:
"I can say with relative certainty that it is not true, as Disney is lookingto expand its current properties, develop overseas, etc. Plus, I highlydoubt any new US theme park would be located in Florida. That being said, that is not to say that a new Disney DVC resort couldn'tbe planned for elsewhere in the US, including Florida."

Maybe that's where the Celebration people come in. Anyway this lead us to go down to the planning commission in Washington County. We were told by a clerk there that it's not Disney but Universal. We've been keeping this under our hat as again just another rumor. We mapped out the land parcels that are selling in blocks of 500 acres and they are in Vernon, north of airport.We haven't looked into Universal's corporate reports yet and no trend to a particular buyer,except what appears to be a couple of developers but when Disney boughtup Orlando,they bought it under a bunch of names that no one would ever catch onto so we're still watching the area and investigating the Universal rumor.

I also received a call Friday from a corporate relocation company looking for a realtor.They said that they've been contacted by a large corporation looking to relocate several hundred employees into the area in the next 2 years. The target area is Panama City to Apalachicola. That's all we've got so far but haven't stopped poking yet. We have a mailing list of investors waiting for more info so email me if you have interest and we'll keep you posted if we come up with anything reliable.

 

[Kurt]

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of different investors and businesses were buying large parcels between PCB and I-10 along the 79 corridor which runs through Vernon. With the beach, the airport, and the interstate it will be a huge boom area in the near future. Think not only tourism, but manufacturing, distribution, and high tech.

 

[Cork On the Ocean]

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of different investors and businesses were buying large parcels between PCB and I-10 along the 79 corridor which runs through Vernon. With the beach, the airport, and the interstate it will be a huge boom area in the near future. Think not only tourism, but manufacturing, distribution, and high tech.

So maybe the sky isn't falling after all!

 

[Smiling JOe]

As you mentioned Cork, we would not see Disney's name on any contracts with the present owner. Even smaller companies will use an intermediary, not connected to the primary name at all, to purchase property then sell it to the primary. It really makes good business sense to keep the competition away from one's business plans, and around here, if such a property like Disney might be interested in has not sold yet, but a deal exists, you could expect prices in that area to skyrocket overnight, thereby driving up prices.

 

[southof30A]

Wouldn't surprise me if lots of different investors and businesses were buying large parcels between PCB and I-10 along the 79 corridor which runs through Vernon. With the beach, the airport, and the interstate it will be a huge boom area in the near future. Think not only tourism, but manufacturing, distribution, and high tech.

Maybe a brand spankin' new oil refinery, steel mill and fish packing plant.

 

[Rita]

CORK - Welcome back.

This is all very interesting.... Thanks for sharing your info and for qualifying it!