[Mickey Maniac]

The article at the bottom of this post talks about the possible future of the Disney parks and the possibility they would be sold off to Six flags, vivendi, etc. If that happens I would hope the parks do not get trashed, the Six Flags in NJ is dirty.

I wonder how many times Walt has rolled over today?

"Entertainment companies that own amusement parks and that could be potential Disney parks bidders include Vivendi Universal (V: news, chart, profile), Six Flags (PKS: news, chart, profile), Cedar Fair (FUN: news, chart, profile) and Viacom (VIA: news, chart, profile) (VIAB: news, chart, profile). Viacom owns a substantial stake in MarketWatch.com, the publisher of this report."


Full Article:

Analyst sees Disney theme parks valued at up to $18 bln By Edward Carpenter, CBS MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 2:15 PM ET Feb 11, 2004

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Walt Disney's amusement parks could be worth $15 billion to $18 billion, according to an analyst picking apart the entertainment giant after Comcast's $66 billion hostile takeover bid.

While no one on Wall Street can guess exactly what will happen with Disney's (DIS) struggling parks, they wouldn't fit with Comcast's aim to sweeten its channel content, in the view of David Mantell, cable and media analyst for Loop Capital Markets.

The bid by Comcast (CMCSA) (CMCSK) is widely seen by analysts to be a move to acquire Disney-owned ESPN and ABC, as well as its stakes in the E! Entertainment, A&E and Lifetime cable channels and in the History Channel.

Although a top Comcast executive vowed that the parks would remain part of the Disney portfolio should the takeover bid succeed, Mantell said that "it's kind of hard to imagine the theme park side being a part of Comcast's business." Discuss the bid.

Parks are located in California, Florida, France and Japan. Another is scheduled to open in 2005-06 in Hong Kong, according to Disney's Web site.

Mantell said that while its probably wouldn't keep the parks as assets over the long term, Comcast has 21 million viewers to whom it could cross-market amusement park visits and vacations.

Entertainment companies that own amusement parks and that could be potential Disney parks bidders include Vivendi Universal (V) , Six Flags (PKS) , Cedar Fair (FUN) and Viacom (VIA) (VIAB) . Viacom owns a substantial stake in MarketWatch.com, the publisher of this report.

While the price tag of $15 billion to $18 billion doesn't necessarily eliminate any of the amusement park companies as bidders, a potential suitor would have to carefully weigh the cyclical nature of the parks business, the purchase price and the fact that amusement park attendance, in general, has faltered in the wake of Sept. 11 and the war in Iraq, Mantell said.

"That's a pretty massive acquisition for anyone," Mantell said.

Shares of Walt Disney reached at a new 52-week high of $28 a share earlier Wednesday, before settling back more recently to $27.51, up 14.2 percent. Comcast traded at $31.57, down $2.36, or 7 percent.

[wdwspider]

Here's a thought. The Oriental Land Company buys all Disney Parks?!!?! :bandit

They are the ones behind DisneySeas and the company seems to be doing very well right now. They could turn some of the more recent parks into something great I suspect and maintain the magic at the rest.

[preidel24]

I'm really expecting the FCC to speak up soon about this venture. I think it's a little scary to let one company have to much controlling interest in a market venue.

Just my opinion.

[ZarSu]

Putting the words "Six Flags” and “Disney” in the same post, should not be allowed. We have been to 2 Six Flags (NJ and MA). They were both disgustingly dirty (they were stomach turning), the food was the worst I have ever had ANYWHERE and the most expensive. We didn't feel safe on any ride we went on and even just walking through the park you did not feel safe. I hate being so negative on these boards but we just detest Six Flags with a passion. They are NOT happy places! Disney is!
PS: We formed our opinions of Sis Flags before going to Disney. We both did go to Disney before but it has been @30+ years for both of us and we both did a day trip there at the time.

[Dana]

I have to echo the comments about Six Flags in NJ. It is gross and I do not take my DD there anymore. We use to go often because it's only 45min away until we made the mistake of going last spring on "school trip day" I will never return to that park....EVER. Disney seems like another planet compared to the filth and crude people we were assaulted with that day. We left after only a few hours after a fight between two very loud teens broke out...I thought my mouth tended to be a little in the potty range...WOW did I learn some new words.

[mickaholic4077]

Oh God,I hope this takeover doesn't happen. I'd rather Eisner stayed!!!!!!

[disneyguy]

I HATE SIX FLAGS!!!!!!!! they r full of crude people, they are dirty, and they have no magic like the WDW parks...... there is no way that the service could even come close either.

I like the idea of WDWspider. If they r running the cruise lines then they are fully qualified to take the parks. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the cruises!!!

[Dogcopper]

I don't see Disney giving in to anyone else as of yet. With Tokyo Disney Sea booming, Hong Kong Disney and the new France Disney on the horizon I think that positioning will remain for a while. Hey, maybe Budweiser could buy it like Sea World and we could have beer rides! (Before you throw items, I am just kidding)
:whistle:

[mickaholic4077]

DisneySeas isn't the cruise line. It's a park in Tokyo. Dogcopper,what's this about a new French park?

[geeman]

My two sense on Six Flags is the same as above. I work for a company that has part ownership in them and we have our yearly company picnic at their park. Sufficed to say I usually miss it, because I'm busy at my favorite theme park several hundred miles South instead.:)
Aside from a lame imitation (the costumed characters actually have zippered up seams showing, to name an extreme example), how fun is it to go through "metal detectors" while entering a park, though this has become almost standard now and will probably one day be at WDW.
The shows are lame. The rides are of the sideshow carnival variety, only bigger. Great Adventure was all I had as a kid, though - so childhood memories of it are better than adult memories. Once I went Disney, though, nothing looks the same....
THOUGH - I must say that Six Flags' OTHER Northeastern Theme Park, which opened just a few years ago, was a major improvement- a huge waterpark -- with the original name of er, "Hurricane Harbor" (Gee, I wonder Where they got that idea), is actually as close to Disney feeling as I've ever felt in a Six Flags park. They got it down to making the areas seem clean, with themed music playing, and large, sprawling and fun water rides. They even included an innovation Disney's Water Park's need: A pulley system that takes your tube up *for* you, so you don't have to lug it up the long line for the slide. I've visited this park a handful of times in the past couple of years since it's been open, and have found it much more of a pleasant experience.
Personally, I don't see them getting rid of the parks if the deal goes through, as this is where they can gain interest in their movies and create a world that is special. I only hope that if anything like this does happen, that it's for the better and not for the worst.

[PiratesFan]

No worries, Six Flags is like a sand box compared to Disney. The Six Flags in NJ likes to run ads in the summer saying that they are larger than DisneyLand. I laugh at this and say, yeah, so what, they still aren't better. It's quality. not quantity.;)

[wdwspider]

Six Flags isn't doing well right now either. They are in no position to consider such options.

The new Disney Studios Paris park is doing awful. However the parks can be doing well overall but that doesn't mean the company is... currently the parks and the live movies seem to be fairing better than the rest of the company. So if they were bought, selling rights to the parks (one of the hottest commodities) seems reasonable. But, their would be a lot of potential, interested buyers out there much more willing to outbid any low class parks wanting to buy the Disney parks (if that became the case - although I doubt it).

[eeeee]

[quote]Originally posted by Dogcopper
[b]I don't see Disney giving in to anyone else as of yet. With Tokyo Disney Sea booming, Hong Kong Disney and the new France Disney on the horizon I think that positioning will remain for a while.

I hope Dogcopper is right. What everyone is saying sounds logical. It is just kind of scary to think our favorite may change for the worse.

p.s. Dogcopper- lover your avitar

[jwdj4lfe]

I have to add my detest to Six Flags parks as well! I went to Six Flags America in Bowie, Maryland last summer and although the 9 roller coasters were amazing, the park was filthy, and lacked any type of design or theme. It looked like a permenant carnival thats been there for about 30 years!
I agree with you Mickey Maniac:
I wonder how many times Walt has rolled over today?

Joe:)

It would destroy the Disney parks selling them off to anyone. The magic would be lost and truthfully my heart broken Let us all hope that everything works out with Disney stocks showing stronger on the market yet today.