When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in 1955 there was really nothing else like it in the world. Today, however, there are 12 Disney theme parks in six cities around the globe. The newest one, Shanghai Disneyland Park, opened in 2016. Since then, many have wondered where Disney Parks might focus its time -- and its money. Well, apparently the mayor of one Australian city, Melbourne, wants Disneyland to head down under.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp of Melbourne, Australia told the Herald Sun (via SkyNews), she believes the continent, but Melbourne specifically, should have its own Disneyland. And that doesn’t seem to be entirely wishful thinking, as Capp has a spot picked out, called Fisherman’s Bend. The location is part of Australia’s largest urban renewal project, which covers more than 1,000 acres. That’s not quite enough land to build an entire Disney World, but it’s more than enough to build a complex that rivals Disneyland Resort or Tokyo Disney Resort.
This Isn't The First Time Australia Has Lobbied For Its Own Disneyland
Just because Australia might love to have its own Disney Park, it doesn’t mean such a thing could happen. This isn’t even the first time somebody there has tried to entice Disney to the continent. Billionaire Lindsey Fox made overtures to the House of mouse back in 2005, but nothing ever came of it.
Still, If Disney wanted to build a new park somewhere in the world, Australia might not be a terrible choice. Its closest location to Australia is Hong Kong Disneyland, which is still a nine-hour flight from Melbourne. A trip from Melbourne to L.A. would require Australians to fly 14 hours to visit the original Disneyland. There are likely a lot of Australians and people in the surrounding area that would visit a Disneyland in the land down underr but might not be as willing to visit one of the existing parks.
Could Disney World’s Battle With Florida Make Australia More Enticing?
Part of the reason that an entirely new park might seem unlikely is that Disney already has so many locations it needs to keep running, and continually update with new attractions. But if it was willing to take some amount of focus, and money, away from one resort, it might make the chances of another happening more feasible.
And that’s exactly where we stand right now. Disney World is currently suing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over a series of laws that the company says are retaliatory, and making it potentially more difficult to do business in the Sunshine State. Disney CEO Bob Iger, had previously pledged to spend $17 billion on Disney World over the next decade but, at the same time, he also indicated that if the state made investing in its Orlando resort too difficult, that money could also be spent elsewhere. Disney has already canceled plans to move Walt Disney Imagineering and about 1000 total cast members to Florida.
The media conglomerate does already have tentative plans for a not insubstantial investment in the Disney Parks. The parent company has been lobbying the city of Anaheim for a new development plan called DisneylandForward. It expects to present plans to the city early next year and, assuming they're approved, it'll mean a major redevelopment of the Disneyland Resort property, including expansion of both theme parks. new hotels, more shopping and dining, and more.
Still, Disney Parks can totally do two big things at once. An Australian Disneyland seems like it's probably a long shot. There's been no indication that Disney is looking to build any new parks, even within its existing resorts, never mind an entirely new location. But if Melbourne really wants it and is able to present a deal that Disney can't ignore, who knows? Maybe ADR, the Australian Disney Resort, could really happen.
