The Orange County Business Journal interviewed Disneyland Resort President Ed Grier. The fact that the resort continues to plan for a third gate was discussed in the article. This would appear to be the first time that Disney management acknowledged there were actively thinking of expanding in the future.
Now don’t jump the gun. They’re not going to break ground tomorrow. But the fact that they claim the economy and visitor numbers are high enough to even consider opening a third gate is a good sign.
They have a period of time here where they only have one real competitor in Knott’s Berry Farm. Six Flags Magic Mountain is undergoing some changes in management and is shrinking in size. SeaWorld is still over 2.5 hours away. If Disney wanted to truly corner they market they’d be wise to follow the Disney World model and try to corner one of the available markets before anyone else can (Animals (Sea and/or Land), Expo/World’s Fair/Future World, or ??? (something very immersive the Imagineers are rumored to be working on)). Now might the time to greenlight WESTCOT after all. Hey, a fanboy can dream right?
Don’t forget Universal Studios Hollywood, still a major player in the Southern Californian market. Plus LEGOLAND, shich had a record-breaking year in 2006.
As for SeaWorld, it is just about 100 miles south of Disneyland, so the drive is closer to 90 minutes to two hours, depending on traffic.
USH is planning on a massive expansion… the park will only grow a little bit in the next few years, but the surrounding areas are going to get bigger.
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