Hey Jim, what about that other rumor that Disney is supposedly buying up a block in NYC?

But yes, I cannot even fathom any situation that would lead Disney to spend $1.1b for a theme park in Missouri. It just ain't happening.

Great article as usual, Jim.  Disney actually consideed building a Lord of the Rings attraction?  Do tell us more.  Is this a deap proposal?  Or is is still in planning?  I'd love for Disney-Pixar Studios Florida to get this project since I love LOTR, but you know what?  It'd be an even better reason to move that stupid hat out of the way of Great Movie Ride and put it in a new courtyard in front of that ride... afterall, that sorcerer's hat will go much better there in front of Gandalf's ride that in front of GMR.

i agree with you jim, the article seems like just nother rumored of wishiful thinking

but

just so we understand you said....  "So Disney is obviously a corporation that knows how to keep a secret ... Even from its own employees"

then how is it that you supposedly always have the inside knowledge of Disney's doing?

Obviously Disney is not a corporation that knows how to keep secrets well anymore even from its employees that then go and spread information to disney site writers

Great article, Jim. It would be extremely, extremely dumb if they actually used a Disney-connected name, and also the official addresses of Disney-owned property. 100% Fake.

Also:

"1,000 acres with the park taking 100 acres, six hotels, 95 shops, 27 rides, 12 stages and 18 restaurants"

They are going to build all that for just $1.1b? That's some cheap-ass theme park then. If it were true, it makes me wonder how bad the quality of everything in the park would be. And six hotels?! SIX for a "tand-alone hotel-and-water-park combo"? Fake.

I see no real reason for Disney to build a theme park in Branson. Honestly, wants to be magically wisked away to Missouri?

I agree that Missouri might not be as hot a vacation spot as Florida or California.  But, having a Disney park in Missouri kind of makes sense, since Walt lived there.  I think it's neat that Jim's mentioned in the Kathryn's article.

As a Missouri native and current resident, I am intrigued by the prospect of a Disney park in Branson. After all, Walt spent his formative years in Marceline and at one point had considered building a park in St. Louis. Would I believe it? Not hardly. With really only six months of "nice" weather (April thru October), it certainly wouldn't make sense - unless Disney was beginning to look at "seasonal" operations. Branson itself is active all year but in a significantly reduced state after October. A few years ago, rumor had it that Disney had purchased a significant amount of acreage in Lincoln County, Missouri (northeast of St. Louis) - perhaps only as an investment.

We midwest Disney Dweebs would be overjoyed to have a Disney park here closer to home but I think we also realize that's a pipe dream...

The story was a nice job of connect the dots - too bad some of the dots were in disappearing ink.

It's never true.  Disney is not building a theme park down the road from you.  No matter what your real estate agent brother-in-law says.  Or your kid's teacher's cousin who works at city hall. Or...  Just give it up.

Jim, when are you going to stop crediting Google for the images you use?  Google does NOT produce imagery.

GREAT article, Jim. These past few months you have really been on a roll.

So if Disney is not the group building this theme park, and news as to who is??

Sorry... ANY news as to who is?

Yeah, I figured it was too good to be true.  You guys all bash Missouri, but it might really be a good idea to have a park in a central location.  (except for the bad weather, I guess.)

It seems as though the Mouse House must be connected someway, even if this is just to divert our attention from something else.  Any ideas as to what we may really be looking at here?

Anyone read Waking Walt?  It that, Disney (in the near future), fell apart financially after a disasterous park in St. Louis.  Its kinda funny that now comes rumors of a new park in the same state.

what happened to "Toon Tuesday"?

This Disney corporate fiddle-faddle doesnt really float ones boat. I want to read about the animation industry. Do hurry!

I doubt that Disney is building anything in Branson. I would believe the it may be Six Flags? Then again people are indeed human and if it is Disney, I suspect some people got fired this morning.

I would not count out Branson, just because of the weather. I have been to Disneyland Paris in November, and I almost got frost bite waiting for the parade on a concrete bench.

But the rest of the strange addresses would seem very slack and I saw a report elsewhere that indicated that one of these addresses was a UPS PO Box, which does look like someone trying to be Disney.

But to what advantage? Certainly not someone looking for cheap land in the area.

Someone trying to sell their underpriced land to speculators.

I live in Missouri.  I went to Marceline two weeks ago - great museum, depressing town.  I'd love a park here.

I doubt Disney would be building a theme park in Branson.  If they did, the theme park would have to be some sort of EXPERIMENTAL theme park showcasing PROTOTYPE technology for the world.  Although, the COMMUNITY OF Branson would benefit from the year round attendence.  Would the Disney fans of TOMORROW really go to Branson over Anahiem or Orlando?  Hmm....

I know this will probably sound like one of those, i know a guy who knows a guy statements that no body believes, but I live in Arkansas and my girlfriend grew up in Bentonville AR. (the home of Walmart), anyway Bentonville is very near the MO border and the area is growing very rapidly.  Her grandfather owns a air and heating company that does industrial work.  Anyway whether or not Disney is moving to the area to build a park, I can't say but according to her Grandfather the Disney corporation bought the entire top floor if a building in the Bentonville area

I know a little bit about Economic Development. Why would county leaders be talking publicly about investigating who was developing the land. Most companies who are working on a new development tell government in prospective areas "If you so much as mumble our name to the media, we're out of here." It's obvious to me the people that are buying the land in Branson want to make a bigger splash than they can really make.

So maybe it's someone trying to make this look like Disney... But why?  What would a company like Six Flags gain by shouting "Disney?"  That's just spreading publicity for a competitor, and plus, would they really be stupid enough to think that people will go, "It's not Disney?  IT'S SIX FLAGS!" with a look of delight on their face?  And isn't Six Flags way too, um, BANKRUPT, to worry about a new park while they're closing many others?  I can't think of any other company (besides maybe Bush Gardens/Sea World) that has a franchise and has enough mula to do this.  And I can't imagine them trying to bring Shamu to MO.  

This just doesn't make sense any way you look at it.

I went to Branson as a kid, and visited Silver Dollar City. That, aside from Disney World, was the best amusement-park experience I have ever had. It was a wonderful place, with great atmosphere, park employees who really got into their roles, and great rides like "The Frozen Cave" and "Fire In The Hole". And the surroundings - rolling hills, lush green woodlands. Totally enchanting. But then I went back a few years later...and alas, things have changed in Branson. I hardly recognized the place. Bummer. ANYWAY - it seems to me that a Disney amusement park in the Midwest is entirely overdue. If Disney, as someone pointed out, is willing to build in France, why the hell not in Missouri, Walt's birthplace? I hope the rumors are true.

It wouldn't be 6 Flags. If it's a ploy, it's someone with land to sell hoping for the price increases known Disney interest garners

YEah what about that NY disney thing. I really want to know about that. I see around the net that the ny disney possible hotel thing has more going for it then this 3rd park thing.

Somebody on another site stated that they nyc thing could possibly be announced in the summer.

Pleaselet us know about that.

PS the annual report for 2006 stated hotels in big cities as a blue sky concept.

"Someone trying to sell their underpriced land to speculators."

I agree.  Here's my view, from the government side:  Having worked for government, I know that developers do not just appear at a public meeting of the county commissioners, city council, state legislature, etc., and start asking questions.  Instead, they meet with the administrators who handle the day-to-day operations and their department heads.  There is give-and-take as  they negotiate what the community will allow and what the developer can produce.  

The decision-making board (the legislative branch) is not involved in preliminary inquiries or discussions, but is presented what is intended to be a "final" proposal when the time is right (of course, then the legislative branch starts tinkering and adding its own suggestions or demands, and new negotiations commence).

So I believe neither Disney nor Six Flags nor any other developer is interested in building a theme park.  If they were, this would play out per the normal procedures, not in the amateurish way presented.  Therefore, I vote "land swindle" and suspect the state's attorney general probably has a file opened already.

Shame on you, Jim.  "Crediting" images to google images again.  Especially after last time the photographer found out and called you on it.

Cut it out, it's unethical and asking for trouble.