Disneyland in Australia

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Proposals to open a Disneyland amusement park in Australia have existed since the late 1990s. [1] [2] However, the Walt Disney Company has never opened a Disneyland park in the Southern Hemisphere.

Contents

The majority of recent proposals [ when? ] have been in Melbourne and Adelaide.

History

Unofficial "Australialand" proposal by Development Consolidated P/L

In July 1960, it was announced that Development Consolidated P/L, a Melbourne-based conglomerate which was jointly controlled by businessmen Paul Fayman and John Emmanuel, had purchased a greater-than 500 acre site at Laverton with the intention of developing an unofficial "Australian version of Disneyland" at a cost of over £5 million. [3] Estimated to employ a staff of 300–400, it was proposed the name of the site be "Australialand". [4] Upon hearing the news, Walt Disney's representative in Australia, Walter A. Grainger issued a strong warning on Disney's behalf: "Walt Disney Productions and Disney Inc. of California, the originators and proprietors of 'Disneyland', deem it necessary, in the interest of the public and likely investors, to state that they have no connection with or interest in any proposed amusement park in Australia … Also, formal warning is given that the misuse of the name 'Disneyland' and the possible deception of the public may involve penalties at law." [5]

First talks of an official Disneyland park for Australia

The first reports of a proposal to build an official Disneyland park in Australia were in the 1990s, when a park was proposed on the Gold Coast. The Walt Disney Company reportedly liked the idea, but a last minute intervention saw the plan abandoned in favour of a park in China. Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005. [6] [2]

In 2007, the Walt Disney Company itself proposed building a Disneyland Resort in Sydney, with the proposed name "Disney Wharf at Sydney Harbour". [2] [7] [8] [9] However, the company abandoned the plan due to hefty costs. [2]

Recent proposals

In recent years, proposals for a Disneyland park in Australia have resurfaced, with the majority of proposals being in either Melbourne or Adelaide.

In June 2024, David Limbrick, a Libertarian MP for the South-Eastern Metropolitan Region of the Victorian Legislative Council, proposed three potential locations for a Disneyland park in Melbourne. He suggested the southeastern suburbs of Cranbourne, Dandenong and Frankston as potential locations. [10] Frankston Mayor Nathan Conroy supported the proposal. [11]

Proposed locations

SuburbCityStateOriginal proponent(s)Reference(s)
Avalon Geelong Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria Lindsay Fox [11]
Cranbourne Melbourne Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria David Limbrick [10] [11]
Dandenong Melbourne Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria David Limbrick [10] [11]
Elizabeth Adelaide Flag of South Australia.svg  South Australia Amanda Blair [12]
Fishermans Bend, Port Melbourne Melbourne Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria Sally Capp [11]
Frankston Melbourne Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria David Limbrick [10] [11]
McLaren Vale Adelaide Flag of South Australia.svg  South Australia Warren Randall [13] [14]
Yatala Gold Coast Flag of Queensland.svg  Queensland Tom Tate [15]

References

  1. ↑ "Could Disneyland Australia Finally Be Coming Down Under?". www.ellaslist.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Is Disneyland Headed To Australia?". HuffPost. 19 November 2015. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  3. ↑ "Disneyland planned for Laverton". The Age. 29 July 1960. p. 14.
  4. ↑ "£5 Million Fun Park May be Built on Big Laverton Site". The Age. 4 October 1960. p. 5.
  5. ↑ Groves, Derham (25 October 2024). "Walt Disney's 'love affair' with Australia". The University of Melbourne: Pursuit.
  6. ↑ "New billion-dollar theme park to rival Dreamworld to be built by Chinese developers". goldcoastbulletin.com.au. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Snow, Deborah (11 January 2014). "Walt Disney Company proposed a Disney Resort in Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "The History of Sydney's Secret Cancelled Disney Resort". ReviewTyme. 5 January 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  9. ↑ Dowd, Katie. "Disney's failed attempt to put a mini-park in the suburbs". SFGATE. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Dobson, Tileah (5 June 2024). "'Open for business': Victorian MP David Limbrick's call to tourism minister as plans for Aussie Disneyland revealed". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Taking the Mickey: is a Melbourne Disneyland anything more than a fantasy? | Melbourne | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "A Disneyland To Open Up In Adelaide?". Triple M. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  13. ↑ Lu, Garry (23 September 2022). "Disneyland Australia Proposal Reignited For The Third Time". Boss Hunting. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  14. ↑ "The 'happiest place on Earth' could be coming to a surprising Australian location". 7NEWS. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "Disneyland Australia: Gold Coast mayor joins push for Disneyland theme park in Australia". amp.9news.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
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