Resorts Disney bidding on Sea World

Tom Morrow · 08-10-2008, 09:39 PM

Disney, Merlin, bidding on Sea World

Merlin fights Disney for SeaWorld

This Is Money, UK
Merlin Entertainments, which owns Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers, and the London Eye, will have to compete with the biggest theme park business in the world - Disney - in the race to take over the £1.5bn SeaWorld business in Florida.

SeaWorld and dozens of sister theme parks across America are being put up for sale by brewing giant InBev as part of its takeover of the US brewing group Anheuser-Busch. As well as Disney, UK-based Merlin, which is owned by private equity group Blackstone, will face rival bids from Spain's Parques Reunidos, owned by private equity firm Candover, and Gulf state conglomerate Dubai World.

Earlier this year, InBev agreed a £26bn bid for Anheuser-Busch, the world's biggest beer producer and maker of Budweiser. That deal will not be finalised until November at the earliest, but InBev's bankers - JPMorgan and Lazards - are keen to see arranged disposals to help recoup some of the massive loans required for the takeover.

'We've been approached by several companies,' said one leading banker, 'but this deal will be based on who can bring the money to the table to fund the debt needed.'
by Helia Ebrahimi, London Mail on Sunday

Sent from Ezra

barfownz · 08-10-2008, 09:46 PM

I hope Disney can aquire Seaworld.

disney_man · 08-10-2008, 10:16 PM

I hope Merlin wins. No offense.

Executioner · 08-10-2008, 10:25 PM

Wow.. That is just insane. As much as I would like to see Disney get SeaWorld, I just don't think they should have it. I dunno. It would be kinda weird to see the mouse next to the whale.

Alex_Toto_Disneyland · 08-10-2008, 10:31 PM

I Just Can't Imagine That....
-Alex

spacedest · 08-10-2008, 10:40 PM

Will there be name change for Sea World if Disney wins the bid?

Disneyknight467 · 08-10-2008, 10:58 PM

holy cow, this is cool. I hope Disney gets the park, just so I won't hear "SeaWorld is Better than Disneyland or Disneyworld" because they'll be owned by the same people =P.

We'll see how this goes, just don't get rid of Shamu Disney!

ryguy222 · 08-10-2008, 11:01 PM

Honestly I can't view Sea World any other way. However, I do think that Disney could improve it, but honestly I think they should keep the same theme, and not add in any mickey.

Chris · 08-10-2008, 11:11 PM

Perhaps they only want to raise the bidding price? It would be in Disney's best interests if somebody else bought it (especially at a high price), attempted to compete, and failed miserably.

I doubt Disney really wants Sea World anymore than they wanted Knotts. And look how well that's turned out?

Executioner · 08-10-2008, 11:18 PM

Ohhhh that is evil. Dirty Pool if they are doing that. But of course it would benefit them in the long run. Never thought of it like that before. Corporate Piracy. Kinda reminds me of Monty Python's skit LOL.

Clrntfrk777 · 08-10-2008, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacedest

Will there be name change for Sea World if Disney wins the bid?

Yup, it will be called Disney World, oh wait that name's already taken

, how about DisneySea, taken too, DisneyAqua

I don't know I'm making a total fool of myself right now lol.

buzzlightsnack · 08-11-2008, 12:45 AM

That would be weird if Disney bought SeaWorld, would they buy all 10 Anheuser-Busch/In-Bev owned parks? or just the Florida and California parks? It would be very intersting to see how Disney would take control over the parks...I would imagine a lot of Little Mermaid, Nemo, Atlantis, Pirates, and Stich infused into the parks.

AraBrokenDreamer · 08-11-2008, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzlightsnack

That would be weird if Disney bought SeaWorld, would they buy all 10 Anheuser-Busch/In-Bev owned parks? or just the Florida and California parks? It would be very intersting to see how Disney would take control over the parks...I would imagine a lot of Little Mermaid, Nemo, Atlantis, Pirates, and Stich infused into the parks.

No... please, no... I don't want to have to fight going to a Disney-owned park two hours away rather than the real parks. It's hard enough for this Texan to get there! I agree, it'd be nice for SeaWorld do be more like a Blizzard Beach meets DCA, but c'mon. and even then, the amount of man-power, training and refurb required to do what you're talking about (redo the rides with Disney characters) is insane. They'd do it if it'd knock Sea World Orlando out as a competitor (or at least bring it over to their side to take out Universal Studios), and given that edge against Six Flags, Disney could take them on much more easily then.

-Ara

Mad About Mickey · 08-11-2008, 11:33 AM

Huh. This could be interesting...I've never been to SeaWorld before, so I don't know what it's like, but maybe if Disney took over....hmmm....

#1DisneyFreak · 08-11-2008, 01:18 PM

even if Disney did end up buying it, that doesn't mean it will change and become Disneyesque. I doubt they will pour money into it when they don't really need to.

08-10-2008, 09:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
barfownz Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Temecula, California Posts: 2,314 Images: 10 My Mood:	I hope Disney can aquire Seaworld. __________________ *Your Friendly Neighborhood VF member, Barfownz!* Myspace YouTube

08-10-2008, 10:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Executioner The name says it all Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Between this world and the next. Posts: 1,571 Images: 51 My Mood:	Wow.. That is just insane. As much as I would like to see Disney get SeaWorld, I just don't think they should have it. I dunno. It would be kinda weird to see the mouse next to the whale. __________________ Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)

08-10-2008, 10:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
Alex_Toto_Disneyland Also Known as AlexValve Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: El Cajon, CA Posts: 661 Images: 1 My Mood:	I Just Can't Imagine That.... -Alex __________________ Holidays At The Disneyland Resort! AlexValve On Youtube \| AlexValve On Myspace \|AlexValve Via MSN

08-10-2008, 10:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
Disneyknight467 Tomorrowlander Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Salinas Posts: 647 My Mood:	holy cow, this is cool. I hope Disney gets the park, just so I won't hear "SeaWorld is Better than Disneyland or Disneyworld" because they'll be owned by the same people =P. We'll see how this goes, just don't get rid of Shamu Disney! __________________ "To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past...and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future." -Walt Disney -Daft Punk Rockin' Tomorrowland, Make it Happen! -Next Disneyland Trip: Summer 2009; Last Disneyland Trip: August 7-9th 2008

08-10-2008, 11:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
ryguy222 "Merry Christmas!" Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 3,168 My Mood:	Honestly I can't view Sea World any other way. However, I do think that Disney could improve it, but honestly I think they should keep the same theme, and not add in any mickey. __________________ -Ryguy222 My Countdown Counting down to: Graduation! 170 days 13 hours 48 minutes

08-10-2008, 10:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
disney_man Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 24 My Mood:	I hope Merlin wins. No offense.

08-10-2008, 10:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
spacedest Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 92 Images: 2 My Mood:	Will there be name change for Sea World if Disney wins the bid?

08-10-2008, 11:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
Chris Official Site Founder Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 3,454 Images: 6 My Mood:	Perhaps they only want to raise the bidding price? It would be in Disney's best interests if somebody else bought it (especially at a high price), attempted to compete, and failed miserably. I doubt Disney really wants Sea World anymore than they wanted Knotts. And look how well that's turned out? __________________ 50 Years of ImaginEARing Now Playing on VF Radio Requests Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)

08-10-2008, 11:18 PM	#10 (permalink)
Executioner The name says it all Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Between this world and the next. Posts: 1,571 Images: 51 My Mood:	Ohhhh that is evil. Dirty Pool if they are doing that. But of course it would benefit them in the long run. Never thought of it like that before. Corporate Piracy. Kinda reminds me of Monty Python's skit LOL. __________________ Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older)

08-11-2008, 12:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
buzzlightsnack Join Date: May 2005 Location: La Puente Posts: 183 Images: 1 My Mood:	That would be weird if Disney bought SeaWorld, would they buy all 10 Anheuser-Busch/In-Bev owned parks? or just the Florida and California parks? It would be very intersting to see how Disney would take control over the parks...I would imagine a lot of Little Mermaid, Nemo, Atlantis, Pirates, and Stich infused into the parks. __________________

08-11-2008, 11:33 AM	#14 (permalink)
Mad About Mickey Join Date: May 2008 Location: The Second Star to the Right and Straight On 'Till Morning! Posts: 689 My Mood:	Huh. This could be interesting...I've never been to SeaWorld before, so I don't know what it's like, but maybe if Disney took over....hmmm.... __________________ So, You Want To Be an Imagineer Season 3 Winner So, You Want To Be an Imagineer Season IV Judge: Sign ups happening now! :)

08-11-2008, 01:18 PM	#15 (permalink)
#1DisneyFreak Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orem, UT Posts: 815 Images: 5 My Mood:	even if Disney did end up buying it, that doesn't mean it will change and become Disneyesque. I doubt they will pour money into it when they don't really need to. __________________ " is the star, everything else is in the supporting role." - Walt Disney Trivia: In the movie "Cars", the tow truck introduces himself as "Mater, like Ta-Mater without the Ta". However, in French, the joke did not translate so he introduced himself as "Martin, like Aston Martin without the Aston" Come join us! (You must be 18 years of age or older) My Countdown Counting down to: VF Scavenger Hunt III Ask me how we did!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode