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Credit: DisneyWhen Walt Disney built Disneyland 70 years ago, even in his wildest imagination, he could never have dreamed of what it would become. However, shortly after it opened, Walt realized that the park would have one major limitation: land.
With other businesses desperate to jump on the Disneyland bandwagon, the park was quickly surrounded by other buildings, limiting its future expansion. Walt learned his lesson with Disney World, buying significantly more land than he ever could have needed.
Now, 70 years later, unlike its Central Florida sister park, Disneyland’s expansion projects are limited by the land surrounding the park. But, former Disney Imagineer Jim Shull has a plan that could give Disneyland a third gate and help a competitor with its money issues.
Last week, CEO Richard Zimmerman told investors that Six Flags saw a $100 million revenue decline during the second quarter, a nine percent attendance decline, and an eight percent season pass purchase decline. Before announcing the numbers, Zimmerman told investors that he would step down as CEO as soon as the Board could find a replacement.
Since the merger with Cedar Fair, Six Flags Entertainment has been drowning in debt and has already confirmed that it is closing one park and could potentially close more. This is where Disneyland comes in.
Just over six miles from Disneyland is the Six Flags-owned Knott’s Berry Farm, the oldest theme park in America. Selling the 57-acre park to Disney would give Disneyland a third gate and give Six Flags some much-needed capital to improve its other parks nationwide.
Combining Six Flags and Cedar Fair gave the company some redundancy in some areas, including the greater Los Angeles area. Six Flags Magic Mountain is less than 60 miles from Knott’s Berry Farm.
The idea actually makes some sense. Disney could easily offer busing between its Disneyland Parks and the new Park at Knott’s Berry Farm. Beyond just the theme park, there is also a water park, a hotel, and a marketplace with shopping and dining, totaling nearly 160 acres.
Disneyland could keep all the extra areas and add another hotel and its first water park, and Disney is always looking for more shopping and dining options.
Selling America’s oldest theme park will not be easy for Six Flags, but the company is facing dire straits. Shull’s idea is worth exploring, as it would be a rare deal that helps both sides.
What do you think of Six Flags selling Knott’s Berry Farm to Disneyland? Let us know in the comments.