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Disney Considers
Safari-Themed Hotel
A safari-theme hotel may be on the
horizon for Disney's Animal Kingdom, although Disney
officials say their plans are far from definitive.
The idea has emerged as a natural
complement to a theme park that is meant to create the
feeling of a visit to Africa. Animal Kingdom's central
attraction when it opens next spring will be a mock
safari across Disney's version of the Serengeti Plain.
Staying in a hotel adjacent to the veldt would take the
experience a step further.
The concept should have a familiar
ring. A few weeks ago, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay announced
plans to build a hotel with a similar theme on its
African veldt. That hotel, budgeted at more than $100
million, is expected to open in 1999.
The Busch announcement could accelerate
a decision at Disney, but so far there's no sign that it
is having that effect. While insiders acknowledge that a
high-end hotel is under consideration for Animal Kingdom,
company officials won't discuss the proposal openly or
say where it stands. Disney spokeswoman Diane Ledder
characterized the idea as a rumor.
 ''Like any of our other projects, until there's
a public announcement ... it's speculation,'' she said.
Many factors would weigh into a
decision about the hotel, including how it might affect
the 1,000 wild animals that will live in the 500-acre
park.
In addition, Disney already is adding
nearly 4,000 hotel rooms on other sites close to Animal
Kingdom.
The Coronado Springs convention complex
opens Aug. 1 with nearly 2,000 rooms on property north of
the Blizzard Beach water park. Disney also recently
announced plans to proceed with a third phase of its
All-Star budget resorts just south of Blizzard Beach. The
third All-Star hotel, set to open in early 1999, will
have almost 2,000 rooms.
It seems unlikely that Disney will
commit to a third new hotel anytime soon. But if the
company maintains its recent track record on occupancy,
which some analysts estimate at 90 percent or more, the
project has good odds.
Alan Gould, an analyst at Oppenheimer
& Co., said he wouldn't be surprised to see it
happen, given the expected increase in visitors at
Disney.
''My estimate is that the new park
should add 6 (million) to 7 million visitors a year,'' he
said. ''That clearly would require more hotel rooms.''
Source:
Date: |
By Christine
Shenot, The Orlando Sentinel
July 7, 1997 |
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