Mickey could be moving to Malaysia!

[Tony]

According to initial reports in a business weekly, Walt Disney Co is looking at a 500-acre site in southern Malaysia for its next theme park.

The report in the Edge cited unnamed sources claiming the theme park would be ready six years after a deal was signed, with Bardar Nusajaya in the Iskandar development zone being tipped as the location.

The new resort is expected to be bigger than their most recent park, Hong Kong Disneyland and about the same size as Tokyo Disneyland.

The news coincides with Malaysia’s government $105 billion blueprint to transform the southern area of the Johor state, which neighbours Singapore, into a regional economic zone for industry, logistics, trade and leisure.

The report also details that Warner Bros Entertainment and MGM are also looking at building theme parks in the area.

"However, a deal with Walt Disney looks most promising as it has expressed its seriousness and has come out with specifications on its requirements," the Edge quoted a source as saying.

If successful, a deal with Disney is expected to be confirmed next year.

[singerguy04]

This is interesting news. My only request for this park if it happens is that the castle is not another clone of a castle that already exists. The fact that Tokyo and Hong Kong have almost identical castle to disneyworld and disneyland is aggrivating to me.

I also find this interesting because I would've assumed the next park to be in Dubai, everything else is going there!

[Tony]

I have spoken to someone high up in the tourist industry in Malaysia and they say they heard about this report. However they say it is hard to believe it will happen in a country like Malaysia where there is so many restrictions on western influenced stuff..

I guess we will see... These stories of various locations around the world keep happening. It was only a couple of months ago there were reports of Disney Executives doing flights over the Gold Coast in Australia's theme park territory. I guess time will tell!.. Apparently Shanghai is definitely off the list.

[Jack Skellington]

I also find this interesting because I would've assumed the next park to be in Dubai, everything else is going there!

Singerguy, I'm really disappointed that they didn't announce this yet, because Dubai is only a 30 minute drive from my town and my grandmother and uncles all live there, so I go there every weekend.
It's not like I'm not grateful for Universal Studios and Marvel opening, it's just that Disneyland is closer to my heart than any other place.
It would have a Princess Jasmine Castle, and an exclusive land dedicated to Aladdin, and don't worry I'm pretty sure Bin Laden won't be going there !