Disneyland in your backyard! Three new locations tipped for site of new theme park as buzz swirls about US company opening Down Under

Three more locations have been flagged as possible locations for a new-build Disneyland, as rumors swirl that the US-based company could expand into Australia.

The Walt Disney Company announced last September that it is developing plans to accelerate and expand investments in its parks and experiences.

The global giant said it aims to nearly double capital expenditures to $60 billion over the next decade. with a view to international expansion.

The announcement fueled rumors that a seventh Disneyland would be built Melbourne and its suburbs.

Werribee and Fishermans Bend were previously mentioned as possible locations, but three more locations have now been added to the list.

Disneyland’s current locations include California, Hong-KongParis, Shanghai and Tokyo, with Florida‘s flagship park called Magic Kingdom.

The Walt Disney Company announced it is developing plans to accelerate and expand investments in its parks and experiences as it pursues international expansion

The announcement fueled rumors that the seventh Disneyland would be built in Melbourne, with local politicians citing five locations as the best options for the theme park.

Libertarian MP for the South East Metro David Limbrick told state parliament on Thursday after “exhaustive research” into the best location for the theme park that he had narrowed it down to three suburbs.

“Just to prove it’s a small world after all, it turns out the best locations are in my electorate: Dandenong, Cranbourne or Frankston,” Mr Limbrick said.

“They’re so good I can’t split them easily.”

Mr Limbrick called on Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos to advise the Walt Disney Company that “all assistance would be given” and that they would be welcomed by the community in Melbourne’s south-east.

He added that south-east Melbourne was the “only logical place for the happiest place on earth” as his electorate was filled with tens of thousands of families with children “looking for things to do”.

Mr Limbrick also said the area had a strong workforce who would like to live and work close to home.

“Crucially we have an airport in Moorabbin and lots of open spaces linked by the Mordialloc Freeway,” Mr Limbrick said.

Local politicians suggested five locations as the best locations for the country’s first Disneyland, including Werribee, Fishermans Bend, Dandenong, Cranbourne and Frankston

Last month, Melbourne Mayor Sally Capp AO pitched Werribee as a potential location for Disneyland.

Werribee, which is 32km south-west of Melbourne’s CBD, was previously nominated for a $220 million adventure ride paradise, but the state government withdrew the plans in 2008 over fears it would cost too much for taxpayers.

Mayor Capp also called Fishermans Bend an ideal location for a Disney theme park last August.

“As Australia’s fun capital, we should of course have a Disney theme park in Melbourne,” Mayor Capp told the Herald Sun at the time.

‘We even have the perfect place for it: Fishermans Bend. At Fishermans Bend, thrilling roller coasters could fly over the Yarra as part of a Disneyland, Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom.

“I know that a Disney theme park in our community would be a big hit with residents – myself included – visitors, students and traders.”

Disney has the largest physical footprint of any global theme park travel company, with twelve parks spread across six locations around the world.

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, remained tight-lipped about the international expansion, claiming the company has “no shortage of space.”

“While our size is impressive, we have no shortage of space or regions of the world where we can tell new stories,” D’Amaro said in a statement last year.

“We have an ambitious growth story backed by a proven track record and a bold vision for the future of our Parks business.”

“In fact, Disney Parks has more than 1,000 acres of land for potential future development to expand theme park space across existing locations – the equivalent of approximately seven new Disneyland parks.”