Disney Parks Competition? New Theme Park Coming to Oklahoma

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 22, 2023

 

Walt Disney challenged his Imagineers to complete Disneyland in a single year.  Construction crews are doing double time at Universal’s EPIC Universe to meet a projected 2025 opening.  Disney’s EPCOT renovations have taken… okay, we won’t go there.  

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

But in northeast Oklahoma, American Heartland leadership is gearing up to ambitiously create a new 1,000 acre, $2 billion entertainment destination called American Heartland Theme Park and Resort in just about three years.

  
Expected to open in phases, the new theme park will start with a large scale RV park with cabins in the spring of 2025, followed by a 125-acre theme park, about the size of Magic Kingdom, launching in 2026, with a variety of “rides, live shows, family attractions, waterways as well as restaurant quality food and beverage offerings.” There is also a 300-room hotel and indoor water park planned, as well as a film and television studio.

 

“We are thrilled to make Oklahoma the home of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort,” American Heartland CEO Larry Wilhite said. “At the crossroads of the heartland, Oklahoma is an attractive location for a family entertainment destination. The state’s business friendly approach and innovative partnership efforts have helped make this possible. We look forward to bringing unforgettable generational experiences to Oklahoma.”

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

The Americana-centered park will have six different lands, themed to Great Plains, Bayou Bay, Big Timber Falls, Stony Point Harbor, Liberty Village and Electropolis. American Heartland Founder and Chief Creative Officer Gene Bicknell added, “There is so much to celebrate about our country: its landscapes, its cultures and most importantly, its people. No matter where you’re from, you’ll feel right at home at American Heartland.”

 

Opening ahead of the theme park section will be the Three Ponies RV Park and Campground, designed by Oklahoma architects ADG Blatt. It will be the largest campground in the central United States, with 750 RV spaces and 300 cabins, plus a variety of amenities.

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

In case you are worried that this endeavor is being led by a bunch of novices and won’t take flight, it is being developed by American Heartland, an affiliate of Mansion Entertainment Group, the leading performing arts, animation and studio brand in the entertainment hub of Branson, Missouri. Design firms included in the project are THG, FORREC and Cuningham, whose work has included projects for Six Flags, Dollywood, Disney Parks and Universal Studios. And if that wasn’t enough, there will be more than 500 cumulative years of theme park experience in the form of a design team that has more than 20 veteran Disney Parks and Walt Disney Imagineers. 

Steve Hedrick, Executive Producer Project Development, leads the talent. Hedrick has 22 years of experience as a WDE Disney executive, but 40 years in the theme park industry overall. His team includes:

   

• John Sorenson - WDI Land Planner (30 years)
• Tom Turley - DLI Ops Planning & Development (45 years)
• Don Hilsen - WDI Ride Engineer  (30 years)
• John Polk - WDI Special Effects (20 years)
• Tim Kirk - WDI Concept Artist (35 years)
• Annette Crump - WDI Planner/Scheduler (11 years)
• Andy Burden – WDE/DLI Technical Design (12 years)
• Rick Allen – WDW Operations (43 years)
• Craig Hodges – WDW Operations (42 years)
• Dave Vermeulen – Disneyland International (40 years)
• Ted Carlsson – Disneyland/WDI VP of Technical Design (35 years)
• Scott Sinclair – Disneyland & WDI Theme Park Designer (20 years)
• Ronnie Rodriquez – Disney Creative Entertainment (35 years)
• Reggie Jarrett – Disney Entertainment (35 years)

 

American Heartland will be located on Route 66 near I-44 in Vinita, just west of Grand Lake, Oklahoma, and the company anticipates providing more than 4,000 jobs to local residents as they attract more than 4.9 million guests to the new park each year, including two million out-of-state visitors.

Courtesy of American Heartland Theme Park and Resort

“Mansion Entertainment Group is on the verge of becoming the most powerful entity in family entertainment, with its unparalleled expertise across film, television, animation, music, theatre, and family immersive entertainment experiences,” boasted Wilhite. “With a commitment to producing high-quality, wholesome content that the entire family can enjoy, Mansion Entertainment Group has carved a niche for itself in the entertainment industry. Its impressive roster of talents, cutting-edge technology, and innovative storytelling techniques are a testament to its dedication to delivering exceptional entertainment experiences that leave a lasting impact on audiences.”

 

If you think a visit to American Heartland may be in your future, they are setting up a VIP email list for future news about the park and its various offerings.  You can sign up at American Heartland Theme Park and Resort.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

We're All Imagineers?

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #119: We’re All Imagineers! – Regarding your career and business, you better be thinking like an Imagineer.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Ray Bradbury and Imagineers

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #75: Ray Bradbury’s Thumbs Up for Imagineering – A much-deserved to the creativity of Imagineers from a great author.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Friday Night: D23’s “Disney Wild Kingdoms” Panel Streaming with Imagineer Joe Rohde

by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 24, 2020

Disney’s Animal Kingdom, opened in 1998, is more than just a fourth thrill ride gate at Florida’s Disney World complex. It’s also home to more than 250 species of animals, and this week is their moment to shine as Disney celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and the 25^th anniversary of the Disney Conservation Fund. 

Disney has lots of activities in store, even if we can’t be there in person, and D23, the official Disney fan club, will be hosting a panel with legendary Imagineer Joe Rohde on Friday, April 24th, at 7PM ET, on its website and on Facebook and YouTube.

Animal Kingdom’s 500 acres is home to more than 1700 animals, and through the Disney Parks Blog and #DisneyMagicMoments, you can learn more about how Disney cares for its animals, including meeting a few of the new babies born at the Kingdom. One of these adorable new creatures is Asha, a Hartmann’s Mountain zebra who took her place on the savannah of Kilimanjaro Safaris this week.

You can also enjoy a series of Wilderness Explorers at Home shorts on the MyDisneyExperience app, or, over on the Disney Channel, some National Geographic collaborations about animal care at Disney and a variety of wildlife conservation efforts. The DisneyNOW app also has an extended version of the shorts. NatGeo@Home is offering an Earth Day Neighborhood Safari activity for families hanging out at home these days, including daily talks with real life Nat Geo Explorers. Disney+ has three new Disneynature films for you, including Elephant, Dolphin Reef, and Penguins.

As for D23 Friday night streaming event, Disney fans know Mr. Rohde as the man behind much of the magic at Animal Kingdom. His worldwide travels were responsible for a considerable amount of the intricate detailing that makes Animal Kingdom so amazing. 

Again, D23’s “Disney Wild Kingdoms” panel will be streamed on Friday, April 24th, at 7PM ET on D23’s official website, as well as on their Facebook and YouTube channels.  

Host Kevin Kern from the Walt Disney Archives, along with Mark Linfield and Vanessa Berlowitz, producers of Disneynature’s Elephant, and Roy Conli, producer of Tangled and Disneynature’s Elephant, Dolphin Reef, and Penguins will be joining Mr. Rohde to talk about the conservation efforts undertaken at Animal Kingdom, as well as the impact of Walt Disney’s documentary films, Disneynature films, and Disney’s animated depictions of nature. 

Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

A Disney Life Worth Seeing on TCM Tonight

by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 19, 2020

Tonight (April 19^th) at 8PM eastern time, Turner Classic Movies (TCM on your cable guide) will be running the excellent documentary by Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey, called “Floyd Norman: An Animated Life.” 

It’s about Floyd Norman, a pioneer and groundbreaker, who was the first African-American artist/animator hired - at age 22 no less - by Walt Disney, in a key role.

Photo of Floyd Norman and Christ Lucas.

Courtesy of Chris Lucas.

A certified Disney Legend, Mr. Norman worked on Disney classics like Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Sword In the Stone, Robin Hood and The Jungle Book, before moving on to start his own animation company, handling projects for Sesame Street and Fat Albert, among others. He also worked with Hanna Barbera.

At age 84, Mr. Norman is still working at the Disney Studios (returning even after he was forced into early retirement) assisting in projects, consulting as a story artist, doing what he loves, being a mentor and inspiring a whole new generation of dreamers.

I highly recommend this film.

Chris Lucas is the author of  Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

Upping the Disney Shopping Game: Bye to Shop Disney Parks App; Hello to Designer Mouse Ears; and Shopping Immersion at Galaxy’s Edge

by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 19, 2019

If you find yourself working just to support your Disney habit, there are some online changes coming your way… although they probably won’t have much effect in the long run.  On May 31^st, Disney is closing down the Shop Disney Parks app, which helps guests purchase park specific merchandise.  How will you find those cute, trendy Mickey tees you should have bought before you left the Magic Kingdom and didn’t?  Not to worry… parks merch is already available at ShopDisney.com. Those guests using My Disney Experience (MDE) can also access the goodies through their mobile devices.  (As of right now, it appears that Annual Passholders and DVC members will need to shop via MDE to access their discounts. Individual experiences have been varied on that front.)

“Ears” to You

First there were color trend ears like Rose Gold and Potion Purple.  Then came Dole Whip, Minnie donut, and Aladdin-inspired varieties. You can now rock your Disney look in the parks with a whole new set of upscale ears. Beginning May 24^th, Disney will be debuting a limited release series of specialty mouse ears.  Created by fashion designers, celebrities and artists such as Betsey Johnson, Vera Wang, Heidi Klum, ALEX AND ANI, and even a few Disney Imagineers (including Joe Rhode!), these distinctive collaborations will include a new design each month. Look for them at select Disney park shops as well as ShopDisney.com.   

Galaxy’s Edge

Let’s play a little game for a moment:  Close your eyes and imagine yourself in your favorite theme park. (I’m looking at you, Magic Kingdom!) What did you see first? Did you imagine yourself screaming over the tracks of your favorite thrill ride?  Splashing down soaking wet from your plunge over a thundering waterfall? Escaping a Yeti? Searching for a new baby giraffe from the back of a bouncy jeep? Maybe waiting for the cornball punchline as you visit “the backside of water”? Munching happily on a pretzel the size of your head while you wait for the fireworks to start with thousands of your closest friends?

Chances are, your first thoughts are not about hitting the stores for some cool new merch, although we seem to take plenty of that home with us when we board our return flights.  (Admittedly, some of us fly down with empty suitcases, knowing they won’t be empty on the return flight...just sayin’.)

With the opening of Galaxy’s Edge rapidly approaching, shopping as a theme park sport is taking front and center. With only one of the land’s two rides up and running for the opening months, exploring the market venues on the planet will be a fundamental part of the sights and sounds of this galactic outpost.  In true Disney fashion, the shopping possibilities on Batuu has been raised to meteoric levels. Yes, there will be grab-and-go products to take back, but many of the encounters are one-of-a-kind opportunities (a few with their own special effects, upcharges and tour guides), and others will have Jedi collectors salivating.  And while there have been personalized shopping opportunities at Disney in the past (we bought a family crest in Epcot one year, as well as annual monogrammed Christmas ornaments - does that count?), Black Spire’s immersive culture is serving up a previously unheard of tailored version of shopping.  Build your own lightsaber by hand at Savi’s, invent an interactive droid from parts you specifically choose at an assembly station at the Droid Depot, or haggle for an exceptional find at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities. Perhaps the younglings in your party prefer something a bit more cute and cuddly – visit The Creature Stall. (Okay, maybe not all the finds there are cute…. or cuddly for that matter.) From clothing retailers to toy shops, the choices will be part of the journey. 

The most interesting part about shopping on Batuu is the fact that the merchandise comes with its own backstory. No two visitors will come out with exactly the same memory. Hunting for the perfect souvenir will be part of the distinctive experience.  This is not a land filled with the ubiquitous-exit-through-the-gift-shop-after-the-ride formula, where one finds the same items over and over again. Indeed, the shops themselves are an integral part of the storytelling and scene-setting, even if you never drop a dollar (or a Republic credit) with any of the proprietors, though we find that highly unlikely. Many of the products for sale in Black Spire have been designed specifically for this venue, and you will be unable to find them at your stores back home.  The detailing and Imagineering promises to be mind-blowing. Even the handmade clothing options that will be for sale are based on the original wardrobe costumes from the movies. So, if you see it and want it, grab it! This might be your only chance. As Yoda would say, “Do or do not…”

If you’d like a more detailed look at the various experiences and merchandise, here’s a link to a great article from Brady MacDonald at Blooloop on the upcoming shops at https://blooloop.com/features/star-wars-galaxys-edge-merchandise/.

Galaxy’s Edge opens May 31^stin Disneyland, and August 29th at Hollywood Studios in Disney World.

Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

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