Online petition calls for Australian Disneyland

Ignoring the financial plight that major theme parks are facing around the world, an online petition calling on the Walt Disney Company to create a Disneyland theme park in Australia has gathered more than 1,000 signatures.

With Disney already operating attractions across in Europe and North America, it also operates three resorts in Asia: Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney Resort.

Having previously explored developing attractions on Sydney Harbour and the Sunshine Coast – projects that were subsequently abandoned -  on fan has created a petition on Change.org calling on the world’s largest theme park operator to launch what would be the first Disneyland in the Southern Hemisphere.

The petition, called ‘Time for Australia to have our very own Disneyland!’, states: “They think Australia just simply doesn’t have the population to support a Disney Park and tourism market wouldn’t do enough to fill in the gaps.

“I beg to differ. I believe Australia HAS the population, not to mention the international tourism it would create as well, and the tourism market to make it just as successful as other Disneyland’s around the world.”

The petition has had nearly 1,000 signatures at the time of writing.

The Walt Disney Company has been hit hard by the pandemic, recently revealing its parks, experiences and products division took a US$3.5 billion hit on operating income due to COVID-19.

In the early 2000s Universal Theme Parks also considered a development at Melbourne Docklands. This project was found not to be feasible.

The petition does not indicate if those backing the theme park will be required to invest in the project.

Click here to view the petition.

Image: Shanghai Disney Resort.