The Future of PortAventura

[Tbad556]

What I meant with "Strange" is how no one ever even mentioned that this was a possibility, or even less than that in the last year, but suddenly several people say that they know a lot about it but can't share anything nor provide proof? That seem odd, not the part that if it were to happen, it could happen like this.

That's kind of the life cycle of scoops in any form of news tbh. Multiple people can hear rumblings over a course of time, but not be confident enough to report on them yet and wait to gather more information for a full report before making it public (or like @Alicia expressed yesterday, may fear leaking it too early could affect the deal itself). Not to mention some people hear things, but may not be able to yet discuss them for the sake of the source(s). Once the first person decides to bring the story to light, it's out there. It's easier to go "yeah, I've had rumblings about this on my side as well".

A perfect example of this in the non-theme park world is this gem:

Reporters work on scoops for a long time sometimes before hitting "publish" on something. But once it's out there, it's out there.

 

[Viator]

What I meant with "Strange" is how no one ever even mentioned that this was a possibility, or even less than that in the last year, but suddenly several people say that they know a lot about it but can't share anything nor provide proof? That seem odd, not the part that if it were to happen, it could happen like this

The key I think comes down towards admittedly one aspect--once a location is found out; and when that location is found out, it could resort in those within that area to take action to try to prevent someone like Universal from trying to develop. NIMBYing in a way.

 

[Nico]

I'm leaning towards this. It's very odd for a company to look for investors/buyers, and post publicly their need for restructuring debt if they are in discussions with Comcast for a true sale. Not saying Comcast isn't interested, but it seems like they're not as interested anymore or are playing hard to get.


Maybe because the teams are so small and these transactions are so crucial they want to keep a tight lid? Maybe because Universal has multiple options to work with insiders aren't confident to report where exactly it's happening. It's obvious a European resort is next for Universal... where exactly we don't know. If you asked reputable Disney insiders in 1982 where Euro Disney was going, somewhere between Rome and Naples would have been their answer lol

Agreed. Hell, if you watch the video I posted in the UK thread, when this went down last time Universal had both UK and France negotiating against each other with incentives. When ultimately a deal couldn’t be made, they purchased a stake in PA.

Pitting locations against each other isn’t a new phenomenon, especially if you need government support.

 

[Mad Dog]

That's kind of the life cycle of scoops in any form of news tbh. Multiple people can hear rumblings over a course of time, but not be confident enough to report on them yet and wait to gather more information for a full report before making it public (or like @Alicia expressed yesterday, may fear leaking it too early could affect the deal itself). Not to mention some people hear things, but may not be able to yet discuss them for the sake of the source(s). Once the first person decides to bring the story to light, it's out there. It's easier to go "yeah, I've had rumblings about this on my side as well".

A perfect example of this in the non-theme park world is this gem:

Reporters work on scoops for a long time sometimes before hitting "publish" on something. But once it's out there, it's out there.

Yes, plus most 'real journalists' want a second verifiable 'source' before they'll break a story. Sometimes that's a tough standard to meet.

 

[Dalt Wisney]

I guess what you say makes sense, the thing is, is TomFoolery a reputable source? This is a legitimate question as I have no clue who he is neither have I heard his name, so don't take it as something bad. What other projects did he share information on that have turned out to be true?

It's been shared to death in this thread, but Ally from Disneyland Paris is the biggest leaker and information hole of Disney in Europe with a near perfect reputation, why would he say this if not true?

https://x.com/aalllllyyyyyy/status/1701578397871174095?s=46&t=IdplWZ8cR799wFvqfQ76hA

The other thing was Frederic Boulva, operational director of DLP going to PortAventura, which was released by the same people that have been releasing tons of info on Universal and PA, this has been confirmed and is possible to see in this brand new photo.

Why would he ever leave Disneyland Paris, the biggest theme park Resort in Europe for a theme park resort that y'all think is going down based on a news article with unconfirmed sources? Just seems a little hasty...

 

[Chorizo]

I guess what you say makes sense, the thing is, is TomFoolery a reputable source?

Yes, they are.

 

[Vega]

Yes, they are.

I swear this Tom Foolery thing is a major conspiracy. I have heard everyone saying he is a reputable source yet I haven't seen a single thing to give him credit for.

Can anyone actually list the achievements that make Tom Foolery a reputable source? (And an even more reliable than Ally! if so)

 

[Mad Dog]

I guess what you say makes sense, the thing is, is TomFoolery a reputable source? This is a legitimate question as I have no clue who he is neither have I heard his name, so don't take it as something bad. What other projects did he share information on that have turned out to be true?

It's been shared to death in this thread, but Ally from Disneyland Paris is the biggest leaker and information hole of Disney in Europe with a near perfect reputation, why would he say this if not true?

https://x.com/aalllllyyyyyy/status/1701578397871174095?s=46&t=IdplWZ8cR799wFvqfQ76hA

The other thing was Frederic Boulva, operational director of DLP going to PortAventura, which was released by the same people that have been releasing tons of info on Universal and PA, this has been confirmed and is possible to see in this brand new photo.

Why would he ever leave Disneyland Paris, the biggest theme park Resort in Europe for a theme park resort that y'all think is going down based on a news article with unconfirmed sources? Just seems a little hasty... View attachment 20151

@Tomfoolery hasn't been around very long on this site under that name, but since he first started posting I've followed him 'very closely' since he always seems to be right on correct. Personally, I'd bank on his word.....But I have no idea who he is. Just about every other insider on this site I either personally know, or have conversed with privately. I have no idea who @Tomfoolery is, but it appears he is very reputable when it comes to Universal info. I'm always cautious on any poster that insinuates that they have insider info, but have no proven track record. But Tomfoolery isn't in that class. He seems to always have legitimate insider info, and he's confident about it. He seems to really know what's going on behind the scenes. On the UK stuff, another legitimate insider that I know personally as a friend, that doesn't want his name used yet, has confirmed the UK happening, so I'm convinced this is legit. Having two sources gives this story legitimacy......This entire PA/UK arc has been like driving in a roundabout, but I think we're finally nailing this down. PA seems to have been a red herring for the most part, or just an exploratory journey by Universal.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Why would he ever leave Disneyland Paris, the biggest theme park Resort in Europe for a theme park resort that y'all think is going down based on a news article with unconfirmed sources? Just seems a little hasty...

Maybe he got a pay raise

Every single article published about the PortAventura sale lists Universal as a potential buyer, but nothing concrete. I'm sure they've had discussions over the years... but a park in the UK (economy is twice the size of Spain) is much more interesting to $CMCSA

 

[Vega]

Maybe he got a pay raise

Every single article published about the PortAventura sale lists Universal as a potential buyer, but nothing concrete. I'm sure they've had discussions over the years... but a park in the UK (economy is twice the size of Spain) is much more interesting to $CMCSA

I doubt Investdustrial and KKR would be able to offer Frederic more than he was getting in Disneyland. Not to talk about the future of the Resort and his job since he joined the park after the sale was announced.

Also, Frederic isn't the only Disney's employee leaving for Port Aventura.

 

[Nico]

I guess what you say makes sense, the thing is, is TomFoolery a reputable source? This is a legitimate question as I have no clue who he is neither have I heard his name, so don't take it as something bad. What other projects did he share information on that have turned out to be true?

It's been shared to death in this thread, but Ally from Disneyland Paris is the biggest leaker and information hole of Disney in Europe with a near perfect reputation, why would he say this if not true?

https://x.com/aalllllyyyyyy/status/1701578397871174095?s=46&t=IdplWZ8cR799wFvqfQ76hA

The other thing was Frederic Boulva, operational director of DLP going to PortAventura, which was released by the same people that have been releasing tons of info on Universal and PA, this has been confirmed and is possible to see in this brand new photo.

Why would he ever leave Disneyland Paris, the biggest theme park Resort in Europe for a theme park resort that y'all think is going down based on a news article with unconfirmed sources? Just seems a little hasty... View attachment 20151

Isn’t the most common issue mentioned about PA it’s operations? He’s replacing the man who has been in charge of ops for 14 years supposedly. Also, he was in this role for 8 months in Paris and 4 years total with the company. So I would guess his reason is money.

Also, does anyone have the announcement of his hiring from the park themselves? He hasn’t updated his LinkedIn, and all references to this hiring I found so far comes from Twitter or forums.

PortAventura World Embraces New Leadership from Disneyland Paris | PortAventura Park | News | Waitingtimes.APP

PortAventura World has made a significant step in its development strategy by appointing Frédéric Boulva, an experienced leisure park manager from Disneyland Paris, as its new Chief Operating Officer starting January 2024. This executive decision...

www.waitingtimes.app

 

[tommyhawkins]

Also, most insiders do not/cannot disclose what they know without burning their sources, getting in trouble themselves, etc. Typically insiders will sit on info for a substantial amount of time until they feel more comfortable. Once it is dropped, then this process we’re in starts up.

This, this paragraph needs to be printed out and read before you demand proof of why some of us are saying what we are, and what we aren't.

Yes, plus most 'real journalists' want a second verifiable 'source' before they'll break a story. Sometimes that's a tough standard to meet.

There's also not wanting to derail the process or spooking an organization who may lose negotiating power or leverage by leaks.

 

[Vega]

Isn’t the most common issue mentioned about PA it’s operations? He’s replacing the man who has been in charge of ops for 14 years supposedly. Also, he was in this role for 8 months in Paris and 4 years total with the company. So I would guess his reason is money.

Also, does anyone have the announcement of his hiring from the park themselves? He hasn’t updated his LinkedIn, and all references to this hiring I found so far comes from Twitter or forums.

View attachment 20153

PortAventura World Embraces New Leadership from Disneyland Paris | PortAventura Park | News | Waitingtimes.APP

PortAventura World has made a significant step in its development strategy by appointing Frédéric Boulva, an experienced leisure park manager from Disneyland Paris, as its new Chief Operating Officer starting January 2024. This executive decision...

www.waitingtimes.app

Frédéric's hiring was announced way back November 13th on the official PAW employee app . This can be seen here:

https://x.com/deparqueaparque/status/1724057612130390148?s=20

Also, the recent PAW LinkedIn profile posted a picture of the new office with Boulva there:

PortAventura World on LinkedIn: Hace una semana que el equipo de PortAventura World disfrutamos de la…

Hace una semana que el equipo de PortAventura World disfrutamos de la inauguración del nuevo edificio Edificio People Una remodelación que busca crear un…

www.linkedin.com

So yeah, he might not have updated his profile yet as changing it "now" might be pointless.

 

[Dalt Wisney]

Isn’t the most common issue mentioned about PA it’s operations? He’s replacing the man who has been in charge of ops for 14 years supposedly. Also, he was in this role for 8 months in Paris and 4 years total with the company. So I would guess his reason is money.

Also, does anyone have the announcement of his hiring from the park themselves? He hasn’t updated his LinkedIn, and all references to this hiring I found so far comes from Twitter or forums.

View attachment 20153

PortAventura World Embraces New Leadership from Disneyland Paris | PortAventura Park | News | Waitingtimes.APP

PortAventura World has made a significant step in its development strategy by appointing Frédéric Boulva, an experienced leisure park manager from Disneyland Paris, as its new Chief Operating Officer starting January 2024. This executive decision...

www.waitingtimes.app

I mean, he may bot have updated his LinkedIn but he's literally in the photo with all his coworkers, so that's 100% correct and confirmed right there... By the way, here's this post if you want to make sure I'm not doing some sort of photoshop and adding him to the actual thing haha PortAventura World on LinkedIn: Hace una semana que el equipo de PortAventura World disfrutamos de la…

 

[Nico]

I mean, he may bot have updated his LinkedIn but he's literally in the photo with all his coworkers, so that's 100% correct and confirmed right there... By the way, here's this post if you want to make sure I'm not doing some sort of photoshop and adding him to the actual thing hahaView attachment 20155 PortAventura World on LinkedIn: Hace una semana que el equipo de PortAventura World disfrutamos de la…
View attachment 20155

Perfect thank you! I thought it was so weird that there was no press release.

 

[Mad Dog]

Disney has been changing management throughout their entire system during these 'difficult' times for Disney. Not a lot of job security there. Perhaps that explains some of these people moving on.

 

[Vega]

Disney has been changing management throughout their entire system during these 'difficult' times for Disney. Not a lot of job security there. Perhaps that explains some of these people moving on.

I understand Disney has been struggling lately, but Ally! (a very reliable source for Disneyland Paris information), confirmed that most of these imagineers were going towards a big Universal project. It's only now that we have confirmation that at least one of them, Frédéric Boulva, ended up on PAW.

https://x.com/aalllllyyyyyy/status/1701578397871174095?s=20

It's been confirmed by the same sources that leaked the Frédéric thing first, that more Disney employees are coming to PAW, although there's no official confirmation for this.

1+1=2

 

[Mad Dog]

This, this paragraph needs to be printed out and read before you demand proof of why some of us are saying what we are, and what we aren't.

There's also not wanting to derail the process or spooking an organization who may lose negotiating power or leverage by leaks.

Definitely. I remember my good friend, major Insider Teebin constantly being challenged on his info, and not wanting to out his sources. Teebin would often tell me stuff, but swore me to secrecy. So I'd just play dumb on the site though I knew otherwise. Teebin, from the things he told me, had many multiple times info that he never divulged for fear of accidentally disclosing a source that ended up being a high level exec. . He often would post very obscure clues on IU (OU then) to try to reveal things in a clandestine way.....There's a lot of real info out there, that is known, but never disclosed....and IU definitely has the most dependable, and accurate, Universal INSIDER info of any theme park site, or major media even.

 

[Dalt Wisney]

Definitely. I remember my good friend, major Insider Teebin constantly being challenged on his info, and not wanting to out his sources. Teebin would often tell me stuff, but swore me to secrecy. So I'd just play dumb on the site though I knew otherwise. Teebin, from the things he told me, had many multiple times info that he never divulged for fear of accidentally disclosing a source that ended up being a high level exec. . He often would post very obscure clues on IU (OU then) to try to reveal things in a clandestine way.....There's a lot of real info out there, that is known, but never disclosed....and IU definitely has the most dependable, and accurate, INSIDER info of any theme park site, or major media even.

That's honestly good to know that I'm on the right website and forum to learn about Universal stuff! What baffles me about this one development alone is that the biggest, star-filled forum with lots of insiders can't show one element of proof... I guess everyone does what suits them and their sources best, so if you say you won't release anything because of that, well, then there really isn't much to talk about...

 

[Alicia]

Just caught up, and wanted to circle back to why today’s article about PAW considering selling just the land it sits on is interesting… not because the story also concedes they are still also open to selling the entire company as a whole or piecemeal—I understand what the point of the article was—it is interesting because it shows that PAW is still trying to sell itself.

That is not the behavior of a company that has already been acquired by another company.

The story shows that PAW is open to multiple types of purchases, which tells me, it has not been purchased. And that IS news.