In a rather unexpected revelation yesterday (November 16th, 2022), it was claimed by Melaka state Exco of Tourism, Heritage and Culture Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis that Jasin will allegedly play host to the Asean region’s very first Disney themed attraction.
The announcement was made during a ceremony commemorating the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of a new 22km ‘Maglev’ train system that will connect many of Melaka’s major tourist attractions. Set to be completed by 2027, the tourist attraction uncharacteristically dubbed ‘Disney City’, was expected to cost RM2 billion to construct. However, details were vague, with Jailani saying that both its size and exact location were subject to change as the project was still in the planning stage.
“Fake news,” say Disney officials about ‘Disney City’ theme park in Melaka
However, questions were raised as to the validity of Jailani’s claims, as no Disney representatives from the Southeast Asian region had attended the ceremony, nor did the company release any formal statement on the existence of such a theme park. What’s more, the naming nomenclature of ‘Disney City’ went against the grain of Disney’s typical convention, with its major tourist attractions typically named ‘Disney World’, ‘Disneyland’, or ‘Disney Resort’.
Well for those who were excitedly planning their next Disney adventure in our very own back yard, we have bad news to share. In speaking with a Disney official on the matter, CNN Southeast Asia correspondent Heather Chen has confirmed that news of ‘Disney City’ in Melaka is indeed, fake news.
To clarify: My tweet has now been deleted on orders of Disney. But the original clarification I made from reaching out and reporting still stands — There are no official plans for a Disney themed park in Malacca, earlier reports were purely speculative and misinformed.
— Heather Chen (@heatherchen_) November 17, 2022
At this point, no official plans have been drawn up, and any such claims of a Disney park in Asean are ‘purely speculative and misinformed’. With that said, the company itself has not issued any press statements to confirm or deny the matter, but the likelihood of a ‘Disney City’ coming to fruition aren’t high, to say the least.
So if you’re still keen on visiting any Disney attractions, your best bet might still be the one in Hong Kong or Tokyo, for now.
Tap here to give us a ‘Like’ on Facebook and stay up-to-date on the latest news and stories!
