Why a Disney Park in Texas Could Be Possible.

While these ideas are not so much concrete, there are a few new faces to the Houston landscape that have also found a great home alongside the Walt Disney World Resort; are their appearance in northwest Houston coincidental? Or do they coincide with the building of a Texas-sized Disney project?

• Chelsea Premium Outlets. Recently opened to wide fanfare off Hempstead Road/SH 290 in Cypress, the Houston Premium Outlets (owned by Chelsea Premium Outlets) offers tourists and residents alike with fine shopping experiences, food and entertainment options. Likewise, the Orlando Premium Outlets (also owned by Chelsea), located five minutes outside Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney gate, also attracts similar attention. And which media station was there to cover it first? Houston's Disney-owned news affiliate, ABC-13.
  

• Rainforest Cafe. As a current manager of a shop within Willowbrook Mall, we hear a lot about what is up and coming; one such stop rumored to be coming to the FM 1960-area mall? Rainforest Cafe. This is fitting as Rainforest Cafe finds itself twice within Lake Buena Vista city limits, one at Downtown Disney and the other at Disney's Animal Kingdom miles away. (The drive would be similar to a drive between the Houston Premium Outlet and Willowbrook Mall, actually.)
  

• Steak N Shake. While this chain once had a location in the Champions off of FM 1960 decades ago, a new location is being build only moments from SH 290 near FM 1960 and Eldridge Rd. The Steak N Shake off of S. Apopka-Vinland Rd. in Orlando, Fla., is a late night hangout for Disney interns and employees who work the night shift. Expect more to pop up around Houston.

Also, with as much development as there is in the Cypress area, expect a natural progression of more Disney-influenced product on the shelves. For example, the Wal-Mart store accessible to Disney interns (by shuttle while living in company-sponsored housing) carries a large selection of Disney tourism merchandise. A sudden surge in Disney product near the impulse grids and front of the Fairfield/Coles Crossing Wal-Mart may indicate the company's influence.