Alas, it won't be a full-fledged Polynesia-themed Magic Kingdom but Walt Disney unveiled plans for a new resort on Oahu's West Side in the up and coming Ko Olina Resort district. Disney has apparently purchased 21 acres of oceanfront property out there and will have around 800 luxury units designed for family vacations.

Some industry wags say that the Hawaii resort is a sign of slowing growth in Disney's monolithic theme park enterprises. Locals on the West Side were ecstatic at the prospect of more (albeit low-paying) tourism jobs. The West Side of Oahu holds some of the most economically depressed parts of the state and some relatively dangerous neighborhoods a stone's throw from the proposed resort. A visiting tourist was beaten to death in a beach park near the proposed resort last year. Still, the West Side will inevitably gentrify. Beaches are great. Sunshine is copious. Waters are clear. And its the cheapest real estate on Oahu, more or less. Aloha, Mickey and friends!

—Alex, 10/05/07