New Disneyland Parking Garage and Transportation Hub

[LukaLand]

Hojo's is saying Disney met with them and there will be a second security checkpoint for guests entering on foot from Harbor. They also said the old transportation area will be a Downtown Disney expansion?!

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Ahhh... that makes way more sense than a DCA expansion. Perhaps it'll be some combination of both.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I'm pretty positive Disney is cutting off Harbor. They've made it clear in the release that the new pedestrian gateway is on Disney Way (where they show tons of people coming in). In the plans, the security checkpoint is behind the hotels and there is no mention of any other... IF they were keeping access on Harbor, why would they move the checkpoint from where it is now (note the current checkpoint location is not affected by these new plans (at least what is shown)).

With new hotels going in and being built around Gardenwalk, Disney is banking on those higher end hotels having 'front gate' access... what makes more sense for Disney profit wise, local budget hotels or the new JW Marriott being able to boast 'front gate'? It's minimal for sure, but Disney would rather work on deals and good relationships with high end hotels than local budget hotels.

I think Mickey is staring down the Harbor businesses with subtle fire in his eyes. He answers to no one and within the next 30 years WILL own those properties. That land would be a perfect place to sit another Disney hotel way down the line...

Can McDonalds and places like that survive on just area traffic and drivers? I think they can. But I think McDonalds and Denny's etc. will survive, but with less profit (I wonder how much of their profit is general foot traffic). Captain Kidds is doomed imo..

Captain Kidds should be doomed anyway from what I hear.

 

[britain]

Ahhh... that makes way more sense than a DCA expansion. Perhaps it'll be some combination of both.

Indeed! Why have only the guests heading west be funneled pass retail and dining, while those heading east get off scott free?

 

[britain]

Do you know what would be really funny? If they put a live theater in that spot. We'd be circling back to the original intention of that corner back in the Westcot days!

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Indeed! Why have only the guests heading west be funneled pass retail and dining, while those heading east get off scott free?

Assuming this latest bit of news is true why would you assume that the walkway at the DLR end wouldn't be lined with shops?

 

[britain]

Man, the new announcements / new rumors around here have been happening almost daily! I've been trying to wean myself off, telling myself, "Be reasonable - Do you really think that if you refresh the page again, there will be new news?" And lately, yes, there is!

When's that new Rogue One trailer going to hit?

 

[biggsworth]

This is great news ad will really help when Star Wars opens! I assume 2019 for that to happen!

 

[BrianLo]

Assuming this latest bit of news is true why would you assume that the walkway at the DLR end wouldn't be lined with shops?

Mice Age

This Tower of Terror proposal is part of a multi-year plan to get more Marvel into DCA, being pushed heavily by Bob Chapek. Since Chapek arrived a year ago as the new Parks Chairman, he’s been shocked to learn that after five years of owning Marvel there still isn’t a new Marvel ride in the California parks, and that the only thing TDA has done with Marvel is slap together some cheap meet n’ greets over the years. The plan now is to adjust the Marvel mega-coaster from its original spot in the Timon parking lot to fit into the northern end of Hollywood where Stage 17, Monsters Inc., and the unused Stage 12 buildings are. This would save Timon for future DCA expansion, and better use the under-utilized space on the opposite side of Hollywood Land.

That corner of Hollywood Land has always been an unloved and unfortunate looking space that has gone through a series of inexpensive and temporary overlays for dance parties and corporate events. Back in 2012 the plan was to remake that area as a Monsters Inc. themed Monstropolis area, with the inclusion of a family friendly Door Coaster that used the famous door scene from Monsters Inc. as its main show element. Height test balloons were even seen hovering over the land and TDA was nearly ready to give the project the green light before they got cold feet over the mild thrills planned for the coaster. It was at that time that WDI blue sky ideas were being cooked up for the newly acquired Marvel properties, and a much more thrilling and intense mega-coaster was pitched for DCA, to be placed behind Tower of Terror.

The trend with WDI now is fully immersive lands or mini-lands dedicated to one specific IP, and the Marvel mega-coaster will bring along with it a Marvel mini-land based in old Hollywood. The Monsters Inc. dark ride would go to Yesterland, although the dark ride facility may be re-purposed yet again with a Marvel theme if WDI can engineer the coaster around that building using all of the existing backstage area and demolishing support buildings as well as Stage 17 and Stage 12 that now surround Monster Inc.

MuppetVision has gone off to Yesterland, as TDA’s long term planning calendar keeps the new Sunset Showcase Theater as the location for most movie previews for years to come. Although Moana is slated to use the Bugs theater this fall for its preview, the Sunset Showcase will remain as DCA’s main flex theater. The Shanghai budget cuts have prevented TDA from spending the money to redo the queue and lobby from its Frozen theme, so for now audiences will enter through the exit doors only. By Fiscal 2017 the formal lobby of Sunset Showcase Theater should get a remodel to replace the Frozen theme.



With all those Hollywood plans, only the Tower of Terror remake has a shot at opening before Star Wars Land opens in late 2018. The Marvel mega-coaster would slot in for 2020, just before the Fantasyland expansion pad comes to life with a Frozen E Ticket dark ride and some of the attraction concepts recently announced for Tokyo’s Fantasyland.

More recently...

That $2 Billion already approved will go towards Star Wars Land and all the rumored projects readers here already know about; the Pumbaa parking structure with Harbor Blvd. skybridge, the sprawling new luxury hotel and new parking structures on the existing Downtown Disney parking lots, as well as the re-Imagineering of Downtown Disney. The projects Michael wouldn’t talk about in the Opera House last week are already known to most regular readers here, like the Frozen E Ticket and Arendelle village being planned for north of Fantasyland. The plans for DCA now include a total thematic rethink of the northern flanks of Hollywood Land that would take over Monsters Inc., Stage 17, Stage 12, the Sunset Showcase Theater, and beyond the park into some of the adjacent bus loading areas of the East Esplanade.

With all that expansion coming to the two parks, more parking will obviously be needed. Although the Pumbaa parking structure has yet to be officially announced, construction has already begun on that sprawling complex. The first office building at 1515 Manchester Ave has been demolished, and that northern piece of the property will become the new hotel shuttle bus loading area capable of handling dozens of buses at a time, replacing much of the existing loading areas that were built back in 1999. The new bus loading zone will lead to a landscaped plaza that becomes a broad walkway through what is now the Carousel Inn, before it heads over the skybridge across Harbor Blvd. and then winds along the very northern perimeter of the existing East Esplanade loading area.

The parking structure itself will be built in two phases, the first phase going on the existing footprint of the Pumbaa parking lot. The smaller office building between Pumbaa and the new bus loading zone will be demolished later and be part of a second phase of construction on the parking structure, as Disney can’t get the Customs & Immigration Service at 1585 Manchester to end their long-term lease of that building early. The contractor who will build the parking structure has committed to an 18 month construction timetable, so the entire new facility should be open by the spring of 2018.

While that construction will free up a huge amount of acreage for DCA expansion due north of Hollywood Land, it’s the southern flank of Hollywood Land that will see construction first. The plan to remake the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into a Guardians of the Galaxy ride in 2017 is barreling ahead, and Tower of Terror is now planned to close this September. The project is slated to take until next May to complete, and will require reconstruction of the existing exterior queue as well as heavy modification to the interior queue and ride system itself.

It's kind of hard to dismiss they clearly knew what they were talking about from the Tower to the parking garage plans, no reason to doubt what they say is the current plan for Marvel.

What I find interesting is the older quote about how the Monster's Inc ride may be re-utilized if they could make space. Obviously expanding North into the bus turnarounds would be space that they've made.

I know people groan at overlays, but the Monster's Inc track is still quite serviceable. Monster's Inc was a true overlay (aren't there rumours of the celeb AA's being under the containment suits?). If they truly gut the thing I don't mind them re-using that ala how seriously they gutted Maelstrom. The big difference is this would also include a new E-ticket, isn't a garbage capacity ride and is slightly more thematically appropriate.

 

[TP2000]

I'm leaning towards the thinking that Disney is moving all east park access to this new gateway. It might be a strong arm move to those Harbor hotels, but they've had a pretty good ride on Disney park access for over 60 years. I think the increased security concerns and will give them all the reason they need to see this through.

That's the hidden story here. A complete rethink of the Security Perimeter that protects Disneyland. And that "Security" trump card can shut up just about anyone in these troubling times.

But this concept really locks down the Harbor Blvd. security perimeter and walls off anyone and anything that might try to access Disneyland via the street or sidewalk along Harbor; whether that's a tourist staying at the HoJo, or an Islamic State terrorist with a bomb in their backpack.

Not only does it push the perimeter way out and close off the almost wide-open access of the last 61 years, but it makes it a long walk to get to the parks once you get past the security checkpoints, and that gives a security team a precious extra minute or two to react to any incoming threat.

I can only imagine the widely-rumored Re-Imagineering of Downtown Disney plus the additional new parking structure and new luxury hotel on the opposite side of Disneyland property will re-organize and re-structure the current access to the parks to make it equally complex in order to safegaurd the actual parks more.

This Eastern Gateway plan really locks down Disneyland Resort property on its eastern flank and makes it far more protected and more structured. It also tells me that sidewalk access from IHOP and Denny's straight into Disneyland will be gone by 2018. Sorry @Curious Constance.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Mice Age

MiceAge said there'd be a DTD "east" and the new walkway would bypass it? Sorry, I guess I don't understand.

 

[BrianLo]

MiceAge said there'd be a DTD "east" and the new walkway would bypass it? Sorry, I guess I don't understand.

They did? I may have missed it. The only thing I could find is references to the West side (specifically in and around House of Blues) and the current tenant line up.

Speaking of food and retail, TDA continues to work on the re-skin and re-think of Downtown Disney. With House of Blues gone, the leading contender for that space is currently a Splitsville bowling alley. Whatever ends up there will need a full rebuild of that concert venue, and it is worth noting that a large expansion pad still exists north of the old House of Blues building and its neighbor Tortilla Jo’s.

Otherwise, there won’t be much news coming out of Disneyland Park this year while most of the energy goes into Star Wars land. The new Vice President of DCA and Downtown Disney, Christie Fleischer, will continue to focus her energy on shepherding the cosmetic remake and tenant shakeup for Downtown Disney that will begin later this year. The parking department is also under Christie’s wing, but after years in Consumer Products and without any previous experience in theme parks or the hospitality industry Christie is not up to arguing in favor of the moving sidewalks for the Pumbaa structure, especially when her bosses Michael Colglazier and Bob Chapek don’t see any problem with making the tourists walk and padding their yearly bonus.

Moving Christie into the VP role for DCA and Downtown Disney will be important in 2016 as Downtown Disney embarks on a major plan to remodel and repurpose the 15 year old mall and remake it into a West Coast version of WDW’s newly opened Disney Springs complex. With the House of Blues closing in January, and that large expansion plot directly north of House of Blues that’s never been built on, the time is right to give the entire Downtown Disney complex a cosmetic reskin and a rethink on the mall’s tenant mix.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

They did? I may have missed it.

As far as I know they didn't, which is why I asked the question. I would assume that if LunaLand's HoJo story is true then any new eastern esplanade retail development would be accessible from the new walkway.

 

[Old Mouseketeer]

Can we talk about the elephants in the room?

1. Eliminating the automated walkways from the East Transportation Center. Has anyone measured the difference in walking distance versus the M&F tram stop or TS bus stop? This is absurd! This goes all the way back to the redevelopment of the front entrance for DL's 25th anniversary. They moved the tram drop-off from right in front of the ticket booths next to the EB monorail beam out to the end of the new pedestrian mall where the DCA flagpole now stands almost to the WB beam. Then they moved the tram stop West of the Esplanade and eventually the TS bus stop East of the Esplanade. Now they are building an East complex that is far more distant than anything the resort has ever seen. Why can't they put a tram route over the same route? Or at least speed ramps.

2. Closing Pubaa lot before adding any new parking (the new CM lot currently being built on Anaheim Way, notwithstanding). They had options: They could have built a structure on the CM Harbor Lot (Harbor and Ball), added to M&F in the Pinocchio Lot, built a structure on part of TS Lot or the CM Katella Lot. It would have been better if they could have negotiated an early end to the USCIS lease and built on that site and over part of the new East Transportation Facility for a first phase before closing Pumbaa.

This is all in addition to the specter of ending street access from Harbor Bl. IMO, this is a terrible plan. I am very disappointed in it. I think it is the worst thing for this resort since DCA 1.0 and TL '98.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

Has anyone measured the difference in walking distance versus the M&F tram stop or TS bus stop?

Using the center Dland gate as a common point-
To the MnF tram stop (west side (I can never get on the east side))- 0.18mi
To the MnF parking structure escalators (DtD route)- 0.83mi
To the MnF parking structure escalators (structure path)- 0.68mi
To the center of the current bus transport area- 0.12mi

To the center of the new bus transport area- 0.45mi
To the new parking structure escalators- 0.43mi

So, the new structure is less than walking to MnF, but it is 2.4 times the distance using trams. If you consider the worst case of maximum walking required by where the tram drops you off (if you're in the back etc.) that number is reduced to 1.8 times the distance. Considering the fact you have to wait ungodly amounts of times for the trams at times, it's not bad.

Of note, it is 0.44mi to the sorcerer hat at the Disneyland Hotel... and 0.46mi to what would have been an unfortunate parking space in the old Winnie the Pooh lot. So walking distances of <0.5mi are not unheard of at the resort. Rightfully so, the monorail shortens the distance to the Dland Hotel and the old parking lot tram shortened the trip to Pooh lot. The new structure and transport area will not have these options...

Essentially Disney has added 1/3mi walk to get back to your car if you park in the new structure (though time wise I guarantee it'll be faster than the trams) and the distance to the bus loading area is now 1/3mi longer. It's not the end of the world nor absurd, but for those who are dead at the end of the day, it'll be a tad more. I will say, looking at average miles walked at the park for people (a broad number that may not mean much to many for sure), that extra third of a mile is not much in the scope of the day (<5%).

Lastly, allow my insomnia to let you consider this... with the security checkpoint where it will be... and a 'support facility' right next to it... I'd be willing to bet that rentals such as strollers/rascals/wheelchairs etc. can be taken all the way to that area...

Time to attempt to sleep.

 

[SSG]

It would have been better if they could have negotiated an early end to the USCIS lease and built on that site and over part of the new East Transportation Facility for a first phase before closing Pumbaa.

My wife is an administrative officer in a federal agency. She tells me that the typical government lease is usually weighted in favor of the government and it is pretty difficult to get them out of a space if they don't want to go. Disney may figure it's easier to just wait out the lease.

 

[BrianLo]

As far as I know they didn't, which is why I asked the question. I would assume that if LunaLand's HoJo story is true then any new eastern esplanade retail development would be accessible from the new walkway.

My bad, I misunderstood. I don't believe HOJO's story until someone else verifies.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Captain Kidds should be doomed anyway from what I hear.

Darn, I better hurry up and eat there so I can get food poisoning!

 

[Phroobar]

Darn, I better hurry up and eat there so I can get food poisoning!

Tiff's will happily do that for you.

 

[Imagineerland]

That's the hidden story here. A complete rethink of the Security Perimeter that protects Disneyland. And that "Security" trump card can shut up just about anyone in these troubling times.

But this concept really locks down the Harbor Blvd. security perimeter and walls off anyone and anything that might try to access Disneyland via the street or sidewalk along Harbor; whether that's a tourist staying at the HoJo, or an Islamic State terrorist with a bomb in their backpack.

Not only does it push the perimeter way out and close off the almost wide-open access of the last 61 years, but it makes it a long walk to get to the parks once you get past the security checkpoints, and that gives a security team a precious extra minute or two to react to any incoming threat.

I can only imagine the widely-rumored Re-Imagineering of Downtown Disney plus the additional new parking structure and new luxury hotel on the opposite side of Disneyland property will re-organize and re-structure the current access to the parks to make it equally complex in order to safegaurd the actual parks more.

This Eastern Gateway plan really locks down Disneyland Resort property on its eastern flank and makes it far more protected and more structured. It also tells me that sidewalk access from IHOP and Denny's straight into Disneyland will be gone by 2018. Sorry @Curious Constance.

Definitely agree, this is just as much a security planning move as transportation. I would image it is very desirable to get the unsecured area by the security gate as far away from the density of the parks as possible, since that is an area of potential threat. Plus its telling that it appears there are a whole 20 security lines in this new construction, versus the existing 8 or 9 for the east side, and the new ones look much larger. They're making security a big deal here.

Implementing this on the west side may be more difficult because of the tram. It may be that they have to have two separate new areas. One for the entrance of Downtown Disney, located by the new hotel, serving guests parking at the surface lots and hotels. And a second one at the tram loading area from Mickey and Friends, maybe in the Pinocchio Lot, to serve guests at the deck taking the tram to the park.

It will be interesting to see if they ever even announce improvements on the west half or if they just build it all with the hotel in one big project.