Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
To be fair if the 4th hotel did happen, it would've likely saved the Toy Story Parking Lot for use as a third park instead of being used as a Disney Springs Lite like this plan calls for.
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News Disneyland Working on Future Master Plan- includes Theme Park Expansions, Retail/Entertainment Space, and More!
- Thread starter WEDway Inc & Company LLC
- Start date
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Yes. That's the part of this that is legitimately exciting and smart.
Not wasting those surface parking lots on 4 Diamond Hotels, but instead turning them into very large expansion pads for the two existing theme parks is brilliant. Yes, it's the stuff of armchair Imagineering on fan forums like this, but to see Burbank and TDA execs actually embrace it and formalize it into planning documents is a huge change.
Michael Colglazier didn't have the brain capacity to think that big, or that far out. But Josh Damaro obviously does.
Which is probably why the younger Josh got the big promotion that leapfrogged over Colglazier, which led Colglazier to leave Disney in a snobby huff and go work for Virgin Galactic to work on not turning paying customers into charcoal briquets upon planet re-entry.
Exactly. We ve been talking about a bridge connecting DCA to the Simba lot for years. To see some official Disney concept art showing that is exciting and also feels natural. And to put another bridge connecting DL and the DL expansion pad - wow! I’ll admit that part is scarier to me as that bridge will be coming from the west side of Disneyland which is near perfect. I’m really hoping it comes from Critter Country.
I admittedly had not been following the Disney theme park scene closely on the newer blogs/youtube until pretty recently. I was around on the laughing place era and early micechat era forums as a lurker, but I didn't realize how much of an industry disney parks had turned into, especially vlog wise.Agreed.
The concept art is throwaway stuff. There's no way any of that means much of anything. It was literally a cut-and-paste job of various WDI proposals and concepts for any and all Disney theme parks around the world.
But the overall concept is sound, and is a major sea change. This is suddenly a solid proposal to build bridges over Disneyland Drive linking both Anaheim parks to sizeable expansion pads that could each hold a major land or two. That's big!
And it's certainly more promising and a vastly better use of space than where we were five years ago, when Michael Colglazier thought it was a brilliant idea to waste those surface parking lots on a fourth hotel instead of theme park expansion. Colglazier was an idiot.
I do appreciate though that so many of us here on the Disneyland side of this forum have the sophistication to realize this is only a pretty visual to sway public opinion, and it means nothing regarding actual rides or IP's or themes. Although some of those YouTube blogger guys didn't let me down tonight, and are hustling for Likes and Subscribes like a rentboy after Last Call by hyping this as an actual plan.
I wonder if this new type of hype coverage causes them to put forth a great product or just perpetuates people who love everything. So now they "love the plans" and will "love" whatever comes out of them, even if it's just zoning changes for more parking.
I'd imagine it produces somewhere in the middle, can't be complete trash because there are views in crapping on Disney too, so I doubt we'll ever see a DCA 2001 level debacle ever again in this era, which is a good thing.
still I'm more interested in whether Disney gets to skirt the current zoning laws/the zoning gets changed and then go from there than the mock ups.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
It’s late. I’m not following the dominoes. Can you please connect the dots for me?
TP2000
Well-Known Member
But Anaheim wants the Toy Story Lot for Gene Autry Way. And Anaheim has the ability to do that if it wants, and slice that property into a size too small to put a park on.
Notice how in the artwork released today that the Toy Story Lot is shrunken and branded "Disney Entertainment", as if it's a hotel complex with only a dancing waters show and a dueling piano bar as it's big draw? That's because Gene Autry Way is just south of it, and hems it in against Katella.
Sharon&Susan
Well-Known Member
Non-park stuff (like hotels and retail) is being built on the plot of land at one time marked for a third park, instead of the old plans of having the new non-park stuff being built on old hotel parking lots.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Oh I see. I guess I kind of wrote Toy Story off as being a location for a third park after reading what Darkbeer had to say about it.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Will I be using a cane when this is all said and done?
TP2000
Well-Known Member
A few other Deep Thoughts as I finish my nightcap during the last rain of the winter...
- Notice how Downtown Disney's footprint shrinks permanently in this new plan? They apparently aren't worrying about redeveloping the "west end" of Downtown Disney any longer. The AMC Theaters, ESPN Zone, Rainforest Cafe, Starbucks #82584, etc. is all being left to sit empty until it's time to turn it into Wakandaland or Frozenland or whatever. The death of the American Mall is truly upon us.
- The folks at Anaheim's PR firm are obviously reading the memos. The park expansion is labeled "Immersive Theme Park". That's actually not a bad name for a park. It cuts out the middle man and saves on printing costs when new stuff opens. Just brand every Disney theme park "Immersive Theme Park" and be done with it!
- Suddenly the Eastern Gateway has become "Possible New Parking". Emphasis on the "Possible". I imagine Burbank and TDA are still trying to figure out just how much the world really has changed in the last 12 months. Is the future really a world without many AP's? Where locals Uber? Where hotels flourish and expand? Where more parking is not needed like it was in 2015?
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
We better not lose the monorail for this. I’ll add this to my list of growing concerns.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Well Disney has stated 2 years for the government approvals, so Fall of 2022.
The next known date is Summer of 2028 (Olympics). Certain projects need to be ready to handle the expected crowds.
What needs to be done?
Well, to close something down, you have to have something ready to replace it.
So that makes the Eastern Gateway and new Parking Structure a priority.
Also the Ball CM lot on Harbor.
If those get done, you can start on the current Transportation area for park expansion by 2028. (plans already in the works).
Also a Hotel project on the Bullseye Lot by 2028.
After the Olympics, you can start on other major projects, but you need to find replacement parking.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Yeah, and that was the second version in late 2016. Up until the fall of 2016 the plan was for the Fourth Hotel to sit on the existing Downtown Disney parking lots north of the monorail station. The 4th Hotel would use up almost all the space that is now earmarked for park expansion via Critter Country.
Michael Colglazier had absolutely no vision for the parks. None. And the limited hotel vision he did have was very short-sighted.
This new plan is vastly superior. Probably the best use of land in any Disney property anywhere. It seems to equal the similarly ambitious expansion plans for Tokyo Disneyland Resort.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Is that path really coming from Critter Country? Looks more like NOS to me.
If they end up connecting Toontown to Galaxies Edge one day and do this project you will be able to walk from IASW to damn near Walnut all inside of Disneyland.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
At what point do we get a new Tomorrowland? Lol
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Well, if Disney is serious, they can start at anytime after they don't reach the daily limit of guests. Aka they need it open to have the largest capacity possible, since you can only have a certain percentage of it currently.
But after things get more back to normal, if it is a priority, then the 2028 date is important for marketing reasons.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Hey, as of this morning the only thing from overseas I thought they were interested in bringing us was S.E.A was so this is all good. I’m not crazy about the the idea of any more single IP lands in Disneyland proper (if we can even call it that) so I’d hope for the Fantasy Springs or other lands with broader themes to in DL.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Who knows really? It's all very vague, because it's not an actual development plan, but just a marketing image.
As far as the existing Disneyland, there's really only two options to get this walkway out to a bridge structure over Disneyland Drive;
1. South of the Haunted Mansion and north of Pirates, along the current backside of New Orleans Square.
2. The backside of Critter Country, between the ride warehouses for Winnie The Pooh and Tiana's Bayou Bash N' Splash.
Either way, big changes are coming to New Orleans Square or Critter Country. You could even see them being able to expand New Orleans Square a bit beyond the existing berm to get to a bridge. If they do this right, and avoid cheap budgets and off-center windows, this could be a chance to expand and plus up New Orleans Square on the scale of a "Who Woulda Thunk It?!". This could be a great thing!
Or, by the time they get around to doing this a decade from now, the executives will have all changed and they'll go DCA 2001 cheap on this and it will totally suck and be a giant disaster.
Who knows? Anything is possible at Disneyland!
If they end up connecting Toontown to Galaxies Edge one day and do this project you will be able to walk from IASW to damn near Walnut all inside of Disneyland.
Yes. If this actually happens as it's shown, Disneyland will be the most massively developed and intricately stitched together Disney park in the world by a long shot. I can't think of a more fitting way for Disneyland to celebrate it's 75th birthday than that.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Who knows really? It's all very vague, because it's not an actual development plan, but just a marketing image.
As far as the existing Disneyland, there's really only two options to get this walkway out to a bridge structure over Disneyland Drive;
1. South of the Haunted Mansion and north of Pirates, along the current backside of New Orleans Square.
2. The backside of Critter Country, between the ride warehouses for Winnie The Pooh and Tiana's Bayou Bash N' Splash.
Either way, big changes are coming to New Orleans Square or Critter Country. You could even see them being able to expand New Orleans Square a bit beyond the existing berm to get to a bridge. If they do this right, and avoid cheap budgets and off-center windows, this could be a chance to expand and plus up New Orleans Square on the scale of a "Who Woulda Thunk It?!". This could be a great thing!
Or, by the time they get around to doing this a decade from now, the executives will have all changed and they'll go DCA 2001 cheap on this and it will totally suck and be a giant disaster.
Who knows? Anything is possible at Disneyland!
Yes. If this actually happens as it's shown, Disneyland will be the most massively developed and intricately stitched together Disney park in the world by a long shot. I can't think of a more fitting way for Disneyland to celebrate it's 75th birthday than that.
I sincerely hope they don’t mess up NOS. Magnolia park between Mansion and French Market is maybe my favorite spot in the park. The thought of some huge bridge/ construction going in there and ruining that relaxing, off the beaten path, quaint feeling is scary. Granted, I’m sure they re not just going to plop a ginormous pathway there and some craftsmanship with some turns, landscaping etc will go into it but... still scary
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Don't worry. It's actually quite a ways west of there before a themed bridge would appear. If anything, this will force them to expand New Orleans Square beyond the berm quite a bit before you even get to the bridge.
To help allay your fears, I have used my expert graphic design skills to create a map showing how much space there actually is here, and how much room you need to work through to get to the actual bridge over Disneyland Drive.
The Disneyland Railroad is lined in blue. The existing New Orleans Square as we experience it (Pirates, the retail/dining complex, Mansion, small plaza in front of Railroad station) is outlined in red. The expansion potential is hashmarked in red beyond the berm. Then the new bridge leading to the expansion pad is outlined and arrowed in vibrant gold.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Who knows really? It's all very vague, because it's not an actual development plan, but just a marketing image.
As far as the existing Disneyland, there's really only two options to get this walkway out to a bridge structure over Disneyland Drive;
1. South of the Haunted Mansion and north of Pirates, along the current backside of New Orleans Square.
2. The backside of Critter Country, between the ride warehouses for Winnie The Pooh and Tiana's Bayou Bash N' Splash.
Either way, big changes are coming to New Orleans Square or Critter Country. You could even see them being able to expand New Orleans Square a bit beyond the existing berm to get to a bridge. If they do this right, and avoid cheap budgets and off-center windows, this could be a chance to expand and plus up New Orleans Square on the scale of a "Who Woulda Thunk It?!". This could be a great thing!
Or, by the time they get around to doing this a decade from now, the executives will have all changed and they'll go DCA 2001 cheap on this and it will totally suck and be a giant disaster.
Who knows? Anything is possible at Disneyland!
Yes. If this actually happens as it's shown, Disneyland will be the most massively developed and intricately stitched together Disney park in the world by a long shot. I can't think of a more fitting way for Disneyland to celebrate it's 75th birthday than that.
The more I think about it, it has to be Critter Country. I’ve always loved the quaint feel of Critter Country too but it’s definitely the lesser of two evils especially considering Splash will most likely ve gone anyway. It just makes sense for it to be Critter Country for the simple fact they don’t have to reroute or do anything with the DLRR. The problem is already solved in Critter Country as we go under the tracks. All they have to do is remove the Pooh store or maybe even relocate it somewhere along the new path.