A Spirited Perfect Ten

[WDW1974]

Taking things back to TDL for a minute, one of the things that peaks my interest is the expansion beyond the current TDL berm. The first part being it relieves some concerns that there wasn't quite enough room to fit in Small World/Be our Guest and a whole other D/E-ticket.

The second VERY interesting part is the expansion beyond the berm that they are not using for fantasyland.

Especially when one considers access to that area could easily be achieved in between Star Tours/Space Mountain... it kind of makes one wonder if an overseas Star Wars addition is in the early planning stages for TDL.

Not sure what land you are speaking of, but I can say there are no plans for additional Star Wars presence at the Asian parks at all. You might recall that in HKDL, Iron Man is going up on the expansion pad that had been marked for Star Tours since the 90s.

Besides, it's going to take another 23 years to actually build any Star Wars projects in the USA at the rate they're going, so you wouldn't want WDI distracted further!

 

[WDW1974]

Could this be for more parking? I know they have a parking problem and it's not an incredibly large hotel. Any other ideas for this hotel?

It's very small and squeezed in by others. I see of no use for this unless Disney wanted to build a very small boutique hotel in the middle of Harbor Blvd. And if this were their strategy, they were looking to do so adjacent to Garden Walk years ago. That land made a whole lot more sense, even if it wasn't directly across from the resort.

It has to be part of a bigger goal ... likely parking or moving other infrastructure at some point in the future. At $32 million, I think they got a good deal.

 

[WDW1974]

The great Wallenda(Jr-the 3rd?) just walked the O-EYE today i think..
http://www.usatoday.com/story/trave...llenda-orlanda-next-tightrope-stunt/25698791/

Yep. A friend wandered in (he's very good at that) into the tail end of a party out there a few hours ago. Believe it was put on by Visit Orlando, but I am sure there has to be a blogging party/event (Dr. Blondie is willing to help others out with her list so much as getting others to give the Lifestylers freebies means she has to give them less!)

 

[TP2000]

They did. I don't quite get the strategy in play here. That piece of land is only worth something if they can buy other parcels along Harbor. And, if you're Disney, the last thing you'd want to do is let the world know you're looking to acquire land there.

You've got to zoom your Google Earth image out just a bit, and reference an article Al Lutz/Miceage wrote a year ago, plus be following the political drama in Anaheim City Hall over their contentious streetcar plan, and also gab it up at a Villa Park cocktail party with the right real estate insiders, and then the Carousel Inn becomes an obviously valuable piece of property for Disneyland and its near future.

The Carousel Inn connects the business park that Miceage says Disney bought a year ago to Harbor Blvd., perfectly sized for a sky bridge over Harbor connecting a 8,000+ space parking structure to the Resort.

The original plan was for Anaheim to take the Park Vue Inn and IHOP property a block south via eminent domain, and have Anaheim use the ground level for a streetcar station and maintenance facility, while Disney built a sky bridge overhead that connected the Resort to the structure. But the recent re-routing of the Anaheim streetcar to Disney Way would derail (pun intended) that plan. This Carousel Inn purchase would appear to be a way for Disney to get the planned sky bridge over Harbor to connect to the new parking structure, while avoiding the Anaheim streetcar drama and any nasty eminent domain lawsuits and bad press.

What's also nice is that this land grab and parking plan would appear to save the Pizza Press. The Pizza Press is the location with the best custom-made pizza for miles around and dozens of local craft beers on tap, open daily until 1AM, and just a 5 minute stroll from Main Street USA. http://www.thepizzapress.com/

 

[WDW1974]

You've got to zoom your Google Earth image out just a bit, and reference an article Al Lutz/Miceage wrote a year ago, plus be following the political drama in Anaheim City Hall over their contentious streetcar plan, and also gab it up at a Villa Park cocktail party with the right real estate insiders, and then the Carousel Inn becomes an obviously valuable piece of property for Disneyland and its near future.

The Carousel Inn connects the business park that Miceage says Disney bought a year ago to Harbor Blvd., perfectly sized for a sky bridge over Harbor connecting a 8,000+ space parking structure to the Resort.

The original plan was for Anaheim to take the Park Vue Inn and IHOP property via eminent domain, and have Anaheim use the ground level for a streetcar station and maintenance facility, while Disney built a sky bridge overhead that connected the Resort to the structure. But the recent re-routing of the Anaheim streetcar to Disney Way would derail (pun intended) that plan. This Carousel Inn purchase would appear to be a way for Disney to get the planned sky bridge over Harbor to connect to the new parking structure, while avoiding the Anaheim streetcar drama and any nasty eminent domain lawsuits and bad press.

What's also nice is that this land grab and parking plan would appear to save the Pizza Press. The Pizza Press is the location with the best custom-made pizza for miles around and dozens of local craft beers on tap, open daily until 1AM, and just a 5 minute stroll from Main Street USA. http://www.thepizzapress.com/

Interesting theory. I forgot all about that business park. Was any proof ever shown that Disney indeed owns it now? The ped bridge definitely would make sense if so ...

EDIT: and are you suggesting that the Pizza Press might be a good place for 'Angie' and I to meet you this summer?

 

[burgess]

And when you look at what can be booked in the O-Town market (simply within a 10-mile radius of WDW), the rates being charged are insane. From full houses (without the Olsen twins or John Stamos) to timeshares to true 4-star luxury hotels and then there's always Priceline.com's bidding service, I base my opinion on the market.

Just recently returned from a 10 day trip. We stayed in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with a private hot tub, on a property with a pool, spa, bar arcade, etc, 15 minutes from our door to Disney World. The whole stay was under $900, and it wasn't even the cheapest option I looked at; I felt like I was paying a premium for the good reviews. For the kinds of trips Disney wants people to take now (9AM to midnight at the MK, back to the hotel and collapse), I find it crazy that people would pay multiples of what I did for a room on Disney property.

Sidenote: had a stay in tokyo last year for the same number of days, but cheaper. Tokyo is not an expensive trip like people think.

 

[TP2000]

Interesting theory. I forgot all about that business park. Was any proof ever shown that Disney indeed owns it now? The ped bridge definitely would make sense if so ...

There has been no public acknowledgement that Disney bought that office park, aside from the Miceage story. However, I have been at a cocktail party where some very well connected real estate folks in OC stated clearly that prominent OC realtor Paul Kott purchased that property for Disney in 2014 and transferred it to a third party for Disney, at a nice commission for Mr. Kott. Disney is acting as landlord for that business park and has made no changes to the property yet.

What's most interesting about the Carousel Inn story out of Anaheim today was that it was connected to Disney by the Register, and the Disneyland spokeswoman admitted they had purchased the property. That's not usually Disney's style when they purchase property like this.

The streetcar route, which was integral to the original skybridge plan using the Park Vue Inn/IHOP property, is a real political mess right now. It appears Disney is giving itself an option to complete this parking/skybridge project whether the streetcar happens or not.

 

[MarkTwain]

You've got to zoom your Google Earth image out just a bit, and reference an article Al Lutz/Miceage wrote a year ago, plus be following the political drama in Anaheim City Hall over their contentious streetcar plan, and also gab it up at a Villa Park cocktail party with the right real estate insiders, and then the Carousel Inn becomes an obviously valuable piece of property for Disneyland and its near future.

The Carousel Inn connects the business park that Miceage says Disney bought a year ago to Harbor Blvd., perfectly sized for a sky bridge over Harbor connecting a 8,000+ space parking structure to the Resort.

The original plan was for Anaheim to take the Park Vue Inn and IHOP property a block south via eminent domain, and have Anaheim use the ground level for a streetcar station and maintenance facility, while Disney built a sky bridge overhead that connected the Resort to the structure. But the recent re-routing of the Anaheim streetcar to Disney Way would derail (pun intended) that plan. This Carousel Inn purchase would appear to be a way for Disney to get the planned sky bridge over Harbor to connect to the new parking structure, while avoiding the Anaheim streetcar drama and any nasty eminent domain lawsuits and bad press.

What's also nice is that this land grab and parking plan would appear to save the Pizza Press. The Pizza Press is the location with the best custom-made pizza for miles around and dozens of local craft beers on tap, open daily until 1AM, and just a 5 minute stroll from Main Street USA. http://www.thepizzapress.com/

So the Park Vue Inn would likely be spared then? That's a relief, we love that resort.

 

[TP2000]

So the Park Vue Inn would likely be spared then? That's a relief, we love that resort.

The Anaheim Streetcar route, the ARC system, is up in the air again. It appears the route will now take it down Disney Way instead of cutting along the ground level of the new parking structure. That would appear to save the Park Vue Inn, whose owners were furious to learn via the media their family owned motel was on Anaheim planning maps as the future site of a streetcar station and car maintenance barn.

 

[TP2000]

EDIT: and are you suggesting that the Pizza Press might be a good place for 'Angie' and I to meet you this summer?

If you're up for pizza, most definitely. Or if it's happy hour time, Roy's Hawaiian or McCormick & Schmick's at GardenWalk is better for appetizers and drinks. Or Napa Rose Lounge if you want to be closer to the action.

 

[marni1971]

It's moving ahead very slowly. But I'll believe it's being built when it actually happens. Too many parks like this get proposed and money is spent with designers, but nothing ever happens. London could certainly use a park.

Thoughts to our UKers: @wdwmagic ... @marni1971

We're still waiting for the Warner Brothers Theme Park to open in the UK we were promised decades ago.

In the UK things like this have the habit of being done.... on the cheap. We'll see.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Nope. But the best concert of my life was Paul McCartney at said Citrus Bowl in 1993 ... floor seats, maybe a dozen rows back of the stage.

I saw that tour at Cleveland Stadium. Awesome show.

Cleveland Rocks!

 

[Cesar R M]

So apparently someone decided to bring an old monorail car to the Polynesian

https://twitter.com/wibblywaffle/status/593521549363183616

I hope that was a way to protest the current state of the monorails.

 

[Cesar R M]

That's why I don't "get" steakhouses. If you know how to cook beef, there's nothing complicated in replicating the quality and flavor for much lower cost. I am unable to replicate a scallop risotto dish, however, so I'm more likely to go with something along those lines for my fine dining selections (as rare as those are).

Regardless, filet is too lean for me. I'll cook a bone-in New York strip as my go-to. Olive oil, salt, and pepper over charcoal same as you. Garlic salt if I'm feeling crazy.

not everyone likes to cook.
Plus you cant be your own waiter.

 

[StageFrenzy]

I hope that was a way to protest the current state of the monorails.

They look about in the same shape.

 

[Cesar R M]

Sorry but I believe you are missing the point.

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, it was possible for families of modest means to stay in a tower room at the Contemporary.

As I wrote, a tower room at the Contemporary cost today's equivalent of about $200/night back in the 1970s and 1980s.

Today, it sometimes can be a challenge to find a Moderate Resort at that price.

does the contemporary ever feels like "Deluxe" nowadays?
I keep reading about these nightmare stories of rooms that are falling apart with paint peeling.
I would expect to see that in a motel not far from an airport.
but in a "deluxe" next to a top tier theme park?

 

[Cesar R M]

Yes, but how much were the Pirate/Nemo rooms??!!

For laughs I priced out a non-discounted AKL week-long stay this fall. Oh and I laughed.

I bet you would die of laugher if you seen the prices of the pizza hut bungalows at the poly.

 

[Cesar R M]

They look about in the same shape.

exactly!!!

 

[Longhairbear]

Interesting news out of Anaheim this evening.
http://ocregister.com/articles/disney-659941-hotel-inn.html

Interesting, and sort of backs up a rumor we heard a decade ago. We used to hang with a crew that had actual insiders' to TWDC, and a few times had mentioned that Disney owns several local hotels very close, or right next door to the resort. They never changed names, or management in any of them.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Yeah, Michael and Frank noticed how fair (underpriced) WDW admission was in the 80s too.

Exactly, WDW pricing started to change when Michael Eisner and Frank Wells took charge.

I have been told by those working in the amusement park industry at the time that Disney's reasonable prices made it extremely difficult for other park operators to run their businesses in the 1970s and 1980s. The public were constantly comparing WDW's and DLR's prices & quality against other options and finding those other options wanting.

During their first 4 years, Eisner & Wells instituted 4 consecutive years of double-digit ticket price increases. The public hated them but industry insiders were greatly relieved.

It's important to recognize that Eisner & Wells did not simply pocket the profits. Instead, they initiated an unprecedented decade of Parks & Resorts expansion. In the old days, that's what businesses did with profits. They used profits to build more business, not bury that money in stock buybacks.

After those 4 years in the late 1980s, ticket prices stabilized relative to household income for a decade. Prices didn't start to outpace household income until Eisner put Paul Pressler in charge of Parks & Resorts at the beginning of this century.

Ticket prices were trending out of control (and adversely impacting business) until someone came up with the brilliant idea to create the Magic Your Way ticket with a la cart pricing in 2005. I hope whoever thought of it got a nice bonus because it made WDW more affordable to many families.

More recently, we had 3 consecutive years (2011-2013) of larger than normal price increases under Tom Staggs.

WDW's pricing over the last 2 years suggests that Disney understands that they are reaching a limit. They need to come up with another strategy besides "higher prices."