AMC Theater finally getting a replacement at Downtown Disney

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
What would be nice is if buzzwords had some relationship to what is shown. The art seems to be largely inspired by Tomorrowland. It even has the paneled walls from the two buildings at the entrance to the land. What makes the space multicultural? A little tower that is vaguely reminiscent of The Tower of the Four Winds? It’s gussied up boxes while lifestyle centers, like Disneyland, tend to rely on more traditional architectural forms to create the same sense of human orientation.

It’s also interesting that Disney rather deliberately avoided using terms like “lifestyle center” when Disney Springs was being built.
 
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TP2000

Well-Known Member

I'm not 100% positive, none of us are since we're just using a purposely vague sketch of a "stunning lifestyle space", but...

I'm 98% positive that's the Adventure Tower of the Disneyland Hotel. And what you've just spotted is a not-yet-announced sprucing up of the original Disneyland Hotel towers. A mid-mod take on castle spires tacked on to the otherwise bland high-rise block that is the Adventure Tower.

The rest of the press release sketch is just what it looks like: A small strip mall where AMC used to be, a newly permanent security screening complex, and a lawn, all behind a security perimeter just east of where the current unused service road labeled "Downtown Drive" sits.

dtdaerial.png


What is still unknown from that vague and smarmy press release is what happens to the big blocks once used by ESPNZone and Rainforest Cafe, and just how extensive or reality-based any upgrades to the Disneyland Hotel may be.
 

Sailor310

Well-Known Member
And for the love of all that is holy, step away from the canned cranberries. My 10-year-old can make cranberry sauce without help. If you can boil water, you can make your own!

Ok, sorry.... Thanksgiving Triggered! 🤣
My mom used to make the best cranberry relish: fresh cranberries, orange peel, sugar, pecans all ground up in her 50 year old hand grinder. I guess I could look it up on the internet, but so much work....
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
And for the love of all that is holy, step away from the canned cranberries. My 10-year-old can make cranberry sauce without help. If you can boil water, you can make your own!

Ok, sorry.... Thanksgiving Triggered! 🤣

Oh, my. You're being saucy!

The Ocean Spray cranberry farm in Massachussetts is a fun place to visit if you ever get there. They have a nice visitors center and a little tour of the place. The process of farming cranberries in bogs is really quite interesting.
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
I'm not 100% positive, none of us are since we're just using a purposely vague sketch of a "stunning lifestyle space", but...

I'm 98% positive that's the Adventure Tower of the Disneyland Hotel. And what you've just spotted is a not-yet-announced sprucing up of the original Disneyland Hotel towers. A mid-mod take on castle spires tacked on to the otherwise bland high-rise block that is the Adventure Tower.

The rest of the press release sketch is just what it looks like: A small strip mall where AMC used to be, a newly permanent security screening complex, and a lawn, all behind a security perimeter just east of where the current unused service road labeled "Downtown Drive" sits.

View attachment 602589

What is still unknown from that vague and smarmy press release is what happens to the big blocks once used by ESPNZone and Rainforest Cafe, and just how extensive or reality-based any upgrades to the Disneyland Hotel may be.
Please tell me where in the "Press Release" (Twitter post) did it say "Newly permanent security screening complex" or anything even close to that? I don't think it did nor did Josh D even mention it during his presentation.

I think this is all what you "want" to happen based on how you see the concept art, but in reality I don't believe it is going to happen. At least not based on this one single piece of concept art. As more information comes out, and more concept art is released, maybe it'll become more clear and we'll have an answer. But until then I don't think we can say that a new security screening area is even part of this project or not.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Please tell me where in the "Press Release" (Twitter post) did it say "Newly permanent security screening complex" or anything even close to that? I don't think it did nor did Josh D even mention it during his presentation.

No where. But if it looks like security screening and acts like security screening and quacks like security screening... Well, it's probably security screening.

I think this is all what you "want" to happen based on how you see the concept art, but in reality I don't believe it is going to happen. At least not based on this one single piece of concept art. As more information comes out, and more concept art is released, maybe it'll become more clear and we'll have an answer. But until then I don't think we can say that a new security screening area is even part of this project or not.

I don't know that I "want" anything out of this rather meaningless concept. It's just a boxy strip mall.

But I don't know why they wouldn't create permanent security screening there. It's the entrance to Downtown Disney and "temporary" security screening has been in that location for over five years in cheap, ugly tents.

The Guest Arrival Experience To A Multi-Cultural Stunning Lifestyle Space At A World-Class Resort!
IMG_2461-1024x768.jpg
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
No where. But if it looks like security screening and acts like security screening and quacks like security screening... Well, it's probably security screening.
And this is where we disagree.

Because if it really was suppose to indicate security screening, then why are all the people in the lower area next to that building you are calling the Adventure Tower bypassing that screening and walking into the secure area?

Again I think you are reading too much into this and expecting it to be a security screening rather than just a stage or covered seating area that it appears to be.

I don't know that I "want" anything out of this rather meaningless concept. It's just a boxy strip mall.

But I don't know why they wouldn't create permanent security screening there. It's the entrance to Downtown Disney and "temporary" security screening has been in that location for over five years in cheap, ugly tents.

The Guest Arrival Experience To A Multi-Cultural Stunning Lifestyle Space At A World-Class Resort!
IMG_2461-1024x768.jpg

We don't know if the security screening area will be redone as part of this project or not, that is the point. The only thing I can say for sure is that it appears not to be in this single piece of concept art, as it appears to be just a stage or covered seating area. As I said before as we get more information in January and the rest of 2022 we'll probably get the answer to that question. But I wouldn't be surprised given how they've ignored it this long that an updated permanent screening area isn't part of this specific project.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
And this is where we disagree.

Because if it really was suppose to indicate security screening, then why are all the people in the lower area next to that building you are calling the Adventure Tower bypassing that screening and walking into the secure area?

There are steps leading to/from the main structure, with wheelchair ADA ramps on either side. I also assume the steps and graded ramps are because the lawn area will be elevated and/or graded, as a way to prevent people from entering the secure area.

The wall/fence doesn't really show up in the artist sketch, but from the security operations for Downtown Disney for the last 5+ years it's obvious they will have to secure the Stunning Lifestyle Space with physical structures and landscaping.

screening2.jpg

Again I think you are reading too much into this and expecting it to be a security screening rather than just a stage or covered seating area that it appears to be.

I could be. But I'm just going with what seemed obvious to me when we first saw this sketch; they are bulldozing AMC, building two boxes for new retail/dining, and making permanent their tacky "temporary" security screening tents that are in that exact area.

Is the sketch to scale and accurate? No. The sketch has taken great artisitic liberties and obscured big sections of space that didn't merit mention or aren't ready to be announced yet.

Which is why the pukey words they included with that sketch about "multi-cultural design" and "stunning lifestyle spaces" are even more annoying. They said absolutely nothing but they get credit for saying something.

I have to assume the Communications majors in TDA get paid by the word, instead of getting paid to actually communicate effectively and clearly.
 

DrAlice

Well-Known Member
My mom used to make the best cranberry relish: fresh cranberries, orange peel, sugar, pecans all ground up in her 50 year old hand grinder. I guess I could look it up on the internet, but so much work....
I mean, it isn't rocket science. ;)

Package of fresh cranberries, a cup of water, a cup of sugar. Boil 'em till they pop (about 10 min.). Add your orange zest and pecans to taste. If you don't like chunky sauce, hit it with an immersion blender. Done. BTW, it's the orange peel that kicks it up a notch from the canned stuff. Finally, a Chemistry/Physics Pro Tip: it will taste more sweet when it is hot than after it has cooled down.

This concludes this year's Thanksgiving PSA. :D🦃🦃
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
What also fascinates me is that they added "multi-cultural design" into the mix of this complex that allegedly also uses "Southern California mid-century modern" architecture.

As we can see from their sketch, it looks only vaguely mid-century. And if it weren't for the two amoeba shaped security screening structure and patio shade structure, there would be nothing remotely "mid-century modern" about any of it.

But Mid-Century Modern is anything but "multi-cultural". If anything, Mid-Century Modern is the design language of WASP Capitalism and its descendents of the Mayflower (to continue the Thanksgiving theme). Mid-Century Modern in SoCal was defined by banks and professional buildings on the Upper Class end, to bowling alleys and coffee shops on the Middle Class end. There's no ethnicity to be found in Mid-Century Modern design in SoCal except for white bread suburbia, middle class car culture, and big business capitalism.

If I were looking for something legitimately "multi-cultural" in this design, I would be highly offended by that. It's pandering, if not outright lying, to claim this type of mid-mod architecture is somehow ethnic and "multi-cultural"....

SoCal's Mid-Century Modern Business, Banking & Commerce Architecture...

Coachella Valley Savings & Loan

2chase.jpg


Robinson's at Fashion Island (Yes, those are giant brass bells on the side of the tower. They were fab!)
6170366441_c45a24fcb4_b.jpg


SoCal Mid-Century Modern Car Culture Suburbia Architecture...

Sambo's Pancake House, Huntington Beach
16422962861_e30b3827e7_z.jpg


Covina Bowl, Covina
wc-bowl1-1024x678.jpg


There's nothing multi-cultural about Mid Century Modern architecture, unless you want to claim Tiki themed motels are honoring Pacific Islander culture. :rolleyes:

They really seem to be pandering to claim that anything in this image below is somehow "multi-cultural". It's almost as if there's a rule they have to use either that phrase, or the word "inclusion" in every press release, regardless of whether it's accurate or not.

Downtown-Disney-District-Concept-Art-Featured-Image.jpg
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
There are steps leading to/from the main structure, with wheelchair ADA ramps on either side. I also assume the steps and graded ramps are because the lawn area will be elevated and/or graded, as a way to prevent people from entering the secure area.

The wall/fence doesn't really show up in the artist sketch, but from the security operations for Downtown Disney for the last 5+ years it's obvious they will have to secure the Stunning Lifestyle Space with physical structures and landscaping.
This is your assumptions at work.

View attachment 602619

Even in your cropped picture here you can see in the lower right that the walkway bypasses that area completely that you think is the screening. So that is why I don't think its a screening area, but rather a stage or covered seating area. But what we can both agree to is that this single piece of concept art here is not the whole project. So we should wait for more details and see what comes out of it.
 

Vegas Disney Fan

Well-Known Member
What is still unknown from that vague and smarmy press release is what happens to the big blocks once used by ESPNZone and Rainforest Cafe, and just how extensive or reality-based any upgrades to the Disneyland Hotel may be.

9FC3E9A2-25F4-4ABD-B335-9CA1AEB215F1.jpeg


This is my guess, 6 building surrounding a couple grassy areas to maximize store frontage.

This is also why I’m convinced there’s 3 buildings in the current concept art, tearing down the AMC to only add 2 buildings doesn’t offer a large enough return on investment. Going from 3 store fronts to 6 (with 2 buildings) doesn’t justify the cost, going from 3 stores to 10 (with 3 buildings) does though.
 

Parteecia

Well-Known Member
What also fascinates me is that they added "multi-cultural design" into the mix of this complex that allegedly also uses "Southern California mid-century modern" architecture.

As we can see from their sketch, it looks only vaguely mid-century. And if it weren't for the two amoeba shaped security screening structure and patio shade structure, there would be nothing remotely "mid-century modern" about any of it.

But Mid-Century Modern is anything but "multi-cultural". If anything, Mid-Century Modern is the design language of WASP Capitalism and its descendents of the Mayflower (to continue the Thanksgiving theme). Mid-Century Modern in SoCal was defined by banks and professional buildings on the Upper Class end, to bowling alleys and coffee shops on the Middle Class end. There's no ethnicity to be found in Mid-Century Modern design in SoCal except for white bread suburbia, middle class car culture, and big business capitalism.

If I were looking for something legitimately "multi-cultural" in this design, I would be highly offended by that. It's pandering, if not outright lying, to claim this type of mid-mod architecture is somehow ethnic and "multi-cultural"....

SoCal's Mid-Century Modern Business, Banking & Commerce Architecture...

Coachella Valley Savings & Loan

2chase.jpg


Robinson's at Fashion Island (Yes, those are giant brass bells on the side of the tower. They were fab!)
6170366441_c45a24fcb4_b.jpg


SoCal Mid-Century Modern Car Culture Suburbia Architecture...

Sambo's Pancake House, Huntington Beach
16422962861_e30b3827e7_z.jpg


Covina Bowl, Covina
wc-bowl1-1024x678.jpg


There's nothing multi-cultural about Mid Century Modern architecture, unless you want to claim Tiki themed motels are honoring Pacific Islander culture. :rolleyes:

They really seem to be pandering to claim that anything in this image below is somehow "multi-cultural". It's almost as if there's a rule they have to use either that phrase, or the word "inclusion" in every press release, regardless of whether it's accurate or not.

View attachment 602624
I think the Covina Bowl is more Googie?
 

MarvelCharacterNerd

Well-Known Member
Random wishful thinking - here's what I would've liked in the whole DTD space...

Take a leisurely stroll down Disney Way where you'll discover unique Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars merchandise locations, themed Disney dining experiences and enjoy live entertainment as you make your way towards your magical Disney resort destinations where you'll luxuriate in style and comfort. Please be our guest!


Give me nothing but Disney and do it well, and THAT'S the place I want to go. Not to a soccer shop or a sock shop or a mall pretzel or cupcake shop...

Starbucks is welcome to stay, especially with their specialized Disney products that they carry, but frankly if they pulled every other non-Disney location out of DTD, it would be 1000% more appealing. And I say that with two of my three fave places in DTD currently being non-Disney lol (Earl's and Black Tap).
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
View attachment 602626

This is my guess, 6 building surrounding a couple grassy areas to maximize store frontage.

This is also why I’m convinced there’s 3 buildings in the current concept art, tearing down the AMC to only add 2 buildings doesn’t offer a large enough return on investment. Going from 3 store fronts to 6 (with 2 buildings) doesn’t justify the cost, going from 3 stores to 10 (with 3 buildings) does though.

I dunno... I don't think they would willingly put up a building in front of the Disneyland Hotel's Adventure Tower. That tower has the only real "park view" rooms in the entire hotel, and adding another mall building right next to that tower won't help that, or help with room rates.

I think the sketch they showed with that smarmy press release really is as simple as it looks, and about the only thing we don't know yet is what will happen to the ESPNZone and Rainforest Cafe blocks. Plus, the old valet parking loop just to the north of them.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Give me nothing but Disney and do it well, and THAT'S the place I want to go. Not to a soccer shop or a sock shop or a mall pretzel or cupcake shop...

Starbucks is welcome to stay, especially with their specialized Disney products that they carry, but frankly if they pulled every other non-Disney location out of DTD, it would be 1000% more appealing. And I say that with two of my three fave places in DTD currently being non-Disney lol (Earl's and Black Tap).

They had a decent run of updates and freshening around 2015-18 there, especially with dining. Earl's, Salt&Straw, Black Tap, Ballast Point, the updates to existing Patina restaurants, etc.

Although they stumbled a bit with that Splitsville place that just isn't a good fit for SoCal.

I have to wonder if they aren't working on a Food Hall type place for the ESPNZone/Rainforest area? Something hip and fresh and fun with a dozen or so chef-driven options, like the Anaheim Packing House. I think both tourists and local looky-loo's would appreciate a fast and extensive food offering to bolster the other sit-down restaurants in Downtown Disney. The local convention crowds would also appreciate it.

Anaheim Packing House
20170114_Anaheim-Packing-House_0054-copy.jpg
 

Vegas Disney Fan

Well-Known Member
I dunno... I don't think they would willingly put up a building in front of the Disneyland Hotel's Adventure Tower. That tower has the only real "park view" rooms in the entire hotel, and adding another mall building right next to that tower won't help that, or help with room rates.

I think the sketch they showed with that smarmy press release really is as simple as it looks, and about the only thing we don't know yet is what will happen to the ESPNZone and Rainforest Cafe blocks. Plus, the old valet parking loop just to the north of them.
There’s already about 50 feet of trees between the tower and Disney drive, which I believe are visible in the concept art, a one story building would be lower than the trees that are already there, also lower than the theater building that is already there. The same would be true of the ESPN and Rainforest buildings, one story buildings would be much lower than what’s there now.

For that to be the hotel tower the trees towering over it would have to be about 40 stories tall.
 
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