Disney wants to invest $1 billion at Disneyland

[LeafsFanNL]

I'd like to see Disney invest in more on property hotels. I was seriously underwhelmed with the accommodations on Harbour Drive, moved over to Disneyland Hotel after a couple of nights.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'd like to see Disney invest in more on property hotels. I was seriously underwhelmed with the accommodations on Harbour Drive, moved over to Disneyland Hotel after a couple of nights.

The DLR hotels are extremely overpriced. There's really nothing one gets in return for those prices, not to mention a lot of the offsite hotels are closer to the parks, with the exception of the Grand.

With the exception of a place to sleep, what else were you looking for in the hotel? There are plenty of nice hotels around the resort.

 

[JediMasterMatt]

I'd like to see Disney invest in more on property hotels. I was seriously underwhelmed with the accommodations on Harbour Drive, moved over to Disneyland Hotel after a couple of nights.

Be careful what you wish for.

DLR has remained fresh and viable while WDW has floundered in its focus largely due to the fact that DLR's primary business is still in theme park operations. WDW has long become a resort that also includes theme parks.

The large number of resorts on property are a liability in Orlando if they aren't filled, so resort operations are paramount there over all other factors.

DLR still gets a significant portion of their gate from the local population that don't need immediate accommodation while onsite. If DLR was able to build up enough "captive audience" in hotel room reservations, they could potentially fall into the same trap that Orlando operations have fallen into. A cut here, a lack of maintenance there... and the next thing you know - DLR doesn't sparkle or shine like it use to.

I'm for keeping DLR's eye on the true prize - keeping the luster inside the parks and not on the periphery.

Although Harbor Drive can be an eyesore, it's keeping the House (or the Mouse) honest and that is playing to our advantage.

 

[Disneysea05]

The DLR hotels are extremely overpriced. There's really nothing one gets in return for those prices, not to mention a lot of the offsite hotels are closer to the parks, with the exception of the Grand.

With the exception of a place to sleep, what else were you looking for in the hotel? There are plenty of nice hotels around the resort.

I just spent an amazing 4th of July weekend at the Disneyland Hotel. The amazing view of the entire property from my room alone was worth it. Being able to see the fireworks show from our room with music, The monorail pool area, Free tours, characters....all stuff that matters to us and you can't find on harbor.

It's so easy to scoff at, but it's nice to continue the Disney experience after you leave the parks.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I just spent an amazing 4th of July weekend at the Disneyland Hotel. The amazing view of the entire property from my room alone was worth it. Being able to see the fireworks show from our room with music, The monorail pool area, Free tours, characters....all stuff that matters to us and you can't find on harbor.

Yes, people have different interests, as I couldn't care less about that stuff. Still overpriced, in my opinion. I would use that extra hotel money for other things, like food or souvenirs.

Now if you had spent the night in a nice hotel on Katella or Harbor, would it have ruined your overall experience?

 

[Disneysea05]

Yes, people have different interests, as I couldn't care less about that stuff. Still overpriced, in my opinion. I would use that extra hotel money for other things, like food or souvenirs.

Now if you had spent the night in a nice hotel on Katella or Harbor, would it have ruined your overall experience?

Ruined? Who knows. As good? No. And that's the point.

With the possible exception of Disneyland Paris, the same would hold true at each Disney destination.

Staying at the Tokyo DisneySea Mira Costa for example was almost as an amazing experience as the parks themselves. My trips to TDR would not have been as good as they could be without staying there.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Ruined? Who knows. As good? No. And that's the point.

With the possible exception of Disneyland Paris, the same would hold true at each Disney destination.

Staying at the Tokyo DisneySea Mira Costa for example was almost as an amazing experience as the parks themselves. My trips to TDR would not have been as good as they could be without staying there.

I can see the the appeal coming from a tourist, somewhat. It's a lot harder to justify those prices as a local.

 

[LeafsFanNL]

The DLR hotels are extremely overpriced. There's really nothing one gets in return for those prices, not to mention a lot of the offsite hotels are closer to the parks, with the exception of the Grand.

With the exception of a place to sleep, what else were you looking for in the hotel? There are plenty of nice hotels around the resort.

We stayed at the Best Western Park Place Inn. I'd have liked a bright room, not dated, a decent pool, helpful front desk. I'm sure there are better places, we chose poorly I guess.

 

[TP2000]

Yeah, I'm afraid you did @LeafsFanNL . We always recommend folks stay at the Howard Johnson's or the Fairfield Inn on Harbor. The Candy Cane Inn is nice too. There's a brand new Mariott with a water park being built between the HoJo's and Fairfield, it should open next month, and it looks promising. There's some really great hotels on Harbor that are actually closer to Disneyland's entrance than the actual Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel.

But if you didn't like the vastly improved Harbor Blvd. of the 2010's, you young'uns would have hated Harbor Blvd. of the 1960's when Walt was running the park. This is the kind of view circa 1965 that inspired him to start buying land in Florida!

That stretch of Harbor Blvd. looks like this in 2015. The smog cleared out around 1995.

 

[LeafsFanNL]

That's something that surprised us about Anaheim. We were expecting polluted air, didn't notice any. Also the climate is soon much nice than Florida would be this time of the year.

 

[Mickey_777]

That's something that surprised us about Anaheim. We were expecting polluted air, didn't notice any. Also the climate is soon much nice than Florida would be this time of the year.

Well I think L.A. (well north of Anaheim) is the city with smog issues. Though I didn't notice any of that when we spent a few days there about a month ago. And yes SoCal's weather is very nice during the day but I take issue with the temps dropping once the sun goes down. We came back with cold even though we covered up. And we never get sick.

 

[Porkybabe101]

Yeah, I'm afraid you did @LeafsFanNL . We always recommend folks stay at the Howard Johnson's or the Fairfield Inn on Harbor. The Candy Cane Inn is nice too. There's a brand new Mariott with a water park being built between the HoJo's and Fairfield, it should open next month, and it looks promising. There's some really great hotels on Harbor that are actually closer to Disneyland's entrance than the actual Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel.

But if you didn't like the vastly improved Harbor Blvd. of the 2010's, you young'uns would have hated Harbor Blvd. of the 1960's when Walt was running the park. This is the kind of view circa 1965 that inspired him to start buying land in Florida!

That stretch of Harbor Blvd. looks like this in 2015. The smog cleared out around 1995.

So are you saying the Best Western Park Place Inn isn't very good? I'm actually planning to stay there for my upcoming trip in August.

 

[zooey]

I also think a new hotel on property would be nice. I prefer to stay on property when I can, it's a better experience overall. It depends what kind of trip you're taking. If it's quick and park centric, sure, off property works. But for a relaxed 4 or 5 days the grand or DL hotel definitely makes it all the better. No doubt they're overpriced but I've never thought it wasn't worth it.

 

[TP2000]

So are you saying the Best Western Park Place Inn isn't very good? I'm actually planning to stay there for my upcoming trip in August.

I had family from back East stay there a couple days this past spring. I visited them there a couple times, and it seemed fine. Typical clean, corporate Best Western rooms that have been recently updated. Everything works just fine. The front of the motel was extensively remodeled two years ago. That said, the bones of the motel and the hotel grounds are constrained by what it is - a basic motor inn built in the 1960's on a narrow lot with a small pool wedged in next to a busy parking lot.

I prefer the larger properties on Harbor a block north; the HoJo's or Fairfield, or the new Marriott and Holiday Inn properties nearing completion there. They have more space and amenities.

But if you are looking for a basic corporate motel with a clean room, the Park Place Inn is just fine. And you literally can't get any closer to the Disneyland entrance without staying in the Grand Californian. Actually, it's a longer walk to Disneyland from most rooms in the Grand Californian.

 

[TP2000]

Speaking of Harbor Blvd., the horrible Millie's Restaurant that used to be in front of the Fairfield was torn down a few months ago. They are building a Panera Bread on that spot, which should make for a good breakfast spot for those heading to the parks.

Mimi's Café is still there, and it still very good. But the Millie's Restaurant next door was atrocious.

With the big new Marriott Courtyard and Holiday Inn nearing completion a half block away, I'm sure the new Panera Bread will be busy.

Opening August, 2015 - Harbor Blvd. & Manchester Street. (Hilarious that they erased the HoJo's out of the background!)

 

[TP2000]

And in a sign that Disney is moving very quickly on the expansion plans....

In 2014 Disney purchased the Sybron Dental business park at 1515 S. Manchester Avenue. Disney just filed a permit with the city yesterday to use that property for "theme park use administration, storage, and rehearsal halls". The Sybron office park is quite big, at over 150,000 square feet. Buh-bye Sybron!

The entrance to the Sybron complex on Manchester - a rather mundane office park that Disney can take over quickly.

Those uses Disney filed in their city permit for the Sybron complex are mysteriously the same types of uses currently found in the two-story office buildings and rehearsal halls directly behind Mickey's Toontown.

Here's a photo of the Sybron Dental complex in the early 1970's, when it was Altec Electronics, to put it in perspective of where this property is. It's been extensively remodeled, but the footprint is the same. The highrise on the left was the Grand Hotel. Disney purchased that land in the 1990's, imploded the Grand Hotel in 1997, and that area is now the Pumbaa Parking Lot.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

And in a sign that Disney is moving very quickly on the expansion plans....

In 2014 Disney purchased the Sybron Dental business park at 1515 S. Manchester Avenue. Disney just filed a permit with the city yesterday to use that property for "theme park use administration, storage, and rehearsal halls". The Sybron office park is quite big, at over 150,000 square feet. Buh-bye Sybron!

The entrance to the Sybron complex on Manchester - a rather mundane office park that Disney can take over quickly.

Those uses Disney filed in their city permit for the Sybron complex are mysteriously the same types of uses currently found in the two-story office buildings and rehearsal halls directly behind Mickey's Toontown.

Here's a photo of the Sybron Dental complex in the early 1970's, when it was Altec Electronics, to put it in perspective of where this property is. It's been extensively remodeled, but the footprint is the same. The highrise on the left was the Grand Hotel. Disney purchased that land in the 1990's, imploded the Grand Hotel in 1997, and that area is now the Pumbaa Parking Lot.

Wow! Isn't that INTERESTING? Backstage facilities from right behind Toontown are moving to a new site? I wonder why? Maybe they're planning some sort of big new Roger Rabbit expansion!

 

[dweezil78]

I can see the the appeal coming from a tourist, somewhat. It's a lot harder to justify those prices as a local.

I hear ya... but also kinda disagree! Living in LA, I go to the park a LOT and usually trek back home at the end of the day and that's that. But once or so a year, I like to make a long weekend out of it and staying on property really transforms what could be just another trip to DL to something that really feels like a legit vacation -- more of a WDW feel. Really fun to change it up like that every so often.

Sure you could stay off-property, but I find you really do lose something special by doing that and it just ends up feeling utilitarian (not that there's anything wrong with it... and obviously it is farrrrrrr cheaper). But staying in a room with all the Disney touches, having access to Magic Morning Hours, shuffling downstairs to Trader Sam's, sitting by the pools, etc. can do a lot to elevate a DL trip though and give you that WDW-like sense of escape that you lose out on when staying on Harbor.

 

[BrianLo]

Those uses Disney filed in their city permit for the Sybron complex are mysteriously the same types of uses currently found in the two-story office buildings and rehearsal halls directly behind Mickey's Toontown.

It begins!! Do you know which buildings exactly are the redundant ones?

I may be almost as excited for the absolute meltdown from some notorious life-stylers than the Star Wars Land itself.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

It begins!! Do you know which buildings exactly are the redundant ones?

I may be almost as excited for the absolute meltdown from some notorious life-stylers than the Star Wars Land itself.

Yeah, watching people's brains implode over this is going to be fun. On MiceChat in particular everyone is a Star Wars/Toontown denier.