News Disneyland Working on Future Master Plan- includes Theme Park Expansions, Retail/Entertainment Space, and More!

[flynnibus]

There is a cap on the number of hotel rooms in the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan. By keeping the Paradise Pier Hotel outside of the Plan its 400+ rooms don’t count towards the 5,600 maximum.

Ok - but the point is the date was only one point in time.. and the 1993 date is not the only time the plan has been defined or changed. More to the story.. but obviously Disney hasn't shown any true motivation to salvage or even do anything with the pig.

 

[TP2000]

Stovalls was our go-to hotel for years. For the price point, its quite nice. It's always clean, they have a nice pool area, and the topiary garden is cute. I agree that it is Best Western bland, but it's a great little motel for its class. The Stovall's should be happy with what they have.

They are very happy. I'm not best friends with them, but we are friendly and we are occasionally at the same social things. They are a lovely couple who worked very, very hard their entire lives as small business owners and thus they created a piece of the American dream for themselves. They should be darn proud of that!

I just wish I knew them well enough to weasel my way in to being their interior designer and Brand Ambassador.

Maybe it needs just ONE little space animal for nostalgic purposes.

You'd think someplace, a small boutique hotel, would go after that nostalgia market. Anaheim was the epicenter of Space Age Googie architecture, and it arguably had the densest concentration of that style in the world second only to Las Vegas.

I loved the improvements and massive expansion the Resort District experienced in 2015-2019 as the economy roared and Disneyland rode a wave of success. But all of the new hotels just seem to be that cookie cutter corporate blandness that could be Anaheim or Boise or Kansas City or Buffalo. It's a shame this current Disneyland Forward plan doesn't address some of the Resort District's architecture, or lack thereof. It's getting very beige and bland around the Resort District now.

If I were a property owner in the area, part of my feedback to the Disneyland Forward campaign would be how can ensure that this sort of thing stops happening? How does the Resort District get a better looking streetscape and more engaging environment than what was approved and built there in the last decade??? This is allegedly a "Resort", remember.

 

[fctiger]

Although I'm a day late to all of this, it's really really exciting. I read through the entire thread and I know it's nothing more than a proposal but it's still just great to know A. Disney IS thinking about the future when many of us feared the opposite B. they want to expand both parks and C. they are willing to put all their own money into it themselves. The last one is the biggest take away to me and shows how serious they are. They want to invest in the resort big time and I really hope they get to do it!

I won't bother 'blue skying' anything since so many have done it, but I hope if nothing else and DCA gets expanded they get a very elaborate boat ride. That's the only true thing still missing from the park. DL has four (POTC, IASW, Splash and Jungle Cruise) and not counting ROA. I don't count GRR since that's just a splashy raft ride nearly every theme park has in California.

I don't care about the actual lands but a boat ride is what is still really needed in that park.

Outside of that, everything else sounds interesting even if only half of any of this comes to fruition.

 

[fctiger]

They are very happy. I'm not best friends with them, but we are friendly and we are occasionally at the same social things. They are a lovely couple who worked very, very hard their entire lives as small business owners and thus they created a piece of the American dream for themselves. They should be darn proud of that!

I just wish I knew them well enough to weasel my way in to being their interior designer and Brand Ambassador.



You'd think someplace, a small boutique hotel, would go after that nostalgia market. Anaheim was the epicenter of Space Age Googie architecture, and it arguably had the densest concentration of that style in the world second only to Las Vegas.

I loved the improvements and massive expansion the Resort District experienced in 2015-2019 as the economy roared and Disneyland rode a wave of success. But all of the new hotels just seem to be that cookie cutter corporate blandness that could be Anaheim or Boise or Kansas City or Buffalo. It's a shame this current Disneyland Forward plan doesn't address some of the Resort District's architecture, or lack thereof. It's getting very beige and bland around the Resort District now.

If I were a property owner in the area, part of my feedback to the Disneyland Forward campaign would be how can ensure that this sort of thing stops happening? How does the Resort District get a better looking streetscape and more engaging environment than what was approved and built there in the last decade??? This is allegedly a "Resort", remember.

View attachment 542803

I agree. And that is the one thing that really separates DLR and a place like WDW. It's also why I think WDW is still a way more popular place for tourists to go. Because outside of the obvious it's just bigger, you also get a lot of fun themed resorts to stay on property, including the upcoming Star Wars hotel they are working on.

But with DLR, we just don't have anything like that. GCH is the closest thing we have to a 'theme' hotel. It's nice but yeah it's still nothing you can't find in many areas of the country. DLH probably seemed very themed when it first opened, but now it just looks like an ordinary hotel like every other hotel there, a few big boxy towers and lots of glass. And outside the resort, it's all generic hotels basically. You have a lot of nice hotels and some that feel a little more distinctive like the Hilton (the last place we stayed a few years back) but there is no real creativity or energy to the architecture anywhere. They all look nice, clean and modern, but very very bland, suburban and boring. But maybe bland and boring keeps the price down and what most people care about, at least with DLR since it's not a resort the same way WDW is. IDK!

But when you go to WDW, you are getting a lot fun and interesting places to stay in even if off-site it's pretty standard stuff.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

It seems like there are good intentions behind this, in order to avoid dramatically altering or replacing anything significant within in the parks as much as possible, all while being able to provide new experiences that won’t stir up too much controversy.

 

[fctiger]

It seems like there are good intentions behind this, in order to avoid dramatically altering or replacing anything significant within in the parks as much as possible, all while being able to provide new experiences that won’t stir up too much controversy.

Yeah that's how I see it too. I mean it not only expands the parks and adds capacity, it also doesn't replace any major areas of the parks. That's why I thought where they placed GE was genius because it's an addition, not a subtraction. We lost nothing outside of a petting zoo and a BBQ restaurant (but my god was that place amazing lol). And yet people still complained lol.

They seem to get that sadly DL is treated like a museum (everyone says it shouldn't be but let's not kid ourselves) and based on how upset people got over losing things like TOT (but that was understandable) or ABL (not really that understandable to me) for Marvel even that place is now becoming more etched in stone the older it gets. Nothing on the level of DL but yeah as more years goes by and they run of of space it's just going to be hard to justify bulldozing any major areas for something new; especially if you are upset they got rid of a kiddy train for an E-ticket attraction.

They are just running out of space. I honestly thought once GE was built that was it for DL for good in terms of any big additions for maybe decades. And that still may be the case. But at least now they are thinking about the future and where future additions can go.

If Walt knew what he had back in the 50s, he probably would've bought up three times land back then and save all these crazy ways to expand space today.

 

[TP2000]

Although I'm a day late to all of this, it's really really exciting. I read through the entire thread and I know it's nothing more than a proposal but it's still just great to know A. Disney IS thinking about the future when many of us feared the opposite B. they want to expand both parks and C. they are willing to put all their own money into it themselves. The last one is the biggest take away to me and shows how serious they are. They want to invest in the resort big time and I really hope they get to do it!

I won't bother 'blue skying' anything since so many have done it, but I hope if nothing else and DCA gets expanded they get a very elaborate boat ride. That's the only true thing still missing from the park. DL has four (POTC, IASW, Splash and Jungle Cruise) and not counting ROA. I don't count GRR since that's just a splashy raft ride nearly every theme park has in California.

I don't care about the actual lands but a boat ride is what is still really needed in that park.

Outside of that, everything else sounds interesting even if only half of any of this comes to fruition.

I can't believe I'm about to do this after I made so much fun of the breathless YouTubers in their home command centers, but this is the second night I had a nightcap with that coffee-bean infused bourbon and I'm not sleepy...

If you look at the artwork for the DCA Expansion pad, you notice the mountain structure with a roller coaster looping through it. That's what catches your eye first, and it goes into adjacent ride warehouses and who even knows what the theme is? Frozen? Mount Shasta Mysticism?

But around the base of that DCA Expansion mountain is a series of waterways, and it's easy to realize that's a flume system that goes through various ride buildings and show spaces. Like the Voyage to the Crystal Grotto boat ride at Shanghai Disneyland.

Now obviously there's no telling if any of that will ever happen, or what theme or IP or ride systems they may use for this expansion a decade from now. We may be back to a Paul Pressler era again by then, and all we get is a transplanted Golden Zephyr, a kiddy train past fiberglass IP statues, a Starbucks, and a DVC cart.

But it just shows that there are some decent WDI concepts out there that layer multiple rides, and multiple ride systems over and around the same space. Much like Walt and his Imagineers did at Disneyland in the 1950's and 60's. It's a good sign, even though this artwork likely has no connection to whatever may get built there a decade from now. But this would get DCA its overdue boat ride.

And just to reign in expectations a bit more, the Paradise Pier Hotel is still there next to the boat ride and mountain ride.

 

[TP2000]

Someone I follow on twitter noticed that in imagineering story they have what looks like over head shots of this exact same area. It could be nothing but makes you think. View attachment 542809

Eh, that was still the era when they were going to build a Fourth Hotel on that plot. Or do something Retail/Hotel/DVC related.

I wouldn't put too much stock in that from an Imagineering documentary from the late 2010's when this was still a thing.

 

[britain]

I can't believe I'm about to do this after I made so much fun of the breathless YouTubers in their home command centers, but this is the second night I had a nightcap with that coffee-bean infused bourbon and I'm not sleepy...

If you look at the artwork for the DCA Expansion pad, you notice the mountain structure with a roller coaster looping through it. That's what catches your eye first, and it goes into adjacent ride warehouses and who even knows what the theme is? Frozen? Mount Shasta Mysticism?

But around the base of that DCA Expansion mountain is a series of waterways, and it's easy to realize that's a flume system that goes through various ride buildings and show spaces. Like the Voyage to the Crystal Grotto boat ride at Shanghai Disneyland.

Now obviously there's no telling if any of that will ever happen, or what theme or IP or ride systems they may use for this expansion a decade from now. We may be back to a Paul Pressler era again by then, and all we get is a transplanted Golden Zephyr, a kiddy train past fiberglass IP statues, a Starbucks, and a DVC cart.

But it just shows that there are some decent WDI concepts out there that layer multiple rides, and multiple ride systems over and around the same space. Much like Walt and his Imagineers did at Disneyland in the 1950's and 60's. It's a good sign, even though this artwork likely has no connection to whatever may get built there a decade from now. But this would get DCA its overdue boat ride.

And just to reign in expectations a bit more, the Paradise Pier Hotel is still there next to the boat ride and mountain ride.

Can I just say thank you for demonstrating that the blueprint and the concept art actually very tightly correspond to one another. A lot of people on these boards are saying that they do not.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Can I just say thank you for demonstrating that the blueprint and the concept art actually very tightly correspond to one another. A lot of people on these boards are saying that they do not.

They’re probably based on the same file.

 

[Chupaca Bruh]

I agree. And that is the one thing that really separates DLR and a place like WDW. It's also why I think WDW is still a way more popular place for tourists to go. Because outside of the obvious it's just bigger, you also get a lot of fun themed resorts to stay on property, including the upcoming Star Wars hotel they are working on.

But with DLR, we just don't have anything like that. GCH is the closest thing we have to a 'theme' hotel. It's nice but yeah it's still nothing you can't find in many areas of the country. DLH probably seemed very themed when it first opened, but now it just looks like an ordinary hotel like every other hotel there, a few big boxy towers and lots of glass. And outside the resort, it's all generic hotels basically. You have a lot of nice hotels and some that feel a little more distinctive like the Hilton (the last place we stayed a few years back) but there is no real creativity or energy to the architecture anywhere. They all look nice, clean and modern, but very very bland, suburban and boring. But maybe bland and boring keeps the price down and what most people care about, at least with DLR since it's not a resort the same way WDW is. IDK!

But when you go to WDW, you are getting a lot fun and interesting places to stay in even if off-site it's pretty standard stuff.

I loved, loved, LOVED going to the Disneyland area before they bueatified the area. It is much more beautiful but all those different motels with "themeing". Many of motels themes ended after the sign but aome of them continued, to a degree, in the srchitecture and on into the rooms. It was so much fun to drive, or walk around the area. I think they could have beautified and kept the fun in it. All the new hotels and remodels are, mostly, very nice but sooooooo bland.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Hmmm, I’ve never heard the Disneyland Hotel referred to as “decrepit” before. Stayed there in 2014 and it was the nicest Disney Hotel I’ve ever slept in. It was recently renovated at the time, the pool area was beautiful, the lobbies were both well themed and classy, and the rooms comfortably accommodated more than one person (a rarity for a “Deluxe” Disney Hotel).

Also, as @TP2000 has mentioned, they cannot really touch PPH. That hotel seems pretty lame, but I don’t have any personal experience with it beyond the lobby.

 

[DavidNoble]

View attachment 542834
Hmmm, I’ve never heard the Disneyland Hotel referred to as “decrepit” before. Stayed there in 2014 and it was the nicest Disney Hotel I’ve ever slept in. It was recently renovated at the time, the pool area was beautiful, the lobbies were both well themed and classy, and the rooms comfortably accommodated more than one person (a rarity for a “Deluxe” Disney Hotel).

Also, as @TP2000 has mentioned, they cannot really touch PPH. That hotel seems pretty lame, but I don’t have any personal experience with it beyond the lobby.

I've stayed at Grand Californian and PPH. Really loved Grand Californian and PPH was nice. Never stayed at Disneyland Hotel, but been through the lobby and ate at one of the restaurants there. Seemed really nice.

 

[Miru]

Yeah that's how I see it too. I mean it not only expands the parks and adds capacity, it also doesn't replace any major areas of the parks. That's why I thought where they placed GE was genius because it's an addition, not a subtraction. We lost nothing outside of a petting zoo and a BBQ restaurant (but my god was that place amazing lol). And yet people still complained lol.

They seem to get that sadly DL is treated like a museum (everyone says it shouldn't be but let's not kid ourselves) and based on how upset people got over losing things like TOT (but that was understandable) or ABL (not really that understandable to me) for Marvel even that place is now becoming more etched in stone the older it gets. Nothing on the level of DL but yeah as more years goes by and they run of of space it's just going to be hard to justify bulldozing any major areas for something new; especially if you are upset they got rid of a kiddy train for an E-ticket attraction.

They are just running out of space. I honestly thought once GE was built that was it for DL for good in terms of any big additions for maybe decades. And that still may be the case. But at least now they are thinking about the future and where future additions can go.

If Walt knew what he had back in the 50s, he probably would've bought up three times land back then and save all these crazy ways to expand space today.

People also complained about TLM replacing Golden Dreams, the latter of which was just plain emblematic about DCA 1.0. I’ve even seen people who want to scrap Monsters Inc! It replaced Superstar. Limo.

One of the worst rides in Disney history.

An animatronic petting zoo with Star Wars critters would have worked pretty well, though.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

And the grounds are beautiful!

 

[Brer Oswald]

I've stayed at Grand Californian and PPH. Really loved Grand Californian and PPH was nice. Never stayed at Disneyland Hotel, but been through the lobby and ate at one of the restaurants there. Seemed really nice.

I walked through the Gran lobby and public areas, and it was very very nice. I almost miss the Disney Hotels more than I do the Disney Parks.

 

[Brer Oswald]

And the grounds are beautiful!

Of what, DLH?

 

[chadwpalm]

Here's my Blue Sky idea if they wanted to do a third gate as opposed to expanding the existing two parks. This also would require the ability to tear down PPH which we know can't happen right now....hence, Blue Sky.

My idea is to tear down both the PPH and DLH and build a large resort hotel on the north side of the property to cover the number of rooms and restaurants we'd lose. The north side of the hotel would connect to the existing bridge across Magic Way as a means for the hotel guests to take the tram to the DL and DCA gates. Then on the south side of the hotel would be a direct entrance to the third park.

The third park gates would be at the area of ESPN Zone and RFC, and the monorail station would be just outside the gate as a quick way to get from DL to the third park. Another alternative could be to put Monorail stations in all three parks and only allow park-hoppers and APs to ride it with the downside of single park visitors not being able to ride the Monorail (though it can be an incentive to upgrade to park-hoppers).

They COULD do this while keeping the PPH up for now and build around it, then when the time comes that they can demolish it they could expand the park into that area. The drawback of that is the hotel would be unavoidable as an eyesore while it stands...but not forever.

 

[BrianLo]

A third gate is a terrible idea. There, I’ve said it.

If I had the choice, the same investment can go to the existing two. I think the fan fallacy that more gates equals more investment never really tracks. WDW should be three and all the other resorts two. DCA needs more and DLR doesn’t deserve to be sidelined like the MK often is.

 

[waltography]

A third gate is a terrible idea. There, I’ve said it.

If I had the choice, the same investment can go to the existing two. I think the fan fallacy that more gates equals more investment never really tracks. WDW should be three and all the other resorts two. DCA needs more and DLR doesn’t deserve to be sidelined like the MK often is.

Totally agree. As it stands right now, even with Avengers Campus coming soon DCA is barely a full day park, and less so for young children. DCA needs all the expansions it can get. DLR has the luxury of being a nice, fleshed out park compared to the rest of the stateside parks, but it needs a lot of TLC too (Tomorrowland and the Fantasyland theater being two big points of interest).