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

[fctiger]

Yes.

That No Foreigners mandate has infuriated the industry; especially the smaller mom n' pops. And the science and data don't support it at all.

Talk about kicking a small business when they are down and out!

Again, you guys do realize it's temporary, right? I've given up trying to have a balance conversation about this stuff, but they are only trying to stop people from other states and countries with less restrictions to flood this state to not add to the cases. And people do realize these parks will see higher attendance if the numbers DON'T shoot up, right? If they start going up again after they open, then guess what happens next? Those business owners are no better off if things are shut off completely again.

And AFAIK, every Disney park that opened minus WDW started out with this rule the first few months they opened up again. At least all the Asian parks. I'm not sure what they did in Paris.

Japan announced that the Olympics will be barred for international tourists to attend for literally this same reason. And this is global event that only comes around every four years. And the irony is the Olympics is designed to bring a worldwide audience, but Japan doesn't want to take the risk or the hassle of trying to control the masses that would show up for it, so they just decided no one can come regardless.

And imagine all the hotels and businesses that was counting on the Olympics for years now? Yes, it's a mess everywhere! I wish people could stop acting like their backyard is the only place where things are running amok. It's a global pandemic and if America did a better job of controlling it a year ago when we COULD HAVE, then yes it may be very different today...but that's another thread no one wants to dwell over for the hundred time.

The parks are opening. Most people are just happy about that and things will adjust in time and if things go smooth then more normalcy will set in sooner than later. But of course people still need something to whine about.

 

[Nirya]

TDA not opening up their hotels so that they can help the rest of the Resort District really does read like spin. Disney is smart - they're already trying to goose the profit margin as much as possible (note that they haven't announced ticket prices for reopening yet) and they have to know that with the restrictions in place regarding capacity they would ultimately be operating at a loss with their hotels.

They already made the choice to only open the Grand Californian in part because they can charge the most for those rooms. From there, they might start opening towers up at the Disneyland Hotel once it makes financial sense, and then Paradise Pier will be last. This strategy will "help" the rest of the Resort district, but they're already being helped by just having Disneyland reopen - stating that the TDA hotel strategy is some kind of altruism on the company's part is akin to selling a highway to nowhere.

 

[TP2000]

Again, you guys do realize it's temporary, right? I've given up trying to have a balance conversation about this stuff, but they are only trying to stop people from other states and countries with less restrictions to flood this state to not add to the cases.

"Temporary" for how long? Six weeks? Six months? Eighteen months?

There is already a system in place, announced to much fanfare a year ago, to allow the West Coast states to coordinate commerce, industry and the reopening of economies across the west. It's called the Western States Pact. But Sacramento refuses to even admit it exists now, which is weird.

And when most western states, and all Western States Pact states, have much lower infection rates and higher vaccination rates than California, why the heck would you limit those people from coming into California???

I get it that the Science & Data doesn't help the narrative here, as it shows that California lags behind its neighbors in vaccinations and has much higher Covid rates in its populace. But it's still the hard science and data. So why wouldn't Sacramento use the science and data to help struggling industries reopen?

California = 93,050 Confirmed Cases Per 1 Million, 16.8% Fully Vaccinated
Oregon = 39,361 Confirmed Cases Per 1 Million, 17.5% Fully Vaccinated
Washington = 48,542 Confirmed Cases Per 1 Million, 19.0% Fully Vaccinated

California, Oregon & Washington Announce Western States Pact | Governor of California

West Coast states agree region will move toward reopening based on health outcomes SACRAMENTO — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee…

www.gov.ca.gov

 

[TP2000]

TDA not opening up their hotels so that they can help the rest of the Resort District really does read like spin.

It could very well be spin. I didn't take it as spin when I heard it from people I trust, but it could be.

Disney is smart - they're already trying to goose the profit margin as much as possible (note that they haven't announced ticket prices for reopening yet) and they have to know that with the restrictions in place regarding capacity they would ultimately be operating at a loss with their hotels.

They already made the choice to only open the Grand Californian in part because they can charge the most for those rooms. From there, they might start opening towers up at the Disneyland Hotel once it makes financial sense, and then Paradise Pier will be last. This strategy will "help" the rest of the Resort district, but they're already being helped by just having Disneyland reopen - stating that the TDA hotel strategy is some kind of altruism on the company's part is akin to selling a highway to nowhere.

I certainly am not naive enough to think TDA or the Walt Disney Company is becoming a non-profit 501c organization.

They are still a company that needs to generate profit and provide a return on investment for shareholders. But they are also able to strategize their reopening response for specific properties, especially short-term to mid-term.

And what is needed in California is not what is needed in Florida.

The Anaheim Resort District is destroyed. Many businesses are lost forever and won't just pop back into existence on April 30th. New business owners and investors will need to come in to replace them, and that will take time. But TDA is out to help the Resort District recover from this disaster as much as they can. They won't be flooding the market with Disney-owned hotel rooms anytime soon.

 

[fctiger]

"Temporary" for how long? Six weeks? Six months? Eighteen months?

There is already a system in place, announced to much fanfare a year ago, to allow the West Coast states to coordinate commerce, industry and the reopening of economies across the west. It's called the Western States Pact. But Sacramento refuses to even admit it exists now, which is weird.

And when most western states, and all Western States Pact states, have much lower infection rates and higher vaccination rates than California, why the heck would you limit those people from coming into California???

I get it that the Science & Data doesn't help the narrative here, as it shows that California lags behind its neighbors in vaccinations and has much higher Covid rates in its populace. But it's still the hard science and data. So why wouldn't Sacramento use the science and data to help struggling industries reopen?

California = 93,050 Confirmed Cases Per 1 Million, 16.8% Fully Vaccinated
Oregon = 39,361 Confirmed Cases Per 1 Million, 17.5% Fully Vaccinated
Washington = 48,542 Confirmed Cases Per 1 Million, 19.0% Fully Vaccinated

California, Oregon & Washington Announce Western States Pact | Governor of California

West Coast states agree region will move toward reopening based on health outcomes SACRAMENTO — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee…

www.gov.ca.gov

I swear, people seem like they just want to feel slighted. But man, look at this way. Not only is the park opening soon, it's now opening in tiers it wasn't suppose to open in at all! Until about a month ago, most people were probably resigned to the fact DL wouldn't open until it got to the yellow tier. And even with the vaccinations, that was probably going to be sometime in the summer if that.

But now, you got what you wanted. But do you think there wasn't going to be a lot of compromise with these changes??

Put it another way, what's better, for the park to be open again, even with strict conditions or not open at all? Those are the two choices we have at the moment. I think most would choose the latter. And it's t-e-m-p-o-r-a-r-y! Yes we don't know how long that will last yet, welcome to the new normal, but it won't last forever, right?

Put this in a different perspective? My guess is you and other probably didn't think the park would even be open until months later at best. I'm guessing so did Disney and all the businesses around it. Yes, I AGREE, it could've been open sooner, but it is what it is. But since this is where we are at, then just look at the first 1-2 months of opening as a trial run. Just getting their feet wet again, kicking the tires, whatever idioms you want to use. This is the time to start things slow but HOPEFULLY by summer when tourism really starts up again and yes more people are vaccinated in general since the government is now saying all ages will be open this month, then capacity will be higher and anyone who wants to come may be able to then. Hell, we may even have a few shows coming back and Avengers Campus open too. This is one of the reasons we're not even thinking of going until June or July the earliest even if we were all vaccinated now, because we already know a lot of stuff will be limited or completely shut down.

But this is just the trial run. Disney will treat it like a big deal as they should but this period is just to slowly get things running again under the new normal. If things aren't improved by July or August the latest, then I will be right there with you guys yelling about it.

But whining about this NOW is really ridiculous and short sighted. You now got an open park that shouldn't be open at all according to their previous guidelines. That is the first big crucial step. Take your victory lap! Yes many businesses are still hurting, but they all benefit by having an open park vs not one opened at all. The other stuff will follow, but things still have to improve more first. Period.

 

[mickEblu]

TDA not opening up their hotels so that they can help the rest of the Resort District really does read like spin. Disney is smart - they're already trying to goose the profit margin as much as possible (note that they haven't announced ticket prices for reopening yet) and they have to know that with the restrictions in place regarding capacity they would ultimately be operating at a loss with their hotels.

They already made the choice to only open the Grand Californian in part because they can charge the most for those rooms. From there, they might start opening towers up at the Disneyland Hotel once it makes financial sense, and then Paradise Pier will be last. This strategy will "help" the rest of the Resort district, but they're already being helped by just having Disneyland reopen - stating that the TDA hotel strategy is some kind of altruism on the company's part is akin to selling a highway to nowhere.

It’s possible it’s spin but they could also be choosing to open the Grand (where they can charge the most money) BECAUSE they re not opening up the other onsite hotels to push some business to the surrounding hotels. The hole in that theory though is why open the Grand at all if you really are trying to give business to the off site hotels? I guess you could argue they need to have at least some availability for traveling guests.

 

[TP2000]

I swear, people seem like they just want to feel slighted. But man, look at this way. Not only is the park opening soon, it's now opening in tiers it wasn't suppose to open in at all! Until about a month ago, most people were probably resigned to the fact DL wouldn't open until it got to the yellow tier. And even with the vaccinations, that was probably going to be sometime in the summer if that.

But now, you got what you wanted. But do you think there wasn't going to be a lot of compromise with these changes??

Put it another way, what's better, for the park to be open again, even with strict conditions or not open at all? Those are the two choices we have at the moment. I think most would choose the latter. And it's t-e-m-p-o-r-a-r-y! Yes we don't know how long that will last yet, welcome to the new normal, but it won't last forever, right?

Put this in a different perspective? My guess is you and other probably didn't think the park would even be open until months later at best. I'm guessing so did Disney and all the businesses around it. Yes, I AGREE, it could've been open sooner, but it is what it is. But since this is where we are at, then just look at the first 1-2 months of opening as a trial run. Just getting their feet wet again, kicking the tires, whatever idioms you want to use. This is the time to start things slow but HOPEFULLY by summer when tourism really starts up again and yes more people are vaccinated in general since the government is now saying all ages will be open this month, then capacity will be higher and anyone who wants to come may be able to then. Hell, we may even have a few shows coming back and Avengers Campus open too. This is one of the reasons we're not even thinking of going until June or July the earliest even if we were all vaccinated now, because we already know a lot of stuff will be limited or completely shut down.

But this is just the trial run. Disney will treat it like a big deal as they should but this period is just to slowly get things running again under the new normal. If things aren't improved by July or August the latest, then I will be right there with you guys yelling about it.

But whining about this NOW is really ridiculous and short sighted. You now got an open park that shouldn't be open at all according to their previous guidelines. That is the first big crucial step. Take your victory lap! Yes many businesses are still hurting, but they all benefit by having an open park vs not one opened at all. The other stuff will follow, but things still have to improve more first. Period.

What I got out of this is that you admit the Science & Data no longer matter to Sacramento and the goalposts have moved. Again.

Please don't tell me that you are anti-science.

Because 3 months ago anyone who dared to challenge Sacramento was branded as anti-science. Like I was.

Have things really changed that much in just 3 months? We're now cool with being openly anti-science?

P.S. It's "temporary".

 

[Californian Elitist]

No, people who dared challenge facts regarding COVID-19 and mask-wearing were branded "anti-science."

 

[TP2000]

It’s possible it’s spin but they could also be choosing to open the Grand (where they can charge the most money) BECAUSE they re not opening up the other onsite hotels to push some business to the surrounding hotels. The hole in that theory though is why open the Grand at all if you really are trying to give business to the off site hotels? I guess you could argue they need to have at least some availability for traveling guests.

It may be spin. I have no proof that it's not spin.

But I don't think it's spin; not from the people who told me or the venue that they told me that information in. There was no need to spin it there or with the audience involved.

As for the Grand, they have to open it because of DVC contracts. So they might as well open a wing for hotel guests anyway. That helps the DVC operation pencil out a bit more.

The whole thing is a mess. A giant mess. Businesses and families in the Anaheim Resort District have been destroyed.

It's very fashionable to think these are all big, evil corporations involved. Evil Capitalists! Who hate you and only like your money! But that's not the case. There are families and people behind every closed business. And they've been destroyed.

I chuckle at the thought that some folks here keep wanting to think this is all part of some master plan, some long-term strategy, some elaborate conspiracy. It's not. It's a disaster no one predicted and no one planned for. Burbank didn't plan for this. Washington DC didn't plan for this (of any administration, D or R), corporate America didn't plan for this, Sacramento didn't plan for this (Governor's Brown or Newsom or anyone before them). Hell, Mr. and Mrs. Stovall didn't even plan for this!

But it happened. And it was a disaster. And now the surviving businesses are left to pick up the pieces and move forward into 2022.

But there was never a plan for this. And much of this is not "spin", it's just the survivors trying to recover as best they can.

 

[flynnibus]

Anaheim resort district isn’t destroyed- just the current businesses. The properties are still hugely valuable... when one party crumbles, there will be the big chains and devs circling waiting to swoop in and buy what was unobtainable for so long before.

businesses have been destroyed- but others will swoop in and capitalize on it

 

[Disney Irish]

Anaheim resort district isn’t destroyed- just the current businesses. The properties are still hugely valuable... when one party crumbles, there will be the big chains and devs circling waiting to swoop in and buy what was unobtainable for so long before.

businesses have been destroyed- but others will swoop in and capitalize on it

Almost as if it’s the Circle of Life....

 

[wdwmagic]

Plaese no more flu and mask debates - we are way past all of that at this point.

 

[Mrchips0401]

Here's my reply to you, several days late. I had drinks and gossip with friends who would know last weekend.

The Anaheim Resort District is a mess. It's a mish-mash of small businesses that went under six months ago and are never returning, some franchised locations owned by family trusts who can't afford to reopen now twelve months later, and some corporate owned locations that will reopen later in '21 or not until '22.

There's one Singapore based trust, once high flying but now destroyed, who have multiple Anaheim franchised hotel properties coming up for auction on May 20th. But they are itching to sell at a lowball price. The game now for investors is how fast you can escape California's destroyed tourism industry with minimal losses.

TDA and Burbank know all of this. And so they are doing what they can to keep as many Disney owned hotel rooms closed for as long as possible through '21 and into '22. TDA fully realizes that the Anaheim Resort District has been destroyed and is now a wasteland of abandoned properties and homeless hangouts. Their goal for '21 is to push as much hotel occupancy out into the Resort District as possible. Thus, pretty much all CM's from the Paradise Pier and Disneyland hotels were laid off and let go. And they aren't being recalled.

It didn't help that UNITE HERE Local 11 union, and Ada Briceno and all the others who actively protested against evil Disney for the past 10 years, have been a pain in TDA's side for many years. But that's a minor side issue, and a small silver lining for TDA.

To their credit, TDA and Burbank are trying to help the Anaheim Resort District rebound as quickly as possible in '21 by pushing out as much hotel occupancy as possible from the DLH, PPH and even the semi-open GCH into the neighboring hotel properties.

The whole thing is a mess. A massive mess. And it's going to take years to recover from.

I would venture a guess that it will take ‘years to recover’ true for far too many businesses due to Covid19.

 

[Darkbeer1]

What I got out of this is that you admit the Science & Data no longer matter to Sacramento and the goalposts have moved. Again.

Please don't tell me that you are anti-science.

Because 3 months ago anyone who dared to challenge Sacramento was branded as anti-science. Like I was.

Have things really changed that much in just 3 months? We're now cool with being openly anti-science?

P.S. It's "temporary".

Opinion | Dr. Fauci, Tear Off These Masks

If the epidemic continues on its current course, it will be safe to uncover your face by Memorial Day.

www.wsj.com

>>Public-health officials and politicians risk a public rebellion if they don’t start taking common sense into account and instead persist in labeling anyone who questions their decrees “antiscience.” After more than a year of restrictions, they should prioritize getting back to normal. That means public-health agencies need to generate accurate benchmarks of progress—including natural immunity as well as vaccinations—and to be open to modifying their approach, including by relaxing restrictions that have proved ineffective or outlived their usefulness.<<

 

[TiggerDad]

Opinion | Dr. Fauci, Tear Off These Masks

If the epidemic continues on its current course, it will be safe to uncover your face by Memorial Day.

www.wsj.com

>>Public-health officials and politicians risk a public rebellion if they don’t start taking common sense into account and instead persist in labeling anyone who questions their decrees “antiscience.” After more than a year of restrictions, they should prioritize getting back to normal. That means public-health agencies need to generate accurate benchmarks of progress—including natural immunity as well as vaccinations—and to be open to modifying their approach, including by relaxing restrictions that have proved ineffective or outlived their usefulness.<<

Plaese no more flu and mask debates - we are way past all of that at this point.

 

[Darkbeer1]

This is a direct response to TP2000 and how governments/public health officials are handling matters and implementing re-openings. Not trying to debate anything.

Yesterday in San Diego, Governor Newsom talked about the Green Tier and how they plan to discuss it in the coming week. That could have a major impact on moving forward.

Newsom: New green tier coming 'sooner than most people believe'

In the green tier, many restrictions are expected to be dropped altogether.

www.sfgate.com

>>According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, California counties could reach the forthcoming "green tier" of California's color-coded COVID-19 reopening system sooner than expected.

In an interview with the Associated Press published Thursday, Newsom said that counties will reach the green tier "sooner than most people believe” but did not provide a specific timeline.<<

I agree with TP2000, many of the Hotel Owners are my collogues at S.O.A.R. and see/talk to on a regular basis. I have worried about them since the pandemic start. The parents of one, who happens to be in front of news cameras during this, are my neighbors, and I see them, and their kids (Grandparents make great babysitters!) regularly.

TP2000's point about everyone in the Resort area, Big and small, have been working together to get through this. Has it been tough, heck YES!, but plans are in place to move forward, some of which are seeing light currently.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I chuckle at the thought that some folks here keep wanting to think this is all part of some master plan, some long-term strategy, some elaborate conspiracy. It's not.

I seem to recall that since the start of the closure, there were nuts here discussing the bankruptcy of all these businesses and Disney snagging all the properties in a big Monopoly Anaheim game, as if they wanted everyone there to go out of business. Who are these sick people?

 

[Figments Friend]

Anaheim resort district isn’t destroyed- just the current businesses. The properties are still hugely valuable... when one party crumbles, there will be the big chains and devs circling waiting to swoop in and buy what was unobtainable for so long before.

businesses have been destroyed- but others will swoop in and capitalize on it

(cough) .... The Walt Disney Company......(cough)




-

 

[Figments Friend]

Yeah, I've seen those lights at night, and they are very tacky.

Let's also not forget that this is the same GardenWalk owner company that installed this gorgeous little vignette in the valet drop off loop about six months ago. Off-Brand Fiberglass Ariel. Off-Brand electric fish and seaweed. The exposed wires. The whole thing plopped on pavement right in front of a trampy billboard advertising liquor. Or maybe it's just a billboard advertising tramps?

The obvious and repeated design decisions that have been made by GardenWalk's owners and operators for the past two years make it painfully obvious that this is not a company that has access to proper resources for property development and branding, or even knows what to do with this mall that they lucked into as the third place bidder behind Disney.

There is no conspiracy theory here. There is no secret Disney shell company involved. GardenWalk is simply now owned by a clueless third place bidder that lucked into the mall that Disney should have bought for pennies on the dollar.

TP, how could you forget about the Day-Glo florescent colored llama figures outside...??

Those things were an attraction unto themselves !



( Edit - Oh wait, i see you did a few pages back. Yay! )

-

 

[TP2000]

This is a direct response to TP2000 and how governments/public health officials are handling matters and implementing re-openings. Not trying to debate anything.

Yesterday in San Diego, Governor Newsom talked about the Green Tier and how they plan to discuss it in the coming week. That could have a major impact on moving forward.

Newsom: New green tier coming 'sooner than most people believe'

In the green tier, many restrictions are expected to be dropped altogether.

www.sfgate.com

>>According to Gov. Gavin Newsom, California counties could reach the forthcoming "green tier" of California's color-coded COVID-19 reopening system sooner than expected.

In an interview with the Associated Press published Thursday, Newsom said that counties will reach the green tier "sooner than most people believe” but did not provide a specific timeline.<<

I agree with TP2000, many of the Hotel Owners are my collogues at S.O.A.R. and see/talk to on a regular basis. I have worried about them since the pandemic start. The parents of one, who happens to be in front of news cameras during this, are my neighbors, and I see them, and their kids (Grandparents make great babysitters!) regularly.

TP2000's point about everyone in the Resort area, Big and small, have been working together to get through this. Has it been tough, heck YES!, but plans are in place to move forward, some of which are seeing light currently.

It's almost as though people don't realize all of those restaurants and motels in the Anaheim Resort District are owned by small business owners and families. Sure, there are big Hilton's and Mariott's in Anaheim, but even some of them are just franchises owned by a small business. And they all employed local workers who have families, and mortgages, and dreams that require a steady paycheck to survive.

The IHOP, the Stovall's Best Western, the Howard Johnson's with the Mattercam. They are all owned and operated by small business owners and families. Often for many decades. The Park Vue Inn right across Harbor from Disneyland has been owned by the same local family for over 60 years. The Tropicana a block south has been owned by the same family for over 60 years. They've been destroyed.

I know it's very, very fashionable to look down on anyone who has (or had, in Anaheim's case) a successful business and think they must be evil Capitalists who hate the planet. But that's just not the case. Behind every boarded up window and every shuttered motel and restaurant in the Anaheim Resort District lies a broken dream, a shattered livelihood, a destroyed career, a bankrupted bank account, a lost future.

But sure. Go ahead and claim they are all just "rich" people who deserve what they got. And they'll reopen on April 30th without any problem. They probably just spent the last 13 months of the pandemic living on a tropical island being awful Capitalist business owners.