DisneylandForward

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

Anaheim residents concerned over Disney’s plan to buy public roads

Anaheim residents have raised concerns over plans for Disneyland to buy a public road from the city as part of its Disneyland Forward project proposal. Disney hopes to buy Magic Way, a 1,150-foot r…

ktla.com

Randy Lewis, who lives near the Disneyland Resort, said he uses Magic Way during his morning commute. “Magic Way is near and dear to my heart. I love Magic Way.” Lewis said during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Guess we found the < 100 folks per day who use Magic Way. Sounds like a silly reason to push back or delay something of this scope.

Wonder what they could do to ease their concerns. Or would they simply cut that for now from DL Forward so they can get other parts approved?

 

[mickEblu]

Wonder what they could do to ease their concerns. Or would they simply cut that for now from DL Forward so they can get other parts approved?

I think they move forward regardless of what Joe from Walnut St. thinks haha. The reason he likes the street is because he uses it as a short cut because it’s always empty. The reason for that is because it is surrounded by a bunch of dead ends on Disney property. So this little perk for Joey Walnut was created by Disney in the first place.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

Another thing I have been pondering over: Would DCA in their DL Forward plot get cloned future lands from DHS like, let's say a Disney Animation area? DCA and DHS are very similar parks. Or would DCA get things exclusive to it that won't be found at WDW?

I think the Sitich lot For DL's DL Forward plot will not be used for one single IP land like Hey Brickley thinks. I think it will be more a Fantasy Springs like land that will have a Frozen mini land.

Will the earliest we hear about the first land coming to the Simba lot be D23 2026 or 2028?

 

[TP2000]

I think they move forward regardless of what Joe from Walnut St. thinks haha. The reason he likes the street is because he uses it as a short cut because it’s always empty. The reason for that is because it is surrounded by a bunch of dead ends on Disney property. So this little perk for Joey Walnut was created by Disney in the first place.

No kidding. Magic Way didn't exist until the Resort expansion project was completed in 1999.

Magic Way was created in the late 1990's across an old bean field. Below is an aerial photo of that neighborhood in 1995; the future Magic Way is shown in red across what was still an old bean field in 1995. The former Hotel Way is shown in blue; the street that got you to the Disneyland Hotel off West Street or Walnut prior to the Resort expansion.

The green lines indicate whatever commute someone living on Walnut would need to make today, moving north to Ball Road or south to Katella. So why the sudden pearl clutching over losing Magic Way to get to.... where exactly?

 

[mickEblu]

No kidding. Magic Way didn't exist until the Resort expansion project was completed in 1999.

Magic Way was created in the late 1990's across an old bean field. Below is an aerial photo of that neighborhood in 1995; the future Magic Way is shown in red across what was still an old bean field in 1995. The former Hotel Way is shown in blue; the street that got you to the Disneyland Hotel off West Street or Walnut prior to the Resort expansion.

The green lines indicate whatever commute someone living on Walnut would need to make today, moving north to Ball Road or south to Katella. So why the sudden pearl clutching over losing Magic Way to get to.... where exactly?

View attachment 770716

Yeah it seems like a really silly thing to center an article around. “A local resident doesn’t want to lose his shortcut created by the dead ends Disneys property creates.”

It was still a bean field in the 90s? I always assumed that area was part of the old gigantic surface lot.

 

[TP2000]

Yeah it seems like a really silly thing to center an article around. “A couple local residents don’t want to lose their shortcut created by the dead ends Disneys property creates.”

It was a slow news day apparently.

It was still a bean field in the 90s? I always assumed that area was part of the old gigantic surface lot.

Nope. I remember Vacationland being just north of what is now Magic Way. But I also remember the land between Vacationland and the Disneyland Hotel being a big bean field in the 70's and 80's. The aerial photos from 1995 show that it existed well into the Clinton years as a bean field.

I went and Googled "Vacationland", thinking I could find an old postcard with the view of the flat bean fields around it, and sure enough... Just when I think my memory banks are failing me, Google proves that I'm not dead yet!

Just south of the Disco Era singles n' swingers (where are the children?!?) sunning themselves on the blacktop next to the pool, you can see the bean fields. That's where Magic Way would eventually get built. The blonde in the yellow one-piece (who has brought with her to the pool a can of RC Cola with some Seagram's 7 added to it) is sitting roughly where the tram loading area is for the existing parking structure.

 

[mickEblu]

It was a slow news day apparently.



Nope. I remember Vacationland being just north of what is now Magic Way. But I also remember the land between Vacationland and the Disneyland Hotel being a big bean field in the 70's and 80's. The aerial photos from 1995 show that it existed well into the Clinton years as a bean field.

I went and Googled "Vacationland", thinking I could find an old postcard with the view of the flat bean fields around it, and sure enough... Just when I think my memory banks are failing me, Google proves that I'm not dead yet!

Just south of the Disco Era singles n' swingers (where are the children?!?) sunning themselves on the blacktop next to the pool, you can see the bean fields. That's where Magic Way would eventually get built.

LOL wow why go to Disneyland when you could hang out in Vacation Land with a pool in the middle of a parking lot.

So I guess it was the Pinocchio lot that recently turned into the Pixar Pal structure that confused me. I assumed that that Pinocchio lot was left over from the old gigantic Disneyland surface lot.

 

[TP2000]

LOL wow why go to Disneyland when you could hang out in Vacation Land with a pool in the middle of a parking lot.

So I guess it was the Pinocchio lot that recently turned into the Pixar Pal structure that confused me. I assumed that that Pinocchio lot was left over from the old gigantic Disneyland surface lot.

The confusion is understandable. But the old Pinocchio lot isn't that old. During the Clinton years, it was still mostly Vacationland and the Swinger's Paradise pool area.

Seriously, where are all the children in all the Vacationland archival photos? What kind of a trailer park were they running?!?

 

[mickEblu]

The confusion is understandable. But the old Pinocchio lot isn't that old. During the Clinton years, it was still mostly Vacationland and the Swinger's Paradise pool area.

Seriously, where are all the children in all the Vacationland archival photos? What kind of a trailer park were they running?!?

So is the Simba lot part of old surface lot or is that new too?

 

[TP2000]

So is the Simba lot part of old surface lot or is that new too?

It's mostly new. If you're young enough to consider something after the first half of the Clinton Administration new.

Using that same aerial photo from 1995 to show what is now the Simba parking lot, we see that it's mostly unused farmland. But there's a few motels along what would become Disneyland Drive (then known as West Street). In the southwest corner there's a structure that is unknown to me, or at least I don't remember. It looks like it might have been a movie theater? But the majority of it is dirt, likely an old citrus orchard that had been cleared by '95 in preparation for development. The Pan Pacific Hotel (now Pixar Place Hotel) is clearly seen in '95, along with its existing parking structure.

But for the most part, the Simba Parking Lot as we know it circa 2001-2024 was non-existent in 1995.

Thinking back to the 20th century, I mostly remember this corner of the Resort District as the location of the fabulously kitschy, even at the time, location of the several futuristic Best Western theme motels owned by the Stovall family. They were located directly south of what is now the Simba lot on Katella. (TP2000 Brush With Celebrity Greatness: I chatted a few times with the Stovall heiress at parties in the 2000's in Villa Park.)

 

[NobodyElse]

“Magic Way is near and dear to my heart. I love Magic Way.”

Somebody invite Randy to create an account here right away. With that brand of flowery, hyperbolic outlook, he'd fit right into some of our discussions.

Randy Lewis, who lives near the Disneyland Resort, said he uses Magic Way during his morning commute.

Maybe he lives in the apartments, and works at the hotel? Otherwise, (as others have already observed) he's still got all his old pre-Magic options, likely adding no extra mileage.

 

[mickEblu]

It's mostly new. If you're young enough to consider something after the first half of the Clinton Administration new.

Using that same aerial photo from 1995 to show what is now the Simba parking lot, we see that it's mostly unused farmland. But there's a few motels along what would become Disneyland Drive (then known as West Street). In the southwest corner there's a structure that is unknown to me, or at least I don't remember. It looks like it might have been a movie theater? But the majority of it is dirt, likely an old citrus orchard that had been cleared by '95 in preparation for development. The Pan Pacific Hotel (now Pixar Place Hotel) is clearly seen in '95, along with its existing parking structure.

But for the most part, the Simba Parking Lot as we know it circa 2001-2024 was non-existent in 1995.

View attachment 770717

Thinking back to the 20th century, I mostly remember this corner of the Resort District as the location of the fabulously kitschy, even at the time, location of the several futuristic Best Western theme motels owned by the Stovall family. They were located directly south of what is now the Simba lot on Katella. (TP2000 Brush With Celebrity Greatness: I chatted a few times with the Stovall heiress at parties in the 2000's in Villa Park.)

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing! So what the heck were the borders of the old lot then? I’m guessing DL Front gate to Katella. And Harbor to old West St/ Disneyland Drive?

 

[truecoat]

Are you sure? He was off by 13.5 acres? He seems a lot more capable than that.

This is the size of Frozen land in HK.

 

[TheDisneyParksfanC8]

Far less than what Hey Brickley said. I can see this area becoming something akin to a Fantasy Springs that has a Frozen mini land.

 

[mickEblu]

This is the size of Frozen land in HK.

View attachment 770805


View attachment 770807

I don't remember all the details in the video but is it possible he was just talking about the lot closest to Disneyland drive? The one between Downtown Drive and Disneyland Drive. That one is about 6 acres.

 

[DisneyAJ]

The spacing makes much more sense now. I was confused on how Disney’s concept art they had so much and Brickey was basically like you can get 2 rides. I’d love for us to get Fantasy Springs or something very similar so this gives me hope.

Although still hoping for my dream which is Villains. A villains take on fantasy springs could be a cool idea.

 

[TP2000]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing! So what the heck were the borders of the old lot then? I’m guessing DL Front gate to Katella. And Harbor to old West St/ Disneyland Drive?

Pretty much. Except there were more motels and some businesses along the periphery than there are today.

Disney bought out every motel or small business around the parking lot they could in the mid 1990's, but a few refused to sell and are still there today; Candy Cane Inn, Desert Inn, the corner 7-11 and Homeless Camp, that weird mountain chalet motel with the fake snow and icecicles and priceless Tiffany lamp in the window whose name has slipped my mind, etc....

 

[NobodyElse]

Pretty much. Except there were more motels and some businesses along the periphery than there are today.

Disney bought out every motel or small business around the parking lot they could in the mid 1990's, but a few refused to sell and are still there today; Candy Cane Inn, Desert Inn, the corner 7-11 and Homeless Camp, that weird mountain chalet motel with the fake snow and icecicles and priceless Tiffany lamp in the window whose name has slipped my mind, etc....

Alpine Inn. (You made me look.)

 

[TP2000]

Alpine Inn. (You made me look.)
View attachment 770841

Thank you!

What's even funnier is that I was re-arranging my record collection today and came across the LP that some old neighbors back in OC gave me as a gag gift. They were high school sweethearts, Villa Park High Class of '71 (Go Spartans!), and they gave me a Christmas record their school chorale group made their Senior year called "A Caroling We Will Go..." and the kids put on their ski togs and posed for the album cover art in front of... The Alpine Inn!

The icicles and fake snow still look exactly the same 55 years later! You can just make out the priceless Tiffany lamp that still is in the upstairs window. My friends are one of the happy couples here in this photo, and they've been married 50 years this year. I'm going to their big blowout 50th anniversary party this summer!

Back to the DisneylandForward issue and the land Disney still doesn't own along Katella and Harbor. Here's what the aerial looked like in 1995. The Alpine Inn is the frosty blue A, next to the Desert Inn and the 7-11 Homeless Corner, and the Candy Cane Inn is in red. At least four other motels used to exist on that corner seen X'ed out here, but were bought by Disney in the mid 90's and demolished for DCA.

What are the chances that Disney could get the Candy Cane and/or Desert Inn and Alpine Inn properties now I wonder??? Do they even want them? One would think they still would.

 

[J4546]

They could always use more space for avenger campus expansion I suppose but we shall see...