OK I see what you were saying a bit better now. A 2nd gate at Disneyland was in the works longer then since 1995 & many ideas were considered by Imaganeers. You just made it sound like it was DCA's Hollywood backlot, which was not given consideration until after the entire DCA concept was approved by management in 1995. You said "when DCA was first conceived, and it was actually conceived over a decade ago", which was incorrect, and that's all I was trying to point out. A park concept for the Disneyland resort being 10 years old, is a far different claim, then the DCA concept itself being 10 years old. So I see now what you were trying to say.
I don't doubt for a moment that your friend helped out with a Studios theme park idea in the late 80's. After all, Disney MGM Studios did not open until 1989 in WDW. I'm quite sure a studios theme was drempt up by Imaganeers for the 2nd gate before Westcot was selected. After all MGM was Eisner's first "baby", I don't doubt some Imaganeers played with the idea. There easily may have been plans floating around for that idea as a possibile 2nd gate, but the only ones given any serious consideration by management were exactly the ones you said, a DisneySea type project in Long Beach, until that city lost out, then WestCot, and then Disney's California Adventure. Imaganeers play with a million ideas that are never ok'd by management, that's their entire job. A studios based park, is probably where a few of the Hollywood backlot concepts actually did come up. Perhaps some of those ideas also became a part of the Paris park Walt Disney Studios.
I understand what you are saying, sure Rock N Roller is on the plate as a possible future DCA attraction, as are a million others. Personally I don't think it will ever come, but I'm not calling it impossible, I just don't think it's likely. It would be the first non Magic Kingdom attraction to be cloned in three parks, Since Paris just opened the attraction.
The entire plans for the third park in Anaheim are not scrapped, but are certainly on hold. Firstly the new park DCA has quite a few barriers to still overcome, that combined with the econimic times, & Disney's overall economic problems, caused the company to re-think what they will do with all available property.
They did tear down the Grand Hotel, but have done nothing with the site since the implosion. You can bet one day they will annouunce the site's purpose, which was originally to be another structure, but that plan could easily change, or the property could sit empty for some time.
DCA's addition of TOT, scheduled to open in 2004, will keep the new park busy for almost the next two years. Any announced project after that, such as any 2005 opening would probably go to Disneyland being it's the 50th (I'm not saying Disneyland will anounce something for 2005, but if the resort did, I'd be surprised to see it go to DCA, after just opening TOT the previous year)
I'd say the first availabl;e timespan for the next DCA announcement would probably be 2006, for a 2008 or so opening. Of course there will be minor changes, but probably nothing major. If the next big announcement for DCA will once again be for Hollywood remains to be seen, personally I doubt it, but anything is possible.
Mickey's Philharmagic is already commited to WDW, and Hong Kong. Surely they will evaluate it's popularity before giving any serious consideration to it going to a third resort, especially when it will be yet another WDW clone, something not nearly as much of a concern in Hong Kong as it would be for another US park.
Does all this mean Imaganers have not brought up plans and thoughts about how to put Rock N Roller Coaster, Mickey's Philharmagic, or a hundred other ideas into DCA? Absolutely not. But the only real plans that matter, are the ones bought off by Disney management. The rest may be brilliant ideas, but if never implemented, will just be more historical facts inside the Disney archives.
