GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
There were "no plans" to replace Tower of Terror a few months ago either according to Disney. The magical thing about plans is that they change!
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New Disneyland Parking Garage and Transportation Hub
- Thread starter RMichael21
- Start date
There were "no plans" to replace Tower of Terror a few months ago either according to Disney. The magical thing about plans is that they change!
I'm not sure. All the graphics I have seen seems to show the new overpass and walkway flowing down to the Esplanade and widening out to the whole east end. And nothing but tight landscaping along the edge. Will be interesting to see how this actually works out. There will be an uproar for sure if the Harbor hotels lose easy park access.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
The crosswalk may remain, but there's no law that says there has to be an entrance to Disneyland for pedestrians or autos on Harbor Blvd. The existing crosswalk and sidewalk along western Harbor could all still remain (although they've not been shown on this Disney artwork submitted to the City), but instead of an entrance to the Esplanade it would just be a wall and a landscaped corridor.
If you want to walk in to Disneyland, you need to walk down to Disney Way and enter the "Pedestrian Corridor" at the new parking structure that was highlighted prominently on the designs submitted to the City.
The city buses are still going to be stopping along Harbor, right? There's got to be crosswalks. It might not be the preferred, pretty way of entering the resort, but there's got to still be some way of accessing it... But if security is now further east...
HoJo is my preferred hotel. How am I going to get in?
The few hundred people who arrive/depart Disneyland each day via city bus would need to walk down Harbor Blvd. to Disney Way. Although most of those folks are CM's commuting to work, and I imagine there would still be a sidewalk at the new "DISNEY CM DROP-OFF" area on the map so they can walk into the secured CM entrance off Harbor.
For the HoJo, it's probably going to be faster for you to walk down Manchester and into the new shuttle loading area from the north, and then pass through Security and go over the skybridge. Not much difference in walking length for you, and may even be faster or at least prettier.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Meh, that's just the canned answer the Register reporter got from the approved Disney spokeswoman assigned to this story. Obviously something is up if they are spending money to reroute CM shuttles and Toy Story buses to brand new turnarounds and eliminating all the existing bus loading zones. They aren't opening up all that space north of Hollywood Land just to grow poinsettias for Christmas or store pizza boxes for the Pizza Port.
It is space that will be used for DCA park expansion, and Disney will wait until they are darn well ready to announce that.
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NobodyElse
Well-Known Member
I think if I owned one of the Harbor hotels, I'd be actively negotiating "back of my property" access to the north/south pedestrian pathway right about now. (Easier said than done for certain hotels.)
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I think we do know that it won't be. Not sure why it would need to be.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Ah, yes! Ms. Schwartz still has this project up on her website nearly 20 years later!
This was what Al Lutz dubbed the Christmas Tree Lot when it debuted around 1998. Several of us were still on alt.disney.disneyland back then, or moving to the new website message boards. Ms. Schwartz was skewered by the tiny online community back then, and she was the perfect example of that clueless Paul Pressler era.
I absolutely love that she's still so clueless as to keep this project up on her business website. What a dork. And she still has the original explanations from 1998 on her website! Here's how Ms. Schwartz describes her work...
"The Theme Park Entry Esplanade project is composed of three distinct areas: the Central Plaza Area, the East Tram Area or “Hyper-Highway”, and the West Tram Area. All three spaces are distinct in terms of character and function; however, they are conceived of as a series of spaces which, although different in expression, form a choreographed sequence of events. The three distinct spaces are organized in a linear fashion, inspired by gardens of the classical Baroque Period, where episodic events or spaces are joined through a linear progression of the pedestrian through the spaces. This journey, or pathway, links and brings coherence to the site. The use of geometry and its rhythm through the plantings and elements create a continuity which ties all parts of the design together."
Wow. Something tells me those little cigarettes she smokes aren't just Winstons without filter tips.
But my absolute favorite is how she describes the big green cement cones...
"The bollards, shaped as oversized traffic cones, painted green, allude to clipped topiaries in the European Garden Tradition."
Well, duh.
God love you Ms. Schwartz. You still bring us joy almost 20 years later.
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Stevek
Well-Known Member
Trump's wall
CJR
Well-Known Member
Although true, it may not be good to shun your "Good Neighbors". I could see them possibly fighting to get certain permits denied. Although it may be in the best interest for Disneyland, Anaheim will need to think in terms of what is best for its city, visitors, and residents. Disney has quite a pull, but I think if hotels and restaurants get concerned, it might cause issues. Perhaps they won't fight it, but I'd be surprised if they don't.
The art work does appear there might be a street entrance, so perhaps there's another round of security somewhere. I'm sure cast will go through security as well and that's in that same area.
EDIT: SO - I took a look a the plans. There does appear to be a connection.
If you look carefully, there's a pathway from the Cast Member drop off under the bridge and then (assuming there are stairs) to the bridge, heading toward the left.
There also appears to be stairs heading up to the bridge right at the edge of street, on the park side. I'd assume security will be posted at both of these entrances, or they could be exits.
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I'm leaning towards the thinking that Disney is moving all east park access to this new gateway. It might be a strong arm move to those Harbor hotels, but they've had a pretty good ride on Disney park access for over 60 years. I think the increased security concerns and will give them all the reason they need to see this through.
On a side note, I noticed that this is a walkway with no moving sidewalks or set up for a tram route. You can maybe believe that it's a budget cutback. But I think it's laying the ground work for adjacent development north and south of the new walkway. We might be seeing the beginning of the ending of ugliness of the Harbor Blvd side of the resort. As fewer guests book those hotels that now need a long walk or shuttle to enter the parks, they might not want to sit on the cash cow forever and finally sell to Disney.
I think this move is as much about opening up Harbor for future Disney hotels and retail as it is about new parking.
On a side note, I noticed that this is a walkway with no moving sidewalks or set up for a tram route. You can maybe believe that it's a budget cutback. But I think it's laying the ground work for adjacent development north and south of the new walkway. We might be seeing the beginning of the ending of ugliness of the Harbor Blvd side of the resort. As fewer guests book those hotels that now need a long walk or shuttle to enter the parks, they might not want to sit on the cash cow forever and finally sell to Disney.
I think this move is as much about opening up Harbor for future Disney hotels and retail as it is about new parking.
CJR
Well-Known Member
I think you're right about this. It'd also be safer since you wouldn't have to cross that busy street. The plans show the side walk is connected over by Manchester, so that would allow people to cross over without using the street if they came from that end.
Curious Constance
Well-Known Member
They better not remove the entrance from Harbor. This girl will be MIFFED!
According to the Hojo facebook, there will be Harbor access to the parks - but not the bridge:
DISNEYLAND EXPANSION NEWS
In case you haven't heard, the Carousel Inn will be closed within two months and torn down to begin the creation of the pedestian bridge over Harbor Boulevard. Here's what you should know about the project:
* Construction will be a bit crazy if you're staying at the hotels on either side of the Carousel Inn so maybe you should come and stay with us instead!
* Our guests at the Howard Johnson will still enter the park on foot along Harbor the same way you do now. That will not change.
* You CANNOT get on the pedestrian bridge from Harbor Blvd. This project is designed to get people off the northbound 5 freeway into a parking structure and to get them into the parks without using Harbor. The hope is foot and car traffic on Harbor will diminish.
* It will be pretty we think. They'll landscape the bridge much like Downtown Disney's bridge and make it nice looking so the Harbor pedestrians will get to walk under a (hopefully) Disney-esque bridge to build that pre-park excitement.
DISNEYLAND EXPANSION NEWS
In case you haven't heard, the Carousel Inn will be closed within two months and torn down to begin the creation of the pedestian bridge over Harbor Boulevard. Here's what you should know about the project:
* Construction will be a bit crazy if you're staying at the hotels on either side of the Carousel Inn so maybe you should come and stay with us instead!
* Our guests at the Howard Johnson will still enter the park on foot along Harbor the same way you do now. That will not change.
* You CANNOT get on the pedestrian bridge from Harbor Blvd. This project is designed to get people off the northbound 5 freeway into a parking structure and to get them into the parks without using Harbor. The hope is foot and car traffic on Harbor will diminish.
* It will be pretty we think. They'll landscape the bridge much like Downtown Disney's bridge and make it nice looking so the Harbor pedestrians will get to walk under a (hopefully) Disney-esque bridge to build that pre-park excitement.
Stevek
Well-Known Member
So did we ever figure out for sure what they are doing with the monorail? Is is really being rerouted and making that hard right turn into DCA? Can't wait to see parts of it fly off because it wasn't built for that sharp of a turn. I kid...but could totally imagine it happening.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
This looks terrific.
I like what I'm seeing here.
It's good to see the bus drop off areas and general transportation hub being moved out of the area and East of the Parks.
That will open things up a bit and of course likely lead to the expansion ideas slated for DCA.
Looks like this will be quite nice when complete, and I'm pleased it appears to also help remove some of the clutter from the entrance areas to the Parks ( security checks, trans hub, etc. )
Hoping it goes well, and the end result is a big plus that improves the experience for people arriving by wheeled vehicles.
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I like what I'm seeing here.
It's good to see the bus drop off areas and general transportation hub being moved out of the area and East of the Parks.
That will open things up a bit and of course likely lead to the expansion ideas slated for DCA.
Looks like this will be quite nice when complete, and I'm pleased it appears to also help remove some of the clutter from the entrance areas to the Parks ( security checks, trans hub, etc. )
Hoping it goes well, and the end result is a big plus that improves the experience for people arriving by wheeled vehicles.
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britain
Well-Known Member
Great to see confirmation coming from HoJo themselves. With candor too! It probably will be a pretty bridge, but it most likely will be designed to build up pre-park excitement for those walking over it, not really for those walking under it.
MoonRakerSCM
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty positive Disney is cutting off Harbor. They've made it clear in the release that the new pedestrian gateway is on Disney Way (where they show tons of people coming in). In the plans, the security checkpoint is behind the hotels and there is no mention of any other... IF they were keeping access on Harbor, why would they move the checkpoint from where it is now (note the current checkpoint location is not affected by these new plans (at least what is shown)).
With new hotels going in and being built around Gardenwalk, Disney is banking on those higher end hotels having 'front gate' access... what makes more sense for Disney profit wise, local budget hotels or the new JW Marriott being able to boast 'front gate'? It's minimal for sure, but Disney would rather work on deals and good relationships with high end hotels than local budget hotels.
I think Mickey is staring down the Harbor businesses with subtle fire in his eyes. He answers to no one and within the next 30 years WILL own those properties. That land would be a perfect place to sit another Disney hotel way down the line...
Can McDonalds and places like that survive on just area traffic and drivers? I think they can. But I think McDonalds and Denny's etc. will survive, but with less profit (I wonder how much of their profit is general foot traffic). Captain Kidds is doomed imo..
With new hotels going in and being built around Gardenwalk, Disney is banking on those higher end hotels having 'front gate' access... what makes more sense for Disney profit wise, local budget hotels or the new JW Marriott being able to boast 'front gate'? It's minimal for sure, but Disney would rather work on deals and good relationships with high end hotels than local budget hotels.
I think Mickey is staring down the Harbor businesses with subtle fire in his eyes. He answers to no one and within the next 30 years WILL own those properties. That land would be a perfect place to sit another Disney hotel way down the line...
Can McDonalds and places like that survive on just area traffic and drivers? I think they can. But I think McDonalds and Denny's etc. will survive, but with less profit (I wonder how much of their profit is general foot traffic). Captain Kidds is doomed imo..
SSG
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a load of bollards to me.