New DL Resort Hotels???

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

NEWS:

Does anybody have any information on the themes, target opening dates, locations or any other details about the additional Disneyland Resort hotels planned for the next few years? I know two of the three GardenWalk hotels will be Disney operated and themed.


ARM-CHAIR IMAGINEERING:

I wonder why they don't take a cue from Disneyland Paris http://www.disneylandparis.com/uk/ho...neyland_hotel/ and Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea http://www.disneyhotels.jp/tdh/index.html http://www.disneyhotels.jp/dhm/index_e.html and build a Victorian hotel over the main entry plaza with security check and entrances to both parks instead of the big open paved area they have now. They could also build it over the 'busplanade', with the bus waiting area downstairs and the hotel above.

I also think a Pirates of the Caribbean themed hotel somewhere else on property would be really popular for many years to come.

[granka]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

How is this news?

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

I am asking people to post what they know. So far, Al said there are as many as 4 or 5 new hotels planned for DLR including the two at Garden Walk.

But keep in mind this is not everything planned for the next four and a half years. Still to come... of course there's the Downtown Disney expansion, Disneyland Hotel remodeling, the Disney operated hotels planned for GardenWalk, and yes, a separate five year plan for Tomorrowland's overhaul, all now on the front burner for Anaheim.

Yesterday's announcement was meant as just the first big splash, and having a separate Billion dollar budget to work with helps. While the genesis of these projects and funding predate the mess caused by the Anaheim City Council over proposed housing in the Resort District, that sticky issue now has to be thrown into the equation when Disney goes about picking a time to announce these projects.

[Darkbeer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

Everything reported have been rumors.

People have confirmed that Disney is talking to the GardenWalk folks, but no agreement have been made.

The only thing we know for sure is the Grand Californian expansion and the 50 some DVC units to be built next to DCA. I heard that 2009 is the completion date for that project.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

...The only thing we know for sure is the Grand Californian expansion and the 50 some DVC units to be built next to DCA. I heard that 2009 is the completion date for that project.

I saw a week or two back that this is already under way. I took two spins on Mulholland Madness to get a good look. I'm sure you've photographed this, since you don't seem to miss anything!!!, would you mind posting pics here of the DVC construction?

Also, did Disney release concept art on this?

[jmuboy]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

There is a strong rumor of a 4th hotel behind the Paradise Pier hotel and the rumor hotels at Garden Walk. There is also a DL Hotel renovation planned.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???


This is what Al said about the Garden Walk hotels:

"Out of the four new Disney owned hotels currently planned for Anaheim, two of them may be included in that mall."

GardenWalk will open its first section of trendy restaurants off Katella this November, with the rest of the 75 stores and businesses opening at a gala premiere next May. Up to 400 timeshare units are scheduled to be approved by the city council in September, to be built on the western edge of the new mall. But over on the eastern edge of the mall is space for three hotels to be built with up to 900 rooms. No hotel company has announced plans to build in GardenWalk however, and yet the mall is filling up fast with upscale tenants and fancy restaurants.

The current plan that Disney's hotel development arm is pursuing is to build two separate hotels at GardenWalk, in a first of its kind arrangement for Disney. Both of these hotels would not be large by Disney standards, one at 300 or 400 rooms, and another at less than 300 rooms. But they would be groundbreaking in their design and execution.

The bigger of the two hotels would be a stylish but moderately priced "family hotel," with suites designed for multi-generational families traveling together. Rooms themed to Disney or Pixar characters would be on tap for families with kids crazy for Buzz Lightyear or Cinderella, or parents fond of Pirates of the Caribbean or the classic 1950's Mickey and Donald. The second, smaller hotel would be more expensive and much more hip, with a boutique vibe similar to a big city W Hotel. It wouldn't abandon the Disney brand though, with visitors finding stylish artwork and references to upscale Disney history and fun Disneyland kitsch.

Both of these hotels are planned to plug right into the GardenWalk mall...

The family hotel is currently planned to be sited on the southern end of the mall near most of the restaurants. The more expensive boutique hotel would likely be slotted in on the northern end of the mall near the trendy Heat Ultra Lounge and Bar Louie nightclubs and the swanky new "300" upscale bowling alley/nightclub that will open in 2008.

Hotel #1 site. Photo: David "Darkbeer" Michael

Where these hotels differ with their theme park counterparts around the world is that they won't be on Disney property, and they won't necessarily be owned by Disney. Disney is going into this proposal with outside financiers who would own the hotels themselves. Disney would provide licensed use of their name and characters, along with the Disney Cast Members to staff and operate the properties.

To the average visitor the experience would be seamless, and they would have no idea that these weren't hotels 100% owned by Disney. They might be a few blocks off property, but for all intents and purposes these hotels would be just as "Disney" as the Disneyland Hotel is. But the financial deals that got the places built would be different, and it's a model Burbank plans on following when they start building similar properties in other cities around the world much farther from the theme parks.

While these two Disney hotels at GardenWalk haven't been formally blessed yet, the proposals are in the advanced stages and could theoretically be announced soon. But the political drama playing out in the Anaheim City Council chambers gives pause to executives in Burbank and Anaheim, and there is debate on when and where is the right time to announce them when they do get the final green light. Similarly, when the final timeline and phase one projects get the greenlight for DCA later this year, there may be a delay in announcing what exactly TDA has up its sleeve.

[PirateMickey]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

I saw a week or two back that this is already under way. I took two spins on Mulholland Madness to get a good look.

During our trip a few weeks back, we stayed on the 14th floor of the PPH, overlooking DCA. I took plenty of construction photo's from that vantage point. I posted a few of them in my PPH thread.

Not much to see at this point other than a vacant lot. Lots of grading and removal of dirt going on. Heavy equipment and trucks going back and forth.

It'll get more interesting as time goes by...

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

They got to work on the DVC wing fast. And Garden Walk is going up quick. So those are obviously going to be the first new Disney hotel rooms.

[Darkbeer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

Note, there have been NO building of Hotel Rooms at GardenWalk.

A Timeshare company is still waiting for final approval from the city to build its project.

There have been absolutely NO work done on the east side of the project, where there are room for 2 or 3 hotel sites.

Nobody has signed a lease or is ready to build on the east side yet. Is Disney, or a company that will work with Disney in a partnership interested... Yes, but nothing has been finalized.

[MarenBoBarren]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

I think all the artwork and sketchups look really cool....i think its gonna be awesome no matter what!!

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

I hope the monorail is extended over to the Garden Walk, then it'll be like DowntownDisney - East Side. Another option for lunch and dinner or a drink or some shopping while you're at the DLR.

[Darkbeer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

^Why do you need a monorail, it is a short walk, and if you want a ride, the ART system has switched its routes, and the vast majority will have a GardenWalk stop, so you should find an ART going there at least every 10 minutes, which is faster than the current Monorail operation with just one train operating.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

^Why do you need a monorail, it is a short walk, and if you want a ride, the ART system has switched its routes, and the vast majority will have a GardenWalk stop, so you should find an ART going there at least every 10 minutes, which is faster than the current Monorail operation with just one train operating.

A. If a family is staying in a suite in a new Disney operated hotel at Garden Walk, and we have a little tot and maybe a baby in a stroller plus the parents, they can't walk back and forth to their hotel on top of all the walking they do in the parks and standing in line. A 4-5 minute monorail ride from Tomorrowland sounds right.

B. If they build the 3rd gate, it'd be ridiculous trying to have that many parkhoppers on the sidewalk and crosswalks. Something would need to be built to get guests over there and back.

C. DCA needs a monorail station somewhere, too, to give you a shortcut between Gates 1 and 2.

I'm all for adding transportation infrastructure and a highly themed system like the monorail is the Disneyland Resorts signature system. Monorails make you think of Disneyland and WDW.

[Darkbeer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

Alas, Monorails are not an efficient system of transportation, right now, less than 1,000 people per hour can use the current system.

The costs of upgrading would be tremendous. With the current Disney layouts of just one track, if a Monorail goes "101" then the entire system goes down (Las Vegas has improved the system with a dual track system with multiple switchbacks, where is one Monorail breaks down, then the other monorails can use the second track, similar to most light rail systems. Also, Las Vegas provides for walkways to evacuate if the monorails break down.

They also cannot be adjusted easily for the ebb and flows of traffic patterns, such as everyone wanting to head towards the resort in the first few hours, and everyone going home the last few hours.

The only flexible system is the use of buses/trams. And since the route to the GardenWalk goes off Disney owned property, they cannot use trams (not street legal), so you are left with buses and the ART system.

Look how much the WDW Bus system has expanded. It is very flexible, and has much lower costs, and the newer built buses are all wheelchair and stroller friendly.

Maybe a fleet of buses that the LA Metro uses on the Gold Line, 3 doors, low floor for most of the bus and high capacity.

[fkurucz]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

I hope the monorail is extended over to the Garden Walk, then it'll be like DowntownDisney - East Side. Another option for lunch and dinner or a drink or some shopping while you're at the DLR.

Not likely. Expect WDW style busses.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

Are you guys reading the same MiceAge I am?

From Elephant Acknowledged, By Al Lutz - MiceAge



as the long term plans for transportation around the Resort may have the monorail moving from that circa 1961 path

this is not everything planned for the next four and a half years

the Downtown Disney expansion, Disneyland Hotel remodeling, the Disney operated hotels planned for GardenWalk, and yes, a separate five year plan for Tomorrowland's overhaul, all now on the front burner for Anaheim.



There will be several more DCA announcements to come between now and next summer

Downtown Disney expansion and GardenWalk hotel rumors, and Ed answered those with a smile saying that clearly there was an opportunity to expand those areas, and while his executive team has been working on it, that further announcements weren't too far off."

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

^Why do you need a monorail?....

A better question, WHY NOT? You don't have to pay for it personally Darkbeer, or are you worried it will spend too much money that could go in the attractions budget? I think it's a wise investment in transportation infrastructure.

[Darkbeer]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

I think I explained it, it is NOT efficient for one.

Two, it is very expensive, so yes, I am worried about losing other attractions if they spent the money on the Monorails.

While I think the Bus system is what Disney will go with, I would like to see a light rail system, with tracks on the ground, similar to the San Diego Trolley. But they have problems with large crowds and getting people in and out of places like Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park, and only a low percentage of the 50,000+ crowds use the Trolley.

I think street legal buses, plus options such as bus only lanes and computer controls to help with traffic lights (such as the LA Rapid system) is the way to move large groups of people from point A to point B in the fastest and most efficient way.

Design special bus only loading areas at the Strawberry Field area, GardenWalk/Pummba, Convention Center, the Disney owned hotels and the current Lion King/15 minute parking area, and if needed, the planned new parking structures for Angel Stadium and the new proposed transit center near Angel Stadium.

You can add or subtract buses/routes as the demand requires.

A lot of buses going towards the park in the AM, and then back to the parking/hotels in the evening.

Heck, right now, unless you park at the Parking Structure, or find the Timon lot open, Disney expects you to walk from places like Pummba or the Simba lots. And of course, if Buzz Lightyear opens up, then they have to use street legal buses, and they take forever to load, and yes, I have parked in Buzz Lightyear more than once, and it is a nightmare getting out of the place.

[phar]

Re: New DL Resort Hotels???

So if one thinks outside the box and back to the innovative days of yore then perhaps a new transportation system can be developed. Personally I hope Disney does something truly revolutionary in terms of transportation with all of the Anaheim development that is going on/proposed.

I agree with Dark Beer that monorail is not a good system to expand but hopefully Disney has a suitable "future of transportation" replacement in mind.

Just my $.02