Third Gate: If the Disneyland Hotel is imploded....

[KISSman]

I'm all about extra parks, but I think they need to need to get DCA right before they start dreaming up another park. Let's see what DCA looks like in 5 years and then maybe.

[pianoman13]

It sounds wild, but if they are thinking of imploding the Disneyland Hotel (And I'm not saying they are....)

Would there be enough space to build a 3rd Gate, or mini Westcott right there where the Disneyland Hotel and Towers is? Perhaps a wholly new hotel could be built inside the new Park, or a brand new Disneyland Hotel where the Timon Lot is now....or some other place.

A Third Gate where the Disneyland Hotel stands right now, would be very convenient and the proximity to the monorail/Downtown Disney.

The Strawberry Patch is kind of out of the way, and the need for shuttles etc...

there isn't enough room for a third park, but there could possibly be a water park? Or... I DO have an idea for a new 4 star hotel were the DL hotel is now..but i'll spare you, unless you ask

[pianoman13]

I'm all about extra parks, but I think they need to need to get DCA right before they start dreaming up another park. Let's see what DCA looks like in 5 years and then maybe.

They can dream all they want, all they need to wait for is when they will actualy build it.

[Lore]

Disney needs to buy up all those properties behind the Disneyland Hotel, then they'd have a big enough area for a Disney Seas type park.

[shortiemetoo]

My just-developed idea for DL expansion: on top of Autopia! Electric cars on an enclosed track (still making a autmobile noise, though), and on top of it, um, something e-tickety. (Don't bug me with details!)

lol love it!

[FutureImagineer]

i creating a large plan for the Disneyland Resort to actually become a Resort. My plan (which I will create a thread when finished) will include a new park on the strawberry fields, a water park, expansion of the Paradise Pier Hotel (this hotel has like 2/3 the rooms of the other hotels), an expanded Downtown Disney area, two new hotels, a new parking structure for hotel and Downtown Disney valet parking, a new structure for employee parking, new structure for park guests due to new park, new peoplemovers system from structures to esplanade and third park (much higher capacity then original peoplemover), Mickey Mouse Lagoon - name pending (part of downtown disney), and to top it all off a new monorail system to transport guests all around the resort.

I have a quick question though had the Garden Walk actually been built yet? If so, where is it located?

[mrfantasmic]

Being built right now, occupying the Disney Way, Harbor, Clementine, Katella block.

[Pisces]

They could always do nothing with the DLH.

Doing nothing is always an option. The existing DLH is constantly sold-out and turns a profit. It might not be the most high-tech, and modern of hotels, but it serves its function as is. People will still stay there no matter what.

Sometimes doing nothing is the best thing because at least you don't risk your existing profits with the chaos and disruption that rebuilding, or remodeling brings.

That's my whole problem with DCA. They are taking a low-performing park, and are making it even lower performing during the construction. Someday it might pay for itself........but I would get the 3rd Gate up and running and making money......before throwing chunks of money towards a low-performer.

Going back to the Al Lutz article: The thinking seems to be....why spend a bunch of money remodeling the DLH ?, when for the same amount of money they could build a totally new hotel.

And, yet why not use that same philosophy when it comes to DCA: Why spend all that money to remodel DCA, when for the same amount of money....they could simply build a wholly new theme park .....????

[Bruce Bergman]

The land where the Disneyland Hotel is now isn't large enough for a theme park or a water park, but there is room to significantly expand the number of hotel rooms on that land.

And one HUGE problem with putting a water park over there, the existing residential right behind the DLH to the west. Parking structures and hotels and convention halls are fairly quiet, but the residents would scream bloody murder if Disney was to build a noisy theme park or water park there.

Or they would have to create a noise buffer by buying out the houses and apartment buildings for another block or two to the west - very expensive, very time consuming, and very politically messy.

This is precisely whey they wanted to hold the "Resort Area" zoning and keep the SunCal project from building new residential on the land to the east of the Third Theme Park lot - because then Disney couldn't build the eventual third gate on the Strawberry Field land they own because of noise complaints.

--<< Bruce >>--

[ErikInTheCity]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the idea of replacing the DLH with a hotel in the Transportation Hub to the east of the Esplanade. I know that idea was kicked around here a while back, and someone, in fact, created an aerial shot with the Disneyland Hotel in Paris fitting in perfectly.

This would give the East side devoted to DLH, and the West devoted to Grand Californian, Downtown Disney, and possibly an extension of DTD in the location of the then former DLH. Maybe even a new hotel could be built to the north of the current DLH plot, possibly a complete DVC resort.

[Goofy Daddy]

But, what if the problems can't be fixed?.....and wouldn't it be better to take the risk.....with a smaller amount of money and less disruption???

You are either going to spend the bulk of the money fixing something that may or may not ever be viable...

Or, just start from scratch on something else, done the right way from the get-go.

OK.."what if" a duck had lips? Then it could whistle! Seriously though, you can play the what if game all day...WHAT IF the third gate is just as bad as DCA? WHAT IF the renovations to DCA DO fix the problems? See? Businesses can't always lean on the "what if" stuff.

Your logic of if they can do it to the DLH they can also do it to DCA is an apples and oranges situation. It is different to take down a hotel (especially when Disney has other hotels on property) and build a new hotel in its place than to just leave an established park that is floundering and just build a whole new one and hope it works better than the troubled second one. Business wise I don't see Disney doing that...they need to fix the current problems with gate 2 before building gate 3.

[mousechild]

Why would anyone beleive if they could not fix DCA that they could make the third gate a success? That like a sixteen year old saying "I can't drive this Toyota very well, but if you got me a Ferrari..."

[Pisces]

Why would anyone beleive if they could not fix DCA that they could make the third gate a success?

Because they have a track record of building successful theme parks from the ground up, in most cases.

They have absolutely no history in re-theming, or renovating existing theme parks.

What they're attempting to do with DCA, has never been done before, at a Disney park, according to the Lutz article.

So, they are taking a big risk, and with a lot of money. I'm not saying it won't be successful.

It just seems to me that making smaller changes at DCA, that don't cost as much, and where there isn't as much of a disruption in services and traffic...... would be less of a risk.

[JiminyCricketFan]

Disney needs to buy up all those properties behind the Disneyland Hotel, then they'd have a big enough area for a Disney Seas type park.

I love the idea Lore! Disney Seas would be fantastic!

[sir clinksalot]

I know everybody is saying we need to "Fix DCA" before starting on park #3, and I agree, to a point.

Walt said Disneyland will never be done, so in his eyes it was NEVER perfect. Same could probably be said about the MK. So what would WDW be without EPCOT, or DHS, or DAK?

Just because one of the other parks needs some attention (which it's getting) it doesn't mean you abandon all plans for future expansion.

I know everybody wants DisneySeas or WestCOT ... I'd be happy with just a World Showcase type park personally.