Tending The Garden...

This isn't a rumor, but more about speculation of an opportunity...

The Anaheim GardenWalk will be up for sale on today because the developer couldn't meet the payments. One has to wonder what Disney thinks of this. After all, this a chance for them to control a piece of property that could prove valuable years from now when that Third Gate opens up. Would the Mouse let the opportunity pass by and let some other bidder come in and take it? What if the new owner were hostile to them and their plans? Wouldn't it be a safer bet, especially during this suppressed economy to take hold of that valuable plot of land?

Now, as I've said, I have no inside knowledge on this. I simply think it's a moment that the Walt Disney Company has to plan for the future. When they do someday build another park, there are going to be people streaming in and out of all day long, all year long. Those people/guest are going to tired and hungry. Wouldn't Disney like to be the ones that makes the money from them obviously going across the street and having a bite to eat, a movie to see or a bed to sleep in?

Perhaps turning it into a Downtown Disney East with the original being a Downtown Disney West. Call it the Downtown Disney GardenWalk. This actually falls into theming with the original as it's supposed to be a garden. Did you know that? With all those waterfalls, trees and flower fountain most don't realize it but that's the theme for the outdoor shopping area of the Disneyland Resort. They could put Imagineers to work on "Disneyfying" the place, making it more friendly and accessible. Most of all, they can make it more of a garden, which is one of the things I think it's lacking in. Strangely. Where is all that foliage you see in the concept art?

But I can't imagine that Bob Iger and company haven't at least thought of this. Will there ever be a time in the next couple of decades where it would be possible to purchase this land for the devalued amount it would cost in this recession? I speculate this as a possibility, but I wonder if Iger has had talks with the new head of Disney Parks Tom Staggs about this matter. He does seem to have a vision to see the opportunity of moments like this. For a fraction of what Bob paid for the Marvel acquisition he can get some desired breathing space for that new park that will someday bare his fingerprints. And if what I think will be built there does happen, he'd be very smart to be bold here.

And it would be the exclamation on his purchase of Mighty Marvel...

The Reboot...

When summer 2012 rolls around, Disney's California Adventure will enter a phase it should have been experiencing a decade earlier...

A year more than that actually. Eleven years it will have taken. But you know what? Not only will DCA be different, but the entire resort will have grown into something much closer to being legitimately called a "resort." If all those extravagant plans for WestCot or even the original plans for Disney's California Adventure had been done then the realization of a true Disney Resort would have been realized by now. But budget cuts and clueless leadership stunted what could've been a great expansion. The resort we were promised never materialized. The one that we see in 2012 won't be exactly like the one proposed, but it'll be extremely closer to that actual realization. Think about it...

By that time DCA will be larger in size (20% bigger, actually), re themed in appearance to reflect the detail one expects from a Disney theme park. Most of the under themed or not really themed at all areas will be look totally different. A Victorian seaside pier, an idealized representation of Walt's California; the one he first saw stepping off the train, a more authentic 30's Hollywood section, an entirely new land that immerses you in the wild west and transforms you inside a young boys racing dream. If you think about it, the areas that were the best themed will now be some of the least desirable. The Golden State which was affected by the budget cuts the least has always been the most lavish area of the park. This was because it sits next to the expensive and lavishly themed Grand Californian and Eisner, Pressler and the Suits were so stupid as to put an eyesore near it. Their stupidity lied in not realizing that once they left that area they would notice the decline in quality.

Of course the area originally had AA's of wild animals that got cut. The Extreme Makeover originally was going to remedy this and also take away the modern elements in favor of a turn of the century Yosemite themed national park. But it will have to wait... should those crowds materialize the words "Phase Two" comes to mind. Once this almost billion dollars is spent the park will look drastically different, but will still have work to be done. But it'll be at a point it should have been on opening day. Thankfully that opening day will finally be here and we can enjoy the Second Gate like a true Disney park. We can also plan on seeing some amazing additions over the next decade as guest pour through those turnstiles and buy all that merchandise with new logos and designs on it.

But also in 2012 there will be other things not seen in February 2001. Like a vastly expanded Grand Californian with DVC units for the first time. A Disneyland Hotel that is much more worthy of the name. Much more extravagant and plussed with the bells and whistles Disney Fans/Geeks have come to expect. And right next to those three towers could be a fourth structure rising if all goes well.

At least one of the two new hotels that Disney planned on operating in the Garden Walk could be close to opening. So there will be added value there as well. And hopefully we'll hear next year about an expansion of the Downtown Disney retail area. Of course, this all depends on how spending goes and if the economy takes another nosedive or starts to head into recovery.

And remember, DCA is the Second Gate. The Original Gate will have a Tomorrowland that has a few new shiny things; more if the guest keep coming in. And if they do, that big piece of wasted space taken up by Innoventions could be sporting a swanky new E-Ticket that is going to make those three hour lines for Space Mountain's Ghost Galaxy seem short. Trust me, it'll be worth it. If things work out the entire area will be remarkably better than the worn out feel much of the TL 98 theme conveys to guest.

Like everything in life, there will be challenges, but finally the Disneyland Resort will be in a place where it can truly be called an actual resort. Not a mini-resort like it's been the past decade. The Oriental Land Company realized this when they built their new park into a resort back in 1999-2001. We got to see as each piece the OLC opened up, just how wonderfully elaborate and detailed their plan and the construction of it was. Back in America on the west coast, we got to see Eisner's stopgap measure that we were told was a resort. Now, come the early part of the next decade and we'll actually have those words turned into a reality. A new Disney resort and a new Disney theme park right here in Anaheim known as the Disneyland Resort.

Not just a nice hotel, new signage and a carnival in the parking lot...

The Intimate Prison...

With all the talk about the Extreme Expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland, a few things that are glaringly obvious have been missing from the discussion...

We know that over the next four years there will the addition of three attractions in HKDL, but is that going to be all of the expansion?

No, it's most likely not, but the Mouse has been relatively quite about anything beyond this. Because there are some things that are missing from the puzzle. By the time Mystic Manor opens up in 2013 there should be something else open as well. Something not mentioned in any press release.

A third Hong Kong Disney Hotel.

Unless the economy continues to sputter along, or the global marketplace suffers a worse downturn you can expect that piece of property in between the two current hotels to be open for business. Imagineers for a while now have been quietly toiling away designing another lavishly themed hotel to expand the offerings for guest who enter Disney's Fifth Magic Kingdom Gate. I've talked to a couple Bothans lately that are very pleased with the designs and although they would give away much for fear of joining Dick Cook, did tell me that the thematic layout of this luxurious hotel will definitely please Disney Fans/Geeks.

Most people know that the Hong Kong park hasn't met expectations with attendance, but not many realize that the two current hotels have had very high occupancy rates. And with the expected increase in attendance for the new two E-Tickets and C-Ticket, there is going to be an added desire to keep the guest on the resort. You don't want them coming for the day and then going home or heaven forbid, going over to Ocean Park. You'll need a new hotel to entice them to stay and spend more money. In essence, you have to create a way to keep them on that plot of land spending only on Disney. Kind of the way Walt Disney World creates all those hotels and shopping experiences that make you have little desire to venture outside it's very beautiful incarceration area. Hong Kong's plan is to do so, but obviously with less land. It'll be smaller but with the detail that Disney is widely known for. An intimate prison, so to speak... but one you'll willingly stay at.

So with an expanded area (with a whole lot of room for expansion) with three new attractions (and a possible surprise or two by 2013) and three hotels this area will still be missing something, won't it?

A Downtown Disney type retail area.

And yes, there is one in the plans, but it hasn't officially been greenlit yet, or at least it hadn't moved into that area when the Bothans last got word of it. It's still planned within the next five or so years, but it may not be open before the rest of this expansion. That doesn't mean things couldn't change, but it hasn't been the primary focus. But make no mistake about it, by the middle of the next decade there will be a shopping district lined along the walkway from the pier to the main entrance. After all, you have to give those guest a reason to not leave the resort/park/hotel. That was always the plan you know. It's just taken a while to get going, but as the next year or so rolls out you'll see more and more of it.

Over the next year or so you're going to hear more about this from the Mouse and myself and others, but remember that there is another park about to be born in the area. That may take the shine off of this park for a while, but remember that that Hong Kong will be a very important market over the next decade and the Mouse has every intention of turning this resort into a world class destination. That other park won't take away from that no matter how different and unique it will be.

But that's a story for another and later day...

New Year to Extinction?

Happy New Year to all...

Just a small update. More updates will follow after Monday(must not miss 24!).

Here is some art published last week for the new T-Rex restaurant to be built in WDW Downtown Disney. It looks nice but are you like me... doesn't this place look like it belongs more in Disney's Animal Kingdom?