If you've read recently Al Lutz updates as well as forums posts you might be aware that the WDC could envision to build a third park in Anaheim. Now that the WDC owns the Star Wars and Marvel licenses they surely want to use them in all kind of way including in theme parks and build new lands and attractions. And obviously at Anaheim they don't have a lot of room available whether it's at Disneyland or DCA.
Also, Universal will build soon its Harry Potter land at Universal Hollywood, and you can be sure that WDC execs, after the Potter effect at Orlando, knows now that they shouldn't underestimate the opening of a Potter land at Universal Hollywood. And they better be ready to counter attack with a concept stronger than WDW New Fantasyland. So, may be this idea of a third park will become reality, after all, as they could create in it both a Marvel land and a Star Wars land, even if others rumors are saying that they might keep a Star Wars land for Disneyland Tomorrowland.
Anyway, if this third park was built, where would it be? As you can see on the picture above there is not a lot of choice as the land that Disney owns in the area is either the small parking lot on the top right... or the big one on the bottom right, which is south of Katella Blvd and east of Harbor Blvd, in the space that was called the Strawberry Farm and is now the Toy Story Parking Lot and Cast Member Lot.
But the good news is that this big space, as you can see, is not only as big as Disney California Adventure but also just next door to DCA and Disneyland, "on the other side of the street", and not miles away! So, yes, if Disney decides to build a third park at Anaheim, chances are that it will be there.
Thanks a lot to Mark Hickson from Disney by Mark for the picture!
Picture: copyright Google Earth
12 comments:
The harder part for Anaheim is not going to be the third gate, but rather parking for all those parks. The Mickey and Friends structure no longer suffices on a busy day. They've even gotten so desperate with parking that during the summer, they forced CMs to park at the Honda Center and Angel Stadium so that the Katella Cast lot could be used for guest parking
If they try to use that parking lot .The people living next to it could throw quit a fit. Noise and all the other junk that could go with it.
I think that the money for a third gate would be better spent to further enhance DL and DCA.
Now that DCA is a real Disney Park, they could build the much needed new Tomorrowland at DL and bring this area back to its origin, with many new revolutionary rides showcasing the technology of the not so distant future, and maybe make one more Star Wars attraction there.
After that they can build a new E-Ticket in Frontierland and after a new Fantasyland, updating all the classic dark rides with new AA's and new technology in general.
Then they can go back to DCA and build a Marvel Land there, maybe to replace Hollywood Land, and build something new to replace the terrible Bug's Land.
I really prefer quality over quantity and I think that it's MUCH better to have two "top notch" parks than three average parks.
Looking at the map it looks like a Mickey and friends size parking structure could fit south of the Disneyland hotel in the current pumbaa lot. 2 Mickey/friends sized pking structures should be amble space for 3 theme Parks. Although its very awkward having the parking for the 3rd gate off site, as most theme park parking is always adjacent to the park, that's the only way it can be. Its a shame Anaheim didn't work better with Disney to plan the resorts future expansion. The convention center would be the ideal location for a 3rd gate. They could build a structure in the red parking area on the map and use that for overflow. Anyway the need to start building structures there's not enough room for traditional flat parking lots, and a 3rd gate is necessary as the park get so full that guests are turned away a few times a year.
I'd like to add an heretical comment :)
Back when DCA was still just an idea, maybe they should have had a plan to move the whole resort to a larger piece of land outside of L.A. Somewhere big, with plenty of land for future growth?
They could have built DCA at this new location, then a 3rd gate, and finally completely rebuilt the Magic Kindgom (bigger better, do what Disney could not afford back in the 50s) at this new location and close down the old one.
It would have been a WDW of the west.
Obviously it's too late to do this now, DCA was built and then enhanced. And I suppose the original Disneyland is too close to the heart to move and close.
As an alternative timeline, it could have been a good one. :)
Sorry Anonymous, but that's the worst Disney related comment that I've ever heard. It's really the bad idea that beat by far all bad ideas...
By the way, I don't know why people think that bigger is better. I for instance like to walk less inside a park and really prefer to get out of my hotel and be inside the park, or get out of the park and be inside the hotel, instead of walking to a line, waiting in it to get on a bus that will drive for many minutes to only then be in my hotel.
Moreover, it's nice to be able to see everything in the parks in three days calmly and have also time to relax, enjoy the Hotel...
Closing such a historical place, the first Disney park, the only park that Walt have seen... is such a bad idea that I can't even comment about it.
Why does the third park have to be in Anaheim? Garden Grove is building what they call "International West". Part of it is going to be a theme park. Why not build the third park there? It's only a couple miles south of the park. Extend the monorail to serve this park or build a new one. I'm sure Garden Grove would be willing to throw in some money to help out.
Closing the park may not be such a bad idea. The existing structures would be moved - at least most of them would be. Build it bigger, build it better and make it accessible. Put it on a Metrolink route and run the train 24/7.
That lot can only remain a parking lot for a little while longer under the terms that Disney bought the land, so this is exactly where a third Park will be built, just as the intention was when it was purchased.
Looks like it might be time to start demolishing some buildings. Hopefully not the McDonald's.
it be really cool to get a third park in this area...i just dont know where i mean the parking lot near by (toy story) can work...but idk maybe disney can buy off the surrounding hotels...and about people complaining...sorry but Disneyland was built before these home properties existed...so if they hate the noise move away simple as that.
If they did decide to go with that third gate (the parking issue is a very legitimate one), I do have an idea of how it could go. I'll end this with what would probably be the best approach (fuse the DCA and 3rd Gate ideas), but if they did move forward with the 3rd gate this is my theory on how the parks could be divided up:
Disneyland - Represents all Disney-created content, particularly their movies. This can also extend to Mickey & Co. shorts. Any other stuff produced during the Walt years would be fair game (Davy Crockett, Zorro, etc).
DCA: Repurposed into a hub for all the Pixar properties and all of Disney's non-movie 1st-party content (cartoons, for instance). The 90s kid in me would hope for some Disney Afternoon representation here. The Pixar movies alone could account for an entire park.
Theoretical 3rd Park: All of Disney's acquired properties/distributed through Disney/etc. Both Marvel and Star Wars could have a major presence here, and other properties like The Muppets and Indiana Jones could also make a home here. Considering they localized Studio Ghibli films, along with what a devoted consumer base those films have (along with Japanese media in general), it might even be neat to see a Ghibli attraction or two.
If they just stayed with the two parks, though, DCA could just be a representative for all non-1st-party content. Putting the DCA and 3rd-Party park ideas here together would be an overall stronger package, as well as a more efficient use of space.
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