Any plans for Rainforest, ESPN and AMC?

[Captainkidd76]

I read last year that Rainforest wanted to come back. Any truth to that or might anything else be taking over those spaces?

 

[dina444444]

I read last year that Rainforest wanted to come back. Any truth to that or might anything else be taking over those spaces?

ESPN currently has the Mickey pop up which is closing on September 2. I could see us maybe getting a small announcement at D23 this weekend.

 

[azdisneylover]

Since ESPN now has made a contract with UFC, I am surprised it isn't doing something with the ESPN building to bring that crowd in. That is a heck of a lot of $$$$ left on the table. Same with the movie theater. We would go see a movie or two every trip. Nice way to stay out of the heat and crowds. It would be nice to bring Rainforest Cafe back to DTD.

 

[dina444444]

Since ESPN now has made a contract with UFC, I am surprised it isn't doing something with the ESPN building to bring that crowd in. That is a heck of a lot of $$$$ left on the table. Same with the movie theater. We would go see a movie or two every trip. Nice way to stay out of the heat and crowds. It would be nice to bring Rainforest Cafe back to DTD.

AMC just opened their new theatre at Gardenwalk last month so I don't see that space being occupied by a movie theatre in the future. While the new AMC is smaller, it has the recliner heated chairs.

 

[Captainkidd76]

Very surprising to me that such large retail spaces would remain unoccupied at Disneyland for so long. At Disney Springs, that space would be occupied within a month.

 

[superdeluxe]

I am curious why they are not refilling those options, would be perfect for an off-day.

 

[mamapenguin]

Very surprising to me that such large retail spaces would remain unoccupied at Disneyland for so long. At Disney Springs, that space would be occupied within a month.

Do you not remember the long and painful transition between Pleasure Island and Disney Springs? Downtown Disney was fine, but the part that occupies the old Pleasure Island was in a sad state for years. Pleasure Island was a lot of fun back in the day.

 

[Captainkidd76]

Do you not remember the long and painful transition between Pleasure Island and Disney Springs? Downtown Disney was fine, but the part that occupies the old Pleasure Island was in a sad state for years. Pleasure Island was a lot of fun back in the day.

Yeah, but that was different. That area was in a state of complete transformation. This is just filling a few large empty buildings.

 

[AndrewC]

Those buildings were emptied in anticipation of razing them and building another Disneyland Hotel there..... however, originally the hotel had been located in another area in the plans that were submitted to the City of Anaheim for approval and tax benefits/credits. Once the plans were updated with the location change Anaheim had a fit and pulled the tax benefits. I suspect Disney has plans to revisit this and try to get those benefits back while being able to locate the new hotel in that area OR they're just sitting on it for awhile waiting for a time where Anaheim might be more open to another 1,000 rooms or so and would be more than happy for Disney to bring in the construction jobs and build it.

Update with link talking about it...
https://www.ocregister.com/2018/08/15/disneylands-new-upscale-hotel-put-on-hold-indefinitely/
It would/will be a FANTASTIC hotel. The location is a smidge better then DLH (which is fine right now to be honest), look to have direct monorail access to the park, and be very modern and upscale. I'm sure the prices would be close to GCH or even more, but man it would be a great location.

 

[mamapenguin]

Yeah, but that was different. That area was in a state of complete transformation. This is just filling a few large empty buildings.

There were years of empty buildings and boring stores here and there. I would generally walk around the outside along the parking lot instead to get from the west end to the market place.

 

[Captainkidd76]

There were years of empty buildings and boring stores here and there. I would generally walk around the outside along the parking lot instead to get from the west end to the market place.

True. Could be a case of them possibly reimagining DTD and not wanting to make any major changes until plans are complete.

 

[AndrewC]

True. Could be a case of them possibly reimagining DTD and not wanting to make any major changes until plans are complete.

They want a hotel there and they'll let those buildings sit for as long as needed until they get their way and can get a hotel built there with tax benefits

 

[DizMe]

I hope they don't build a hotel there, or at least not the one they submitted plans for. IMO it's a horrible thing to do to DLH and it was a really ugly hotel to boot. Now, if they did something more along the Polynesian lines, I might be onboard with it, but the last thing was just a quickly cobbled together mess.

 

[StormyCA]

When we were at WDW and admiring Disney Springs we were told by a CM (RUMOR ALERT HERE) that there were 'plans to re-do' DTD.

It'd be nice. DTD is pretty choppy and un-cohesive at this point. Disney Springs is gorgeous!

 

[azdisneylover]

AMC just opened their new theatre at Gardenwalk last month so I don't see that space being occupied by a movie theatre in the future. While the new AMC is smaller, it has the recliner heated chairs.

Those seats sound really nice!

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I so wish the Rainforest Cafe would come back! They could benefit form putting more entertainment in too. Like a simple splash pad would be great.

 

[Disney Rose]

It would make my year if Rainforest Cafe came back. It was always part of our first morning at Disneyland routine. We’re from Australia and the flight lands at 6am. Straight to Disney and Rainforest Cafe breakfast and the kids are instantly happy.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I hope they don't build a hotel there, or at least not the one they submitted plans for. IMO it's a horrible thing to do to DLH and it was a really ugly hotel to boot. Now, if they did something more along the Polynesian lines, I might be onboard with it, but the last thing was just a quickly cobbled together mess.

I'm not very familiar with the new hotel they were planning - why would it have been a horrible thing to do to DLH?

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I'm not very familiar with the new hotel they were planning - why would it have been a horrible thing to do to DLH?

It would have blocked the DLH. I mean, there was a path through, but it’d have blocked views and cut off the DLH.

It was ugly, generic-looking, and shoehorned into a space it had no business being in, sandwiched up against the DLH. I was delighted when they pulled the plug on it.

 

[j9isawesome]

Maybe they’re waiting til D23 in a couple days to announce something for that area? At least I hope it’s that vs such a large portion of Downtown Disney remaining dormant for no good reason.