Is westCOT back on?

[GeminiAngel]

I just talked to the deli guy at my grocery store and he said westCOT in Anaheim was back on, something about 2020. Not sure if that's the start date or the finish date. Any info, anyone?

 

[DDLand]

I just talked to the deli guy at my grocery store and he said westCOT in Anaheim was back on, something about 2020. Not sure if that's the start date or the finish date. Any info, anyone?

Nope. I wish that WestCot could happen someday, but for the time being it doesn't appear to be likely. The direction Disney has been going recently is one of heavy IP reliance. WestCot is the opposite of that strategy. It would require constant update, and effective managment to make it work.

Now Disneyland has been rumored to be looking at a third park for a while. There are still significant hurdles to jump. Parking, low hotel capacity, and infrastructure strain are all factors that need to be addressed before a 3rd park.

Two rumored Disneyland projects are:
1) A RNRC style Marvel Ride with a small Marvel land or zone attached.
2) Star Wars Land replacing Toontown.

Disney is going to maximize existing properties before moving in that direction.

Even of they were building a 3rd gate soon, it probably wouldn't be ambitious as Westcot.

 

[rteetz]

I just talked to the deli guy at my grocery store and he said westCOT in Anaheim was back on, something about 2020. Not sure if that's the start date or the finish date. Any info, anyone?

No offense but the deli guy at the grocery store may be worse than a Disney bus driver. Westcot ain't happening. There just isn't room at this time for a third park. Expansions at the existing parks are very possible and in the works.

 

[DDLand]

There just isn't room at this time for a third park.

What do you mean by room? Like land?

If you mean like infrastructure backend 100% but Disney can just take out the Toy Story lot and create a small gate back in there. Remember Disney knows a thing or two about condensing park size down in urban settings. They almost built some urban entertainment offerings a few years back.

Also rumored a couple years back was a boutique park with $300 admission which could be smaller. A water park is an option too. (Volcano Bay like)

If they felt like it they could buy Gardenwalk and move in there too.

Much like 5th WDW if they wanted a 3rd gate they'd have it.

 

[GeminiAngel]

Yea I heard about Marvel-land and a RNR type of ride. Didn't hear the one about Star Wars taking over Toon Town.

And the Deli guy may be worse that a Disney bus driver, but he sure can cut deli meats! LOL

 

[rteetz]

What do you mean by room? Like land?

If you mean like infrastructure backend 100% but Disney can just take out the Toy Story lot and create a small gate back in there. Remember Disney knows a thing or two about condensing park size down in urban settings. They almost built some urban entertainment offerings a few years back.

Also rumored a couple years back was a boutique park with $300 admission which could be smaller. A water park is an option too. (Volcano Bay like)

If they felt like it they could buy Gardenwalk and move in there too.

Much like 5th WDW if they wanted a 3rd gate they'd have it.

That toy story lot is going to be used for the marvel expansion at Disneyland if I'm not mistaken. They also need to ramp up parking because they just don't seem t have enough of it. I could see a third gate in Anaheim maybe 15-20 years down the line but nothing right now it just isn't going to happen. Westcot was a big thing Eisner wanted. I also don't see them doing a water park in Anaheim either. Disney could buy practically anything around them, it's just do they want to.

 

[rteetz]

Yea I heard about Marvel-land and a RNR type of ride. Didn't hear the one about Star Wars taking over Toon Town.

And the Deli guy may be worse that a Disney bus driver, but he sure can cut deli meats! LOL

Star Wars is going to happen before marvel does.

 

[DDLand]

That toy story lot is going to be used for the marvel expansion at Disneyland if I'm not mistaken. They also need to ramp up parking because they just don't seem t have enough of it. I could see a third gate in Anaheim maybe 15-20 years down the line but nothing right now it just isn't going to happen. Westcot was a big thing Eisner wanted. I also don't see them doing a water park in Anaheim either. Disney could buy practically anything around them, it's just do they want to.

No, the Toy Story Lot is different.

Here's a map of the entire Disneyland Resort from http://micechat.com/forums/disneyland-resort/182762-disneyland-parking-suggestions.html :


As you can see it's outside the expansion zone of DCA.

The red marker is on the front entrance to DCA and the purple is on Toy Story. The satellite shows the Resort map is not quite to scale.

Closer image shows the intersection of Harbor and Katella Drives making a big barrier between DCA and the Toy Story Lot.



DCA does have that small parking lot next to cars land to move into. I think that's the expansion zone. (Shown in the second picture, just wedged between Carsland and TOT.

Sooner. Much sooner. Anaheim is on fire. I'd guess 7-12 years. There's also the possibility it could come sooner then that. Though there's some infrastructure concerns like hotels, parking, and road capacity that need to be addressed. Also they need a sustainable transportation system.

 

[DDLand]

One other interesting thing I found poking around the Gardenwalk website.

"The recently opened Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park - a 12-acre expansion costing more than $1 billion - is the newest draw to Anaheim. Plus the anticipated addition of a new Disney theme park and necessary parking structures located directly across the street from GardenWalk will continue to bring in even more visitors."

This was on their leasing page. http://www.anaheimgardenwalk.com/leasing.php

What they said is basically what other educated guessers have said, but still interesting nontheless. They sure think it's coming.

Garden Walk and Toy Story Lot:

The red pin is Garden Walk.

Then finally here is a map of the Resort as envisioned by a now dead Disney Website :

So just north of that is Garden Walk.

Source http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/jimhillmedia?url=http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hill/archive/2007/08/09/confused-about-what-the-walt-disney-company-wants-to-do-next-in-anaheim-then-maybe-it-s-time-to-take-a-second-look-at-thirdthemepark-com.aspx#2902

 

[rteetz]

With a major parking issue on hand I don't see them taking out that toy story lot then for another park. And I also think they would have to buy some of the surrounding land as well. For some reason I remeber hearing micechat say that the marvel expansion was going into a parking lot but based on those photos they would have to close down a roadway or something.

 

[DDLand]

With a major parking issue on hand I don't see them taking out that toy story lot then for another park. And I also think they would have to buy some of the surrounding land as well. For some reason I remeber hearing micechat say that the marvel expansion was going into a parking lot but based on those photos they would have to close down a roadway or something.

See the answer to the parking issue isn't to keep Toy Story. Toy Story is actually considerably larger then the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure. Yet it holds a fraction of the spots. If Disney wants to solve the issue, they need to build a new parking structure.

You're right that those issues need to be addressed before or while Disney is building the 3rd gate.

I think they can fit the park in. It'll feel different then the more sprawling parks they've been building recently. Very dense. It can be done though.

You're right about that actually rteetz. There's a small parking lot just between Carsland and TOT that seems perfect.

There are even two guest paths that just lead to nowhere (yet). Strange choice on the designers part if you ask me. It'll actually be a lot like DHS with TOT and RNR (Marvel) drawing people down through the land. They'll also be access to Bugs Life and Carslands.

Here's one more picture to help you visualize the sight line:

Access does seem limited which could kill it being here. It does seem to be begging for something.

 

[rteetz]

See the answer to the parking issue isn't to keep Toy Story. Toy Story is actually considerably larger then the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure. Yet it holds a fraction of the spots. If Disney wants to solve the issue, they need to build a new parking structure.

You're right that those issues need to be addressed before or while Disney is building the 3rd gate.

I think they can fit the park in. It'll feel different then the more sprawling parks they've been building recently. Very dense. It can be done though.

You're right about that actually rteetz. There's a small parking lot just between Carsland and TOT that seems perfect.
View attachment 81891
There are even two guest paths that just lead to nowhere (yet). Strange choice on the designers part if you ask me. It'll actually be a lot like DHS with TOT and RNR (Marvel) drawing people down through the land. They'll also be access to Bugs Life and Carslands.

Here's one more picture to help you visualize the sight line:View attachment 81893

Access does seem limited which could kill it being here. It does seem to be begging for something.

I actually think that is the lot they were discussing because it's near ToT and the entry way would be over there. Since it isn't a full land it would make sense. I also think they would have to address the parking before the third gate rather than during the construction of it.

 

[DDLand]

I actually think that is the lot they were discussing because it's near ToT and the entry way would be over there. Since it isn't a full land it would make sense. I also think they would have to address the parking before the third gate rather than during the construction of it.

Exactly. This is actually what's left of the Timon lot from a pre Carsland DCA. I'd say it's time to finish the job and build something amazing.

Those two dead end paths lead to one of the most compelling expansion pads on property. Think of what DCA will be after this:
E Ticket
1)Grizzly River Run
2)Calfornia Screamin
3)Soarin
4)RSR
5)TOT
6)Marvel Attraction

This is a great park.

They can put a temporary bandaid on the problem before truly addressing it. They lose 2500 spots. They could have a much larger garage open pretty quickly that could meet those needs (and beyond). I just don't like the idea of using any property that could fit a park or hotel on parking. Not glamorous, but completely necessary.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

WestCOT??? They're moving away from EastCOT all the time!

 

[Scottishbrit]

Not to mention the city of Anaheim wont give Disney any more "room" to grow. But something needs to happen! As much as I'd LOVE a 3rd park they need to widen pathways and make more room at DL cause it's always busy and the traffic in park is crazy!

 

[DDLand]

Not to mention the city of Anaheim wont give Disney any more "room" to grow. But something needs to happen! As much as I'd LOVE a 3rd park they need to widen pathways and make more room at DL cause it's always busy and the traffic in park is crazy!

The Resort District has been on fire. I doubt that they'd put a stop on expansion. Plus they could collect more hotel taxes if Disney further expands the Resort, and increases draw.

 

[DanBoris]

Iger said in the Shareholders meeting yesterday that there were no plans for a 3rd park at this time, instead they will be expanding the existing parks.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

If they ever do decide to construct a third park, I think a modified “Westcot” park would be their best bet. It should bear some resemblance to Epcot's World Showcase, but with scaled down pavilions, and I’d group the pavilions into six "continents". Also like World Showcase, there would be a central lagoon, but it would be much smaller than the one at Epcot. It could feature characters and elements from various Disney and Pixar Animated films, and could borrow attractions and theming from the World Showcase, Animal Kingdom (Asia and Africa), and Disney Sea (Arabian Coast and American Waterfront).

The entrance and the northern most land would be Europe, and you'd enter the park through a Norwegian castle. "Main Street" would start with medieval German architecture and gradually become French and Italian Renaissance. To the west and east of Europe would be North America and Asia, and South America and Africa would be in the southwest and southeast. The southernmost land would be Oceana, consisting of subareas themed to Australia, Antarctica, and Polynesia. This land could have a volcano similar to the one at DisneySea, which would serve as the "weenie" of the park. A roller coaster in Asia could be themed to Mulan, a raft ride in Africa to Tarzan or Lion King, and a flume ride in South America to Emperor's New Groove.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I've obviously though a lot over the years about how I would built such a park, if I were in charge.

 

[Scottishbrit]

You would think. Not to mention the jobs and tourism that would come into Anaheim, being that Anaheim isn't the cleanest city to begin with.