California’s Disneyland is getting a new hotel. But details on this new property are still vague.
Yesterday, the Disney Parks & Resorts announced a new hotel project at the happiest place on earth. And this new lodging project is the first for Disneyland Resort in nearly twenty years. However, this announcement came out of left field.
Why Now?
Disney wanted to prioritize the development of its Eastern Gateway Project. This project was to provide relief for the crush of new guests once the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge project opens to the public. And this relief would come in the form of a massive new parking structure, a new transportation hub, a new security screening area, and a bridge across Harbor Boulevard.
However, according to the OC Register, other businesses along Harbor Boulevard immediately protested the Eastern Gateway Project. They feared that the bridge would cause a decline in foot traffic, and therefore business for them. And the City Council has also been unsupportive of the project.
So, as a remedy to this issue, Disney has decided to press ahead with its new hotel and parking projects on the west side of the resort. The new parking structure will be built on the existing Pinocchio lot and will have 6,500 stalls spread across six stories. On the other hand, the new hotel will occupy 17 acres of Downtown Disney where ESPN Sports Zone, AMC Theaters, Earl of Sandwich, Starbucks, and Rainforest Cafe currently reside.
Disneyland’s New Hotel
The new hotel does not yet have a name. What we do know, however, is that it will be of a “contemporary design” and will have 700 rooms. The hotel will feature two pools, concierge service, a kid’s play area, and an upscale rooftop restaurant. Additional shops and restaurants will be located on the ground floor, which will flow out into an open plaza area. Better yet? This new hotel will feature a platform that will directly connect it with the monorail system. And, of course, the hotel will be getting its own 2,000 stall parking structure too.
Disneyland is Getting a New Hotel, Final Thoughts
It’s hard to say with any certainty what I think about this new property yet. So few details are known at this time. Though, in addition to the above, we do know the property will adhere to AAA’s four-diamond guideline. We also know that construction will begin next year and is expected to wrap up in 2021. The massive new parking structure, on the other hand, is slated for completion in 2019.
This means that we may see extreme crowding and price increases if the new Star Wars land does create a massive influx of additional guests. And since the new hotel and parking are supposed to mitigate these issues, these two projects couldn’t get built sooner. One thing’s for sure, though. I bet the new hotel will be equally as expensive, if not more expensive than the current Disneyland hotel, which means I likely continue to stay off-property.