In his latest posting MiceAge.com's Al Lutz comments on two future locations for a second Disney Vacation Club development at Disneyland Resort, as well as other potential happenings on the left coast.
According to Lutz, the early returns on Cars Land are overwhelmingly postive. Not only are guests thrilled with the addition but it's accomplishing exactly what Disney had intended 10 years ago when it built the second theme park--spreading out the crowds more evenly between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
While it's too early to make long-term spending decisions for Disneyland Resort, Lutz claims that executives are already formulating plans for increased parking capacity, better resort-wide transportation, more Disney-owned hotels and even a third theme park.
Regarding DVC, Lutz has this to say:
"The last thing that needs to slot into place before the third park gets underway is an expansion of Disney owned hotel rooms in Anaheim, with more DVC units attached to any new development. We’ve told you in the past about the solid proposals to build a new hotel and arrival complex in the East Esplanade shuttle bus loading area, as well as a fourth DVC tower at the Disneyland Hotel slotted for the vacant land just west of the ESPNZone."
A DVC expansion to the Disneyland Hotel has long been fodder for the rumor mill. That project would mirror most of the DVC developments at Walt Disney World which were built as add-ons to existing resorts. In doing so, Disney avoids the need to build most hotel infrastructure since front desk facilities, restaurants, gift shops and even recreation facilities (pool, spa, etc.) are already in place.
The other proposal involves construction of a fourth Disney-owned resort which would include DVC villas. It is a common misconception that Disneyland has no room for future expansion. There are actually numerous plots of land which could be used for resort or even theme park construction. However, most of these plots are currently needed for guest parking.
Expansion of the large Mickey & Friends parking structure would solve many of Disneyland's current parking woes and free-up the land for future expansion, but it's a costly project which Disney executives have not yet embraced.
For additional news & rumors on the future of Disneyland Resort, check out Al Lutz' column at MiceAge.com.
