New Gallery

Originally Posted By StitchDude

I heard a rumor that there is going to be a new gallery put in where the Plaza Pavilion is. The kitchen will be gutted and that is where it will be. There will be a place specifically for artist and celebrity signings when they release a new piece.

 

Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x

Amazingly, I heard this rumor, too, when someone posted that they weren't doing the Junior Chef anymore. I think it was Darkbeer or DLandDug who said it.

 

Originally Posted By StitchDude

Thats cool. I am glad this on has support. It will not be as good as the other but at least there will be a gallery again!

 

Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x

But I'm sad that my 3 year old missed the chance to make Mickey's Cookies.

 

Originally Posted By StitchDude

That is to bad but I think they will still do the cookie decorating at Woody's Round-up for Christmas!

 

Originally Posted By x Pirate_Princess x

We did that!! But it's $6 per cookie!!

I liked the Jr Chef because it was free cookies and I got a chance to relax and not have to worry about the whereabouts of my kid LOL

 

Originally Posted By oc_dean

While this is a great location....
I'd like to know why this never returned to a restaurant location.

It served it's original purpose quite well for DECADES.

When DL went into it's lean (Pressler) years ... Plaza Pavilion, and several other restaurant locations were shuttered.

Was it determined there was a glut of places to eat in DL?

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

If there were too many places to eat in DL, then why did DCA premiere with so many? I don't know of any others in DL that closed around that time (other than Casa de Fritos becoming El Rancho), so I have no idea why only one closed, and never reopened. When they were refurbing it for the 50th, didn't they completely redo the kitchen area with all new stuff? It seems like a waste that that stuff never really got used like it was supposed to.

 

Originally Posted By monorailblue

Not just around the same time, but there are a number of eateries that closed in my lifetime:

Town Square Cafe
Lunching Pad
Space Place
Wheelhouse
Plaza Pavillion
Carnation Plaza Gardens
Aladdin's Oasis
Mile Long Bar
Big Thunder Barbecue

None has been replaced, though Redd Rockett's did open.

Casa de Fritos turned into Casa Mexicana long, long before it became Rancho del Zocalo.

It was definitely easier to get a meal at Disneyland park 15 years ago in terms of number of restaurants. Mitigating the inconvenience of fewer restaurants, we have more crowded walkways, slower service, the need for reservations long in advance, worse food, and, in many cases, much smaller variety to choose from. Oh, wait. I guess I meant "exacerbating", rather than "mitigating."

But Disneyland has to have crappy food or Downtown Disney loses a large chunk of its audience.

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

Where was the Wheelhouse? I would imagine it would be near the Mark Twain dock, but I can't think of an area that would fit it that isn't currently a restuarant. Also, I assume the Town Square Cafe was in Town Square on Main Street, but I don't know where it would have been (next to the Disney Showcase, with seating in the strange outdoor are by the parade gate?). I also wasn't aware that the Carnation Gardens ever had food, but it makes sense. That area always looks so bizarre now, as it's almost always deserted these days.

 

Originally Posted By TP2000

The Wheelhouse was a little counter that sold ice cream cones and sundaes. It was just to the right of the "Laod Bhang Fireworks" doors to backstage, in between the Stage Door Cafe and Riverbelle Terrace. The facility is still there, you can still see the serving window, and the pale green building is still vaguely decorated with riverboat accesories.

The Town Square Cafe was on the open patio across from the Mad Hatter store, right where the parade exits and enters backstage. The indoor portion of the restaurant was where the Disney Showcase store is now, although almost all of the seating was outdoors on that little patio. It was sponsored by The American Egg Board in the 70's and 80's, and all of the menu offerings were made with eggs. They specialized in omelettes, and it was popular for breakfast as people came into the park. Prior to it being sponsored by the Egg Board, it was sponsored by Hills Brothers Coffee in the 60's.

Carnation Gardens had a hamburger stand and ice cream counter on the northern side of that area, where the embankment, faux western buildings, and planters are now. The burgers were pretty basic, but the root beer floats and sundaes made with Carnation ice cream were pretty good. That's why there are so many tables there, as it was originally a burger stand. It was a dead end back there, and you couldn't cut through to Frontierland and the restrooms like you can now. It was just a blank white wall decorated with Attraction Posters.

 

Originally Posted By monorailblue

I used to get soft-serve ice cream floats at the Wheelhouse in tall plastic mugs. Mmmm! I think there about 3 such mugs still floating around at my mom's house.

And, in my opinion, the "pretty basic" burgers of olden days were WORLDS better than the hoity-toity "high end" burgers they sell now. Blech. Just give me a basic, yummy burger.

And chili fries at the Village Haus again. Mmms. And my old Casa Mexicana beans and rice. Now THAT was eating!

Oh, and I sorely, sorely miss Carnation Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant. The present Cafe is cutesy, but is NOTHING compared to its predecessor. We scored a much nicer bakery (but lost the frozen yogurt in the process), but the old Carnation was really a pretty decent, fuller-fare place than we've seen since.

 

Originally Posted By PetesDraggin

I totally miss the Carnation Garden restaurant that used to be there. That was where my family would always meet up to eat lunch on our trips. It brings back great memories.

One time, we were eating there at a table next to the planters, when a lizard jumped out of the bushes and onto our table. We all jumped up screaming, but we had a good laugh about it.

 

Originally Posted By DBitz2

I overheard Tony Baxter telling some folks at the recent NFFC Show and Sale that Plaza Pavilion is a possibility for a new Gallery, but, the Park is now interested in making the location a food service again. So, it may or may not become the site for a new Gallery. He mentioned another location that was also being considered, but, I didn't catch where that was.

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

I think they should find a spot in HWPB for the gallery, or somewhere in DCA's proposed new entrance "street". There really isn't a place at DL that is a good match thematically.

 

Originally Posted By Sport Goofy

I think the gallery belongs somewhere on Main Street. I always thought it was out of place in NOS.

 

Originally Posted By ArchtMig

I vote for placing the gallery in the Walt Disney Story/50 Golden Years space. Re-establish the Walt's office exhibit, strengthen the history of Disneyland permanent component, and fold in the Gallery functions as well. It's a natural.

And yes, bring back Lincoln.

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

I agree that the Opera House would be a good location, but I'd prefer that location be strictly a "theater" venue rather than another retail location, which is essentially what the Disney Gallery was.

 

Originally Posted By ArchtMig

Well, mixed in with the retail aspects at the Gallery were also impressive exhibits of museum quality artwork, models, etc. And the displays rotated in and out. Yes, they also sold stuff, but at least it was higher end, not plush. And they didn't have merchandise shelves full of stuff. The retail component was rather lower key and respectful, I thought. I see your point, but if they handle it the same way they did upstairs over Pirates, I could live with it.

 

Originally Posted By dresswhites

yum! i loved the icecream floats and shakes at the carnation plaza gardens. and for custodians, this was a very special place. the door next to the gardens was the main entrance to get to custodial central.
when casa expanded custodial central moved to the old admin building.