Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "...and slightly upscale merchandise, such as Zara and H&M." Ha! Zara and H&M are about as low end as you can get for fashion retail. Next stop: Old Navy.
Originally Posted By planodisney They are bulding it for guest of the resort. I am saying that they need additional entertainment for resort guests on non park days. That is what WDW does so well. There is so much to do on days that you want to take a break from the parks. DLR needs to up that aspect of the resort. When my wife and i went in july, we spent one day by the pool, and then hit downtown disney at night. We love to take a break and rest from the parks, but DLR doesnt realy supply enough non park activity. How about a mini-golf course, a water park or additions like the Adventurers Club?
Originally Posted By John_CM I'd still love to see a record store of some sort in the Disneyland area as well. Maybe a Virgin or Amoeba. I know there's a Virgin at The Block, but it would be nice to have one closer.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss The developers may be intending to draw tourist dollars, but people make it sound like locals won't be going there at all. I am certain that will not be the case, and that a substantial percentage of customers will be locals, young people especially.
Originally Posted By BrigmanMT 2 One of those perpetual wave places could be pretty cool. Surf Competitions after the parks close and things like that. A nice huge family restaurant that overlooks the wave machine would be a success. I still think its a sham Disney passed on this property, and I hope they will buy it out before construction commences. It is in the perfect spot to service the proposed second parking structure, and it is the quickest route to Katella, which would make it perfect as a walkway from DCA/DL to a Third Gate on the Strawberry Fields. I'm still not sure why Disney would have ignored this area.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt ^^I've always wondered that as well. Given the long history of the GardenWalk project and the way that Disney scaled back its second gate and then put the breaks on the third gate causes me to suspect that the cost of developing these projects when compared to their estimated returns likely plays a big role in the decision making process.
Originally Posted By bean It would be interesting to see a complete building layout of the project and its exact position within the land. Donot know if anyone has noticed but the firstplans of gardenwalk including all its rendering and construction designs showed a peoplemover/monorial track running up Disney drive cross the street and run on the edge of the garden walk with a platform loading area in gardenwalk then continuing north up the street to the entrance of what would be the next gate for Disney. I wonder if they have still left room for the track to be added in the future if disney decides to go ahead with any more expansion. this would benefit gardenwalk quite a bit since it would add the traffic it needs and would elminate the extra walking detour many are talking about here.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher The developers appear to have given up in trying to make GardenWalk more visible, particularly to people who will be oriented to the DisCo's properties to the west and along Harbor Blvd in general: >>>>> Originally named Pointe Anaheim, Price Legacy was in litigation with the owners of an 8.8-acre plot of land across from Disneyland's main entrance, hoping to garner street-front access along Harbor Boulevard and bump up the complex to 29.1 acres. GardenWalk's new owners have decided not to pursue the disputed land, scaling the project down to 19.3 acres and leaving the complex without a Harbor Boulevard entrance. With street visibility off of Katella and Disney Way - used by a combined 38,000 cars a day - Stone said GardenWalk should attract the necessary attention: "I think the location is good and it's just gotten better and better over time." <<<<< By not latching onto that property at the corner of Harbor Blvd and Disney Way, the new shopping center will be harder to see and easier to overlook. Just one more lost opportunity in the area, although not to the same degree as what second-rate DCA represents.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "I wonder if they have still left room for the track to be added in the future if disney decides to go ahead with any more expansion." If so, this would be a good idea. The Disney model of having efficient transport should be expanded throughout the various tourist areas of Anaheim. "By not latching onto that property at the corner of Harbor Blvd and Disney Way, the new shopping center will be harder to see and easier to overlook." For once we agree on something!
Originally Posted By ni_teach I have looked over the plans for the GardenWalk project and it strikes me as some of the most boring architecture I’ve seen in years. It looks like a cookie cutter of all shopping malls. I know that it’s designed to capture out-of-town visitors, but why would people want to go to it and see it?
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt ^^I tend to agree, but the area does need some strong diversions besides DL and DCA. I think that the area is long on theme parks and short on restaurants, nightlife, and good shopping. The Anaheim Convention Center is the largest convention center on the west coast and there's not a whole lot for those visitors to do other than the Disneyland Resort. And not everyone is as impressed with Disney as we are.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^^True. Unless you are a Disney person, there is really NO reason to step in Anaheim as a tourist. Of course, you kind of have DTD now, but when you got DISNEY in the title, its not exactly something all that different, except more stores. Of course, Anaheim would just be another bland, whitebred city if it wasn't for Disney, but I think it would be nice to get other non-Disney attractions and fans attention too. Look at Orlando, its certainly not just considered WDW's city anymore. OF course, that being said, I highly doubt this GardenWalk is going to bring a lot of tourist/locals from other area's, but its at least a start. Hey, DCA's been opened nearly 5 years now and it hasn't even managed to create that feat ;D.
Originally Posted By smeeeko ^^regarding the Convention Center, we attended the Anime Expo and the only place to eat really besides the hotels within walking distance was the stripmall with a Subway and a steam table place. Suffice to say both places were really crowded for lunch. =)
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Hey, DCA's been opened nearly 5 years now and it hasn't even managed to create that feat" That isn't exactly true WD. There is information available showing the Resort and Convention Center expansion have created sustainable financial growth and increased visitor attendance in the area. Maybe not to the exent the Disney and Anaheim officials had hoped but the area is far better off today than it was 10 years ago. "...we attended the Anime Expo and the only place to eat really besides the hotels within walking distance was the stripmall with a Subway and a steam table place." That's sad, really. If the DL/Anaheim Resort area is really going to postition itself as a world-class travel and convention business destination obviously a lot more needs to be done.
Originally Posted By hiddencat3 Don't diss Zara and H&M. These are very popular and fast growing retail chains. They made their success in Europe and are now FINALLY making their way into the US. I know people who go to NYC just to go to H&M. Stella McCarthy designs a line for them! These stores are no way close to Old Navy. I would walk MORE than 10 minutes to shop at H&M! I am a girl who takes her shopping very seriously.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Don't diss Zara and H&M." I'm not dissing them. I happen to like both stores. "These stores are no way close to Old Navy." In terms of price point they are pretty close. Perhaps a bit closer to Gap or Banana Republic, but no matter how you turn it they are far from being high-end shops.
Originally Posted By SpoonCM I know I've gone to New York and spent a bundle at H&M. Can't wait till they are in town! I don't see how people can argue this place won't fly. Katella is a pretty busy street in itself. With the Platinum Triangle just down the street, I'm sure locals will keep the place afloat. Granted it's an odd plot of land facing K-Lot...I wonder if CMs will find themselves all backed up cause some schmuck didn't bother seeing the signs and thought it was GardenWalk parking.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Hans, just having some fun. All these years, and you still don't get the zany humor .
Originally Posted By disneywatcher I'd be skittish about investing much time and money into another retail project in that part of Orange County. My sense is that the general area already is over-stored (Downtown Disney on one side, the Block on the other), and I'm not sure if any development that's so dependent on tourists, which GardenWalk will be, makes a lucrative location for serious retail businesses, or the type that flourish in the big shopping centers farther south, in Santa Ana, Newport Beach or Costa Mesa, and which attract truly serious-minded shoppers.
