DCA, Grand Californian, Downtown Disney opening date announced

DCA, Grand Californian, Downtown Disney opening date announced

dcaentranceconcept.JPG (19805 bytes)
(c) Disney

Disney Announces Grand Opening of Newest Theme Park
Disney's California Adventure opens Thursday, February 8, 2001

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel opens Tuesday, January 2, 2001
Downtown Disney opens Friday, January 12, 2001

"Disney's California Adventure," Walt Disney Attractions' newest theme park in Anaheim, California, will open its "golden gates" to guests on Thursday, February 8, 2001, announced Paul Pressler, president, Walt Disney Attractions.

Pressler made the announcement today during a convention of international travel wholesalers gathered for the Travel Industry Association of America's annual international trade show in Dallas, Texas.

Disney's California adventure theme parks is the 55-acre centerpiece of a $1.4 billion expansion at the Disneyland Resort in Southern California. Located adjacent to Disney's original theme park, Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure celebrates the uniqueness of the Golden State, giving guests a taste of the fun, diversity and lifestyle found only in Californian. Also included in the expansion is the deluxe, 750-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, and Downtown Disney, an exciting entertainment center with shopping, theaters and dining venues.

"This Grand Opening signals the completion of the largest expansion in the 45-year history of The Disneyland Resort," said Pressler. "Disney's California Adventure, when combined with the compelling magic and fun of Disneyland, truly transforms our Resort into a world-class destination."

"During Disneyland's opening ceremony in 1955, Walt Disney declared that 'Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world'," noted Cynthia Harriss, president of the Disneyland Resort. "This opening confirms our commitment to Walt's dream."

In addition to the new theme park, hotel and entertainment area, a key element of the massive expansion can also be found in the surrounding Anaheim Resort District. Disney and the City of Anaheim are completing a re-vitalization project for the Anaheim Resort District. Landscaping improvements have transformed the Anaheim Resort into a beautiful garden district, with 78,000 square feet of promenades and 15,000 new trees and shrubs.

When Disney's California Adventure opens next February, guests will be able to explore three specially theme lands: "Paradise Pier," the ultimate beachfront amusement zone filled with the thrilling attractions and vibrant graphics associated with the heyday of the great seaside amusement park piers; "Hollywood Pictures Backlot," featuring shows and attractions celebrating the magic of movie making and the culture, fame and celebrity atmosphere that surrounds it; and "The Golden State," with unique experiences, dining areas and attractions paying tribute to California's spectacular wilderness areas and its vast cultural richness.

Included in the expansion is Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, an elegant, deluxe property designed in the Arts and Crafts style of early 20th Century Californian. The 750-room hotel is actually built inside the new theme park, a first for a Disney hotel. The luxury property is also the first Disney-designed hotel on the West Coast. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel will open for guests on Tuesday, January 2, 2001.

Downtown Disney makes up the third major development of the Resort's expansion. Downtown Disney serves as the dynamic center of The Disneyland Resort, with its lush garden-like complex connecting the two theme parks - Disney's California Adventure  and Disneyland - together with The Disneyland Resort hotels. Downtown Disney is home to some of the nation's most innovative quality restaurant, entertainment and retail operations. Featured tenants include AMC Downtown Disney 12 Theaters, House of Blues, La Brea Bakery, Naples Ristorante and Pizzeria, Ralph Brennan's'Jazz Kitchen, Rainforest Cafe, a Latin-themed dining and entertainment club called Y Arriba! Y Arriba!, a restaurant from The Patina Group, an ESPN Zone, and a World of Disney store. Downtown Disney officially opens on Friday, January 12, 2001.

The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim currently includes Disneyland, first opened in 1955 and two Disney-owned and operated hotels: The 990-room Disneyland Hotel and the 502-room Disneyland Pacific Hotel.

"The new Disneyland Resort will redefine the Southern California vacation experience for millions of tourists each year, and positions this region for substantial tourist grown well into the 21st century," Pressler notes.

ParadisePierHotel.jpg (22872 bytes)
Concept art for the new facade on the Paradise Pier Hotel, the future name of the Disneyland Pacific Hotel
(c) Disney

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-- Posted May 15, 2000
-- Last updated May 16, 2000

Source: Company Press Release