Disneyland Resort is making upgrades to the pool and courtyard areas of the Disneyland Hotel, continuing the property's current renovation project. Changes will include building a new pool and water play area, renovating an existing pool, opening a new restaurant and bar, and re-theming of the hotel's three guest room towers.
Changes will restore and highlight the original midcentury style of the hotel. The hotel's original two-story bungalows were built in 1955, just months after Walt Disney's first theme park opened its gates; the first tower was erected in 1962. The work will considerably open up the courtyard and pool area, allowing guests a clear line of vision and easy access across the property.
Swimming
The most noticeable changes will be to the pool area and a new, immersive water play area. "Disneyland" will be spelled out in familiar blocks atop a platform supporting two water slides. Reminiscent of the original Monorail station at the Disneyland Hotel, at each slide's entrance will sit a replica Monorail Car that guests will glide through as they twist and turn their way to the water below. The larger of the two main slides sits 26 feet high and stretches 187 feet until it plunges into a splash pool. The second slide is 13 feet high and 112 feet long. For younger guests, the area will include a third two-lane mini slide that sits just 3.5 feet high and is 19 feet long, as well as a series of small bubble jets in which to play.
The existing 4,800-square-foot Never Land pool will receive a complete cosmetic makeover but retain its footprint. A new pool will be four feet deep and built between the existing Never Land pool and the new water play area. A footbridge will stretch over the new pool, connecting both sides of the courtyard area and allowing guests easy access across the property without having to enter the sprawling gated pool area. The space also will include two spas at opposite ends of the pool area. The site of the current Cove pool will become a manicured lawn area for outdoor events. In addition, six new cabanas will be added; each features a flat screen TV, refrigerator, safe, phone, and ceiling fan.
Dining
New dining and lounge experiences will be introduced in the current location of Hook's Pointe, Croc's Bits 'n' Bites, the Wine Cellar and Lost Bar. A new "smart casual" dining area will take its architectural cue from the original Tahitian Terrace restaurant in Disneyland Park and the Polynesian architecture that was popularized during the early era of the hotel. A new, fully enclosed bar will feature specialty drinks and surprises for guests.
Construction for the new water play area, pool, and food and beverage locations is scheduled to begin in August 2010 and be completed by summer 2011. The remodeled existing pool is slated for completion by summer 2012.
Guest Towers
Changes also include renaming of the hotel's three guest room towers for Disneyland's distinctive lands. The Dreams Tower, currently under renovation and scheduled to be completed in June 2010, will become the Adventure Tower. The Wonder Tower, next to undergo transformation and slated for completion in 2011, will be the Frontier Tower. Finally, the Magic Tower, which will be finished in 2012, will transform to the Fantasy Tower. Large marquees featuring classic artwork for Adventureland, Frontierland and Fantasyland will identify each tower.
The Disneyland Hotel renovation began in August 2009. The remodeled guest rooms feature exquisite touches woven into the decor. A new headboard with an artistically carved representation of Disneyland Park's Sleeping Beauty Castle serves as the focal point in each guest room. The background on the headboard uses fiber optics to create a magical skyline with firework.
The work at the Disneyland Hotel is a part of a larger expansion project underway throughout the Resort. Disney's California Adventure Park is undergoing a multiyear expansion project that includes new experiences, attractions and nighttime spectaculars, culminating in 2012 with the opening of Cars Land. The four-diamond Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa also underwent an expansion last year that added 203 hotel rooms and 50 two-bedroom villas that are part of the Disney Vacation Club, marking the club's West Coast debut.