DVC Winter 2007 magazine:Layout 1 - Disney Vacation Club

DVC Winter 2007 magazine:Layout 1 12/18/07 9:14 AM Page 16
Work is underway at the Disneyland ® Resort in Anaheim,
Calif., on a development project that will expand Disney’s Grand
Californian Hotel ® & Spa accommodations by more than 30 percent
and establish the first Disney Vacation Club villas* in the
Golden State.
The 2.5-acre expansion on the hotel’s south side calls for the
planned construction of more than 200 traditional hotel rooms
and 50 two-bedroom-equivalent Disney Vacation
Club villas. Other planned elements of the project
include a rooftop observation deck, a new swimming
pool, game arcade, and about 300 underground
parking spaces.
Peter Dominick of 4240 Architecture, Inc.
(formerly of Urban Design Group), architect for
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, as well as
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal
Kingdom Lodge at the Walt Disney World ® Resort,
is designing the ambitious expansion,
with a targeted completion in late 2009.
Mike Montague, Director of Development
for Walt Disney Imagineering,
told Disney Files Magazine that the expansion
will build on the hotel’s architectural
and artistic celebration of California’s renowned
Arts and Crafts style of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries.
“We’re building on the look and feel that has been such a
thematic home run at this hotel,” Mike said. “The new wing will
actually be the first building you see when you drive up to the
hotel, so it’s critical that we maintain the visual style that has
helped make the existing hotel so popular. The Arts and Crafts
era was all about high-quality craftsmanship, attention to detail
and intimate spaces, and that spirit will be evident throughout
the expansion.”
An enclosed, multi-level “connection bridge” will link each
floor of the new wing to the existing hotel, giving Members and
Guests easy access to the hotel’s acclaimed amenities,
from the renowned Napa Rose restaurant and
Mandara Spa to the character-filled Storytellers
Café and welcoming Hearthstone Lounge.
The “Californian Craftsman” spirit will be
equally evident in the accommodations, with designs
and color palettes saluting the Arts and Crafts
movement.
“Earth tones are synonymous with this style,”
Mike continued. “So in addition to using traditional
Arts and Crafts designs in everything
from window treatments to bed linens,
we’ve selected a bright palette of earth
tones that will bring the feeling of the
outdoors into the rooms.”
Speaking of the outdoors, Mike points to
an exterior courtyard as one of his favorite elements
of the project.
“The courtyard between the expansion and the existing
hotel is going to be just a beautiful, lushly landscaped area,” Mike
said. “It will be a nice, tranquil space with a lot of architectural
interest. [Not to mention the expanded pool and terrace.] That
peaceful feel is such a big part of this hotel, and it’s an interesting
contrast to the excitement and energy that comes from having a
Theme Park right outside your door.”
Watch Disney Files Magazine for more details about the
expansion project as development work continues.
*This resort is not registered or offered for sale at this time.
Artist Rendering–Proposed