Disneyland California Set To Expand

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The Walt Disney Company unveiled a significant multi-year expansion plan for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim that continues its growth as a multi-day tourist destination. Bob Iger, Disney's president and CEO, and Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts, announced that the expansion will bring new entertainment and major family-oriented attractions to Disney's California Adventure, including an entirely new Cars Land inspired by the hit Disney Pixar animated film Cars. "The success of the Disneyland Resort over the past few years provides us with both the opportunity and the need to invest for growth, to enhance and expand the experience for our guests and attract new visitors, while at the same time delivering attractive returns on the investment," said Iger. "This plan is a reflection of our belief in the bright future of the Disneyland Resort and our continuing commitment to grow the Anaheim Resort Area as a world class tourist destination."

The expansive program reaches throughout Disney's California Adventure, with a Little Mermaid attraction, a groundbreaking nighttime spectacular and new viewing area for 9,000, and the addition of the 12-acre Cars Land featuring the world of Radiator Springs with three new attractions. Extensive landscaping, new retail and dining will create an even richer environment throughout the park in ways that reinforce guests' connection with Walt Disney. This announcement follows Disney's ground-breaking last month for a 250-room expansion of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, including 50 rooms dedicated to the West Coast debut of Disney Vacation Club, the company's growing time share business.

The expansion builds upon the transformation of the Disneyland park into a multi-day destination resort that began in 2001 with the creation of the Disneyland Resort and the opening of Disney's California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. In addition to the new themes and attractions, Disney's California Adventure will receive new restaurant and retail innovations, landscaping to enrich the facade and graphics enhancements, and an extensive menu of entertainment and events.

The expansion will culminate with a new, 12-acre addition: Cars Land, immersing guests into a world inspired by the hit Disney/Pixar movie "Cars." Cars Land increases capacity to the park with two additional immersive family rides, featuring Luigi and Mater from the movie. Cars Land represents a new level of collaboration between Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Imagineering to create this extensive new area. The new land will substantially extend the total area of Disney's California Adventure park.

In addition, the Paradise Pier section of Disney's California Adventure also will host major new attractions beginning next summer with the opening of Toy Story Mania!, a ride-through, interactive adventure where guests ride into a high-energy 4-D carnival midway hosted by Toy Story characters. A major ride based on Disney's classic The Little Mermaid comes to the park's Paradise Pier. Disney's World of Color will bring new nighttime events to the area. This nightly panorama of water effects, lighting and music will bring Disney animation to life with an entirely new creative and technical approach. The 9,000 person viewing area offers prime waterside viewing of the show – and provides a site for live entertainment, music festivals, and outdoor film premieres.

A totally new gateway to Disney's California Adventure will welcome guests into an immersive world of historic California streets. A new visual icon in the tradition of Los Angeles, California's great entertainment palaces will draw guests into the heart of the attractions. This new facility, which was inspired by Los Angeles' historic Carthay Circle Theatre, where "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" premiered in 1937, will house a next generation Walt Disney Story featuring an interactive tribute to Walt's California experiences, and his entertainment legacy that continues worldwide today. Red Car trolleys reminiscent of the old Pacific Electric Railway will travel up and down the main street. New dining and shopping experiences and a slate of unique, live entertainment will bring energy to the Walt Disney Plaza.

Hollywood Pictures Backlot will be a new home for a slate of special ticketed events and chances to hear first hand from innovative directors, writers and animators. An update of the popular family show "Playhouse Disney" will provide an experience for younger children. The "Golden State" area of the park will see the addition of numerous new dining opportunities tied to the incredible bounty of California's farmland and its rich ethnically diverse food heritage. Food and wine festivals will celebrate the seasons, tastes and cultures of the communities of the Golden State. A Preview Center located on San Francisco Street in the Golden State region of the park will feature models, Imagineering concepts -- giving park guests a sneak peek at the excitement that lies ahead. The Preview Center is scheduled to open in late 2008. For more information, visit www.disneytravel.com :bounce: :hi: