Port Disney : Preliminary Master Plan : Executive Report

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7-1-1990

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Recommended Citation Walt Disney Company, "Port Disney : Preliminary Master Plan : Executive Report" (1990). Harrison "Buzz" Price Papers. 170. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/buzzprice/170 PORT ~fsHEf

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Preliminary Master Plan Executive Report

The Walt Disney Company

July 1990 Long Beach, California

Preliminary Master Plan Executive Report

The Walt Disney Company

July 1990 Table of Contents

Executive Summary Executive Summary 1 1. Port Disney Description A. Overall Development Concept 6 B. DisneySea 10 C. Transportation Summary 13 D. WaterPlan 15 2. Public Use and Access Summary Public Use and Access Summary 18 Appendix Development Team 21 List of Figures

Figure 1 Port Disney illustrative Plan 3 Figure 2 Port Disney 4 Figure 3 Port Disney 5 Figure 4 Port Disney Site Plan 8 Figure 5 Grand Entry 9 Figure 6 DisneySea-Artist' s Conception 11 Figure 7 Oceana-Artist's Conception 12 Figure 8 Transportation Plan 14 Figure 9 Water Plan 17 Figure 10 Existing Land Uses 19 Figure 11 Proposed Land Uses 20

Executive Summary

The Walt Disney Company has focused its waterfront, shopping, dining and theme park and resort development talents on entertainment uses invite local residents a unique oceanfront site in Long Beach, as well as tourists to stroll the public California to create a waterfront destination promenades and enjoy the many activities resort called "Port Disney". Port Disney and views. draws upon the rich waterfront heritage of the City of Long Beach while laying a • A Water Plan- Boats of every size, cornerstone for a new vision for the City. shape and origin ply the waters of Port Gathered together at Port Disney are a Disney offering rentals, excursions, variety of ocean-oriented uses providing shows, dining and fun. recreation and enjoyment for residents from Southern California and visitors from around • 400 New Marina Slips- In addition to the world. 250 longterm slips, the plan includes 150 The Preliminary Master Plan, shown in guest slips for day or weekend sailors and Figures 1 and 2, includes: special events.

• DisneySea- This innovative theme park • A Cruise Ship Port - Anchoring the concept promises to be enjoyable, southern end of the property, a new ent rtaining and educational in the best five-berth cruise ship port, to be operated Disney tradition. Disney Sea combines by the Port of Long Beach, brings ocean exciting and unusual rides and attractions cruising to the Long Beach harbor. with activities directed towards developing a better understanding of the • A Multi-Modal Internal Circulation ocean. Plan - Movement between project components is easy and enjoyable with • Five New Resort Hotels- Each the convenience offered by shuttles, water environment recalls a different aspect of taxis and the potential for a monorail the world's waterfronts and offers guests linking the key activity areas on both an array of lodging choices. The total of sides of Queensway Bay. approximately 3,900 rooms will be balanced between the downtown • A Well Conceived Transportation waterfront (2,000 rooms) and Pier J Plan - By directing the majority of (1,900 rooms). traffic to the 710 freeway, and using road capacity primarily during off-peak hours, • Specialty Retail and Entertainment Port Disney is designed to accommodate On both sides of the Queensway Bay its guests with minimal impact on city

1 streets. The site's proximity to the The elements of the Preliminary Master Plan downtown Long Beach light rail stop form an interconnected water-dependent offers the potential for even greater mass whole. Port Disney provides Southern transit utilization. California residents, as well as guests from around the globe, a chance to enjoy a unique, • Enhanced Public Access and Open multi -dimensional waterfront Space- Consistent with California Coastal Act objectives, public access to both edges of Queensway Bay is significantly increased under the propo ed plan. In addition, a continuous public promenade invites guests to walk or bike through the varied environments of Port Disney.

PORT~f~~-

2 Port Disney Illustrative Plan

Figure 1

3 Port Disney

Figure 2

4 Port Disney

• Nighttime view from the water

Figure 3

5 ------~----~pPnnRPTf~f~?---- A. Overall Develop1nent Concept

Southern California's premier amenity, the and other means of developing a ocean, is the focal point for Port Disney. consistent image are highly desirable. The Preliminary Master Plan utilizes the water to shape a resort with sufficient appeal • Transportation Linkages and diversity to attract guests for extended Underscoring the idea of one place, Port stays and repeat visits. These goals call for a Disney should include a variety of variety of uses and experiences, and also sug transportation linkages which allow gest the need to link Port Disney to other guests to move easily between all project Southern California amenities. elements: theme park, hotels, retail, open On the local level, this requires an integra spaces and waterfront. tion with the downtown Long Beach waterfront. Port Disney continues Long • A Dramatic Entry-The project entry Beach's recent efforts towards revitalization should create a sense of anticipation upon of downtown by bringing the ocean and the arrival, evoke the waterfront resort City into closer contact. feeling, and add a touch of fantasy. On a regional scale, Port Disney's linkage with the Los Angeles and Orange County • Pedestrian Scale - The diversity of metropolitan areas is facilitated through its pedestrian experiences should be such central location. The Long Beach site also that walking is a an enjoyable aspect of presents opportunities to utilize alternative the Port Disney experience. modes of transport- water shuttles to Marina del Rey, Catalina Island, Newport • Parking on the Perimeter -The most Harbor, cruise ships to Mazatlan, Ensenada, convenient location for parking should be San Francisco, Seattle and Alaska; and light on the edges of the development, away rail connections from downtown Los An from the water. This provides most direct geles, LAX and other parts of the region. access to roads and minimizes conflict Early in the development process, a set of between pedestrians and autos. development principles were established to act as guidelines for the development of the • Retail as a Connective Element- By conceptual plan. They include: bringing the shopping, dining and entertainment uses to the water's edge • Project Unity- All elements of Port and linking these retail areas with various Disney, both in the City and the Port, forms of transportation, the retail should should be experienced by the guests as become a connective element in the plan. one interconnected project Therefore, uniformity of landscape, signage, lighting

6 • Water Plan -The plan for the water For the purposes of this Preliminary Master edges should be driven by the uses on the Plan (and compliance with Disney's current water itself. A diversity of water agreements with the City and the Port), Port activities, and bringing water into every Disney components are identified as the element of the project, is essential. Port-Side and the City-Side. The Port-Side is composed of five elements: • Disneyland as a Model-The following DisneySea, the Cruise Ship Port, WorldPort, characteristics of Disneyland should serve the Port Hotel and the Canal Hotel. Also as a model for the design of Port Disney: included is a proposed new entry road to Port Disney, shown in Figure 5. A clear entry The City-Side is composed of four elements: A main street to orient and heighten the Tidelands Hotel, the Shoreline Hotel and guest expectations Retail/Entertainment Center, Shoreline Aquatic Park, and the Marina Hotel. Exist A series of unique, yet thematically ing uses on the City-Side are integrated into connected districts all surrounding a the plan. These include: the Long Beach central hub Convention Center, the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Shoreline Village and the Downtown Visual icons which orient as well as Long Beach Marina. entertain

A beautifully landscaped environment throughout

These principles form the basis of the concep tual master plan developed for Port Disney (Figure4).

7 Port Hotel WorldPort

~ 0

Port Disney Site Plan

Figure 4

8 Grand Entry

• View from en try drive under Queensway Bridge looking southeast

Figure 5

9 B. DisneySea

The centerpiece of the proposed master plan At Mysterious Island, guests would discover is a new ocean-oriented theme park concept, the lost City of Atlantis on a modem version tentatively called "Disney Sea", that com of a Disneyland "E" attraction. Children bines a wide variety of Disney-style rides, could follow clues to buried treasure on shows and attractions with activities directed Pirate Island, while the more intrepid might towards developing a better understanding of dare to board Nemo's Lava Cruiser and the sea. Disney's Imagineers have focused careen suspended through dangerous caverns. their efforts on exploring the myths, Aqua-labyrinth, a challenging maze with romance, challenges and mysteries of the walls made only of water, would serve as the ocean- the world's last great frontier. Both entrance to Heroes' Harbor, where the myths fun and educational, DisneySea would break and legends of the sea come to life. Here down barriers between our guests and the sea. guests would fmd rides themed to the adven While the theme park is currently in the early tures of Sinbad, Ulysses and other storied stages of development, some of the concepts adventurers from the past. under consideration are briefly described On the edge of the Bay facing downtown, a below. An artist's conception of the project boardwalk would recreate the nostalgia of is shown in Figure 6. the Long Beach oceanfront in its heyday. Oceana, the architectural focal point for the Nearby at Fleets of Fantasy, a harborful of park, would ri e up from the center of fabled and fanciful ships, including outsized DisneySea in a series of futuristic bubbles, Chinese junks and Egyptian galleys, would luring gue ts to a fa cinating evolutionary disguise exciting rides and dining and journey through the world's seas. Guests entertainment experiences. would walk through a state-of-the-art, two Shoppers and diners will be intrigued by story aquarium. The curious would journey DisneySea's themed environments - a into the 21st century, visiting a working Grecian village, an Asian watermarket, a Future Research Center where scientists Caribbean lagoon. Here guests might be from the world's leading institutions would seen surfing, snorkeling, or wading through come together to conduct oceanographic tropical reefs teeming with fish. Some will studies, in much the same fashion as re experience the ultimate underwater searchers now gather at the Living Seas and adventure - being lowered in a steel cage Land Pavilions at Epcot Center in Walt into a tank full of sharks. Disney World. Adults and children alike would learn about the ocean and its diverse At the rim of the American continent and the marine life in a hands-on exploratorium. An Pacific Ocean, DisneySea will be a place of artist's conception of Oceana is shown in Fig magic and wonder offering a unique ure 7. entertainment experience.

10 DisneySea-Artist 's Conception

Figure 6

11 Oceana-Artist's Conception

Figure 7

12 C. Transportation SuiDinary

The transportation plan for Port Disney The major supply of parking for both guests (Figure 8) has been prepared to complement and cast at Port Disney is located adjacent to the long-range transportation planning being DisneySea at the end of Harbor Scenic Drive completed by the City of Long Beach. The on the Port-Side. Traffic improvements in City is planning a set of transportation im clude a new grade-separated interchange to provements and a funding plan designed to be built along Harbor Scenic Drive to con accommodate the downtown redevelopment nect the parking structure with the roadway plan through the year 2010. system. Southbound traffic will connect directly to a new Port Disney access road Three major characteristics of Port Disney that will allow vehicles to enter and leave traffic have led to a transportation plan and a Port Disney minimizing interference with set of traffic improvements which provide ex truck access to the Port of Long Beach. This cellent access for Port Disney guests with new access road has been specifically minimal impact on the local street system. designed so that traffic approaching Port Dis First, nearly two-thirds of Port Disney guests ney can be accommodated within the site, are non-local. These guests will be directed freeing up Harbor Scenic Drive for improved to arrive via the Long Beach Freeway and Port accessibility. will not burden the local street system. The transportation plan also calls for Second, mo t of the traffic headed to and modifications to the existing ramp configura from Port Di ney is made up of entertain tion at the north end of Queensway Bridge as ment-oriented, "discretionary" trips. Since it connects to Shoreline Drive. The revised the majority of traffic approaches the site configuration would connect Queensway during the late morning and leaves late at Bridge to Seaside Way- allowing the Port night during low background demand condi Disney hotels, the Pike Project, and the ex tions, it has a relatively low impact on the panded Long Beach Convention Center bet local roadway and freeway systems. ter access to the Queensway Bridge corridor.

Finally, the average vehicle ridership for Dis The Port-Side of the project will be con ney guests approaches four persons per nected to the downtown by a shuttle bus and vehicle, providing for an extremely efficient a ferry service. A monorail system, connect use of roadway capacity. Additional efficien ing all of the projects elements, is currently cy is expected as the Long Beach light rail under study. line is integrated into the growing regional transit system.

13 t / '•'::> Legend• C_] u -· __.- ® Parking ;: \ '- @ Monorail Station

Transportat·•on Plan

Figure 8

14 D. Water Plan

The Water Plan, shown on the Water Plan The Shoreline lagoon area provides a con Map (Figure 9), is designed to connect the centration of water-related uses. At the ter Port-Side with the City-Side of Port Disney minus of the City's boardwalk promenade, by energizing the water area in between. the Shoreline lagoon is the proposed setting Public access to and use of the waterfront is for an interactive retail and water experience. significantly expanded consistent with A ferry landing connects Shoreline Hotel California Coastal Act objectives. The and Retail/Entertainment Center and the City Water Plan extends from the mouth of the Side area with the WorldPort and DisneySea Los Angeles River along Queensway Bridge theme park. to the beach at First Street The plan en A landscaped park is set at the riveredge of visions potential connections to remote sites Shoreline lagoon. A public promenade winds such as the Alamitos Bay Marina and could through this area. The existing rip-rap edge is include ferry stops in other cities such as maintained for fishing and access to the Marina del Rey or Newport Beach. It incor water. porates passive and active uses, natural and man-made features, daytime and nighttime Queensway Bridge acts as a connector be events, programmed and infonnal activities, tween the urban recreational City-Side and and a range of water-borne transportation op the fantasy-resort Port-Side. From the bridge portunities, including the existing Catalina on the Port-Side, a variety of riveredge ex ferry. periences begin, from a marina for up to 150 boats; to a natural fonn, infonnal waterfront On the City-Side, the plan proposes addition edge; to the relocated Queen Mary, with its al activities and enhancements of the beach foimal gardens and pools; and the quay, and marina area while maintaining existing where excursion boats, vessels visiting from infrastructure and uses. The marina other nations, and other transient ships can esplanade, with its continuous public edge, dock. The hotel sites themselves are provides pedestrian access to the water edge. connected by, and feature, water. In addition to the present walkway and recreational fishing uses, the esplanade is an The WorldPort is the active Port for Disney ideal location for viewing stands for competi Sea. Cross-channel and excursion ferries tion and racing activities, such as mini-out dock here, providing a port atmosphere for board and hydrofoil races, waterskiing and dockside dining and entertainment Theme jetskiing events, and specialized sailcraft, boats, pageants, and special events can be and for other water events, such as fireworks programmed in the controlled water and the and fireboat displays and water pageants. port plaza. The esplanade is designed for adaptation as docking piers for charter fishing boats and for scheduled ferries and water taxis.

15 In connection with the project, the Port of The waterfront at night is also exciting. The Long Beach plans to create a five berth shapes of the bridge, boats and buildings; the Cruise Ship Port at the southerly edge of Port reflections in the river, canals and lagoons; Disney, as a major port of embarkation. and the City and Port lights illuminate the dif Also included in the plan is a mole with a ferent character of the nighttime waterfront. landscaped park, a 250-slip public marina In addition, special lighting and special and an ocean promenade. The park is high events, such as laser and fireworks shows, lighted by several fishing piers and an ocean boat parades, and evening harbor cruises, pro rip rap edge. vide drama, excitement, and romance to com plete the palette of water experiences, and make Port Disney an 18-hour event.

16 ~ Water Plan i ~

17 p 0 R T ~1sH~~-- Public Use and Access Su111111ary

The California Coastal Act declares that Queensway Bay shoreline access and recrea the Pacific coast "is a distinct and valuable tion opportunities for the public have im natural resource of vital and enduring interest proved in recent years, but overall public use to all people." The main objective of the and access is still limited along the Pier J Coastal Act is to provide the maximum shoreline. Figures 10 and 110 illustrate Port amount of public access to, and recreational Disney's provision of increased public ac use of, the coast, consistent with private cess, visitor-serving uses and water activities rights and environmental protection. With along the downtown Long Beach waterfront these concepts as guidelines, Port Disney is and Pier J. The exhibits are a land use com designed to provide an enhanced opportunity parison between the existing Long Beach for guests to enjoy the waterfront in waterfront and Pier J, and the proposed Port numerous ways. Disney master plan. The categories for comparison are Improved Public Open Space, Pedestrian Circulation, Theme Park and Retail Entertainment, Hotels, and Water Activities.

18 Public Use and Access Summary I

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N ,.· ...... -- .. -~ ------..- __ - --- -· -..:--. - .... :::. :. .::.:. =--~----· - -

Existing Land Uses

Improved Public Open Space Hotels Pedestrian Circulation Water Activities Retail/Entertainment

Figure 10 ------~P~R~T~~f~?-- 19 RUlti.UTql\tf Attractior~ Boats HistoricVuul.t -

N - j ffi Proposed Land Uses

Improved Public Open Space Hotels Pedestrian Circulation Water Activities Retail/Entertainment

Figure 11

20 P 0 R T ~fsHE~-- Development Team

Other members of the Port Disney team include:

• Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Whitelaw • Dames & Moore Architects, Urban Designers Geotechnical Engineers New York and Los Angeles Los Angeles, California

• Travers Associates • R.J. Meade Consulting Traffic and Transportation Consultants Environmental Consultants Clifton, New Jersey La Jolla, California

• Barton-Aschman Associates • Casey & Sayre Traffic Engineers Public Relations Pasadena, California Los Angeles, California

• Mo.ffatt & Nichol Engineers • Kotin, Regan & Mouchly Coastal Engineers Economic Consultants 1 Long Beach, California Brentwood, California • The Ralph M. Parsons Company • Desman Associates Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Parking Consultants Engineers Tysons Comer, Virginia Pasadena, California J I