The folks at WDP&R (that’s Walt Disney Parks & Resorts) released more details and pictures about their plan to build a hotel in the Washington DC area late yesterday.
Here are some excerpts with some commentary and a link to the full site/info at the bottom:
Jay Rasulo,Chairmen of WDP&R and Milton Peterson, Chairmen of Peterson Companies Copyright Disney
(That’s the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in the background looking at Rosalie Island across Smoots Cove)
Picture of National Harbor
Copyright Disney
Layout of National Harbor
Copyright Disney
So here are a couple of things I find interesting about this release.
1. It’s not anywhere close to mass transportation, and about 10 miles or so due south of the downtown Washington, DC area. In fact the complex is in Maryland, not in the District of Columbia at all. It does have pretty good access to the Washington Beltway as you can see.
That means you’ll have to take a bus or taxi to get to any of the DC area attractions. (I used to live in the DC area, so it’s not a trivial issues frankly.)
2. Read this line from the press release again CAREFULLY:
Disney is CONSIDERING using the 15-acre site overlooking the Potomac River in National Harbor, MD as the location for a resort hotel for families and others visiting the National Capital Region.
My emphasis added. Disney bought the land at $11 million, but apparently the press release gives the impression that they have an OPTION to build, not a REQUIREMENT. That’s a very different spin, and this one from the Mouse itself!
The full details are on the Disney website here.
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2 comments:
I like the idea of an animation inn. I just stayed at Pop last weekend and it was nice. A little small, though, so I think suites would be welcome.
Regarding this post, I used to live in DC as well and the thing you didn't point out (nice of you) is that the area around that property is pretty crime-ridden. I'm sure that Disney will have some sort of shuttle system to the nearest metro station, but it's still not the nicest area. I'll be honest. I gotten distracted and missed my stop before and ended up in that part of MD. Not good.
Anyway, it should be interesting to see what happens.
Yeah, it's somewhat a strange area. Though the DC Metro is kinda strange in that it focuses more on residential access than commerical access outside of the downtown area.
That part of PG county has certainly been known for its share of crime and problems in the past. I used to drive that way to National all the time from Southern Maryland. It got better over the years, but there are still some rough areas.
My guess is that a shuttle to the Metro would probably take you into Virginia and drop you off at Eisenhower on the Yellow Line since it's right off the Beltway... but who knows.
When the Children's Muesum and other sites open at National Harbor it MIGHT be a more compelling reason to build. I think Jay and crew will take a wait and see approach to how the crowd's respond and what kind of business the Gaylord convention center is doing before building.
If it takes off, that $11 million investment will look cheap!
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