Downtown Disney, formally and officially the Downtown Disney District, is a lifestyle center located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, United States. It opened on January 12, 2001 as a component of the Disneyland Resort expansion project alongside the Disney California Adventure theme park and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
The mall serves as a sister district to Downtown Disney Marketplace (now called Disney Springs) at Walt Disney World in Florida, though is largely smaller. Throughout 2017 and 2018, several tenants at Downtown Disney District's "West End" closed to make way for a fourth hotel that was later canceled. As of 2022, Disney Experiences is in the process of revitalizing the west section of the mall, with the demolition of AMC Theatres.
Downtown Disney connects the two Disneyland Resort theme parks with its three resort hotels, running from the western side of the property's Esplanade to the Disneyland Hotel. West Street, which bordered Disneyland's western side, was rechristened Disneyland Drive and lowered to accommodate a pedestrian bridge that connects much of Downtown Disney to the Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel.
A Disneyland Monorail System station sits adjacent to the pedestrian bridge. The area has featured several shops and restaurants, ranging from popular retail brands to many Disney-operated shops including a World of Disney store running beneath much of the Grand Californian Hotel.
When Walt Disney announced the Walt Disney World Resort, he has been quoted that his motivation for purchasing the land near Orlando, Florida had been its "blessing of size". However, when Walt Disney Imagineers built and expanded the Disneyland Resort, they lacked this very "blessing of size" needed to properly expand the area.
After Walt's death, an open-air shopping center known as the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village opened in 1975 as part of Walt Disney World, which later rebranded as Walt Disney World Village and Disney Village Marketplace in the late 1970s and late 1980s, respectively. In 1997, the shopping center was rebranded as the Downtown Disney Marketplace; as of 2015, Downtown Disney is now known as Disney Springs. The concept of the Anaheim, California Downtown Disney would emphasize nightlife with the combination of retail, dining, and an entertainment district, all without using a theme park ticket.
Late 1990s – 2001: Development and opening
The Walt Disney Company wanted to replicate a similar concept at Disneyland after the success of Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World. As Disneyland Park was already constructed, the original parking lot closed on January 21, 1998 to make room for what would also be called Downtown Disney (without the nightclubs like Pleasure Island), Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and the Disney California Adventure theme park. To replace the lost spaces, Disney opened a seven-story, 10,250-space parking structure known as Mickey and Friends on July 24, 2000.
On the night of January 11, 2001, Disney held a star-studded preview gala for the Downtown Disney District hosted by actor Sylvestor Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin. CEO Michael Eisner, President Bob Iger, and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Paul Pressler delivered the dedication spaces to officially open the 20-acre (8.1 ha) shopping promenade and entertainment complex to the public. Architecturally, Downtown Disney blended Art Deco, Craftsman, and Prairie styles, designed to match the theme of the adjacent Disney California Adventure, which opened later on February 8, 2001.
Downtown Disney launched with 28 tenants, which included World of Disney as its main anchor, House of Blues, Rainforest Cafe, the Lego Store, Sephora, ESPN Zone, Disney's Pin Traders, Wetzel's Pretzels, La Brea Bakery, and a 12-screen, 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) AMC Theatres megaplex.
Y Arriba! Y Arriba! closed in June 2002, as the Latin dining and entertainment venue failed to capture a large enough audience. Jamba Juice debuted in 2003, and Tortilla Jo's opened in the former Y Arriba! space in April 2004. Disney Vault 28 soft opened on October 11, 2006, followed by a grand opening on November 12, 2006. Studio Disney 365 opened on June 26, 2009, as a salon experience targeted at children looking for Disney Channel-inspired makeovers.
D Street opened on December 15, 2009, replacing the Illuminations home fragrance and candle store. Ridemakerz opened in October 2009, and reopened on June 16, 2010, following an expansion. The Basin bath and beauty store closed in late January 2011. In June 2011, Sanuk opened as a permanent location; it operated as a temporary pop-up run from November 2009 to March 2010.
Compass Books & Café would close on March 31, 2012, alongside a nearby kiosk. The bookstore and cafe combo shuttered, as Books Inc. president Michael Tucker explained Disney had a "new vision" for Downtown Disney's tenant mix, asking them to stay for additional months after their original lease expired in January 2012. On June 9, 2012, the WonderGround Gallery opened in the former space of Island Charters.
Earl of Sandwich took over the former Compass Books & Café space and opened on November 2, 2012.
A Disney-inspired Starbucks opened at the complex on March 10, 2014. Anna & Elsa's Boutique opened in the former Studio Disney 365 space on October 6, 2014; Studio Disney 365 shuttered on September 22, 2014.
On May 1, 2016, Chapel Hats debuted in the former space of the Little Miss Matched store. House of Blues would close permanently on May 31, 2016, relocating to the nearby Anaheim GardenWalk's former UltraLuxe Cinemas space. Quiksilver, which emerged from bankruptcy, closed its store at the mall in July 2016; the space was split and replaced by Pandora and Curl Surf. In mid-September 2016, Disney announced that the former House of Blues building would be razed.
In October 2017, plans were announced for a fourth resort hotel at the property. Situated in front of the Disneyland Hotel, the new hotel would displace much of the westernmost portion of Downtown Disney, and would have featured 700 rooms. The cost of construction for the hotel would have been offset by up to $267 million in tax rebates over 20 years, allowing the resort to keep a percentage of the transient occupancy tax levied on Anaheim hotels.
Disney Home Shop opened on February 14, 2018, replacing D Street. A two-story Splitsville Luxury Lanes opened on the former site of House of Blues on March 15, 2018, featuring 40,000 sq ft (3,700 m2).