Disney's New
York Hotel-Part 1
Opened on April 12, 1992, Disney's Hotel New
York is one of two hotels on site, the other being the Disneyland
Hotel
With 500 rooms and a
conference center, the hotel caters to the business market and the more
well-to-do. Rates for Hotel new York are similar to those of the Disneyland
Hotel, and at least 50% more than those of nearby Sequoia Lodge.
When the Disneyland Resort was in the planning
stage, Michael Eisner decided that a competition would be held between
a number of U.S. and European architects to design the hotels at the
resort. The result of this competition was that Michael Graves was selected
to design the Hotel New York, and a great job he made of it. Michael
was also responsible for the Swan and Dolphin hotels at WDW.
Based on the towers of New York and the famous
Brownstone low-rise buildings, the hotel is a pastiche of New York rather
than an accurate copy. The hotel's exterior has been recent refurbished,
resulting in a color scheme that takes on a stronger feel than the one
originally designed.
Hotel New York is the second closest to the
park after the Disneyland Hotel, which sits across the park entrance.
You can read about the Disneyland Hotel in one of my previous MousePlanet
stories
The hotel faces the lake, is well-placed right next to Disney Village.
During spring, summer and autumn, you will
find a large fountain outside the front of the hotel. In the winter,
this is supplemented by a large ice rink that adds another great attraction
to the resort. Ice skates can be hired for an hour.
There are two restaurants and one bar at Hotel
New York. The Manhattan Restaurant is the most upmarket (upscale) offering,
providing relaxed but high quality dining. As you enter the restaurant,
you find a very comfy waiting area with a music and jazz theme.
Inside the Manhattan there are two main eating
areas: a circular section with windows looking out across the lake,
and another slightly raised section without a view of the lake, but
with a quieter atmosphere.
Right next door to the Manhattan is the Parkside
Diner, a typical America diner serving burgers, sandwiches, salads and
great desserts.
Reviews for both restaurants can be found
here
:
Just inside the foyer of the hotel is the
New York City Bar, a dark and relaxing place with rich colors and textures
that make it a welcoming place to sit and talk with friends.
The reception desk at the hotel is quite small,
but seeing as this is one of the smaller hotels at the resort it does
not seem to be a problem. If you look to the right of the photograph,
you see a small set of steps and a handrail. This is the special children's
check-in area, where even the smallest guests can talk to reception
cast members -- a nice touch.
