Setting The Stage for
Disney To Invest for Decades to Come
In the 1990s, the City of Anaheim approved specific plans that would guide the growth of Disneyland Resort and businesses in the newly formed Anaheim Resort area. And while those plans resulted in major improvements to the entire Anaheim Resort, their “traditional” district/zone approach does not allow for the diverse, integrated experiences theme park visitors now seek, severely limiting Disney’s ability to continue investing in Anaheim.
Today hotel, theme park, retail and dining are all part of one immersive experience. Guests expect that the future of entertainment will seamlessly weave all uses together in ways that were hard to imagine more than 25 years ago when the city created these specific plans.
Fully funded by Disney, DisneylandForward updates Disney’s current development plans which were approved by the city in the 1990s. This project does not increase the amount of square footage already approved for theme park development or hotels.
The goal is to evolve the way we entertain today and mix together theme park, entertainment, shops, restaurants and hotels within the same experience throughout Disney properties in the future.
1990s Uses and Approvals
A Decision to Separate Types
of Growth by District
Disney Today
Approvals to Build Without
the Space to Do So
DISTRICT CAPACITY
Theme park district
Theme park in use
Hotel district
Hotel in use
Parking district
Parking in use
Future expansion district
Retail, dining, and entertainment in use
The existing Disneyland Resort Specific Plan, approved in the 1990s, created districts for growth and limited the types of uses allowed in each district. Approvals generally required new hotels to be located in the Hotel District and traditional theme park uses to be located in the Theme Park District. But guests now seek a more integrated experience for the entirety of their stay.
From Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the Avengers Campus to the Pixar Pals parking structure, Disney has spent billions of dollars over the last two decades investing in theme park experiences and infrastructure. While Disney has the development rights and the desire to continue investing in Anaheim, the space to develop innovative attractions and immersive experiences was severely limited. Without broadening the uses allowed within each district or demolishing and replacing many beloved attractions or back of house infrastructure, further integrated development and theme park investment was constrained and became challenging.
Future
New Immersive Experiences are Possible in the Future with the approval of DisneylandForward
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