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Disney’s plans to grow its theme park resort in Anaheim by investing at least $1.9 billion will be presented to city council members on Tuesday for approval.
Disney wants to build new immersive attractions and experiences, like the World of Frozen in Hong Kong or Zootopia in Shanghai, at its theme park in Anaheim, but to do so, zoning codes on undeveloped land the company already owns or operates need to be updated to allow theme park usage.
Should the city council approve the expansion plan during Tuesday’s meeting and again on May 7, changes related to the expansion plans would be implemented 30 days after that.
Here’s what you need to know about the Disneyland Forward and how it can impact Anaheim.
What is Disneyland Forward?
Disneyland Forward is a 40-year agreement that would guide where and how future developments would occur. The proposed expansion plan would allow new attractions, shops and restaurants to be built within current Disneyland Resort property utilizing undeveloped areas at the resort.
The proposal would allow theme park attractions to be built alongside hotels on the west side of Disneyland Drive, along with building attractions, shopping, dining and entertainment where the Toy Story Parking Area at Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard stands today.
Disney previously announced that it’s committed to spending at least $1.9 billion into the resort over the next decade should Disneyland Forward receive approval.
The city specified in the proposed development agreement for Disneyland Forward that the minimum investment would go towards theme park attractions, entertainment, lodging, shopping and dining. Investments for parking, road improvements and bridges would be separate.
Disney first announced Disneyland Forward in March 2021 and has hosted multiple informational meetings and events for the public since 2022.
How will Disneyland Forward impact Anaheim?
As part of Disneyland Forward, on Tuesday, council members will be looking at more than $100 million in community benefits for Anaheim.
Most of the funds will be used for improvements to infrastructure, such as sewers and roads around the resort area. Disney also announced it committed to giving Anaheim $30 million for affordable housing, $8 million for city parks, and continuing workforce programs in the city.
Still, some residents believe that Disney can do more to support community benefits.
Disney, Magic Way and pushback from residents
Some Anaheim residents raised concerns over plans for Disneyland to buy a public road from the city as part of its Disneyland Forward project proposal.
Disney is committed to paying $40 million to buy Magic Way, Hotel Way and a part of Clementine Street from the city. Magic Way serves drivers using the Pixar Pals Parking Structure and visiting the Disneyland Hotel.
During a Planning Commission meeting in March, residents said they used Magic Way as a shortcut to bypass traffic to get to the 5 Freeway, while others questioned why the company needed to own a road to begin with.
However, Disney shared a traffic study during the meeting, which found that more than 99% of vehicle trips on Magic Way are Disney-related. Only a few dozen drivers use the road as a cut-through during peak hours.
“Of the 11,153 vehicles that traverse Magic Way on a daily basis, 11,053 of them are either departing or arriving at a Disney property,” Joe Haupt, a consultant for Disney, said during the meeting. “Less than 100 are non-Disney users.”
As part of the Disneyland Forward proposal, Magic Way would be transformed into a pedestrian walkway, according to Erin Ryan, a spokesperson for the city of Anaheim.
“There would still be some cars on that road and access for emergency vehicles, but it won’t be a street as it is today.”
What new experiences could come to the Disneyland Resort?
New lands, rides, or attractions based on “Black Panther,” “Frozen” and “Coco” could come to life at the Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney Co. executives teased during an investor summit in Florida last September.
Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro talked about the possibility of bringing Frozen’s Arendelle, Black Panther’s Wakanda and Coco’s Santa Cecilia to life in some capacity at the “Happiest Place on Earth” and potentially its sister park in Orlando.
Disney fans have theorized that lands, rides and attractions based on “Tangled,” “Zootopia” and “Tron” and expanded areas based on “Peter Pan” and “Toy Story,” could also be in the works.
Disney also released more information about the Avatar experience, which is slated to come to the resort in the future. News of the potential addition was teased last year, but details surrounding the project have been minimal.
The Anaheim City Council is expected to hear the Disneyland Forward proposal between 6 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Officials are anticipating a large number of attendees and public comments, which could exceed 3-hours before council members discuss the item.
The meeting will start at 5 p.m. for those who want to attend in person. It can also be watched on YouTube, Anaheim TV for Spectrum cable customers, or the city website.
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