A New Era for Disneyland

The Anaheim City Council has unanimously voted to approve the final components of DisneylandForward, marking the beginning of a new era for Disneyland Resort.

DisneylandForward is a legacy project that is expected to create up to 4,584 new jobs during operations and 8,960 new construction jobs during development, along with potentially generating up to $30 million in new annual revenues for the city. This project will have a positive impact for generations, boosting local businesses and enhancing benefits for residents as we welcome visitors from around the world to one of America’s greatest cities — a city with an unmatched vision for dreaming big.

What is DisneylandForward?

DisneylandForward is a multidecade plan to update where types of development can go and how they mix together on space Disney already owns or operates on around its Anaheim theme parks.

The plan calls for allowing theme park attractions alongside hotels on the west side of Disneyland Drive and theme park attractions alongside new shopping, dining, and entertainment to the southeast on what is today the Toy Story Parking Area at Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard.

What Does This Mean for Disneyland?

The plan does not grant any new acreage, square footage, or hotel rooms to be developed. Instead, it shifts development amounts already approved by the city to other land Disney now operates on.

Disney has not shared any specific development plans at this stage but has pointed to attractions at parks around the world as general examples, including a potential land based on the “Avatar” films.

What’s Next?

Individual projects would still undergo city planning review by the Planning and Building Department and other city departments.

As part of a development agreement, Disney is required to invest a minimum of $1.9 billion in the resort in the first 10 years. This will help fund necessary community services, including additional fire and police, parks, and libraries.

Disney has also committed to a unique benefits package for Anaheim and its residents, including $30 million for affordable housing, $8 million for parks, $85 million in traffic improvements and pedestrian safety, and continued investment in workforce development programs.

Conclusion

The City Council approved DisneylandForward because of what visitors mean to our city. Visitors account for more than half the revenue we use to serve our residents with police, fire, libraries, community services, and to pay down city debt.

Much of the plan will take surface parking lots that generate little city revenue today and turn them into theme park attractions, hotels, and entertainment that bring expanded funding for services for our residents.

Depending on what’s built, Anaheim is projected to see $15 million to $244 million in additional yearly revenue at complete buildout of what’s allowed under DisneylandForward.

DisneylandForward also includes significant distance, traffic, noise, and other protections to ensure whatever is built is a good neighbor.

For nearly seven decades, Disneyland Resort has made a unique, irreplaceable impact on hundreds of millions of guests from around the world. How exciting to know our best days are still ahead – we can’t wait to show you what’s to come.

As Walt Disney once said, “Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”

For more information, visit Anaheim.net/DisneylandForward.