Disney seeks big expansion of its California amusement park
Walking through the frosty, snow-covered hamlet of Arendelle from “Frozen” or the bustling, critter-filled metropolis of “Zootopia” might be possible one day for visitors to Disney’s California theme parks at Disneyland Resort.
That’s only if Disney wins approval from local officials to expand its Anaheim resort over the next four decades.
The proposed expansion wouldn’t increase Disney’s 490-acre footprint in Southern California or change what the company already has permission to build. But it could help the company develop new attractions. They could place rides and entertainment options on what is a 50-acre parking lot — and move parking for Disneyland to a multistory structure — all while keeping within the boundaries of a resort surrounded by residential neighborhoods.
“We know there are stories out there we haven’t told yet, like ‘Wakanda’ or ‘Coco’ or ‘Frozen’ or ‘Zootopia,’ ” said Rachel Alde, Disney’s senior vice president of global development and finance. “We know what kind of stories we would love to tell. We need to get the guidance on what we can build there so we can understand how.”
The city of Anaheim’s planning commission was scheduled to review the proposal Monday for Disneyland. The project — which would require Disney to invest at least $1.9 billion in the theme park, lodging, entertainment and related uses over the next decade — still must be approved by the City Council before taking effect.
Disney’s goal is to create what it calls more immersive experiences for tourists, similar to the attraction Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which opened in California in 2019. The company said it doesn’t know which stories would be central to the new developments, but the idea is to create areas like “Zootopia” in Shanghai Disneyland, where animal characters walk through a vibrant cityscape that resembles the film’s setting.
Right now, there isn’t enough room in the original Disneyland to build something on a large scale without affecting existing attractions, which are relished by loyal, longtime visitors to Disney’s oldest theme park, Alde said.
It’s the first time Disney has sought a major change to its California theme parks since the 1990s, when the company obtained approvals to turn its first park into a resort hub. It later added a second park, Disney California Adventure Park, and a shopping/entertainment area, Downtown Disney.
Disneyland, which dates to 1955, was the second most visited theme park in the world in 2022, with 16.8 million people coming through the gates, according to a report by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM.
Disney’s parks are a tourism magnet for Southern California and especially for Anaheim, which is Orange County’s most populous city and home to more than 345,000 people. Hotel revenue typically makes up about half of Anaheim’s revenue and is set to climb to $236 million this year, according to city estimates.
Disney has held workshops to address residents’ questions.