Disneyland Forward Theme Park Expansion Proposal
Disneyland has announced a proposal for new theme park, retail, and parking expansion in California as Disney plans to work with Anaheim to reimagine the resort district over the next two decades. In this post, we’ll share info, details, and our commentary about the tentative plans.
The proposal is being called “DisneylandForward” and is a conceptual development plan for Disney to work with Anaheim to grow the area, update the blueprint for the resort district, and facilitate the city’s economic rebound. Interestingly, DisneylandForward does not involve the company acquiring additional property–it stays within Disney’s existing 500-acre footprint in Anaheim with no physical expansion or additional acreage.
Rather, DisneylandForward is essentially the company’s pitch to the public and City of Anaheim for more flexibility in the master plans from the 1990s in order to add a mix of new theme park lands & attractions, hotel, shopping, dining, and entertainment venues on the eastern and western perimeter of the existing Disneyland Resort. Here’s some of what that entails…
The first important thing to note is that this is not a third gate at Disneyland Resort. Rather than being a brand new theme park, it would consist of significant theme park expansion to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. In that regard, it’s a lot like Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea (which is evoked a lot in this proposal) right down to the likelihood that both are going to be frequently misconstrued as standalone parks.
Here’s a map of the area to help visualize how the expansion would look relative to the existing Disneyland Resort:
Essentially, there would be a westside expansion with new theme park elements on the Downtown Disney and Lilo & Stitch parking lots built around Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel. The concept art of the westside site shows a mountain ridge that would separate the theme park from nearby neighborhoods–sort of like Cars Land.
This westside site expansion would wrap around to Downtown Disney near the unused AMC Theater and ESPN Zone. Those previously closed for the luxury hotel project that didn’t get approval from Anaheim and was subsequently put on indefinite hold. (More on that later…)
The eastside expansion would bring utilize the Toy Story parking lot next to the Anaheim Convention Center. Disney indicates that this property could be the perfect location to cater to locals, conventioneers, hotels, and Disneyland Resort guests.
It would feature restaurants, hotels, live music, shopping, ticketed shows, and theme park experiences modeled after the popular Disney Springs at Walt Disney World. Another piece of example concept art features Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, which would undoubtedly be popular with locals if that ends up being built.
Finally, the DisneylandForward project would revive the Eastern Gateway parking garage off I-5 and its connection across Harbor Boulevard to the parks. This was also previously abandoned, with the Pixar Pals garage built instead.
This would presumably be necessary once again since so much other parking would be converted to guest space…and also due to increased demand and attendance at Disneyland Resort. Disney also has some words of caution for those dissecting the concept art: the project will be refined over time and there aren’t any specific projects planned for the future. In other words, literally everything pictured is a placeholder.
Additionally, Disney notes that it is not seeking any public funding for DisneylandForward or additional square footage or hotel rooms beyond what is currently approved and allowed. Disney is simply asking to update existing approvals to allow for integrated development to be located and built on Disney properties.
“Thinking big and leading the way is both our legacy and our best path forward. Now is the time to be bold, to dream, to believe, and to lead! The world-renowned Disneyland Resort is poised to bring back jobs to our community as well as new entertainment and experiences to loyal fans and new audiences for generations to come.” said Ken Potrock, President of Disneyland Resort.
If you browse the DisneylandForward website for even a few minutes (and you should!), it becomes patently obvious that this is Disney’s sales pitch to the public and is about brokering a deal with the City of Anaheim. It’s not even thinly-veiled, it’s totally transparent with the opening paragraph on the “Possibilities” page:
“We want to bring more Disney investment to Anaheim. However, this simply isn’t possible under current inflexible planning restrictions unless we remove and replace treasured rides and attractions in our Parks today. Without updates, new Disney experiences and placemaking, created from our beloved stories, will likely never find their way to the Disneyland Resort as they have to other parks throughout the world. With DisneylandForward and more flexibility within our existing properties, new lands and adventures like those underway at Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland could inspire new experiences here.”
The crux of the issue is the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan No. 92-1 (“DRSP”). The DRSP was adopted in 1993 with subsequent amendments, and is an interesting look at what was planned versus what came to fruition. I’m very familiar with the DRSP because back when the Eastern Gateway project was proposed 5 years ago, I read most of its 200+ pages.
Admittedly, I’ve forgotten a lot of that since. At the time, my analysis of the Eastern Gateway proposal was that Disney would face staunch opposition from local businesses and may have a difficult time building the Eastern Gateway due to the terms of the DRSP, which was true. Ultimately, I predicted that Disney would nevertheless succeed in muscling the Eastern Gateway through after that fight, which was untrue.
In addition to abandoning the Eastern Gateway, Disneyland has since proposed and abandoned a luxury hotel project to replace part of Downtown Disney (concept art above). Beyond that, a morass of political disputes did significant damage to Anaheim’s and Disney’s 60+ year relationship.
In only a few short years, the stand-off between Disney and Anaheim caused serious harm to both sides and the community. At the time, it wouldn’t have been hyperbole to call it “irreparable harm.” However, a lot has changed since then…
First, a more Disney-friendly mayor and members of the Anaheim City Council have been elected since all of those plans were cancelled or put on indefinite hold. In large part, that’s why Disney had no issues getting the proposed Disneyland Hotel DVC wing approved by Anaheim.
Second, the last year has decimated the city’s economy. Two days ago, the Anaheim City Council authorized borrowing $210 million to close budget deficits caused by tourism downturn. I’m not sure the lesson I’d learn from the last year is “let’s double down on tourism,” but it’s definitely the quickest and easiest path to recovery, especially given Anaheim’s existing infrastructure and businesses.
From my perspective, the unknown quantity is the perception of Disney by residents of Anaheim. Now that we no longer live in California, I haven’t kept my finger on the pulse of public sentiment. Last I knew, animosity towards Disneyland had grown among Anaheim residents, but that could’ve changed after a challenging year. Disney wouldn’t have announced this if it didn’t have sufficient support from the Anaheim City Council, and my guess is it’ll likewise have little issue gaining public support.
Anaheim is in a vulnerable position right now, and Disney has an attractive solution. It’s an opportunistic one, but it’s also practical and viable. And to Disney’s credit, they are doubling-down on California after a year that could fairly be described as “challenging” for the parks doing business in the state. It thus isn’t really fair to paint this in a rapacious light. This will be good for both Disney and the City of Anaheim. Even the struggling businesses on Harbor Boulevard that previously might’ve opposed something like this over a year ago now might have more “clarity” about how essential Disney is to them.
With that said, I’d still caution against looking at that possibilities page, seeing references to blockbuster Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland projects, and getting too excited. For one thing, both Fantasy Springs and the Zootopia land are colossal, and there simply is not space for several additions of that size on the parcels in Anaheim.
Once again, these are all placeholders–Disney is not promising to build any of this. Moreover, Disney isn’t promising to invest anything–there’s a reason no dollar amount attached to this proposal. It could be $3 billion, it could be $0. This is not even as concrete as the plans for Port Disney or WestCOT, two Disney theme parks in California that you’ve possibly never heard of because they were not built.
DisneylandForward is all about paving the way for future developments of some sort by giving Disney more autonomy over land use by relaxing the DRSP. Disney is essentially saying, “give us authority to build whatever we want, then we’ll tell you what, if anything, we’re going to build.”
There’s a reason the words “like” and “inspired by” the Tokyo and Shanghai projects are used. You could also say the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is like Pooh’s Hunny Hunt. But it also very much is not.
My assumption is that evoking the Asian parks was a deliberate move to generate support among Southern California’s knowledgeable fanbase, and not representative of what Imagineering intends to build. If you start getting hyped for Neverland and end up with Alien Swirling Saucers, that’s going to feel like a swift kick in the A.S.S.
Ultimately, this is not to be a buzzkill or rain on any parades. Just trying to cut through the marketing puffery to present a realistic synopsis of what’s actually being proposed, why it’s being pitched this way, and whether it’ll likely come to fruition. With all of that said, I am very excited for DisneylandForward. This is a huge step forward for the evolution of Disneyland Resort that will likely happen in a form bearing almost no resemblance to the concept art at the top of this post. (The map, yes–but not the art.)
Setting all of that aside, what a way for Disneyland Resort to bounce back?! This must be a big blow for those openly rooting for California’s failure, naively thinking that Disney might play Theme Park Tycoon and magically move the parks to Texas. (Don’t say we didn’t warn you–wet blankets were repeatedly thrown on those delusions.) At the end of the day, Disneyland is still conveniently located near millions of people in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The area is well positioned for growth, and with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics less than a decade away–a catalyst for expansion in both Tokyo and Paris previously–it appears Disneyland Resort is likewise primed for further expansion.
If you’re preparing for a Disneyland trip, check out our other planning posts, including how to save money on Disneyland tickets, our Disney packing tips, tips for booking a hotel (off-site or on-site), where to dine, and a number of other things, check out our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about the DisneylandForward proposal? Excited and optimistic about this news, or have you been around the block before with Port Disney and WestCOT? Any predictions as to whether Disney will be successful in gaining support for modifying the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan No. 92-1? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I know this is old but how is this nonsense still all over the internet? Disney has NO plans to expand the parks westward. There’s just not enough money in that. This was about hotels. Mainly the Galactic Starcruiser and whatever the Marvel version of that was meant to be, because technically they contain rides. Thankfully, that vision is being proven to be unsustainable, so Disney will play around with the Starcruiser idea until they find something that makes them gobs of money, and then they’ll plop it down here, and a Marvel version next to DCA. And the rest will be Disney Springs West.
Disney is not a theme park company with hotels and shopping. It’s a hotel, DVC and shopping company that happens to have theme parks that they occasionally pay attention to.
Knowing some SoCal locals involved in city planning, I’d be surprised if ANY Disneyland expansion / new attractions are built without a commitment by Disney to “cost share” (translation- pay for) a massive public transit system node to allow locals to commute to Disney without cars– a Fullerton or Anaheim “Disney Spoke” off the Metrolink system that doesn’t require buses at the least. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on big California corporations to contribute to public transit projects in the next 3 years.
Thanks for clarifying that the eastside expansion plot is being described as more of a Disney Springs and NOT a boutique third park.
“Ultimately, I predicted that Disney would nevertheless succeed in muscling the Eastern Gateway through after that fight, which was untrue.”
To be fair, the one part of this is seems to be some more than vaporware, blue sky pre-proposals to make the Eastern Gateway happen. You were ultimately right!
This is all great news. But before they expand the parks west, they should develop their plans for the existing park footprints first. For example, the Fantasyland area that includes the theatre and old boat lagoon, if they will remove and replace the submarines and Autopia, and in DCA the Hollywood Studios section where Monsters, Inc sits today. The transitions to other theme areas in the existing parks is important to consider.
I know that we all want Disneyland & California Adventure to open as soon as possible, but perhaps now is a good time to have some “negotiations” with the City of Anaheim. The City has placed some pretty harsh restrictions on Disney’s development in the recent past (prior to covid)…even to the point of causing Disney to cancel a resort expansion that would have provided another hotel. We lost Rain Forrest Cafe and ESPN Sports Zone in the process. Anaheim is in great need of the tax revenues that Disney and the surrounding area provides and Disney now has some leverage, via pushing back the re-opening. This may cost Disney some dollars in the short run, but if Disney can put in some long-term economic agreements into place regarding restrictions put in place on future development/expansion, they my very well come out ahead in the long run.
It seems as though getting dining reservations for Sci Fi is extremely difficult, even when doing it at 6am on the 60day in advance mark. Why is this and any secrets you can share? I even checked back several times a day, just about every day when we went in Jan 2021 . We are planning to go in Dec so I want to make note of any suggestions.
Not sure how your post applies on this particular thread but, from what I understand you need to book it more than 60 days in advance. If you stay onsite you can book your entire trip on the 60th day before your checking, allowing onsite guests to book up to 70 days in advance for a 10 day stay. If staying off-site you will have better luck with the walk up list the day you are in park.
Where to begin? I always enjoy and support additions and improved amenities that enhance the guest experience. But knowing that Epcot’s renovations have been scaled back or outright cancelled, that the Magic Kingdom has no night time parade, and that the monorails need to be replaced, all while expanding and enhancing a park that has been mistreated by the city and state that it resides in is appalling. No, they can’t move Disneyland as easy as the auto companies that left Michigan and Detroit, but Anaheim and California are mistreating the Golden Goose and seem to take it for granted. And while Tom points out that Anaheim currently has more Disney Friendly politicians in office right now, we can see first hand how new leadership can quickly get elected and undo the previous administrations policies. From the President to local city councils this happens all the time and makes darn near impossible for a business in some communities to invest, build and expand. Look at the XL pipeline for example. I can see it now, “Disney, we need you to immediately halt all construction on that new resort, the new mayor and council need to reevaluate the environmental impact this is going to have on our community”. Quite frankly, they’ve treated Disney like crap and don’t deserve them.
Before the recent change in leadership, Anaheim seemed to want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. Or at least didn’t appreciate Disney was the goose. The half marathons alone have cost Anaheim.
The thing Disneyland can do is nothing. It can simply keep the status quo and make money. Update a ride every now and then.
Ugh, thank you so much for being accurate and educated in this post. I can’t explain how many times I’ve had to clarify that this is not a third park, nor is anything officially happening yet.
As someone who works at the resort, I’m so happy for this. With the parks finally reopening, and then this announced, it’s made a particularly difficult portion of life seem much more hopeful.
Great news. As a local I’m intrigued and supportive.
I look forward to bringing my grandkids to the opening of this! (My son is 3)
Good plan – it may be a while
True statement!
I get that there’s no commitment for them to spend any money yet, but they will definitely build something if approved and public perception is going to be that it’s something major and soon (i.e. the mass and misguided freak-out on Twitter about how this is a third park). So as a WDW park goer I’m a little annoyed because they’re canceling and delaying stuff left and right out here, presumably because of money. Basically I just want poor Mary Poppins to get her due and will be forever bitter if DLR gets a whole land and we can’t even get whatever that vague MP ride was that was supposed to get added to the UK pavilion.
I understand that frustration among Walt Disney World fans. However, I think it’s practical to prioritize Disneyland right now. Even if domestic tourists come roaring back to Walt Disney World, there’s still international tourists, conventions, and special events that are going to take years to return in full force, if they ever do. On top of that, WDW is facing increased competition from Universal.
In California, there’s still room for growth in the tourism market coupled with stability that the massive LA and OC populations provide. Disneyland benefits from conventions and international travel, but they’re not directly dependent upon that business. It thus makes sense to prioritize spending at DLR over WDW right now.
Beyond that, this almost feels cyclical: Disney spent big to fix DCA, then focused on WDW (with projects still in the pipeline), and now is bouncing back to DLR.
I get the frustration, but let’s compare what’s happened at the two resorts in the last decade, just on the parks side, not looking at resorts.
Disneyland:
2011 – Goofy’s Sky School (retheme), Little Mermaid, etc. open in DCA. This is part of the overhaul of California adventure.
2012 – Cars Land Opens – New land from scratch. Huge investment, amazing land.
2012-2016 – Quality of Life Changes around California Adventure – Notably Buena Vista Street is added.
2017 – Tower of Terror is rethemed to Guardians of the Galaxy
2018 – Paradise Pier is rethemed to Pixar Pier
2019 – Galaxy’s Edge is added to Disneyland. This is Disneyland’s first major new attraction or addition (As in not a re-skin or re-theme) since Indiana Jones in 1995! It had been 26 YEARS since a major addition, not just reskin or change in Disneyland Park. 26 years since a major addition to the original Disneyland. Just let that sink in for a sec lol.
All the energy of the last 20 years had gone into DCA, much of which was completely scrapped and re-done. And even the re-imagining of DCA was just that – a RE-IMAGINING, not actually expanding. The only actual new thing added to DCA this entire time was Cars Land. Everything else was re-skins. Avengers campus is coming, but the actual E-ticket won’t be here for 4-5 years. Also on the horizon is Mickey and Minnie’s runaway railway, opening 2023.
Total NEW lands: 2 (Cars, Galaxy’s Edge)
Total NEW E-ticket rides: 3 (Radiator Springs Racers, the 2 Galaxy’s Edge Attractions)
Total rethemed E-ticket rides: 2 (Incredicoaster, Guardians)
Total Re-themed lands: 2 (Pixar Pier, Buena Vista Street)
Contrast that with the Disney World projects over the last decade:
2012: Test Track is rethemed.
2014: Fantasyland re-imagining. Includes new Seven Dwarves Mine train.
2016: Frozen Ever After opens at EPCOT.
2017: Pandora: World of Avatar opens at AK.
2018: Toy Story Land opens at DHS
2019: Galaxy’s Edge opens at DHS
2020: Great Movie Ride is replaced by Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
I know the EPCOT overhaul is up in the air and not nearly as awesome as initially but you also have Remy’s coming soon and a lot of cosmetic changes and a new future world that they kind of have to finish (They can’t just leave the construction zone XD)
Total NEW lands: 3 (GE, Toy Story, Pandora)
Total NEW E-Tickets: 7 (Slinky, both Pandora rides, both GE rides, Mine Train, Frozen)
Total Rethemed E-Tickets: 2 (Test Track and Runaway Railway)
Total Rethemed /Reworked Lands: 1 (Fantasyland)
Plus all the general changes at EPCOT and DHS not listed.
Just in the last 5 years, WDW has received 3 new lands. If you consider the last decade, (just to allow Disneyland’s cars land to fit into the equation), WDW has received 4 more new E-Tickets than Disneyland, a whole additional extra land, and LOTS of quality of life improvements with plenty more on the way, even if they aren’t as amazing as hoped.
Disneyland park especially needs this expansion plan. WDW has gotten LOTS of love in the last 5 years and they will be getting plenty more. They have lots and LOTS of resorts, transportation, Disney Springs, and infrastructure – something fully left out of this comparison. Disneyland has a very hard time with all of that due to its location. This plan gives Disneyland the platform to expand further after literally 26 years of nothing. (Yes, yes I know galaxy’s edge, but you get the point)
So TL;DR – I understand that it’s easy to get “annoyed” as a WDW fan, but look back at how much you’ve had added in the last 5 years and then look at Disneyland and suddenly the situation makes a lot more sense. I’m ecstatic as a Disneyland fan and I don’t think this will slow down the horizon at WDW either – you still have Tron, Remy, and Guardians all to look forward to.
To Brandon: WDW is so much bigger and is entirely different than Disneyland and by that very nature requires vastly more in terms of updates, renovations, and expansion. They can’t be fairly compared. It’s akin to comparing California infrastructure investment to Rhode Islands. When looking at each park on its own, Epcot is by far the worst treated park in their holdings and it has been for decades. It’s limped along with food and art festivals. The ancient movies, the 1980s, food court looking, future world pavilions (Land), neglected rides (Figment, Spaceship Earth), and empty buildings are maddening. When the test track and soaring are the headliners, you know it’s bad (no disrespect but Soarin is no Flight of the Avatar). Epcot finally got the huge investment it needed and It was exciting. Now it’s been scaled back or outright cancelled. It just stinks.
I wish they would create a World Showcase as their version of Disney Springs. Would love to have an international program on the West Coast once COVID-19 goes away. Would be great for the Olympics too.
That would be fun, but I think there’s almost no chance of that happening. Disney has learned that its own IP is what draws the general public to theme parks.
On the other hand, building a World Showcase would undoubtedly be cheaper, and more lucrative from a F&B perspective.
Awesome idea! Disney can still use IP (some possibilities):
— Asia, India, Russia: Mulan, Raya, Jungle Book, Anastasia
— Hawaii, Pacific Island, Oceania: Lilo, Moana, Nemo
— Africa, Middle East: Wakanda, Lion King, Aladdin
— Europe: Mary Poppins, Belle, Remy, Hercules
— Mexico, Central/South America: Kuzco, Sofia
— Canada, USA: Muppets, Country Bear Jamboree, Ducktales
— Sci-Fi: Atlantis, Wreck-It-Ralph, Big Hero 6, Treasure Planet
Guess we have to wait a little longer for a Tomorrowland update.
Not necessarily. Disney is not promising to build *anything* here. The company just realizes the timing is right for getting this through, which will then grant the future autonomy to do whatever they want. While I suspect that they wouldn’t propose this and then build nothing for two decades, it also doesn’t mean they’ll immediately build something on those parcels–let alone everything in the concept art.
I am really excited for the announcement. It was incredibly smart timing on Disney’s part. I still remember when that westside plot was a strawberry farm before the fruit flies. (I was really little, but paid attention to changes like that) I won’t get ahead of myself since there’s a good chance this will be Toy Story Land and not much else, but I know the old-school fans would love to see a version of Skull Rock back at DLR.
I think one of the Disney Theme Park Commandments is that every complex have a Toy Story Land, so that’s undoubtedly destined for California, too.
Skull Rock would also make a ton of sense. Both as a nod to history and something that is flat out cool!
It’s probably likely that it’ll just be something like toy story land, but there is definitely potential for more. There’s a lot of real estate on that parking lot. From just looking at the satellite view, it seems a couple Rise of the Resistance sized show buildings could easily fit inside that space. Additionally, the website says “…California Adventure Park could be home to some of Disney’s most technologically advanced, immersive and cutting-edge entertainment…”. So it’s possible that some impressive stuff could be included.
I’m mostly just sad the Tokyo beauty and the beast ride wasn’t included in the possibilities though
Wait – you don’t live in California anymore? How’d I miss that? Where are you now?
Correct. We spent a year living nowhere, bouncing around Airbnbs in Japan, France, etc., and have been in Florida since.
What an absolutely brilliant move by Disney. I daresay there has been no better time to garner expansion support in the past 30 years – maybe more. Anaheim is their oyster right now, and this type of strategy is why they are the best at what they do.
Yep. Perhaps the biggest “surprise” is that Disney is coming out and saying this will not entail any expansion to Disney’s property. I wouldn’t have put it past Disney to scoop up some struggling businesses in the area while the timing is right on that, too.
Since I am a local and former AP (I haven’t gotten used to the term “legacy passholder” yet; for some reason that sounds cruel to me, like when they invited the losers back to The Dating Game for the “alumni round”), I am probably most excited by the Toy Story parking lot becoming a better outdoor mall than Downtown Disney. Other than drinking at Ballast Point or trolling the person at the DVC booth by wondering out loud as I walked by, “I wish there was some kind of timeshare, but like, a Disney version!” and pretending not to hear them when they eagerly tried to flag me down, I found little to do in Downtown Disney. We need more non-park entertainment, mostly better places to eat. I am kind of hoping there are more gates though? I liked using the Grand Californian entrance to DCA when I was running away from the DVC guy. I would hope there would be similar entrances to the expanded park areas from the other hotel, namely the Disneyland Hotel, the only other Disney hotel besides the Grand Californian.
Downtown Disney sucks as compared to Disney Springs, but it’s really weak as compared to other outdoor malls in Southern California. I will never understand why people who are near Irvine Spectrum, Galleria/Americana, or Grove would bother with Downtown Disney.
Whatever comes of these plans, I hope the West Coast Disney Springs ends up being “distinctly Disney” so it’s not directly competing with the aforementioned (good) malls.
I used to wait tables at the Cheesecake Factory at the Spectrum, before my boss fired me because he didn’t like me, and also because I wasn’t a good waiter. We hung out a lot after work in the veritable panoply of food and drink options far better than anything at DD. By we, I mean me and my coworkers, who played a fun game with me that I thought of as Let’s Make Darren Guess Where We’re Drinking After Work Instead of Telling Him. They loved playing that game, and even kept playing it once I found them. Good times.
Can Darren be a guest writer? I’m sitting here chuckling at his ridiculously dry humor….maybe I’m also excited about this news, so I’m in a good mood. Feel free to limit his “guest writing” gig to only the discussion board, and a salary of one free beer.
Suggested First assignment: A Day in the Life of a Disney DVC Rep.
If there had been a betting pool on “Disneyland news announced shortly before they reopen after a year-long closure:, I would not have put money on this.
As a midwesterner who has visited Disneyland twice, I think it is already a “tourist destination” and not just a “locals park”. But if this expansion comes to fruition, that will be even more true.
On the surface, it certainly seems like this is coming out of left field.
However, if you think about it, the timing is perfect. The pain of the last year is still fresh in everyone’s memory, and could fade fast once Anaheim’s economy opens back up and things start booming again. If ever there were a time to get this done, it’s right now. (Also, Disney hasn’t committed to building *anything* or spending a single dollar. This simply paves the way for those projects from a land-use perspective.)
This has me very excited but with baited breath because of the supposed “Decade of Disney” with Port Disney and WestCOT. I’m honestly a little surprised to see Disney showing their hand so quickly, but I think it’s a great bit of marketing designed to create excitement and I’m sure I will love it when/if it happens.
As an aside, do you have any podcasts or books you would recommend that are more focused on the business side of Disney versus just park trip planning? (Something in the vein of DisneyWar or otherwise)
I ve recently read Bob Iger’s The Ride of a Lifetime and is good!
Storming the Magic Kingdom by John Taylor
A fantastic read about how we almost lost Disney to corporate raiders. It’s a MUST READ for any Disney fan.
This was one of those books that I picked up because it wasn’t very expensive, all the while thinking this is probably going to be so dry and filled with numbers that I won’t get past the first chapter. I finished the book in two days. Couldn’t put it down.
Revisit Queen Mary, with the lease currently up for auction??
Nice use of an Alien Swirling Saucer acronym.
*Hat tip
Queen Mary would be an incredible opportunity for Disney to re-visit WESTCOT. Long Beach would become another city to see a quicker recovery.