The Anaheim Metropolis Council gave remaining approval right now to DisneylandAhead, the $1.9 billion, Disney’s multi-decade growth plan for Walt’s unique park. In the present day’s 7-0 procedural vote got here after a unanimous vote approving the mission in April. The zoning and different adjustments laid out by the plan to take impact in 30 days.
These adjustments embrace zoning that may enable blended use improvement the place it doesn’t exist now. The proposal permits the redeployment of some 57 acres of parking and unused land. Artists’ renderings of the plans supplied by Disney, whereas conceptual, present one main improvement to the west of the present parks close to the Disneyland Lodge and one other to the southeast of California Journey. Each plots are at the moment devoted largely to parking.
Disney
That will enable theme park sights alongside motels on the west aspect of Disneyland Drive. See rendering under.
It could additionally enable theme park sights alongside new purchasing, eating and leisure to the southeast on what’s right now the Toy Story Parking Space at Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard. See rendering under.
Earlier this yr, Disney CEO Bob Iger supplied a short first look on the “doable” new Avatar-themed space on the Anaheim park. Pandora – The World of Avatar, has been up and working at Disney World in Florida for years and Iger mentioned it’s the firm’s “intention” to make it a brand new function of Disneyland. “We’re thrilled about many potential new tales that our visitors might expertise in Walt’s unique theme park, together with the chance to embark on all-new Avatar adventures with a go to to the world of Pandora,” he mentioned. “Potential” is the important thing time period there.
At a six-hour Anaheim Metropolis Planning Fee assembly in March concerning the corporate’s request for zoning “flexibility” in relation to the town’s 1994 “Resort Particular Plan” governing the world in and round Disneyland, a string of native residents puzzled to the fee and Disneyland honcho Ken Potrock why they’re being requested to permit a $1.9 billion revamp of the park with scant particulars on what particular sights and experiences are being added. (The corporate’s plan for the park has been dubbed DisneylandForward.)
“With DisneylandForward and extra flexibility inside our current properties, new lands and adventures like these underway at Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland might encourage new experiences right here,” reads the copy on DisneylandForward.com. Examples given are Frozen land and the Tangled and Peter Pan sights for the unique park and Zootopia, Tron and Toy Story components for Disney’s California Journey. These are simply examples, nonetheless. Disney brass, together with Potrock in his responses to Anaheim residents, haven’t dedicated to any of them.
Disney wants the mission for its flagship park as a result of, whereas its Parks and Experiences unit continues to throw off money, a lot of the excellent 10% income development the unit has seen up to now three months is because of its abroad properties.
Disneyland, regardless of rising attendance and per capita spend, noticed outcomes dip year-on-year on larger prices, together with labor, mentioned CFO Hugh Johnston on a Q2 earnings name with analysts early right now.
An enormous shock — he mentioned Parks development within the present fiscal third quarter might be flat for a couple of causes together with “some normalization of post-Covid demand because it pertains to demand. Whereas customers proceed to journey in document numbers and we’re nonetheless seeing wholesome demand, we’re seeing some proof of a worldwide moderation from peak post-Covid journey.” Wall Avenue didn’t fairly know what to do with that and the inventory fell because of this.
Disney is simply beginning ten-year, $60 billion funding cycle in Parks and Experiences. Step one is the $1.9B DisneylandForward plan. “We’re extremely excited for the various potential new tales our visitors might expertise at Walt’s unique theme park,” Iger mentioned in his opening remarks on the decision.
For extra particulars on DisneylandForward, click on right here.
Some positives for Anaheim residents embrace that Disney is required to take a position a minimal of $1.9 billion in theme park, lodging, leisure, purchasing and eating inside 10 years. Additionally included are $30 million for reasonably priced housing in Anaheim, with $15 million within the first yr and $15 million in 5 years; $10 million: for sewer enhancements alongside Katella Avenue; $8 million for Anaheim parks inside the first yr.
Relying on what’s constructed, Anaheim is projected to see $15 million to $244 million in further yearly income at full buildout of what’s allowed underneath DisneylandForward.
