When we talk about Disney park expansions, most people think about all the upcoming Disney World changes. Magic Kingdom is set to get a HUGE expansion, and a major part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom is getting a makeover, too. It’s no secret that Disney World is HUGE, and there’s plenty of room to grow. But, despite its location (and smaller footprint), Disneyland Resort has plans to expand, too.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen some exciting changes at Disneyland Resort. Avengers Campus blew us away with its innovative Spider-Man animatronic and accompanying attraction. San Fransokyo Square opened with TONS of special details and new treats. But that’s not all! Disney has been quietly working on a massive expansion project called DisneylandForward, and we’ve got some important updates to share.
Waaay back in 2021, Disney announced a new plan to expand the Disneyland theme park and resort districts. The plan is called DisneylandForward. There’s a lot to explain here, but essentially, it is a multi-year planning project between Disney and the City of Anaheim with the hopes of updating some of Disney’s development approvals from the ’90s.
Several years ago, it was decided that Disneyland Resort would need certain approvals to build new things within the parks and resorts. For example, under the existing guidelines, Disneyland is limited by what it can create in certain areas. Disney can’t go and build a new theme park where a parking lot currently stands, for example. But Disney is ready for all that to change, and that’s how DisneylandForward was born.
Under the DisneylandForward project, Disney is seeking updated development approvals to have greater flexibility in terms of what they build in the future. The project is still in its very early stages, but we’ve seen concept art and previews that allude to plans for expanded theme park areas, new restaurants, and more.
On January 23rd, 2024, we got an important update. At the Anaheim City Council workshop, we learned some new details about the proposed DisneylandForward development agreement between Disney and Anaheim. In fact, Disneyland committed to spend $1.9 billion over the next decade under its long-term planning proposal.
Disney’s $1.9 billion investment would be spent on new lands, attractions, hotels, shopping, and dining. These additions would be located west of Disneyland Drive and on the current Toy Story parking lot.
While the plans are still in the early stages of development, Disney proposed projects centered around Coco, Black Panther, Tangled, Frozen, Zootopia, Peter Pan, Tron, and Toy Story. In fact, Disney may draw inspiration from lands in its other theme parks, like the new Zootopia Land at Shanghai Disney Resort. These additions would only be made possible under new city planning and zoning guidelines.
If Disney’s plans are approved, the resort would combine several different areas into one integrated space. Keep in mind that Disney would not use any additional land — it would only modify what it already owns. At the moment, Disneyland announced it would commit to investing between $1.9 – $2.5 billion and will pay an additional $5 million in street/transportation improvements if $600 million is not spent in a decade.
These changes would also bring new police and fire stations within the district, along with new jobs. The company confirmed that new Cast Members would start at $19.90 while skilled workers would start at $25 per hour.
The president of the Disneyland Resort, Ken Potrock, stated, “We listened to Anaheim’s leaders and worked hard to address what is important for the city,” adding, “We are proud that DisneylandForward will provide many important benefits directly to the residents of Anaheim.”
That said, during the meeting, councilmember Natalie Rubalcava stated that she has some hesitation about Disney’s investment claims, noting, “This is really going to generate a lot of money for Disney as well, and we need to make sure all ships rise together.”
The development agreement would last until 2064 if approved, and a vote by the Anaheim City Council is expected in May. The next DisneylandForward proposal is scheduled for Anaheim Planning Commission hearings in March. For now, the council meeting is still ongoing.
In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
What new areas would you like to see at Disneyland? Tell us in the comments.
Proposing something and floating an example as a possibility are not the same things.