The Anaheim Planning Commission voted on Monday night to approve moving the DisneylandForward proposal to the City Council where it could be voted on and approved next month. The vote came after a very lengthy meeting that lasted late into the night. The DisneylandForward proposal has been studied for three years. If approved by the City Council, DisneylandForward would allow the Disneyland Resort to utilize space it already owns to expand the resort’s offerings.
During the meeting, there were several questions that were asked. This included questions about historical areas of the Disneyland Resort, traffic on ball road, and some discussion about Disney-owned verses Disney-controlled properties. Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock also spoke to the Planning Commission as well. He spoke about how this “legacy project” would set the stage for a great future for both the Disneyland Resort and also Anaheim. He shared how this is a “tremendous responsibility for all of us and a privilege to be a steward for this very special place.” He shared how DisneylandForward will continue Walt’s legacy. He also shared how guests want more interactive experiences and how that can come with DisneylandForward. “When Disney invests, everyone wins,” Potrock said. This project will be bringing in new revenue to the city to pay for things that help all over the city. The investments in the Disneyland Resort will lead to more tourists staying in the area for a longer time. It will also lead to more jobs and more benefits as well. This includes union jobs, Potrock said. He said that the there would also be a focus on hiring Anaheim residents and veterans. He shared that the future is bright for both the Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim which he shared was a “collaborative effort.”
The speech from Ken Potrock wrapped up with a video that was shown that showcased the benefits of the Disneyland Resort. The video wrapped up with the narrator saying “Join us in creating a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away. Imagine the possibilities.” This was followed by another Disney representative giving an overview for DisneylandForward and its goals. She also shared about what Disney has done to make this proposal a win for Anaheim and its residents. She again reminded those in attendance that all growth will happen on existing Disney properties without any land expansion or public financing. She wrapped up by sharing how proud Disney was of the three-year process of collaboration with residents and the city of Anaheim to build this project before Ken Potrock was invited back to close up Disney’s presentation.
Potrock again thanked the city staff for their guidance and support over the last three years. He wrapped up by saying, “I’d like to respectfully ask the Planning Commission to move DisneylandForward to the City Council for final approval.” The presentation received applause in the room as he left the podium to sit down. This was followed by some questions from the Planning Commission and then the public comments. Most of the comments were positive. At one point, the chairperson tried to speed up the meeting by asking those in attendance to refrain from applause. Dozens of people came forward to voice their support throughout the public comments period. Many of these were cast members at different levels at Disney. There were a couple of dissenters throughout the course of the night, or partial dissenters. One said they were in favor of the project but also asserted that there was a conflict of interest on the commission and City Council that would lead to lawsuits. Another accused Disney of unfair labor practices in regards to a lawsuit from Disneyland Resort hotel maintenance workers. Another complained about the lack of detail in the plan by telling a story as if it was their own property. Others voiced concerns regarding benchmarks, studies, and other things that they found upsetting. Concerns were also shared about the privatization of Magic Way and accusations of corruption were made. At one point, the chairwoman said the accusations were wrong in response to one resident.
Following the completion of the comments, the “applicant” was invited to come forward and respond to the public comments. The Disney representative corrected the statements that insinuated that the walking path on Magic Way would remain free to the public between Walnut and Harbor Blvd. Some final questions were answered for the Planning Commission as well. One commissioner spoke at great length and seemed to wander around quite a few topics before eventually being cut off. This led to another commissioner also stating their offense at the wandering comments. Some issues were also addressed by some of the city staff. Finally, the Planning Commission voted to approve the proposal to move DisneylandForward to the City Council. This came shortly after 11:00 PM. This vote now sends the DisneylandForward proposal to the Anaheim City Council in April.
This week’s meeting was the most recent part of an ongoing process with the Planning Commission this year. A workshop was held in January and then again in February for DisneylandForward for the Planning Commission and members of the public to learn more about the proposal. During the meetings, maps were shown of the location of the DisneylandForward project and details were shared about the project. Some of the details included the addition of 4,376 parking spaces that will be added to the Resort and that no public funding is expected to be used. The presentation also covered the shift of zoning districts with the Disneyland Resort to meet evolving guest expectations for entertainment and theme park experiences. This could include making areas for more attractions in the areas currently surrounding the Disneyland Resort hotels and a new shopping, dining, and entertainment district found where the current Toy Story Parking Lot is.
The Disneyland Development Agreement would commit Disney to investing $1.9 billion into the Disneyland Resort. This new agreement would give Disney flexibility to choose where it builds new theme park areas, hotels, and dining within its existing footprint, and in return would guarantee the city continued investment into the resort, along with $30 million for affordable housing and $8 million for the Parks.
“We listened to Anaheim’s leaders and worked hard to address what is important for the city,” said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock in a statement at the time. “We are proud that DisneylandForward will provide many important benefits directly to the residents of Anaheim.”
Anaheim spokesperson Mike Lyster said at the time that the city’s Planning Department has been the lead in negotiating the agreement for the past few months. Lyster described Anaheim as a largely visitor economy. More than 25 million people visit Anaheim each year, driven largely by the Disneyland Resort. The city expects to take in more than $230 million this year from the local hotel taxes visitors pay.
In the proposal, Disney hopes to buy some streets from the city for around $40 million. This includes Magic Way, Hotel Way, and part of Clementine Street. City officials say that the offer is at the market rate. The proposal also states that if Disney doesn’t invest more than the minimum $1.9 billion – at least $2.5 billion over 10 years – then the Company would give the city an additional $5 million for street and transportation improvements.
The City of Anaheim would no longer have to pay to maintain these streets, Lyster said. He added that it’s too early to say if the streets would serve a purpose other than to get cars to parking spaces the streets serve. The $40 million to buy the streets will be part of a $90 million investment Disney proposed to contribute toward fund street improvements, including widening Katella Avenue east and west of Harbor Boulevard. The city would decide how those streets are redesigned, which could include signal upgrades and bike lanes. This would also mean that Anaheim would not proceed with previously planned extensions of Clementine Street and Gene Autry Way. Up to $10 million would be spent to expand a sewer main line along Katella Avenue near the parks and would be paid for by Disney, the city said.
Part of the new development would also potentially include a new 17,000-space parking garage along with five pedestrian bridges. Three of these would be over Harbor Boulevard and two would be over Disneyland Drive. The investment into parking and other infrastructure wouldn’t count toward the $1.9 billion investment that Disney would be making into the area as that would only be toward new theme park areas and hotels, the proposal explained.
If all goes as planned, the next step will be the full City Council to consider and then vote on the future of DisneylandForward next month. Currently that meeting is scheduled for April 16, 2024. It is possible that at this meeting DisneylandForward could be approved and begin to move forward.
