Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock Releases Statement on DisneylandForward Approval

Earlier tonight the Anaheim City Council voted by unanimous consent to approve the DisneylandForward proposal. This was the culmination of three years of hard work by the city and Disneyland Resort officials. These three years were spent developing a plan, sharing it with city officials and the public, going through the approval process, and then eventually going before the city council. Now that the proposal has been approved, the next phase begins. This will mean that Disneyland Resort will begin to grow and evolve in a fairly substantial way. This will lead to nearly $2 billion in investments in the resort with new offerings found throughout the land it currently owns.

Shortly after the vote to approve DisneylandForward, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock released a statement via the Disney Parks Blog. It said the following:

Our Future Starts Now with DisneylandForward

Exciting news out of Anaheim tonight – I’m thrilled to share that the city council has given final approval for DisneylandForward, and the next era of Disneyland Resort is about to begin!

We’ve worked closely with city staff, neighbors, and our local community over the past three years to make sure DisneylandForward is a win for everyone – I’m grateful the city council agrees and voted to work with us on this legacy project that will set up Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim for an incredibly bright future.  

With updated land use approvals through DisneylandForward, we can build new entertainment experiences for our fans, create thousands of new jobs, and bring new revenue streams to Anaheim.

DisneylandForward Approval Kicks off Endless Possibilities

Almost 70 years ago, Walt Disney opened his original theme park and created a new standard of immersive experiences.

With the addition of Disney California Adventure Park, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Downtown Disney District in 2001, Disneyland Resort became the premier, multi-day vacation destination in Southern California.

Since then, we’ve continued to invest, bringing awe-inspiring expansions like Cars Land, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Avengers Campus, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, and our newly reimagined Pixar Place Hotel.

Now, it’s time for the next chapter in the legacy of Disneyland Resort. We’re ready to build on decades of innovation, creativity, and storytelling to bring new, exciting experiences for our guests. The possibilities are boundless, and I can’t wait to see what our Disney Imagineers dream up next!

The Vote for DisneylandForward is an Investment in Anaheim

We’ll be investing at least $1.9 billion in the resort in the first 10 years. Cal State Fullerton’s economic impact study projects increased revenues of about $15 million annually for Anaheim from each $1 billion we invest. This will help fund necessary community services, including additional fire and police, parks, and libraries.

We’ve also committed to a unique benefits package for Anaheim and its residents, including $30 million for affordable housing, $8 million for parks, $85 million in traffic improvements and pedestrian safety, and continued investment in workforce development programs.

We’re honored to partner with Anaheim on this historic project and excited to move into this next chapter together.

DisneylandForward will bring over 4,500 operational jobs to Disneyland Resort — which is very exciting since more than 2,200 people apply for hourly roles every week — along with nearly 9,000 construction jobs within the first 10 years.

We are committed to making meaningful differences in the lives of current and future cast members with benefits like affordable healthcare and childcare for those eligible, opportunities for mentorships and training, and assistance toward educational goals – like the fully paid tuition we provide for hourly cast through our Aspire program.

Yes, our future is indeed bright.

For nearly seven decades, Disneyland Resort has made a unique, irreplaceable impact on hundreds of millions of guests from around the world. How exciting to know our best days are still ahead – I can’t wait to show you what’s to come.

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” – Walt Disney

At this point, specifics for exactly what DisneylandForward will entail have not been released. Part of this is because until DisneylandForward was approved, it didn’t make sense to make plans that may or may not happen. Now that it has been approved, the concepts and ideas that were given the go ahead with this development agreement will begin to be flushed out. They will also begin to be shared with the public. It is very possible that in the near future announcements will begin to trickle out about what DisneylandForward will look like. It also would be unsurprising if announcements are made at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in August.

Daps Magic will continue to follow announcements and news about the future development of the Disneyland Resort and DisneylandForward. What do you think of this being approved? What do you hope comes out of this new development agreement? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!