Disneyland’s $90 million expansion project, “DisneylandForward,” calls for the city of Anaheim to relax its zoning rules to allow the park to develop new attractions and hotels.
Current agreements between the park and city allow for specific zones to be designated for certain structures. However, Disney is requesting to choose where it will build new park areas, hotels and dining experiences within its existing 100-acre footprint. Such plans would entail Disney taking over adjacent streets including Magic Way, Hotel Way and Clementine Street.
Disney expects to invest up to $2.5 billion over the next decade on this project.
While the initiative does not seek to increase the existing square feet of the park, they ask for greater leniency with zoning so they can build experiences in current properties and reallocate areas for hotels, entertainment and theme parks.
Without new zoning laws, DisneylandForward says that Disney’s California park will never add new experiences that differ from their other parks around the world. The site says new attractions may include areas dedicated to films like “Frozen,” “Zootopia,” “Peter Pan’s” Neverland and “Toy Story.”
While the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’ is looking to make park-goers even happier, Anaheim residents are not thrilled with Disney’s proposal. A petition uploaded to change.org on Jan. 2 titled, “Save Our Anaheim Streets from DisneylandForward,” has recorded 258 signatures as of Feb. 6.
The petition is posted under user “Save Magic Way” who argues that the road closures that would result from Disney’s plan only benefit the company and not the residents of Anaheim.
“Heavier traffic impacts air quality, and further delays our own daily commutes,” the poster said. “Most of all, closing the streets that intersect the Resort will create an isolated, walled fortress, with Disney turning its back on the community.”
Many residents raised their concerns at the Anaheim City Council meeting on Jan. 23.
“Our city is facing a great injustice – a moral dilemma that strikes at the heart of our values,” said local resident Jeanine Robbins. “I present to you the case against big businesses that, despite reaping enormous profits, fail to pay their employees a living wage or provide affordable housing.”
Robbins accused Disney of falsely promising to build only on existing property. She says they hiding their intentions to take over public streets which locals rely on to avoid traffic caused by the park.
“Stand with us in rejecting the crazy expansion of Disneyland in Anaheim,” Robbins said. “They cannot build a Disneyworld in the middle of a residential area.”
To benefit the local community and offset negative reactions, Disney looks to contribute $30 million to affordable housing. They also plan to make a 40-year commitment to expanding their workforce by hiring Anaheim residents.
Anaheim is no stranger to allegations of corrupt government dealings. The 46th mayor of Anaheim, Harish “Harry” Singh Sidhu, resigned in 2022 after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice, wire fraud and false statements.
According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Sidhu became a member of Anaheim’s negotiating team for the sale of Angel Stadium to the Los Angeles Angels Major League Baseball club during his election campaign and used his position to provide the Angels confidential information. In return, Sidhu expected a $1 million donation toward his mayoral campaign from the Angels.
Anaheim City Council hearings for Disney’s proposed project will take place in April and May of this year.