Disneyland's plans for a major expansion in California have cleared a significant hurdle.
According to Zawya, the Anaheim city council has approved a plan known as DisneylandForward, which could create up to 4,520 construction jobs per year of development and an additional 26,764 parks-related positions over the coming decades. The DisneylandForward plan aims to give Disney the flexibility to develop its 490-acre California property. The company is looking to blend hotels, shops, and attractions within the same themed world, similar to what it has done in Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea Park.
The proposal includes allowing theme park attractions alongside hotels on the west side of Disneyland Drive and new shopping, dining, and entertainment to the southeast on what is currently the Toy Story Parking Area.
However, the plan is not without controversy. Some local residents have voiced concerns about increased traffic and noise, as well as the conversion of a public road known as Magic Way into a pedestrian walkway. Anaheim resident Trangdai Glassey said, "A project like DisneylandForward will only further exacerbate the current problems. To disregard the human costs from a project of this scope is unthinkable."
Despite these concerns, the plan has received enthusiastic support from many, who are excited about the job opportunities and revenue they expect the expansion to bring to the area.
Disney has not yet revealed what attractions and amenities it plans to add in California. However, it has pointed to attractions found elsewhere, such as the new World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland, or the "mammalian metropolis" of Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland.
Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock wrote in an opinion piece in the Orange County Register, "With each new experience taking three to five years to come to fruition, DisneylandForward is an urgent need so we can determine what new stories could be told at The Happiest Place on Earth.”