Blueprint for Disneyland theme parks approved by Anaheim officials

ANAHEIM, California: This week, local officials in Anaheim approved a new blueprint governing the development of Walt Disney's Southern California theme parks over the next 40 years, meaning that plans to expand the Disneyland Resort just passed a major hurdle.

The plan, known as DisneylandForward, is expected to generate some 4,520 construction jobs per year of development and an additional 26,764 job positions in parks over the coming decades.

A second procedural council vote, scheduled for 7 May, will consider zoning changes and revisions in the city's development agreement with Disney and analyze the park's environmental effects.

If the changes are finalized and approved, they will take effect in 30 days. Disney said it will invest a minimum of US$1.9 billion in new theme park experiences and accommodation over the coming decade.

Disney's parks have become a reliable source of profit and have helped cushion losses in the Disney+ streaming business.

In 2023, the media giant announced that it will commit $60 billion over the next decade, further investing in its parks and doubling the capacity of its cruise line business.

Disneyland, the company's first theme park, opened in 1955.

In 2021, Disney submitted the DisneylandForward plan, which would give it flexibility in developing its 490-acre California property and blend hotels, shops, and attractions within the same themed world.

Members of the public addressed the council before the vote, with many expressing their support for the job opportunities and revenue the expansion is expected to bring to the area.

However, other residents said they would be harmed by increased traffic and noise and the conversion of a public road known as Magic Way into a pedestrian walkway.

"A project like DisneylandForward will only further exacerbate the current problems. To disregard the human costs from a project of this scope is unthinkable," Anaheim resident Trangdai Glassey said.

In an opinion piece that appeared in the Orange County Register, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said, "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."