Disneyland commits $2.5 billion for theme park expansion

Disneyland has committed to spend at least $2.5 billion over the next decade as part of a long-term planning proposal presented to the city of Anaheim that dangles possible projects based on Wakanda, Zootopia, Frozen and Coco.

The details of the proposed DisneylandForward development agreement between Disney and the city were released on Tuesday, Jan. 23 during an Anaheim City Council workshop.

The DisneylandForward proposal seeks to update a 1990s Anaheim city plan to allow for a mix of theme park, hotel, retail, dining and entertainment on the eastern and western edges of the Disneyland resort.

The long-term planning proposal covering the next four decades of Disneyland development dangles possible projects based on Black Panther, Coco, Frozen, Zootopia, Tangled, Peter Pan, Toy Story and Tron as the types of lands and attractions Anaheim is missing out on under current city planning and zoning guidelines.

The $2.5 billion investment over the next decade would go toward theme park lands, attractions, hotels, shopping and dining west of Disneyland Drive and on the Toy Story parking lot.

The multi-billion dollar investment would not cover millions more spent by Disney on parking structures, pedestrian bridges and road improvements in the theme park resort area.

The DisneylandForward proposal calls for Disney to pay $40 million for portions of Magic Way, Clementine Street, Gene Autry Way and Hotel Way to clear the way for the proposed theme park expansion.

The plan also calls for Disney to build a 17,000-space eastside parking structure with direct connections from the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway that would be larger than the combined Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals parking structures.