Anaheim's Disneyland Resort could be getting bigger!
As the resort gears up for an April 30 reopening after a year-long shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney also announced this week that the company is eyeing major expansion plans for both Disneyland and California Adventure.
The plans are currently pending approval with the city of Anaheim as part of the company's DisneylandForward initiative — a "multiyear public planning effort" that is aimed at adding more experiences to the existing parks' footprint.
Disneyland Resort is asking for "more flexibility within our existing properties" to develop new experiences for guests from rides and attractions to dining and hotels, according to the DisneylandForward website.
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"To be clear, Disneyland Resort is not seeking any public funding in this effort, nor are we seeking to develop any additional square footage or hotel rooms beyond what is already allowed," Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said in a recent email to local stakeholders.
"We are simply working with the city and community to update existing approvals to allow for integrated, immersive experiences to be appropriately placed and built throughout Disney properties."
While nothing is set in stone, Disney says the new development could take inspiration from existing properties elsewhere in the world, including Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla., and the Frozen, Tangled and Peter Pan attractions at Tokyo DisneySea.
Other inspirations could come from Shanghai Disneyland's new Zootopia attraction and the TRON Lightcycle Run roller coaster, which is also in development at the Magic Kingdom in Florida.
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The initiative also seeks to add new retail, dining and hotel experiences for Disneyland Resort guests, modeled after Disney Springs at Florida's Walt Disney World Resort.
"Without updates, new Disney experiences and placemaking, created from our beloved stories, will likely never find their way to the Disneyland Resort as they have to other parks throughout the world," the DisneylandForward website reads.
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Potrock said that the resort plans to bring thousands of jobs to the area through the initiative.
With the approval of their plan, they hope to "meet the current and future demand in entertainment."
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