Disney receives major approval to expand theme parks in Southern California

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Disney has won a major approval to expand its theme parks in Southern California, the first step toward making major changes to the iconic Disneyland in decades.

The Anaheim City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a plan to transform the 488-acre Disney campus in densely populated Southern California by moving the parking lot to a multi-story building and redeveloping a massive parcel with new entertainment and attractions. It was a second, required vote for the plan after the council gave initial approval last month. The approved zoning changes and ordinances require an additional 30 days for the changes to take effect.

The proposal won’t expand the physical footprint of the parks, but will help Disney create new, immersive experiences for visitors by building a land like the snow-covered hamlet of Arendelle from “Frozen” or the critter-filled metropolis of “Zootopia.” It requires Disney to invest at least $1.9 billion in the project over the next decade and spend tens of millions of dollars on street improvements, affordable housing and other infrastructure in the city of 345,000.

It’s the first time Disney has pursued a major change at its California theme parks since the 1990s, when the company was given permission to convert Disneyland, the original theme park built in 1955 and dubbed “the happiest place on earth.” transform into a resort center. It later built the Disney California Adventure theme park and the Downtown Disney shopping and entertainment district in the city 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

According to a report by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM, Disneyland was the second most visited theme park in the world in 2022 with 16.8 million people.