What Disneyland's $1.9 Billion Expansion Could Mean For the ROADS Outside the Resort

Disneyland Resort could look a LOT different in the future if all goes according to plan. Despite the rather small footprint Disney has to work with in Anaheim, California, Disneyland Resort has a strategy that could expand its footprint.

DisneylandForward concept art ©Disney

Disney has a plan called DisneylandForward, which involves a multi-year collaboration between Disney and the City of Anaheim. The project would update some dated development approvals from the ’90s, allowing Disney to build new lands, restaurants, and attractions. There’s a LOT of potential here, but we’re still in the early stages of development. In fact, Disney is currently trying to purchase a few streets that could help the DisneylandForward project move, well, forward.

Disney first revealed its plans to expand the Disneyland theme park and resort districts back in 2021, and since then, we’ve been on the lookout for major developments.

Sleeping Beauty Castle

According to the Orange County Register, one of the roads that Disneyland is hoping to buy from the City of Anaheim is used almost entirely by Disneyland visitors: Magic Way. Company officials even confirmed that only a few dozen drivers per day use it to get elsewhere. That says a lot, considering the fact that we’re talking about Orange County, California here.

New Orleans Square

“Of the 11,153 vehicles that traverse Magic Way on a daily basis, 11,053 of them are either departing or arriving at a Disney property,” said Joe Haupt, a consultant for Disney. “Less than 100 are non-Disney users.”

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion

Disney also hopes to purchase Hotel Way and Clementine Street. Haupt described Hotel Way and the part of Clementine Street that Disney wants to buy as “driveways into Disney’s parking lots.” Magic Way is far larger at 1,150 feet and connects Walnut Street to Disneyland Drive. So, it seems that Magic Way will likely be the street that requires the most convincing of the public. Still, it’s mostly used by those using the Pixar Pals Parking Structure and the Disneyland Hotel.

Toontown at Disneyland

Disney has committed to pay $40 million to the City of Anaheim to purchase these streets, and in turn asks the city to give it more flexibility to choose where it builds new theme park areas, hotels and dining within its existing footprint. Plus, Disney has also committed to invest at least $1.9 billion into the resort and give Anaheim money for affordable housing, parks, and transportation.

Disneyland

The Planning Commission is expected to vote on the DisneylandFoward proposal at its next meeting on March 11. If Disney’s purchase of the streets is approved, this could be a BIG step forward when it comes to expanding Disneyland!