The Disneyland Resort had a busy 2024 and it appears it’s staying busy in 2025.
The resort opened brand-new attractions, created a new-and-improved ride queue, and installed some brand-new shops. Downtown Disney, is especially starting to look very different with new shops and eateries, and we just learned about three more stores coming to Disneyland’s shopping district!
Downtown Disney is evolving at a pretty fast pace and, per The Orange County Register, that evolution isn’t slowing down as a defunct space within the district won’t be defunct much longer.
Per the report, the former ESPN Zone building on Downtown Disney’s west side is undergoing a transformation and offering new storefronts as part of a $3.5 million project.
Way back in October 2017, Disney announced that ESPN Zone and vendors in the Downtown Disney district would close to make way for a new hotel, but that never came to fruition and, as of June 2018, the ESPN-themed restaurant and arcade has simply occupied space and served no guest-related purpose.
The commercial construction permits that were filed with the Anaheim Planning and Building Department call for the two-story building to be divided into two stores on the bottom floor while a third store would be built on the top floor. Right now, it is unknown which stores will occupy the building or when construction will be completed.
There are still plenty of details that haven’t been released, but we’re just excited to see the building formerly known as the ESPN Zone become active again after a long dormant period!
Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort are undergoing tons of change, so stay tuned right here at AllEars for all the latest updates!
Two NEW Disney Stores Are NOW OPEN, and We’ve Got a FULL LOOK Inside!
What kind of stores are you hoping to see open at this Downtown Disney location? Let us know in the comments!
The ESPN Zone building wasn’t entirely empty, they constructed a studio within and were using it for the Imagination Campus program that brings schools in to record with Disney musicians (when they get to go and march in the park as well). My school went there in 2023, so i’m not sure if it’s still in use for this purpose but I can assure you that it was not completely abandoned!