Disneyland theme park expansion moves one step closer with impact study

Disneyland’s long-term plans for theme park, retail and parking expansion moved one step closer to reality with the release of a key report by the city of Anaheim as Disney continues to reimagine what the future of the resort district will look like over the next four decades.

Anaheim released a 17,000-page Environmental Impact Report on Thursday, Sept. 14 for Disney’s expansion initiative known as DisneylandForward.

Disneyland hopes to have the project go before the Anaheim City Council for approval before the end of 2024. A public workshop outlining highlights of the DisneylandForward EIR will be held on Oct. 9 at Anaheim City Hall.

The biggest impacts of the project involved air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and noise — but not transportation or neighborhood aesthetics.

Air quality would be significantly and unavoidably impacted during the construction phase and park operations of any Disneyland Forward project, according to the EIR.

Greenhouse gas emissions were considered a significant impact in part because they weren’t studied in the 1990s when the last master plan for the theme park resort district was approved.

Compared to the 1990s, Disneyland has reduced the number of vehicle miles traveled through employee carpool programs, shuttle services, telecommuting and public transit.

Many of the required mitigation efforts outlined in the DisneylandForward EIR regarding energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and sustainability measures are already in practice at the Anaheim theme parks.

Disney would limit noise by building temporary sound-buffering barriers during construction and permanent 12-foot-tall noise barriers along property lines around the park expansion. Fireworks would be prohibited in the proposed expansion areas.

A fourth major impact would be to Disneyland itself — a historic theme park more than 50 years old that is considered a significant cultural resource. The study notes that change has been the most enduring constant of the 68-year-old theme park — meaning the DisneylandForward project would be historically appropriate.

The Main Street Railroad Depot, Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and Hungry Bear restaurant are already listed on the California Register of Historic Places, according to the DisneylandForward EIR.

Transportation and traffic were not considered major issues in the EIR in part because Disneyland, Caltrans and Anaheim overbuilt resort area streets, intersections, freeways and interchanges in recent years.

Building setbacks would require Disneyland to limit the aesthetic impacts on nearby neighborhoods. Certain rides would be forbidden within 200 to 300 feet of residences — effectively outlawing outdoor elevated roller coasters west of Disneyland Drive.

A new 360-degree architecture design program included in the DisneylandForward EIR would prohibit unfinished backstage areas like the backside of Cars Land from facing onto Katella Avenue or other public spaces. New buildings along residential Walnut Street would have a 50-foot height max and landscaped setback requirements. Portions of Magic Way would be abandoned as part of the DisneylandForward project.

DisneylandForward is Disney’s effort to work with the city to grow the Disneyland resort, update the blueprint for the theme park district and continue to propel Anaheim’s economic rebound following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Environmental Impact Report offers an overview of DisneylandForward and looks at the potential impacts of the project through in-depth studies, technical analysis and detailed maps.

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.

Since DisneylandForward was announced in 2021, Disneyland has reached out to 100,000 Anaheim residents and neighbors at community meetings and town halls to answer questions about the project and provide information about the process, according to Disneyland officials.

The Immersive Theme Park westside expansion envisions a theme park on the Downtown Disney and Lilo and Stitch parking lots woven amid the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel — currently undergoing a transformation into the Pixar Place Hotel.

Disney officials describe the westside site bounded by Katella Avenue, Walnut Street, Magic Way and Disneyland Drive as more of a theme park expansion than a new “third gate.”