The Disney company has rolled out the first step in an ambitious plan to build Disney-themed residential neighborhoods around the United States.
The first neighborhood is set to open in Rancho Mirage, California — but if things go to plan for Disney, there will be many more to come.
How would you like to live in the happiest place on Earth?
Now, you can’t live at Disneyworld or Disneyland, as much as some would like to. But the passion that many have for the Disney brand has inspired the company to create Disney-themed areas where they can actually live.
The first neighborhood will be near Palm Springs, California.
The community, set to be located in Rancho Mirage, is just over 100 miles from the original Disney theme park: Disneyland in Anaheim, which opened its doors back in 1955.
The Palm Springs area is an affluent place, full of golf courses, vacation rentals and retirees, making it an ideal location for Disney to roll out its plan.
It’ll be operated under the brand ‘Storyliving by Disney.’
While there’s a slick new website for Disney’s big initiative, the only neighborhood listed, and the only one with concrete plans, is the SoCal location, which will be known as ‘Cotino: A Storyliving by Disney Community.’
It’ll be a ‘dynamic, creative oasis set within the stunning landscape of Palm Springs.’
While groundbreaking for the community hasn’t happened yet, the website explains the neighborhood’s mission. It’s tough to sift through all the PR-speak, but it sounds like Disney is trying to weave together the natural and human history of the region along with its own iconic Disney branding.
How Disney-fied will it be?
Surprisingly, the mockups show that Disney branding won’t be front and center. The copy refers to Disney’s Imagineers having a role, along with “Disney’s vision of vibrant settings and magical possibilities,” but it doesn’t seem like Disney wants the place to look like a theme park.
Properties could get pricey.
A master-planned community in a desirable area will likely discourage any homebuyers on a budget. For what it’s worth, we have no idea what home prices could be. Disney says the prices will be set by the contractors who build the houses.
According to realtor.com, the median listing home price in Palm Springs is $697,000, while the median sold home price is $510,500.
The community will come with built-in entertainment.
Disney cast members and Imagineers will manage the properties and put on performances, though it sounds like membership in any Disney clubs will be strictly voluntary.
There’s precedent for this.
The Storyliving branding is new, but Disney has operated planned communities before. There’s one on the site of Walt Disney World in Florida and another one known as Celebration, Florida, which Disney no longer operates.
Would you live in a Disney community?
It’s tough to know if the target market here is Disney fanatics or affluent retirees looking for a winter home, but it’ll be interesting to see whether Disney’s gambit pays off. Let us know what you think in the comments.
