NEWS: Analysts Predict Disneyland Resort’s Crowds Could Nearly DOUBLE Soon

For years, we’ve been watching for updates on the DisneylandForward plan!

This project was announced by Disney a while back as a way to fill in unused space at Disneyland Resort, expanding the parks and the offerings nearby without the purchase of additional land. Now, after years of proposals and votes, the city of Anaheim has finally approved the project to move forward!

On Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, the Anaheim City Council gave final approval for Disney’s project plans. This means that the long-awaited updates can finally come to fruition! We’re still likely years away from those changes, but we’re here to share some of the expectations with you.

DisneylandForward is a “multiyear public planning effort with the City of Anaheim to update existing development approvals that will allow Disney to meaningfully invest in Anaheim for years to come and meet the future demands in entertainment.” Essentially it’s a plan to expand Disneyland’s theme parks, parking lots, shopping, and more.

Disneyland has committed to a $1.9 billion investment over the next decade. Plans are still in early development, however, they teased projects around Coco, Black Panther, Tangled, Frozen, Zootopia, Peter Pan, Tron, and Toy Story. Read all about those updates here!

After the approval announcement, CNN shared thoughts from some theme park experts, including Dennis Speigel, owner and founder of International Theme Park Services, a global consultant for theme park projects. “This is long overdue – this is decades overdue. This, in my opinion, is the biggest thing Disney has done since they opened the gate in ’55,” said Speigel.

Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure

Speigel is not involved in Disney’s plans, but noted that the expansion could allow Disneyland Resort to go from an estimated 25 million visits per year to 40 million over the next 20 years. That’s a 60% increase in attendance!

This means that as Disneyland Resort expands, we’re likely to see it get a LOT busier. The good news is that the updates will create more room for crowds within the parks, which will hopefully disperse things a bit and make the flow better.

Of course, this expansion will also increase per capita spending, according to Speigel. Because there will be more attractions, visitors will pay more to stay longer and experience everything.