Immersive theme park concept art planned for western expansion in DisneylandForward plan. (Courtesy of Disney)
It’s a cliché to use sports metaphors to describe results in business and politics, but what Disneyland accomplished this month really feels like a home game compared to one of California’s iconic sports teams.
Both Disneyland and the Oakland A’s have had issues with their ability to thrive in their home communities. But while the A’s chose to leave their fans in Oakland this month, Disneyland held a rally to build community support to make the necessary changes.
The Anaheim City Council this month gave unanimous preliminary approval to the DisneylandForward proposal, a package that would include changes to land-use rules so Disney could build attractions and hotels on land now reserved for parking. Meanwhile, in Northern California, the A’s announced plans to temporarily relocate to Sacramento en route to a new, partially taxpayer-funded home in Las Vegas.
With Disneyland Forward, Disney wasn’t looking for a taxpayer handout or subsidy like the A’s did in Oakland and eventually Las Vegas. Nor was Disney following what had become the playbook of so many other major American businesses.
Disney did not aim for the minimum required to approve the proposal – a 4-3 board vote. Nor did he try to end up moving forward with plans to develop new attractions around the city council anyway, with plans to fight off any potential opposition in city court. Instead, Disney leaders have done the hard work of reaching out to the community, explaining its plans and modifying its proposal in response to local residents’ concerns.
When it became clear that Disney’s plans required infrastructure changes, the company did not ask the city for a bond issue, but instead offered $45 million for street and sewer improvements. The company will also pay nearly $40 million to access Magic Way and Disneyland’s two current parking lots.
That’s not how many businesses work these days. The Wall Street playbook seems to say do the minimum necessary to ensure the desired outcome. Provide minimal effort while charging customers the maximum price, then look for government handouts at the same time. Forget about doing anything to create long-term value for the brand. Shareholders want to eat this seed corn today.
Disneyland is not a charity. He’s asking for a lot of money to pay for all these new rides and resort improvements, but that money comes from Disneyland customers — not local taxpayers. If you’re not in Disneyland and have never visited the resort, you won’t be interested in anything coming from DisneylandForward. This is worthy of public respect.
This is how it should work. Negotiation, not litigation. Investing in society, not abandoning it. But making this ideal a reality requires good faith on all sides. Anaheim and Disneyland teamed up on this proposal, and it was a big win for everyone.
