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In 2022, The Walt Disney Company launched Storyliving by Disney, a residential development program located in Cotino, Rancho Mirage, California. The residential complex broke ground in April 2022, with themed homes starting at more than $1 million, and an art market in the heart of the city where artists can sell Disney-themed artwork. In December 2023, The Walt Disney Company announced a second residential development called "Asteria" in Pittsboro, North Carolina. In recent years, as movie and streaming revenues have declined, Disney has turned to developing more and more "experience" projects. "Real estate development seems like a logical step. The Guardian writes.
Build Disneytown
This is a "Disney Story Living Community". In the desert near Palm Springs, a sparkling new world will be born. The 2,000 homes are lined around a sparkling turquoise lake, and every aspect of life will be orchestrated by entertainment companies.
When developing "Storyliving by Disney", Walt Disney proposed to build a 9.7-hectare oasis in this extremely arid region, and the residential area was built around the oasis, which was no easy feat. Disney says it will keep the lake blue all year round with patented lagoon technology. Mayor Rancho Mirage said the development was "very fit" and was expected to bring the city more than $8 million a year in revenue, but many experts disagreed. Nicola Ulibarri, an expert who studies water management, said: "It doesn't make any sense for the environment to build an oasis in a hot desert in a state that doesn't have a lot of excess water. "In California, every drop counts. The evaporated water in the lake neither provides drinking water nor flows into the river, providing habitat for fish. ”
In this community, every service is carefully planned and handled by trained Disney professionals. Through the membership club model, Disney will provide entertainment services ranging from live performances to cooking classes, charity events, wellness services, and more. The community also includes an integrated area for shopping, dining, entertainment, and hotel accommodation, as well as a ticketed beach park. Amy Young, creative director at Cotino, said in a promotional video, "We've created a community that creates a real emotional connection with people – and that's not often the case. The Guardian wrote: "It's emotional enough for fans to spend $20,000 to join a neighborhood club in Cordino and then spend $10,000 a year on a happy themed life." ”
Disney's Community Dream
This isn't the first time The Walt Disney Company has tried to build a small town. In 1966, when the American modernist movement was gaining momentum, Walt Disney released a film that set out his ideas and plans for a futuristic archetypal city. He called the program EPCOT. Walt Disney considered modern American cities to be "disorderly, dirty, and extremely high in crime," so he envisioned a 200,000-square-meter domed megastructure surrounded by apartments and detached houses. A network of electric monorails and PeopleMovers connects the city and suburbs, allowing people to move between the green spaces of the suburbs. The streets will be built with a "people-oriented" philosophy, and the city will also include schools, churches, recreation centers, and themed shopping areas that are not affected by the weather.
Walt Disney struck a deal with ABC Television Network to invest in the acquisition of 98 hectares of land around Anaheim, California, to create the utopia of his dreams. Disney itself realized that television shows were crucial to promoting the Epcartel program, so Disney hosted a weekly ABC television network show that told stories about technology and alternative realities. More importantly, to inform the audience about the latest progress in urban construction. "It will be a place of hope and dreams. Disney said in the first episode. More than half of all television subscribers in the U.S. have watched his shows.
Due to the impracticality of the idea of maintaining, managing, and running the city, the "Epport Project" died with Walt Disney after his death. Today, Disney World's "Epochat" is located at Disney theme parks in Florida, showcasing international culture and forward-thinking to visitors.
In the 90s of the 20th century, The Walt Disney Company developed "Celebration" in Florida, close to the Disney resort, with shops, restaurants, apartments and office buildings, with uniform architectural designs and strict rules on the colors of residential lawns and curtains. "Celebration" attracted a large number of home buyers as soon as it was announced, and The Walt Disney Company had to draw lots to decide who would move into town. The first batch of 474 places will be available for 5,000 participants. Since then, there have been many crises in the "Celebration" neighborhood, such as some residents filing lawsuits against the Disney Company over mold, water leaks, and other overdue repairs. In 2020, a man was accused of brutally killing his wife, three children and pet dog at the "Celebration" home he bought, causing even more uproar.
In 2010, The Disney Company launched the "Golden Oak" self-operated community, where each home is Disney-themed and costs $2 million to $10 million, with a shuttle bus to Disney World. As of the end of 2021, Golden Oak properties accounted for five of the top 10 most expensive homes in Orlando. The town of "Cordino" has not yet been built, and it is still unknown whether fans will be willing to buy it in the long run.
Walt Disney.
News and picture sources: The Guardian, ArchDaily, some pictures from the Internet
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