Residents of a small California town are expressing outrage over Disney’s proposal to build a 2,000-home community in their tranquil desert area.
The Walt Disney Company has unveiled plans to design neighborhoods across the United States in partnership with property developers, aiming to tap into fans’ love for the brand beyond its theme parks and entertainment offerings.
Local Opposition
However, the first of these developments—a 618-acre residential community with 1,900 housing units, including single-family homes and condominiums in Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs—has encountered significant opposition from locals.
Carol Tiffin, a resident, voiced her concerns that the project could transform the Coachella Valley into “another Las Vegas.” She wrote online, “Living off Gerald Ford, I’m concerned about traffic, especially during the winter months when all the snowbirds are in town.”
Environmental Concerns Clash with Potential Economic Benefits
Disney plans to create Cotino Bay, a lagoon beside a promenade that will offer “striking views of the oasis and the mountains beyond.” However, Tiffin also worries about the environmental impact, particularly the water usage for the lagoon in the middle of the desert, which she fears could affect nearby residents.
Despite her concerns, she acknowledged, “On the brighter side, it should increase the value of Rancho Mirage homes, bring more business, and additional tax money to the city. Time will tell, but I’d hate to see the Coachella Valley turn into another Las Vegas.”
Water Use Restrictions Add to Controversy
The issue is further complicated by recent water use restrictions imposed on residents during major droughts.
When news of the lagoon first surfaced in 2022, local resident Mark Wolpa highlighted that the region was under “tight restrictions. “He told the Los Angeles Times, “Everyone was ripping out their yard and replacing it with artificial grass. And meanwhile, I start seeing signs for a massive lagoon.” Although restrictions have eased due to heavy rainfall in the past year, Wolpa still feels that the lagoon, which will span 18 football fields, “feels wasteful.”
Environmental Impact
Other residents have voiced concerns about the environmental impact, including Juliette Vos, who warned against the destruction of local wildlife.
“Destroying native plants with 20-foot root systems with your deadly green mulch and replacing them with thirsty three-foot root systems is how to recreate the Sahara,” she wrote online. “Down with Disney.” Deborah Hager also criticized the development, saying it is “not needed” and would involve “tearing down this beautiful desert.”
Lack of Community Input
Several locals also pointed out that Rancho Mirage residents were not given a say in the development, and that the proposed housing will not be particularly affordable.
Zillow data shows that Rancho Mirage is the second-most expensive city in the Coachella Valley, with the median home price at $878,659.
High Housing Costs
The Disney condos are expected to range from $1 million to over $2 million.
Bill Miller, a local gardener and environmentalist, told the LA Times, “Rancho Mirage is already one of the richest cities in Southern California, and this will only add to its wealth. But where will the workers live? The housekeepers, landscapers, bartenders, and hospitality employees?”
“Storyliving” Concept
Disney has revealed that Cotino will include shops and a beachfront hotel surrounding a 24-acre lagoon, with some neighborhoods reserved for residents aged 55 and older.
In these communities, Disney aims to create a unique experience, expanding storytelling into what it calls “storyliving.”
“Imagineers” to Craft Unique Living Experiences
Disney park designers, known as “imagineers,” will develop the creative concepts for these communities, drawing inspiration from each region, and Disney employees will manage a community association offering entertainment, activities, beach access, and Disney programming.
Although the communities will be designed by the same team behind the theme parks, they will not be directly connected to any theme park.
Storyliving by Disney
Disney has formed a new business unit, Storyliving by Disney, to create these master-planned communities in collaboration with landowners, developers, and home builders.
The Cotino project is being developed in partnership with DMB Development.
Details Yet to Be Revealed
While prices and other details have not been fully disclosed, the development will include a mix of condominiums, single-family homes, and estates.
This initiative represents Disney’s latest foray into residential development, a venture that began in the 1960s when the late Walt Disney announced plans for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT), a project that was shelved following his death in 1966.
Storyliving Echoes EPCOT Vision
“Walt was trying to build a connected, integrated, story-based community,” Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro previously stated.
“While these Storyliving communities are not Epcot, they share that same spirit. This is something that Walt would have been all over.”
