Disney nears final vote on Anaheim expansion plan.

Competing Southland parks support $3 billion project

Walt Disney Co. has successfully completed the first stage of the approval process for its planned expansion of Disneyland, and is expected to face a final vote by June 23. Anaheim's Planning Commission on May 20 approved the final environmental impact report submitted by Burbank-based Disney Development Corp., the Disney subsidiary overseeing the massive theme park expansion project.

The final EIR must still be approved by the Anaheim City Council. The City Council set aside three dates in June to hear public comment on the expansion: June 9, 10 and 23. If, however, public comments are concluded before June 23, the City Council will vote on the expansion at that time. The rubber stamp from the Anaheim City Council is the final approval that Disney needs before it can go ahead with its expansion.

Disney officials called the May 20 approval by the planning commission a "milestone," but were quick to add that the expansion deal still is far from a sure thing.

Disney plans to expand on land adjacent to its existing theme park, Disneyland, which opened its doors in 1955. The expansion is designed to include development of a second theme park, to be called Westcot. The new park would be similar to Disney's Epcot Center park in Orlando, Fla.

Plans also include three new theme hotels in addition to a large-scale renovation of the existing Disneyland Hotel.

The estimated $3 billion project also includes establishment of a garden district in and around Westcot and Disneyland.

The concept is modeled after Disney's Orlando theme park/resort, Walt Disney World and Epcot Center. Disney has learned its lessons well from its history in Florida.

Its strategy is to diversify the experiences offered to visitors to its Anaheim theme park, just as it has done in Florida. By adding retail areas, restaurants and a second theme park, Disney hopes that visitors will stay longer than one day at the expanded park. MCA/Universal is employing a similar strategy at Universal Studios Hollywood. On May 24, MCA/Universal opened a retail center, Citywalk, adjacent to its Universal City theme park.

One Disney official stated that its company's conservative estimate is that tourists will spend two days at the expanded Anaheim park.