Disney Plans to Build Residential Communities That Promise to Offer the 'Disney Touch'

The Disney Company announced plans for their next venture: “Storyliving by Disney,” new residential communities that promise to offer the “Disney Touch.”

The first community, called "Cotino," is set to break ground later this year in the Palm Spring city of Rancho Mirage, California. The project will house 1,900 residential units that will be developed on a 618-acre property, according to a Disney spokesperson, CNN reported. 

It will be the first of many residential neighborhoods planned to be developed across the country that includes condominiums and single-family homes. The company also plans to develop a mixed-use district, a “town center” that will be open to the public where dining, shopping, entertainment, is offered. The area will also include a hotel and a beach park. 

The company also plans to designate certain neighborhoods for residents 55 and older.

“There is incredible demand for all things Disney. Our fans continue to look for new ways to engage with us, to keep Disney as part of their lives,” Josh D’Amaro, Disney Parks chairman of Experiences and Products told USA Today.

According to a Disney spokesperson, the “Storyliving” developments are designed for those fans who are “looking for the Disney approach to detail and experience every day,” CNN reported. 

Disney employees, whom the company calls "cast members," will manage the properties and curate programming and experiences for residents. For example, the Cotino clubhouse will be themed as a “modern-day creative studio,’ with each of its spaces celebrating different art forms, USA Today reported.

Other amenities include live entertainment, cooking classes, seminars on wellness or philanthropic project and water recreation. There are also plans for a centerpiece lagoon with a beach for those residents who would like to join the community’s private club, the news outlet reported. 

Home prices have not been announced yet, but will be set by the builder and will be based on the current market, a spokesperson said, CNN reported.

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