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Disney World Announces Plans For Major Expansion

Walt Disney World has announced the building of affordable housing.

Disney World is a popular tourist location seeing thousands of Guests daily. Disney World is always in the process of building and updating Parks and other areas around Disney.

cinderella castle
Credit: Becky Burkett

Walt Disney World Resort is home to four theme parks Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Each theme park has something for Guests to experience and feel the Disney magic. Walt Disney World is known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”

fantasyland cinderella castle
Credit: Disney

Walt Disney World bought land in 2022 of nearly 80 acres of land to create a new affordable and attainable housing development for our community.

Disney World has been making more and more progress on this initiative every day, and now, Disney is thrilled to share that groundbreaking on this development is targeted for next year, with the first units anticipated to be completed in 2026.  Disney World “is also expanding our vision to now include approximately 1,400 total units – over 100 higher than we had initially announced. We hope to make a positive impact wherever we can in our community, so to be able to offer more units means even more Florida families will get access to attainable housing, in addition to creating new Florida jobs as part of the construction and operation,” the company shared.

Walt Disney World Affordable Housing Development
Credit: Disney

Disney previously announced, The Michaels Organization, a nationally recognized developer, will build and operate the property, which would be just a few miles away from the Magic Kingdom, near schools and shopping, including Flamingo Crossings Town Center, which continues to open more great retail and dining spots. The development, which is planned to be privately financed, will be limited to applicants within a certain income range.

Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle and the team met earlier this week with leaders from The Michaels Organization here in Florida, and discussed how the company hopes this development inspires others in the community and across the country to support this important issue in innovative ways.

Disneyland Finamore Place
Credit: Jamboree Housing Corporation

While Disney will continue to work closely with The Michaels Organization to make progress on this initiative, Disney has been on the front line, supporting important causes in our community. Disney recently joined Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, an organization that our cast members passionately support year-round through our Disney VoluntEARS program, for the grand opening of its newly renovated youth center, which was built with the help of a $100,000 Disney grant. And late last year, Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort announced significant donations to local community food banks to support families in need, totaling more than $300,000.

Disney will continue to share more details, including more information on how to apply for those who qualify, when it comes time. In the meantime, we will keep working diligently behind the scenes to bring this important initiative to life! Visit DisneyFlorida.com to learn more.

What do you think of Disney building affordable housing?

Brittni Ward

Brittni is a Disney and Universal fan; one of her favorite things at both parks is collecting popcorn buckets. While at Disney World Resort, Brittni meets the princesses and rides Kilimanjaro Safaris. At Universal, Brittni enjoys the Minions and watching Animal Actors on Location! When not at Disney World Resort or Universal Orlando, Brittni spends time with her family and pets.

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