You Can Soon Own A Home Built By Disney, Surrounded by Disney Fans

Disney has announced plans to build a series of planned home communities, with the first set to be constructed outside of Palm Springs, California. Today, Disney announced "Storylivng by Disney," a new line of planned neighborhoods with home types ranging from condominiums and single-family homes. Each community will be designed by Disney Imagineers as well as regional home and neighborhood developers. Many of the communities will be targeted towards 55+ residents, keeping in line with a growing national trend towards age-restricted and age-targeted communities. 

The first of these planned neighborhoods is "Cotino – a Storyliving by Disney community" that will be located in Racho Mirage, California outside of Palm Springs. The community will include a club membership, a 24-acre "grand oasis" with professionally-managed beach park that can be accessed by the public through the purchase of a day pass, and has the potential for the addition of a hotel and various shopping and dining offerings. Joining Cotino's voluntary social club will come with access to a waterfront clubhouse, a club-only beach area and recreational water activities, as well as Disney entertainment and activities throughout the year at an additional fee. No prices or timeframe was given about Cotino's opening, nor did Disney reveal where they were planning other home developments. 

Although it seems odd at first glance that Disney is getting into the homebuilding and neighborhood planning business, the company has considered similar projects in the past. EPCOT was famously an offshoot of a utopian city plan created by Walt Disney that continuously tested out new city planning ideas and technologies. The living city idea was scrapped when Disney died, although the company still founded the city of Celebration and has governmental control of Walt Disney World Resort through a legislative concept created thanks to the original EPCOT idea. Disney is also working on developing a massive community for 55+ residents in Lake Nona, FL as part of a deal that saw the company move many of its corporate offices to Florida. Disney also owns Golden Oak, a residential community located within Walt Disney World Resort. That community was also designed by Disney Imagineers and features a clubhouse, restaurant and community activities planned by Disney and neighborhood officials.