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Resurfaced Report Reexamines Disney’s Abandoned Port Disney Plan

A newly circulated SFGATE story shows that public‑funding demands plus fights over filling protected coastline forced Disney to drop a $2 billion Long Beach resort whose ideas later appeared at Tokyo DisneySea.

FILE: From left, Robert Fitzpatrick, Michael Eisner and Roy E. Disney at the pre-opening of EuroDisney in France, Oct. 13, 1991. 
A general view of the water in Long Beach, Calif., on June 30, 2025.
FILE: Parkgoers explore Tokyo DisneySea during its grand opening in Urayasu, Japan, on Aug. 1, 2001. 
A view of the Queen Mary is seen in Long Beach, Calif., on June 30, 2025.

Overview

  • Disney planned Port Disney as a $2 billion Long Beach waterfront complex anchored by a second park called DisneySea with hotels, a marina, an oceanarium, cruise facilities, shops and attractions aimed at drawing millions of visitors.
  • The company asked city negotiators for nearly $880 million in publicly financed infrastructure, a request that alarmed Long Beach officials and complicated approval talks.
  • Environmental groups and state lawmakers opposed the plan because it required filling protected coastal waters, and the Port of Long Beach raised concerns that the project could disrupt shipping operations.
  • After the proposal collapsed, Disney shifted focus back to Anaheim where WestCOT was later pared down into Disney California Adventure, while many creative elements from the California DisneySea were built at Tokyo DisneySea.
  • The resurfaced coverage has revived public interest and highlights how California coastal rules and large municipal subsidies can determine whether major waterfront projects move forward or fail.