Disney Shares Close Glimpse At Its First ‘Storyliving’ Residential Neighborhood
By Mikelle Leow, 21 Jun 2022
Image via Disney Parks Blog
While your childhood dreams of residing in a real-life version of Disneyland will have to wait, the House of Mouse does have plans to bring housing to folks outside of, say, Fantasyland and Epcot in a massive residential venture it calls ‘Storyliving’.
To Disney, the city of Rancho Mirage in California is a “living painting,” saturated with strokes of lush greens, vivacious reds, lively yellows, serene blues, and cocoa neutrals. For centuries, the landscape has inspired many an artist and storyteller, from the Cahuilla basket-weavers who originally occupied the region to newer residents.
That’s why the company has chosen Rancho Mirage as its very first Storyliving neighborhood. Called ‘Cotino’, the Coachella Valley housing area will be designed by Walt Disney Imagineering, DMB Development, and architectural design studio WHA to inspire its inhabitants to “keep dreaming and keep doing.”
Disney has now released renders of what Cotino might look like, though it disclaims that its plans are still pending approval by the City of Rancho Mirage. The artworks are just ideas it wants Cotino residences to embody.
Image via Disney Parks Blog
The company hopes to introduce a variety of living spaces into this all-new neighborhood, including single-family homes and condominiums.
Image via Disney Parks Blog
At least one zone will be dedicated to residents aged 55 and above, it adds.
Image via Disney Parks Blog
Apart from housing, the community will also include a hotel, and zoning approvals for shopping, dining, recreational, and entertainment facilities ensure residents will always be inspired.
Image via Storyliving by Disney
At the heart of the community will be a 24-acre grand oasis with a beach park and sparkling turquoise waters, which will support recreational water activities. Meanwhile, the landscape’s Santa Ana mountain range is imagined to shyly peek out from the distance.
Image via Storyliving by Disney
Cotino is scheduled to open by 2024, with sales opening early next year.
Image via Storyliving by Disney
It’s only the first of several US neighborhoods in Disney’s grand residential scheme. Oh boy!
[via WDWMagic.com, Chip and Company, Storyliving by Disney, images via various sources]