Do You Want to Live at Disney All the Time?
Do you want to live at Disney all the time?
Thanks to an earth-shattering announcement, you soon can…kinda.
Photo Credit: Disneyland
What’s Storyliving by Disney, and why is the company offering a chance for fans to live near Mickey Mouse?
Here’s what you need to know about Disney’s next major project.
Why Is Disney Getting into Real Estate?
Did you know that the American real estate market was worth nearly half a trillion (with a T!) dollars in 2021?
Also, are you familiar with Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville brand? Did you know they sell homes now? I swear it’s true.
Credit: Margaritaville Orlando
I signed up for a mailing list as I considered buying one in Orlando about three years ago.
The dutiful real estate agent was still contacting me as recently as last week.
She warned me that they were down to their last few cottages in inventory. And she wasn’t exaggerating as a sales pitch, either.
In fact, Minto Communities USA, the builder responsible for these Margaritaville developments, reported revenue of $454 million in 2019!
I mention these two facts as a preface to this story. First, when something generates several hundred million dollars in revenue with minimal effort, it attracts attention.
Credit: Margaritaville Orlando
Disney executives noticed this housing trend and recognized a massive financial opportunity.
Jimmy Buffett’s most diehard fans – and I’m one of them – are willing to pay more for a house if it’s in a community of like-minded fans.
The next time you’re in Orlando, I invite you to drive to Margaritaville Cottages and the other developments here.
You’ll find literally hundreds of homes here, and that’s not even the most intriguing part.
Photo: Margaritaville Cottages
This community features several strip malls full of restaurants and other entertainment activities.
This place is akin to Universal CityWalk Orlando, only it caters primarily to guests in the various neighborhoods.
Photo: (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
When a community features thousands of people, they need to eat somewhere. They’d also like some entertainment, which explains why there’s a movie theater here as well.
Margaritaville built an entirely new community 10 minutes from Walt Disney World…and they did it in less than five years! And Disney noticed!
Photo: Margaritaville Cottages
Introducing Storyliving by Disney
Not coincidentally, Disney has revealed its latest project, Storyliving by Disney.
You can think of this project as a bunch of new communities akin to Margaritaville Orlando, a place that has grown so large that it has its own water park.
Photo: Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel
In fact, if you listen to XM Radio’s Margaritaville Channel (which I do a lot), its main studio is in this community of houses!
Disney wants to steal borrow the idea to construct its own neighborhoods brimming with loyal fans.
In other words, it’d consist of the same people that you see at the parks every vacation, only they’ll live in your community!
You’re probably visualizing Golden Oak when you hear that Storyliving term, and there’s some truth to it.
After all, Disney has already announced its first community, Cotino.
Disney will build multiple neighborhoods in the Coachella Valley area near Palm Springs, the same place where Walt and Lillian Disney once owned a home.
These properties will mirror Golden Oak in terms of price and amenities. So, they’re likely out of your price range.
However, that’s not the best reflection of Disney’s ambition here.
Image Credit: Zillow
Instead, I’ll circle back to the Margaritaville Cottages in Orlando, Florida.
Remarkably, Jimmy Buffett’s real estate agents sold 1,114 homes in calendar 2019.
The average price for a home crossed $407,000, and housing has only grown more expensive since then.
You can imagine Disney’s interest here. If drunken Jimmy Buffett fans will pay $400,000 for the chance to live at a Margaritaville home, what could Disney charge its fans to live with Mickey Mouse?
The Disney Difference in Storyliving
I’ve raved about Golden Oak in the past, and one of its strengths comes down to theming.
Image Credit: StellarMLS / Realtor.com
Homeowners get to pick their favorite Disney characters, and Imagineers build homes that pay tribute to these beloved icons.
If you love Ariel, you can build a Golden Oak home in the style of The Little Mermaid. Similarly, Beauty and the Beast fans can recreate Belle’s Library, and so forth.
Obviously, the Storyliving communities won’t be as lavish as Golden Oak. Still, the same premise should apply.
Your home will include many Disney touches incorporated into the very framework. I would assume it’ll have some Hidden Mickeys as well.
Photo: Golden Oak
In short, you can Disney-fy your home to make the magic a part of your everyday life.
Buying a Storyliving home is akin to moving to Orlando; only you can stay where you are and bring Disney to you!
I should add that some of what I’m saying in this section represents my only speculation rather than anything confirmed yet.
As usual, Disney was sparse with the initial details.
What Will Storyliving Communities Offer?
We did learn a bit about the project, although it’s like the Disneyland Forward announcement last year. Unfortunately, it’s shockingly lacking in specificity.
Here are a few tidbits that the company would confirm:
“Each community will feature distinctively designed spaces, unique amenities and Disney’s brand of world-renowned service.”
I would imagine that means Disney structures like statues and architecture when people enter the community. It’s something that identifies your neighborhood as Mouse-loving.
Disney does expand on the amenities a bit. Here’s the applicable quote:
“Disney cast members trained in the company’s legendary guest service will operate the community association.
Through a club membership, Disney will also provide access to curated experiences, such as wellness programming; entertainment ranging from live performances to cooking classes; philanthropic endeavors; seminars and much more.”
What I take from that is twofold. First, trained Disney cast members will run the communities, guaranteeing high-level customer service.
Second, you must join the community’s private club to receive the best amenities available in the neighborhood. That’s…not great.
Presumably, you must pay an admission fee once and then an annual fee to sustain your membership. It’s like Club 33, only in your backyard.
Still, the appeal of living at Disney will resonate with many fans, myself included.
If/when Disney lists the cities that will receive the first Storyliving communities, I can assure you I’ll check to see whether any are near me.
The idea of living in the same place as other diehard Disney fans undeniably appeals to me.
If you feel the same way, you can watch Disney’s introductory video about Storyliving. It’ll help you decide your level of interest in living in a Disney community.
