The Mouse and Anaheim: Disney's Dominance of Policy

This paper examines the relationship between the city of Anaheim and the Walt Disney Company since Disneyland's opening. Disneyland became an economic force in Anaheim with the decline of the aerospace industry and the military’s presence in the area. By 1980, Disneyland was the area’s largest employer, with Disney seeking tax breaks and subsidies from Anaheim, threatening to limit Disneyland's growth if the City did not meet its demands. In the early 2000s, community groups argued the concessions granted to Disney came at the expense of the city’s poor neighborhoods, asserting concessions were unnecessary. An anti-Disney coalition took control of the City Council in 2016, blocking pro-Disney initiatives. In 2018, the Company increased its spending on pro-Disney candidates, and its supporters took control of the Council. When Disney’s dominance was challenged, the Company increased financial support for supportive candidates, resulting in the election of a pro-Disney mayor and Council majority.