DL's impact on Southern Cal

[icpscientist]

When my family and I were at DL a few weeks ago, I started looking around the area, and began to wonder: how much of this is here because Disneyland is here?

All the hotels and restaurants around to service the guests is easily understood, but I'm talking about broader issues than that: I have to believe that it's no coincidence that the I-5 highway goes so close to the property - all those people need quick, easy access to the park! Would the I-5 even exist without that park being there (or did it exist prior to DL)? Would the Anaheim Convention Center? Logistically speaking, the taxes collected in the rectangle made out of the street boundaries of Ball, Rt 57, Katella, and Disneyland Dr have to create nearly 100% of the budget of the city of Anaheim, right? The point is, would any of that exist without the advent of Disneyland?

Does anyone have any thoughts? Have any studies ever been published? Any documentaries? Who knows the history of that area better than I do?

[Wizzard419]

In the immediate area? Most of it is Disneyland, but the santa ana freeway (the section of the 5 you're talking about) would have always been there as it was there before disneyland and was being expanded before disneyland. The tourisim stuff (hotels/motels, dining establishments, prostitues, stadiums/convention centers, etc.) would probably not be there. The cities that develops in south oc were mainly levitowns (heavily planned communities) and were more reliant on the marine bases at the time as well as the growing industry of Irvine.