Disney Files Permit For “Affordable Housing” Complex

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Disney World officially started the process of building its affordable housing community on September 10, 2025, after first announcing the project in 2022. The community will eventually include over 1,400 homes for Disney employees and people living in Central Florida.

Developed by The Michaels Organization with private funding, the new project in Orange County, Florida’s Horizon West area will help make housing more affordable for local residents.

As a huge fan of the theme park scene here in Florida, it’s amazing how much is packed into the Central Florida area! Everyone knows Disney World is massive – they say they employ around 80,000 people! But it’s not just Disney, of course. Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, ICON Park, and countless hotels and restaurants all contribute to this incredible tourism hub. It’s a whole ecosystem built around vacations and conferences, and it’s really something to see.

Specifics of This Latest Permit

On September 10, 2025, Disney applied for a permit (number 250908-56772) from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). The permit is for managing water and stormwater on their property, including drainage systems, wetlands, and stormwater basins. It also addresses the environmental effects of water flow and management at the site.

As a film location scout, I’ve been looking over the plans for this new development, and it’s a pretty massive project. We’re talking about 1,369 apartments spread across over 103 acres! But it’s not just the buildings themselves – they’re also building everything *around* them, like the roads, utilities, drainage, and parking – all the stuff you need to make a whole community function. It’s a complete infrastructure build, which is great to see for potential shoots.

A Long Time Coming

Disney first announced plans for an affordable housing complex near Disney World back in April 2022. They revealed they’d set aside almost 80 acres in Southwest Orange County to build the development, which will include over 1,300 homes for people who meet certain income requirements, including Disney employees.

On November 16, 2022, Disney chose The Michaels Organization to handle the entire project – including development, ownership, and day-to-day operations.

Although Disney has built several vacation clubs recently, they’ve been slow to move forward with this particular project, which is intended to benefit local residents – many of whom may also work to support those visiting DVC resorts.

Why The Delay?

Disney has run in to a number of hurdles in making this project come to fruition.

Disney originally planned to start construction in late 2024, but recent reports from 2025 indicate delays. Now, it looks like they’re aiming to begin building later in 2025 or early 2026, according to the newest permits filed.

The area around Disney World where a new development is planned is growing quickly, and is known as “Horizon West.” This growth means the existing roads, schools, and emergency services may need improvements to handle the increased number of residents. Plans are already underway to add things like turn lanes, traffic lights, and crosswalks, but these require careful planning, funding, and official approval.

Construction has started, but it will likely take another five years to finish the entire 80-acre complex.

Central Florida’s Need For Affordable Housing

Orlando and the areas around it are popular vacation spots, which means a huge workforce is needed to keep the tourism industry running.

I’ve noticed that while you can definitely climb the ladder to some high-paying management roles in hospitality, a lot of the industry actually relies on people starting in entry-level positions, and those jobs don’t always pay a lot.

If this assistance disappeared, visitors wouldn’t be able to enjoy the attractions or take reasonably priced vacations. That’s why we need all the people who work in these industries, and it’s crucial they have access to housing they can afford that is both good quality and safe.

Orlando and its surrounding communities are facing a housing shortage. Currently, the average two-bedroom apartment costs around $1,890 per month. However, a full-time worker earning $18 an hour typically brings home about $3,120 monthly, leaving very little money left over after rent.

It should come as a blessing to many in Central Florida once this new Disney Complex is completed.

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2025-09-21 14:57