November 17, 2025 | Mark Luis Foster

This story caught my attention.

If you ever wished you could live in the Happiest Place on Earth, your dreams can now become reality. Residents officially began moving into Disney’s first-ever residential Storyliving community in Rancho Mirage, CA, earlier this year. It’s called Cotino, and it’s located near Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley.

Now, I’ve visited Disneyland and Walt Disney World many times over the course of the past decades. I can’t say those visits made me feel that I was at the happiest place on earth when I’m there, since a bottle of water now costs $8, and that’s not counting the incredibly high entry fee. I do know that Disney has tried to create the “community of tomorrow” ever since Walt Disney himself snapped up a bunch of swampland in central Florida in 1960’s. The EPCOT Center was supposed to be a community not unlike an HOA, but hyped up on Disney’s brand and their own terms. This ultimately proved unrealistic and EPCOT simply devolved into another high priced park.

Then they tried with Celebration, an HOA community that was Disney-themed and located near Walt Disney World in Florida. It ultimately failed and was sold off in 2004.

Now comes Cotino, near Palm Springs.

“The Coachella Valley was such a special place for Walt Disney to rest and recharge,” Caroline Boone, Walt Disney Imagineering executive creative director, tells Realtor.com. “When thinking about the story we wanted to tell at Cotino, we were inspired by the idea of a creative oasis: a vibrant community where people can gather, create, and share what they love, just like Walt did.”

According to the article on Realtor.com, the village “features a 24-acre lagoon called Cotino Bay, complete with swim zones, kayaking, and paddleboarding. Its white sand beach features cabanas, beach umbrellas, and an outdoor beach bar.”

Wow. They make no bones about the fee.

The Artisan Club is a voluntary club for Cotino residents and their families—starting at $11,000 a year per family, with a $20,000 initiation fee. It has a restaurant, outdoor waterfront bar, pool, spa, fitness center, and pickleball courts. It also includes a creative studio that hosts club programming such as speakers, artists, and more.

And it’s overall mission?

Bill Davidson, president of Davidson Communities, told USA Today that so far the buyers have all been Disney fans, largely from out West. Cotino is “intended to inspire residents to foster new friendships, pursue their interests, and write the next exciting chapter in their lives—all while enjoying the attention to detail, unique amenities, and special touches that are Disney hallmarks,” according to a Storyliving by Disney press release.

We’ll have to see how things go and whether or not it’s a small world after all.  Read at article HERE.