The Walt Disney Company – Disneyland Resort Expansion, Anaheim CA

In 1996 as Disney prepared to resuscitate its Anaheim expansion plans, Vandermost was hired by Walt Disney Imagineering to serve as its public relations point person, working with the Disneyland team and the City of Anaheim.

The $3 Billion resort expansion scope included  1,000 hotel rooms (Disney’s Grand Californian), 300,000 sf retail/dining (Downtown Disney), the California Adventure theme park, all parking infrastructure, widening and reconstruction of public streets including West St., Walnut Ave., Harbor Blvd., and Ball Rd.

At the same time, the City was expanding the Anaheim Convention Center and reconstructing Katella Ave., and OCTA/Caltrans rebuilt the major interchanges in and out of the Resort area.

Serving as public relations point person as the project was unveiled to the public and constructed, Vandermost handled:

• Overall public relations strategy
• Conducting public meetings
• Community / neighborhood outreach
• Government relations
• Media relations and spokesperson role
• Liaise with City/OCTA/Caltrans
• Internal communications