Spirit of Walt but no Mickey Mouse in Disney’s planned desert community

The entertainment giant is building almost 2,000 homes in California's Palm Springs area so beloved by its founder

The Coachella valley typically brings a few things to mind: hot desert sun, the most Instagrammable music festival in the country, and even more sun. What it doesn't bring to mind, however, is the family-friendly, Mickey Mouse-eared nostalgia associated with all things Disney. But that may be changing.

In 2022, Disney announced plans to build a first-of-its-kind branded residential community, which they have named Storyliving by Disney". The first of the Storyliving communities, Cotino, is officially welcoming residents into model homes in Rancho Mirage, a city nestled in Coachella valley. When all plans are finished, the 618-acre community will feature almost 2,000 residential units, including single-family homes and condos.