Disney Quietly Cuts More West Coast Offices as It Expands Into North Carolina

For a company known for magical kingdoms and cinematic dominance, The Walt Disney Company has recently been making some uncharacteristically quiet exits. As industry giants continue to adjust to a post-pandemic economy, Disney appears to be reevaluating the geography of its corporate empire — and not just in Hollywood.

The entertainment conglomerate, which maintains major hubs in Burbank, Lake Buena Vista, and beyond, has begun scaling back certain corporate operations on the West Coast. These moves come amid broader real estate recalibrations impacting major U.S. cities, with many large tenants opting to reduce their footprint in expensive metro areas.

But Disney’s strategy isn’t simply one of subtraction. As it downsizes in one part of the country, the company is simultaneously planting seeds elsewhere — and not in the places longtime Disney watchers might expect.

A Quiet Exit From Seattle and the Fox Lot

According to data published by CoStar, Disney has shed nearly 30% of its leased space at Seattle’s Fourth & Madison tower. Once occupying 170,000 square feet of the high-rise, the company will now operate from a reduced 121,600-square-foot footprint. The decision, finalized last month, positions Disney among a growing list of firms retreating from large-scale leases across the region.

Disney’s Seattle office has largely supported its technology operations. The company declined to comment on the decision, which leaves the tower’s vacancy rate hovering around 40%, per CoStar. The exit also means Disney is no longer the building’s largest tenant, now surpassed by global law firm K&L Gates.

This is not the only major retreat. Earlier this month, news broke that Disney plans to vacate the historic Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles by the end of 2025. Although Disney became a long-term tenant there following its $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019, it never owned the lot itself.

Sources told The Los Angeles Times that Disney does not plan to renew the lease when it expires in March 2026, marking a symbolic end to its presence at the iconic Pico Boulevard property.

Disney Shifts Focus to Residential Development

The downsizing of corporate offices comes as Disney makes a more curious expansion move — one rooted not in production or theme parks, but in residential real estate. The company recently completed the first phase of a nine-step plan to acquire land in Pittsboro, North Carolina, for its newest Storyliving by Disney community.

The development, called Asteria, will span 1,500 acres and include 4,000 homes. According to WRAL News, Disney spent $23.3 million on the first 217 acres in March. The project, a collaboration with Arizona-based DMB Development, is set to feature a blend of single-family and multi-family residences. Sales are expected to begin in 2027.

Disney describes Asteria as “an oasis for lifelong learners.” Walt Disney Imagineers are crafting the community’s design, which will include art classes, storytelling dinners, and immersive green spaces. Cast members will staff the development, offering what Disney calls “the same friendly Disney service you’ve come to expect.” Though pricing hasn’t been announced, homes in Disney’s first community, Cotino in California, sell for up to $4 million.

As Disney repositions its physical footprint, the moves suggest a deeper shift in how the company sees its presence in American life — less anchored in sprawling corporate offices, and more embedded in the everyday lives of its fans.

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