Walt Disney Imagineering is heading to North Carolina, and the community it's building there will be unlike anything the company has attempted before.
Asteria Takes Shape in Pittsboro
Storyliving by Disney has released new details about Asteria, a planned residential community of more than 4,000 homes coming to the Chatham Park area of Pittsboro, North Carolina. The first homes are expected to go on sale in 2027, with move-ins scheduled for 2028. An initial release of 300 sites will kick off sales before the broader development — spanning roughly 8,500 acres — continues growing over the next seven to ten years.
The name Asteria draws from North Carolina's state flower, the aster, which itself traces back to the Greek goddess Astria. According to mythology, the first aster bloomed where her tears of stardust fell to Earth.
“We thought it was a beautiful way to honor North Carolina's natural beauty from the Earth to the sky,” a Walt Disney Imagineering representative said last year.
Different by Design
Asteria will be the second Storyliving by Disney community in the country, following Cotino in Rancho Mirage, California, which broke ground in 2022 and began selling homes in 2025. About 500 of Cotino's 1,900 planned homes have sold to date.
The two communities are being developed with distinct audiences in mind. Claire Bilby, senior vice president and general manager of Disney Signature Experiences Emerging Businesses, told journalist Scott Gustin that Cotino skews toward vacation and second-home buyers, while Asteria is being built with multigenerational, year-round living at its core.
“Cotino made sense because of its connection to Walt Disney and the creative history of that area. We leaned into creativity there. And we do have full-time residents at Cotino, but it's not the majority,” Bilby said. “Here in Pittsboro, North Carolina, it's a very different story. The landscape is beautiful, and there's tremendous growth, especially around the Raleigh area. Storyliving is about multigenerational living, so this is a place where grandparents, parents, and children can all live close together.”
Peter Pan, Bambi, and No Theme Parks
Asteria's design leans into classic Disney storytelling without tipping into theme park territory, a balance Bilby said was shaped directly by feedback from prospective residents.
“The biggest feedback we heard was: ‘I don't want to live in a theme park or resort year-round. This is my home,'” she explained. “People want what Disney represents, not a constant theme park environment. We define this as a unique Disney experience. First, there's place-making by Walt Disney Imagineering, blending regional identity with Disney storytelling. Second, there's Disney-level service delivered by cast members operating the amenities. And third, there are experiences only Disney can offer.”
The neighborhood's main gathering space, the Second Star Club, draws inspiration from Peter Pan (1953) alongside nods to Bambi (1942), Alice in Wonderland (1951), and Beauty and the Beast (1991). It will house a restaurant called Marquet Hall, a wellness center, creative studio spaces, an event pavilion called Piedmont Proper, and a dedicated 55+ space named Longtable Lodge, surrounded by the Aster Green lawn area.
A five-bedroom storybook clubhouse called Lost Key Cottage — also Peter Pan-inspired — will serve as an overnight and event space exclusively for Asteria residents, mirroring the Parr House clubhouse at Cotino.
One key structural difference from Cotino: membership in the community club will be mandatory at Asteria, ensuring all residents have equal access to amenities and programming from day one.
“The programming will evolve based on what residents want,” Bilby added. “It will never be a theme park, but it will have those Disney touches. And as the community grows, we can expand offerings, whether that's curated travel, cruises, or Adventures by Disney. Ultimately, we stay flexible and respond to what residents are interested in.”
Bilby described interest in Asteria as “strong,” with Storyliving by Disney currently building a list of prospective buyers. More information is available on the official Storyliving by Disney website, and the project will have a dedicated booth at D23 Expo 2026.
Have you ever toured a Storyliving by Disney community? Tell Disney Fanatic about your experience in the comments!
North Carolina’s state flower is the Dogwood, not the Aster. The Big-Headed Aster is the 2026 Wildflower of the Year, though.
Hopefully this will be a Great ! ! addition to this region of North Carolina.
Very nice except the state flower of NC is the blooming Dogwood tree.
I concur with Crystal. As a North Carolinian all my life, I can definitely confirm that the state flower is the dogwood. The aster is well known in NC but is not the state flower.
The most important thing
The most important thing heard from local residents is they don’t want to live near a theme park. How about if Disney reduces the density of development by 25 percent and leaves all the valuable trees that protect the unique streams and water resources in and around Pittsboro? Bambi, Peter Pan and many other Disney characters and the people who enjoy them would probably enjoy this type low density, natural environment.
See this is why we don’t like outsiders coming to North Carolina. We have always loved our way of life, and know our state well. We don’t appreciate people coming here and presuming to change it to their liking. You can’t just arbitrarily and unilaterally make a decision to give us a new state flower. At no time has the aster been our official state flower. It’s the flower on the flowering dogwood tree. Period. And while I’m at it, I’m pretty pissed about the quiet, rural Chatham area my daughter and son-in-law selected for their homestead poised to be ruined by this over-the-top development and destruction of the natural there. They moved south of Chapel Hill for peace and low taxes, and now both are going to disappear. No more character, at least not the type that’s good for mental health. No one there was clamoring for a Disney development except already rich county legislators and outside cappitalists.
This is why natives have come to feeling a lot less hospitable when it comes to outsiders moving to North Carolina. We have always loved our way of life, and know our state well. We don’t appreciate this pattern of people moving here and presuming to change it to their liking. You can’t just arbitrarily and unilaterally make a decision to give us a new state flower. At no time has the aster been our official state flower. It’s the flower on the flowering dogwood tree. Period. And while I’m at it, I’m pretty ticked off about the quiet, rural Chatham area my daughter and son-in-law selected for their homestead poised to be ruined by this over-the-top development and destruction of the natural beauty there. They moved south of Chapel Hill for peace and low taxes, and now both are going to disappear. The character residents love is about to change permanently, and not in a way that’s good for mental health. No one there was clamoring for a Disney development except already rich county legislators and outside capitalists.
Ummm I’m a North Carolina resident and have been all my life. I can tell you while that’s a semi sweet story of the Disney living atmospheric name for this plot of land that isn’t our state flower. Our state flower is the dogwood and our state tree is a pine. I’m assuming the reason Disney didn’t want to use the dogwood as our actual state flower is because of what the dogwood represents. “ Dogwood flowers primarily symbolize Christian themes of resurrection, purity, and sacrifice, with blooms traditionally representing the cross, crown of thorns, and blood-stained nails. Secularly, they represent endurance, resilience, and affection.” Considering your story name includes a goddess and stardust.
Hollywood has screwed up enough in California & elsewhere we don’t need their contributions of any kind here. I’m a proud North Carolinian Tarheel & want to keep it that way.
Oh I lived in California for about 5 years & my wife is from there as well & we don’t need their influence here for they can’t even govern themselves for the illustrious Governor Newsome & LA mayor is evidence of that . California was always my dream until I spent time there & was so disappointed. So keep your illusions & ideas there we don’t need them here & I’ve been to Disneyland 3/4 times and was never impressed.
Hope they don’t come to South Carolina either. This is ridiculous
Doesn’t Goofy play golf? ⛳
The state flower for North Carolina is the dogwood flower. Get your facts strait.
Get lost Disney. The last thing this area needs is your generic development, This area is loosing its identity already. Take your money and go home.
Dear Disney, WE do not want you here in North Carolina!! Our way of life and Disney have Nothing in common
Asterisa is a welcomed development as long as it’s not going to be overcrowded and prices of homes are not inflated ! Case in point Celebration development in Orlando FL
I am a DVC Member since 1994
No Disney. Trees are invaluable to North California and would much perfer it kept natural than to build more houses.. not even half of their other planned idea sold… so it proves it’s over priced and not wanted.
We don’t want you here Disney. Go clear someone else’s forests and poison someone else’s streams. We don’t share your values and we don’t want to share our beautiful state with you either. STAY AWAY!
How is Disney supporting small local businesses? How will they ensure their growth along with the community? Now that’s a storybook tale that will make them community heroes. They can start with Chatham Marketplace, the small community owned grocery store. Invest in them. Help them move to a better location. I would become a huge fan of Disney if they did that.
Every single local I’ve spoken to has been disgusted with this development, and I feel the same. No one who lives here wants Disney to be part of the community. Go somewhere else!
Our State flower is the blooming dogwood! Fact check, people!
Disney demonstrated again how tone deaf they are. A lot of people here do not share the values of the child grooming cult known as Disney. The area should be protected not exploited by unimaginative people coming here to live in La La land. Leave the trees
NC state flower is the Flowering Dogwood.
As if WALT DISNEY’S family needed ANY MORE money. There are MORE than enough out of state transplants as it is in NC.
Corporate greed knows no bounds!!!!!
Thanks Walt Disney Inc for paving paradise and putting up a parking lots!!!! $$$
Thanks Disney for destroying this area. Bambi? Peter Pan? How is building 4000 new homes on 8500 acres of what is currently forest going to improve this area? You will be destroying the very thing that makes NC beautiful. The trees , the natural landscape and the wildlife. With it comes a population explosion and the trash and waste that comes eith it. Why not make this land into a state park that ALL North Carolinians ( and outsiders) can enjoy, not just the wealthy. Disney is a bad idea.
Nobody wants these Satanist child traffickers in our backyard. Besides the state flower is the dogwood. Get out Disney we know what an evil entity you are.
North Carolina’s state flower is the dogwood. I’ve know that since I was seven and did a project for second grade about my state. I still vividly recall discovering that the state bird is the cardinal, by the way, a bird you would probably call a loon. It made me proud to have these details about my state, details that I learned through painstaking research in an encyclopedia. You only needed to do a three-second Google search or bring up the state’s website, but you still could not manage to get it right, and you want us to trust us with our natural resources?! The last thing North Carolina needs is another exclusive, gilded, artificial paradise that mimics the failed Ginn developments of the early 2000s. Please go away.
I grew up in Florida from 1960-1976. If you want to comprehend the Disney impact , I highly recommend the book Married To The Mouse. You will gain insight into the Disney corporate values. I personally saw the negative impact that Disney development can create in a state. The underpaid Disney employees in Florida are a big burden for the surrounding counties of Disney World which do not receive tax money from Disney. This is one on-going example.of the impact. Disney is part of the reason I moved to NC 50 years ago. Not in favor of this develop.ent project.
The state flower for North Carolina is not the Asteria. It is the flowering dogwood and has always been that. Not sure why Disney would make this up.
We don’t need Disney leadership with transitioning, read mutilating young kids in NC!!! Learn about the state you are trying to destroy before insulting us and showing your ignorance!!! Go groom children in some other state and force your wicked ways where wicked already exists, like NYC as Mandan needs your money to support his communist agenda!!!!!
The NC flower is the flowering Dogwood
Paul.. you got it right Give us nothing left coast
Previous cities/towns/villages by Disney (like Celebration) have been later sold out to others and have become disappointments to those who invested in them and had buyers regret after the promises have been left behind. Buyers beware!!!!
All North Carolinians should sign a petition to get this stopped. No one wants Disney in our beautiful state. We already have enough outsiders coming in and trying to give their California touch amongst others. Disney can’t even get our state flower right. We shouldn’t be forced to have Disney poison our state.