Disneyland Resort Eastern Gateway Expansion
Ahead of Star Wars Land and other expansion, Disneyland Resort has filed documents with Anaheim for its Eastern Gateway project, which is the largest infrastructure project in Anaheim’s Resort District in 20 years, and will include a new parking structure with 6,800 spaces, a new transportation hub, security point, and an elevated pedestrian bridge.
The new transportation facility will be the drop-off location for buses, taxis, shuttles, replacing the location that is currently east of the Esplanade. The new pedestrian pathway and elevated bridge over Harbor Boulevard will connect that huge parking structure and transportation hub with the Esplanade. The pedestrian pathway and bridge will be constructed on the current site of Carousel Inn & Suites, which Disney purchased last year. No word yet on whether our beloved Pizza Press is safe, but we assume so.
As you can see from diagrams of the Eastern Gateway project (below), security screening will occur before the pedestrian bridge that connects to the Esplanade, with the pedestrian portal for access to the Eastern Gateway now being behind the Grand Legacy at the Park hotel along Disney Way. (UPDATE: The HoJo is reporting that there will also be regular pedestrian access via Harbor; if true, the 5-minute walk hotels won’t be cut off, as the commentary that follows suggests.)
You can glean the rest of the nitty-gritty from the plans below, but now I’ll turn to my reaction. (I know what you’re thinking: a reaction to a parking structure?! But bear with me…)
My Reaction
In general, I’m in favor of this plan. Before I get to the why of that, I want to discuss how this will impact hotels in the area, something I find interesting as it raises some questions. Hotels that were once directly across the street, such as Anaheim Desert Inn and Park Vue Inn (two of our favorites) appear to have jumped from a 5 minute walk to a 20+ minute walk to the parks. The main question: is this okay?
You might think, “who cares, that’s not Disney’s problem.” Actually, it’s not as simple as that. The Anaheim Resort District and Disneyland Resort were master-planned with specific conditions. In exchange for concessions from Anaheim, Disneyland Resort has certain obligations to its neighbors. If you’re so inclined, you can read about this in excruciating detail in the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan No. 92-1 (“DRSP”).
One caveat before we get started: I have not read the DRSP in its entirety. It’s hundreds of pages long, and I simply don’t have that level of interest. I did spend a couple of hours reviewing it, focusing on sections that I assumed would be more likely to contain pertinent provisions. My analysis is predicated upon, and limited to, my interpretation of those sections. With that said, there very well could be additional language that supplements or contradicts what’s addressed below and my interpretations thereof. This following commentary is presented for entertainment purposes only, and should not be relied upon or construed otherwise yada yada yada…
The DRSP was adopted in 1993 (with subsequent amendments), and is an interesting look at what was planned versus what came to fruition. For historical context, this plan was drafted at a time when the second gate was to be WESTCOT (the preliminary, paper version of the report actually contains WESTCOT concept art!), and PeopleMovers were planned to transport guests from the parking structures to the Esplanade. Suffice to say, not everything detailed in the DRSP ended up becoming reality–but that doesn’t mean its core requirements don’t still apply.
Rather than focusing on interesting elements of the DRSP, let’s talk infrastructure! Namely, the same Eastern Gateway that is being developed between now and 2018. The Eastern Gateway is addressed throughout the DRSP, with its succinct purpose and future plans (including this bridge) discussed here at 5.6.4. This section does not provide the specifics for facilitating pedestrian access into the Eastern Gateway, but it does state that one or two structures may be built to carry people from the east side of Harbor Blvd. to the parks, with such structures being “a pedestrian and/or transportation system(s) overpass. These may also be combined into a single structure.”
Disney is proposing the pedestrian overpass portion of that, along with other parking and drop-off components. The security checkpoints, single pedestrian portal, and some other elements aren’t contemplated by the DRSP. Presumably, that’s because times have changed since 1993. (It’s actually a bit surprising that so much of the current plans follow this master plan from 1993–just look at the below graphic from then.)
Then there’s how the DRSP is actually codified into the Chapter 18 of the Anaheim Municipal Code. One of the requirements that sticks out to me is found at 18.114.050.060, which includes the following requirement: “Adequate provision shall be made for the safe and orderly circulation of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic between the proposed site and all streets and highways and between coordinated facilities, accessways or parking areas on adjacent sites. The proposed development shall not limit or adversely affect the growth and development potential of adjoining lands or the general area in which it is proposed to be located.”
That last sentence is potentially key, and sufficiently vague to allow multiple interpretations. Whether restricting access to a single pedestrian portal is reasonable in light of the above provision probably depends upon whether you’re Disney or the hotels along Harbor. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to whether Disney’s current proposal violates that provision. I will say that, generally, the DRSP grants Disney broad discretion in developing the Eastern Gateway, and Disney’s plan does not surprise me. I expect the proposal will be approved in substantially the same form as submitted…after a bit of a fight.
I’m really glad that the Eastern Gateway project is finally being built. It has been rumored for some time, and is desperately needed. Infrastructure obviously is not as “sexy” of an investment as attractions, but if you’ve ever driven to Disneyland on a busy day, you know that the parking situation is disjointed–and that’s putting it charitably.
Disneyland estimates that 70% of its guests arrive via I-5, and I’d guess that a little under half of those are taking I-5 north (with the rest coming southbound from Los Angeles) so this ramp will be convenient for that segment of Disneyland visitors. As someone who drives northbound on I-5 to access Disneyland, I suspect that the Eastern Gateway and its new ramp will shave ~10 minutes off my commute time to the parks.
Then there are regular tourists who stay at nearby off-site hotels and walk to the parks. While the hotels right across the street just became less convenient, big winners are the two AAA four-diamond hotels presently in development: the J.W. Marriott at GardenWalk and Wincome Group’s project on the current site of Anaheim Plaza Inn & Suites (the first hotel at which we stayed in Anaheim–good riddance!).
Other hotels in the GardenWalk or Disney Way vicinity would likely benefit marginally. Aside from the hotels directly across the street, most third party hotels would see minimal impact, particularly those closer to Katella.
The other big winner is, of course, Disney. No longer will cheap off-site hotels be a shorter walk to the parks than Disneyland Hotel. Not that Disneyland has any issues with occupancy (to the contrary–the area could probably sustain 3 Disney hotels beyond the new AAA four-diamond one opening in 2021), but still. Additionally, this new parking structure will relieve strain from other flat lots, which Disney can (presumably) work towards developing into hotels.
The biggest winner by far, though, is the unsuspecting prey–I mean patrons–of Captain Kidd’s Buffet, a 1.5-star establishment on Yelp. With at least 75% of its demographic consisting of “lazy tourists duped into eating here due to proximity” it wouldn’t be surprising to see Captain Kidd’s go out of business. In which case, you’ll have to find somewhere else if you were looking for a guaranteed case of food poisoning.
Joking aside, easing guests into and out of the theme park experience with an environment that Disney can better control is a positive, in my view. To be sure, there’s nothing “magical” about the Mickey & Friends parking structure, but arriving from I-5 to that, then walking along a nicely manicured path through Downtown Disney (or taking the tram) provides a gentle transition into the Disney experience. It is a significantly more pleasant start than walking down Harbor past stores hawking discount tours, unlicensed t-shirts, and other such establishments.
To be sure, Anaheim has transformed dramatically in even just the last 5 years, and many of the hotels along Harbor have improved significantly with it (Anaheim’s revitalization extends far beyond Disneyland). Irrespective of that, the Harbor Boulevard entrance is the worst “approach” to any Disney theme park worldwide. Controlling the guest experience from the point of parking until the point of departure presents an opportunity for Disney.
I really hope Disney avails itself of this, creating a lush path with planters and other nice little touches. Disney has done a great job in both Hong Kong and Shanghai with making its public spaces open and inviting, and I hope those same principles are applied in California. The Eastern Gateway doesn’t need to be some grandiose spectacle of theming–it just needs to be an inviting precursor of what’s to come.
On that note, a lot of attention has been directed at the moving walkways–or lack thereof. Personally, I could not care less. I walk from Mickey & Friends as opposed to taking the tram, and this most definitely will be a shorter walk. I also think it’s odd to take issue with walking 1,000 feet (I see many people use a .5 mile number–but that includes portions of the walk that already exist and do not feature moving walkway; the new pedestrian connector is <1,000 feet) when you’re going to be walking 5-10 miles in the parks.
However, from the perspective of the absence of moving walkways being predicative of Disney skimping on details (the master plan called for a PeopleMover and moving walkways) or effort because infrastructure isn’t sexy, I can understand the concern. No, a parking structure and walkways can’t be marketed, but it will shape guest experiences and attitudes, and will make a first (and final) impression for many guests. Its significance should not be taken for granted.
(Special thanks to Guy Selga for the WESTCOT concept art. All other designs and graphics © Disney.)
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Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with my take on the Eastern Gateway? What do you think of cutting off direct access to the Esplanade? Excited for the future of Disneyland Resort? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
Anybody have a link to the Eastern Gateway documents?
One more interesting fact, the current Anaheim/OC Walk of Stars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaheim/Orange_County_Walk_of_Stars has been removed from the City of Anaheim website, and is no longer accepting applications. The area is the city owned crosswalk on the west side of Harbor Blvd. between Disney Way and the current Main Pedestrian Entrance, and is where the proposed new drop off zone is located for the Toy Story Parking Lot Buses and new ADA shuttle from the Eastern Gateway on Manchester.
So that is another indicator that the city will restrict access for Pedestrians between Disney Way and Manchester and try and get most folks to use the new Pedestrian Entrance on Disney Way behind the Grand Legacy to the bridge and not opt for the Manchester crossing that will remain open.
I think that adding a monorail station at the “pedestrian connector” would be worth the expense. It would reduce the lines at the esplanade and it would encourage sales of annual passes, ‘cus then APs could enter Disneyland at that station. Of course, they would have to build at least 2 additional monorail trains so that there could be more capacity per hour. The monorail is my favorite attraction and I’d like to see it’s transportation potential utilized.
I am a big fan of the Monorail (I have used the Disneyland, Las Vegas and Seattle versions), but it has been looked into by the city of Anaheim, and then you can look at Las Vegas and how much it costs and its problems, it really isn’t an efficient system due to its capacity per hour and single track system. Las Vegas is no looking at a “Subway” (underground light rail) system to the airport instead of the current Monorail system.
As mentioned earlier, the city of Anaheim did look into using a Monorail system similar to Las Vegas, but decided it wasn’t a feasible system, and more than likely will become a Rapid Bus system, or maybe an above ground light rail system.
http://voiceofoc.org/2012/06/anaheim-gives-up-on-monorail/
The Anaheim Monorail project was expected to cost about $700 million, which would be most of the budget than Disney promised the city of Anaheim to spend over next 20 years in total park improvements ($1 Billion), And that includes Star Wars Land, Marvel Land, the new 4th Hotel and the Eastern Gateway.
So while it would be really cool to see the Monorail above the streets of Anaheim, it just doesn’t work, same as the People Mover due to capacity issues, as it is just not the capacity per hour that needs to be looked at, but the “peak” capacity, basically just prior to opening, and after the evening shows when everyone goes home, you have Thousands of folks that want to get from point A to point B, and the current Disneyland Monorails can only handle about 132 guests loading every 8 minutes at a station. The math just doesn’t work for the costs.
And why Disney is opting for a wide bridge that can handle a large amount of people per hour at a much lower cost. Nothing fancy, but it works.
OK, Tom, you did a good job, but left out one important component, and that is the City of Anaheim and want it wants/needs. As a long time reporter of the Disney scene and for the last couple of years, a resident of Anaheim, I have a few connection to the city’s government and not just due to Theme Parks. The key for the city is to try and improve traffic flow in the area, and one of its goals is trying to get traffic off of Harbor Blvd and Katella Avenue. As you noted, this has been a goal since the original expansion came up in the 90’s, and more important today. The new Pummba Parking Structure takes advantage of the Disney Way freeway off-ramps that take cars off Katella and Harbor (was originally designed for the original Parking entrance when the I-5 was expanded in Orange County). So the city has been working behind the scenes lately, and part of this “expansion” is related to the deal the City and Disney made in regards to the promise of not charging an Admission Tax for the next 30 years for a promise of at least $500 Million of Investment by Disney to the Disneyland Resort.
OK, Disney submitted the plans this week to meet a Planning Commission deadline. What that means is that there is now a 30 day review period of the plans for city departments and the public to review them, and then can be placed on the Planning Commission Calendar. The first eligible date is September 19th. If the Planning Commission approves the plan (which might require changes), then the Anaheim City Council has the right to review it a second time, and place it on their Agenda (or just sign off on it). As you noted, the Parking Structure has already been approved, so the plans for the Bridge and the new Transportation Hub is what is being reviewed.
Now, the city streets and sidewalks are totally controlled by the City and not Disney, and here is the key to the project, changes to traffic control on Harbor Boulevard, Disney Way and Manchester/Clementine (Same street that changes names near the new Transportation Hub). Disney can say anything they want to HoJo’s or anybody else, but doesn’t control the issue. Now what Disney told HoJo’s is probably true, but they are talking about the crosswalk at the corner of Harbor and Manchester (Mimi’s Café) . That will more than likely be left alone for a few reasons. But when the Bridge project is finished and open, the city wants to eliminate the crosswalk near the Park Vue Inn and the BWPPPI&S. The plan currently is to take out the traffic light, crosswalk, and then make the median on Harbor a continuous length from Manchester to Disney Way, including a fence to prevent folks from trying to Jaywalk. There will be work on Disney Way, mainly regarding the “SCE land” under the electrical lines, a new entrance to the parking structure will be built at the corner of Disney Way and Clementine for those coming off the I-5. Also the new “main” Pedestrian Entrance will be built behind the Grand Legacy at the Park. You also have the issue of two new 4 star Hotels being built off Disney Way, the JW Marriott at the same corner, and then the replacement of the Anaheim Plaza Hotel at the corner of Harbor and Disney Way. There will be work done to those intersections. The big one in regards to Pedestrians is the corner of Harbor and Disney Way, the city is looking at removing some of the Crosswalks on the corner to try and get folks to use the new Bridge, and even is looking at the sidewalk on the west side of Harbor, and restricting its flow to help traffic, as Disney still wants access to the Cast Member Harbor Pointe entrance (the original CM gate) and converting the current Taxi Stand area into a Shuttle Stop for the Toy Story Buses and a new ADA (Handicap) shuttle that will go from the new Transportation Hub to the drop off. So that will have a new smaller Security check in the area, and that more than likely the HoJo’s and other folks crossing at Manchester can use to enter.
Public Buses in the area, two routes already use the Disney Way, Manchester/Clementine roads as part of their route, and since the city is part of the OCTA, more than likely will force the other 2 routes to drop off on Manchester and not on Harbor. (I have been told that Cast Members will be directed to get off the bus at the corner of Harbor and Ball (current CM Parking) and take the shuttle to Harbor Pointe.
When the project is done, the two main lots that will be open everyday will be the Mickey and Friends Structure and the Pummba Structure, both with good easy access to the Freeway (including special Carpool exits). The Toy Story Lot will be used on many days, but not necessarily open before the park does. (This saves Disney money on not needing the Shuttle Busses, and the city has less traffic on city streets). The city also wants more access to the Toy Story Lot, as they own the Convention Center, which is currently building an addition and lost a parking structure to build it next to the Hilton. So on busy days (think events like NAMM), the lot will just be for the Convention Center.
But one big key, this is just the first step, and the city has a lot of influence and still is a work in progress.
Let me also address some of the other comments.
As for what will happen next to the current Pedestrian Entrance, the west end of the Bridge will end up with a ramp over the Harbor Pointe Cm area, and end next to the Current Costuming Building, where a couple of shops/food areas might be added. But one of the reasons they are moving the drop off area for the Toy Story Busses is to allow the area to be available for Marvel Land, which might include removing Stage 17, Monsters, Inc and related structures for a major attraction, but of course, they can’t even think about starting until sometime in 2018 (Which is what Disney wants its part of the project to finish, before Star Wars Land opens). There are multiple plans for the area, but an small expansion of DCA to the north looks like the most likely choice.
As for parking beyond 2018, Disney is thinking ahead, as they hope for a large increase due to Star Wars Land and Marvel Land. The former Trailer Park, now CM Parking at Harbor and Ball does have plans for a parking structure, which would allow more guest parking at the Toy Story Lot (which is shared). Disney already closes part of the Katella CM Lot and forces CM’s to park at Angel Stadium and take buses to work. So no real chance for Hotels (or a third park) on that land. But there is a plan for the Simba Parking Lot behind the Paradise Pier Hotel to become a 5th Disney owned Hotel, but that is years away, if it happens.
Also, there is still a second Hotel Lot at Anaheim GardenWalk that might get a Disney managed Hotel, and the “USCID” Building between the Pummba Lot and new Transportation Center that Disney is hoping comes up for sale.
So to summarize, there will be major changes on Harbor Boulevard in 2018 (no worries short term), Hotel Winners, the Grand Legacy at the Park, the Quality Inn and new Holiday Inn Express as the closest non-Disney Hotels/Motels within walking distance.
Losers will be the restaurants on Harbor, though Mimi’s Café might get a benefit due to more people crossing there. Alas, the Pizza Press is closing, as it is on Disney owned property. And as for Captain Kidd’s, it can’t close soon enough, one of the worst places to eat in the area. Also the Park Vue Inn and the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn and Suites will be out of luck, as it looks like Disney won’t allow rear entrances to the new Transportation Hub, your two options is the one off of Disney Way, or walking down Manchester to the Bus Stops/Transportation Hub next to the Quality Inn.
Hope that helps explain what is going on, and once again, the approval process has just started, I can see a few Hotel/Motel owners attending the Planning Commission in September to let their opinions be heard.
Thanks for the detailed insight into this–much appreciated.
I think it’ll be interesting to see how/if the plans change. I know Anaheim wants to ease congestion on Harbor–both by foot and cars, but what you describe would definitely impact those hotels along Harbor negatively and I can’t think of any real reason why the pedestrian path to the “portal” couldn’t have access points from the front. If anything, that would be conducive the aim of easing congestion/preventing jaywalking. Of course, Disney usually gets what Disney wants with Anaheim City Council…
Are you sure about Pizza Press? It’s on the other side of the entrance from Carousel Inn, in the same complex as Tropicana Inn. If Pizza Press has to close, it seems that would also impact Tropicana’s operations.
Yes, I can assure you that the Pizza Press is renting the space from Disney/Carousel (South West corner of the property), as did the former occupant, Subway. I just posted the question on the Pizza Press Facebook Page to see if they are giving a closing date (No response yet, being “screened”). One good thing, for those who live in the area, they have multiple locations.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePizzaPress/
As for crossing Harbor Boulevard, the city is still saying (behind closed doors and subject to change), that they only want crossings at Manchester (HoJo’s/Mimi’s) and Katella, and trying to figure out what to do with Disney Way. The most likely option proposed (the exact same crosswalks as Manchester and Harbor), a crossing on the south side of the intersection that would take you currently to the corner of the Anaheim Plaza Hotel, and then the East side of Harbor from the Anaheim Plaza to the Grand Legacy (Only leaving two of the four current crosswalks). And then closing down the sidewalk from Disney Way to the current Pedestrian Crossing to make folks use the new entrance.
That is their goal, and it is not as simple as the Planning Commission hearing, that is only for the Disney built projects of the new Transportation Hub and Bridge. Any “roadwork” (Street improvements/crosswalks/sidewalks) is totally controlled by the city, since Harbor Blvd. is not a state highway, unlike Beach Boulevard (Route 39), even though it is interesting that the city of Buena Park obtained the rights of Beach Blvd in its city, and agreed to pay for improvements and maintenance to allow it to control the Boulevard, and not the State.
And here is what The Pizza Press said in response to my Facebook post… >>Hi David, while the Carousel *is* being torn down, we are planning to remain in our location until April 2017! We are currently seeking a site in the Anaheim Resort to relocate to, so while you’re always welcome (and encouraged!) to visit our other locations, we are definitely planning on staying near Disneyland<<
So good news… now where, maybe part of the new 4 Star Hotel on Harbor and Disney Way, or do they opt for Anaheim GardenWalk, where there are spaces available, or do they find somewhere else.
But it is also interesting to see them claiming they won't have to close until April (but subject to change). Now, the Pizza Press is in a secondary building close to Harbor, and it will take time to close down the actual Motel and prepare it for demolition (removing/salvaging items in the building plus environmental prep before the bulldozers. And the east end is the most important part of the project. But it does let us know that more than likely work over Harbor Blvd (the actual Bridge) won't start until Springtime 2017.
Very interesting. As long as my 5 minute walk from Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites is kept intact, I’ll continue to stay there.
Interesting reworking of the entrance from Harbor. For us international Disney fans we usually choose hotels that are the closest and most convenient to walk from as it’s mostly shuttle from the airport and walk, so knowing how it impacts some properties is important. Interesting how this will change the dynamic of approaching Disneyland. I’m assuming you’ll have to go behind up and over – a bit like the over the road walking bridges in Las Vegas. They add a little time but of course are much safer. The GardenWalk was practically deserted last year – I wonder will this reinvigorate the mall? I’m wondering what you think they’ll do with the current area allocated for the buses and trams outside of the Harbour Blvd entrance? Also interesting news about Anaheim Plaza – I stayed there last year and could see some sort of writing on the wall – now I know what it says.
Someone posted the link to it further down in the comments, but apparently Howard Johnson has stated that pedestrians staying at hotels on Harbor Blvd. can still walk across, but what they will be doing is that hotel shuttles and people parking in the parking garage will walk over the bridge, and it will be nicely landscaped, and go through security, and onto a path that leads to the Esplanade. The people in hotels can still cross, but there will be an additional security check they must go through to reach the esplanade. Both parties will join in the Esplanade, but more security check points might mean faster entries. I’m also assuming people who come from Downtown Disney will also have a security checkpoint like they do now. The existing shuttle drop offs will be an extension of Downtown Disney shops, restaurants, etc.
I don’t mind the walk (except for the times when my wife is in her wheelchair) but at least with the current structure you have the option of taking the tram.
I wonder if they will ask handicapped people to use Mickey and Friends or Toy Story?
No, the plan is to have all folks in the new Pummba Parking Structure, and then use the sidewalks to the new Pedestrian Bridge, and then an option to use the Bridge, which will meet the ADA legal requirements as to “slope”, or opt for a special shuttle from the new Hub area to a drop off zone just off Harbor.
Mickey and Friends, Toy Story and now Pummba will have ADA shuttles. If you are directed to another lot, and need an “ADA” space, they might direct you back to the main three mentioned above. or call for a special Shuttle Van/bus.
As a fellow northbound 5 driver, I hate driving on Harbor or Katella, so this pleases me. In fact, I always avoid going that way. Instead, I pass everything, get off at Lincoln, get back on the freeway southbound, and get off at Disneyland Drive. Stay in the left lane and take the ramp right into the Mickey and Friends lot. It’s way faster and much more convenient.
Except for those times when the are re-routing traffic to the Toy Story lot. Then it’s a huge waste of time. Fortunately that is a very rare occurrence.
Alas, the Toy Story “redirection” from the Mickey and Friends Structure happens more often that you might think, especially in early morning hours. Depending on the anticipated attendance, and special events, Disney and the city (yes, traffic issues) wants folks in the Toy Story Lot, so later in the day, there will still be spaces in the parking structure. (And why Disney uses the access road behind DCA instead of Katella Blvd). Also, Disney has to pay the city for the Police officers used for traffic control (required on “city streets”, so doing it at high demand gives Disney the most bang for a buck. (And the cost per officer isn’t cheap, they basically get paid overtime, plus Disney has to pay additional fees to cover the officer’s benefits, and the supervisors involved. Yes, at around $100 per hour, per officer, Disney can make it up in parking fees, but it adds up quickly.
Maybe it was just the fun of difference in comparison to WDW, but when I visited Disneyland last summer I kind of enjoyed the walk from my Harbor Blvd hotel to the esplanade. Not just because it was so close and I’m used to only super-pricy Disney resorts being really convenient to the parks, but also because of the kind of cheap tourist trap ethos on display just outside of Disney property. Why would I like that, you ask? Well…that’s a good question. Maybe I like the daily transformative experience of leaving the tacky modern world and entering the magic of the parks instead of shutting out the real world completely. Maybe if Disneyland was my home park and I went to WDW for the first time the huge bubble would a welcome difference. I sure did love that the overall experience was very different though, so I hope this doesn’t lead to a more homogenized quality.
I kind of feel the same way! Did not mind the touristy vibe at all.
It also appears that they’ll be rerouting the monorail for the new pedestrian bridge, and future Marvel Land in DCA: https://twitter.com/kolbykonnection/status/763573011488178176
That is an option on the books, as they do want to expand DCA a bit north where the former Toy Story Bus Drop-off is currently. But it is a MAJOR expense, and most of the prior changes over the last few decades worked around the Monorail Tracks, There has only been two big changes, the first one was when Walt Disney decided to expand it and add the second station at the Disneyland Hotel, as a thank you to the Hotel Operator, Jack Wrather. The second change was for the addition of Indiana Jones Attraction.. These have been the only two changes, people think that the Monorail was moved for Downtown Disney, but Disney instead moved the Hotel area west, and the current Downtown Disney Stop is where the former Disneyland Hotel stop was.
The bridge can easily be designed to deal with the tracks, as all you need is about a 12 foot clearance, maybe less (think about walking under the Monorail tracks in Tomorrowland and Downtown Disney. ) As for the possible Marvel Land Expansion, there will have to be a lot of decisions as to what to build in the new area, and the costs. Alas, one option is just to close the Monorail for good, which would be a horrible thing, but an option currently on the books due to its costs, capacity per hour, and breakdown time (what some folks know as “101”).
But for the next few years, there should be no major worries, unless the Monorail goes “101”
A Peoplemover connecting the parking structure to the parks would be incredible. We can dream, can’t we?
Yes, a PM that is useful would be wonderful!
I think that ship sailed loooooong ago. One would’ve been built with Mickey & Friends (as its original plan called for one, too). If we didn’t get one then, we aren’t getting one now.
Alas, People Movers have been tried outside the parks, such as airports, and have been found to not be efficient for multiple reasons, Just look at the Disneyland Monorail and how many times it has been closed due to breakdowns, etc. A single track system is a major problems, and why things like trains have secondary tracks that allow turnouts, etc. The Las Vegas Monorail was designed with two tracks and multiple switch points in case a section needs to become two way .
The city of Anaheim looked into many options to get folks from the train station to Disneyland and the Convention Center. Yes, they looked at Monorails and People Movers, and they both failed the test. Then they looked at ground level rail, and that has also been eliminated. They are now looking into a Rapid Bus system that has special lanes in part plus traffic light control, and if one breaks down, a second bus can just drive around it.
It would be nice, but not practical in the city.
The HoJo Anaheim Facebook page says Disney met with them and confirmed that the Harbor Boulevard pedestrian entrance will stay where it is, and that a new security area will be placed there to screen pedestrians who will then meet with the already-screened visitors coming across the bridge, and all together will be channeled into the Esplanade. https://m.facebook.com/hojoanaheim/
Thanks for the heads up on that. I wish I knew before wasting 2+ hours reading the master plan documents, ha.
Still a bit surprised that Disney is voluntarily being a good neighbor. I thought they’d try their luck at pushing this through to lower the value of those hotels, and then try to buy them up.
No, your background information is stellar. Glad you took the time. Over at the DIS, someone notes that the HoJo was told that the former shuttle area will become an extension of Downtown Disney, as well. The Disney Parks Blog could have done a better job at announcing the project.
At any rate, if the Howard Johnson is right, then it may mean a more pleasant, less crowded pedestrian experience arriving from the Good Neighbor hotels, and an even bigger Disney bubble for on-site guests. Though I wonder if a bigger Downtown Disney would cannibalize some business from the on-site hotels. We used to stay at the Howard Johnson, which we love, but now we stay at the Disneyland Hotel to be closer to Downtown Disney. If there really will be a kind of “Downtown Disney East”, then that would definitely make the Harbor Boulevard hotels more attractive for us, and I’m sure to others.
Thanks for this info! It clarifies what will happen if you are staying on Harbor.