Pixar Pals Parking Structure Specifics/Updates

[Disney Irish]

This shows a lot of ignorance like you can’t read.

Guests is a broad term. I said those that will use the new gates will only be restricted to AP/Flex Passholders with reservations that allow them to use those gates. Plus they already spend a lot of money so it’s not necessary to entice them to go through Main Street and clog up the trams at the loading zone by the park entrance.

Disney also has their opening ceremonies and rope drop. The alternative gate won’t be opened then.

While I applaud your ingenuity on trying to solve a problem, its not a solution Disney is willing to consider at this time. They aren't spending Millions on a new parking structure and pedestrian bridge so APs can have a shortcut into the park. They want all guests, AP or day ticket alike, to enter and exit through the main gates so they all pass through Main St. and Buena Vista St. respectively.

 

[DanielBB8]

You still don't get that if Disney wanted this for their AP/Flex Passholders (see, I didn't use guests cause I can read good) they'd have set it up already. As it is, any "gate" directly to the parking structure would require re-tooling backstage areas where there is already limited space thanks to SWL.

Keep on dreaming though!

You mean like the original parking lot where Disneyland guests had direct access to the park and they designed it that way?!!! A trip down memory lane. A retooling would be no more difficult to do later than it would be to do earlier.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Disneyland installs pedestrian bridge to new Pixar Pals parking garage

The new pedestrian bridge passing over Magic Way connects to a 6,500-space Pixar Pals garage under construction next to the Mickey & Friends parking structure.

www.ocregister.com

A nice set of photos at the link.

>>The Magic Way bridge connecting the two parking structures to Downtown Disney is expected to open in September, according to Disneyland officials.

The bridge will give visitors the option to skip the parking tram shuttle and walk through Downtown Disney to and from the main gate esplanade.

The project makes financial sense for Disney because the pedestrian bridge will reduce the number of passengers using the parking trams and increase the potential number of shoppers passing through the Downtown Disney shopping district.

Disney expects the bridge to improve pedestrian safety and traffic circulation at Disneyland Drive and Magic Way.

The tram boarding area next to the Mickey & Friends garage will be reconfigured as part of the construction project.

Traffic improvements on the west side of the Disneyland resort will increase the number of entry lanes and speed arrival times for visitors accessing the dual parking structures once work is complete, according to a statement released by Disney.

The new Pixar Pals parking structure is expected to open sometime between late June and late July, months ahead of the scheduled September opening of the new garage.<<

 

[Darkbeer1]

Note the OC Register article talks about increasing the DTD numbers, not just for Disney, but all the third party businesses, such as Splitsville, Black Tap, etc.

Disney specifically decided to NOT offer alternative entrances. I know that at one point, there was talk about a special Hotel entrance to Galaxy's Edge, but that failed to make the cut.

 

[Mac Tonight]

You mean like the original parking lot where Disneyland guests had direct access to the park and they designed it that way?!!! A trip down memory lane. A retooling would be no more difficult to do later than it would be to do earlier.

You mean like the original parking lot where guests still had to enter the park by going down Main St???? Shocker!

Give it up, man.

 

[DanielBB8]

You mean like the original parking lot where guests still had to enter the park by going down Main St???? Shocker!

Give it up, man.

Unless they use the bypass. The Main Street bypass was actually used on May 31st during Star Wars reservations at 8am. I expect the bypass to be used quite a bit this summer and holiday season.

 

[Disney Irish]

Unless they use the bypass. The Main Street bypass was actually used on May 31st during Star Wars reservations at 8am. I expect the bypass to be used quite a bit this summer and holiday season.

Except as Darkbeer just pointed out, an important goal is MORE DTD visitors not less. So even if the Main St bypass is used, all guests still have to venture through either all or part of DTD to get into the parks from that side.

Also upon exiting for the day the bypass is typically not used. So guests will still be using Main St to exit. Giving that last opportunity for a sale, again Disney's goal here.

 

[DanielBB8]

Except as Darkbeer just pointed out, an important goal is MORE DTD visitors not less. So even if the Main St bypass is used, all guests still have to venture through either all or part of DTD to get into the parks from that side.

Also upon exiting for the day the bypass is typically not used. So guests will still be using Main St to exit. Giving that last opportunity for a sale, again Disney's goal here.

Again, we assume at least half will use the tram, thus bypassing DTD. Either way, there will be a large number of people who won’t shop or eat at DTD since they already got their fill at Disneyland or DCA. They can’t expect shaking out every dime of every customer. Most won’t shop there and just feel frustrated they have to walk a long distance back to their cars. Besides, an exit at Critter Country will already require walking to the other side of the park and they would have many opportunities to buy things.

 

[shambolicdefending]

Where is the pedestrian bridge going to terminate, exactly? From what I gather in pictures it looks like it just dumps you off in the middle of DTD parking. Not particularly convenient to any of the existing security screening areas.

 

[Disney Irish]

Again, we assume at least half will use the tram, thus bypassing DTD. Either way, there will be a large number of people who won’t shop or eat at DTD since they already got their fill at Disneyland or DCA. They can’t expect shaking out every dime of every customer. Most won’t shop there and just feel frustrated they have to walk a long distance back to their cars. Besides, an exit at Critter Country will already require walking to the other side of the park and they would have many opportunities to buy things.

You're making assumptions of guest behavior based on your own personal preferences. Also where the trams load/drop off at DTD there is at least a chance for a guest to hit World of Disney either prior to entering or leaving the park. Again something that Disney is trying to get guests to do.

I get it, an entrance/exit into the backside of DL would be cool. But as has been said now a couple times the main goal is drive those either initial or final sales in the main shopping for the parks, and that is Main St and Buena Vista. A Critter Country entrance and exit wouldn't provide that same opportunity as there is no large scale shopping in that area.

 

[Disney Irish]

Where is the pedestrian bridge going to terminate, exactly? From what I gather in pictures it looks like it just dumps you off in the middle of DTD parking. Not particularly convenient to any of the existing security screening areas.

Here is about where the bridge is located, give or take some (it might be closer to DL Dr. for example):

The bridge is in red and the path into DTD is in yellow. Those guests using the bridge would be screened in the normal DTD security checkpoint.

 

[shambolicdefending]

Again, we assume at least half will use the tram, thus bypassing DTD.

Here is about where the bridge is located, give or take some:

View attachment 381374

The bridge is in red and the path into DTD is in yellow. Those guests using the bridge would be screened in the normal DTD security checkpoint.

Thanks. That's roughly what I was thinking. It's really kind of an awkward terminus. After the bridge ends, everybody has to double back westward to reach the security checkpoint.

So, if Disney wanted to encourage a higher percentage of walkers than they have today, I'm skeptical they'll get it. I'm really not seeing what they did to entice more walkers, at all. It doesn't look like the new bridge/path will significantly shorten the total distance to the esplanade. It saves you the trouble of waiting at the Magic Way crosswalk, but that's about it. Most guests will still have a long haul through the parking structure just to get to the bridge crossing, as well.

Maybe the idea is to make tram loading so slow that people are annoyed into walking, but that doesn't seem like a winning long-term formula.

 

[TROR]

Thanks. That's roughly what I was thinking. It's really kind of an awkward terminus. After the bridge ends, everybody has to double back westward to reach the security checkpoint.

So, if Disney wanted to encourage a higher percentage of walkers than they have today, I'm skeptical they'll get it. I'm really not seeing what they did to entice more walkers, at all. It doesn't look like the new bridge/path will significantly shorten the total distance to the esplanade. It saves you the trouble of waiting at the Magic Way crosswalk, but that's about it. Most guests will still have a long haul through the parking structure just to get to the bridge crossing, as well.

Maybe the idea is to make tram loading so slow that people are annoyed into walking, but that doesn't seem like a winning long-term formula.

The bridge starts after you go through security, doesn't it?

 

[DanielBB8]

You're making assumptions of guest behavior based on your own personal preferences. Also where the trams load/drop off at DTD there is at least a chance for a guest to hit World of Disney either prior to entering or leaving the park. Again something that Disney is trying to get guests to do.

I get it, an entrance/exit into the backside of DL would be cool. But as has been said now a couple times the main goal is drive those either initial or final sales in the main shopping for the parks, and that is Main St and Buena Vista. A Critter Country entrance and exit wouldn't provide that same opportunity as there is no large scale shopping in that area.

I’m reading everything especially what Darkbeer said “When the guests see the long lines to board a tram, they will walk!”

The assumption is people will shop just because they’re forced to walk. You’re making the same assumption and attributing it to Disney. If this is Disney’s actually goal and you agree to it, then of course it’s not your dream to have an entrance/exit near the park. It’s a Cast Member entrance, which is fine and dandy.

 

[shambolicdefending]

The bridge starts after you go through security, doesn't it?

I don't think that's possible unless I'm missing something. They'd have to put a security checkpoint on the second floor of the parking structure and then somehow designate a special DTD entrance just for bridge-walkers...

 

[TROR]

I don't think that's possible unless I'm missing something. They'd have to put a security checkpoint on the second floor of the parking structure and then somehow designate a special DTD entrance just for bridge-walkers...

Ah, you're right. I suppose I haven't been paying too good of attention. Certainly an odd design decision, then.

 

[Disney Irish]

The bridge starts after you go through security, doesn't it?

No, because access to the bridge is from the 2nd floor of the Pixar Pals escalator hub. So they are outside of the new security zone which has its checkpoint under Pixar Pals.

 

[DanielBB8]

The security is at Downtown Disney near the former Rainforest Cafe where they already have security.

 

[Disney Irish]

I’m reading everything especially what Darkbeer said “When the guests see the long lines to board a tram, they will walk!”

The assumption is people will shop just because they’re forced to walk. You’re making the same assumption and attributing it to Disney. If this is Disney’s actually goal and you agree to it, then of course it’s not your dream to have an entrance/exit near the park. It’s a Cast Member entrance, which is fine and dandy.

We've all just been trying to explain to you the reasoning for why the walking path is going through DTD. I've never made an assumption or even said I agreed with it or even if I liked it or not. I've kept my personal opinion out of it, other than to say it would be cool to have a Critter Country entrance/exit. It is Disney that made this decision not me or anyone here, so no assumptions are being made by us on guest behavior. Disney has all the data, so it knows guest behaviors better than anyone here and makes business decisions based on that data.

My personal opinion is yes it would be awesome to have a short cut into DL. But that doesn't take into account DCA, so what about DCA? Having a single entrance, even if a longer distance from parking, affords all guests the ability to hit either park equally. Giving all guests the same experience. Its part of the reason why they closed the PP Hotel back entrance, and why they are limiting who has access to the GCH entrance.

Edit: One additional reason for not having a Critter Country entrance. Disney wants to limit access points, so as to have a tighter security bubble. Adding an additional entrance means more access points, requiring more security.

 

[shambolicdefending]

The original walking path, back before they moved security out of the esplanade, was fantastic. Fairly short, scenic, and honestly easier than the trams most of the time.

If they really wanted to get more people walking, they needed to look for a solution more like that one. All they're doing now is making more people grumble, regardless of whether they walk or not. Even with the new bridge, the walk is neither short, nor scenic. And, when you factor in the unshaded wait on hot asphalt to get into DTD, it's really no better than the trams even if the latter's lines are insanely long.