The Parking Structure is a friggin disaster

M

MoonRakerSCM

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Left the park a while ago. We parked top floor of Pixar earlier today. We have spent the last 30 minutes just hanging out near the escalators just talking... As there is no reason to get in our car.

We've watched 30 minutes and the car in the far SE corner has moved ONE CAR LENGTH.

All traffic of both structures is being routed to the east side, north the NE corner and then around and out the original structure ramps. WHY?

This is downright ridiculous, operationally idiotic, and frighteningly hazardous.

WHY is Disney so bad at this????
 
180º

180º

Well-Known Member
MoonRakerSCM said:
Left the park a while ago. We parked top floor of Pixar earlier today. We have spent the last 30 minutes just hanging out near the escalators just talking... As there is no reason to get in our car.

We've watched 30 minutes and the car in the far SE corner has moved ONE CAR LENGTH.

All traffic of both structures is being routed to the east side, north the NE corner and then around and out the original structure ramps. WHY?

This is downright ridiculous, operationally idiotic, and frighteningly hazardous.

WHY is Disney so bad at this????
Click to expand...
I have been fortunate and never experienced such a backup exiting, though others have had similar experiences to yours. The new parking structure has brought so many improvements. I hope they can fix this error before holiday crowds hit hard.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
It's because the weakest link is the Ball Road intersection. They don't retime that light from 10:00pm to 1:00am to favor the northbound lanes of Disneyland Drive and those lanes gridlock quickly and back up into the structure ramps. Once that happens you've lost, and the whole thing gridlocks for miles, except the "miles" simply back up into the single file exit lanes on each level of the structure.

It's well known that Anaheim has a highly adjustable traffic light system with all major thoroughfares and intersection light timing able to be adjusted for events at the Stadium, Honda Center, Convention Center, and Disneyland Resort. But it requires the client of that event, in this case Disneyland's parking department, to make the request in advance for late night events. https://www.anaheim.net/361/Traffic-Transportation

It's been doing this for years, and since it only happens after 10:00pm when apparently no manager or exec of any significance is on property, no one cares.

luminaria16.jpg


Except now they just added 6,500 additional cars to the mix, which makes the backups at Ball Road even worse and take even longer to clear out. The weak link is the Ball Road intersection and the standard light timing there that is never adjusted to accommodate an extra 15,000 cars leaving all at once.
 
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George Lucas on a Bench

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
You know what else is bad? The drop-off/pick-up area on Harbor Blvd. directly to the left of Disneyland entrance. This might have functioned better in the past, but it's usually a mess of parked Uber and Lyft vehicles and people cluttering up the sidewalk. It's a disaster. It also frequently backs up to the street crossing directly in front of the Disneyland entrance, with cars stacking up well after the crossing signal resulting in a Frogger scenario.

There's no way for anyone simply walking that way to bypass it. You have to cross to the other side, but that doesn't make any sense if you're not going to that side of the street. It just adds an extra couple steps where you have to wait to cross, cross, wait to cross and cross again.
 
SuddenStorm

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Yikes! And at 1 am... What a disaster.

I've grown to love Pixar Pals (the structure, not the name)... But have yet to get stuck in anything that bad! (At about 20 visits in the last 5 weeks).

Perhaps there was some sort of accident that added to the traffic?
 
Macro

Macro

Well-Known Member
The problem is that so many people try to leave at once after fireworks. Wait until closing time and it's better.

Plus if I'm seeing that picture above correctly then the flyover isn't open. If that thing's shut when a bunch of people leave then it's a nightmare. I leave late and it's almost always open. Or maybe the flyover is blocked by people trying to get to Ball road. It's hard to tell in that picture.
 
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DrAlice

DrAlice

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
It's because the weakest link is the Ball Road intersection. They don't retime that light from 10:00pm to 1:00am to favor the northbound lanes of Disneyland Drive and those lanes gridlock quickly and back up into the structure ramps. Once that happens you've lost, and the whole thing gridlocks for miles, except the "miles" simply back up into the single file exit lanes on each level of the structure.

It's well known that Anaheim has a highly adjustable traffic light system with all major thoroughfares and intersection light timing able to be adjusted for events at the Stadium, Honda Center, Convention Center, and Disneyland Resort. But it requires the client of that event, in this case Disneyland's parking department, to make the request in advance for late night events. https://www.anaheim.net/361/Traffic-Transportation

It's been doing this for years, and since it only happens after 10:00pm when apparently no manager or exec of any significance is on property, no one cares.

luminaria16.jpg


Except now they just added 6,500 additional cars to the mix, which makes the backups at Ball Road even worse and take even longer to clear out. The weak link is the Ball Road intersection and the standard light timing there that is never adjusted to accommodate an extra 15,000 cars leaving on northbound Disneyland Drive.

It's not rocket science how you fix this, it just takes a competent manager or exec willing to work Friday nights to do it.
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But, it wouldn't take anyone to work late. Couldn't "they" (Disney, the city, whoever) just do an automatic re-timing of the light based on anticipated high traffic nights (fireworks or whatever)? I mean, if the crowds don't show and the light is re-timed anyway, is that going to hurt anything? Seems like a no-brainer to me. Of course, someone other than a guest would have to know that this is even a problem.
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Ok, the Flyover bridge is supposed to be open using both lanes in the evenings. (I drove by around 3 PM and it was one lane in each direction.

I can't answer the question about why the traffic light is not being adjusted by the Anaheim Traffic Center, somebody is supposed to be staffing it 24/7.

If Disneyland creates traffic on city streets that needs APD officers to manage the situation, then Disney is required to pay for that service (Same for the Angels, Ducks, major Convention, etc.).

That cost is paying the APD staff overtime (A sweetheart deal for the officers, as they volunteer to work the shifts, after working their regular shifts), plus a fee that covers everything else, such as the cost of benefits, a Supervisor, wear and tear on vehicles, supplies like Flares, etc.

So we are talking hundreds of dollars for each officer, and usually at least 4 are assigned. That adds up REAL quickly.

So Disney basically preferred to keep the traffic jam on their property (aka the Parking Structures) to avoid the extra costs.

Now, things might change in October, as it is a new fiscal year. But due to the underperforming parks, Disney is trying to avoid any possible expense in September.
 
Californian Elitist

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
BubbaisWoke said:
Exactly! I always recommend this one & I tell anyone who's staying at the nearby convention hotels to cross the street and take the shuttle from there. Never have a problem at Toy Story Parking and the buses are quick both ways.
Click to expand...

I don’t think I’ve ever waited more than 10 minutes for a bus. It’s fantastic.

I hate waiting for the trams, especially at night.
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
But the ART Buses to the Hilton/Marriott/Sheraton Park/Clarion runs about the same frequency, and stops right in front of your Hotel.

It does $6 for a day pass, but no long walks, crossing busy streets, etc.
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Let me add one more thing about the Parking Structures.

Disney CAN open the Magic Way exit from the structures. Now, the option is only a left turn towards Disneyland Drive, but then you can choose north or south, unless the APD decides they only want you to go either North or South.

But if Disney opens that exit, the APD has to be called out to control the traffic, and that of course, requires Disney to pay for those officers.

So once again, Disney is opting to keep the cars in the structure, I presume to save money.
 
Old Mouseketeer

Old Mouseketeer

Well-Known Member
But they can still exit to Magic Way through the regular exit (alongside the new entrance) without using APD, no? I understand they would need APD if they used the "vomitorium" (look it up) along the back of Pixar, parallel to Walnut. There's a cutout in the center island at the West end of Magic Way turning Left/East onto Magic Way from that express exit.

They have the solution--it's clear from the design intent: Cars exit onto Magic Way East to Disneyland Drive South, to the bypass road behind DCA East crossing Harbor onto Disney Way East to 1) I-5 South or 2) Manchester South to Katella East under the I-5 overpass to I-5 North. But this is APD labor-intensive and as Darkbeer said, Disney doesn't want to pay.

I suspect Disney may also be ginning up this "crisis" to put pressure on Anaheim to advance the revised Eastern Gateway when it comes around. Just a thought.

EDIT: And why anyone not arriving from the North on I-5 would park in Mickey/Pixar is beyond me.
 

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