Disneyland Resort’s next major expansion project has officially broken ground…but this one isn’t a new ride or land!
Disneyland Resort has officially begun construction on a massive new parking structure and transportation hub, kicking off a project designed to completely change how thousands of guests arrive at the resort.
The project will eventually bring approximately 6,000 new parking spaces, hundreds of EV charging spaces, a new transportation hub, security facilities, and a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard connecting guests directly to the Disneyland Resort esplanade.
And with Disneyland preparing for everything from new Avengers attractions to Coco, a reimagined Tomorrowland, and an eventual Avatar land, Disney is going to need that extra infrastructure.
Disney recently held a groundbreaking ceremony marking the official start of construction on the parking structure, transportation hub, and pedestrian bridge.
The project is part of the larger DisneylandForward expansion plans, which are preparing Disneyland Resort to accommodate additional guests as new attractions and experiences are added in the years ahead.
The new development is being constructed on the site of the current Manchester Cast Member parking lot, located east of the theme parks.
When completed, the new parking structure will contain approximately 6,000 parking spaces.
Disney isn’t just adding thousands of traditional parking spaces.
The new facility will include 302 electric vehicle charging spaces, significantly expanding EV charging availability for Disneyland Resort guests.
The overall transportation complex will also feature:
- Approximately 6,000 parking spaces
- 302 EV charging spaces
- A dedicated area for shuttles
- A dedicated rideshare area
- New security facilities
- Dedicated vehicle access from Disney Way
- A new pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard
Altogether, it’s designed to create a new arrival experience for guests approaching Disneyland Resort from the east.
One of the most noticeable additions will be the new pedestrian bridge.
The bridge will stretch across Harbor Boulevard, connecting the new parking and transportation complex with Disneyland Resort’s esplanade.
Disneyland has already started preparing for that portion of the project. According to WDWNT, ticket booths are being demolished to make way for construction of the bridge.
Once complete, the bridge should allow guests arriving from the new eastern parking complex to cross over Harbor Boulevard rather than navigating the busy roadway at street level.
This Is Part of a MUCH Bigger Disneyland Expansion
A parking structure might not sound quite as exciting as a new attraction, but this particular project makes a lot more sense when you look at what’s coming to Disneyland Resort.
Disney has an enormous pipeline of projects underway or announced, including two new attractions for Avengers Campus, the upcoming Coco attraction, a major reimagining of Tomorrowland, and a future Avatar-themed land.
Those additions are expected to bring even more guests to a resort that already operates within a much tighter physical footprint than Walt Disney World. That’s where projects like this become particularly important.
Before Disney can comfortably welcome even more visitors, it needs somewhere for those visitors to park, arrive, pass through security, catch transportation, and enter the resort. And now, that infrastructure is officially starting to take shape.
This new parking and transportation complex isn’t the flashiest part of Disneyland’s future, but breaking ground marks another tangible step toward the larger expansion of Disneyland Resort.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for the latest DisneylandForward developments, Disneyland Resort construction updates, new attractions, and everything changing at the California parks!
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