Anaheim Buses to Take Tourists Along for Ride

Shuttle service is expected to start this fall between Disneyland, sports arenas and hotels within the Anaheim Resort area.

The city intends to begin running two or three clean-fuel shuttle buses between the Arrowhead Pond, Edison International Field and other tourist destinations, said John Lower, Anaheim’s traffic and transportation manager. Riders will pay a minimal fee, perhaps 25 or 50 cents, he said.

The pilot program is not expected to start in time to serve the Angels and their renovated stadium this summer, but should be ready for the scheduled fall opening of the Tinseltown restaurant, in the stadium parking lot, and for the 1998-99 season of the Mighty Ducks at the Arrowhead Pond.

The city hopes to secure grants for a fleet of 21 buses by the time Disney’s second Anaheim theme park, California Adventure, opens in 2001, Lower said. The city then could develop a “smart shuttle” service that would adjust routes and schedules to rider requests.

Orange County attracted 37 million visitors last year, according to the Anaheim/Orange County Convention and Visitor Bureau. Mike Mueller, corporate sales manager at Anaheim-based California Vacation, said many tourists dread the thought of driving in Southern California and would welcome the shuttle service.

“That’s a big plus,” Mueller said. “Traffic just kills people. They want to relax. They don’t want to stress out.”

Questions had been raised about the possibility of extending the Disneyland monorail to Edison Field and the Pond. But Anaheim Sports President Tony Tavares said the project cost would be prohibitive without state and federal funding.