Anaheim Prepared to Handle the Traffic Around the Park

Entering--and exiting--the Anaheim resort area to visit Disneyland’s renovated Tomorrowland may be as slow moving as the theme land’s former PeopleMover.

Visitors to the park already are smart to leave extra travel time because traffic in the area is a snarl as millions of dollars are being spent to improve infrastructure and reconstruct roadways surrounding the Happiest Place on Earth.

The estimated $413 million in work will meet the added service demands of the new $1.4-billion Disney theme park, California Adventure, to open in 2001.

And with thousands of visitors anticipated to stream into the resort area to experience Disney’s rebuilt futuristic Tomorrowland this spring and summer, Anaheim officials say the city is prepared to handle the added traffic to ease visitor tensions.

“We’re anticipating a very successful spring and summer--and we’re doing everything we can to streamline the access to the resort,” said Tom Wood, Anaheim deputy city manager.

Construction work is not expected to discourage visitors from visiting the overhauled Tomorrowland, which opens to the public May 22, Disney officials said.

“I don’t think the construction will deter them from coming, but at times, it will be a little inconvenient for all of us,” said Bill Ross, Disneyland vice president of public affairs.

Measures to make Disneyland more accommodating for guests include a new arrival area so taxis, buses and hotel shuttles can better access the park and drop off visitors at the Magic Kingdom’s doorstep.

Disneyland has never had a convenient way for people staying in nearby lodging to walk into the theme park, Ross added, and to change that, a new pedestrian entrance south of the marquee on Harbor Boulevard was completed.

Other steps to ease traffic congestion include a freeway and parking plan to help whisk visitors in and out of construction zones.

“The city’s objective is that no one sits in traffic,” Wood said.

Anticipating the closure of the Harbor Boulevard freeway ramps in July--a major access point into the resort area--alternative routes for motorists have been mapped out to get into the tourist strip.

Of the $1.1 billion in Santa Ana Freeway improvements--to be completed by late 2000--a substantial amount of work is now underway through Anaheim. About 70% of traffic enters the resort area from the freeway, city officials said.

The city has put up signs to steer motorists off the freeway and through streets. Anaheim police will use traffic control assistants during major events that draw large crowds.

Three new parking lots have been built, a fourth lot on the former Grand Hotel site will be available in late June or July, and a portion of the park’s original lot has been reconfigured. A total of 13,099 parking spaces will be available during construction--more than before the work began.