Yeah, none of the DLR hotels is worth the price they charge, but PPH REALLY isn't worth it. I really hope they replace it in the not-too-distant future. The DLR properties really are ridiculously expensive for what you get. I recently stayed at the DLH and it was by far the most I have ever paid for a hotel - and I have stayed at some of the most exclusive hotels in the country (several Ritz, Four Seasons and St. Regis properties, Breakers, Broadmoor, Montage, Peninsula, etc.). If I'm gonna spend that kind of money I'd like to get more than a headboard with fireworks lights, a key card with my name on it, and a long walk to the parks.
NBC Los Angeles is confirming that the new west side security checkpoints will be moved to the M&F tram area, between the Rainforest Café and ESPN Zone, and between ESPN Zone and Earl of Sandwich. No changes to the east side are happening yet, but that will be part of the new parking structure/transit station/pedestrian bridge project: Disneyland to Move Security Checkpoints The west side changes are supposed to be operational by the end of the year, which seems pretty quick I also have to wonder how the Alamo and Walt Disney Travel Company offices around the corner from Earl of Sandwich feel about this. They've always been pretty isolated back there, but now there will be a literal fence to separate them from the rest of DTD
I'd love to see what followed where it cut off! (i.e. "what we're going to do about each of those concerns.")
The next video has the solutions and they're rather lacking. If Anaheim wants good solutions, Disney will have to keep the crosswalk entrance. Disney wants to get rid of it and send everyone over the bridge.
That's what I was afraid of, and what I'm sure the Harbor Blvd. businesses were VERY afraid of. The walk from those motels just got a whole lot longer and the eateries stand to lose a lot of casual "walk-in" business. I wonder if each of the motels could open up access to that north-south path that accesses the security area from their eastern ends? That would at least alleviate having to walk west from your room to Harbor (as now), then back east the length of the motels to the access point, then back west again across the Harbor bridge. (And then of course the same thing in reverse going back to the motel). If they close Harbor Blvd. access entirely, that even disadvantages properties already on the West side of Harbor, like the Candy Cane, those around the corner on Katella, and those on the west side of Harbor north of the Freeway entrance. Do CM's have to go through security? Their drop-off point is inside the Harbor side of the gate, right? Maybe they can still keep a small security area there for them and motel guests who don't have to cross Harbor to begin with, if they're hell-bent on doing away with the crosswalk. Though I still think a better solution is to have a security area inside the Harbor gate (albeit perhaps farther east than now), retain the crosswalk, and just have that post-security area merge with the one coming down from the Harbor Bridge.
Disney would let motels south of the bridge access the pathway from their east end, losing 1 room or closet. People in motels north of the bridge would enter the security area through McDonald’s parking lot, although that would need some successful negotiating with the landlord. Maybe Fairfield Inn Marriott would be involved, too? The staff building in the security area would be moved a little bit east. They didn’t bring up what we thought was a walkway that parallels the south side of the bridge’s east ramp. That may mean that there isn’t one.
Although this is a great solution for anybody arriving by car or transit, it's a pretty terrible solution for pedestrians. Anybody walking to the parks from anywhere on Harbor Blvd will need to go east to get to the checkpoint, to go west to the parks, adding about a quarter of a mile to the trip (and another quarter mile at the end of the day). From an urban design perspective, that's a huge downgrade from the surprisingly pedestrian-friendly existing conditions Surprisingly, it doesn't look like they're planning anything under the bridge along Harbor Blvd. Perhaps they could open up that space and turn it into a secondary checkpoint, with elevators and escalators up to the walkway above. It wouldn't require any additional real estate, but would do a lot to resolve the pedestrian circulation issues I'm also worried that if the signalized intersection remains at the CM drop-off area, people will continue to cross there, even if there's no marked crosswalk or guest security checkpoint on the other side. At the very least, that would create unsafe pedestrian conditions in an area where there are a lot of out-of-town visitors and distracted drivers From an aesthetic standpoint, I'm unimpressed. The not-so-hidden Mickey motif feels like mid-00's leftovers from one of the Asian parks, and doesn't mesh with the DLR aesthetic at all. Considering how well disguised and verdant the DTD bridge is, the Harbor bridge looks remarkably utilitarian; I don't like that the road below is so visible. I'm also surprised that there aren't any shops or kiosks along the path. I realize that they're trying to keep it generic at this point, and reveal architectural details later, but it's not a great look
But there will still have to be a driveway for the CM shuttles. And where there's an apparent opening, people will try to get in there. Short of removing the signalized intersection completely (and adding a median with a fence to discourage pedestrian crossings), there will be people crossing the street there whether they like it or not. It's best to take that into consideration and accommodate it, rather than ignore it and hope it goes away
I agree. Also, after decades of people used to entering there, it would be a challenge to "re-educate" people already staying on the west side of Harbor (candy cane, around the corner, and south of Katella, plus those north of the freeway) that they'd have to cross either at Katella or Ball lest they face a fence where they're used to entering. And if you have all those people (including small children) crossing at Katella and Ball that didn't before, with the requisite long light times that safety for children would dictate, that doesn't really solve the problem of slowing down traffic on Harbor.
Employee shuttles could take Manchester to the Harbor House gate. Re-education can take place at hotel check-in and Disney is going to have pedestrian direction signs. I wondered if getting rid of the crosswalk was Anaheim's idea. The tough nut is still Harbor businesses in my eyes. All that I can think to do for them is to send most southern pedestrians up Harbor to McDonalds and that entrance may not happen.
I did read that taking out the crosswalk was Anaheim's idea. But now that those staying west of Harbor will have to cross at Katella or Ball while they didn't before, I don't think it will help the traffic flow on Harbor much. And the businesses (hotels AND restaurants) must hate the idea of no crosswalk.
It feels a bit like Disney would rather keep the crosswalk. They haven't brought up possible room for a walkway aside the bridge that would let them send pedestrians up Harbor. If there would be no space, a slight narrowing of the ramp would give them the space.
It seems like a major goal of this project is to free up the existing bus drop-off area so that space can be annexed into DCA. Presumably keeping the crosswalk would require a somewhat large security checkpoint in that area, taking away land that could be used for something else. Then again, if most Harbor Blvd hotel guests are being directed toward the east end of the bridge, they could probably have a much smaller checkpoint there and it would be adequate for the smaller crowds
Maybe the local business would be willing to have Disney incorporate a security entrance to the bridge from Harbor Blvd and pay Disney to have it staffed?
I like the fact that you'll be able to go from the park to DTD and back again without having to go thru security. If I spend the entire day there, it will make options for meals much more convenient.
I do not think that this is going to impact the hotels as much as it is going to have a huge impact on the restaurants in the area. People are no longer going to be able to walk across the street, grab a bit to eat and then walk back. Under this configuration it will take a lot more time.
Maybe that's part of the point. It creates an incentive to stay ON property if you don't have to go through security. I just went to the resort and liked being able to go from the parks to DtD and back without having to go through security again. Other than close proximity, it makes dining in DtD an even easier choice.
