New parking structure

plus that it is unlikely to be such a better idea than the alternatives that they'd not go in other directions. We'd have Westcot had they stuck to it.

I looked into Anaheim records. The 1993 plan is still on the books, but it's been heavily amended over the years. I don't know how much of 1993 is left. It was amended twice in 1994, then again in 1999, 2002, 2006, 2011, and then I don't know until the new one in 2016. Oh, there was one a year or 2 ago. Regime changes were 1994, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2013.

 

I can't help but wonder if maybe Disney has somehow acquired one of the hotels adjacent to the Carousel Inn plot, in order to convert that to another security entrance, which would join the proposed path along the way to the bridge. Short of some sort of direct access from the east side of Harbor Blvd, I simply can't see them closing off pedestrian access on the west side. It just doesn't make sense

Plus, they will still be using some of the bus plaza space for CM shuttle buses. Assuming left turns are still needed for those routes, they'll have to keep some sort of intersection at that location (which is what the plans show). If there's a traffic signal there, pedestrians will cross regardless of whether or not they have a crosswalk. It's in Disney's best interest to keep the access as easy as possible, lest someone get run over on their way into the park and make national headlines

 

This is how I think of it. If you can see through it, what is underneath would stay.

 

Good point.

Berol's illustration is how I was picturing it too, and I think makes the most sense.

 

I finally rolled out google earth. With the east ramp running the length of the hotel property (600'), the bridge's walking surface would have to be 30' tall at the sidewalk for ADA ramp codes to come into play.

 

So laughingplace article semi confirms what I have been hinting about in regards to the west side security possibly moving also.

Construction near Mickey and friends is for near loading area and security zone. Now all that is left once that is finished is for security protocols to be adjusted for people entering resort from streets into DTD area thru the western hotel district.
Eventually the esplanade will finally be free of clutter

 

This still seems strange to me, as there would have to be multiple security stations at DTD. One at the north end, near the parking lot, one where the DLH and DTD intersect, one at the DTD entry/exit to the GCH, and another at the fire exit of the GCH. Add the one at M&F, and that's 5 on the west side, where they used to have one. Plus, making people just visiting DTD and not the parks have to go through security in the first place.

It doesn't make a lot of sense, but if it happens, it wouldn't be the first headscratcher for Disney, of course.

The upside, I guess, is that breaking it down into essentially 4 security checkpoints instead of 1 (the fire exit at GCH would be very small and could be manned by 2 people, like GCH's DCA entrance) could mean shorter lines at each one. It would be a minor perk for those staying at the DLR hotels if their security lines were quicker, and almost "exclusive," rather than having to use the main one on the west side with the rest of the hoi polloi.

Downside for DLR hotel guests would be having to go through security in the first place just to grab something at Tortilla Joe's or go to World of Disney. They'd have to make dang sure they staffed those security points adequately; it could make the difference between those staying in those high-priced rooms seeming like they got another perk, or a PITA.

Downside for people just coming to DTD for a movie or dinner is obvious; having to go through security whereas they didn't have to before. Another reason to make dang sure those security checkpoints are staffed adequately; otherwise, local DTD patrons will probably just go elsewhere for dinner or a movie.

The largest number of people would be going through M&F security if they put one there, and I guess if they do it right they could nearly cut 2 long lines (waiting for the tram and then waiting for security) into 1. Since you usually have to wait for a tram anyway, if they essentially do security as PART of that line while you're waiting for a tram, then you just have the 1 wait. So that could be a plus for M&F parkers, if they could do that efficiently.

 

something like this had been hinted to me before but i do agree with you that it will be interesting to see how the other entry points are handled.

makes me wonder if eventually we will see security points at the Grand California entrance similar to the way many hotels around the world are now using for poctection. In my travels i have encountered numerous hotels that have installed security points for all guests when entering and exiting hotels. All bags are run thru scanners and guests walk thru metal detectors. that would solve all entrance from that hotel to the parks and DTD. Unless they just add security check point at the main connection to DTD from the hotel and put up a sign that emergency door is to be used for emergency only and that alarm will sound.

The DTD entrance points are the interesting ones, right now i can only think of four major hi traffic points not including the emergency door you mention and any backstage access point.
i marked the ones i can think of in yellow



Of course it could be that the info is wrong and that the construction might just be for additional tram parking but then it would make sense for them to have removed the whole security fence and landscaping along the whole western side of the tram loading area. All they could have done is removed sections and created an in and out rout that connects to existing tram route.


The other interesting thing to watch out for is if they are adding the security there, how will the tram route be diverted and where will the passage be located for those parking in the first level parking lot.
with the walkway gone and the tram route blocking the way will the disabled parking spaces now have a much longer walk? or will they consider that and move the crossing area from parking level closer to the elevator area and make it more direct.

 

The big section for Downtown Disney that is a huge, gaping security issue is this one.

Facing away from the Park, you've just passed ESPN Zone on the way to The Disneyland Hotel.

Now stop. The big Mickey hat sculpture is in front of you.

To your right - parking lot.

To your left - quite a bit of hotel grounds, past what used to be the waterfalls and another hotel tower, leading out to another parking lot.

That area seems to need to be protected, security wise.

 

If they do go ahead with the security area by Mickey and Friends tram, it would be interesting to see what configuration they are thinking off.

I would think the best and easiest option would be to keep the tram loading area as is and then just create the unsecured zone in the new piece of property they area expanding to. The Tram route could easily go underneath for a small section or it wold take a longer route around the new extention.
This new area would then have direct access to the lower level of parking garage and would give them another area to add a secondary elevator.

something like this



the yellow would be the security structure. of course one loading section would have to be eliminated.


the other possible option could be moving the loading area and turning the existing load area into the unsecured zone (no tram loading here) but seems like it would create more obstacles because now you don't have a direct access from bottom level of parking structure unless people walk all the way around the expansion an go thru existing crosswalk into unsecured area.

of course i have no idea what they plan on doing but i guess im bored at work

 

Great options both!

 

And this assumes security at both entrances of all towers right?

 

sorry lost me there. not sure what you mean by both towers.

the first option would not allow anyone entering the existing loading area without prior security check. Anyone coming from any part of the structure would come down escalators, level one pathways, stairs or ground level bus parking as well as elevators into the new large holding area during peak seasons.

In the second option the new load secured area would be in the new expansion and no access to that area is available unless you use the 1 existing elevator, the ramps, or walk around the whole area to access existing crosswalk into non secured area. Of course the makes the tram route longer and they still need to have Castmembers to help with guests crossing tram route just like they do now.
good thing about this option is that they can still keep four load areas in tact. the disbaled guests that park in the parking spaces on first level near the existing tram route would have a longer walk now to go around the new expansion area to access the unsecured space.

It will be interesting to see what they are planning. Of course nothing is for sure and that area can just be under construction for a new tram parking facility.

 

Lots of questions. Another possibility is that they're planning on a security area for M&F much like they're planning for the East parking lot, and then perhaps will simply move the West esplanade security area farther west and/or move the tram dropoff farther east; thus those coming from M&F will have gone through security already (creating essentially one line for them instead of two), and will be let off east of the west esplanade security area, which will be used by all those coming from the hotels and DTD as before, but not by M&F parkers. Thus you wouldn't need to do security just to go to DTD or the hotels, just the parks. That would seem a more logical solution to me.

 

It has been made official,

The security point on the west side will move to the Mickey and friend parking structure. Also security points will be added between rainforest cafe and ESPN and also between ESPN and earl of jones sandwich place.

Also other areas that will eventually be changed are walkways from The Grabd to DTD including the emergency exit some people have use from the Grand

These changes will bring DTD within the secured zone and will help win th the crowding on the west end.

This will allow guests to now enter and exit the theme parks to eat and shop in DTD without having to deal with security lines.

Hotel guests will also see less wait since they will use the security entrance between Earl and ESPN and not have to wait with the day tourist coming from the trams.

Eventually this might be modified as the resort grows and the possibility of DTD growing to include the new hotel.

The east security gates will not change until the new parking structure opens

 

Link?

 

Here you go

Disney moving security checkpoint in Anaheim to include Downtown Disney

I knew this was coming that's why I kept hinting about it but was waiting to see when Disney finally said something

The resort will be good no thru quite a few changes as it secures it properties and continues to grow within the next five years

 

I agree that this isn't a huge surprise, considering how other Disney resorts operate. DLP's Disney Village is already inside their security perimeter (which includes metal detectors and X-rays for everybody) and WDW is beginning to transition to moving security farther from the park entrances, especially at MK and Epcot. Considering DLR's compact size and how DTD was always designed to have free flow from the parks, it makes sense that they're moving in that direction too. The new parking garage and east security checkpoint should help further open things up

As for the GCH emergency exit, I suspect it will get an alarm added so that it is truly for emergencies only, and guests would have to use the checkpoint at the courtyard entrance. If they had the space, they could add a fenced-in corral to keep people separate in emergencies (much like the holding areas on the Animal Kingdom Lodge's savannah to keep the people separate from the animals), but I suspect an evacuation of the hotel would just dump everybody into DTD, with additional temporary screening at the park entrances, and a full sweep of the area would be required before returning to normal operations

 

Okay. There are some upsides to this, as I mentioned in #87, IF it's handled correctly. Biggest upside probably for those parking in M&F, as you have to wait for a tram anyway, so - IF handled correctly - they could do the bag check before you get in line for the tram (essentially as part of the line for the tram), and ideally you would wait no longer than you do now on the M&F end, which essentially means waiting less all-tolled, since there wouldn't be a security check on the other end.

Hotel guests probably get a wash; presumably less of a security wait than previously on the west side (IF handled correctly, i.e. adequately staffed), since you're mostly waiting with fellow hotel guests and not the hordes that park in M&F, so that's a plus. But a downside in that you have to go through security in the first place if you just want to go from your hotel to DTD.

Biggest downside for those who just want to go to DTD for dinner or a movie or shopping, since now they'll have to go through security in the first place, and that could be enough of a PITA that people decide just to go to another mall/restaurant/movie instead.

So there is some upside here, but enough of a downside - the 1 westside checkpoint being replaced by 4 (M&F, 2 at DTD, and they'll have to have one in the courtyard of the GCH even if they make the fire exit emergency-only), plus requiring DTD visitors to go through security, which can't make those businesses real happy - that on balance this is a bit of a headscratcher of a decision from Disney for me. But it's not like it's the first time I've ever said that.

 

Guests arriving from DTD parking lot to go see a movie and shop usually don't arrive in large numbers at a time. I myself use the DTD parking area quite often and have never noticed large crowds coming in thru this point all at once.
I don't think it will be much of a problem or to much of an inconvenience.

The vendors are actually happy about this change especially the bread bakery which sees huge congestions of people in the existing security points in front of their door.
Now people will have a better option to go from the parks to the mall without having to deal with security.

The new security area will be similar to the one being designed for the east side.

You get out of the parking structure and go thru security. Then you walk to the tram loading area.

The tram route will also change, several parking spots inside the parking structure will be eliminated along the southern wall. This will allow the tram route to be extended. The tram will travel a longer distance within the structure then turn left out into the new and expanded loading area.

By the way construction on this finally started this weekend with the removal of asphalt