The map is a bit misleading. The area with the words security is not where the security tables/metal detectors will be. That would be too small and just before the bridge which would create bottleneck for those leaving. If you look closely the whole security area is everything west of the shuttle zones within the areas marked in a light shade of pink. There are multiple permanent awnings in a half circles facing the shuttle areas and parking structure escalators. Each of those permanent awnings have gates on them very similar to how the parks entrance gates look like. Once you pass this area guests are in a large esplanade that leads to the bridge
Dianey hasn't really said anything, it's the hotels that said that Disney has a notion for them that will allow their guests to still have a close access from harbor. That's a very vague statement. It does seem though like there might be a path next to the elevated pedestrian bridge that leads from harbor to the security area. Disney and the city really want to elminate the need for people to cross harbor at street level. It has become dangerous and a traffic nuisance. Eliminating that crosswalk would allow them to remove that light and let traffic flow more smoothly. People will have to adapt to the change just like they did when the timon lot was closed permanently
You can expect to walk a whole lot more if you stay on Harbor. There will be an ART stop along Harbor to drop people off back at the bus stops. Disney has been trying to acquire land on Harbor for 61 years. In one swoop they have effectively made the Harbor Hotels less valuable, brought all non Disney hotel guest through a better/safer entrance all under the guise of being better for the guests. Brilliant. At the same time Disney is adding another premier hotel to the other side. What do you want to guess that there will be more security bag check cast members on the other side. Guest paying a premium will get in the park earlier and leave easier. Just wait till the team route is used for DtD expansion and Disneyland expansion.
<If you look closely the whole security area is everything west of the shuttle zones within the areas marked in a light shade of pink. There are multiple permanent awnings in a half circles facing the shuttle areas and parking structure escalators. Each of those permanent awnings have gates on them very similar to how the parks entrance gates look like. Once you pass this area guests are in a large esplanade that leads to the bridge> I must not be looking at the same map you are. Nothing on the one I'm seeing in the OP link has pink at all. What would make most sense to me is to split the East side security tables/structures between the parking structure and just after the crosswalk (well east of where they are now). Yes, that's two security areas, but not necessarily any more staff members - just split between the two locations. That would let Harbor hotel guests cross the street as usual without having to backtrack to get through security, and also take the load off the parking-area security zone, meaning it wouldn't have to be as large. As long as the pedestrian bridge discharges west of that ground-level security area just west of Harbor, it would work. Yes, Disney could make things more difficult for the guests who stay at Harbor hotels, but that seems awfully petulant and not very "good neighborly." It's not like Disney has any trouble filling its own hotel rooms (and they wouldn't be building the 4th if they didn't think they could fill it too). And why inconvenience your customers who stay on Harbor any more than you have to? Even if you think they'd have no problem sticking it the Harbor hotels per se (even though they've always had a symbiotic relationship), they wouldn't want to tick off their guests.
Since I don't see any elevators or steps on the map I am going to assume that the long walk is a ramp up, bridge, and then a ramp down?
Wouldn't they have to have an elevator option due to the ADA for any new structure like this? Either that or a ramp with a gentler slope (thus taking more space) than they probably want.
It looks like there will be a gentle slope to/from the pedestrian bridge. Doing some general calculations, the ~500' shown on either side of the bridge is plenty of distance for a ~20' vertical rise without having to deal with ADA regulations on officially designated "ramps". Any time you can avoid ADA kicking in with all its various requirements, a designer will always take that route. I suspect there will be some flat areas to rest along the way, along with planters that work as benches. It will be interested to see if they move wheelchair/stroller rentals closer to the parking garage, since that would be a very long distance for guests with mobility impairments; alternatively they could run some sort of shuttle bus/van, but that's probably more trouble than it's worth
<the ~500' shown on either side of the bridge> Where are you seeing 500 feet? Again, I don't seem to be seeing what other people are seeing. Is there a different link than the one in the OP?
I'm having trouble getting the link to open, but I'm looking at the plan that was posted about halfway down the first page. Only the portion of the path over the street needs to be fully elevated, which makes me think that what's shown on either side (Carousel Inn parcel & along the existing Harbor Blvd drop-off area) will become gradual slopes. Pulling a quick distance from Google Earth, both appear to be about 500' long
<I'm having trouble getting the link to open, but I'm looking at the plan that was posted about halfway down the first page.> Was it in one of the Phruby posts? Those just say for me and I can't see (or click on) anything. If someone (Phruby?) could try posting/linking again, that could be very helpful. (And thanks for trying, Ferret!) And actually, why would they need a sloping ramp on the parking structure side at all? It would seem better to just have the security area on the 2nd level (same level as the bridge). If there's parking on the ground level, have just a short escalator up to that, with perhaps accompanying elevator or ramp for wheelchairs (and perhaps also the option to exit to the street, cross at the crosswalk and use the east esplanade security if that indeed exists). Otherwise, everyone goes to the 2nd level, goes through security there, and then moves to the bridge which is on the same level. So the ramp would only be necessary on the west end. That's how basically every boardwalk casino in Atlantic City does it. The casino/hotels are right on the boardwalk, and there's a major parallel avenue right behind all of them, leaving them no room for attached parking garages. So they pretty much all have parking structures across that avenue, and everyone takes an elevator to the 2nd floor after parking, crosses a pedestrian bridge over the avenue at that level, and then goes down to ground level.
I really like that idea; it would help eliminate some of the "canyon" feel walking between the backs of 2 motels so close to the pathway, and it would also open up a lot of space below the walkway that could be used for backstage purposes. It sounds like they're going to add some food & merchandise along the way, so that would allow them to have small pavilions along the path leading to much larger retail space below (sort of like the Sackler Gallery in DC). It would definitely have that unique-to-DL feel, since there are so many clever uses of space in the park That said, they also need the walkway to tie in to the bus bays, which in turn have to tie in at Manchester. Just eyeballing it, it seems like the height difference would be too much to overcome in that space, since bus areas need to be flatter than walkways. It's a shame that they're going to use all that space for a simple walkway and not much more
Here is that link again. Video: Disney Resort to build new 7-story parking structure, elevated walkway ahead of 'Star Wars' land Here is a picture of the new security area. You can see the bridge in the distance.
That concept art is overly-green (they're replacing I-5 with a meadow!?) but it looks nice. I'm glad that they're finally formalizing the security area into permanent looking structures. This also looks like it will be large enough to deal with a lot of the capacity problems they've been having recently, and provide space for any additional screening equipment they might need in the future Yah, it looks like there are some roofs along the path between the motels that could contain retail space It will be interesting to see what Disney does to control the surrounding views. Since the resort expansion, all of the entryways have been designed to direct your vision into the Disney property; this view in particular highlights how much of the surroundings will be visible from the new area. It could take a long time for the landscaping to grow in and really hide the backside of the buildings; I wonder if they're considering painting murals or something to make them a little more visually appealing
I didn't follow the news that much about the improvements coming to DL, since we will not visit in the next five years, but the concept art above looks beautiful. The area around DL isn't really very nice, so this new entrance area seems to be a good idea.
Thanks for posting that again, phruby. That makes it much clearer, and is different from what I was picturing. The gentle slope up on the east side of Harbor is easier to picture now; on the west side they wouldn't have that much space, so perhaps they'll do a switchback sort of ramp (like at the Monorail). But that drawing also makes it more clear to me that they'll just about have to have a security area in the east esplanade as well for Harbor-hotel stayers. The current set-up would be okay for those staying south of the security area, at least in the nearest motels, especially if you were staying near the back anyway (kind of a drag if you were staying near the front/Harbor Blvd. end). But imagine if you were staying in the Fairfield or Hojo's - what a convoluted (and long) path that would be! They couldn't let you in the area north of security, as that's post-security, and you wouldn't have been checked. So you'd have to go out to Harbor, walk south of the security area, backtrack east to get to the security area, go through security, then walk back west along the main pathway/bridge. I don't think they could do that to their customers. They must have plans for a second security area for Harbor hotel guests in the east esplanade.
No need to speculate, Disney said that people on Harbor wouldn't use this entrance. Disney will have to have a security area for them in the Esplanade.
