Fans React to Disneyland Tram Service STILL Not Running

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Disneyland Tram Doors

It was recently revealed that Disneyland officials are still evaluating the return of the beloved Disneyland Resort tram service.

Currently, visitors are faced with a nearly mile-long walk from the parking garages to the front gates of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. And according to local Southern California news source The OC Register, there is no current timeline for when the tram service will come back and once again be Guests’ “first ride of the day”.

disney world tram
Credit: D23

Social media is rife with Disney fans complaining about the walk, and we’ve been intrigued by the comments and theories presented.

The Downtown Disney District reopened last summer following a months-long closure and the Simba parking lot with it. Later in March 2021, when A Touch of Disney began its limited-time offering at Disney California Adventure Park, the Mickey & Friends parking structure reopened to the public. But since then, the trams have still not been running.

Pre-pandemic, the Disneyland trams would usually bring park-goers from the Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals parking garages to a drop-off and pick-up location located adjacent to the Disneyland Explanade. And even though Disneyland Resort has attempted to sprinkle some pixie dust onto the negative situation, with the tram walkway being decked out in fun “Welcome Back!” signage back in spring 2021, Guests are still yearning for the tram’s return.

disney world tram
Credit: Screenshot via Disney Programs YouTube

For the most part, many fans seem to believe that the continued closure is due to cost. Inside the Magic Facebook follower Tracey. L. speculates:

I guarantee they won’t come back. Anything free is no more for Disney!

And Harry S. expressed:

Short answer: GREED. Cheapskate doesn’t want to spend the money it would take to maintenance or replace the Trams that have been sitting out in the open for 18 months. They also don’t want to pay for the people needed to run them. It has nothing to do with covid at this point. Then there is all that money they make from Premium parking. It’s all about money.

While Kristen S. said:

I was just at Disneyland a few weeks ago, and it’s a lot of fun being from the eastern time zone and walking a mile to your car at the end of the day… which is like 2 am Eastern lol. People are willing to put up with less frills right now for more money right now, but long term, as time goes on, that will change and less people will go till more perks happen. Disney is just taking advantage of the market as it is right now. Time will tell how things proceed.

disney world tram
Credit: Screenshot via Disney Programs YouTube
Other fans are concerned about the walk to the Disney Parks, especially those with health concerns. Sonia, an Inside the Magic reader, wrote:
The Trams are needed, many people can’t do all the walking. I personally can’t because of my bad back please get these going it will be so much better for many people.
While Lynn G. added:
I’m disabled and had trouble getting to the trans. Without them, I simply can’t go.
Another Facebook follower, Edie G., continued:
In Florida buses are running with mask required so why can’t trams run with the same requirements. Some days it’s almost 100 degrees.
The walk was also an issue for Stephanie S., who commented:
I won’t go to Disneyland until the trams (or something else) are running again. The walk was ridiculous. We used to walk from the garage all the time but it was a direct route.
While Kathryn noted:
I too agree, us older people love the park,walking the park is one thing, we should not have to walk almost a mile to get there, and at the end of the day walk the same to get to our car… I won’t go back til the trams are back
disney world tram
Credit: Screenshot via Disney Programs YouTube

The walk for some Disney Guests, however, was not a concern. Many followers, including Melanie M., commented on how walking is a part of a normal Disney day:

All these people complaining about having to walk a mile to the park, and yet have no problem walking who knows how many miles inside the park 🤔
And Wendy B. added:
Ya’ll lazy. It’s a short walk. They even have park benches for the extreme lazy that have to take a break. If you can’t walk then park in toy story and take the bus. I agree at the end of the day it kind of sucks but you knew that going in
Right now, there’s no indication as to when this added exhaustion will end — or even if the trams will be brought back in the near or distant future.

Per The OC Register, Disney officials did not elaborate as to the reason behind the prolonged shutdown of the Disneyland parking tram, but it is the first type of acknowledgment from officials concerning the trams not running. Likewise, Disney has not shared an exact reason for the trams not running with Inside the Magic, either. We will wait and see what is to come and we will share more official updates as they are released by Disney.

map of toy story parking at disneyland
Credit: Screenshot via Disneyland website

If you want to avoid possibly the longest walk at Disney right now and have transportation to and from parking and the theme parks, we recommend parking on Disneyland property at the Toy Story lot off Harbor Boulevard and catching the free Disney bus to the entrance of the Parks. Parking rates and information can be found here.

How have you been affected by the Disneyland tram service not running? Let us know how you feel in the comments below. 

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