Credit: DisneyDisneyland is getting ready to undergo a massive change that will help improve the guest experience tenfold.
Have you ever visited Disneyland Resort (or really, any Disney park), and regardless of whether you were planning to rope-drop Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure, you were met with a massive and long line? Sometimes, that line may only take a few minutes to get through, but on some days it can hold you up for a long time, prolonging your Disney experience and really, just testing the patience of some guests a little too early into their Disney day. If you’re going to be stuck waiting in lines all day, you do not want to start your day off that way, too.
At Disneyland, guests must run their ticket through a machine and then have their photo taken, which can be quite the process when you have tens of thousands of guests trying to see Sleeping Beauty Castle and walk down Main Street, U.S.A.
At Walt Disney World, things do move a little faster, as photos are not needed, and the cast member does not need to do much more work aside from overseeing and providing assistance if guests need it, as they just tap their ticket on the Mickey Mouse icon and place their finger on the scanner. The process should take a few seconds, and each podium has two touchpoints, quickening the experience by servicing double the amount of guests per station.
Recently, reporter Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) shared that Disneyland would be updating their entryway system to be even more accessible.
NEW: Starting later this year, Disneyland Resort will begin work to construct new, updated entry gates at the entryways to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The update will include adding additional gates and making the gates stroller and ADA accessible.
NEW: Starting later this year, Disneyland Resort will begin work to construct new, updated entry gates at the entryways to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The update will include adding additional gates and making the gates stroller and ADA accessible. pic.twitter.com/2urd6EHDhk
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 19, 2024
Gustin continued, “The new gates are expected to be similar to the entry gates at Disneyland Paris and will be automated to open after a Cast Member scans and validates the guest’s theme park ticket. From what I understand, the “automated” mentioned in permits refers to how the new gates will be automated to open after a Cast Member scans and validates the guest’s theme park ticket. I don’t think it’s WDW touchpoint scanners – but I’m still trying to get more info.”
The Orange Country Register then came out with more information on the cost and how many new gates would be added, “A $4.8 million project that will overhaul the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure entrance pavilions with 62 new automated entry gates will be completed in phases to limit the impact of construction.
According to Disneyland officials, ” work to remove and replace the turnstiles at the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure entrances will begin later in the year.”
“We will take a phased approach to construction, working on one turnstile bank at a time to minimize impacts to arrivals,” a Disneyland spokesperson said.
The project is reported to begin on the Disney California Adventure side, installing 24 gates, and then moving to Disneyland Park, where 38 new gates will be installed.
Bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct), Disney reporter and theme park photographer, shared the Disneyland Paris automated turnstiles, which is likely what we will see placed at Disneyland.
Tried the new Disneyland Paris turnstiles today. Closed this morning. At Walt Disney Studios Park
Tried the new Disneyland Paris turnstiles today. Closed this morning. At Walt Disney Studios Park. https://t.co/QNuT2FC8lJ pic.twitter.com/N0Euj2lNZG
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) August 10, 2019
In a recent Reddit thread where this news was shared, we also saw that many guests would actually prefer the Walt Disney World style entrance option, as Magic Band’s in Disneyland have been seen to not have much function, and this would allow the band to feel more useful. You can use them at the moment, but you still need a cast member to identify you upon entering the park.
Some commenters suggested a Magic Key-specific entrance, much like Disney World, which has Annual Pass-specific scanners.
What does seem plausible is that the new system will do away with turnstiles and have a gate wide enough for a guest in a wheelchair, stroller, or an ECV vehicle without any issue. At the moment, a cast member would need to open a middle gate to let them in.
Overall, this overhaul may cause some delay during the installation process, but it seems that if they install a few each day, that the crowd control will not be too severe.
Are you happy to see Disneyland add in these new gates? Would you prefer the Disneyland Paris or Walt Disney World entrance?