Anaheim residents have raised concerns over plans for Disneyland to buy a public road from the city as part of its Disneyland Forward project proposal.
Disney hopes to buy Magic Way, a 1,150-foot road on the west side of the resort, from the city as part of a $1.9 billion Disneyland Forward proposal to develop Disney-owned property into new theme park and hotel areas.
Disney is committed to paying $40 million to buy Magic Way, Hotel Way and a part of Clementine Street from the city. Magic Way serves drivers using the Pixar Pals Parking Structure and visiting the Disneyland Hotel.
During a Planning Commission workshop on Monday, residents said they used Magic Way as a shortcut to bypass traffic to get to the 5 Freeway.
Randy Lewis, who lives near the Disneyland Resort, said he uses Magic Way during his morning commute.
An artist’s rendering released March 25, 2021, shows Disneyland Resort’s planned additions of attractions and shops around the resort’s Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. (Disney via Los Angeles Times) Conceptual artwork for Disneyland’s expansion plans, dubbed Disneyland Forward. (Disney)
“Magic Way is near and dear to my heart. I love Magic Way.” Lewis said during the public comment portion of the meeting.
“I do not love the idea of closing Magic Way. It’s a great way for residents to bypass a lot of traffic.”
Other residents questioned if Disney needed to own Magic Way in order to move forward with the Disneyland Forward proposal should it be approved by city officials.
During the Monday meeting, Disney shared data from a Magic Way traffic study, which found that more than 99% of vehicle trips on Magic Way are Disney-related. Only a few dozen drivers use the road as a cut-through during peak hours.
“Of the 11,153 vehicles that traverse Magic Way on a daily basis, 11,053 of them are either departing or arriving at a Disney property,” Joe Haupt, a consultant for Disney, said during the meeting. “Less than 100 are non-Disney users.”
As part of the Disneyland Forward proposal, Magic Way would be transformed into a pedestrian walkway, according to Erin Ryan, a spokesperson for the city of Anaheim.
“There would still be some cars on that road and access for emergency vehicles, but it won’t be a street as it is today.”
Haupt also shared how Walnut Street could better accommodate pedestrians wishing to cross it to get to the resort. A crosswalk could be added to the street along with a bike lane.
Nearby residents who wish to walk to the resort don’t have a protected crosswalk and have to cross four traffic lanes on Walnut Street, the Orange County Register reported.
Disney hasn’t announced a date for construction to begin should Disneyland Forward get approved by the city. However, Haupt stated that Disney would have to meet its investment commitments within 10 years.
The Planning Commission is expected to vote on the Disneyland Forward proposal during its next meeting on March 11.
The Anaheim City Council is expected to vote on the proposal in May.
