Disneyland Hotel ART Shuttle Changes May Bring New Uber & Lyft Fees

Some potential changes are coming to the ART shuttle bus system that connects the Disneyland Resort to area hotels, as the City of Anaheim is currently considering the takeover of the agency that operates this transporation service. They are also considering fees on Uber & Lyft to subsidize the service.

Keep reading for more details about the potential takeover and what it would mean for this widely used service. We also recently got some news about a potential major new gondola system that the City of Anaheim is considering to connect its two major tourist hubs.

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Potential City Takeover of ART Shuttle System

The Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) shuttle bus system is a popular transportation option utilized by Disneyland visitors. The bus system has multiple routes that cover most of the popular hotels in the area, and its schedule is aligned with the Disneyland theme park operating hours. One-way fares for the ART shuttle currently cost $4.00 for adults (ages 10 and up) and $1.50 for children (ages 3 to 9) and senior (65+) or disabled riders.

The City of Anaheim is currently having discussions about taking over the Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN), which operates ART. The ATN moves over 8 million riders a year, mostly through the ART shuttle bus system.

Earlier this year, the agency and city signed a letter of understanding to explore this option, and Anaheim is now moving forward with this by securing support from ATN's board. Last Friday, the board for ATN met at Anaheim City Hall to hear the city's pitch for a takeover of the agency. The board is made up of mostly hoteliers and other resort interests, including a Disney representative. If the city of Anaheim takes over the agency, ATN may be dissolved as an agency or transferred to the city.

The goal of the takeover is to ensure the financial stability of the agency without increasing the amount that hoteliers have to pay. According to a report by the Orange County Register, Public Works Director Rudy Emami, who gave the city's presentation to the board, emphasized that “the priority is to stabilize ATN financially.”

The agency is supported by rider fares and hotels that pay into the system based on their number of rooms. While ATN has increased the amount that hotels have been paying annually, it has not been enough to offset labor costs, which have risen dramatically over the last five years. ATN Board Chair Matthew Hicks said, “We have a structural operating deficit with really no end in sight.”

If the city takes over the ATN, it would take proposals from different companies for the operation of ATN's buses and resort service, and they have already had discussions with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA). Wincome Hospitality CEO Paul Sanford, who was chair of ATN's board up until a few months ago, shared his reservations about this option in favor of a higher-quality service. “I'm just concerned about quality and how that's focused and such,” he said. “I personally see OCTA as a very efficient provider. It does many things fabulously well. But I have not looked at it as a high-quality luxury provider.”

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Emami also shared the possibility of putting a fee on rideshare options like Uber or Lyft. The potential added fees for rideshare could have a notable impact for guests utilizing this option, as right now, prices for Uber/Lyft at Disneyland are pretty affordable for a quick trip to and from area hotels (roughly $7 for a one-way ride) and a much more time-efficient option than the ART shuttles. There is also the additional concern that the shift of reponsibility for the ART shuttles may result in some operational changes, like altered or reduced routes, that could impact guests who rely on this service for transportation to Disneyland.

There could also be fees added to the potential future transportation option that will be used to connect the Platinum Triangle and Ananeim Resort District. We recently shared how the city is considering a gondola system, amongst other possible transportation options, to connect these two major tourist hubs. However, given the tight timeline and massive scale of this potential project, we remain skeptical that it will come to fruition anytime soon.

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