Disneyland Resort is embarking upon its biggest expansion in decades, a multi-project effort spanning major new rides in both theme parks and significant operations upgrades beyond the parks. Disney’s teams recently broke ground on part of these expansion plans that will unlock the ability for the company to move forward with others: the first domino that needed to fall, if you will. Disney has now adjusted the size of that first domino.
Disneyland tweaked plans for the huge expansion that just broke ground, according to a new permit. We’ll break down this modification and another change for the project. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including a classic Disneyland ride reopening after being closed for weeks and Disneyland removing a discount.
READ MORE – Don’t Waste Your Lightning Lane On This Popular Disneyland Ride
Disneyland Expansions Happening Resort-Wide
As guests visit Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney, and make their way through the entire Disneyland Resort in general, it is nearly impossible to not notice the abundance of construction activity in multiple locations.
Construction has been underway for some time now at Disney California Adventure on 2 new rides in Avengers Campus, pictured above, and a new Coco boat ride.
Disney Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
New restaurants are coming to Downtown Disney, including a massive, 2-story Porto’s Bakery & Café.
It won’t be long before Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park embarks upon its sweeping transformation inspired by Walt’s original vision from 1955.
After all of the above projects are completed, Disneyland’s final announced expansion item is a new land based on Avatar at Disney California Adventure. This project’s location will partially take over what is today Disneyland’s transportation hub, home to rideshare drop-offs and pick-ups, as well as bus stops servicing nearby parking lots and hotels.
Due to this, Disney has to maneuver some facilities around, and it’s going big with the solution.
READ MORE – Secret Target in Disneyland’s Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters Gives You 50,000 Points
Tweaks to Disneyland Eastern Gateway
A project known as the Disneyland Eastern Gateway broke ground in August 2026, east of the Disney theme parks, on the site of a former cast member parking lot and administrative building.
On this plot of land, Disney is constructing a massive new parking structure, along with a new transportation drop-off and pick-up station for rideshares and buses, and a new security checkpoint.
Disney will also build a pedestrian bridge over Harbor Boulevard to connect the Eastern Gateway to the Esplanade, the plaza where guests enter both theme parks.
Several adjustments have been made to Disney’s plans for the Eastern Gateway.
According to a permit filed with the city of Anaheim in October 2026, the size of the parking structure will be slightly smaller than initially announced. Rather than being 8 levels with 6,000 parking spaces, the structure will instead be 7 levels. The specific size for the structure changed from 3,257,394 square feet to 3,115,680 square feet, a decrease of 141,714 square feet.
Doing the math on the parking spaces, the original 6,000 would mean the newly downsized deck will hold 750 fewer parking spaces, for a total of 5,250 spaces.
The permit also shows that Disney increased the number of EV chargers in the structure from 302 to 316.
The reasons for the changes are unclear. Another tweak relates to the future bridge.
Following the project’s groundbreaking in late August 2026, Disney quietly updated the concept art for the pedestrian bridge that will one day cross over Harbor Boulevard. The new version of the artwork displays slight design modifications, swapping out vertical stripes on the interior walls for cascading curves. Landscaping is gone, too. Where the original version included trees and a grass-lined wall, the new version shows plain concrete. Toward the side of the bridge closest to the theme parks, the walls of the bridge also seem to be slightly higher. One side of the bridge may have a shelter over it, but it’s hard to say for sure.
Below is the full version of the old artwork:
And now here is the full version of the new artwork:
In the short term, construction related to this project is impacting several functions in the Esplanade.
We’re following this and all the Disneyland expansion projects closely. See our coverage of when Disneyland’s new rides will open, insight from Imagineers on the Tomorrowland overhaul, and new restaurants opening.
Disneyland Resort installed a new President, Jill Estorino, earlier this year. She lived at Disneyland for 5 weeks to get acclimated to the role, and shared with Mickey Visit exclusively how her stay impacted her vision for the resort.
Don’t Miss the Latest Disney News
Don’t miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.
