Construction on Disneyland's 6,000-space Eastern Gateway garage is expected to run into early 2029. That's after two new Avengers Campus rides are due to open and after the 2028 Olympics come to Anaheim.
Disneyland's next big parking garage is going to be a construction zone for a while.
Work on the Eastern Gateway, a parking structure and transportation hub with about 6,000 spaces, is expected to continue into early 2029, the Orange County Register reported. Disneyland officials shared that estimate with nearby residents at a recent community meeting, BlogMickey said.
That's roughly two and a half years after the Aug. 24, 2026, groundbreaking, by our math. Officials said the timeline could still change as construction moves along.
One important caveat: early 2029 isn't an opening date. "The early 2029 timeline is not an announced opening date," Nexstar's Scott Gustin wrote on X, KTLA reported. Gustin said the timeline was shared as an estimate for neighbors.
Here's a look at Eastern Gateway construction:
What is Disneyland's Eastern Gateway?
It's the first major piece of DisneylandForward, the expansion plan Anaheim approved in 2024. Here's what Disney has described:
Parking: About 6,000 spaces on part of the former Manchester cast member lot, on the east side of the resort.
Access: Dedicated traffic entry off Disney Way.
Transportation hub: Shuttle and rideshare areas, plus security screening.
Pedestrian bridge: A bridge over Harbor Boulevard to an all-new esplanade arrival area. People who didn't park there can use it, too.
Disneyland's current Harbor Boulevard bus drop-off and pick-up area will also move to the Manchester lot, according to the Register.
The plans keep shifting a little. A December 2025 permit described an eight-story, 3.2-million-square-foot structure with 302 EV chargers. An updated permit filed in October trims it to seven levels and bumps the chargers to 316, BlogMickey reported.
When will the Eastern Gateway open?
Disney hasn't said. At the groundbreaking, Disney only said construction would take multiple years. Disneyland Resort President Jill Estorino called it "an exciting step forward for Disneyland Resort and the City of Anaheim."
Some fans hoped the garage would be ready by 2028. Disney Tourist Blog guessed 2028 as recently as Oct. 30. If the early 2029 estimate holds, that's off, and the timing gets a little awkward:
Avengers Campus: Disney said at D23 in August that Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab will both open in 2028.
2028 Olympics: Honda Center will host indoor volleyball in July 2028, according to the City of Anaheim.
So the new Avengers rides could open before the garage meant to help handle their crowds. Love that for the Mickey and Friends parking structure.
What's changing at Disneyland's entrance right now?
Plenty, even before the garage goes up:
Security: A new screening building is going up on the East Esplanade, where the old ticket booths stood. We reported Nov. 2 that it just got its roof. Disney has only said fall 2026.
Hotel shuttles: Good Neighbor and third-party hotel shuttles moved Nov. 2 to the new Downtown Disney District shuttle area, Disney Tourist Blog reported.
Rideshare: Pick-up and drop-off moved behind Disney California Adventure, near Harbor Boulevard and Disney Way. Disney Tourist Blog estimated that's a two- to three-minute longer walk.
Toy Story Lot shuttles: Still drop off in the East Esplanade area, just a bit farther north.
The Manchester lot closed in June 2026, and the old Team Disney Anaheim East office building came down to make room.
What else is part of DisneylandForward?
Disney calls the Eastern Gateway the foundation for the next phase. That phase includes the two Avengers Campus attractions, a Coco ride and an Avatar area at Disney California Adventure, BlogMickey reported.
Estorino said at the groundbreaking that "the arrival experience is an important part of every guest visit." Fair enough. It just won't be a finished one for a couple more years.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Orange County Register (Nov. 3, 2026), the early 2029 estimate from Disneyland's community meeting and the bus drop-off move
BlogMickey (Nov. 3, 2026), the Register report, project details, permit changes, Avengers Campus and Olympics timing
KTLA (Nov. 3, 2026), Scott Gustin's note that early 2029 isn't an opening date
BlogMickey (Aug. 24, 2026), the groundbreaking, Estorino's quotes, the Manchester lot closure and DisneylandForward's next phase
Disney Tourist Blog (Oct. 30, 2026), the shuttle and rideshare moves and the 2028 guess
MickeyBlog (Nov. 3, 2026), fan hopes for a 2028 opening
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