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Disneyland installing automated turnstiles in $4.8 million entrance makeover

The flower bed in front of Main Street, U.S.A., train station at Disneyland has been turned into Minnie Mouse for Women’s History Month in Anaheim, California, on March 16, 2022. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register/TNS)
By Brady MacDonald Orange County Register The Orange County Register

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. Work to remove and replace the turnstiles at the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure entrances will begin later in the year, according to Disneyland officials.

“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 expected to start at Disney California Adventure before moving across the esplanade to Disneyland’s main entrance, according to MiceChat.

Disneyland will remove the existing entrance turnstiles and install 38 new automatic entry gates, according to Anaheim building reports. Disney California Adventure will install 24 automatic entry gates after removing existing entrance turnstiles, according to the building reports.

Both entrance makeovers will also add fixed manual gates, removable railings and overhead shrouds.

The entry update will make the gates stroller and handicap accessible, according to News Nation reporter Scott Gustin.

City documents estimate the cost of the project at $4.8 million.

Disneyland officials told MiceChat the existing turnstiles will be replaced with automated gates similar to the ones used at Disneyland Paris.

In 2019 Disneyland Paris installed new entry gates with clear doors that open once visitors successfully scan a theme park ticket, annual pass or MagicBand, according to Screamscape.

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure employees will be waiting inside the gates to ensure tickets are valid and to help handle any issues. New tickets will still require a photo of the visitor, according to MiceChat.

Walt Disney World uses a fingerprint scanner rather than photos to link tickets and visitors.