We spend a lot of time here talking about what to eat in New Orleans Square and whether the Monte Cristo is worth the line (it is, always, no notes). But every so often something comes up that is less about the food and more about actually getting yourself to the front gate, and right now the ground transportation situation around Disneyland is one of those things that every guest planning a summer trip needs to understand.
Disneyland Resort just announced a partnership with Lyft offering discounted rides for Good Neighbor Hotel guests through early September. On the surface that sounds like a minor perk. Once you know what happened to the shuttle system that used to handle this for millions of people, it hits a little differently.
Here Is the Deal, Literally
Two promo codes, two different situations. If you have never used Lyft before, enter code 50MAGIC at checkout for 50 percent off two rides. If you already have a Lyft account, use code XL10 for 10 percent off one XL ride. Both codes work for rides between Disneyland Resort Good Neighbor Hotels and the resort area, and both are valid from May 28 through September 8, 2026.
Check your app before you land in Anaheim. The difference between 50 percent off and 10 percent off is significant enough that knowing which code you qualify for ahead of time is worth the two minutes it takes to look.
Why This Partnership Exists at All
Here is the part that changes how you read this announcement.
The Anaheim Resort Transportation system, known as ART, shut down on March 31, 2026. Gone. More than 8 million annual riders, dozens of connected hotels, around-the-clock bus service between Good Neighbor Hotels and the resort, and the Toy Story Parking Area shuttle that alone moved nearly 7 million people this fiscal year. All of it, done.
The organization that ran ART, the Anaheim Transportation Network, collapsed after a prolonged financial crisis it could not recover from. The city started looking for a replacement in February. As of this summer, nothing comprehensive has taken its place.
Disney told the OC Register that shuttle service for its guests would continue. The specifics have been slow to materialize. Garden Grove launched its own shuttle connecting the resort transit hub to about 10 nearby hotels. OC Bus covers some of the old ART routes. A group of hotels is working on building an independent shuttle network, though they have been upfront that replacing what ART provided will cost considerably more than what the old system charged.
The longer view involves DisneylandForward, Disney’s big expansion plan that includes a new 6,000-space parking structure and a dedicated transportation hub on the east side of the resort. A demolition permit filed recently means that project is at least getting started. But a future parking structure does not help someone who booked a Good Neighbor Hotel for July and does not have a rental car.
That is where the Lyft partnership fits in. It is not a transit system. It is a discounted rideshare deal that gives guests a workable option in a summer where the old reliable answer no longer exists. For a family doing a round trip to the park each day of a multi-day stay, reducing the cost of those rides matters.
What You Should Actually Do With All of This
If you are heading to Disneyland this summer and staying off-property, download Lyft before you leave home and figure out whether you are a new or existing user. Use 50MAGIC if you are new. Use XL10 if you are not. Both codes expire September 8. If you are making multiple trips between your hotel and the resort across several days, those savings compound, so do not leave them on the table.
On both coasts, transportation is requiring more thought this year than it has in a while. The guests who will feel that the least are the ones who planned for it before they left home.
Questions about getting around either park this summer? Drop them in the comments below. We actually read them and we will help you figure it out before you go.
